LAZER STANI The apologists for dictatorship and Bolshevism continue, even to this day, despite the damning facts that have come to light, to defend the immediate theses of the Enverist dictatorship: that positive things were achieved and, according to them, were indisputable merits. The most zealous servants of this dictatorship go so far as to say that we have no reason to repent of having served it, since, after all, we were implementing the laws of the state at that time. They say this openly and without blushing: those self-proclaimed intellectuals who agreed to be degraded and dehumanized, and who functioned like computer machines with the Party’s brain-program, never managing to call upon their inner conscience or awaken the human being within themselves. Meanwhile, many others have repented and supported democratic processes. Besides the many facts that have been made known to the Albanian public in recent years, two particularly appalling facts have now come to light: the death lists, which include, among others, many artists and intellectuals, including Pëllumb Kulla and Gjoshono Vasille; and the lists of intellectuals who armed themselves with pistols and automatic weapons precisely when the dictatorship was in its death throes. Among them were Rekhep Mejdanji, a doctor of physical sciences, and Kico Blushi, a writer, as well as many others who were not insignificant in their technical and professional fields. It is known, however, that the lists of terror—the death lists—are incomplete. For example, the lists of those who were to be detained and eliminated in Tirana in the event of an extraordinary situation have not been discovered. But it is also known that Tirana is the country’s intellectual capital, and that it was there that intellectual resistance to the dictatorship had begun to be felt more strongly than anywhere else in recent years, although it was not openly expressed or publicized. The question therefore naturally arises: how many of these intellectuals, writers, artists and journalists must have had their names on these black lists? Certainly, apart from those who drew up the lists in the secret police offices and the informers and agents of that police who filled intellectuals’ files with denunciations, no one can know. But undoubtedly many intellectuals, doctors, professors, writers and artists from the capital were included on these lists, as at least the fragments discovered so far confirm; they included the writer Pëllumb Kulla and the talented Shkodran humorist Gjasho Vasi. The hour of terror was about to strike the intellectuals, artists and writers once again, just as it had in fact struck during almost forty-five years of dictatorship, physically destroying the healthiest part of the Albanian intelligentsia and turning it into a camp devoted to a single man, away from the Renaissance tradition and the intellectual tradition that had taken shape in Albania in the 1930s, when there were truly intellectuals of European stature. Naturally, today, even though the time separating us from the dictatorship is a very short interval, it is hard to imagine how a state could devise such terrifying, macabre and ominous plans for its educated elite, for the pride of its nation. But facts are facts: they speak for themselves, however chilling their language, and cannot be denied. The war against intellectuals, carried out according to an elaborate strategy, was the Party’s and the dictator’s policy, and they directed it. “Intellectuals have petty-bourgeois tendencies; they are wavering,” was said for public consumption and justification, while behind the scenes a terrible effort was made to subjugate and compromise them, to set them against one another. When someone resisted, they were threatened with physical annihilation or imprisonment, as in the cases of the poets Blasime and Leka, or the poet Visar Zhiti, who was arrested and imprisoned solely for his verses. The dictatorship, meanwhile, was adept at exploiting the human weaknesses of intellectuals, writers and artists—their ambitions for artistic, literary or scientific careers, ambitions that were natural. By exploiting these ambitions and weaknesses, and through the ideologization of everything, it managed to create the first list of intellectuals: the list of obedient servant-intellectuals. Most had been compromised in one way or another, while the minority, though included on these lists, were nevertheless kept under constant surveillance and watch. The intellectuals on this list, in whom the Party placed its trust and whom it used in its service, have remained loyal, if not to the dictator and dictatorship, then at least to their not especially illustrious (not to say shameful) past. And this group still seeks support today from the political force that once strengthened it most, thereby committing its second, unjustifiable sin, because in the end no one is forcing them to do so. Just look, for example, at who among the “intellectuals” supports the Socialist Party today. It is the entire “intellectual” nomenklatura that served the PPSH and its “illustrious” leaders devotedly, and brought about destruction that is difficult to overstate in Albanian culture, art and economy. It seems that these intellectuals (if we call them that out of respect, since an intellectual cannot be anyone’s servant), lost in their past and afraid of the cultural and human wreckage they have caused, cannot understand that democracy, freedom and the new system being built have drawn up no plans and no black lists to punish or denigrate them for their past. That was the end of the black lists, the end of terror, the end of the system that practised genocide, violence and terror—the end of the brutal system that compromised intellectuals and criminalized them. And if two lists are published today, one of servants and the other of intended victims, this is done only in the victims’ name, only so that the past may never be repeated.

In 1994, the state budget invested 298 million lekë in this sector, or 100% of the government program. About 2.2 billion lekë was financed by various foreign donors. This year the government will spend 500 million lekë, or 1.7 times more than a year ago. Of this, the largest share will go to agricultural infrastructure. During 1990–91, 20% of the country’s land-irrigation network was damaged. Therefore, the recovery of the existing irrigation and drainage system will continue, along with the completion of ongoing projects. Work will initially focus on seven districts (Fier, Lushnjë, Kavajë, Durrës, Tiranë, Laç and Krujë), and will be funded by the World Bank, Kuwait, Italy, etc., as well as by 7.3 million dollars from the Albanian government. The total is 44 million dollars, as well as the irrigation system at the level of the individual private farm. Possible financing from the FAD program is being discussed for four districts: Dibër, Bulqizë, Mat and Mirditë. The total cost is 10.8 million dollars, of which 9 million is from FAD, 0.7 million from other donors and 1.1 million dollars from the Albanian government. For the recovery of irrigation on private farms not included in the above projects, the Ministry of Agriculture is requesting 475 million lekë. Given the importance of irrigation for these areas, it is requested that 228 million lekë be financed from the state budget this year.

In 1994, the Ministry of Construction carried out 90% of its public investment program. Investment funding for 1995 amounts to 4 billion and 52 million lekë, or several times more. These investments are allocated as follows: Housing for the population: 1,200 million lekë Water supply systems: 981 million lekë National road network: 870 million lekë Banja hydroelectric power plant: 420 million lekë Sewerage: 218 million lekë Road surfacing and improvements in towns: 203 million lekë Studies and projects: 80 million lekë During 1995, the aim is to decentralize power and strengthen local government. To this end, some projects managed until now by the Ministry of Construction will be transferred to local government. This will improve the quality of project monitoring and implementation, while also increasing the direct interest of [unclear] (plans and systems are intended for the district or locality itself). FATOS ÇOÇOLI

On 26–27 July, consultations were held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Tirana to prepare the government talks between the two states, scheduled to take place in November this year. The Albanian delegation and the delegation from the German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development reviewed the financial cooperation program, under which Germany grants Albania aid credits. The credit in question, whose use will be determined later, provides for initiatives such as support for small and medium-sized enterprises; partial financing of several projects in Kavajë, Kukës and Has; water supply for part of the city of Korçë; wastewater sewerage in Laç and Krujë; maternal and child care; and family planning. During these two days, the Albanian and German delegations discussed this project and how it would be implemented in detail. At the end of the talks, the two sides signed a set of minutes.

—A delegation led by senior PPSH officials is secretly taking part in the international conference of socialists in Sofia Sources from the PS leadership, who refuse to be identified, report that the leading members of this leadership left for Sofia two days ago at the invitation of the Bulgarian Socialist Party to attend its national conference, as well as other activities. The Albanian and German delegations discussed the project and how it would be implemented in detail. At the end of the talks, the two sides signed a set of minutes.

But the secrecy surrounding the visit to Sofia and the complete silence about the meetings there in the PPSH headquarters in Tirana are arousing very serious suspicions among Albanians wherever they may be. Sources from the conference venue in the city where the Bulgarian Socialist Party’s national conference is being held report that a secret bilateral meeting took place yesterday between representatives of the PPSH and representatives of the Serbian Socialist Party. The agenda of the discussions and agreements has been kept completely secret. It is believed that Dr. N.Rndeka, who visited Belgrade, the capital of Yugoslavia, a few days ago, had a special mission connected with this meeting, involving Albanian representatives. At present, RD has no information about the content of the discussions and agreements reached in Sofia. The visit to Sofia and the complete silence about the meetings there at the PPSH headquarters in Tirana are arousing very serious suspicions among Albanians wherever they may be.

4th PD Conference in Gramsh More young people in the PD leadership structures These days, the 4th PD district conference was held in the hall of the Palace of Culture in Gramsh. Those attending the conference included delegates from the PD leadership and the chairman of the FRPD, Afrim Krasniqi. The conference report, presented by branch chairman Kujtim Abazi, highlighted the work carried out by the PD over the past two years, its political achievements, the role and activities of the district departments, and other problems that have yet to be resolved. The PD in Gramsh states that the local PS government, mired in corruption, has become an obstacle to the district’s economic development. Thousands of dollars in local funds have been used by local PS leaders for purposes other than those intended, creating a complete stagnation of investment in the district.

Greece Children of Albanian emigrants should enjoy the right to preserve their mother tongue The Greek Minister of Education declares Greek Minister of Education Jorgo Papandreu has stated that the children of Albanian emigrants living in Greece should enjoy the right to preserve and develop their mother tongue, saying that he hopes this issue will be resolved at the same time as the legalization of Albanian emigrants there. Mr. Papandreu also stressed that Albanian-Greek relations are the key to stability in the Balkan region, as he said in a BBC commentary. At a joint meeting of representatives of Albanian and Greek parliamentary parties being held in Athens, Greek Education Minister Jorgos Papandreu delivered greetings in a dual capacity: on the one hand as a government representative and, on the other, as a member of the Greek committee of the Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly, the non-governmental forum that also organized the meeting. The welcoming remarks of the political heir to Greece’s current prime minister could also be interpreted as a governmental message of goodwill addressed to Tirana. While such reciprocal messages have been frequent lately, the Greek education minister’s words deserve special attention because of some of the positions he expressed and which [continues on page 5]

Bulgarian President Zhelev, a former dissident and committed anti-communist, disagrees with the socialist government on a number of issues. Last month, the Constitutional Court, which has the final say on constitutional matters, ruled in favor of President Zhelev in his dispute with the Bulgarian Socialist Party over controversial amendments to a land law passed in 1992. Zhelev and the court say the amendments seek to weaken the law returning land to its pre-communist owners and violate Bulgarians’ legal right to private property. Zhelev has unsuccessfully tried to block three other pieces of legislation passed by the Bulgarian Socialist Party over the past seven months, including the removal of a ban on former communists holding academic positions. Zhelev believes that the Bulgarian Socialist Party aims to turn back the clock to the communist era by adopting a restrictive economic policy while at the same time maintaining a duplicitous attitude toward the West.

The legal framework for privatizing about 40,000 state-owned companies, including 400 industrial conglomerates, is still lacking, said the chairman of the German Parliament’s Economic Committee in a statement released in Bonn after his return from Bulgaria. Only 25% of Bulgaria’s total output is produced by the private sector. He said Bulgaria’s economic restructuring is lagging behind that of the countries of Central and Eastern Europe and that the country has been unable to make bold political decisions to speed up privatization. Mr. Ost warns that it will be very difficult to make the Bulgarian economy competitive internationally. Many Bulgarian products cannot be sold in the West, and the technical condition of most of the country’s current industry has gone from bad to catastrophic, declares Mr. Ost, chairman of the German Parliament’s Economic Committee. A.DARA

Shkodra on the death lists The red executioners in the hands of freedom From the PD Activist Group, Lushnjë branch Promoters of the emancipation of the new political class The anti-market stance of the socialist leadership Sports, crosswords

(8) Sports, crosswords