The persecutors sent home the journalists they had abducted. Alfons Zeneli and Ilir Zhila are released on bail. The EC continues procedures for Dokle’s suspension The madness of the departing power In a letter sent by Nano to the General Council of the PD tonight, the deputy chairman of the parliamentary group of Forza Italia, Amit Spahiu, stated that after the violent removal of opposition deputies from the parliamentary chamber, police forces protected by SHIK have terrorized Albania by brutally assaulting journalists and opposition deputies and arresting several of them. The letter says that this is how it was handled with the chairman of the PD parliamentary group, Mr. Tritan Shehu, who, after being brutally beaten, was not allowed by the police to go to the hospital, while the PD deputy Ali Spahia, at the urging of the Parliament leaders, was kicked. The letter also says that police from SHIK and other criminals brought urgently to Tirana robbed and beat journalists from “RD” and “Koha Jonë”, while they arrested the journalist from “Aleanca”, Besnik Hamiti, and the cameraman of TVSH, Shkëlqim Bregu. These unprecedented and repeated acts of state terror, including the pressure exerted to force the mother of President Sali Berisha to leave her residence, have been described as evidence of a political regime sliding toward dictatorship and the elimination of the opposition. At the end of the letter, the Nano government is asked to immediately stop political violence and resign. On page 3

Today, protest again The League against Dictatorship made public yesterday its statement, following the attack on the “League against Dictatorship” on 22 February 1998 in Tirana. The statement continues: 1. The decision of the League Council for peaceful protest remains in force. 2. The government did not dare organize the “League” on 5 March. 3. We support the members of the “League against Dictatorship” and their relatives. 4. We are protesting and continue to stand up for our right. [? ] The Council of the League against Dictatorship

Communiqué of the League against Dictatorship In recent days they will be gathered by the appointed Council. The protesters are tasked with making decisions and proposals. DECISIONAL RESOLUTION For the establishment of branches of the League against Dictatorship in all districts of the country. The protesters are called upon to gather all the branches and help the civic movement against dictatorship. The Decision-Making Council of the League against Dictatorship

Albanians were shocked by the slander: “The act from the 3rd to the 1st of the Republic” The text of this long statement describes the official version of events, but in the image it is difficult to read in full. Fragments can be made out such as: “the destruction of the state”, “the law enforcement forces”, “the deputies”, “the Parliament”, “coup d'état”, “the president”, “the weapons”, “the parliamentary chamber”, “citizens”, “violence”, “institutions”. [?]

Before that, SHIK had also [done?] the repression Years in Tirana, Minister of Defence of Kosovo Not a word about the murder of Azem Hajdari in Tirana and the Greek acting minister Unprepared reporting in the EC The scenario used is curious. Determined, and having escaped without giving the deputy the floor, at the beginning it presented as a “denunciation” the history of [? ] in the parliamentary chamber and sent it [? ] “shooting with [? ]”. And the more [? ] is the rise of a climate of panic that has [? ] somewhere [? ] from [? ] and [? ] and not a single [? ] from [? ] On page 6

The director of “Shqipëria” enters the middle of the deal The newspaper “Shqipëria” has joined the smear campaign. [? ] On page 3

BY SATURN PATKOZI What Fatos Nano is doing today to the opposition and especially to the free press is more than madness. More than a pathological war of destruction driven by human folly. It is becoming increasingly clear that the Prime Minister of Albania is trapped in the role of a miserable despot, insecure in himself and in the future. He is trying by every means, at any cost, to keep alive a power that is slipping from his hands because of political incompetence and public distrust. A person who orders journalists to be beaten, who attacks the instrument of free speech, who uses the state against dissent, cannot but appear mad. When the government and its police rush at deputies, journalists and citizens, then we are dealing with a regime that fears the truth. Fatos Nano and his people have forgotten that the free press is not defeated with sticks, fists and threats. It may be wounded, it may be hindered temporarily, but it cannot be destroyed. Because free speech is the very foundation of democracy. Albania does not need a government that behaves like an enemy of its own citizens. It needs institutions that respect the law, the opposition and the media. Any deviation from this path is a return to darkness. Today, when newspapers are attacked, when editorial offices are threatened, when reporters are chased and beaten, every honest Albanian must understand that their personal freedom is at risk. Because an attack on the free press is an attack on free society. On page 3

The opposition leader spoke about TV, Sali Berisha denounces, the action of the right wing. “It is time to [? ]” he declares. [? ] On page 4

Today, all together in defense of democracy and against dictatorship The first democratic branch of Durrës calls on all democratic citizens to come out in protest to defend democracy and oppose the violence of power. The protest will take place today at 5:30 p.m. in the square in front of the Durrës House of Culture. On page 6