The clique continues its wave of political purges ON PAGE 7

On 22 October, a protest rally in “Skënderbej” Square “League Against Dictatorship” invites all citizens of Tirana to join a powerful protest on 22 October at 17:00: 1. To protest against the Government’s erasure of the organizers and perpetrators of the murder of Azem Hajdari. 2. To demand the release of political prisoners. 3. To protest against the blackout of information by the state media. 4. To protest against unemployment, rising prices, insecurity, crime, and growing poverty.

The anti-communist city drives out the President and his entourage with insults. The ceremony inaugurating the seminary ... turns into a protest against the government The anti-communist city drives out the President and his entourage with insults. The ceremony inaugurating the seminary ... turns into a protest against the government Shkodra humiliates Meidani People of Shkodra: “Communists out of Shkodra”; the murderers of Azem Hajdari must be driven out; Azemi is alive; “You brought weapons into the church.” Meidani sneaks out through the church’s back door ON PAGE 3

By Arben ÇEJKU Albanian society today is in a deep political and economic crisis, from which we have few chances of emerging. The path we have traveled over these ten years seemed to be the path away from communism toward democracy, away from isolationism toward Euro-Atlantic integration, away from a centralized economy toward a free-market economy, and finally, away from monism toward pluralism. When we say “leaving communism,” we mean the notion of breaking with it once and for all. But today, after nearly ten years on the road toward

Here is how tender money is gobbled up

The Secretary General of the DP renews the invitation to dialogue on the basis of the CoE resolution “The DP is not a party of individuals or of various chanceries, but the party of hopes and ideals of ...”

toward democracy, have we broken with communism? Moreover, have we already built the democracy we dreamed of and fought for around ten years ago? Unfortunately, no! When we look at the democracy practiced from March 1997 onward and the one practiced from 1992 to 1997, it is clear that we have two democracies. Fine, someone might say, it is normal to have two democracies—namely, the Democracy of the Right (1992–1997) and the Democracy of the Left (1997...). This observation or conclusion would amount to political entrenchment and a lack of understanding of the system of democracy and how it works. Democracy is neither left-wing nor right-wing; democracy is a political system that accepts the alternation of the left and the right in government on the basis of the results of free, fair, and equal elections. Yet, despite the illogic of the philosophy of “Two Democracies—the democracy of the right and the democracy of the left,” the current Government is precisely insisting on entrenching this concept of “two democracies” among Albanians. The exercise of power by the Left and the propaganda surrounding this kind of exercise of power have been made clear and explicit as the exercise of power in a “new democracy.” The notion of “New Democracy,” propagated by the socialist leadership in the middle of 1997 and thereafter (“New Democratic Government”), “New Democracy,” “Young Democrats of the Left,” “New Democracy,” and so on, has grated on the ears of thousands of people, and even fewer may have understood this notion at the time as the Left’s alternative for building a democracy for the Left. Building Democracy by the Left for the Left Building Democracy by the Left for the Left is also the alternative of the leftist rulers. They are trying to convince the whole world that from 1992 to 1997 Albania did not build democracy, but anarchy. Unfortunately, [text unclear] democracy, left in a state of anarchy. Unfortunately, [text unclear] democracy, built without anarchy. Unfortunately, the idea of revolutionary elections by the government [text unclear], but even now their rule may be clear; the results of their rule defend their achievements, the results of their rule. They have fallen into the trap of communist propaganda which, throughout the years, has portrayed privatization as “the theft of the socialist economy,” economic liberalization as “government corruption,” Euro-Atlantic integration and the expansion of friendship with other countries as “diplomacy behind closed doors,” “a Western orientation,” and Kosovo as “national division”; it has portrayed efforts to make the country more constitutional (1998) as an attempt at “international hostility.” Building Democracy by the Left for the Left cannot be called into question by the governance since 1990 and the development that took place under the Democratic Party (1992–97). Only then [text unclear] the Socialist Empire, [text unclear] the democracy built by Albanians in the period 1992–97; only then, [text unclear], did Albanians think they were trying to build their own democracy. Only then [text unclear] their democratic truth. The elections of the Anti-Communist December (Aleksandër...), only then can the neo-communists call their “reform” to create a new democracy “Imposed Democracy.” (Continued on page 2)

Not only have Azem Hajdari’s killers not been apprehended, but all his friends and associates are being dismissed from their jobs The Democrats knew how to pay Azem Hajdari all the honors due to him, even though the government officials not only failed to remember to offer a word of condolence, but prepared the ominous scenario for Albania for the sole reason of staying in power, even by shedding blood ON PAGE 8

Today, 36 days since the murder of the December Leader Every day that passes since the murder of Azem Hajdari, the symbol of democracy and pluralism, proves the involvement of Fatos Nano’s government and his successor in the crime that shook the entire Albanian world. The governments of the former communists, which leave free and unprotected the criminals who took the life of the December Leader, show Albanians that they have been and are on the side of the killers, who have names and identities but are untouchable by those in power. The Democrats and all Albanians who loved and honored Azem Hajdari can under no circumstances tolerate this fact. The government must either apprehend the criminals and bring them to justice, or publicly declare that it itself committed the murder of Azem Hajdari.

Tomorrow at 9:00, the leader of the Legalists in court Prime Minister Majko has the opportunity to show that he is in favor of dialogue with the opposition ON PAGE 7

Statement by the “League Against Dictatorship” The amendment to the law entirely wipes out the weight of the alternative. The majority is once again humiliated by the minority that ruled for 50 years ON PAGE 3

Justice powerless to protect former government officials involved in smuggling ON PAGE 7

The Ministry of Public Order is preparing a new wave of political purges The job insecurity of senior police officers has led criminal elements within the police to cooperate openly with crime and criminals, taking as much advantage as they can of this chaotic situation that has been created ON PAGE 7

The new and old craze: a lottery for a coat or a washing machine ON PAGE 5

An expanded meeting of the LDG, Tirana branch, was held At this meeting, which was attended by many participants, the political murder and the deep economic crisis were discussed. ON PAGE 2

Here’s how tender money is squandered ON PAGE 5

Members of the National Council of PDSH are hereby notified that an extraordinary meeting of the National Council will be held on Monday, 19.10.1998, at 11:00. THE PRESIDIUM