On Thursday, two months since Azem’s murder. Powerful protest in “Skënderbej” Square On Thursday, two months since Azem’s murder. Powerful protest in “Skënderbej” Square Tirana takes to the square: Let us drive out the scoundrels Citizens of Tirana, On Thursday, November 12, 60 days will have passed since the day the criminal hand of the state killed the Leader of December, the hero of Albanian democracy, Azem Hajdari. 60 days after the murder of the Hero of Democracy, the state of the mafia and crime continues to hide the hand with which it killed our immortal hero. Citizens of Tirana, Let us all gather together on Thursday, November 12, at 16:00 in “Skënderbej” Square to protest against this government that perpetuates the mafia and crime, this government that shields criminals, against this government’s seat of power, which rests upon the blood of Azem Hajdari. Democratic brothers and sisters! Those who killed Azem Hajdari are trying to kill democracy every day; those who hide Azem Hajdari’s killers are parading the scarecrows of communism in the squares; those who imprison Democrats are letting the bandits out of prison. Therefore, let us all come together to demand the killers of Azem Hajdari be found; let us all take to the square to stop the hand of this criminal government; let us all take to the square to defend democracy.

Berisha: The left-wing draft constitution is the document of the alteration and destruction of Albanian nationality ON PAGE 3 Articles 10 and 20 of the “government’s passport” make it possible to change and alter nationality. The aim is to denationalize Albanians.

By Dr. Vili MINAROLLI Albanians today, without even knowing it themselves, are actors in a tragicomedy which, unfortunately, they have performed before, with the very same directors and scripts. The tragic part: The anti-Albanian passport of the Kalash-parliament, alias the constitution of the people of Albania without a [?], secretly entered into force on November 6, while the group of deceivers, the Kalash-parliament’s commission, is campaigning, inviting Albanians to say “Yes” to their own suicide. The comic part: The referendum process, a genuine farce, is being staged with even those who have taken it upon themselves to teach Albanians the rules of democracy as spectators. On October 21, Parliament passed the law on the constitution and, under the Constitutional Provisions, the President must either decree it or reject it within 15 days. Otherwise, after this period, the law enters into force. This is why, on several occasions, Parliament’s leaders have said that whatever the result of the referendum, the constitution has been approved. But those interested in making this passport “legitimate” took precautions by passing the Referendum Law, one of the most absurd of its kind. Albanians have therefore been summoned to a wedding to clean up after it, because the bride and groom have already left for their honeymoon. What had been announced on banners stretching along both sides of Tirana’s largest boulevard, the “Constitution Run,” has suddenly been cancelled, perhaps to provide a pretext for the final act of the comedy. The procedure for drafting the constitutional proposal is entirely undemocratic, because the opposition has been deliberately and intentionally excluded from this process. Moreover, the atmosphere is highly conflictual as a result of political murders, the imprisonment and misuse of imprisonment against political party leaders, and the mistreatment by the political police of members and supporters of opposition parties. Added to this tense political climate is the activity of government mafia clans, which foment crime, corruption and smuggling. In their uncontrolled race to fill their pockets, the highest representatives of this state—one of the most absurd in Albania’s history—are in such a hurry that they are undermining the country’s founding document, with the sole aim of prolonging their time in power, now without a mandate. The haste to achieve their gains as quickly as possible and at any cost is not explained by any of the co-chairs who drafted this proposal. Is it a duty you failed to carry out in March 1997, when you led the “popular uprising” in Gjirokastër? There is no need even to mention the opposition’s actions or statements that this proposal is the most anti-Albanian work being served up to Albanians, not forgetting that it is just as anti-democratic. Contrary to all the 50 years of Albanian controversy, [?] pure extraction of resources, as something that guarantees a style of movement, with a golden key by means of which order and security—so desired by every Albanian, but not by those who profit from their absence—will be established, along with the creation of jobs that would increase efficiency, as a means of lowering prices, so that the government would no longer engage in smuggling and fluctuation, etc. The truth is that promises are not lacking: in March 1997 the project for the money from the pyramid schemes would begin (and now) this date has shifted three times, but their hopes are that not a penny remains from them. In 1999 pensions will increase on April 11 and December 31; consultations will work more during the half-years and not wait in line to receive pensions in Albania. Indeed, having a constitution for the country is a necessity and an achievement, just as democratization is, and this process requires a normal situation. (Continued on page 3)

Members of the ruling party on the Central Voting Commission continue to block the work of this commission

Another scandal during the trial of the Vlora criminal gang Zani sentences the prosecutor to death Yesterday, Myrteza Caushi’s brother was wounded in Vlora ON PAGE 7

The special prosecutors have deliberately set aside the investigation into the murder of the leader of December ’90, Azem Hajdari Prosecutor’s Office: We have not summoned any witnesses ON PAGE 7

PD leaders meet with residents of Kavaja, Synej and Luz i Vogël Kavaja: No one in

Behind the scenes and the backstory of the factory’s privatization

ON PAGE 2 Members of the ruling party on the Central Voting Commission continue to block the work of this commission

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Bode and Arbnori in Lezhë for the Referendum ON PAGE 2

Pollo: Abandoning the referendum will bring new elections The Deputy Chairman of the Democratic Party, Genc Pollo, held meetings with the electorate of Ballsh and Patos. At these meetings, Mr. Pollo stressed to voters that they ON PAGE 2

Telemajko continues its censorship of the Democratic Party Yesterday again, in the 8:00 p.m. news, the state television, just as the day before, completely censored the Democratic Party’s news material. The text broadcast was not the one sent to the television station by the Democratic Party press office; moreover, commentary was made about the text without referring to it at all. The material sent included: 1. The press conference of the chairman of the Democratic Party of Albania (PDSH), Prof. Dr. Sali Berisha 2. Meetings of the PDSH deputy chairman, Mr. Genc Pollo, in Kavajë, Synej, etc. 3. Meetings of the PD Secretary General, Mr. Ridvan Bode, in Lezhë. The information sent to the television station (the original is attached) was within the time allotted to the PD (117 seconds), and the film edit of the press conference and Mr. Pollo’s activities had been completed on time. In a flagrant manner, the text was interfered with, and only 40 seconds out of the 117 allotted to it were broadcast, while the other parties in the “Alliance for the State” were given 270 seconds out of 156 seconds. Moreover, statements in favor of the government were used. For the second time, the Democratic Party strongly protests this serious violation of the referendum law, which is fueling political tension in the country through the government’s use of state television and its tools within the institution. The Democratic Party asks the Central Voting Commission to intervene urgently and examine this case in accordance with the referendum law and the other laws of the Albanian state, which guarantee the activities of the opposition in Albania. We demand an examination of the repeated censorship and manipulation of information about the Democratic Party’s activities. For all this, we hold the director general, Adrian Klosi, responsible; it appears he was appointed to that position to censor the opposition, violate the laws in favor of the government, and encourage the complete derailment of the referendum process. Secretary for Public Relations Dr. Vili MINAROLLI

Today, 58 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 the government of Fatos Nano and his successor in the crime that shook the entire Albanian world. The governments of the former communists, who were free and untroubled while those who took the life of the December Leader went unpunished, show Albanians that they have been and remain on the side of the murderers, who have names of their own but are untouchable by those in power. Democrats and all Albanians who loved and honored Azem Hajdari cannot tolerate this corruption. The government must either investigate, apprehend and bring the criminals to justice, or publicly declare that it itself carried out the murder of Azem Hajdari. Photograph of Azem Hajdari

250 oil-sector intellectuals write to President Meidani: After one year of rule by the left-wing coalition government, the oil-extraction industry has known nothing but failures for some time. This is what 250 oil-sector intellectuals in Patos write in their letter to President Meidani. According to them, this has been deliberately weakened in the government’s program. The development program at Albpetrol for the years ’97–’98. ON PAGE 5

List of winning prizes in the National Tele-Bingo draw of November 8, 1998 MINI-BINGO Prize All tickets numbered 2416 and tickets numbered 3016 win the MINI-BINGO prize worth 4,000 lekë. Each ticket receives 2,000 lekë. They qualify to compete for the major prizes: Tickets No. 2416 and 3016, Series 128; Tickets No. 2416 and 3016, Series 142; Tickets No. 2416 and 3016, Series 103; The 6 winners listed above will share among themselves next Sunday, November 15, 1998, the monetary value of the 3 major prizes. TELE-BINGO 4 MILLION LEKË MAGIC-BINGO 1,500,000 LEKË STAR-BINGO 150,000 LEKË Winners with 6 unseparated tickets will receive Tele-Bingo plus SUPPLEMENTARY PRIZES Win the first supplementary prize, worth 60 lekë: all tickets in Series 128 (ticket numbers are shown) Win the second supplementary prize, worth 120 lekë: all tickets in Series 142 (ticket numbers are shown) Win the third supplementary prize, worth 180 lekë: all tickets in Series 103 (ticket numbers are shown) Winners of the major prizes should contact Telebingo-Kombëtare at telephone numbers 414 29 and 334 48. For next Sunday’s draw, November 15, 1998, 100 series numbered 201–300 have been put on sale.