A newspaper of freedom and the integration of Albanians January 5 is a marked day in the history of the Albanian press. This date marks not only the birth of the first opposition newspaper in Albania after a period of about 50 years, but also the most organized intellectual expression around a public tribune such as “Rilindja Demokratike”. Five years ago, “RD” would have been a great hope for the historical progress of Albanians. Its birth overturned old schemes, stale journalistic formulas, frozen ideas, dead and untouchable themes, during a rotten system that trampled every human right, above all the right to opinion, to expression, to free speech. “RD”, by becoming the spokesperson of the Albanian Democratic Revolution, would be the first to raise this issue, severed from the Rilindas up to today; in its pages the future projects of freedom and democracy, national reconciliation and the all-round transformation of the country would be completed. Around it would gather not only idealists, reformers, distinguished journalists, who gave the country the courage for the new world that was being born, but also thousands and hundreds of thousands of citizens of democracy, people who with the help of the state security had penetrated even to the top of this newspaper. They tried to put this newspaper at the service of dark lines, personal interests and the clans that rotted the old criminal system. “RD”, during these five years, continued to form with the ideals of freedom and progress, with its national and contemporary spirit, above the historical marsh of the old institutes under-[]?, above the paid orators who had dragged this newspaper, born for Albania, into “the black cats”, and its alternative flocks of democracies. “RD”, during these five years, for the legitimate journalists of its staff, was a newspaper that did not grow old, that did not kneel. It offered the country only discovery, progress, and ascent toward freedom. It offered the country, for these five years, only the morality of resistance, optimism, and integration into Europe. Albania and “RD”, during these five years, have written in our national history the most intensely human years of the effort for transformation and civic dignity, for a new moral code, beyond reproach, for the free Albanian citizen. Today, on 5 January 1995, “Rilindja Demokratike” and its staff remember with respect those who prepared its first issue on 5 January 1991, as well as all the journalists, collaborators, typographers and others who contributed during these five years so that “RD” would bring to every Albanian home the messages of freedom and the historical courage to continue writing on the new democratic road, toward the consolidation of the rule of law and the market economy. Thanking all its readers, the staff of “RD” promises them that it will continue in the future to be close to their problems, their concerns and all the human efforts of Albanians to build a better and safer life in the future, for themselves and for their children, for the great victory of the PD in this year’s elections.

The Council of Europe rapporteurs continue their meetings Positive results in fulfilling commitments This is what the CoE representatives declared yesterday during the dinner hosted by the Speaker of the Albanian Parliament, Mr. Pjetër Arbnori, in honor of the delegation. After praising the organization of the visit and the optimal conditions created for its successful realization, the representatives of the Council of Europe highly գնահատed the democratic developments in Albania and the recent achievements. Although they stressed that there is still work to be done, the rapporteurs stated that progress regarding the commitments has quite positive results, especially if one considers the stage from which Albania started four years ago and the commitments for the future. During the dinner, MP Makaradhi of the PBDNJ also spoke, praising the achievements in the field of minority rights. “In these four years,” he said, “more has been done in the field of minority rights than throughout the entire history of Albania.” RD CORRESP.

Former KGB chief sentenced for genocide Former Soviet KGB director in Latvia, Noviks, was sentenced to life imprisonment. The court found him guilty of mass murder in the years 1941-1949 and the mass deportation of 34,000 people. The Riga city prosecutor's office said on Wednesday that international law on genocide applies even when the country's laws tolerate these crimes. The 87-year-old Noviks has not admitted guilt and has claimed that he acted in accordance with the laws of the Soviet Union. Noviks is the first official to be sentenced for past crimes since the withdrawal of the Soviet army from the Baltic countries. In Estonia and Lithuania, similar cases are being investigated.

Greeting from the President of the Republic, Sali Berisha, to the newspaper “Rilindja Demokratike” on its 5th anniversary Greeting from the President of the Republic, Sali Berisha, to the newspaper “Rilindja Demokratike” on its 5th anniversary A true torch of democracy 5 years ago the newspaper “Rilindja Demokratike” began its life as a symbol of the true Albanian national rebirth of this end-of-century period. The newspaper “Rilindja Demokratike” was born as a child of the spirit, thought and free word in a people that for 50 years experienced isolation, oppression and denigration under the fiercest totalitarian regime Europe has known from the Second World War until today. A newspaper of free word and thought, “Rilindja Demokratike” from its beginnings was not only confronted with the monstrosities of the Party-State that for 50 years had imposed on Albanians dictatorship, violence, terror, isolation, impoverishment and the violation of the life of the people and of freedom itself, but it also faced the whole monstrous machinery of Party-State propaganda and the aggressiveness of its secret police, which had decided on the destruction and liquidation of this newspaper. “Rilindja Demokratike” occupied more and more Albanian information space and together with its sister papers, which were born later, successfully waged a great battle for the truth. With unmatched courage and truthfulness, with indisputable documents and profound analyses, it presented to Europe and the World the ugly face, barbarism and genocide that the Hoxhaist dictatorship exercised for 50 years in Albania. “Rilindja Demokratike” denounced the violence and savage terror, the masking, organized crime, and the coups of the Albanian red nomenklatura in its agony. It turned into a defender of the freedoms and human rights of Albanians as well as of the true values of Albanian and European civilization. In its great mission this newspaper, after the overthrow of the communist regime, made a substantial contribution to the development and consolidation of the values of the rule of law, the market economy and democratic reform as a whole. I greet and value democracy, which today celebrates the 5th anniversary of a mission with a short yet brilliant heritage, with a secure and dignified outlook toward the new century. Extending my warmest greetings to “Rilindja Demokratike” on its 5th anniversary, to the journalists and workers of this newspaper, as well as to all those who during these 5 years contributed with honesty and courage to its noble mission, I also greet the entire free Albanian press as one of the greatest and most historic achievements of political life. Albanian pluralism and democracy. Sali Berisha

Marx's beard continues to sow discord Ambassador Forresti: Marxism has destroyed Albania Marx's beard continues to sow discord Kastriot Islami causes a diplomatic incident Ambassador Forresti: Marxism has destroyed Albania At the meeting with the Albanian Atlantic Association, Ambassador Forresti declared that Italy would give full support to Albania in the EU and NATO. One of the priorities of the work of the next Italian presidency in the EU (the first six months of 1995) will be the opening of negotiations for an Association Agreement. Italy, as head of the European troika, will chair a meeting in Rome on 23-24 January at the level of political directors of the Foreign Ministries, and on 29 January it will organize a meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the 15 and the Albanian Foreign Ministry. Mr. Forresti also spoke about Italian support for Albania within the framework of the Central European Initiative. He also emphasized that Italian diplomacy has supported Albania in the international financial institutions as well. Relations between the two countries are on a solid basis and continue to develop rapidly. President Berisha's visit to Rome in October 1995 and the agreements signed in Rome represented a new page in bilateral relations. The ambassador from Rome had kind words for government policy. He praised its European orientation and serious character. Democratic Albania knows how to become a factor of stability in the region, and that is very important. Tirana's stance is openly cooperative with the West, he stressed. In response to a question from Socialist MP Kastriot Islami, Mr. Forresti seemed to say that Marxism tramples the rights of the individual by subordinating them to the interests of the collective. Despite Mr. Islami's interruptions, he continued on this topic, adding that Marxism is a political philosophy that has brought destruction and misfortune in several countries, and one of those countries is ours. It has suffered more than others from this philosophy. At the end of the meeting, the enraged Islami forcibly grabbed the Italian diplomat by the arm, shouting that what he had done was a provocation. I am not a Marxist like some others. I studied in France and Germany and I am a student of his in English. Ambassador Forresti replied by saying that you must understand that I am a free person to express my opinions and I do not feel obliged to make your opinions my own.

Minister Musaraj received the delegation of the Council of Europe The meeting assessed the cooperation of the Ministry of the Interior with European structures in the program for the training and specialization of Albanian police personnel in respect for human rights. Minister Musaraj stressed that policing, the legal and administrative framework that guarantees respect for human rights in Albania throughout all aspects of police activity, as well as the structures of the whole apparatus supervising law enforcement and respect for human rights by the police, is a priority issue in relations with the public. On the other hand, it was emphasized that for all police officers who have violated human rights, criminal punishment measures have been taken, and it was stressed that over the last six months there has been a drastic reduction in cases of police mistreatment. For his part, Mr. Columberg gave a positive assessment of the relevant relations concerning police officers who have committed such violations. In response to reporters' questions regarding gatherings and public demonstrations, Mr. Musaraj said that the police adhere correctly to the implementation of the laws approved by Parliament. The meeting also praised the creation of the institution of the prefect and the better coordination of the work and needs of local government with central government.

Terrorist act against the mayor of Tirana, Mr. Qazim Gjonaj The night before last, around one o'clock after midnight, unidentified persons placed dynamite on the door of the apartment of the Mayor of the Court, Tirana, Mr. Qazim Gjonaj, According to sources from the Ministry of the Interior, I learned that other persons who sought to carry out this criminal act fled in an unknown direction after committing the crime. Immediately after the incident, the police took the relevant measures and began the pursuit, identification and capture of the perpetrators of this crime. It is understood that there were no injuries to people.

The Prosecutor General of the Republic, Mr. Alush Dragoshi, met with the rapporteurs of the Council of Europe Assessment of the reform in the Prosecutor's Office The Prosecutor General of the Republic, Mr. Alush Dragoshi, met with the rapporteurs of the Council of Europe At the headquarters of this body, Dragoshi acquainted the CoE rapporteurs with the fact that one of Albania's commitments on the path to its admission into the high European forum has been the reform of the prosecution institution in Albania. A reform carried out with serious commitment and professionalism. With the Penal Code and the Code of Criminal Procedure in force as of 1 August 1995, Albania carried out the final legal constitutional changes with laws in line with contemporary European standards. In this continuation the role of the prosecutor was also reformed (Continues on page 3)

From the heritage fund of the Socialist Party Minutes of the meeting of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Party of Labour of Albania, dated 2 and 3 July 1974 From the heritage fund of the Socialist Party Balluku file Minutes of the meeting of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Party of Labour of Albania, dated 2 and 3 July 1974 p.7

From the meeting of the Council of Europe delegation with the political parties Dokle and Imami “advise” the Council of Europe representatives Gjinushi has even lost his memory in Ali's WC From the meeting of the Council of Europe delegation with the political parties Nano?! We had no time to talk about him Dokle and Imami “advise” the Council of Europe representatives Gjinushi has even lost his memory in Ali's WC p.3

REMINDER Lord Finsberg denounces Dokle's frauds p.3

The CoE representatives met with media and press representatives Press rights in Albania have improved significantly The CoE representatives met with media and press representatives p.3