The opposition denounces the government’s escalating police terror against political opponents and uninvolved citizens ON PAGE 3 The opposition denounces the government’s escalating police terror against political opponents and uninvolved citizens Berisha: We will stand up to state crime ON PAGE 3

Blood inside the Tropojë police station. Nano and Ceka’s criminal hand strikes again. Socialist Party majors massacre citizens

Police chief and bandit Fatmir Haklaj, killer of Matoshi, Dizdari and Kolbucaj, commits his fourth murder in three days. Berisha: “The government has a pact with the criminals.” Hajdari: “Ceka must resign immediately.” This man sells you out, kills you in parliament, kills you at the police station, kills you in an ambush, abducts you from the hospital and then massacres you; they shell your home at night when you oppose him, kill you in your sleep, even while you are drinking water, and yet you are told that not even a snake will touch you. The criminal police chief of Tropojë, Fatmir Haklaj, yesterday definitively sealed the government’s pact with the gangs of murderers who brought it to power on June 29. Nano and Ceka’s man, appointed to protect public order in Albania’s northernmost district, yesterday personally killed one of the city’s police officers inside the police station, then fled in an unknown direction. This was the fourth murder in three days committed with the utmost cold-bloodedness by this bandit wearing the uniform of Nano’s state. The killer of Democratic Party activists Avdyll Matoshi, Naim Dizdari and Gjin Kolbucaj yesterday killed police officer Shefqet Hoxha, putting an end to all the alibis that the state of Fatos Nano and Neritan Ceka had concocted to conceal an outright state crime. Yesterday’s massacre in Tropojë left no doubt about the new April 2 of the Nano 3 government, which claimed the lives of three Democratic Party activists and the police officer, Captain Hoxha. And, as if to complete the scenario, the prime minister of the bandit government and the Minister of the Interior, both directly responsible for the massacre, have made new police appointments, bringing back into the law-enforcement structures those implicated in the April 2, 1991 events. Neritan Ceka, whose resignation can no longer be whispered about, cannot hide behind statements about a 17th-century mentality to justify the crimes of his trusted men in Tropojë, Fier and elsewhere. The fact that he and Nano have summoned Fadil Cani, one of the April 2 perpetrators, shows clearly that they are preparing further massacres like those of January 6 and 9. Yesterday in Fier, too, Ceka’s police terrorized Democratic Party activists in the early hours of the morning, many of whom ended up at the police station. Activist Besim Sulaj, whose home had been attacked two nights earlier with an antitank weapon and other heavy arms by the gang of Fatos Nano’s bodyguards, was handcuffed yesterday on the world’s most absurd charge: illegal possession of a firearm. At a time when the prime minister’s men had fired every caliber of weapon at his house, wounding even his nine-year-old children, the very same police who had carried out the nighttime attack arrested the victimized citizen simply because he is a Democratic Party activist and spoke at one of its recent meetings in the city of Fier. The rulers’ party need not set a few against one another, because few Albanians fail to understand that for a year this government has aligned itself with criminals and political murderers, who are merely the executioners of massacres ordered behind the scenes by this gangster and mafia state. This state has proved more than once that it kills everywhere, even inside its own buildings—indeed, even where people are told that not even a snake will bother them. The rulers of this country must understand from these events, which are drowning Albania in blood and tears.

Europe warns the Albanian government: The unconstitutional law must be repealed The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe yesterday expressed support for the hunger strike begun five days ago by a group of judges in Tirana. By signing a draft resolution to be presented at the earliest opportunity, the Council of Europe reminds the government of the obligations and agreements Albania signed upon joining this European organization. On this occasion, it calls on the Albanian authorities to respect the independence of the judicial system, repeal the law on the organization of justice, reinstate the dismissed judges, and so on. The resolution goes on to say that in 1992, following the overthrow of the communist regime, the new democratic government faced a difficult and absurd situation in the judicial system. Under the communist regime, the courts were subordinate to politics and, in general, rulings were issued without safeguards. In a few cases, special trials were held, particularly in Tirana, where the accused usually faced death, mainly for holding different political views. The motion for a resolution states that the law faculty under the regime was of a very low standard and generally attracted a very small number of students, mainly those from families belonging to the nomenklatura. The Council of Europe also supported the training of jurists through an accelerated program, the draft resolution says, and on this occasion provided Albania with support for this program amounting to 1.8 million dollars. The draft resolution appears to express full solidarity with the hunger strikers and their demands. It calls on the Albanian President not to promulgate the law on the organization of justice in the articles that infringe legal rights, and to preserve the principles of judicial independence without undermining them. The Council of Europe also emphasizes that all jurists who were trained as such through an accelerated program with the Council of Europe’s support have the right to continue their functions in Albania’s justice system. During discussion of the text of this draft resolution, Lord Kirkhill, a Socialist member of the Assembly, together with other members of his group from Italy, Spain, Slovakia, Andorra, etc., called for the repeal of the law on the organization of justice. The draft resolution has been supported by all members of the parliamentary groups. On page 2: the full text of the Resolution

B의 Brojka’s action: a distinguished civic and official act Fino’s threat reflects the government’s crisis The Democratic Party’s Legal Department stated that the Mayor of Tirana and all the mayors in the country had honored the law, their moral code, their country and their flag on the day of mourning by lowering the flag to half-mast. Commenting on Deputy Prime Minister Bashkim Fino’s statement concerning the lowering of the flag to half-mast by Tirana Mayor Albert Brojka on the day of mourning, in honor of the martyrs of democracy—a move he characterized as unconstitutional—the Democratic Party’s Legal Department said as follows: Only an individual like Fino, whose mind is more depraved than his body, could make such a statement. Except in dictatorships, where presidents are puppets, in no democratic country can a prime minister or his deputy assign or prescribe duties to the President of the Republic. Everyone with even the most basic knowledge of Albanian law—apart from today’s rulers, who neither know the laws nor have any morals—knows that any individual, Albanian family, neighborhood, village, commune, town, district or municipality in Albania has the right to declare mourning. Fino’s statement about the possibility of dismissing Mr. Brojka from the post of mayor for his distinguished civic and official act constitutes another irresponsible step by a government in crisis and disorder. Albert Brojka and all the mayors of Albania who declared mourning in honor of those killed by state terrorism have honored the law, their moral code, their country and their flag.

Berisha meets La Pergola As part of the visit to Albania by the President of the Venice Commission, Mr. La Pergola, Democratic Party Chairman Prof. Dr. Sali Berisha received the distinguished Italian constitutional expert yesterday afternoon. The Italian Ambassador to Albania, Mr. Spatafora, accompanied him. At the meeting, they exchanged views on the constitution, the rule of law and the political situation in Albania. The interlocutors focused in particular on the constitutional process and the possibilities for a contribution by the Venice Commission as a body specializing in this field. The meeting was very fruitful, sincere and friendly.

Late-breaking news A spokesperson for the Ministry of the Interior said that yesterday, at around 15:30, a 33-year-old man was killed in the village of Bregas, in the district of Berat, while working in his own field. The motives are still unknown. Almost at the same time, in the village of Galinë [?], [someone] was working in his own field.

TV has consistently censored the opposition The Democratic Party of Albania decided to boycott Albanian Television as a protest against its continued censorship of the party’s press conferences and those of the opposition in general. On 07.01.1998, after all the procedures applied by the television station for covering events had been followed, the office of the Chairman of the Democratic Party of Albania requested confirmation of coverage. The editor in charge of the news said that, on the TVSH director’s orders, the crew would not attend the press conference. The director himself, Eduard Mazaj, gave the same response to the journalist from the Democratic Party of Albania’s Press and Information Department, stating: “We will not cover the opposition’s daily press conferences.” Since the arrival of the new managers at TV, this institution has continuously censored the opposition’s activities in general and the Democratic Party’s in particular. It has likewise continued to spread disinformation and fabricate statements, including on occasions when TV journalists have attended events of the Democratic Party and its Chairman.

Today, 10.01.1998, at 12:00, the Chairman of the Democratic Party, Prof. Dr. Sali Berisha, and the Union for Democracy party will hold a press conference at the Rogner - Europapark hotel. You are welcome!