The head of state, during yesterday, for the first time expressed with full necessary harshness his extreme revulsion toward the blind barbaric terrorism that had engulfed other cities and urban centers as well. Regarding these events, the President of the Republic said yesterday that: “As you know, throughout this period of unrest or violence, the central offices of the Savings Bank, its branches in many other centers, and other objects and works invested with the sweat, sacrifices and labor of Albanian contributors have been damaged and burned. Branches of the Democratic Party and completely innocent citizens have been ruined and burned.” Today, officials further assert, “the time has come to decisively target all these terrorists and we will undoubtedly give them the most deserved response.” In addition to the political notes, today it is becoming clear to Albanians that these shocking events are seriously affecting the state, the citizen and public property. The head of state stressed that no one will be tolerated if, through violence, they trample on the law, the institutions and civic life. ENGLISH: Legal punishment is the most deserved response for terrorists. Take the municipalities from the socialists. They burn them. The head of state, during yesterday, for the first time expressed with full necessary harshness his extreme revulsion toward the blind barbaric terrorism that had engulfed other cities and urban centers as well. Regarding these events, the President said that throughout this period of unrest many Savings Bank offices and other public works had been damaged and burned, as well as Democratic Party branches, and innocent citizens had suffered. He stressed that all such terrorists should face the most deserved response and that no one who tramples on law and institutions with violence will be tolerated. ITALIANO: La punizione legale è la risposta più meritata per i terroristi. Togliete i municipi ai socialisti. Loro li bruciano. Il capo dello Stato, nella giornata di ieri, ha espresso per la prima volta con tutta la necessaria durezza la sua estrema indignazione per il terrorismo cieco e barbaro che ha coinvolto anche altre città e centri urbani. Riguardo a questi eventi, il Presidente ha affermato che durante questo periodo di disordini sono stati danneggiati e incendiati molti uffici della Banca dei Risparmi e altre opere pubbliche, così come sedi del Partito Democratico, e che hanno sofferto cittadini del tutto innocenti. Ha sottolineato che tutti questi terroristi devono ricevere la risposta più meritata e che nessuno che calpesta con violenza la legge e le istituzioni sarà tollerato.

Prime Minister Meksi’s speech in the People’s Assembly “I want to declare once again that all forms and procedures related to the distribution of citizens’ savings are being studied with the greatest seriousness. All actions will be carried out in accordance with the law and the real financial possibilities of the state.” Speaking loudly in the plenary session, Prime Minister Aleksandër Meksi said the government is determined to begin the process of returning the money starting on February 5. According to him, priority will be given to those in need and the schemes will be implemented in a controlled manner. ENGLISH: On February 5 the distribution of money begins. Speech of Prime Minister Meksi in the People’s Assembly. “I want to declare once again that all forms and procedures related to the distribution of citizens’ savings are being studied with the greatest seriousness. All actions will be carried out in accordance with the law and the real financial possibilities of the state.” Speaking in a plenary session, Prime Minister Aleksandër Meksi said the government is determined to begin the process of returning money starting on February 5. ITALIANO: Il 5 febbraio inizia la distribuzione del denaro. Discorso del primo ministro Meksi nell’Assemblea Popolare. “Voglio dichiarare ancora una volta che tutte le forme e le procedure relative alla distribuzione dei risparmi dei cittadini vengono studiate con la massima serietà. Tutte le azioni saranno compiute in conformità con la legge e con le reali possibilità finanziarie dello Stato.” Parlando in sessione plenaria, il primo ministro Aleksandër Meksi ha detto che il governo è determinato ad avviare il processo di restituzione del denaro a partire dal 5 febbraio.

Today in Shkodër and Sqepurës [sic?] it was to be completed and democratic ... If the government does not take the necessary legal measures to stop these acts, Albanian democracy risks being severely damaged. Citizens who believe in democratic order must rise up to defend institutions and the law. This was the message of a declaration made public yesterday by representatives of democratic structures in the north of the country. The statement stressed that violence, the destruction of public property and political terror can no longer be tolerated. A call was made for state bodies to act without losing time and bring the organizers of the unrest to account. ENGLISH: If the government does not punish, we will defend democracy at any cost. If the government does not undertake the necessary legal actions to stop these acts, Albanian democracy risks being severely damaged. Citizens who believe in democratic order must rise to defend institutions and the law. This was the message of a declaration made public yesterday by representatives of democratic structures in the north of the country. The statement stressed that violence, destruction of public property, and political terror can no longer be tolerated. ITALIANO: Se il governo non punisce, difenderemo la democrazia a ogni costo. Se il governo non intraprende le necessarie azioni legali per fermare questi atti, la democrazia albanese rischia di essere gravemente colpita. I cittadini che credono nell’ordine democratico devono levarsi per difendere le istituzioni e la legge. Questo era il messaggio di una dichiarazione resa pubblica ieri da rappresentanti delle strutture democratiche nel nord del paese. La dichiarazione sottolineava che la violenza, la distruzione della proprietà pubblica e il terrore politico non possono più essere tollerati.

Going through last night all criminal groups and the bloody activities of the rebels in Albania, Mr. Meksi said this was an “ugly political game” aimed at overthrowing the government by force. According to this information, the prime minister attacked opposition leaders for inciting the crowds and said that behind the protests stood former communists and organized elements. The article further compared the situation in Albania with other regional tensions and pointed to fears of the spread of violence. Page 3 ENGLISH: Behind the angry groups are former communists who seek the fall of PD power. Foreign media on the protests in Albania. Prime Minister Meksi said this was an “ugly political game” aimed at overthrowing the government by force. According to this account, he accused opposition leaders of inciting crowds and said that former communists and organized elements stood behind the protests. ITALIANO: Dietro i gruppi arrabbiati si nascondono ex comunisti che cercano la caduta del potere del PD. La stampa estera sulle proteste in Albania. Il primo ministro Meksi ha detto che si trattava di “un brutto gioco politico” volto a rovesciare il governo con la forza. Secondo questa versione, ha accusato i leader dell’opposizione di incitare le folle e ha detto che dietro le proteste vi erano ex comunisti ed elementi organizzati.

Reuters, one of the first sources of the news, reported that the Albanian army had received orders from the government to replace the police in maintaining order, while violent clashes spread to other cities besides Lushnjë and Fier. On the same day, the prestigious Associated Press reported that the President of Albania, Sali Berisha, refused to declare a state of emergency despite the bloody and rapidly spreading unrest. Meanwhile, the short news bulletins from Albanian Radio Television. Police officials in Albania said yesterday that the army had been sent to several troubled areas, but denied reports that a curfew would be imposed. Two tanks and three armored vehicles were in the center of Lushnjë. Special police forces had been sent to Fier on Friday, where at least twenty people were killed and around 100 others were injured as a result of the clashes. In Albania, the poorest country in Europe, unrest has broken out since the collapse of the pyramid investment schemes, angering many Albanians who had invested their life savings. Some of these schemes promised monthly returns of 30 to 100 percent. These days, the government, adding that the law-enforcement forces had gained fresh support for order, is calling for calm. The police chief had been dismissed two days earlier and was replaced by army general Agim Shehu. AP continued: “Police officers, who beat protesters, entered their homes in the southern town of Lushnjë and threw black gloves, officials said. Around 130 people were injured and 350 others were arrested. Residents took shelter as armored vehicles and soldiers, with automatic rifles in hand, marched through the city. More than 1,500 residents fled the town after Friday’s unrest. Some residents clashed with police and soldiers.” AP adds that “The protests erupted in Lushnjë three days ago, with these consequences: three dead, 19 injured and 450 arrested. Protesters set fire to the local government building, the police headquarters, the court and the post office, opposing the loss of their investments in the pyramid scheme.” Reuters wrote: “Among the cities affected, according to Defense Minister Safet Zhulali, is also the city of Fier, 85 miles southwest of Tirana. At least two protesters and one police officer were killed in clashes in Fier, according to police sources. During the weekend, protesters set fire to the tax office, the post office, the court and a police station. Thousands of Albanians, angered by the collapse of a suspicious investment scheme in which they lost their life savings, defied the government of President Sali Berisha. The police rapid intervention forces are trying to crush the unrest and prevent the spread of chaos.” Reuters described the situation as extremely difficult in the south and cited residents and local correspondents about the lack of control, the burning of state buildings, and the spread of protests to other cities. ENGLISH: President Berisha refused the declaration of a state of emergency. Limited units replace injured police officers. Reuters, one of the first sources of the news, reported that the Albanian army had received orders from the government to replace the police in maintaining order, while violent clashes spread to other cities besides Lushnja and Fier. The Associated Press reported that Albanian President Sali Berisha refused to declare a state of emergency despite bloody and rapidly spreading unrest. Officials said the army had been sent to several troubled areas, but denied reports of a curfew. Two tanks and three armored vehicles were in the center of Lushnja. The unrest followed the collapse of pyramid schemes that had angered many Albanians who had invested their life savings. ITALIANO: Il presidente Berisha rifiutò la proclamazione dello stato d’emergenza. Unità limitate sostituiscono i poliziotti feriti. Reuters, una delle prime fonti della notizia, riferiva che l’esercito albanese aveva ricevuto l’ordine dal governo di sostituire la polizia nel mantenimento dell’ordine, mentre gli scontri violenti si estendevano ad altre città oltre a Lushnja e Fier. Associated Press riferiva che il presidente albanese Sali Berisha rifiutò di dichiarare lo stato d’emergenza nonostante i disordini sanguinosi e in rapida diffusione. Funzionari dissero che l’esercito era stato inviato in diverse aree problematiche, ma negarono notizie di coprifuoco. Due carri armati e tre veicoli blindati si trovavano nel centro di Lushnja. I disordini seguirono il crollo degli schemi piramidali che avevano fatto infuriare molti albanesi che avevano investito i risparmi di una vita.

Today, January 28, at 12:00, opportunity lost the chance would use [?] the concerts’ snout “deshshkuvër[?]” of the financial juggling of “Zhblerjeve” and “Bastrisë” [?] PRESS SPOKESPERSON ENGLISH: NOTICE. Today on January 28 at 12:00 ... [text partially illegible]. Press spokesperson. ITALIANO: AVVISO. Oggi 28 gennaio alle ore 12:00 ... [testo parzialmente illeggibile]. Portavoce della stampa.

Due to the tense situation in the square in front of the Palace of Culture in Tirana on Monday, January 27, 1997, instead of draw (A) for the 1997 National “Telebingo,” the afternoon program, including parts 1 and 2 of the National “Telebingo” ticket, at 14:30 for the Tuesday edition and the edition to be broadcast live by “Transmetimet e Revizioneve Shqiptare” [?] Further, the company “F.XH” announces that draw/payment (B) for the 1997 National “Telebingo,” dated January 22, 1997, will be followed by payments to the winners for the winning tickets, as well as being broadcast and held in recording on January 29, 1997. Winnings will be collected from 10:00 to 14:00, as stated in previous notices. Page 7 ENGLISH: Today National Telebingo. Due to the tense situation in the square in front of the Palace of Culture in Tirana on Monday, January 27, 1997, instead of draw (A) for the 1997 National “Telebingo,” the program schedule was changed. The company also announced that draw/payment (B) dated January 22, 1997 would proceed with winner payments and be broadcast/held in recorded form on January 29, 1997. Winnings may be collected from 10:00 to 14:00. ITALIANO: Oggi Telebingo Nazionale. A causa della situazione tesa nella piazza davanti al Palazzo della Cultura a Tirana lunedì 27 gennaio 1997, invece dell’estrazione (A) del “Telebingo” Nazionale 1997, il programma è stato modificato. La compagnia ha inoltre annunciato che l’estrazione/pagamento (B) del 22 gennaio 1997 procederà con i pagamenti ai vincitori e sarà trasmessa/svolta in forma registrata il 29 gennaio 1997. Le vincite potranno essere ritirate dalle 10:00 alle 14:00.