On February 23, 1991, through a statement, America, a communiqué from the Democratic Party was broadcast, through which Albanians of conscience [sic] and patriots wherever they may be, as well as all democratic international public opinion, are asked to raise their voices in protest in defense of democracy and to stop the criminal hand and the antidemocratic forces that are drowning democracy in blood in Albania. According to the Democratic Party, the antidemocratic forces in Albania are the Labour Party committees in the districts, the people's councils, the commands of military units, as well as a group of students and young people from military schools in Tirana. The Democratic Party itself knows what means it should use in its propaganda work to manipulate and disinform the public. But it should also know one thing: the people do not heed such cynical allegations and such low provocations. They may deceive someone who sees Albania through its darkened glasses, but not the people, who have lived and are living through the present events themselves. With these lies, which go so far as to present the killing of a law-enforcement officer by a group of terrorists as the work of soldiers, of the public security bodies themselves, the Democratic Party exposes itself. If it were really so, it would have no reason to show such zeal in justifying and defending the vandal forces, especially at a moment like this, when the whole people have distanced themselves from the Democratic Party press, as “The strategy of tension, a Stalinist strategy,” “The fallen columns of …” And whoever truly loves Albania must not forget its history, the blood of Peza’s 300 martyrs, Peza burned and martyred three times. For the Homeland, we will spare nothing—not our lives, nor those of our families. During the rally, participants cheered for the Labour Party, for Enver Hoxha, for Ramiz Alia, and chanted, “Albania—Enver, we are always ready,” “Party-Ramiz, unity stands firm.” Addressing the rally, member of the Presidential Council, Ha- … … The people of our region will keep their pledge for life. The people of our region have not forgotten their Council, Ha- … For hours, people from all over the district demonstrated in defense of the figure and work of Comrade Enver Hoxha—an extraordinary event. Participants held portraits of Comrade Enver Hoxha and banners praising his work and personality. Meanwhile, a group of demonstrators entered the district Labour Party Committee, carried the bust of Comrade Enver Hoxha outside, and placed it on the platform erected for the occasion. The first to speak was the chairman of the district Democratic Front presidium, who warmly praised this action, calling it a patriotic act. Afterwards, he appeared with glasses, throwing stones from the terrace of the apartment building by the cinema; the mine is not unknown to the town’s residents. While athletes were training on Saturday, someone “ordered” that cooperative members be stoned as they went toward the rally. The rally had been organized with permission and according to the rules, peacefully and democratically. (Continued on page 2) cut off by them and is isolating it. In its statement, the DP professes concern about the climate of tension prevailing in Albania and, for the second time, declares that there are “putschist forces.” The first time, its spokesmen were forced to admit that they had relied on words and rumors. If this time they have evidence and know of any such action, they have an opportunity to help the state and democracy by apprehending those responsible and presenting them. The Labour Party has declared that social tensions exist and that they may again become dangerous if they are encouraged and supported. But who is creating the tension? Is it the law-enforcement forces, which everywhere stand in defense of the law and the people’s peaceful life, or the people’s legitimate feelings? No: it is the actions of blind, vandal forces, who are killing and destroying even antiquities and rare relics of national culture; those who sell and buy weapons and bring them into Albania from various sources; and those who, in one way or another, embolden them. This is one source of tension. But the main and most dangerous source is the cynical game being played with the people’s feelings. The monument to Enver Hoxha was toppled, and the Democratic Party applauded and celebrated. Not one of its statements has described the vandal acts of February 20 as reprehensible. Nor could it have done so. The articles published in the Democratic Party press, such columns of …” a decree,” etc., are words filled with directives from its leaders, who led the crowd toward Skënderbej Square to carry out all those well-known barbaric acts. There can be no doubt for anyone that it is the people who must demand an accounting for why the tension was created, not ask the DP how it happened this way, nor invent nonexistent dangers to evade responsibility for the actions condemned by public opinion. It was not the Labour Party committees that organized the strikes; on the contrary, they are stopping them. It was not the Party committees that toppled the statue or set fire to the books. It was not the Party committees on Bajram Curri Street who started the bloodshed. Political credibility, sympathy, and mass support cannot be won by speculating about social tensions. Apart from the Democratic Party, all the country’s other political forces are using whatever means and influence they have to reduce and calm tensions. For its part, the Labour Party of Albania calls on all those who truly love the people and the homeland to cooperate sincerely and loyally, so that we may lead the country out of the crisis, avert the evils threatening it, and advance the democratic processes together. The creation and consolidation of a state governed by the rule of law require the help and contribution of all our citizens. And whoever truly loves Albania must not hold back.

– Rallies in the districts – TIRANA — Yesterday morning, in the square in front of the monument to the People’s Hero Myslym Peza at the “Myslim Peza” agricultural cooperative in Peza, in the district of Tirana, hundreds of cooperative members from all the villages of this region, representatives from Baldushku, Vaqarri, Sheshi, Ndroqi, Vrapi, from the “Gjerj Dimitrov” agricultural enterprise, veterans who had come from the city of Tirana, young men and women, Enver’s pioneers, etc., gathered to once again express the people of Peza’s respect for Enver Hoxha and their deep indignation at the act of a crowd of people who removed Enver Hoxha’s monument in Tirana. Twenty-five people spoke at the rally: veterans Sal Verdha, Shab Rexha and Ziso Dako, military officer Ahmet Sulejmani, Lumturi Rexha, Mustafa Çeka, Skënder Peza, Sokol Peza, a student, the folk bard from Zall Dardha in Dibër, Shaban Mziu, the Enver pioneer Ida Çelmeta, etc. Among other things, they pointed out that the people of Peza had shed no tears when we were burned out and left without homes or possessions during the War. But when that great shame occurred—a shame history will never forgive the vandals for—lamentation entered our homes. It was Enver Hoxha who founded the Albanian Communist Party in the middle of Tirana, and here, in the heart of Peza, laid the foundations for uniting the Albanian people in the National Liberation Front to fight fascism and the traitors of the country. Enver Hoxha was the leader of the entire Albanian people, not only the communists; he was commander of 70,000 partisans, sons and daughters of our people who fought and liberated the Homeland. “We, the people of Peza,” they emphasized, “stand with the students’ and military-school officers’ demands, with the demands of the whole people, that Enver Hoxha’s monument absolutely be restored to the place where it stood, in Tirana. But we also demand that a monument to Enver Hoxha be erected here, in the heart of Peza. As Babë Myslymi said,” the speakers stressed, “the people of Peza once pledged their word to the Labour Party and Enver Hoxha. And with this pledge they will stand for all time. The people of our region do not forget their martyred three times. We will put nothing before the Homeland—not our lives, nor those of our children.” During the rally, participants cheered for the Labour Party, Enver Hoxha, and Ramiz Alia, and … – LUSHNJE – On Saturday, a rally was held in the town square in solidarity with Enver Hoxha’s immortal work. Members of the organizing commission and other speakers expressed deep indignation at the vandalism by dark forces against the monuments to Enver Hoxha in Tirana, Korçë, and Gjirokastër. The vandalism was carried out by dark forces. But who prevented the rally in Lushnjë from proceeding normally? The dark forces. But who are they? A DP rally was organized in Lushnjë. No one threw stones at its participants. No one tore up the banners or portraits they held. Likewise, after the Republican Party meeting, no one was disturbed. So why were the people stoned on Saturday? Who attacked them? Who broke the windows of Gëzim Kulla’s house, he who spoke at the rally organized that day? They have a name. At one point they were shouting: “Our heroic Lushnja with the democratic parties,” etc. The young man building by the cinema is known to the town’s residents. While the athletes were training on Saturday, someone “ordered” that people taking part in activities be stoned as they headed toward the rally. – TEPELENA – What happened last Saturday, two or three days ago, in the towns of Tepelena and Memaliaj, where thousands of people from all over the district demonstrated for hours Hoxha, is a rare entered the district Labour Party Committee—

“The country’s political parties should continue their competition, but first and foremost by respecting the feelings of all people without exception, and everything should be faced with calm and dignity.” These words were emphasized, among others, at the rallies organized in recent days in Labinot, Shpat, Gracen, Gostimë, Belësh, Shirgjan and elsewhere in the district of Elbasan. At these gatherings, as in every other district of the country, which are now being held without being organized, respect for Enver Hoxha has been expressed, along with opposition to those who want to smear the path begun after ’44 and even deny the sweat shed over these years. Nevertheless, calls for balance, understanding and cool-headedness are being repeated, to calm people. These are signs of activity that, above all, demonstrate culture. Everyone is free in their thoughts, ideals and preferences. Ultimately, this is one of the …

In recent days, appeals and statements have been broadcast on Radio-Television and published in several press organs in the name of a commission that calls itself the initiative committee for the creation of the Union of Independent Trade Unions of Albania. In connection with this, many letters and telegrams have reached the General Council of the BPSH, and many telephone calls have been made, requesting clarification as to whether this commission and this “trade-union union” really exist. We made inquiries with the Ministry of Justice, where we were told that, under the Decree of the President of the People’s Assembly, the Ministry has approved and legally recognizes only the application of the initiative committee for the creation of the social organization “Free and Independent Trade Unions of Albania.” The self-proclaimed Trade Unions of Albania” is not legally recognized to this day. Under these circumstances, we inform the members of the organization not to fall prey to confusion, not to become disoriented, and not to confuse the activities and restructuring of our organization with the appeals and actions of this unlawful committee. GENERAL COUNCIL OF THE BPSH

Yesterday, the Chairman of the Democratic League of Kosovo, Dr. Ibrahim Rugova, left, along with members of the League’s leadership, Ali Alia and Bijar Bukoshi, who had visited our country in recent days. At Rinas Airport, they were seen off by Sihat Tozaj, Secretary of the Presidium of the People’s Assembly of the PSRA, and by Dr. Sali Berisha, chairman of the Steering Commission of the Democratic Party of Albania. (ATSH)

On 24 February 1991, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People’s Socialist Republic of Albania to the Islamic Republic of Iran, Nesip Kaçi, presented his credentials to the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Akbar Hashemi Rafsankhani. The ceremony for the presentation of credentials was attended by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ali Akbar Velayati, the Director of Protocol, Abdulla Kamjab, and others. (ATSH)

Yesterday in Tirana (Photo: N. Xhufka)

Yesterday, even from the streets of the capital, it was clear that people were returning to their work. “Indeed, many townspeople were fully mobilized. Just like a day of action to speed up the overdue agricultural work,” Banush Xhaibrahimi, director of the “Ylli i Kuq” State Agricultural Enterprise in Kamzë, told us. People in the countryside who had set to work also spoke to us about this, as well as about their usual activities: Kujtim Shere and Ymer Damjani, in the sectors they manage. In general, in the agricultural sectors, both state-run and cooperative, people got back to work more quickly than anywhere else in recent days. Good luck to those who are looking for a way to overcome the obstacles! But what about the other sectors? The day before yesterday we met Agim Hyseni in Valias. It seems that a minority, in many of these sectors, are struggling to keep production moving normally. Some sectors also have other work ahead of them. Things should be even better in Mëzez, where work has been disrupted less than anywhere else during these days. A similar return to normal can be seen at the Textile Combine. One factory was temporarily closed, but measures were taken to reassign the workers to other sectors. The problems that have been raised are also being resolved without much delay. Naturally, some collectives face difficulties that are insurmountable, even though the workers and employees report regularly for work. At the “Enver” plant, for example, in a conversation with Ismajel Sharra, the plant’s director, we learned of major difficulties. Gauges, steel, various materials, instruments, etc. are in short supply. What kind of discipline can be demanded of 300 appointed workers when they have nothing to work with? Almost half the workforce is being paid 80 percent of its wages because of the lack of supplies. Correspondent of “Zëri i Popullit”

Veterans, those belonging to the generation that fought and worked not only for the liberation of the homeland, but also for freedom and democracy, feel a great moral and political duty toward the democratic path our country has embarked upon, the establishment of pluralism and all the other democratic processes, whose realization has engaged our entire people and the political and social parties and organizations, the statement says, among other things. At the same time, as witnesses to the sacrifices and blood shed for the liberation of the country, as well as to the people’s work and sweat for the transformations achieved during these 45 years of building the new society, they are deeply indignant at the vandal and inhuman actions, and particularly at the barbaric act of removing the monument to Comrade Enver Hoxha, which aim to undermine people’s power and the establishment of true democracy. The National Committee calls on all veterans to fully support the Declaration of the Presidential Council and Comrade Ramiz Alia’s Appeal. It expresses its deep conviction that true democracy can be achieved only through the unity of the people, respect and love for one another, dialogue and democratic culture, and respect for the law. Otherwise, every stirring up of interests and political excess leads toward the destruction of our society and state, which would have catastrophic consequences for the highest interests of the people and the Homeland. History has shown that our people, even in the most difficult moments, have been characterized by their high virtues, above other interests. Recalling these traditions will help us overcome the grave situation in which we find ourselves today. In solidarity with the appeal of the Chairman of the General Council of the Democratic Front of Albania, let us all together help Comrade Ramiz Alia in these difficult moments by restoring our unwavering confidence in him. Veterans of the war and of labor, now or never, must show their readiness to be tireless political and social activists.