In recent days, Spiro Dede, Vice-Chairman of the Socialist Party of Albania, took part in and addressed the First Conference of the Eurosocialist Youth of the Durrës district, and also held meetings with cadres, members and supporters of the Socialist Party in Fushë - Krujë, Elbasan, the Belsh area, and elsewhere. The current situation in the country, the deep crisis and ways of emerging from it; the electoral campaign for deputies to the People’s Assembly; and the Socialist Party’s place, role and alternative for today and tomorrow were among the main topics of these meetings. Among the many questions raised at these meetings, especially in the Belsh area, where members and supporters of opposition parties were also present, were those concerning the problems of the village and the Albanian farmer, their well-known hardships and difficulties, and the alternatives offered to them by the Socialist Party’s program. — MAY YOU ENJOY AND PASS ON YOUR LAND! On the land law, Spiro Dede once again confirmed the Socialist Party’s clear and unequivocal position: — The land must be given to the peasants, rigorously implementing the law adopted by the pluralist Parliament. As soon as possible, if possible before March 22, everyone who has received or receives land should be issued a title deed. The Socialist Party will defend this promise to the peasant without wavering and tells the peasants: may you enjoy and pass on your land. At the same time, Spiro Dede stressed, everyone knows and understands that the great act of granting ownership to the Albanian peasant, given Albania’s own circumstances, does not mean that the peasantry is now saved and that the state and society have nothing more to do for it. With only 1.3 to 1.5 hectares of agricultural land allocated to each family, 65 percent of the country’s population cannot be fed or make a living; with so little land, they cannot become integrated into or operate within a market economy. Urgent measures and programs for agricultural machinery, seeds, chemical fertilizers and herbicides, for low and favorable rates for planting, irrigation, etc., as well as modern forms of production, trade and the modern organization of the village, following the example of European agricultural economies, are necessities facing the countryside, the state and all political parties. Creating other secure and profitable opportunities in industry, construction, tourism, infrastructure, etc.; the gradual absorption of part of the rural population into the cities; the possibility of state-organized emigration, and so on, are also among the long-term prospects for the countryside. The Socialist Party is aware of the burden of these tasks and is working to find the most concrete and effective solutions for the countryside. Asked what would happen to overdue loans, and especially to that part of the income that the state (Continued on page 4)

The chairman of the Hague Conference, Bidi Piter Herrington, stated: “...Positions must be secured on three key constitutional issues: the future status of Kosovo, the preservation of the integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and an appropriate solution for Kosovo. Once these three key issues are resolved, everything will move more easily.” Read on page 4: Without resolving the Kosovo issue, there can be no lasting peace in the former Yugoslavia In Gjirokastër, news is coming!...

When they told me that Radio Korça had been turned into a cooperative loudspeaker announcing meetings of the PD section, I didn’t want to believe it. But now I’ve heard something similar from “mother,” Albanian Radio and Television: “Saliu has set off for Gjirokastër...” The PD’s very own Radio and Television?! Progress, gentlemen of Radio and Television. Just don’t be shy about pocketing a hefty fee for the “advertising” you’re doing. Just don’t forget to give such news about Mr. Skënder and Sabri. Otherwise, I’m afraid they’re imitators and will wreck the coalition. Naturally, the people of our district are going through many hardships, but these have been compounded especially by the actions of speculators at this time of transition. The blatant facts are unforgivable: while the people lack even the most essential necessities of life, some “businessmen” and profiteers in NTA, NTSH, NFP, food stores, tourism, etc., are enriching themselves at the people’s expense, turning state warehouses into their own estates and shops into warehouses. It is precisely these vampires who have set up co-

Statement by the Steering Committee of the P.S. of the Pogradec district For several days we have been experiencing [text missing/unclear in source], and we have asked before, and now ask again, that they be given everything they are entitled to under the law. In this regard, we have also supported the demands of the district’s independent trade unions. The government, oversight and financial police bodies, and the trade section have been apathetic about these matters, allowing the situation to deteriorate, making it harder to meet the people’s needs and fostering unhealthy opinions against the Socialist Party. We appreciate the sacrifices made by the forces responsible for maintaining order, who restrained themselves and tried to protect the facilities from destruction, regardless of the outcome. Nevertheless, we believe these bodies and other specialized agencies, such as the investigative service, the prosecutor’s office, shkuq, etc., have done little or nothing to prevent the extensive damage that has been done, by working to uncover the organizers and their plans earlier. How could such information from the public have escaped these agencies: “the warehouses will be attacked by the peasants of Vërdovë,” “everything is going according to the prepared scenario, with the exception of the bloodshed, and so on,” and the like? We insistently call for the organizers of the plan to turn Pogradec into a “2 April” Shkodër to be found as soon as possible and brought before the law. Brothers and sisters, we call on you, in these difficult moments, not to lose your composure and to remain calm, so as not to fall prey to various provocations and to the aims of those seeking destabilization, defeat and

The word “democracy” has become part of everyday parlance. Everyone uses it. Many people properly understand its merits, its substance, its fundamental nature and its breadth. But democracy is not the monopoly of the Democratic Party. If that were so, if this party had democracy as its monopoly, then the questions naturally arise: If you don’t vote for the PD, then you are not [democratic] (so why are you helping us now?)? If you don’t vote for the PD, you’ll pay for it; “we’ll hear you out at home”; “Yesterday was your time, today is our time” (What do you mean by that, gentlemen? You say you are not vindictive); “Well—

The word “democracy” has become the order of the day. Everyone uses it. Very well. We understand its merits, its substance, depth and aims correctly. But there are also those who equate democracy with the DP. These are, first and foremost, the leaders of this party and of the other opposition parties. They are not the only ones: there are also others, whether naive or corrupt, who believe the lies and comments of the DP. Let us turn to arguments and facts to show that democracy and the DP are not the same thing, are not equal. 1. Democracy is not the monopoly of the Democratic Party. In the opposition press, in rally speeches, throughout the DP’s propaganda, this expression is heard every day, increasingly often: “True democracy in Albania will be established only if the DP wins the elections.” And an open appeal is made: Vote for the DP, otherwise there will be no democracy. The aim is clear: the DP is trying to shape public opinion, to create a mindset that will “persuade” as many people as possible to vote for it and its parliamentary candidates. In fact, the ranks of people who believe what the DP says are growing ever larger. Many people do not base their views on this party’s democratic-sounding adjective, its name, program and platform, or on what the newspaper “RD” writes, but on reality, on its practical activities, which are often anti-democratic and anti-national. This category of people understands and rightly values the need for and contribution of the opposition, but of an honest opposition, not a deceitful, spiteful one. But there are also people who mistake soap for cheese and fall prey to the DP’s propaganda, which churns out phrases about democracy as though it were synonymous with the party. Meanwhile, the apolitical leaders of the other opposition parties talk and talk about their parties, if not to win the elections, then at least to get a few seats in Parliament. The “independent” RTV also does no small service to these aims; it deliberately identifies democracy with the DP. Who has not noticed the uniformity of certain interviews and journalistic commentaries? Take, for example, the recent interview with farmers from Tirana, who are asked a question that all but tells them what to answer: “Who will you vote for?” And the answer comes back: “For democracy. That’s how the DP has guided us.” Thus, most people understand the answer to mean the Democratic Party. If it were true that this party had a monopoly on democracy, then the following questions would naturally arise: If you do not vote for the DP, are you against democracy? Is the PS’s alternative not democratic? Is there no democracy in countries governed by socialists, such as France, Spain, Sweden, Portugal, etc.? It follows that voting for democracy does not mean giving your vote to the Democratic Party, because democracy is not its monopoly. Everyone knows for themselves which parliamentary candidate or party they will vote for. Convictions cannot be imposed through the deceptive insinuation that “anyone who supports democracy must vote for the DP.” The phrases “democratic” and “Democratic Party” should not be identified with one another or treated as equal. One can support democracy and not vote for the Democratic Party. Democracy is a beautiful dream of the people, and therefore it belongs exclusively to them. You, too, honest person, are a democrat and support democracy, even if you are not a member or supporter of the DP, so long as you work sincerely for Albania. If democracy and the DP were understood to be one and the same, and we were therefore supposed to vote for this party, then there would be no need for party pluralism. If there were only one party, we would move from monism to neo-monism. We are also reminded of this logic and experience by the regime of student D. Kavaja, “I make one appeal to you,” who, among other things, writes: “Honest people, do not lose your heads. Far be it from us to say: Let’s vote for the DP’s people and then see what happens. Voting for the DP is just like letting a dog loose and waiting to see what it will do...” 2. Not democracy in words, but in deeds. It is not words, “oaths and thunderbolts,” that show how democratic a party is. Nothing speaks better or more clearly than deeds. The people say: “Words are leaves; deeds are fruit.” In the DP’s actual life, we find plenty of evidence that it says one thing and does another. At present it talks about democratic means and methods, including during the election campaign for March 22, and against manipulation—but does it put this into practice? At rallies and in the streets, there is no shortage of pressure and threats, promises and deception. “You are all with the DP for help, so vote for it.” “If the PS wins, the world will not help us” (then why is it helping us now?); “If you don’t vote for the DP, you’ll pay for it; we’ll burn your houses”; “Yesterday was your time, today is our time” (What are you gentlemen trying to say by that? You say you are not vindictive); “The people made a mistake last year, but they won’t make it twice”; “If the DP wins, it will form the government the very next day” (why doesn’t it form it today, at least in the big cities where the opposition holds power)? All the DP leaders and their followers talk about national interests. But what do the facts show? There are quite a few instances of anti-national conduct. What should we call the sea of American flags that covered Skënderbej Square when Baker came, where DP’s blue flags were also plentiful, but the National Flag could not be seen anywhere? Can we call this party’s position on an initiative for national reconciliation and unity a national position, when it says that “the Assembly turned out to have been manipulated by the PS,” at a time when the majority of Albanians, both inside and outside Albania, have expressed support for holding it? What should we call the slogans written along Kavaja Road, where the DP headquarters is also located, and where an ordinary passerby sees “Long live the USA,” “Long live Bush,” and so on? What should we say about “Voice of America,” which has become Sali’s Voice? As the Kosovar Albanian living in New York, Nazim Kosova, writes: “Sali Berisha has the greatest support from a section of the Albanian emigrant community in New York, who, after the Second World War, having stained their hands with Albanian blood in Kosovo, settled around the New York radio stations...” The DP does everything it can, using every means, tactic and deception, to seize power at all costs. Yesterday, during the campaign, it called the people “ignorant,” and its members attacked them, damaging or seizing the produce they brought into town. Today it pampers them, smiles at them and treats them kindly so they will give it their vote, promising them things that are not within its power to deliver. We saw how much the DP cares about the farmer in the matter of the land law: it aims to turn the land back into estates for landlords, beys and aghas, but now it is changing its tune, saying that compensation should be paid! And today the distribution of land to farmers is being obstructed and is lagging precisely in those districts where the DP holds power. Don’t the farmers see this? They laugh at the DP’s promises and its calls to vote for it, as though that were how “happiness and democracy are secured.” Not long ago, at the extremist rallies, DP members and even members of their families were present. The substance and central theme of the “orator’s” speeches at all the meetings were insults, threats of terror and bloodshed, fratricidal conflict, exodus, slander, abuse and a host of such antics, which the people of Gollobordë have now had the good or bad fortune to see and hear up close from the DP leaders. We saw the portrait of Mr. Hajdari, which others had served up to us dozens of times, displayed in its original form. In Ostren i Madh, Mr. Hajdari, you stated one truth: “This time, too, the socialists will win,” but you balanced even that with the threat that “within a year we will hold ‘elections’ again.” It seems you are repeating your old refrain: if we do not give you our vote again, you will reduce us to an even worse state than the one we have suffered until now. Very nice, gentlemen! This time another virtue of yours came to light. Your dictator-like bearing, utterly self-assured, meant that, despite having only a few dozen people in front of you, you climbed onto the tables in places such as Trebisht and Ostren i Vogël. We had heard many things and stories about you, but we did not know you would also deliver such verses. We had heard a folk proverb about a rooster on top of a manure heap, but it seems there is also Azem Hajdari, lecturing from tables. Nevertheless, the people of Dibër have another saying: “As long as you live, you will hear things.” You, Mr. Hajdari, followed the extremist leader and head of the PD Dibër delegation, who went “round” Gollobordë and came out like a priest with a fox. You came to repair the record of your March 22 votes, but instead of improving matters, you made them worse. In Ostren i Vogël, perhaps you were hidden or “poisoned,” as you yourself claimed, but you told one truth that we would like to quote in connection with the matter: “The communists stole the gold after the light of the eyebrows, so today we are stealing the warehouses and aid.” Well said, Mr. Hajdari—but you should also have left out the words about burning and destruction. (Continued on page 4)

— So far, we have given only one demonstration: our distrust and the exposure of the destruction. Azem Hajdari declares: “The communists stole the gold after liberation, so today we are stealing the warehouses and aid.” The people of Gollobordë have historically been and remain a freedom-loving, hardworking, patriotic and honest people. They have always known how to distinguish good from evil and how to defend the dignity and nobility of Albanian identity. But Mr. An- zem Hajdari and his henchmen in Dibër seem to have forgotten all this. On February 17, at this meeting, they came to Gollobordë. They sought votes by firing their heavy artillery, setting off fireworks in the sun with slander, making astronomical promises and hurling insults befitting only the pro-fascist wing of the DP type. The truth is that attendance at these meetings was poor, regardless of the “independent” TV reporter’s skill. As always, these micro-rallies were dominated by extremist rally-goers, DP members and even members of their families. about burning and destruction. (Continued on page 4)

Everyone read in large letters in the newspaper “RD” some time ago about Mr. Hajdari and Operation “Broom.” He publicly declared then that this operation had been orchestrated by the chairman of the Albanian Socialist Party and the chairman of the Greek PASOK. People who have learned not to take Mr. Hajdari’s frequent statements seriously judged this time, too, that it was one of his smoke-screen “bombshells.” In this case, our people say: “A lie has short legs.” The truth of this wise saying was proved very quickly. And here is how: on its front page, the latest issue of the newspaper “RD” carries the headline “Operation ‘Broom’ Is Called Off” and reports on Mr. Hajdari’s visit to Athens at the invitation of the deputy mayor of that city. The result of this visit was “the calling off of Operation ‘Broom’.” Naturally, this is being done to give Mr. Hajdari and the party he represents political credibility. Meanwhile, we say wholeheartedly that it is very good this operation was called off, since it greatly unsettled Albanian public opinion. Our people saw on TV our fellow countrymen, their eyes blinded with napalm and struck mercilessly. This is both revolting and wholly unhelpful to the good relations that should exist between our two countries. But we have the right to ask: what happened to Mr. Hajdari’s declarations that Operation “Broom” was the work of the Socialist Party? Everyone knows that PASOK is currently in opposition in Greece, and therefore does not even have the official authority to undertake such an operation. This operation was the work of the official authorities—that is, of the party in power—and was especially inspired by chauvinist circles closely connected with advocates of Northern Epirus sentiments. Now, if this operation has been called off, where does that leave Mr. Hajdari’s irresponsible statements?

THE NEW ELECTIONS WILL PAVE THE WAY TO OVERCOMING THE GRAVE DIFFICULTIES AND WILL KINDLE HOPES FOR A BETTER TOMORROW

THE SOCIALIST PARTY’S VICTORY IN THE MARCH 22 ELECTIONS WILL BRING THE VICTORY OF ORDER AND LAW OVER ANARCHY.