Democrats throughout Albania are determined to withstand the clique’s terror. Heated activities in Tirana, Shkodër and Elbasan ON PAGE 2

By Astrit PATOZI Democrats throughout Albania are expressing their determination to respond to the radicalization of the political situation in the country by every means through which freedom is defended and by every method through which dictatorships are overthrown. But more importantly, the DP’s decision to adapt to the new wave of terror against the opposition, following the political imprisonment of six former senior officials of the democratic government, has received the support of the overwhelming majority of Albanians, who today, more than ever, feel the real danger of communism’s terrifying return. If Democrats say that political prisons can return only if the new persecutors have to drive tanks over their bodies, almost every Albanian is ready to pay a price to ensure that history is not repeated in the most tragic way. Fatos Nano and his clan have now thrown down the gauntlet not only to the Democrats, but to all Albanians. The arrest, on such absurd charges, of Shamata, Çela, Zhulali, Rama, Mulosmani and Lusha is a test not only for the Democratic Party and the opposition in general, but for all the citizens of this country who still believe in Albania’s future. By attacking the Democratic Party, Nano has sought not only to delight his fanatics and terrorists, but also to measure the opposition’s real strength. Any hesitation or attempt on its part would be suicide and the country’s complete slide into neo-dictatorship. Because there is now no doubt about the resurrection of the infamous spectres of Aranit Çela and Josif Pashko, and of the special courts that fed on the blood and suffering of Albanians in order to impose the continent’s harshest and most barbaric dictatorship. Any Albanian who accepts being sentenced for the greatest ‘crimes’—whose evidence consists of poetry books and recordings of unpublished songs—has accepted that they may be seized [?], dragged away in front of their children, imprisoned and interned as in Hoxha’s dark times. Anyone who acts indifferent or takes a step aside so as not to witness the Prosecutor General bringing out several bottles of mineral water with 1998 labels, ‘prepared as evidence’ for “crimes against humanity” in early 1997 by Blertim Çela, Safet Zhulali and the other senior military officers arrested, is accepting neo-dictatorship, in which one is denounced, persecuted and sentenced for a letter and before that. In any other case, the charge that “he was seen wearing a military uniform in March last year,” levelled against Blerim Çela, would provoke loud laughter... (Continued on page 3)

Cërrik, June 1997

Theo Vaigel invites the DP chairman The chairman of Bavaria’s “Christian Social Democratic Union” party, Theo Vaigel, has invited the chairman of the Democratic Party of Albania, Prof. Dr. Sali Berisha, and the party’s deputy chairman, Genc Pollo, to visit Munich and take part in the proceedings of his party’s conference. During his stay in Munich, Mr Berisha will meet German and European political figures. The latest developments in Albania and the political arrests will be the main topics of discussion with his interlocutors.

The DP announces protests calling for the release of prisoners of conscience, the opening of TV to the opposition and Nano’s removal from Hoxha’s bloc ON PAGE 3

The jerrycans containing petrol were filled by the prosecutor’s office We recall that production of the 1.5-litre “Uji Glina” water bottles began circulating in September 1997, while “Uji gazuar Tepelena” began production in February–March 1998. These were the labels on Rakipi’s jerrycans, which

Berisha welcomes the positions of the State Department and Ambassador Lino ON PAGE 3

Berisha received the Italian Ambassador in Tirana, Spatafora PD Chairman Sali Berisha received yesterday, at the latter’s request, His Excellency Mr. Marcello Spatafora, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Italy in Tirana. The Italian ambassador asked about the latest developments in Albania following the arrest of six senior Democratic Party officials. Prof. Dr. Sali Berisha gave a detailed overview of the very critical situation in the country, created by the systematic actions against the opposition undertaken by Prime Minister Nano, particularly following the unlawful arrest of six senior officials of the DPSh. Berisha explained to him all of Fatos Nano’s links to the midnight arrests of senior officials. He said that on 9 March 1997, we signed the agreement between the political parties to save Albania from civil war, an agreement that was immediately welcomed by the Italian Foreign Minister, Mr. Dini. But with his latest act, Nano broke this agreement. This government, which does not even respect agreements it signed when it was in opposition, deserves neither anyone’s respect nor support. We therefore ask the Italian government not to provide any assistance to this government, which is growing in communist fashion and getting richer every day through drugs and smuggling that it itself controls. Berisha informed Ambassador Spatafora about the latest meeting of the PD National Council and stressed that we are determined to defend the values of freedom and democracy at any cost. Today our freedoms must be respected under the Arbnori amendment. We are ready to make sacrifices, but I think we have not yet exhausted all the necessary options. Prof. Dr. Sali Berisha told the Ambassador that we are ready to receive friendly parliamentary groups to assess the parliamentary situation, evaluate the situation in Albania, and judge developments in the country. The leader of the DPSh asked the Ambassador to convey to Prime Minister Prodi and Foreign Minister Dini his gratitude for everything Italy and the Italian people have done and are doing for Albania and the Albanians, and to inform them that Albanian democracy is going through difficult days. We believe, Mr. Berisha stressed, that we will overcome the conflict being imposed on us by the Nano clan through democratic means and methods. Ambassador Spatafora expressed his understanding of what had been told to him and his astonishment at these acts of violence against the opposition. He thanked them for the information and said he would pass on the messages he had received to their intended recipients. The meeting took place in a friendly atmosphere and with complete mutual understanding.

Meeting between PD Chairman Berisha and Ambassador Franz Parak PD Chairman Sali Berisha met yesterday with Ambassador Franz Parak, head of the European Community Monitoring Mission. Berisha gave a detailed analysis of the grave situation of intense conflict that Fatos Nano’s government has created in Albania, bringing the country to the brink of civil war. He stressed that the government’s decisions to arrest former senior PD officials are a continuation of its brutal onslaught against the opposition. Fatos Nano has violated the agreement of 9 March 1997, which saved the country from civil war and established the government of national reconciliation; he has violated the amnesty law approved by the Albanian parliament, thereby violating the constitutional laws and other laws of the Albanian state. Berisha underlined that the PD and all Albanian democratic forces are determined to resist the government’s brutal attacks on human and democratic rights and to prevent, by all democratic means, the establishment of a communist dictatorship in Albania. In response to the delegation’s interest in the latest developments in the conflict in Kosovo and the possibilities for resolving it, the PDSH Chairman pointed out that, in his view, the only solution to the situation created by the massive aggression and massacres by the Serbian army against the civilian population in Kosovo is direct NATO intervention on the ground in Kosovo, because until NATO intervenes, the war will continue. In his remarks, the head of the European Community Monitoring Mission, Ambassador Franz Parak, pointed out that they were aware of and following with concern the major internal problems Albania is currently facing, as well as the dire situation caused by the arrival of people from Kosovo in northern Albania, which the delegation had had the opportunity to observe for itself. He expressed the interest of the mission he heads in hearing the analyses and views of PD Chairman Sali Berisha, whose extensive experience in politics and state affairs he particularly valued. Austria’s Ambassador in Tirana, Arno Riedel, whose country holds the presidency of the European Union, stated that his government had been informed of the arrests of former senior PD officials. He informed the PDSH Chairman, Prof. Dr. Sali Berisha, that the European Union would discuss these matters soon, and that this was precisely why they were interested in hearing the PD Chairman’s information and positions.

Look at these photographs. The man at the center is Neritan Ceka, chairman of the PAD, an MP and chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Public Order and SHIK, and Interior Minister in the Nano government for almost a year. Around him is a group of people armed to the teeth, some notorious bandits and some who may now regret the appearance they had a little over a year ago. The photograph was taken in Çerrik in June 1997, in the town where seven Guard soldiers were killed in what is now known as the worst massacre of the spring of ’97. Neritan Ceka is there with the very people who carried out the massacre, as well as, naturally, in the south, with those who ordered it.

The Presidency of the Democratic Party calls on all Democrats in Tirana, together with their families and children, to gather today, 27.08.1998, at 19:00 in “Skënderbej” Square to protest against the terror of the ruling clique and to demonstrate our determination and our unwavering resistance to defend the values and ideals that unite us. Everyone together today at 19:00 in “Skënderbej” Square, to feel closer to one another in our common effort to overthrow the communist dictatorship. FREE THEM! [?] POLITICAL NO BLOCKMEN THE [?] MURDERERS VJEKER