Berisha and Fini share the same positions on Kosovo. The official Tirana is deceiving the international community ON PAGE 3 The DP calls for state television to be opened to Kosovo’s nationalist and democratic wing as well The government is harming the Albanian cause

Renate Flottau’s diary from Prishtina. The journalist recounts everything that happened from 31 March to 6 April in the Kosovo President’s house-prison ON PAGE 2 “Rugova is not only very angry, he is deeply disheartened today. The journey from Prishtina to Belgrade, through villages with abandoned houses, had shaken him. Not a single dog could be seen in the streets, he says, shaken, and adds with a drawn expression: ‘I am a president without a people. What card can I play against Belgrade? What is the point of staying in Prishtina as the last hero?’”

Statement by the Democratic Party Yesterday the Serbian army attacked Tropojë with all types of heavy weapons, causing innocent casualties among the Albanian civilian population. The Democratic Party expresses its condolences to the families of the victims of this barbaric attack. In denouncing yesterday’s Serbian military attack on Tropojë, the Democratic Party considers it an act of state aggression by Serbia against Albanian territory, against the sovereignty and integrity of Albania, and for this reason calls on the Albanian government to immediately take the matter to the Security Council of the UN and seek international punishment of the aggressor Millosheviç. Yesterday’s Serbian attack against Albanian territory and the civilian population in the border belt in Tropojë was preceded by Serbian bombing and shelling in the days before, and by the Albanian government’s silence in denouncing these acts against an independent country. The Democratic Party stresses that all these barbaric Serbian acts are part of Millosheviç’s criminal plans to extend the conflict throughout the region at any cost and divert the attention of the international community, the USA, NATO and the OSCE from the massacres and ethnic cleansing he is carrying out in Kosovo. The Democratic Party strongly condemns the indifferent stance of the Albanian government, which not only in this case, but also in other similar instances of Millosheviç violating Albania’s integrity and sovereignty, has remained silent or reacted only several days after the USA and NATO reacted. Despite its promises that it is ready to face any provocation and attack by Millosheviç, the Albanian government today is like a QJAG, far from being ready to defend its country’s territory and its citizens from being massacred. The Democratic Party insists on strengthening the defensive deployment in the northeastern areas of the country. By asking NATO to protect Albanian territory, the Albanian government thinks it can evade any responsibility for what happens along its border, forgetting that twice in half a century the country was left without defence. NATO has its indispensable role in protecting Albania’s sovereignty, but the Albanian government and Albania must come first; they must respond and not leave NATO alone in this important mission it has undertaken. Through its ministers’ contradictory statements, the government demoralizes its structures tasked with responding to the defence of the country’s integrity. The Democratic Party has asked and insisted that the Albanian government take no action without coordinating with NATO, but NATO has never asked any country not to take measures to protect its integrity; on the contrary, [the text is garbled: “e kundërta është e mbrojtja me deklarata kontradiktore të vetë”]. The Democratic Party observes that the government’s silence over such destabilizing acts Millosheviç has undertaken against Albania, [the text is garbled: “ndërmjetësi, e ka bërë më të lehtë”]. It is well known that the Albanian government, [the text is garbled: “pashë heshtje dhe indiferencë të mëdha”], has been unable to…

The Yugoslav Army strikes Tropojë with heavy artillery. Ujqini does not hear the shells exploding ON PAGE 3 The humanitarian situation in Albania’s districts is worsening The lives of Kosovars

70 thousand Albanians from Kosovo are staying in the open air The transport of arrivals has come to a standstill ON PAGE 5

The humanitarian situation in Albania’s districts is worsening The government is more concerned with the budget of those responsible for causing it ON PAGE 5 Rugova’s house in Pristina Albright asks Milosevic to release the President of Kosovo and his family The American Secretary of State asked the Serbian authorities for the immediate release of all the members of the family of the Kosovar Ibrahim Rugova. At the meeting attended by the foreign ministers of 19 NATO countries, the head of American diplomacy once again demanded that the Serbian police and Milosevic release Rugova so that he could travel outside Yugoslavia. This is the second time in just a few days that the American government has called for the release of the President of Kosovo. Just a few days ago, the US State Department and its spokesman, Rubin, called for Rugova’s release. At the time, many diplomats and senior European and American figures said that Rugova did not enjoy freedom of expression or movement and that he was under intense pressure from the Serbian secret services and Milosevic himself. France has stated that it is ready to receive Rugova together with his family, while the US has said that it would be important to us if Rugova were allowed to go to Skopje and be on the premises with Western diplomats. NATO representatives and Solana himself have stated that Rugova is isolated, unable to express himself freely, and under great pressure. Despite this position taken by the international community and Western diplomacy—which had regarded Rugova as its interlocutor on the Kosovo issue for nine years—official Tirana and influential figures in the ruling party did not refrain from accusing him of withdrawing and collaborating with the Serbs. UÇK factions also declared him a traitor in a room at the “Rogner” hotel in the middle of Tirana, giving no thought at all to the terror that the Serbian police were inflicting on Kosovo’s leader. The Albanian government is the only one among the governments aligned with NATO in this conflict that has not called for his release. On the contrary, Rugova’s isolation and the danger he faces have been belittled by the Albanian prime minister in a string of statements. The official media in Tirana and state TV had foreshadowed such isolation several days earlier. In one of the news broadcasts on March 31—the very day Rugova was imprisoned in his own home—a statement was read from several people speaking from Tirana on behalf of the UÇK, saying that the institution of the President no longer existed. For days, state TV did not stop communicating with Rugova himself through the Klindi news agency. The Albanian opposition has regarded Rugova as a political prisoner. PD leader Berisha stated the day after Rugova’s arrest that one could not pass judgment on the statements of a prisoner, rejecting what official Tirana and elements from Kosovo linked to it had called treason. In an interview with “Der Spiegel,” given four days before his arrest, Rugova called for NATO attacks on Serbia. For days, media under the influence of the Serbian secret police abused fabricated statements put into Rugova’s mouth. In conditions of total isolation from the public, this has outraged Milosevic in his efforts to destroy Kosovo’s most important political figure and to derive political advantage for himself. In polls conducted by various media outlets in Tirana among people who had recently arrived in Albania from Kosovo, Rugova enjoys their full support and confidence. They do not believe the official Tirana propaganda that is trying to attack Rugova harshly in his most difficult days. “He is the President of Kosovo, and there is no better one,” said one of the people who had arrived at the “Asllan Rusi” building in Tirana.

plastic ON PAGE 5

No compensation of any kind for families who have sheltered Kosovars ON PAGE 5

The instructions of the Minister of Local Government on food supplies are being opposed by the municipalities ON PAGE 7

Brussels, the foreign ministers of 19 countries declare the Alliance’s resolve ON PAGE 8

If you wish to contribute money for the exhausted children of Kosovo, you may send your contribution to account number 34220/00/0376 at “Dardania Bank,” in the name of the association: “The Children of Kosovo, Our Children.”

To help those expelled from Kosovo, the newspaper “Rilindja Demokratike” is making its pages available free of charge for various notices, such as requests and offers for accommodation, messages from arrivals from Kosovo to other members of their families, etc. You are welcome to visit the editorial office or contact us on the telephone numbers provided: 303 29 and 323 55. THE EDITORIAL OFFICE