By 31 August all the March emigrants must return to Albania. Nano’s unprincipled deals. Union for Democracy asks the Italian government not to send the emigrants back. The March refugees, seasonal workers. The emigrants write to Scalfaro. No interest from the Albanian government before the Italian authorities Nano’s unprincipled deals Nano sells out the emigrants. Union for Democracy asks the Italian government not to send the emigrants back. The March refugees, seasonal workers. The emigrants write to Scalfaro. No interest from the Albanian government before the Italian authorities The stance of the Albanian government toward the return of Albanian refugees from Italy would cause much destruction. In a TV interview, it was said that the government was making efforts with the Italian government to prevent the refugees’ return to Albania, but the text says the opposite and accuses the government of bargaining over emigrants. It says that to date we have contacted our embassy in Rome and still have not received a clear position. Our community is convinced that no government should trade in emigrants. The Albanian government is neither concerned about such a return nor has it understood the new humanitarian danger for Albanians. The Foreign Minister has not told us that he will remove the undiplomatic phrase according to which the neighborhood sergeant, as he was called in Durrës, takes Albanians from Italy and not the Foreign Minister; the country should do its duty for Albanians not only in August, when Italian officials go on holiday, but also in July. He considers their return perfectly sensible and says they are not being forcibly returned but are being lured with a reward, as if the refugees’ letter to Scalfaro asking him to take them in Italy did not exist. Our inferior minister, together with our prime minister, are reaching the right conclusion that the refugees’ return must be softened. Everything is happening in complete darkness and without a clear agreement with the Italian authorities. Such an agreement could not have been made by the Albanian Foreign Minister with the former Italian minister for immigration, Elmaz Sherifi, who either knows nothing about such an agreement or has been appointed to be the government’s strongman, as a minister without any influence on the country’s governing policies. The news is that emigrants began leaving already in the first days of Nano’s coming to power. Thousands of people who emigrated to Greece and then, in the first days of the communist government, taking advantage of the 1993 measures, exploited the lively drive are today in great danger of being sent back to Albania. Also, hundreds of them who were due to continue on 29 August were turned back at the port of Otranto without even entering. That is why Fatos Nano’s government is the prime ministership that built its propaganda on the false fight against those punished by ruin, who were forced to emigrate abroad. This is a direct consequence of the government’s policy toward them. By choosing emigration to increase suffering, it has at the same time committed the most inhumane act toward this social stratum, which sacrifices the most for itself but also for Albania. The Italian government’s ultimatum is that by 31 August all Albanians in shelters must return, without distinction. This is not only for one group of emigrants, but for the majority of those who left Albania during the last five months. Except for a small part, this means unforeseeable consequences for thousands of families living on their emigrant relatives’ money. The government that did not secure dignified agreements with the Italian government from the outset can be called nothing other than a political failure. This shows that for the Albanian prime minister the interests of his own citizens are less important than his political interests. Concern can also be understood from the fact that, in the framework of this problem, a new phase of the hunger strike is being considered. This is made known by Union for Democracy, which informs that 10,000 Albanians in Italy are ready to begin a hunger strike to stop the return of the refugees. The emigrant organization will ask for state confidence from the Italian government and take a decision for non-return and a regular and humane solution.

Today at 9:00, the former chairman of the People’s Assembly, the Mandela of Albania, undertakes a great sacrifice Today, Pjetër Arbnori goes on hunger strike. The former chairman of the People’s Assembly, the Democratic Party deputy, the Mandela of Albania, is forced by the Albanian communists who have just come to power to undertake once again the greatest sacrifice, the hunger strike. This is a unique case in which a politician of Arbnori’s age, for the sake of democracy and freedom, against censorship and the suppression of thought, chooses such a form of protest. Arbnori’s choice is very difficult, but it comes in order to confront all the state mud and filth that fifty years of communism have cultivated in the country and which, unfortunately, today has taken the keys to power, the media, etc. The cause is not Arbnori. It lies with those who stand opposite him, almost with the same face as those who stood against him during his 28 years in prison, before prison and after prison, while in Albania the democratic forces won. Pjetër Arbnori’s act, his sacrifice conditioned by the current power that is illegal, is a warning to all Albanians against this government that has begun to bring a breath of freedom to Albania, communist winds. Arbnori uses urine as a barricade, but that is not the only thing. No one will allow what we achieved during Albania’s brief democracy to be trampled underfoot. Arbnori on hunger strike is a reminder and a call to everyone: beware of power. In a later press statement he simply cites the reasons for this difficult undertaking. Arbnori will begin the hunger strike because of television censorship and the session leaders, who violated the rules and the presidency’s decision for the full broadcast of the session on TV. Also today, before the hunger strike begins at 9:00, he will hold a press conference in the office of the PDSH Parliamentary Group, near the Presidency of the People’s Assembly.

Kolomb Bello, the uncle of Ramadan Kuçi’s children, tells everything about the fighting in Elbasan. The battle was fought to rob 30 million drachmas. The gang’s base is at Xhiku’s house, near the “De Rada” school. Some policemen are also members. This gang, together with Fat Matraxhiu, has carried out dozens of murders. They killed, and they bring them out. Alqin, for an authorization. They have robbed the firms “Hoda”, “Kre-ka”, “Nika”, “Mehin”, etc. So, apart from the criminal name, can you call them companions of the commissariat in March, as suits those who got votes from this gang? Kolomb Bello recounts the fighting in Elbasan. Kolomb Bello, the uncle of Ramadan Kuçi’s children, tells everything about the fighting in Elbasan. The battle was fought to rob 30 million drachmas. The Tan Kateshi gang is responsible for the massacre The gang’s base is at Xhiku’s house, near the “De Rada” school. Some policemen are also members. This gang, together with Fat Matraxhiu, has carried out dozens of murders. They killed, and they bring them out. Alqin, for an authorization. They have robbed the firms “Hoda”, “Kre-ka”, “Nika”, “Mehin”, etc. So, apart from the criminal name, can you call them companions of the commissariat in March, as suits those who got votes from this gang? ON PAGE 2

Pollo, on the disarmament of the population PAGE 4 The myth of the DP’s arming is false "What will you do with your pistol?" - I had thought I would return it; I have never fired that weapon since I got it. But in these circumstances, to give the citizens an opinion? Ceka, I have decided not to hand it over. If they want it, let them take it from me by force.

Political purge and penalization of the state and public administration are approved by the socialists. Socialist deputies turned Parliament into a meeting of the cooperatives' assembly Political purge and penalization of the state and public administration are approved by the socialists Around 200,000 State Security files are being opened Socialist deputies turned Parliament into a meeting of the cooperatives' assembly ON PAGE 3

DP: Local elections, a new social destabilization, an endless extension of the crisis Parliament Speaker Skënder Gjinushi, during a visit to several southern districts, declared that he would ask for new local elections. Such a declaration would leave the country in a new political crisis and a new social destabilization, in order to hide the failures of the Nano coalition government, which, apart from the worsening of poverty and unemployment, changed nothing else. The Democratic Party characterized Mr. Gjinushi’s declaration as a political delusion, one that does not take as its basis constitutional norms and the law, the free vote of the people on 20 October, or the positions of international organizations on this issue. The elections of 20 October were assessed overall as free and fair by the international community, OSCE, the Council of Europe, the USA, etc. These legitimate elections brought a legitimate local government, which exercises its powers in accordance with the law. But the Democratic Party says the hypocrisy of the new officials includes communes, communities, and the independence of local government, standing against the pillar of all powers by not respecting the free vote of the people. The Democratic Party calls on the chairman of the Socialist Party and at the same time parliamentary chairman Gjinushi to withdraw the declaration and not to seek new local elections; otherwise the country will enter an endless crisis and the international community will delay aid to Albania even more.

Union for Democracy: Italy should not send back the emigrants. Let them remain seasonal workers. Poor people pay the price of unprincipled politicians Union for Democracy: Italy should not send back the emigrants. Let them remain seasonal workers Nano’s secret agreement at the expense of the emigrants Poor people pay the price of unprincipled politicians Our parties, gathered today on 19 August, after discussing the problems of emigration, express their deep concern for Albanian citizens and emigrants and declare that the return of Albanian emigrants from Italy — their forced and unprincipled return, as well as the controversial positions of the Nano government — deepens the major economic and social problems of thousands of Albanian families who live on the income of emigrants in our country. With this declaration we condemn all secret agreements with foreign governments, as well as the deception of this corrupt government in misleading a large number of Albanian emigrants. The Albanian prime minister, during his visit to Rome, announced that Albanian emigrants in Italy would be transformed into seasonal workers, whereas now it turns out that many of them must return within a few days. We appeal to the Italian government to consider the possibility of keeping as seasonal workers the Albanians who left their country because of the communist uprising and not to side with committees, gangs and terror that forced this part of the population to leave Albania and that, having come to power, are unable to offer even the minimum conditions for a dignified existence for Albanian families and neighborhoods. Democratic Party Party of Legality Christian Democratic Party Democratic Union Party Social Democratic Union Party

10,000 Albanians in Italy announce a hunger strike ON PAGE 2

Three hours of fighting in Ersekë. Two killed and five wounded ON PAGE 2

An Albanian was transporting drugs in a beer truck ON PAGE 2

ON PAGE 3