Rifkind writes to Berisha Following his visit to Albania, the Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom, Malcolm Rifkind, sends a letter to the President of the Republic, Sali Berisha, in which he expresses his pleasure at having seen firsthand Albania’s progress on the path to transformation into a modern European state. Speaking about the importance Albania attaches to membership in the European Union, he states in the letter that he welcomes this orientation, which is also important for the European Union. Minister Rifkind also assures President Berisha that Britain greatly values its relations with Albania, relations that are continually growing stronger. He expresses the hope that ’96 will be another year of strong growth in trade and bilateral cooperation.

President Berisha received representatives of the National Union of Farmers At the Presidency on 5.03.1996, the President of the Republic, Sali Berisha, received representatives of the National Union of Albanian Farmers, headed by the union’s vice-president, Mr Nesti Zoi. After warmly thanking him for the reception the President had given them, the representatives of the National Union of Albanian Farmers presented the indisputable achievements of agricultural reform. They also laid before the President several problems affecting the economic and social life of the countryside, such as: introducing a lower and fairer tax; taking many factors into account when determining the land’s quality rating for tax purposes; supporting the production sector for seeds and selected breeds; possible subsidization of the price of fuel for agriculture; increasing the number of farmers who go abroad to gain new experience; creating opportunities for representatives of the National Union of Albanian Farmers to attend parliamentary proceedings when laws on agriculture are approved, etc. The President of the Republic, Sali Berisha, congratulated them on the very good work they are doing, urged them to further consolidate the National Union of Albanian Farmers, and expressed understanding of all the issues they raised. He said that this association should have the necessary space in the mass media.

President Berisha’s speech on the fifth anniversary of the founding of the Gramsh branch of the DP The President of the Republic in Gramsh On the occasion of the completion of work on the tunnel of the Banja hydroelectric power plant, the President of the Republic, Sali Berisha, went yesterday to the site, where he met with its builders. In discussing the alternatives presented for the future of the Banja Hydroelectric Power Plant, President Berisha, together with Deputy Prime Minister Shehi and the specialists, gives assurances that work will continue. The hydroelectric power plant is of great importance to the entire area, both for the supply of electricity and for irrigation. What is important is that work should continue and that we secure financial resources to support it. At this meeting, first of all I want to greet all the residents of Gramsh and warmly thank them for their commitment and for the support they have given, and continue to give, to the consolidation of the rule of law and the market economy in Gramsh and in Albania. We have gathered here today to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the founding of the DP. This is not an important event only for DP members and supporters, but for all the citizens of Gramsh who value democracy and freedom, because the founding of the DP here in Gramsh marks the establishment of political pluralism around you, which would become the powerful driving force behind the overthrow of the communist dictatorship and the establishment in Albania of a Western-style democracy, long awaited by Albanians for decades. That is why I want on this occasion to warmly greet all the residents of Gramsh, who today are celebrating the great day on which the battle to free themselves from the Hoxhaist dictatorship began. But I think that today Gramsh is celebrating the main interests of human beings, their essential needs, with the individual and his interests at the center, and with the principal objectives being to fulfil and satisfy these interests and needs as fully and quickly as possible. By making the fulfilment of the individual’s interests the major objectives of our program, which we implemented, and of the program for Albania, we have made great efforts to help the new owners succeed. I would therefore like to recall here that around 3,000 families—or one in three or more owners in your district—have benefited from bank credit or from other foundations. But I assure you that, in the future, expanding ownership, consolidating property, and increasing its productivity will be the major objectives of its basic orientation, which have secured significant economic assistance per person. Today, the citizens of Gramsh and Albanians generally receive more economic assistance per person from the EU and its member states, the USA, and many, many other friendly countries. I think this policy, which has ensured that all Albanians receive greater economic assistance per person, has been a very important factor in our growth rate, in improving our lives, and in lifting us out of misery. Therefore, on your behalf, I want to express my deep gratitude to all those countries, institutions, associations, and individuals who helped us. We are determined to expand economic cooperation with friendly countries in the future, and over the next two years we have secured more assistance than we received during the first four years combined. I assure you that we are determined to use that money above all to meet the interests and needs of the individual. We will secure lines and needs as fully and quickly as possible. ... the specialists guarantee that the importance to the entire area, both for the electricity supply and for irrigation. The important thing is for the work to continue and for us to secure financial resources to support it, President Berisha said, adding that we would rely mainly on concessions and, if these were unsuccessful, intervene with low-interest loans. The government has invested 750 million new lek in the hydroelectric power plant, and intensive work is under way to secure financing to continue construction, which will require 120–130 million dollars to reach completion. Austrian and Slovenian companies have expressed interest. Around 95 million dollars, out of the 750 million allocated by the government, have so far been put into effect with the completion of work on the Banja hydroelectric plant tunnel, carried out by the Albanian company Eurostart using modern technology. President Berisha also took part in the celebration of the fifth anniversary of the establishment of the Gramsh branch of the DP. Hundreds of DP members and supporters took part in this festive gathering. The branch chairman, who spoke, emphasized Gramsh’s achievements during these four years of democracy, the improvement in the lives of the residents of this district, and the DP’s growing reputation in Gramsh as the only political force that guarantees the people of Gramsh a future. The corruption and incompetent local government of the Socialists have made clear to the citizens of Gramsh what this force represents. President Berisha then took the floor. Those in the hall listened with interest, as did hundreds and thousands of other citizens who followed him through the loudspeaker set up outside the hall. At the end of the meeting, Mr. Berisha held an open discussion with those present in the hall. “RD” correspondent ... is why I wish on this occasion to offer my heartfelt greetings to great day on which the battle to liberate the country from the Hoxhaist dictatorship began. But I believe Gramsh is celebrating this day today because the DP was the political force that, under the most difficult conditions, overthrew the dictatorship and secured for the country the path of democracy, a market economy, and integration into Europe. During these four years, the DP established honest governance and made solving the hundreds and hundreds of inherited problems its main task. We have tried to enable every person to build a better, more dignified life for themselves and their family. I believe that today, without disregarding those who are experiencing difficulties, we have achieved this goal, and this is a great victory. Your achievements over these four years are the fruit of your commitment and dedication to the market economy and reforms as a whole, but undoubtedly they are also the fruit of the DP’s program and of implementing that program in Gramsh and throughout Albania. The DP’s program places the individual and their interests at its center I believe that, after the overthrow of the communist dictatorship in Albania, the DP’s great historical merit lies in the fact that it was the first to formulate, present, and implement in Albania a development program whose fundamental principle was that the individual’s ownership and interests should be the guiding principle of our program. We were convinced that, alongside the freedom they won in 1992, people should also have their property, on which they could work, earn, build their lives and futures, and invest their labor and intellect. I am sure we were not mistaken. On this principle, we created more than 8,000 property-owning families in Gramsh, in both the countryside and the town. They are the people who motivate me and want Gramsh to achieve economic growth of 13% this year, above the national average as a whole. This means that the people of Gramsh are generally living 13% better than a year ago, and today they are among the most successful property owners in Albania and beyond. We have not only given property to the families and citizens of Gramsh ... The red front, by provoking early elections, openly demonstrated that instead of developing and consolidating democracy, it wants to bring back to power elements with a criminal past; it shows that Hoxhaism, and Hoxhaism alone, is the true essence of their platform and unity. Hoxhaism is the doctrine of impoverishment, isolation, and the distortion of the individual and the country. It is the experience of violence and terror. Just as smoke produces soot, Hoxhaism and Marxism give rise to violence and terrorism. I am convinced that today Albanians will say a resounding NO to them. I assure you that the terrorists will get the response they deserve, while all of us together will build the democracy we deserve. From this city, renowned for its tolerance and its love of work, family, and country, I call on all political forces to expel the Hoxhaists and Marxists from their ranks. We must create favorable conditions for domestic and foreign investment in sectors that produce and employ the most people. Over these four years, we have aligned the interests of the individual and their money as well; we have opened up the country and established friendly relations with EU countries, the USA, and many other friendly countries. Here in Gramsh, the Italian and Swiss governments, foundations, and associations have provided significant assistance, and the Swedish government and other governments will also contribute. Hundreds of young men from Gramsh work abroad. Through our policies, we have sought and secured close cooperation with friendly countries, not only politically but also economically. The great success of this policy, which put the individual’s interests first, is the success it deserves. We will their money as well. ... grain production doubled. We assure you that taxes will be reassessed; the volume of transport has increased about 5–6 times, and the volume of trade has increased 7 times. We must provide credit lines for private individuals; 7,000 families, around 1.3 of Gramsh’s families, have benefited from development finance credit. You have achieved GDP growth of 13%. We must complete privatization. By making the fulfillment of the individual’s main interests the objective of our program, we have focused all our investments as a government over these four years on meeting them. It is true that we have not undertaken major projects, but ... (Continued on page 3)

Durrës Red terror A powerful explosion rocks the city p. 3

March 7 liberated from the dogmas of dictatorship 7 March 1991 Kastriot Islami closes the universities 7 March 1996 Kastriot Islami, head of PS propaganda p. 3

Tirana Prosecutor Adnan Xhelili speaks: Two former senior officials under arrest They are accused of destroying by fire archival materials documenting the crimes of the communist dictatorship p. 3

p. 3

ZP lists Ruçi among the discredited figures Listed as “washed-up” figures are the thief Nano, the WC politician Gjinushi, and a bunch of spies and clowns p. 3