K. Kola and his two crutches, Lubonja and Gumeni, are nothing but a tattered flag that former communists hold at the forefront of their anarchist battle to seize power by force. Kola’s Forum pyramid reeks of the PS’s shadowy deeds.

The Socialist Party, as the leading party of the far-left parties, is trying to conceal its political decomposition behind a veil borrowed from someone who stole from his fellow sufferers. The “Forum for Democracy,” a pyramid forum, was established by the Marxist ideologues of the Socialist Party, former instructors at the “V.I. Lenin” party school, who bear special responsibility for the crimes committed under the regime by groups and associations involved in theft and kidnapping. The latter “Curt Kola” or the training of guerrilla groups. This party, which in theory constitutes the principal political force of the Albanian left, has now buried its head in K. Kola’s ploughed-up pocket, losing its political credibility and demonstrating the political misery of several other parties that follow it. In fact, through the Pyramid Forum, it has re-established the Red Front for the Seizure of Power by Force, while Kola and his two crutches are nothing but a tattered flag that former communists hold at the forefront of their anarchist battle to seize power by force. Kurt Kola, known not only as a former prisoner of the communist regime and a later servant of its nostalgics and fighters, but also as an embezzler and profiteer from the aid the government gave to his fellow sufferers, now heads the Red Pyramid Forum and represents the degrading symbol of a political party and the symbol of worthless, misused energy. The man who came with monarchist messages a short time ago now leads the New Albanian Communist Movement to seize power by force. This fact clearly shows what kind of alternatives this Sanco Panco of the Communists can bring to light. The fact that the Socialist Party openly supports this forum and propagates Albanian neo-communism is nothing new in Albanian politics. This party, together with its two satellites, PAD and PSD, some time ago, while making declarations in luxury restaurants with money from the “People’s” Foundation, offered Bashkim Driza cooperation in the so-called “Freedom Pole” or “Center Pole” and other failed poles. How serious Kola, Lubonja and Gumeni’s Red Pyramid Forum is can be seen from the fact that at all the meetings and press conferences of these forums, the leaders of PS, PSD and PAD would rise from the hall and call for Kola, who only serves to open the conferences. The statements, positions, assessments, etc., are prepared in the PS offices. The forum’s interpreter is also the person who interprets for the socialist leaders. Kurt Kola’s call on the Albanian political parties to hold a political dialogue today is absurd. He represents a non-political association, while now aspiring to be a founder of Albanian politics together with his two crutches, Lubonja and Gumeni. During this period, the political parties have held several roundtable political discussions, in which PD has taken part, contributing its ideas and alternatives. Why is PD now so keen to hold a high-level bilateral meeting to discuss current problems, recognizing this party as a political force and not as a group of adventurers who time and again push the same parties into withdrawal? Let us speak plainly: this is simply a way to gain from this point, and to get into Kurt Kola’s pockets, simply to gain from this point accidentally. What Albania needs today: (sincere dialogue with the people, transparent dialogue, dialogue to minimize losses in the pyramid schemes, dialogue to overcome the crisis, dialogue about the prospects for uninterrupted economic development and Albanian democracy. A good example was President Berisha’s meeting with the political parties, which PS and PSD stormed out of and did not attend; his conversation with Tirana residents; the meeting of PD chairman Sali Berisha with the political parties; the invitation he extended to the socialist opposition; and hundreds of other meetings being held by PD leaders and the state throughout the country. But political dialogue cannot be led by a group of adventurers without moral or political credibility. Not only PD but no other serious political party would allow itself to go to the political dialogue table by way of Kurt Kola’s Red Forum, which reeks of the decomposition of values. That is how the PS operates. ARBEN ÇEJKU

Emergency government measures for citizens who have lost their assets in pyramid schemes Subsidies, loans and other forms of assistance TIRANA—The Council of Ministers, under the leadership of Mr. Aleksandër Meksi, made a series of decisions at yesterday’s meeting, among which the following decision stands out: “On state assistance for citizens who have sold their homes and deposited the money in failed foundations or lending companies,” the Press Office of the Prime Minister reports. According to the decision, citizens in this category will receive assistance through subsidies, loans or other forms. They are considered property owners and will benefit under Law 8030, “On the state contribution for families after the pyramid schemes,” thus being given the possibility of obtaining an immediate loan from the Savings Bank to buy apartments or land, or to build a home, depending on each family’s circumstances and means. The decision instructs the municipalities to set up the relevant commissions immediately, draw up lists, submit them to the municipal council on the basis of documentation, and deliver them to the Savings Bank, which will give them special priority. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Public Works and Tourism will issue the relevant instructions for implementing the decision.

Clarification by the Press and Information Office at the Office of the President of the Republic The Press and Information Office at the Office of the President of the Republic announces, regarding a motion submitted by several Labour members of the House of Commons of Great Britain concerning the support of the British Conservative Party for the Albanian Government and the Democratic Party, that we emphasize it is absolutely untrue that the gifts presented by the President of the Republic during his official visit to London in March 1994 to the British Prime Minister and members of his government were objects taken from the National Historical Museum’s collection or had historical value. The gifts in question, like the gifts for other foreign dignitaries, were handicraft items (decorative weapons), made in recent years in several cities in Albania and purchased by the State Protocol Office in accordance with the regulations in force. The purchase price of each item did not exceed 10,000 lek (100 USD). Such insinuations were made three years ago by the Socialist Party (in a letter and in several newspapers), but the Press Office of the President of the Republic provided all the relevant explanations at that time. We regret that our explanations were not taken into account by the socialist MPs who signed the motion. If the British Parliament or a group of parliamentarians or experts considers it important, it may decide to send a delegation to Albania to examine these allegations, and we assure it of the Albanian side’s cooperation and transparency. It is also untrue that the President of the Republic supported the pyramid schemes, as alleged in the motion. The President was their opponent. We understand that Great Britain is in the midst of an election campaign, but we express our regret at the wholly inappropriate involvement of Albanian state institutions in the British political debate.

A Dangerous Scenario for the Future of Albanians “We did not solve your problems,” Kurti told the citizens at the press conference, “because we are not giving the money back; we are solving our own problems. And my thugs have a problem with power. And for this problem I won’t leave two stones together. You know, this is thugs’ business. They hung this bell around my neck and there’s nothing I can do. I’m shaking it...” Page 3

Yesterday, on 17.02.97, at around 08:10, at a place called Tërnovë e Madhe in the Bulqizë district, on the road through this village, a very serious car accident occurred involving an MTS4 vehicle, license plate BZ 0304 A, driven by Halil Hysen Gjika, born and residing in this village. The accident was approximately of “C” class. As a result of the accident, the following 7 citizens died: 1. Mentor Mema, 18 years old 2. Arif Bajku, 55 years old 3. Ismail Stojku, 22 years old 4. Besim Gjika, 36 years old 5. Çilirim Rajku, 15 years old 6. Mymyr Gjika, 21 years old 7. Ramadan Gjika, 31 years old Another 13 citizens were injured, 2 of them in serious condition. The accident was caused by the driver’s improper maneuver. A team of doctors from the Military Hospital and helicopters from the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Defense were made available to assist the injured.

Since the English socialist MP who submitted a motion—which included, among other things, the gifts the President of the Republic gave to the British Prime Minister during his official visit (we issued a clear press release on this matter today)—was presented as a Conservative MP by Gabriel Partosh, the BBC World Service analyst for Southeast European affairs, as well as by the Albanian left-wing press, we expressed our regret at this deliberate distortion of the facts, the Press and Information Office at the Office of the President of the Republic reports. We note that such professional and tendentious distortions have been occurring continuously.

Those who proposed the law on the protection of monuments to Ramiz Alia in 1991 now want to demonstrate on the day Enver Hoxha’s monument was toppled It may be a mistake, perhaps not intended as slander, but that is what was written in “Gazeta Shqiptare.” The Forum for Democracy wants to celebrate the toppling of E. Hoxha’s monument on 20 February. They are the very same people who proposed the law on the protection of monuments to Ramiz Alia in 1991 and now want to demonstrate on the day Enver Hoxha’s monument was toppled. According to this newspaper, the idea came from Neritan Ceka, the man who, the day after the monument fell, stopped people from attacking the Bllok, and who shortly afterward joined Ramiz Alia in attacking the PD. But Ceka will be joined by Islami, who at that time hoarsely called for the tanks in the streets to be toppled, the man who closed the University to take revenge on the students. Gjinushi will also be there; he opposed the demand to remove Enver Hoxha’s name from the University and hid in Ramiz Alia’s WC. Majdani will also be there, former adviser to R. Alia, who in December went to a faculty with a pistol on his belt and cursed the students who had risen up against communism. These people are, therefore, seeking to demonstrate on the occasion of the toppling of E. Hoxha’s monument. Of course, no one expects morality from people like this, but this is going too far. This is an extremely serious affront to Albanians. On 20 February, these people should be stopped, because it would be no surprise if they brought some Hoxha statue out of their basements and demanded that it be put up in the square, as Hysni Milloshi once did. Their calls to the masses in Vlora and Fier to attack Tirana are identical to Hysni Milloshi’s calls in ’91. Therefore, from this mob you can expect only that they will come out holding portraits of Hoxha, not that they will celebrate Hoxha’s downfall. Enver Hoxha’s name from the University and hid in Ramiz Alia’s WC. Majdani will also be there, former adviser to R. Alia, who in December went to a faculty with a pistol on his belt and cursed the students who had risen up against communism. These people are, therefore, seeking to demonstrate on the occasion of the toppling of E. Hoxha’s monument. Of course, no one expects morality from people like this, but this is going too far. This is an extremely serious affront to Albanians. On 20 February, these people should be stopped, because it would be no surprise if they brought some Hoxha statue out of their basements and demanded that it be put up in the square, as Hysni Milloshi once did. Their calls to the masses in Vlora and Fier to attack Tirana are identical to Hysni Milloshi’s calls in ’91. Therefore, from this mob you can expect only that they will come out holding portraits of Hoxha, not that they will celebrate Hoxha’s downfall. Such positions are not only speculative but also provocative. They are part of the strategy of escalating the situation and are nothing new for the opposition. Fatos Nano once declared that “the PD is against communism,” while Gramoz Ruçi called for the killing of the people of 2 April. The call by the leader of the left-wing conservatives to celebrate the toppling of E. Hoxha’s monument on 20 February is in the same vein. Those who have spent these past six years celebrating Hoxha’s amateurism have now remembered to celebrate his downfall. But Albanians, who risked their lives to cast off the symbol of communism, cannot look back on 20 February alongside post-communist supporters. They will know how to respond to this provocation. E. PALOJKA

The criminalized far left in pyramid schemes Page 3

The government comes to the aid of families who have lost their homes to usurious investment firms