The Holy Father sends condolences to the families of the victims Cardinal Angelo Sodano, Secretary of State of the Vatican, has sent a telegram to Monsignor Rrok Mirdita, Archbishop of Durrës and Tirana, which says: “We learned with sadness of the news of the serious attack carried out near the capital’s supermarket, in which several people lost their lives and others were wounded. The Holy Father wishes to send the families of the victims his deepest condolences for what happened and to express his particular closeness to them in this moment of grief, while condemning every form of violence and hatred. Meanwhile, he calls on them to preserve the work already done in cooperation for the true civil and social progress of the Albanian nation. He offers fervent prayers for the eternal rest of the dead and bestows the Apostolic Blessing upon their families.”

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Terrorism, the Reds’ alternative Monday’s terrorist act marked a form of warfare against democracy and its achievements, previously unseen in Albania, at a time when democracy is having its effects. Its arrival is no longer an isolated incident but signals a form of organization by extremist and anti-democratic forces. The aim of this terrorist act, which left four dead and dozens wounded in Tirana, was to spread an atmosphere of distrust toward the institutions of the democratic state and create the conditions for an insecure life—conditions that would immediately be reflected in the vulnerability of the residents of the capital and all of Albania. Added to this is the insecurity felt by foreigners about investing their money in possible ventures in this country, and, going further, the creation of an image of Albania as a country of terror and limited opportunities for a free life. The blow that was intended to be dealt to Albania was multifaceted. It affects social peace, personal safety, economic security, and even the country’s newly restored image. Terrorist acts occur everywhere in the civilized world. They happen in the USA, England, France. Nevertheless, the nature of these acts is not the same as that of terrorism in Tirana. There, they may occur because of political alternatives or as a protest against differing approaches to particular affairs of the state. As great powers, those countries are constantly confronted with a wide range of problems that do not accord with the preferences of one country or another, or with those of one social group or another; alternatively, they are genuine revolts reflecting the positions of the politics of these will not happen again. Those who created it will answer for it.” After laying flowers in tribute to the victims, he visited their families to offer condolences. President Berisha first went yesterday to express his condolences to the family of Vaid Osmani. Expressing his sorrow over this unprecedented criminal act in the history of our people and over this great loss, Mr. Berisha assured the family that the government and the state would make extraordinary efforts to find and punish the perpetrators of this barbaric act. “Today,” Mr. Berisha said, “all Albania collectively condemns those criminals who committed this crime. Your father,” Mr. Berisha told the sons of the late Vaid Osmani, “and all the others who lost their lives in this terrorist act have the prayers of all Albanians today, while those who committed this act have earned curses, contempt, and hatred. They have everything they deserve.” Albanians condemn their immoral and inhuman act in the strongest possible terms. “With the horrific act these terrorists committed,” Mr. Berisha said, “they wanted to frighten the people; they planned to terrorize people and their aspirations.” “Today,” he said, “we feel closer to and more united with one another in saying ‘stop’ and resolutely condemning blind terrorism. Terrorism,” President Berisha said, “is devoid of every kind of morality. Its only morality is to kill innocent people. Terrorists have neither a soul nor a family; they are deranged beings,” Mr. Berisha said. Offering condolences to the family of Muhamet Karamant, the brother who had also died in this barbaric act, Mr. Berisha said: “Four deaths in two months are an extraordinary and unprecedented sorrow. Today,” he said, “every family stands with you in your grief and prays for your family. The progressive and democratic world condemns such unprecedented acts. Terror is condemned everywhere in the civilized world.” The family of Vera Dume, who was killed in Monday’s terrorist act, also received yesterday the condolences of the President of the Republic, Mr. Sali Berisha, and Mrs. Berisha. “Your family has been struck by terrorism twice,” Mr. Berisha told Vera Dume’s family. “Your father was killed by the Albanian arch-terrorist Enver Hoxha. Vera’s death,” he said, “was a very profound loss; she was a woman who had been honored and persecuted throughout her life.” Here, too, Mr. Berisha assured the family and relatives present at the funeral ceremony that every effort would be made to find and punish the masterminds, the perpetrators, and anyone who took part in this horrific crime, with the utmost severity provided for by law. President Berisha pays tribute to the victims of the terrorist act and offers condolences to the families of those killed [?] high technical [level] of social society, to the security of life, a secure economy, and even its world. They occur in the USA, England, France. But as terrorism that occurs in Tirana. There, they may occur because of political changes or as a protest against different directions taken on particular state issues. As major powers, they are always suit the preferences of one country or another, of one particular social group or another; or they are genuine revolts reflecting those countries’ political positions on an issue concerning a nation, or something less than that. But the Irish do not plant bombs in London because Britain is a member of NATO, and Islamists do not plant bombs in the Paris Metro because France is a member of the European Union. Bombs in Albania may also have been planted for such reasons. Monday’s explosion is a direct attack on the Albanian state’s policies and all their achievements. First and foremost, terrorism has no tradition in Albania, and, moreover, under a policy aimed at avoiding harm to the population and benefiting all Albanians, even the tradition of such acts loses its force. Albania’s position and its dictatorial communist history mark a small point within its body, a proving ground whose wound still needs time to close, despite the readiness of today’s state to heal it. Since the competent authorities have not yet made their findings known, and only people belonging to the Sigurimi have so far been arrested, who are thought to have been implicated in this terrorist act, the supposition that terrorism is a protest by Albania’s past history remains plausible. The past can intervene in Albania’s present and future only in this way. These days, the past can reassert itself only because democracy is not violent and because the present state has ruled out violence in response to reflections of the past, which appear in everything from some politicians’ statements to people considered irresponsible in Albanian public life. People’s freedom and safety are among the public institutions safeguarded by this state, and at the same time they are the most sensitive. This is also the target at which shots are fired. This is also the most unpredictable situation for elements of Albania’s past. These elements also have their secret alliances and still think they can withstand the spirit of Albania, which has turned towards the West, Europe, and the civilization to which this country belongs. The Albanian state has declared that Black Monday will never happen again. The obligation is great. Thus, democratic amnesties are sufficient, as is integration into Europe. Terrorism does not have much time left to hide.

The Italians are deeply saddened Scalfaro sent a letter of condolence to President Berisha The President of the Republic, Sali Berisha, has received a letter of condolence from the President of Italy, Oskar Luigi Skalfaro. He expresses to President Berisha his most sincere condolences and brotherly solidarity for the people who lost their lives in the explosion at the supermarket in Tirana. “The Italian people,” President Skalfaro writes, “bound to the Albanian people by a sense of friendship and cooperation, are deeply saddened.” President Skalfaro asks President Berisha to convey, on behalf of all Italy, his condolences to the bereaved families, assuring them of his presence in their grief.

Intensive investigation to identify those responsible for planting the car bomb A special investigative team has been set up by the prosecutorial authorities immediately after yesterday’s terrorist act, in which four people were killed and several others injured as a result of a car-bomb explosion. According to sources at the Tirana District Prosecutor’s Office, the heads of the office themselves are leading the team and are conducting intensive investigations to identify and apprehend as soon as possible those responsible for planting the car bomb. So far, because the investigation is confidential, no details have been released about the actions taken, but it is reported that the investigation is progressing well. Since yesterday, the police have detained and questioned several people suspected of having some connection with the incident. Nevertheless, everything remains at the verification stage, while the prosecutor’s office has expressed hope that the perpetrators of the crime will soon be identified.

Flowers and prayers for the innocent victims who died on Monday in the explosion of a car bomb in the capital. At the place where, just one day earlier, the minds and hands of professional criminals had devised and carried out a horrific crime, killing four innocent citizens and injuring 27 others, the President of the Republic, Mr Sali Berisha, lays flowers in their memory. “Black Monday, which terrorized and shook Albania,” President Berisha declared after laying a bouquet of flowers in tribute to the victims, “will be remembered for a long time, and the criminals will receive the punishment they deserve. The government is fully committed to identifying and apprehending those responsible for the crime, and I have complete confidence that Albanian justice will give them the punishment they deserve, namely the capital punishment provided for by the laws of Albania.” On this occasion, President Berisha said: “An appeal was made to all citizens to cooperate with the police in identifying the guilty parties. We are determined,” he said, “to prevent such acts and to fully guarantee the lives, property, and normal activities of all Albanian citizens.” “Black Monday will not happen again. Your father is [?],” those who committed this act have their curses, contempt, and hatred. They have everything they deserve.” Yesterday, President Berisha, together with Mrs Berisha, also went to offer condolences to the families of the brothers Rasim and Muhamet Karaman. Dozens and dozens of people had gathered there to bid a final farewell to the two brothers who died at the hands of criminal terrorists. After expressing his condolences to the family and relatives, Mr Berisha said that yesterday’s Monday was Black Monday for all Albanians. Today, more than anything else, the pain and sorrow in Albanians’ hearts speak for themselves. For you, this death is twice as grievous, because you have lost two of your dearest people at once. “Your mourning today,” Mr Berisha said at the home of Rasim Karaman’s family, “is mourning for all Albanians and a call to punish crime and refuse to come to terms with its apologists.” The President said that those who in one way or another apologize for crime are receiving a massive response from all Albanians today. Offering his condolences, he assured the family members would be made to find and punish the masterminds, with the harshest penalties provided for by Albanian law. Yesterday, Tirana accompanied the four victims of this horrific terrorist act to their final resting place. The weight of grief is hundreds of times greater than the weight of their coffins. It is an appeal that this Black Monday must never happen again. Flowers and prayers for these innocent victims.