The parliament of Kalashnikovs decides to legalize the Communist Party. The Socialists vote for their counterparts

The communist cliques sit down for Saturday’s deals. Meidani and Ceka put the “mysterious” file to use Nano’s removal seems likely to be something very acceptable even within the ranks of the Steering Committee of the Socialist Party, once they become acquainted with the prime minister’s smuggling dossier, which has so far circulated from the Ministry of the Interior to the Presidency ON PAGE 3

The loan sharks’ list accuses 217 names The National Association takes responsibility for publishing the names and mandates of officials who benefited from VEFA bank deposits ON PAGE 5

Around 80% of the mayors[?] have turned their backs on state television

Four police officers from Vlora have handed the Minister of the Interior videotapes and many other written pieces of evidence accusing Nano of last year’s massacres and illegal trafficking ON PAGE 4

Police violence against the opposition press continues. Durrës police detain the “RD” journalist The Port of Durrës police detained and mistreated yesterday the journalist of “Rilindja Demokratike”, Vullnet Elbasani. Journalist Elbasani was held in the premises of the border police station of Durrës for about two hours. The chief inspector of the Port of Durrës, Gëzim Cani, brother of the director of the Tirana police, Fadil Cani, as well as Flamur Ismaili, an inspector, encouraged the Port police to mistreat and detain Elbasani. Through these actions they targeted the journalist, and the harassment of the press was identified as an act against the opposition. While Chief Inspector Cani has no right to deal with civilians, let alone journalists, he ordered the police to take the “RD” journalist to the police office. We emphasize that journalist Elbasani had been sent to the Port of Durrës to take part in the funeral ceremony of the slain policeman. At that time the corpse of the policeman was expected to arrive. The editorial office protests the detention of journalist Elbasani and demands proper conduct from police uniforms toward opposition journalists. We call on the police not to carry out unlawful orders that run counter to the truthful informing of the Albanian public. The newspaper “RD” has for two years been engaged in a fierce, just and truthful struggle, despite the fact that Albanian officials and their family members have taken a total stand against our newspaper. So far, “RD” journalists have been under investigation because of lawsuits filed by several ministers, while a few months ago one of our journalists was injured by a police vehicle. “RD”

The clique once again fires bullets at the Democratic Party Mr. Haklaj, according to sources from Tropojë, was followed by a car without license plates, and from the car a young man got out and fired a full automatic magazine at him, as a result of which Mr. Haklaj was seriously wounded. He is being treated at home because of the total lack of security in the city hospital. ON PAGE 2

More than 100 police officers killed since last June’s elections Blue uniforms are gripped by panic. Five police officers are fired for fighting criminals Blue uniforms are gripped by panic. Five police officers are fired for fighting criminals ON PAGE 4 Nano keeps the uncle of the killers close by

Demetra, now a school for NGOs

Legalization by Parliament of the Communist Party is formally justified by the right of citizens to an ideology that is anti-democratic, totalitarian and atavistic. In Albania, communism as an ideology and as a practice has been a lifelong event whose consequences are felt with the same force as in 1945, 1954, 1974, 1997. The lesser evil would be if communism were identified with Maks Hasani or the busts of Enver that the communists have taken upon themselves to dust off. Likewise, if communism were identified with a group of people nostalgic for the past, with pensioners or even young people who might choose a manifesto text as a hobby instead of two hours of disco. The danger of communism in Albania lies in the communist part of the ruling party and in the possibility that it may activate communist methods of holding or seizing power whenever flexible conditions of stability can be created in Albania. The communists approved yesterday are such that they make you laugh, and no one needs to waste breath to describe them with any epithet, since their own condition and behavior can provide as much humor as you like about the situation. They are communists in the shadows. The real communists are those who not only do not make you laugh, but also do not let you do so. Today they are in the Albanian administration, in the National Intelligence Service or DSK according to Nano, they are in the Ministry of the Interior and in several highly influential offices of the dictatorship’s staff, as they should be in the prime minister’s office and ending up in the offices of the advisers. This is precisely where the communism that wanders through Albanians’ democratic airs is found, and it is a huge naivety to think that any of them may break away from the PS and go to the Communist Party. That would be like telling someone to come and enter a cave. Only the comfort changes, while the connection and the rest of a communist’s makeup remain the same. No communist in the PS will leave the PS. Their ideal is to be where communism is in action and not where communism is ridiculous, sedentary, and loses on the pitch. The communists are those who designed and carried out last year’s general spring. Why did the communists of ’90 emerge? Were they not tearing the country apart, at least because of the many killed in order to make 24 ministers and 50 wealthy families? They let the country collapse and convinced everyone that in that desert there was neither room for revolution, nor wealth, nor hope. The communists of ’90 had nothing to destroy and no one to kill. According to them, the nation and the country had already been sterilized. The communists of ’97 had as their target both killing, violence, and theft. They started this with gangs, and now they do it with ministers, lawyers, hoodlums[?] and bodyguards. Another destination sought by every communist in Albania. The communists with a destination are those who today hold careers and, although people are born in the country who suffer for bread, have not thought of giving them alms. Nor have they wanted to give them power to build the state. It was not the state of laws they had in mind, but their own state. This will continue until the country goes down into the valley of ’90. But until then, when gold, flour, trucks, ships, bodyguards have all turned into money for 50 families and the other Albanians have been thrown into extreme poverty. S. NEZA

Everyone against the government of deception and poverty On Saturday, 11.04.1998 at 12:00 in Skanderbeg Square, the Union for Democracy will organize a peaceful protest to protest: Against the extreme poverty brought by the left-wing coalition government over 300 days. Against the runaway rise in prices. Against the high taxes that are destroying business and trade. Against the deception about wage and pension increases by not indexing them. Against Nano’s deception about returning the money lent at interest. BROTHERS AND SISTERS Everyone in Skanderbeg Square on Saturday, 11.04.1998 at 12:00 to protest against the extreme poverty and the daily deception of the left-wing coalition government. UNION FOR DEMOCRACY