About 80% of the municipal leaders[?] have turned their backs on state television

The communist cliques sit down to bargain for Saturday. Meidani and Ceka put the “mysterious” dossier 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 aware of the prime minister’s smuggling dossier that has so far circulated from the Ministry of the Interior to the Presidency ON PAGE 3

Four police officers from Vlora have handed the Minister of the Interior video tapes 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 Police of Durrës detained and mistreated yesterday the journalist of “Rilindja Demokratike”, Vullnet Elbasani. Journalist Elbasani was held in the premises of the border police station in Durrës for about two hours. The chief inspector of the Port of Durrës, Gëzim Cani, brother of the director of the police in Tirana, Fadil Cani, as well as Flamur Ismaili, an inspector, encouraged the port police to mistreat and detain Elbasani. They justified this action by allegedly wanting to force the journalist to sign a declaration against the press and the state, contrary to the opposition. Meanwhile, Chief Inspector Cani has no right to deal with civilians, much less with journalism, and ordered the police to take the “RD” journalist to the police offices. We emphasize that journalist Elbasani had been sent to the Port of Durrës to take part in the funeral ceremony of the slain police officer. At that time he was waiting for the body of the policeman to arrive. The editorial office protests the detention of journalist Elbasani and demands proper conduct from the police uniforms toward opposition journalists. We call on the police not to carry out unlawful orders that go against the fair informing of Albanian public opinion. The newspaper “RD” is determined in this matter in its struggle for the truth, regardless of the fact that Albanian officials and their families have already changed into blue uniforms. So far, several “RD” journalists are under investigation due to lawsuits filed by some ministers, while a few months ago one of our journalists was injured by a police car. “RD”

More than 100 police officers killed since last June’s elections The blue uniforms are gripped by panic. Five police officers are fired for fighting crime The blue uniforms are gripped by panic. Five police officers are fired for fighting crime ON PAGE 4

The clique once again rains bullets on the Democratic Party According to sources from Tropoja, Mr. Haklaj was followed by a car without license plates, and from the car a young man got out and emptied an automatic weapon 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 at the city hospital. ON PAGE 2

Legalization by Parliament of the Communist Party was only a formal acknowledgment of the right of citizenship for an ideology that is antithetical, dictatorial and inhuman. In Albania, communism as theory and as practice has been a long-lived event whose consequences are felt with no? 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, which the communists have taken upon themselves to dust. 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 remains in the communist pesa of the party that is in power and in the possibility that it will activate communist methods of keeping or taking power whenever, in Albania, the conditions of instability may arise. The communists who are approved and are free to make you laugh, and no one needs to waste breath to label them with any epithet, since their own attitude and behavior can provide as many stage honors as you like. They are the communists in the shadows. The real communists are those who not only do not make you laugh, but also do not let you live such a life. 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 very important offices of the Albanian state, ranging from the Prime Minister’s Office to the advisers’ offices. It is precisely here that this possibility lies, one that strikes at the democratic aspirations of Albanians, and it would be a great naïveté to say that any of them could break away from the PS and go to the Communist Party. This is a devious move and the end of hopes. Only the comfort in the division of ideas changes; the rest of the composition of a community is the same. No communist of the PS will leave the PS. Their ideal was to be where communism is in action and not where communism is ridiculous, sedentary and playing from the prostate. Communists are those who projected and implemented the general spring of last year. Communists of ‘90, although nearby, did not bloody the country in the midst of 300 killed in order to make 24 ministers and 50 wealthy families. They have declared their place and are convinced that in that desert there was no place for revolution, nor for pastur and nor for hope. The communists of ‘90 had nothing to ruin and no one to kill. According to them, the sterilization of the nation and the country had been completed. The communists of ‘97 had an objective for murder, violence and theft as well. They began this with gangs and now they do it with ministers, officials and bodyguards. Their destination is what communists in Albania seek. The communists with a destination are those who today hold careers and, although the country is for millions of people who suffer for bread, have no intention of ever leaving. They are those threatened that they give up power in order to make the state. They are not concerned with the state of laws, but with their own state. Thus it will continue until the country drifts into the confusion and limit of ‘90. No worries, the author, where kill, frustrated, manet, anijel, shadigad[?] are shmërmur[?] all with money for 50 families and the other Albanians have been forced into poverty and exclusion. S. NEZA

The list of loan schemes accuses 217 names The National Association undertakes to publish the names and positions of officials who benefited from VEFA’s bank deposits ON PAGE 5

Demetra, now a school for NGOs

Everyone against the government of deception and poverty On Saturday, 11.04.1998, at 12:00 in “Skënderbej” Square, the Alliance for Democracy will organize a peaceful gathering to protest. Against the extreme poverty brought by the left-wing coalition government during the last 300 days. Against the skyrocketing rise in prices. Against the high taxes that are destroying business and trade. Against the deception about raising wages and pensions without indexing them. Against Nano’s deception regarding the return of the money placed in loans. BROTHERS AND SISTERS Everyone in “Skënderbej” Square on Saturday, 11.04.1998 at 12:00 to protest against extreme poverty and the government’s daily deception of the left-wing coalition. ALLIANCE FOR DEMOCRACY