Guests at “RD”: the new leaders of the PDSH PAGE 2

Inside The Albanian Newspaper, a fascist newspaper PAGE 3 The Bureaucrats Pay Where did they find the money?

SALI BERISHA: “Now, and only now, can we wish more than 2 million and 300 thousand peasants in all four corners of the country: Happy ownership of your land” (From the PD conference, Tirana, 9 August 1995) DR.SKENDER XHIKU The law on land privatization is a positive event of fundamental importance for agriculture, a victory of particular value for democracy. Private ownership created independent agricultural economies, which were once and for all separated from the tutelage and constraints once imposed by the state—centralized through socialist collectivization—and from the misplaced and excessive interventions of the state apparatus. From a social standpoint, land privatization has immeasurable value for the development of agriculture. The farmer-owner considers the preservation and maintenance of the land’s fertility, and its orderly transfer to the next generation, sacred. He enters into a close relationship with the land and acquires a special, intimate bond with it, learning the laws of nature and drawing on work experience, on which the increase in production and the farmer’s income depend; while the buying and selling of land helps it become part of the existing structures and embrace programs to modernize agriculture. These two stages are reforms that improve conditions in the countryside and remove obstacles to increased production. The land sale and purchase law represents a complete break with the past and gives agriculture a new orientation toward high-value intensive production. This is important for the whole country, because society’s development is also linked to real progress in agriculture, without which we cannot achieve significant development of civilization. The law on buying and selling land expresses the general interests of Albanian society and harmonizes the interests of agriculture with those of other sectors of the economy. [The absence of a land market] would hinder the implementation of economic reforms, paralyze the rural development strategy, and damage the interests of the peasantry and society as a whole. In a democracy, laws are built according to democratic principles, placing the individual and their interests at the foundation, without neglecting the interests of the associations and social groups that make up society. This is how the laws on land distribution and its sale and purchase, and on compensation for former owners, were also prepared. It is worth emphasizing that, immediately after the law on buying and selling land was passed, the Government began taking measures to accelerate and improve the processes for returning and compensating former owners for urban plots and agricultural land; compensation will be made not only with securities but also with plots in tourist areas. With this law, the farmer becomes a true owner. Text continues beyond the image frame. As they continue to operate within the market economy, they will become sources of capital through the relevant companies, and perhaps even typical joint-stock companies. (Continued on page 2) for the development of agriculture. It challenges the farmer to preserve and increase the fertility of the soil and pass it on intact to future generations. The farmer enters into a close relationship with the land and develops a spirit of observation and intuition, in order to better understand the laws of nature and the experience of labour on which the uninterrupted development of the agricultural economy is based. The land law gives the farmer the right to inherit the land, lease it, donate it, pledge it and, under the new law, buy and sell it. The fair distribution of land leads to

- Whether he likes it or not, he and his associates are left-wing extremists, unreformed communists - Marxism destroyed Albania for half a century - The PSSH has nothing whatsoever in common with the European Socialist Parties, whether of the West or the East - The PDSH will never form an alliance with the PSSH. You’ve run out of ammunition, Mr. Dokle Yesterday, one of the PSSH’s left-wing extremists, Namik Dokle, tried once again, in an interview with the BBC, to cosmetically rebrand the PPSH, transformed into the PSSH and led by left-wing extremists—people who bear responsibility for the crimes and the destruction of the country during ’90–’92, and who were close, hand-picked collaborators of R. Alia. Namik Dokle attacked the President of the Republic, saying that, according to him, he “does not respect the diversity of opinions and alternatives.” Dokle, one of the people Alia chose to head the “ZP” newspaper during the period when it was supposedly defending the diversity and pluralism that were emerging, tries to present himself as a democrat and accuse of the opposite precisely those who were the first to confront dictatorship in the name of freedom and pluralism. Before making accusations, Dokle should have the courage to admit that he and his associates have no alternative other than Marxism, the destruction of the country, and the suppression of freedoms and democracy. Part of the text continues beyond the image frame.

Through leaflets, the PS is trying to stop its hemorrhage... In recent days, two PS leaders, Gramoz Ruçi and Servet Pellumbi, visited Korçë. Their first and last stop was the PS building, as usual regularly frequented by nostalgic old women. This building has been cracking for some time, and the PS mercenaries have split into two camps: the conservative wing led by Niko Pandeli, and the so-called reformist wing led by Ali Jashari and Bardi Aliçkorri. Sources inside the PS say that the latter wing refuses to be led by moldy, discredited figures such as Shanza Koçiu, Sotir Lashova and company. Concerned about this situation, one of the most prominent representatives of the PS’s conservative wing, its general secretary Gramoz Ruçi—the scriptwriter of April 2—arrived urgently from Tirana in Korçë and organized a kind of sinister “plenum,” where the reformists were not only threatened with expulsion from the party but also forced to make self-criticisms! As if to soften the impact of this “sinister Plenum,” after Gramoz Ruçi, his counterpart Servet Pellumbi came to Korçë, shortly before his vacation in Italy. After taking a stroll along Korçë’s boulevard and seeing that nobody had welcomed him with “bouquets of flowers,” he left like a shadow, with his tail between his legs, just as he had arrived. He left, but gave an important task: to distribute leaflets throughout the [text missing/illegible] and former State Security agents; all you have to do is look at the “appeal” that some obedient, compromised servants circulated throughout Korçë—sometimes handing it to people as a “curiosity,” sometimes slipping [unclear] into bag shops at the bazaar, and sometimes posing as religious missionaries, so that people would think they were being given the Lord’s leaflets for free! But what advice? The Bible, the Qur’an, and all the holy books preach peace and brotherhood, whereas the PS “appeal” to gather at a protest rally carries poison and hatred in every letter, along with pathological hatred and medieval vengeance; indeed, it is an unconstitutional appeal, because it “invites its collaborators to notify the government of their strength!!!” It urges the people of Korçë to defend the crime and corruption that bear Nano’s name. The hot-headed leaders Ruçi, Pellumbi and Co. are once again calling for destabilization. Meanwhile, the communist leaflets are being distributed according to the mentality: “Read them, pass them around, and don’t surrender them to the enemy.” Thousands of dollars have been spent getting the leaflets out of the printing press. But the PS is wasting its effort. The worn-out body of the party, long gripped by cancerous metastases, cannot be saved by the advice of the Marxist “professor” Servet Pellumbi. The leaflets cannot stop the PS’s hemorrhage. The extremists ... elect a head of “ZP” [unclear] to maintain the diversity of the “ZP” leaflet, the various differences between you and the European socialist parties. You differ not only in language, as Dokle says, but the difference is like night and day. Besides Albanians, you yourselves have understood this fact, as they are leaving you outside the doors of European socialist structures. As for an alliance with the PD, Dokle says that in the elections the PD was moderate. Since the failure with the PD, you have been spent. The gunpowder has been completely dampened, and only the lodges remain. The PDSH, the true Democrats, have never considered an alliance with you. An alliance with you is an alliance with the devil. On this point too, you have failed completely, Mr Dokle. As for how the PS wants to gather its mercenaries, mainly ... [text cut off] Prime Minister, former chief editor of Brendshëm, former chief editor of Brendshëm, about the crime of “ZP”, “KJ”, “KP”, of this “Black Plenum”, after Gramoz Ruci and in Korçe, shortly before the holidays in Italy, his counterpart Servet Pellumbi, who, after taking a stroll along Korçe’s of flowers”, just as he had arrived. He left, but assigned an urgent task: to distribute leaflets throughout the city calling for a protest rally on August 11 at the sports palace. Pellumbi’s concern was that the PS is afraid of Korçe. In any case, its rallies have failed shamefully in this city. As time goes by, the crowds grow sparser; the Euro-socialists are dissatisfied. The ageing electorate is dwindling day by day, and the PS is trying in vain to stop its haemorrhaging... How the PS intends to gather its mercenaries, mainly pleg

Speech by Prime Minister Aleksander Meksi at the conference of the PD branch, Tirana Ladies and Gentlemen, Delegates and guests, the Tirana Conference is an important event in the life of the Democratic Party. Ladies and Gentlemen, Delegates and guests, The Tirana Conference is an important event in the life of the Democratic Party. In addition to the role and contribution of Tirana’s Democrats to the victory of democracy in Albania in March 1992, we must take into consideration that Tirana is Albania’s principal city, a city whose scale is greater than any of us could have anticipated, we who were born and raised in Tirana. All of this has also involved a series of difficulties felt by the Government, the local authorities and all the residents of Tirana. Nevertheless, Tirana’s role is very great in the major democratic transformations, in the transformation of the new state and in the transformation of the market economy. Tirana is bearing the greatest economic burden of Democratic Albania. In Tirana, the number of shops, enterprises and employees, and the number of people working in the private sector, is extraordinary. When we speak of restructuring and strengthening the PD’s ranks, I think we forget the people in this programme who are privately employed and are now wealthier than the rest of us, and who have advanced through the work of the state and achieved this economic position thanks to you, the people of Tirana, always the Democrats. During these four years—and particularly over the last two years since the previous conference—a series of results have been achieved, quite notable ones. These are the measures of a lifetime, and the main economic development achievements have also been seen, such as GDP, currency convertibility, a stable exchange rate, low inflation and overall economic stability, growth rates and the elimination of foreign debt. It should be stressed that these are among the greatest achievements of democratic governance. We have made great achievements, though not as many as we would have wished; nevertheless, we have made many achievements, and more will follow, because the entire necessary legal framework has now been established, including codes and various laws, and a market economy has been created with all the structures needed to attract foreign and domestic capital. The Tirana–Durrës road has been paved; Rinas Airport will begin operating within 1–2 months; reconstruction of the Tirana–Durrës railway line has begun; reconstruction of the water supply system and telephone lines in Tirana has begun. Measures have been taken, and we believe they will produce results in increasing the number of homes built in Tirana. An area has been designated for housing for the homeless, and efforts are being made to secure funding, because Tirana now has over 15–20% of Albania’s population and faces serious social problems due to its growth, including a very large number of pensioners and a very large number of homeless people living in private property. In recent months we have said that a necessary condition for achieving results is the restructuring of the PD. I think that good work has been done in this regard in Tirana, and the figures speak for themselves: 11,400 members, of whom 25% are women. But there should be more women, because we all know that at the possible meetings of the PD in Tirana, half were women and girls from Tirana. I think we need to do better in our day-to-day work—I would say, face to face, as someone before me put it—in all the PD structures. We cannot have thousands of names in the new elections unless we work with people and make it clear to Albanians what has been achieved in Albania over these years. These achievements are the result of the work done by all the structures of the Democratic Party, and Tirana has played a decisive role because it is part of the central structures and the new Albanian state. Special attention was given here to the participation of young intellectuals in the new state. In my opinion, this is right, and it is the Democratic Party that should put forward more new candidates for state structures. It is true that administration in a democratic state is built gradually, through examinations, training and civil-service probation. But ours is a state whose administration and system are being transformed from the ground up. All those whom we believe to have intellectual ability and a commitment to democracy should take up these positions as soon as possible, if they have the ability to transform Albania as quickly as possible, to ensure ... (Continued on page 2) The speech continues with: growth rates and the elimination of foreign debt... (Continued on page 3) growth rates and the elimination of foreign debt; and members, of whom 25% are women. The figures speak for themselves, transform Albania as quickly as possible, to ensure

Minister Zhulali received participants in the international conference on maritime legislation The Minister of Defence, Safet Zhulali, yesterday received at a special meeting representatives of the countries participating in the international conference on maritime legislation, which is holding its proceedings in Tirana from 6 to 11 August. Representatives from the USA, Albania, Bulgaria, Romania and Ukraine were present. Also in attendance were the American military attaché in Tirana, Stiven Buci, and the chief of the US military mission at our Ministry of Defence, Colonel Carls Krist. The president of the conference, the American Kantor, speaking about its value, focused on the importance of the conference for the exchange of experience among partner countries and on its professional atmosphere. Its purpose, he said, is to develop an organised maritime service. The draft Albanian Maritime Service Code is a model not only for partner countries but also for the USA. Representatives of Ukraine, Romania and others also expressed their appreciation and evaluations of the conference. Meanwhile, Defence Minister Safet Zhulali stated that the international conference on maritime legislation was an important contribution to the exchange of experience between partner countries. In the process of democratic change, we have devoted particular attention to fundamental changes in legislation in accordance with international standards. The preparation of Albania’s Maritime Service Code is part of this effort and is the subject of discussion and exchange of experience at this conference. Mr Zhulali praised the particular contribution of American specialists and experts in this area, and also pointed out the need for US assistance in establishing the Albanian coast guard. Such work and legislation meeting international standards, he stressed, also regulate and strengthen regional cooperation. On this occasion, the Minister of Defence presented the American US Coast Guard officer Nikolas Graceli with the Order of Naim Frasheri, First Class, awarded by the President of the Republic, Mr Sali Berisha. While reading the citation for the decoration, Mr Zhulali emphasised the excellent cooperation in the field of defence between Albania and the USA, as well as the American lawyer’s special contribution to establishing legislation for the armed forces of the Republic of Albania and transforming them into an army serving democratic society. The meeting concluded with thanks from the American lawyer Graceli and an exchange of gifts.

Fatmir Kumbaro, the Socialist Party’s delegate to the congress of the Macedonian socialists, greeted them in their mother tongue (Macedonian). The Macedonians and the others present were surprised. On this occasion, Mr Kumbaro wanted to show that he respects the host’s laws, which prohibit the use of the Albanian language for 800,000 Albanians in Macedonia. The few Albanians present in the hall were astonished by Socialist Kumbaro’s knowledge of Macedonian and his ignorance of the situation of Albanians in Macedonia. Taken from the newspaper “Republika” “RD” Editorial Note There is just one omission in the “Republika” newspaper report: Fatmir Kumbaro, because of the “erudition” he possesses, got tongue-tied in his speech while scribbling about the “close friendship” that he and the PS had planned to forge with the Macedonian socialists.

Sources who do not wish to be identified report that yesterday the newspaper “KJ” received an order from its supreme chief Ruçi to misinform public opinion by declaring: “Berisha at the Tirana PD Conference: The Socialists are our enemies.” With this instruction from Ruçi, “KJ” accuses the Socialists themselves more than it accuses President Berisha, identifying them with Marx’s doctrine, because President Berisha, in his speech at the Tirana PD conference, said: “With patience and tolerance, we must explain to people that the Albanian socialist alternative, based on Marx’s principles, is an irreconcilable enemy of democracy, an enemy of the country’s integration, an enemy of all the freedoms and rights of the individual, and that Marxism in practice ... [text unclear] ... it gives us socialism and dictatorship.” But Ruçi, feeling himself to be a true Chekist, orders “KJ” to misinform its readers. M.S.H.

Hoxhaism or the nobody’s forge