Durrës: The naval fleet on strike over wages ON PAGE 5

After the tragedy, government officials begin making promises ON PAGE 4

Albanians paid between USD 800 and 1,000 per person ON PAGE 4

Oil workers’ unions on a one-week strike. Laç metallurgical workers have gone on strike. Railway workers in Bajzë are on strike again. Secondary-school students in the capital have been on strike for a week

The humiliating silence and indifference of Fatos Nano’s Television toward the second Otranto tragedy fully convinces Albanians that the cause of the horrifying Adriatic disaster is the Socialist-installed government. The deaths of at least 17 Albanians were buried at the end of the news bulletin on Albania’s “telepur,” while foreign media—and especially the Italian press—broadcast lengthy, sorrowful reports on the tragedy that had been repeated in the most painful way. But even that brief news item was only given on the first day, because afterward Albanians saw reports about art exhibitions and anniversary celebrations on the small screen, but absolutely nothing about what had happened to those unfortunate people who had tragically lost their lives or to those who had survived by chance. And, as if to dispel every doubt about responsibility for the tragedy, the Albanian government and the Ministry of the Interior ... pledge that from today onward they will no longer allow any speedboat to travel from the Albanian coast to the shores of Italy. This pledge is a shocking fact that once again confirms the Albanian press’s claims that senior government officials are involved in the trafficking of undocumented migrants and in the trade in “white flesh” from Albania to neighboring countries. Because this means that until yesterday Ceka’s and Brokaj’s armed forces were implicated, working directly with criminals in the highly profitable trafficking of undocumented migrants who set off for Italy every day. Albanian citizens have been forced to abandon their homeland, driven by poverty and political oppression that has continued to grow since June 29; but their greatest misfortune is that, on their journey toward death, they have paid a huge sum that went straight into the pockets of senior government officials. Those who tried to politicize the first Otranto tragedy to an extreme degree, using the funeral ceremony in Vlora for the innocent victims of March 28 as an occasion for the slogans of political thugs, are today twice as exposed before all Albanians. The faces exposed are those of the people who, at the time of the rebellion’s collapse, forced Albanians to flee in terror of Kalashnikovs and antitank weapons used mercilessly against people; now in power, they are making the people of this country flee the dictatorship being rapidly installed, whose sinister character is becoming increasingly apparent. If, for the victims of March 28, Malaj, Gjinushi and Brokaj took people’s money using the Kalashnikovs of Zabit Çaka and his gang, today the smugglers and traffickers in power have more sophisticated ways of growing rich from the lives and deaths of Albanians. Those in power are taking Albanians’ lives by forcing them to leave a country where dozens more are still being extinguished in the hope of a better life, and by forcing these people to fall into the mafia networks of government trafficking and smuggling. This government is sowing death and poverty among Albanians. Its dark days began long before the clock started ticking for the cabinet that emerged from the violated elections of June 29, back when gangs were killing and robbing so that Nano could enjoy power. Albanians can never expect their country to be normalized as long as this political gang remains in power. The government and its powerful prophets throughout Albania are nothing but cursed by this people of this counted dialect.

The opposition denounces political killings and the continuation of the communist clique’s betrayal of the national cause ON PAGE 3 Communism and primitive nationalism, the army of the Ball-

Communism and primitive nationalism, the enemies of the Balkans. The West cannot prevent acts of betrayal by the Albanian government, but it can neutralize the effects they may cause, these traffickers ON PAGE 3

Government officials are stealing oil workers’ wages Oil workers’ wages are being stolen by government officials Oil workers on strike for a week The government cracks the whip. Union leaders are subjected to pressure and physical violence. From 17,000 lek per month under the democratic government, oil workers now receive 5,000 lek The leaders of the autonomous and independent unions have announced that this week they will begin a one-week strike, shutting down all the oil fields. This strike is an escalation of the protest, which began last week with a one-hour strike in front of the enterprise’s directorate. Workers’ indignation began because today’s government officials have made drastic cuts to wages, from 12,000–17,000 new lek they previously received to 5,000–6,500 new lek, depending on professional level. Albpetrol’s executives justify such wage cuts by citing the deficit accumulated over recent months, which supposedly amounts to 2 million dollars, but workers have presented documents that say otherwise. According to them, around 6 million dollars has been secured from oil sales over the last three months. The leaders of the independent and autonomous unions say there is no reason for wage cuts, but workers have now been given an ultimatum to stop work. The unions are convinced that the oil sector is also making profits, which until three or four months ago went to the oil workers, while now no one knows whose pockets they end up in. To conceal the hefty profits generated by oil, certain segments of today’s government have pressured unionists in an attempt to silence them. This pressure has even involved physical violence, as in the case of the assault by PS extremists on union chairman Myrteza Goxhaj on the day of the strike. That same day, someone also appeared at the union office and demanded that chairman Veli Fejzallahu withdraw the demand on behalf of the Oil Workers of the Albanians. The workers of Marinzhë and Patos have been concerned only about their halved wages. They are also worried about the future of the oil sector as a whole. The previous government had approved a transparent privatization platform, which the current government is said to have rejected. Rumors have spread among the oil workers that the oil sector will be handed to a Greek company, excluding workers as shareholders, as had been planned before. In addition to the one-week strike, the unions have requested a meeting with the EU representative and are determined to further escalate the strike until their demands are met. Zaf LLESHI

“Union for Democracy”: Meidani and the Nano government are repaying their obligations to Millosheviç Meidani’s statement comes directly as an attempt to undermine the Franco-German initiative, just as Crete was a challenge to the American-German initiative ON PAGE 3

The murder of the head of Sinaballaj commune continues the authorities’ pattern of violence “Official, didactic silence over the murder of a representative of local government reveals the authorship of the crime”

PD protests TV’s stance The Democratic Party protested yesterday against the stance of the state television broadcaster, which once again blocked the report on the press conference of the opposition parties grouped in the Union for Democracy. According to the PD’s protest, the report prepared by the television journalists was broadcast at the end of the 16:00 news bulletin, while it was removed from the main 20:00 news. The Democratic Party denounced this act as a repeated attempt intended to silence the democratic opposition at any cost, violating the most basic laws governing the functioning of pluralist democracy. These acts, the statement concludes, are also an expression of the current authorities’ primitive, vengeful resentments against the opposition, in an attempt to hide the truth. The state television broadcaster has systematically tried to narrow the opposition’s coverage and the space for its positions. Its executives have repeatedly declared that they do not recognize the laws and amendments, particularly the Arbënori Amendment, and do not recognize the agreements between political parties. The parties’ meetings fail precisely because television executives have continued to violate the law and have disregarded an agreement among parliamentary parties concerning airtime for political forces on television. They have often also excluded the chairman of the Election Commission, Dr. Polholli Çela, despite the fact that he had requested an official meeting to discuss the agreement. Sht. P.

Students from the Faculty of Nursing protest in front of the Ministry of Education

Everyone against the Nano government. Strikes in Patos, Kuçovë, Laç, Bajzë, Tirana

The offices of Tele-Bingo Kombëtare announce that on Sunday, November 23, 1997, the 27th draw of Tele-Bingo Kombëtare was held at the Palace of Culture in Tirana. For this draw, 80 series had been put on sale, from No. 401 through series No. 480. The ticket that won the MINI-BINGO prize was: Ticket No. 886 The ticket that won the STAR-BINGO prize was: 886, series No. 421 The ticket that won the MAGIC-BINGO prize was: 886, series No. 468. The ticket that won the TELE-BINGO prize was: 886, series No. 437, The company announces that for next week it has put another 80 series on sale, from series 481 through series 560. Note: The company announces that it will provide this information every Sunday in the public information bulletins. These announcements can be read on page 531 of the Teletext service. Head Office of Tele-Bingo Kombëtare Palace of Culture, Tirana