The government’s polemics with VEFA continue - Alimuca: The rulers will leave Albania in three months Concern is growing among VEFA’s creditors. Parliamentarians escalate the protests General strike imminent The government’s polemics with VEFA continue - Alimuca: The rulers will leave Albania in three months The deceptive prime minister and the parliamentary government of the Socialist Party Albania today is in a clear phase of political overthrow and with a scenario for overturning the order through violence and riots. This is the well-known experience in all the countries of the East, where cadres of the Communist Party are taking power again and trying to hold on to it at any cost. Albania’s case in this respect is highly symptomatic, as the successful communist scenario is being used in Albania under the direction of certain circles hostile to the country. While in the overwhelming majority of cases where this counter-revolution has triumphed there has been at least a phase of economic recovery and relative peace, in Albania everything is happening according to the scheme of an iron fist and class struggle. This process resembles Cambodia more than Eastern Europe, with the introduction of the Pol Pot model of governance. Having many analogies with the previous government, down to public statements, the current government lays out from the outset objectives for the elimination of part of the population, politically cleansing the “class enemy”. During the Fino-Nano government, at least six categories of the population have been declared “enemies”, and in turn excluded from the right to work, movement, study and property. These categories are owners, entrepreneurs, deputies, former military officers, intellectuals and former politically persecuted people. The pressure to make these categories “enemies” began with the seizure of power, when the government’s first statements were that they would conduct a “witch hunt”. In response to the popular revolt and opposition to the communist project, the government moved to the second phase of overthrowing the constitutional order, that of creating conditions of violence. Sari, with today’s statement that he “does not prefer to meet with Berisha”, has turned his visit into a political rather than diplomatic event. The entire activity of the Albanian government of Fino-Nano is about creating tension, fear and destruction, promoting smuggling and criminality, and this is being accompanied by slander and direct threats against the opposition, in the well-known Bolshevik style. The confiscation of VEFA, violating the rights of millions of depositors and entrepreneurs, is a clear political act. The Fino-Nano government took no measures in the spring to guarantee lawful order in Albania. Through its propaganda instruments, it has launched this whole campaign to present the only Albanian enterprise with extensive activity inside and outside the country as a criminal group. The measure taken against VEFA constitutes the harshest blow to the Albanian economy and aims precisely at eliminating the material base of the middle class. This is being done in order to plunge the country into a state of general chaos and to place the population under the slavery of a communist regime. All these actions by the Albanian government are aimed at cutting Albania off from European integration projects, pushing it toward an anti-Western orientation and creating a regime of hunger and terror. In these conditions, a general strike is unavoidable and for this the Fino-Nano government bears full responsibility. The general strike is the proper means to resist this anti-democratic power and to avert a national catastrophe. The Albanian government must leave as soon as possible by democratic means, so that the country can regain the prospect of development and European integration.

The Democratic Union Party is organizing a protest against the “Nano” government in front of the milk factory. The National Association for the Integration of Formerly Politically Persecuted People, the Nationwide Association of Anti-Communist War Veterans, the Democratic Balli Kombëtar Party, the Agrarian Party, the “Forum for Human Rights”, the National Progress Alliance, etc. have decided to organize the protest and to express their discontent with gatherings in front of the milk factory. The protest will begin on Sunday, 12 October 1997, at 11:00, but in order to avoid any incident, instead of starting from Skanderbeg Square, the protesters will gather in front of the milk factory on Bajram Curri Boulevard. The Turkish Prime Minister arrived yesterday at Rinas airport, where he was welcomed by the Albanian Prime Minister and ministers of the “Nano” cabinet. Sari will remain in Tirana until tomorrow morning, while today, Friday at 9:30, he has decided to meet President Berisha at the Presidency. In the afternoon he took part in the inauguration ceremony and then in the opening of the new mosque in Tirana. After that he attended the lunch organized in his honor by Prime Minister Fino. During today, the Turkish Prime Minister is expected to meet representatives of the PDI as well as hold meetings with leaders of the parliamentary parties, while at 12:30 he will be in Elbasan, where he will lay a wreath near the graves of Turkish martyrs. He will then depart for Istanbul. The Turkish Prime Minister has expressed interest in the existence of Turkish religious sites in Albania and in the employment of local specialists in these sites. With this visit, the Turkish government comes after the tensions of recent days between Tirana and Athens. The Turkish government has recently shown interest in expanding its influence in Albania. SOURCES from MINSA - The Turkish Prime Minister brought with him 43 members of his cabinet, members of the administration and business people. This was also the reason why 140 Turkish police officers, special forces and secret civilian service came for his security. Turkey is the only country that has sent military aid to Albania after the events of March. In June, Turkey gave the Albanian fleet two used patrol boats. This is Sari’s second visit to Tirana, after the one in October 1992.

The PD deputy on the exclusion of Azem Hajdari from the parliamentary delegation to the Council of Europe. Did a broom become an academy? Yesterday’s killers and today’s hooligan, in parliament The PD deputy on the exclusion from the parliamentary delegation of the Council of Europe Xhaferri: Gjinushi and Dokle are isolating the opposition Yesterday’s killers and today’s hooligan, in parliament Did a broom become an academy?[?] Ylli Vejsiu, a member of the parliamentary group of the Democratic Party, stated to “Rilindja Demokratike” that the decision to replace Azem Hajdari in the parliamentary delegation to the Council of Europe with a Socialist deputy once again shows the arbitrariness of the Speaker of Parliament as well as the lack of will to include the opposition in interparliamentary structures. Mr. Vejsiu said that the Speaker of Parliament, Skënder Gjinushi, is trying to keep the opposition outside these structures, while according to him, with this act it is also being isolated in international representation. Vejsiu described this decision as a political provocation against the opposition.

Polo: This government is run by drunkards Tomorrow there will be a Swedish-style strike, while on Sunday they are closing three matches at Hotel Dajti and Të Xhontit. Xhura: Nano in the late hours of the night when he was drinking whiskey[?] Ended up in the hospital after a fortuitous[?] basketball[?] Protests continue in Skanderbeg Square Polo: This government is run by drunkards Tomorrow there will be a Swedish-style strike, while on Sunday they are closing three matches at Hotel Dajti and Të Xhontit. Xhura:[?] Nano in the late hours of the night when he was drinking whiskey[?] Ended up in the hospital after a fortuitous[?] basketball[?] (continued on p. 1) ON PAGE 3

“We do not trust Nano’s promises” The miners’ strike continues in Memaliaj, today, the fifth day “We do not trust Nano’s promises” ON PAGE 3