Today, 11:30 a.m., once again protesting against the neo-dictatorship The neo-dictatorship imposed by the governing coalition has descended into brutal violence against the Democratic Party, its leaders, the Albanian opposition, and the students taking part in the hunger strike. Political killings and imprisonments, threats and violence against Democrats have reached their peak. It is the duty of all Albanian Democrats and, in particular, the citizens of Tirana, to protest forcefully by every democratic means and say “Stop!” to the political terror of the governing coalition’s criminal gangs, who are now in power. CITIZENS OF TIRANA! The Democratic Party and “Union for Democracy” call on you: “Now or never”—protest to save us from the neo-dictatorship of Majko’s continuity government. Everyone to the square today, December 19, at 11:30 a.m., to protest in support of the students.

The University of Tirana has also shut its doors. A few days ago, the Majko government closed the University of Vlora and Gjirokastër Along with Tirana, universities in Shkodër, Elbasan and Korçë are closing. Majko seeks to isolate the strike. Strike at secondary schools. The government wants them closed. ON PAGE 2

Hundreds of police officers wearing body armor and helmets surround the General Prosecutor’s Office The lawyers submit Berisha’s statement to the Prosecutor’s Office chief secretariat and request that the authors of the September 22 statement be excluded from the investigation of the case ON PAGE 3

In recent days, Pandeli Majko, in his role as the country’s prime minister, has transformed himself through a series of scandalous statements into a chief of police who orders the use of force or its non-use, the death penalty or the granting of a reprieve, as he pleases. Mr. Majko had the nerve to state publicly that he had ordered violence to be used against the students, even though the day before he had said that he had ordered the police not to use violence against the opposition leader! The least that can be concluded from these statements is that this man is either insane or cannot restrain himself, like a rubber truncheon that may come down on the head of any citizen of this country—a peaceful protester or political opponent—depending on the mood of this mentally ill man. This man, who in every word of his pronouncements invokes institutions and the law, must resign and face criminal prosecution for his scandalous and irresponsible statements alone, because with every statement he violates institutions and citizens’ dignity, and creates tension and sparks conflict. Pandeli Majko’s advancement has surpassed even Enver Hoxha and Fatos Nano, not only in statements but also in actions. Unlike Majko, Nano—even though he had ordered all acts of violence against the opposition and citizens, and was the man who controlled and wielded all branches of power like Mussolini—never had the courage to declare such actions publicly. Pandeli Majko, on the other hand, has surpassed everyone with his statements and actions, setting an example of the principal violence against citizens and institutions in Albania. His statements and his conduct as an ordinary chief of police, using the police and its weapons as he pleases, and the people who appointed him head of government, should soon realize his purpose of bringing the country under the rule of a clique [?]. It seems strange to me that Pandeli Majko stands there making these statements and issuing orders: I ordered them to carry out confrontations [?]; I ordered the leaders and ministers to kill; I ordered people to be fired; I ordered this tragedy to continue. The very nature of such an expression will, of course, add to the grave tragedy of Albania [?]. “It would be no surprise if one day he declared: I ordered the opposition to be killed, I gave orders to all the police, and this is what [?] Albania for humanitarian and human reasons.” All citizens of this country have the right to believe that behind every police act of repression stands Majko; behind every police action against citizens, every order, taxes, levies—everything—stand the prosecutors, the taxes, other economic [?], and all that is lacking in Albania. Majko and his associates [?], because the prime minister himself has declared that he gave orders, and shown in practice that he is responsible for using the police and weapons against students, the opposition, and people who want to live, to have them beaten by his mercenaries. In such circumstances, when a scarecrow like this is at the head of the government and refuses to stop turning into a monster [?], citizens have no choice but to defend themselves in the streets and respond in order to escape the evil hanging over them. Today he truly is a mercenary scarecrow [?] who acts like a professional policeman, but in a country where he should serve all citizens and their future, and the future of the country. Shtetësi PEPOSHI

Albanians with the hunger strikers

Two of the missing students return to the strike premises Parents of the missing students: “We don’t know where they are and we don’t know where to look for our children. We blame the government and the person who ordered violence against our children for anything that may happen to them.” ON PAGE 2

According to the newspaper “Roma” Thousands of citizens in Skënderbej Square protesting against the government of violence, in support of the student hunger strikers and the chairman of the DP, Berisha ON PAGE 3

According to the newspaper “Roma” ON PAGE 3

Today, 97 days since the murder of the December leader Every day that passes since the murder of Azem Hajdari, the symbol of democracy and pluralism, demonstrates the involvement of Fatos Nano’s government and his successor in the crime that befell the entire Albanian world. The government is concealing communications connected with the case, and the criminal power-holders who took the December Leader’s life show Albanians that they were and remain behind the murders; they number three, but are untouched by those in power. Democrats and all Albanians who witnessed and endured Azem Hajdari cannot ever tolerate this. The government must either bring the criminals to justice, or publicly declare that it itself carried out Azem Hajdari’s murder.

This is how the hunger-striking students spent their hours of horror at the Military Hospital “The generals dressed as doctors began torturing us with syringes in their hands, trying to give us injections, while the nurses cried in terror.” “Some students who had fainted and could not move were taken by the nurses and hidden under the beds and elsewhere to save them from these generals and nurses.” ON PAGE 2

Silvio Berlusconi calls the Albanian opposition leader “I will make every effort in parliament and with the Italian government to get the Albanian government to stop persecuting the opposition with absurd accusations.” The chairman of the Democratic Party, Prof. Dr. Sali Berisha, received a phone call yesterday at 2:00 p.m. from the chairman of the Pole of Freedom and leader of Forza Italia, Silvio Berlusconi. During the telephone conversation, Mr. Berlusconi expressed his full solidarity to Mr. Berisha and assured him that he would make every effort in parliament and with the Italian government to get the Albanian government to stop persecuting the opposition with absurd accusations. Berlusconi said that he and the majority in Italy would do everything possible to help protect human freedoms in Albania. Berisha warmly thanked the chairman of Forza Italia, Berlusconi, and ... this is because the political proceedings against him are entirely political. The political Prosecutor’s Office refused, Berisha said, to meet my lawyers, who represent me, and the institution, thereby showing [?] that this special prosecutor’s office is more interested in abusing and restricting the activity of the opposition leader than in investigating the truth.

When Serbs kill 42 Albanians at the border, the government demands Berisha’s justification and uses violence against students. Classes boycotted: Meet the students’ demands Kavajë, pupils on strike The pupils of Kavajë high school have begun an indefinite strike, suspending classes in solidarity... ON PAGE 3

Today at 11:00 a.m. protests begin in Fier Citizens of Fier! The Democratic Party and “Union for Democracy” call on the citizens of Fier: “Now or never”—protest to save us from the neo-dictatorship of Majko’s continuity government. Everyone in front of the DP branch headquarters in Fier today at 11:00 a.m. to protest against political crime.