Buttiglione writes to Shehu The Secretary of Italy’s United Christian Democrats Party, Rocco Buttiglione, sent a greeting to the chairman of the PD, Prof. Dr. Tritan Shehu. The greeting says: “We are certain that the democratic guarantees put forward by your party will triumph over disorder and provocations. You can count on our party’s local branches, on the basis of the twinning established between the Lazio region and Tirana, for a possible meeting at which the truth about events in Albania can be explained.”

An extraordinary meeting of the Vlora branch of the PD was held The chairman of the PD, Prof. Dr. Tritan Shehu, took part An extraordinary meeting of the Vlora branch of the PD was held. The chairman of the PD, Prof. Dr. Tritan Shehu, took part. It is the duty of every Albanian to say stop to communist terror, which once again seeks to distance Albania from Europe and damage its image in the world. Like every barbarian, this terror seeks to destroy the most enduring human values, such as private property, culture, national morality and state institutions. We call on Albanian civil society to rise up and defeat this great evil, which aims to restore state communist terror. History must never be repeated. Vlora, this city that is a symbol of national pride, is always in the thoughts of Albanians wherever they may be in the world. And the people of Vlora have always justified our gratitude, including in the most difficult moments for the Albanian nation, demonstrating their love of country and ardent patriotism for this land. That is why, when we come to Vlora, we can scarcely believe that such a truly ugly event took place just a few days ago. Terrorist forces burned the centuries-old municipal building of the historic city of Vlora... Many citizens of Vlora—intellectuals, students, businesspeople, politicians and local government officials—share this view; they believe that they have committed something close to a national crime. Because, as they themselves say, “Vlora is not meant to burn or destroy.” Vlora is a cradle of democracy. In all pluralist elections, this city has voted for the PD, for democracy. In recent years, this city has been among the country’s most developed centres. Some of the largest Albanian companies, such as VEFA, Kamberi, Gjalllica, Cenaj & Co, are based in this city. Nevertheless, a financial shock and the manipulation of this phenomenon by the red terrorists caused Vlora to lose its judgement and set things ablaze. All citizens condemn this act. The expanded meeting of the Vlora branch of the PD also joined in this message; part. The Democratic Party is a political force that has based its work on democracy and human rights. The meeting of the Vlora Democrats opened with introductory remarks by Mr. Adhurim Musaraj, chairman of the Vlora branch of the PD, who gave a brief summary of the events of recent days in this city. Mr. Agron Shehu, a member of the branch’s leadership, then spoke and gave a more detailed account of the PD’s work in this district, considering it in connection with recent events in the city. As is known, the financial shock affecting the “Gjalllica” company... Continued on page 3

The arrest by the police in recent days of the arsonists, and the judicial decision to detain them, have prompted a strange statement from the Socialist Party. It was made public and says that the terrorists are worthy and honest socialists. They are the heart of the party and the embodiment of its aims. They are the ones leading the strong opposition in Fier, Vlora, Korçë, Berat, Gramsh or some other city that happens to have an object provoking displeasure in the socialists’ terrorist nerve. Leftists have always collaborated and coexisted with terrorism. The communists during the war turned the anti-fascist struggle into a civil war, passing this mechanism on into the postwar period as well. Communist terrorists periodically killed one another, while constantly terrorizing, massacring and killing the most anti-communist part of the Albanian people. Thus, the communists could not have purged themselves so quickly of their eternal gene, which comes alive even when they are in agony. They have tried to set things ablaze on the spot and have succeeded. They are very good at this and have repeatedly tried, and continue to try, to do it. They always have a mechanism that makes them successful at deeds harmful to the nation, the homeland, progress and democracy. The communists, former communists, former Sigurimi agents, and socialists—who are just like those mentioned above—managed to set things ablaze in 1991. Indeed, one of the infamous prime ministers they gave this country was an arsonist. They have tried to set things ablaze on other occasions too, whenever they have wanted to show off their destructive vice. A week ago, they burned precisely those parts of institutions connected with citizens’ history, their daily lives and the rule of law. Their choice of institutional targets was entirely in keeping with the nature of the terrorist socialists’ objectives. There is no need for a major investigation or to gather witnesses. Only people who come from the extreme left of Albanian society could carry out such an act. The socialists’ statement, even before the justice system can establish it as fact, takes responsibility for the burnings. That is perfectly normal. It is just as normal that we should better protect buildings from the socialists. There is no longer any need for political debate or exchanges of retorts. Politically, they have long been burned out. Democracy cannot coexist with its dictatorial predecessors. Now all state authorities need to do is appoint good doormen at municipal buildings, courts and other important institutions, and the socialists will have no way to show themselves in this country. Where terror cannot be carried out, there can be no socialists either. In any case, the socialists’ statement is a sorry tale about themselves. As long as they defend the darkest elements of their party and make them symbols of its grassroots, their future too will be dark and painful.

Shkodër:

Mirditë:

Dibër:

Elbasan:

Korçë demonstrates against violence and terror The people of Korçë have decided to forget as quickly as possible the bitter events of 26 January, when, following an organized revolt by extremist opposition parties such as PS, PAD, PSD, and PUK, which exploited the misfortune of innocent people, social tensions arose, the windows of the Prefecture and the Municipality were broken, and the headquarters of the PD branch in the Korçë district was burned. Many say that Korçë was not itself on 26 January; it was not the people of Korçë who were setting fire to their own city with their own hands. All Albania raised its head in astonishment: how could a city with such a rich democratic cultural heritage as Korçë burn itself? Burn its culture? Burn its patriotism? Its hatred of the communist dictatorship? These are the motives that prompted the people of Korçë to gather yesterday morning in the Square of the Unknown Soldier to protest against communist violence and terror. The symbol of Korçë, the statue of the National Warrior, came marching along, together with young men and women, high-school pupils and students, workers and intellectuals, women and girls in the prime of their youth—this entire democratic gathering came to condemn the communist violence and terror used by the extreme left opposition, the originator and perpetrator of all the destruction and arson in Korçë. The story about the collapse of the pyramid schemes was the truth, but also a farce. “Down with red terror,” “No to destruction and violence,” “We support the Democratic Government”—these were some of the slogans of yesterday’s demonstrators in the Square of the Unknown Soldier in the city of Korçë. On this occasion, to greet the democrats of the southeastern city, came the organizational secretary of PDSH, Mr. Ylli Vejsiu; the district council chairman, Vladimir Babo; the mayor, Mr. Dhionis Kotmilo; and MPs Selim Belortaja, Kleri Kasimati, Bujar Isak, and Robert Çeku. “The events of 26 January showed that the communists still remain a danger to democracy,” said MP Bujar Isak in his address at the rally protesting violence and terror. “But that was not Korçë. It was not its culture and tradition. They were a few thugs paid by PS, PAD, and PSD.” Speaking at this protest rally against violence and terror, PD organizational secretary Mr. Ylli Vejsiu said that he had come to convey two messages to Korçë: a message of confidence in the Democratic Government’s full commitment to returning to foreign creditors all the money taken by fraudulent pyramid schemes; and, on the other hand, a message to cultured Korçë, the cradle of education and patriotism, to condemn all those who devised, organized, and led the campaign of destruction and arson on 26 January. After an address by a representative of the Korçë district branch of FRPD, who condemned violence and terror and called on Korçë’s youth to demonstrate in the name of construction and progress, the people of Korçë proceeded from the Prefecture, through the Square of the Unknown Soldier, toward the city’s Municipality Square. It was an emotional moment as the people of Korçë poured out like the waters of a river through the City’s Grand Park to join a protest against violence at the Municipality. There, the thousands of democratic-minded people were greeted by the mayor, Dhionis Kotmilo, who stressed in his speech that Korçë would know how to move beyond the bitter 26 January, which was utterly uncharacteristic of Korçë, a foreign and imposed event brought about by the overly impassioned leaders of the left-wing opposition parties, who seek at any cost to destabilize the city’s life and reinstate the dictatorship of yesterday. “But,” Mr. Kotmilo continued, “Korçë is not what it was on 26 January. Korçë is the opposite of that bad image; it is a Western-oriented city that preserves a democratic culture.” After this, the demonstrators dispersed peacefully. Meanwhile, seeking to forget 26 January, Korçë is leaving behind the stones of violence, the destruction and the arson, and is taking on the image of a constructive society, a city with a Western outlook.

Democratic Party meetings are being held in the districts

Elbasan: Messages of understanding to overcome the situation Mat: A more active role for local government structures

Blood on the Vushtri–Prishtinë road Page 4