“Union for Democracy” is organizing a massive peaceful protest in front of the Parliament building in “Fan Noli” Square, for two consecutive days, Wednesday and Thursday, on 5 and 6 August 1998. 19:00. Everyone at the protest against the draft law on RTV and the information blackout. Everyone for unblocking the Arbnori Amendment. Everyone together against the government dictatorship in the media!

Conflict erupts between workers and the enterprise management ON PAGE 5

Albania is breaking records in the cultivation of narcotic plants, processing and trafficking of the “white poison” ON PAGE 3

Vlorë. Money changers were robbed at gunpoint of more than 100 thousand dollars, as well as large amounts of marks, lire, drachmas, etc. Vlora has returned to the rule of bandits and masked men. They kill and rob on orders from Tirana, as in February–March of last year ON PAGE 4

By Astrit PATOZI The government of black records intends to erect a strong barrier against the press and the public interested in the deeds and scandals of the new rulers, who, in less than a year in power, have made history by turning Albania into a country classified as a paradise of drugs and home to the continent’s most corrupt administration. Nano’s Cabinet has already sent Parliament a draft law on the protection of state secrets, which is expected to be approved urgently by deputies who are just as implicated as government officials in trafficking and illegal activities during this disastrous year. The draft law also hands Prime Minister Nano the new epaulettes for classifying what will henceforth be called a state secret, as well as the appointment of his own man Minister Nano the new epaulettes for classifying what, if it is to be called a state secret, as well as appointing his own people to deal directly with the protection and processing of secret documents. After this law is passed, it will be up to the most powerful man in Albania, Fatos Nano, to decide, for example, that the seizure of a government official’s son with drugs on a Greek island constitutes a state secret, or that the layout of the Block villa where the new blokmen sleep is a state secret, and to penalize the journalist or newspaper that published it. The law on the protection of state secrets, being presented as a way to fill a legal vacuum, is in fact a severe blow being prepared against the free press in Albania. At a time when independent and opposition newspapers are increasingly wandering the corridors of the courts, the new law means more handcuffs and greater state repression against them. Nano and his clan, annoyed by the “secrets” of smuggling, drugs and other misdeeds that come to light and fill the pages of the Albanian press every day, are now seeking protection by putting the state secrets law in front of journalists. It is understood that this law will function only against opposition journalists and opposition figures, for whom it has been drafted in the most devilish way, so that all the strings remain in the Prime Minister’s hands. It will have nothing to do with newspapers and journalists who, even today, fill their pages with documents and facsimiles from SHIK, the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of the Interior and other institutions connected with national security. Fatos Nano will have the “liver” of state secrets hanging around his neck precisely at a time when his party’s newspapers continue to publish material supplied directly by sources in the National Intelligence Service. “Zëri i Popullit” filled its pages for days on end with bloodied sheets, seized after the terrible massacre in the SHIK building in Vlorë, where officers and employees of the National Intelligence Service were killed and persecuted, and the building was surrounded, in February of last year. Since Nano and his clan came to power, the government press and the press close to it have been regularly supplied with material from offices filled with security personnel brought back to work by Fatos Klosi. This has often been done so crudely that some newspapers have published pages—even with spelling mistakes—in material originating from SHIK. A few days ago the newspaper “Koha Jonë” published in this newspaper an article by T. Cela predicting that the opposition would attack Radio-Television with weapons at one of its peaceful rallies. The article, which had been placed on the front page, was written so clumsily that it could not fail to remind one of the narrow-minded and weaker newspapers of “our Kola,” since it does not even know—or remember—the days when the State Security service was subordinate to the Central Committee of the PPSH. In many cases, the newspapers of some left-wing dailies in Tirana do not even bother to conceal their use by the Intelligence Service and Fatos Nano’s government. Of course, they are not afraid of a law whose classification and implementation will be determined by their own bosses, directly or from a distance. They will be protected by Article 30, which states that “secret information may be published only when it is necessary to protect overriding state or public interests.” Meanwhile, the opposition press and opposition journalists will be tried and jailed under another provision, the paragraph stating that “publication of classified secret information is prohibited.” The Prime Minister and his deputy, who will be called the Director of the Directorate for the Security of Classified Information, will decide on future “secrets,” many of which will weigh on the opposition and the opposition press. Most of them will concern smuggling, drug trafficking and the other outrages for which our government officials have already been deemed unbeatable champions. The Albanian press, especially the opposition press, must be very careful and must raise its voice loudly against this law, which is directed exclusively against it and against the truth, in favour of a clan of corrupt rulers. But this must be done quickly by all intellectual groups as well, which must analyze this phenomenon as part of an organized attack aimed at striking freedom of speech and the press in Albania.

Mass exodus to Italy resumes

Here are those who took part in assaulting MP Shaban Memia The mercenary’s morality is the morality of a lackey, and very soon they will receive the punishment they deserve In Albania, constitutional laws will continue to be violated as long as this clique of bandits remains in power. But very soon the government officials will be held legally accountable, and the attack dogs who do not hesitate to violate constitutional laws for the sake of the government mafia’s leadership will be pursued. They were at the head of the criminal operation ordered by the ruling clique to incriminate the Albanian opposition by any means. Among those who signed the shameful act against Democratic Party MP Shaban Memia are the mercenaries Esat Çallmari, Ylli Sinani and Robert Maliqi. But the mercenary’s morality is—The vandals who assaulted MP Memia last week will very soon answer for this unprecedented act. Frederik Seiti, Director General of the Financial Police, and Arben Dashi, head of Police Station No. 2 in the capital, formerly MP Shaban Memia are the mercenaries Esat Qallmari, Ylli Sinani and Robert Maliqi. But very soon they will receive the punishment they deserve. Nowhere in the world can those who violate constitutional laws get away with it without being punished. T.S

Italian MP Selva submits a motion to the Prodi government concerning the Nano government “A government that violates the laws of its own country, a government that attacks democracy and orders the killing of opposition members, cannot be helped.” ON PAGE 3 ON PAGE 4

Berisha meets with the State Department representative The Chairman of the Democratic Party of Albania, Prof. Dr. Sali Berisha, met yesterday with Mr. Loren Rosini, Director for Southern and Central Europe at the State Department. At the meeting, in response to Mr. Rosini’s interest in the Democratic Party’s views on the crisis in Albania and the region, Democratic Party Chairman Sali Berisha described the extremely difficult economic, political and social situation in Albania, resulting from the lack of law and order, smuggling and the widespread corruption of the current government officials, organized crime, drugs and illegal trafficking, ongoing violence and political killings targeting the opposition, the information blackout, etc. Mr. Berisha then discussed the reasons that had compelled the Democratic Party to leave Parliament, the violence being inflicted on local government, the absence of the rule of law, and the PD’s latest proposal for the constitution. At the meeting, the Chairman of the PDSH also gave an extensive analysis of the grave situation in Kosovo and the risks it poses to stability and security in the Balkans. Sali Berisha discussed the most effective ways and means of overcoming this dangerous crisis in Kosovo. The frank and open meeting, characterized by mutual understanding, lasted about an hour and a half. Also present on the American side were the US Ambassador to Tirana, Mariza Lino, Mr. Robert Cekuta, political adviser, and Mr. Endruj Idajd, head of Services at the State Department. Mr. Berisha was accompanied by Mr. Genc Pollo, Deputy Chairman of the Democratic Party, and Mr. Leonard Demi, the PD’s Secretary for International Relations.

Agolli: I didn’t understand a thing, either from Ndreca’s questions or from your answers Klosi, like a parrot, repeats word for word the statements of Prime Minister Nano, who apparently has decided to “sacrifice” several police station chiefs in the south ON PAGE 3

List of prizes for the Tele-Bingo Kombëtare draw dated August 02, 1998 MINI-BINGO PRIZE All tickets bearing No. 24 win the MINI-BINGO prize of 4,000 lek. They qualify to compete for the Grand Prizes: Ticket No. 24, series 760; Ticket No. 24, series 780; Ticket No. 24, series 704 The 3 winners listed above will compete against one another next Sunday, September 06, 1998, for the following 3 grand prizes: TELE - BINGO: 4 million lek; MAGIC - BINGO: a Volkswagen Polo car; STAR - BINGO: a tourist trip for two, for 6 days SUPPLEMENTARY PRIZES All tickets in series 764 win the third supplementary prize, worth 60 lek (regardless of ticket number). All tickets in series 742 win the second supplementary prize, worth 120 lek (regardless of ticket number). All tickets in series 739 win the first supplementary prize, worth 180 lek (regardless of ticket number). All tickets in series 781 win the first supplementary prize, worth 240 lek (regardless of ticket number). All tickets in series 709 win the first supplementary prize, worth 300 lek (regardless of ticket number). Winners of the SUPPLEMENTARY and MINI-BINGO prizes may collect them at any TELE-BINGO and TOTO-FUTBOLL sales point. For the next draw, on September 06, 1998, 100 series numbered 001–100 have been put on sale. The winners of the grand prizes from the August 02 ’98 draw should report to compete on 06.09.1998.