NDREKE GJINI Albania in 1991 represents the most chilling and tragic picture a people can experience On 22 March 1992, Albanians were finally liberated from one of the most savage dictatorships known to humanity in its history. Unlike all the other countries of Eastern Europe, in the last year of its rule the Albanian communist oligarchy inflicted unprecedented repression and genocide on the broad masses of the people. a people can experience. The birth of political pluralism and the creation of the DP ignited the hysteria and criminal instincts of the red caste of communists in power to such an extent that, in their revenge, they spared neither lives nor the “danger” and “great evils” of pluralism and democracy. At any cost and by any means, they sought to strike down the newly born democratic movement; they sought to hold on to the seats that were visibly slipping away from them. A political and socioeconomic analysis of 1991, comparing it with 1995, would take many pages, but in this article I will try to touch briefly on the main lines of that analysis. To compare Albania in 1991 with Albania in 1995 is like comparing night with day; it is like comparing dictatorship with democracy. During the black year of 1991, Albania was experiencing complete agony. It had become the symbolic country of mass exoduses, a country where crime and terror had taken to the streets, a country where, unlike anywhere else in the world, the former prime minister himself invoked the specter of hunger before his people, declaring on TV that Albania had only six days’ worth of bread. During this black year, Albanians experienced the horrific February massacre in Tirana, the arson and violence carried out in Shkodër by the neocommunist staff of the state’s own departments and structures, under the direction of Alia, Nano, Raqi and Co. This state clique could not prevent democracy: on 2 April, it took the lives of dozens and hundreds of young people throughout Albania, through scenes worthy of the Mafia, itself a confirmation of its aim to kill forever the hopes of Albanians and their aspirations for democracy. This communist-socialist clique that ran the Albanian state in 1991 sought millions for Albanians from the rest of the world, only to steal them itself afterward. They totally paralyzed the Albanian economy with the 80-percent law, made Albanians stand in long queues from three in the morning for a little milk or a loaf of bread. They plunged the country into debt and established a system of state corruption, closed the universities and higher schools because they feared the surge of the students’ unrestrained democratic spirit, changed the government four times without achieving anything new, at the expense of freedom and politics. In short, those who came to power and swore to seize power again by any means, methods and routes typical of the communists, violently, in the streets, the head of the PS, 98 of the government Albania in 1991 presents a picture of the tragic circumstances the creation of the Democratic Party stirred the hysteria and criminal savagery an extent that, in their revenge, they did not even spare the lives of innocent Albanians. In the memory of all Albanians, those terrible scenes remain indelible: the physical and psychological terror, the mass burnings and destruction organized and carried out by the red nomenklatura of that time in cooperation with the secret police. The sole and ultimate purpose of this caste was, through these barbaric acts, to proclaim to Albanians the place where, as in no other country, the former prime minister himself would come; he threatened the people with the specter of hunger, declaring on Albanian TV that the country year, Albanians experienced the terrible February massacre in Tirana, the burnings and destruction throughout Albania, which would culminate in the burning alive of more than 40 innocent citizens of Fush-Arrëz. They were victimized in exchange for the quelling of hunger, becoming prey to a sinister scenario devised by the former State Security. The April 2 massacre in Shkodër, where Arben Broci, Besnik Ceka, Bujar Bishanak[u?], and Nazmi Kryeziu lost their lives and dozens of others were wounded, constitutes the most barbaric act, prime minister himself would come; they feared the will and unbending democratic spirit of the students, changed the government chairs without enjoying the conduct that the new generation of this [unclear] was demanding, and the policies. In short, those who today incite and swear to regain power using the same old methods and typically Communist routes—[unclear] and [unclear]—the head of the PS in 1998, and attempt at a time when they deny and sow terror and fear everywhere, are the same people who, in 1991, when they were in power, through unprecedented violence and [unclear], unleashed upon Albanians the most savage dictatorship a Communist system could conceive. They led the country toward a grim alternative, toward total Albanianization, toward a European Somalia. (Continued on page 2)

Bollino’s newspaper shut down for slander and Stalinist-style positions There is a mutual determination to develop and consolidate close and friendly cooperation President Berisha praised the Greek government’s strong reaction to Belgrade’s settlement of Serb refugees in Kosovo and expressed concern about recent developments in the region At the reception that the President of the Republic, Sali Berisha, held for the Greek Minister of Justice, Mr Peponis, the President expressed his pleasure at the development of cooperation and friendship between our two countries. He expressed his conviction that Mr Peponis’s visit would contribute to the excellent Albanian-Greek relations.

Yesterday, the President of the Republic, Sali Berisha, on the proposal of the Chairman of the Council of Ministers, Mr Aleksander Meksi, appointed Ms Suzana Panariti to the post of Minister of Industry, Transport and Trade. At his request, since he had been assigned another duty, and the appointment of Ms Suzana Panariti as Minister of Industry, Transport and Trade. Ms Suzana Panariti was born in Tirana in 1956. She graduated from the Faculty of Economics and from 1986 to 1994 was a lecturer and department head at that faculty. She holds a doctorate in economic sciences. She speaks English, Russian and Italian. She was Deputy Minister of Industry, Transport and Trade, making a valuable contribution to the successful development of reform in this sector. She is married and has one child.

In Albania The Commander-in-Chief of US ground forces in Europe He arrives in our country today at the head of a delegation, [with] a bronze star. He holds a Master’s degree in History from the University

PS—a party of failures EDI PALOKA At the Tirana conference, President Berisha mentioned some of the failures of the Albanian socialists, including the significant fact that the PS is a party that cannot even hold its internal elections. The truth is that the PS leadership had announced that they would hold their congress in June, but now it is August and, apparently, there will be no PS congress at all. Thus, while PS activists were getting their cars ready to travel to the congress, the latter set off on vacation. PS leaders may get upset when their failures are listed; they may even launch absurd attacks, but they cannot in any way suppress the truth. In practice, how will Pellumbi respond to the fact that the PS congress was not held in June, as he had announced, including in Gazeta Shqiptare? Certainly, this is no matter for tired excuses, which do nothing except confirm the PS’s failures. Question: Many PS members have membership cards bearing dates that correspond to the regime period. Don’t you think the time has come for a clear break with the past? SERVET PELLUMBI: “In 1991, we received a request from some members to preserve the old date on certain membership cards. That request was justified at the time; later, members also asked us to change the date AT THE NEXT CONGRESS IN JUNE.” “Gazeta Shqiptare,” 16 April 1995

Facsimile of the newspaper “Rilindja Demokratike,” which offered me the opportunity to publish this statement of mine. I presented information about the discussions we had with my counterpart, Minister of Justice Frasheri, the Albanian Prime Minister, Mr. Aleksander Meksi, as well as the President of the Republic of Albania, Mr. Sali Berisha. The talks with Mr. Meksi, as well as those with the Minister of Justice, were sincere. On the issues that were a problem and were discussed, we received positive answers, while the other problems remained unresolved, but we will see what his government will give in the future. What especially pleased me was Mr. Berisha’s hospitality, the way he viewed developments in the Balkans, and his unconditional support. Press and Information Office of the President

Prime Minister Aleksander Meksi hosted a meeting with Greek Justice Minister Anastasios Peponis. During their conversation, Prime Minister Meksi acquainted the Greek Minister of Justice with the progress of Albanian legislation, which is being brought into line with European legislation. Regarding the issuing of visas to Greek and Albanian citizens, it was discussed that both sides should consider the possibility of easing the requirements. Prime Minister Meksi expressed his satisfaction with cooperation between the Albanian and Greek governments, including in the legal sphere. For his part, Mr. Peponis expressed his willingness to help the Albanian justice system. Signing of the convention on Mutual Assistance between Albania and Greece—a basis for strengthening legal relations between the two states

Today, at the head of a delegation, the commander of U.S. ground forces in Europe, General William Krouc, who is also with the Ministry of Defense press office, arrives in our country. General Krouc attended the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College and the U.S. Army War College. He has received decorations such as the Distinguished Service Medal for Defense, the Distinguished Service Medal, the Silver Star, the Legion of Merit, and the Texas Christian University. General Krouc has served at all the different levels of U.S. Army units, including as commanding general of the Eighth Army Corps and chief of staff of the United Nations Command, the Combined Forces Command, and U.S. Forces Korea. He assumed his duties as commander of U.S. ground forces in Europe and of the Seventh Army Corps on December 19, 1994.

5 million dollars in aid U.S. Ambassador to Albania Joz eph Lake and the Minister of Industry, Trade and Transport, Mr. Albert Brojka, signed an agreement yesterday under which the United States is granting assistance . agreement yesterday under which the United States is providing aid to former Eastern Bloc countries, and Albania is included in this program, so we thank it for what it has done to help Albania, Mr. Brojka said. U.S. Ambassador Joseph Lake emphasized the willingness of the U.S. Embassy and the American [Siperma?] Foundation to help encourage foreign investment in Albania. The assistance to Albania amounts to 5 million dollars. This assistance will be paid in sunflower oil and forms part of the approximately 70 million dollars allocated by the United States as aid to Albania, Minister Brojka said. The United States has designated an amount

The (dependent) “KJ” censors the foreign press Çupi and the Serbian colonists