Today, a protest rally in Skënderbej Square The “League Against Dictatorship” invites all citizens of Tirana to join a powerful protest today at 5:00 p.m.: 1. To protest against the government’s exoneration of the organizers and perpetrators of the murder of Azem Hajdari. 2. To demand the release of political prisoners. 3. To protest against the state media’s informational terror. 4. To protest against unemployment, rising prices, insecurity, crime, and growing poverty.

The deceitful Prime Minister signed off on dozens and hundreds of victims in the administration and police September 14—the measure by which governments are judged By Astrit PATOZI The Socialist Party and the press close to it are expending a great deal of energy trying to create the impression of major clashes within the red headquarters or the ruling left-wing coalition. For days, there has been a major effort to portray the Socialist Party as an arena for a clash between two different governing mentalities, with claims that its chairman, Fatos Nano, has supposedly been left in the minority. In fact, not only the parliamentary show over the state budget article, but all the recent developments in the SP since Nano was forced to vacate the Prime Minister’s office are simply a farce intended to create the illusion that things are changing for the better in the new government. Nano himself has assigned himself the temporary role of “the old guard,” not because he wanted to strengthen Pandeli Majko and Ilir Meta, but because this was the only way for the governing coalition to survive. By retreating into the minority, following a very subtle reading of the difficult situation the country is going through, the SP chairman is in fact making things easier for his dependents in the party, on whose dissolution he is trying to ride out this difficult transition for himself and for the SP. By telling Majko to vote publicly against his opponents, even though Majko’s voice failed him when he did so, and even when he no longer truly means what he says, Nano and the other SP leaders intend to divert Albanians’ attention from the crisis that has been dogging them ever since Azem Hajdari was killed. Conscious of the strongly negative burden his government has placed on the citizens of this country, Nano and the others are trying to fabricate Pandeli Majko’s independence, behind which they want all the other leaders and the SP to cross the threshold of Albanians’ patience. Albanian Democrats and the opposition in general must understand clearly that it is not Nano’s supposed disagreements with Meta or Sabit Brokaj that define the boundaries between good and evil in the country’s governance. They should not hope that the SP government is changing one bit just because Pellumbi, Brokaj, and Islami oppose Nano over one issue or another. Democrats need not struggle to understand what the left-wing press has been promoting, without a single new step being taken by the government. It is enough for them to make a simple assessment to conclude that nothing has changed in the way they govern. There is only the fact that Majko himself has said that his government is a continuation. For the opposition and for the normal governance of this country, it makes no difference whether Majko will keep changes that genuinely serve himself and Nano; what matters, on the contrary, is that he actually change the conditions he himself has set and the key points of the state where traces of corruption are evident. It makes no difference whether Angjeli and Majko have signed off on the appointment of party members—the issue is the danger posed by the institutions and their financial measures. Albanians themselves do not care at all what power struggle is taking place, or why the Socialist Party—and even less so its government—is trying to win in words. In fact, all those who have seen Majko, Pandeli Majko, Pandeli Majko, Ilir Meta, Sali Berisha, and Sabit Brokaj know what they have seen; it is not the work of people like those involved in Ben Blushi’s rhetoric, or those involved with Arta Dade and the Jashari clan in the SP, that should be judged, but everything they have done. For Albanians, with the same purpose for which Nano tried on September 14.

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Today, 40 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 complicity of Fatos Nano’s government and its determination to leave its criminals at large. The government of the former communists, which leaves free and undisturbed the criminals who took the life of the December Leader, shows Albanians that they have been and remain in the service of the murderers, who have names and identities but are untouched by those in power. Democrats and all Albanians who want democracy cannot tolerate this fact under any circumstances. The government must either apprehend the criminals and bring them to justice, or publicly declare that it itself committed the murder of Azem Hajdari.

Telemajko continues censoring the DP and the opposition. Yesterday too, TV blocked reports about the DP Last night as well, in its TV news bulletins, the state TV news service did not cover the Democratic Party’s activities. The despised institution, servant of the government and divider of the country, continues to persist in its campaign to isolate the opposition—and the DP in particular—from the people and the country. Although newspapers and TV operators attended yesterday’s press conference, the Majko and Klosi executives did not allow them to broadcast even one second about the issues raised at the conference, while they give a full minute to the Enverist of the National Unity Party. The Telemajko executives’ concealment of the DP’s alternatives will not succeed in separating the DP from its people and its broad electorate; but amid all its anti-... uproar, the TV station’s separation from its viewers and the hatred people feel more and more each day toward the government screen.

The Democratic Party makes public the government decision on dismissals REPUBLIC OF ALBANIA COUNCIL OF MINISTERS PRIME MINISTER ORDER No. 27, dated 19.09.1998 ON STRENGTHENING WORK DISCIPLINE, READINESS, AND THE PERFORMANCE OF DUTIES IN THE STATE ADMINISTRATION In view of the situation created by the criminal activity of armed groups engaged in violence, by the failure to institutionalize and the obstruction of constitutional order, and by the need to strengthen work discipline, maintain readiness, and improve the functioning of the state administration. I HEREBY ORDER: 1. The state administration bodies that have suffered damage shall, by 21.09.1998 and in accordance with the attached forms, take the necessary steps to inventory the assets they have administered, as well as to make a physical record and final assessment of the losses and damage caused to them during this period. 2. All disciplinary measures provided by law shall be identified and taken against employees and officials of the state administration who, during this period, left and abandoned their duties or carried out actions contrary to the status and nature of their position. Prime Minister Majko, responding to the DP’s statement about the many dismissals of those who took part in the funeral of the hero of democracy, Azem Hajdari, reacted by denying it on television. The Prime Minister says that “it is not true that anyone has been dismissed,” and I present the order in question. Although Prime Minister Majko is lying when he denies that this order has been implemented, we make it clear to him that this is Order No. 27, dated 19.09.1998, signed by the Prime Minister, in which point No. 2 alone requires all institutions to identify and take all measures provided by law against state-administration employees who, during this period—that is, on September 14—left or abandoned their duties, or acted contrary to the status or nature of their position. Point No. 3 of this order states: “all appropriate measures shall be taken to immediately fill the positions of those who leave their posts.” On the basis of this order that Mr. Majko has asked the DP about, 12 employees have been dismissed in the Devoll district alone, from directors down to the Prefect—not because they came to Tirana, but because they had been among those who stood with the DP over the state murder of Azem Hajdari.

Today, a major memorial ceremony in Tirana for the December Leader Today, 22.10.1998, marks 40 days since the criminal murder of the Hero of Albanian Democracy, MP Azem Hajdari. The municipal council and the Municipality of Tirana have decided to declare Azem Hajdari an “Honorary Citizen.” For this purpose, today, 22.10.1998, at 8:30 a.m., buses and official vehicles will depart from the Democratic Party headquarters for the gravesite. At 11:00 a.m., a ceremony awarding the title “Honorary Citizen” to Mr. Azem Hajdari, Hero of Democracy, will be held at the International Cultural Centre. All citizens of Tirana are invited to attend, along with students and pupils from the schools, representatives of political parties and ad hoc associations, cultural organizations, religious institutions, and the Diplomatic Corps.

Gjinushi’s voice sends the parliament’s Kalashnikovs into ecstasy. Unusual kisses and embraces under Meidani’s gaze ON PAGE 3