Protest by the Socialist Party of Albania The Socialist Party of Albania denounced the order and expressed its extremely serious concern over the utterly undemocratic atmosphere in which the campaign for the 22 March elections has begun. To the President of the Republic — Ramiz Alia To the Chairman of the Council of Ministers — Vilson Ahmeti To the Chairman of the Central Election Commission — Niko Nosi The Socialist Party of Albania denounces the order and expresses its extremely serious concern over the utterly undemocratic atmosphere in which the campaign for the 22 March elections has begun. The electoral campaign, which has only just started, is being accompanied by extreme acts, unprecedented provocations, and open threats to people’s lives. In many villages, opposition phalanxes are threatening to burn the homes of those who will not vote for the opposition. The public has learned of the incidents in Tropojë, Memaliaj and Libohovë, where many political provocateurs forcibly prevented the Chairman of the Socialist Party of Albania and its other leaders from holding meetings with the people. Even after the promises made by the Prime Minister and the Minister of Public Order in parliament, such events continue to recur; yesterday, 21 February, the Tropojë scenario was repeated in Lushnjë as well. Faced with the actions and threats of opposition groups, the authorities of Lushnjë—the chairman of the pluralist Executive Committee and the head of the district public-order forces—astonishingly asked for the meeting to be cancelled because, as they said, they were unable to restrain the unruly, armed and frenzied rally-goers gathered from Lushnjë. It is clear: the extreme forces of the opposition and the right, in theory, while displaying on screens and podiums the banner of a democratic election campaign, are in reality doing everything possible to undermine it and, at the same time, the Socialist Party of Albania calls on the President of the Republic, the Prime Minister and the Central Election Commission: 1) To guarantee and ensure, not with words and declarations but in reality, through the state’s means and institutions, the enforcement of the law as a whole and, in particular, the guarantee and enforcement of the Election Law. 2) To take all necessary measures to ensure that the electoral campaign proceeds normally, peacefully, freely and democratically. 3) To appeal to all international organizations and institutions that have expressed their readiness to send observers to the elections to send them as soon as possible, so that they can fully observe the entire campaign. 4) The Ministry of Foreign Affairs should make this protest known to the entire diplomatic corps accredited in our country and request their impartiality during the electoral campaign, so that the flagrant violations of Article 56 of the electoral law, as in Shkodër, Korçë, Kuçovë, Sarandë and Durrës, are not repeated. We are convinced that Albania’s future can be guaranteed only through free and democratic elections in which the people are allowed to choose the alternatives and the people they want. antinational, anti-popular and antidemocratic actions. The maturity, tolerance, democratic spirit and conduct of the Socialist Party must not be mistaken by anyone for weakness, fear or retreat. If you are unable to carry out your mission as guarantors of the law and public order, the Socialist Party has the right to seek justice and is fully determined to stand up for the enforcement of the law that guarantees true democracy. PRESIDENCY OF THE SOCIALIST PARTY OF ALBANIA 22. 2. 1992

It has been more than a year since Albania became caught up in democratic processes of a kind that few people would have dreamed of two years ago. Political pluralism is now a reality, just as freedom of belief and expression, private property, etc., are realities. It has been more than a year since Albania became caught up in democratic processes of a kind that few people would have dreamed of two years ago. Political pluralism is now a reality, just as freedom of belief and freedom of expression, private property, etc., are realities. However, if we calmly and objectively judge all the events that have followed, we can see that the desire of an entire people for true democracy—where a person feels, in the fullest sense of the word, master of themselves—has been exploited and abused. WHO IS DESTROYING ALBANIA?!... This is a question that all honest patriots ask with pain, both within and beyond Albania’s state borders. The respected veterans who fought in the War and liberated the homeland ask it, as do all those who worked honestly for half a century to build Albania. Today, the members of the families of martyrs ask this question; so do those for whom Albania was free, as well as the honest miners and peasants, intellectuals and noble servicemen, students and all the young people of the country—those confronted with Albania’s political speculators, who are ready to send an entire people to the grave for an armchair. Indeed, who is destroying Albania?!... Answer, gentlemen politicians (if that is what you may be called), because we see you pleading for it day and night. I know: some of you will immediately start repeating the refrain so often heard at the rallies of the «thumb-suckers»: “The red dictatorship brought Albania to the brink of the abyss,” and “the Communist rulers have made this people bleed,” etc. But let us recall the end of 1990. Not a single town or village had been burned, not a single window broken; no school, kindergarten or nursery was left without heating, electricity and drinking water, etc. Some time ago, the building of the PS Committee in Vlorë was burned, and a bomb was planted at the one in Bajram Curri, etc. We waited for the opposition to publicly distance itself from these acts, but in vain. Why? Was it afraid that those who committed these fascist acts might be excused as...? Let us come closer to the present. An entire [Laj?] is burned and destroyed. Kavajë and Rrogozhinë suffer the same fate. Once again, silence, even though the chairman of the pluralist Executive Committee of the Kavajë district is a member of the Democratic Party. Can the number-one local authority bear no responsibility, especially when the television report said that the goods stolen from the warehouse building had been brought by the DP, while the authorities knew nothing about the certificate? But which authorities? Whose is Naim Karriqi? A few days ago in Vlorë, a ceremony was held at which former Ballists were honored as though they were martyrs! And the strangest thing is that the peace has not been disturbed? Whose is Naim Karriqi? OUTLINING THE DICTATORSHIP... Three or four days ago, a journalist colleague of mine at an independent publication said to me: “What are you doing at ‘Zëri i Popullit’? Why are you criticizing the opposition? Let it take power; because if the PS wins, war will start!”... I felt sorry for my colleague’s wretched state, frightened as he was, and asked him: What is this terror and fear psychosis? Who told you that war will start? — “Well,” my journalist colleague continued in his line of reasoning, “didn’t the Shkodër massacre happen in reaction to the opposition’s defeat? It could happen again.” What a misfortune for this country and for democracy that they caricature the minds... [Continuation] using the phrase “democratic election campaign” on screens, are in reality doing everything possible to satisfy their thirst for power by violating the conditions of the agreements on free elections. In the districts of Kavajë, Durrës, Lushnjë, Dibër and Korçë, people have been openly threatened that if they vote for the Socialist Party, their homes will be burned. In Dibër, the Steering Committee [Continuation] antinational, anti-popular and antidemocratic. Maturity, tolerance, let us recall our own memories of was nursery was left without heating and light in winter. So who is to blame? Democracy? Pluralism? Curiosity! That would be the greatest mistake that could be made today, because it would not only badly compromise the fragile pluralist democracy, but also create favorable ground for ... ... capital). Likewise, the political or state sector

“The womb that bore him has not yet become barren.” B. BREHT “The womb that bore him has not yet become barren.” B. BREHT A few words: To the newspaper burner An unusual act took place these days in the city of Vlorë: a citizen bought several dozen copies of the newspaper “Zëri i Popullit” and burned them. This act outraged many people, and not only PS members and supporters. It also deeply outrages us, the newspaper’s staff, and surely the staff of other newspapers as well. Because, you newspaper burner, who considers himself a “democrat,” this act is profoundly antidemocratic. At a time when people are enjoying freedom of speech and the press and welcoming the dawn of democracy, acts like these sadden them and damage the image of democracy. We cannot speculate whether this act came from you or was dictated to you. Whatever the reason, your act—or your collective act—is inquisitorial and fascist. Blind acts against the truth. There are others, your comrades, who express hatred toward people, another newspaper, and journalists. Some even raise a hand against them. This is shameful; it is an expression of ignorance. Journalists and newspapers, especially under our very difficult conditions, carry out a noble mission: they provide the people with information, particularly ahead of an election campaign. Did you not feel, comrade newspaper-burner, that this is an election campaign? Did you not feel, did you not feel, did you not feel the people’s need when the newspaper was absent or was not protected? Why did you express hatred toward it? “Zëri i Popullit,” like many others, is a party newspaper. It gives its opinion on the country’s problems, the deepening of democracy and national issues. None of this harms the people, or you. Nor does criticism of the government. In this way, facts and opinions are compared, and the truth comes out more clearly. The people are not harmed when parties criticize one another’s shortcomings. There are benefits, yes. In this way, each party tries to be as sincere, correct and honest with the people as possible, and to fight as hard as possible for their troubles and problems. But what accompanies these criticisms in newspapers, between parties? The Albanian party values it when there are more mistakes; neither party is allowed to take advantage of the people, as PP once did. And that happened precisely because it was alone: there was no one to criticize or correct it. Do you not think about any of this? This vandalistic and terrorist act astonishes and outrages everyone who saw it. Not the crowd gathered there, however. As usually happens with them, they did not have it their way. “We won’t get involved in such things,” one of them said, and they submitted to the course of events. An irregular attitude, a deficient sense of responsibility. When a new act, whether provocative or not, can lead to very harmful and undesirable consequences.

Question: We are glad that free housing is being considered for citizens, but has anything also been considered for loans taken out to build homes? Answer: I have made this proposal three times in parliament. As a matter of fact, giving homes away for free was part of the DP’s program last year. Indeed, if you remember, the two pillars of Mr. Pashko’s propaganda were the “Blank Cheque” and “forgiving housing costs.” You all know the story of the blank cheque by now; in fact, it has become one of pluralism’s jokes. As for housing, the government prepared a draft law. It was discussed three times and finally submitted to parliament. Our group examined it. We intended to make a fundamental change: people with modest living space (what we currently call legal housing) should be given their homes, not sold them, even through securities. Those with excess living space, on the other hand, should buy it at high prices, bearing in mind that an extra room—something most homes have managed to acquire through crooked means—could tomorrow, under a market economy, be rented or sold at fantastic prices. Let me give you an example: a family with one room and an extra kitchen now rents it out for 100 dollars a month. Remember that you and I, or even a university lecturer, may or may not earn 30–40 dollars a month. We want to put a stop to this injustice. In this context, it would be right for their loans to be forgiven. A few days ago, the Socialist Party’s district meeting was held for the Dibër district. The meeting discussed the tasks facing the Party in order to win the campaign for the 22 March elections. Namik Dokle, a member of the Presidency of the Socialist Party of Albania, also took part in the meeting. After he explained the PS electoral program, participants put 94 questions to him. We present some of the questions and answers... Answer: The pure desire of its electorate; indeed, it has become one of their maturities, especially from their spirit. These questions and answers:... for citizens, but have loans taken out to build homes also been considered? the “Blank Cheque” and “forgiving housing costs.” Question: Why did the PS, which had a majority in parliament, not retain executive power? And why did the DP withdraw from executive power? Answer: From the outset, our party clearly declared that during the transition period Albania needed a coalition government, in order to overcome situations with as little pain for the people as possible. We remained consistent with this idea. We believed that the stability government was doing commendable work to stabilize the country. Who would the fall of such a government have served? Destabilization, of course. You can see this for yourselves. As for the second question, I want to clarify something: the DP withdrew from the government, but not from governing. Perhaps they call that “having your cake and eating it too.” In the presidencies of the executive committees, the opposition bloc has 9 more members than the PS; in the executive committees, 41 more members than the PS; in the committees’ sections, 24 more than the PS, etc. I call the DP’s withdrawal a propaganda smokescreen concerning the government (perhaps there are other motives too, especially the internal crisis and power struggle within the DP), while it retains everything in local government. And yet the people can clearly see how the chairmen the DP has in the districts of Tiranë, Shkodër, Durrës, Elbasan, Kavajë, etc., are governing, where destabilization and crime are at their highest levels in the country. So the people can see whether the DP is capable of governing. Question: What image does the PS have of power after the 22 March elections? Answer: The image the people themselves give it. We have worked for a democratic electoral law, and we achieved that. We will work to ensure that the elections are free and fair, in accordance with this law. We are open to observers from all over the world. So the new elections will, we believe, guarantee the victory of democracy. In these elections, the people will show who the true democrats are, and who are the democrats of empty words and deceitful declarations. Naturally, the force that gains the most confidence in these democratic elections has the legitimate right to govern, by democratic means. The grafting of “pluralist committees” need not be repeated, since they gave us sour pears instead of sweet ones. Question: Why doesn’t parliament take measures against parties that incite people to burn, damage and destroy? Answer: Parliament makes laws, and we have passed laws against these phenomena. The issue lies in their enforcement by the public-order and judicial authorities. There is another point: the propaganda of some opposition parties in these harmful directions has become very sophisticated and often is not detected by the country’s authorities. Only one thing remains: the people’s memory. The people see and know who is inciting these acts of destruction. They may deceive someone, but they cannot deceive the people. Question: How does the PS apply the market economy in its program? Answer: We have noticed how much pointless politicization is done by the editor of the “Fokus” program (which is, by nature, an interesting program). In one such politicized discussion, he said that a special characteristic of Germany is the implementation of the social market economy. I emphasize: social. In fact, this is also the essence of our electoral program, which envisages radical economic reform, moving toward a market economy with a social dimension. This means privatizing the economy under economic and social conditions favorable to development (so that life is economically rational, socially acceptable, and protective of the interests of citizens and national capital). Likewise, the political or state sector ... (To be continued on page 2)

- Don’t trust the coat, trust the work. THE PEOPLE. - Words inspire us, examples attract us. GOLLSWORTHI - “If we win, we’ll establish order within a day?!...” AZEM HAJDARI.