Citizen appeal THE POLITICAL CULT — Even hosannas kill democracy — Little by little, nearly two years have passed since a new democratic life began. The former opposition, now in government, and the former government, now the opposition, each have their own particular merits. In these lines I do not claim to say anything extraordinary, only something that has caught many people’s attention. Quite rightly, within the ranks of the Socialist Party, among its elected representatives and its apparatus, some things are denied and some are criticized; but, generally speaking, those in government have not experienced even the slightest taste of criticism or public scrutiny in the many pages of the democratic press… It seems the political pyramid (the Political Bureau) has remained, and will remain, untouchable, thus forgetting the destructive power brought by the political cult. Could this have anything to do with democracy?… In some interviews and at some meetings, government leaders say that there is strong opposition within their own ranks. They even add that diversity of opinion is openly allowed. In my view, all of this is a farce. And faced with reality, not only a politician but even an ordinary citizen cannot remain silent. One cannot remain silent when one sees a deception, if not something worse. It seems party leaders have been unable to resist the desire to place laurel wreaths on their heads and take the seats of power. Of course, there is nothing heretical about urging the publication of congratulatory telegrams. For, although they are addressed to particular people, they convey good wishes—indeed, good wishes for the Albanian cause. But when one sees minutes upon minutes of the thirty-minute television news broadcasts, and entire newspaper pages, filled with all kinds of hosannas; when one sees even mediocre people becoming ministers, people who do not know the first thing about their respective fields of culture, one feels that broad paths are being opened toward the achievement of that destructive political force which is the cult of the individual. And it is well known that our people have suffered from this evil. Perhaps I am not wrong when I say that prominent figures—and democracy itself—are killed by ostentatious hosannas such as those paid by the doctors of Tirana’s No. 1 Hospital. For many years we have been accustomed not to touch party or state cadres, as Stalin put it, «the cadres are everything». Are we going to go on like this? Although, over the years and decades of totalitarian socialism, some criticized this… the cadres always remained authoritarian «generals». Yet this evil is obvious and persistent even today. This is not about the Socialist Party. For the PS Steering Committee and its chairman, Fatos Nano, have not gone without criticism, although the sympathy and affection that the many members and supporters of the PSSH have for them is well known. Perhaps some suggestion has even been excessive. They have gone too far at a time when, for a new party, everyone should contribute through personal example. Seeing face to face the obstacles and difficulties that the government puts in our way, it is up to all of us to think about strengthening the Party, while realistically assessing the virtues and abilities of PSSH members and supporters and its leadership team. But, strangely, those who have taken it upon themselves to rebuild the Party, to preserve it and unite Albania, have escaped open public appraisal and judgment. This very attitude resembles yesterday’s mindset: «Do not touch them, do not criticize the cadres, because the cadres are everything». Without giving examples in this article, readers can list the names themselves. Journalists are not to blame for this practice. Which of them has not suffered, or carried on their shoulders, pressure from the lawmakers and power-holders of yesterday? And which journalist who dared to tell the truth was not targeted by today’s power-holders? The cult of the individual is more present today than yesterday. It is protected and clad in political armor. To be clear: this is not about the cult of just one person. If someone wants to «touch» another’s cult, that person is «touched» at the palace, at party headquarters, in the so-called pluralist committee, in a ministry… The current nomenklatura has foundations concreted with 600-grade cement, because it has «friends» in silence, in the prosecutor’s office, in the courts. Some journalists have been punished with fines. The point is that, in their view, self-censorship and censorship should survive. That is how courage is drained away. May that day never come! Hypocrisy and lies are unable to understand … their own anti-democratic nature. Taken in context, when it is rightly demanded that Albania be built, the country has not been spared: when people demand jobs, when they demand… and what do they not demand… could some politicians perhaps manage… by being told, and given wreaths, «for…?» … Never? … Democracy …

On 16 April, at around 20:00, three armed persons travelling on a motorcycle opened fire in the center of Uzebrisht. As a result, Fatmir Sherif Shima, 22, a non-commissioned officer in the Republican Guard, and Osman Sehit Hoxa, 45, a driver at the Freight Depot, were killed; Nazmi Riza Bakalli and Shkëlqim Dervish Dorzi, aged 26 and 43 respectively, were wounded. The Tirana Police are working to identify and apprehend the perpetrators of this crime. Tirana, 17.4.1992

● THE FIRST MAJOR SHOCK TO MR. MEKSI’S CABINET. ● EUROPE DOES NOT HELP SOCIALISTS OR DEMOCRATS. IT DOES NOT HELP PARASITISM AND LAZINESS, BUT CALLS FOR WORK. IT SEEMS THE PS HAS MADE THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY «COMMUNIST»! ● LET THE «INDEPENDENT» ALBANIAN RADIO AND TELEVISION GO ON BROADCASTING, FROM ONE PROGRAM TO THE NEXT, THE EXULTANT TELEGRAMS AND MESSAGES OF CONGRATULATION FOR OUR NEW PRESIDENT! BUT IF THEY HAVE ANY TIME LEFT, LET THEM TELL THE PEOPLE THE TRUTH ABOUT EVERYTHING THAT HAS TO DO WITH THEIR POVERTY AND HOPES. TRANSPARENCY TOWARD THE PEOPLE IS A VITAL NECESSITY IF THE MASS MEDIA ARE TO BE TRULY DEMOCRATIC. IS RTSH HIDING THIS ANNOUNCEMENT, OR HAS IT STILL NOT RECEIVED «PERMISSION» TO BROADCAST IT?! ● MR. MEKSI, WHAT WILL YOU DO IN THIS SITUATION?! ● YOU HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO BEG EACH MEMBER OF THE 12 TO KEEP THE PEOPLE FROM BEING LEFT WITHOUT BREAD AND WORK. DO AS YOU WISH, BECAUSE IF YOU SAY ANYTHING CONSTRUCTIVE, THE SOCIALISTS—YOUR MINISTERIAL TEAM—WILL DO THE OPPOSITE. THERE IS ANOTHER ALTERNATIVE, TOO: PERHAPS YOU SHOULD BOARD A PLANE WITH THE FOREIGN MINISTER, THE DOCTOR MR. QERRETI, AND MEET DIRECTLY WITH THOSE WHO ABSTAINED AND VOTED AGAINST. ● MEMBERS AND SUPPORTERS OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY! LOOK AT HOW YOUR ELECTORAL PROMISES ARE BURSTING LIKE BUBBLES— THERE IS NO SOAP. IN 24 HOURS, HAPPINESS DOES NOT FALL FROM THE SKY, AS WAS TRUMPETED BEFORE 22 MARCH. EVERYONE MUST BE CONVINCED OF THE TRUTH THAT THE SOCIALISTS HAVE SAID AND CONTINUE TO SAY: EUROPE AND THE WORLD HELP ALBANIA AND DEMOCRACY, NOT THE PARTIES THAT RAISE THEM TO POWER AND THEN REMOVE THEM FROM THE THRONE. ● GENTLEMEN, MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT! TODAY YOU WILL MEET AGAIN AND REVIEW MR. MEKSI’S GOVERNMENT PROGRAM. WE BELIEVE ITS PROPAGANDISTIC INTRODUCTION WILL INCLUDE THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY’S PRAISE FOR THE «DEATH OF COMMUNISM» IN ALBANIA. THE DEAD WITH THE DEAD!—AS THE PEOPLE SAY. BUT WHAT ARGUMENTS WILL OUR FOUR-YEAR DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM BE BASED ON? WILL THIS PROGRAM, TOO, BE APPROVED WITHOUT DEBATE, JUST AS THE PRESIDENT WAS ELECTED? HAS THE DAY AND HOUR PERHAPS COME FOR US TO TRUST ONLY IN DEEDS, AND NO LONGER IN SHRILL CALLS FOR IMAGINARY HAPPINESS? WE BELIEVE THAT EVERY MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT, IF THEY CONSIDER THEMSELVES A WORTHY REPRESENTATIVE OF THE PEOPLE, MUST THINK, DEBATE, AND GIVE THEIR APPROVAL WITH A HIGH SENSE OF HISTORICAL RESPONSIBILITY. WE MAKE THIS ANNOUNCEMENT WITH REGRET, BUT LET THE PEOPLE HEAR THE TRUTH. FINALLY: DO NOT FORGET, GENTLEMEN OF THE GOVERNMENT, THAT THE PEOPLE ARE WAITING… SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT OF «ZËRI I POPULLIT»

THE BEAUTY OF THE EARTH SAYS: «A miracle happened for us. It rained for days, and we escaped the drought. But will the rain solve our problem through the summer as well?» The farmers of the Peqin area answer in other words, and…

“We have temporarily been spared by the drought because it rained,” they tell us at the Water Directorate, but it should not be forgotten that systematic irrigation there begins at the start of May. So, what will be done to save these parched lands?

that the Directorate has submitted to the government, and we hope that it truly keeps irrigation in focus, since the lack of irrigation would mean catastrophe for agriculture. In addition to the many initiatives the government has launched, ...

— A look at several workers’ collectives in Durrës — In Durrës, despite the many difficulties and the considerable shortage of raw materials in many enterprises, people are working, but those responsible... This is a good thing: people here have not thrown up their hands and appealed to God alone for help; they have understood that, first and foremost, the greatest help lies with them themselves—with mobilizing at work to make use of every real opportunity available in their enterprises. For example, good work is being done at the seaport, at the fishing enterprise, at the bread factory, in several departments of the rubber and plastics factory, and at the boiler plant. (To be continued on page 3)

“A miracle happened for us: rains came one after another and we escaped the drought. But will God look after us during the summer too?” In other words, this is how farmers in the Peqin area and in some other villages in Elbasan answer when you talk with them about agricultural work. The wave of destruction that swept through the village did not spare the irrigation facilities either. Of the 124 km of main canals managed by the Elbasan Water Directorates (since the Dumre area has its own directorate), more than 50 km of canals have been almost completely destroyed. The cement slabs lining the canals have been stolen, as have electric motors, transformers, power lines and even pumps, as happened in Vidhas and elsewhere. (All these thefts and acts of destruction have been reported to the investigative authorities, but the latter, it seems, have decided not to take on the thieves and looters, since so far they have not discovered a single one of them.) In the Peqin area, especially in villages such as Karinë and Gjocaj, but also in Petresh and other villages, people face the threat of drought. “For now, these villages have been spared—”

“For the time being, these villages these villages from drought? The Water Directorate has asked the government for a fund of 2.2 million new lekë just to replace stolen or destroyed materials and equipment, in addition to another fund for maintenance work on more than 60 percent of the entire canal system. But so far no reply has come from the government, and the delay is heightening the sense of anxiety. “We trust that the government will grant us the fund we have requested, since, as far as we know, it will keep the village at the center of its attention—but it must act quickly. Providing the funds is one side of the problem. The other is securing materials and equipment such as electric motors, pumps, cement, etc.,” says the director of the Water Directorate, Bashkim Saliu. The director adds that once the funds are provided, our team is ready to carry out the necessary work in record time, so that the farmers can receive water when they need it. We, too, join in with

the appeal the Directorate has made new government has launched, a timely response from it would be more than deserved, since, among other things, it would also somewhat relieve the farmers of the threat of drought. This is not about one or a few plots of land; hundreds and hundreds of hectares are being left to the mercy of fate. Just imagine if some part of the Dumre area were left without water, with its almost proverbial drought, perhaps unmatched anywhere in the country: the damage would be incalculable. We believe this concern goes beyond the boundaries of a single district, namely Elbasan. In some places more, in others less, lack of water is a serious threat. These are signals from the countryside—“save our souls!”—and the government is earnestly urged to respond to them. Perhaps even at some sacrifice. But it is a sacrifice worth making. More than half the country’s population lives and works in the countryside. That is where the supplies for the whole population come from. SEJDIN CEKANI

A conversation with former MP BARDHYL FASKO — He was accepted as a party member for 17 years, but was expelled after 4–5 years because he had not stated exactly how many days he had been with “Balli”. Neither the fact that he was among the cooperative’s first members nor that his father had been killed in the war made any difference. Despite all this, I did not think it appropriate to distinguish myself by siding with the opposition. One of the PS’s strongest potential candidates for victory was Bardhyl Fasko. But he did not win, and this prompted discussion. To shed some light on the matter, we are trying to reproduce part of the conversation we had. — What were the election results? — I got 44 percent of the votes. The PD candidate won with 50.37 percent. So everything was decided in his favour by 37 votes. It should be said that, from 13 polling stations, the results came in 10–12 hours late, and there were neither observers nor representatives of the Socialist Party. The PD worked very hard in the area, with thousands of tons, with people campaigning from house to house. When I followed them on my own, young people would come up to me and say: “We hate the imposed candidacy; we’ll vote for you.” — Didn’t the PS district organisation help? — The party in the district did what it could. The candidacy came to our area... The grassroots proposed me; that was self-evident. Apparently they did not know me well. In fact, even earlier, when I had a candidacy... So I did not... He had been accepted as a party member for 17 years, but was expelled after 4–5 years because he had not stated exactly how many days he had been with “Balli”. Neither the fact that he was among the cooperative’s first members nor that his father had been killed in the war made any difference. Despite all this, I did not think it appropriate to distinguish myself by siding with the opposition. — How do you see yourself outside the political sphere? — I’m at ease. I live quietly. But nevertheless, sometimes the irritations continue. Artists make jokes and mock people. To me, Koço Devole resembles a bad clown. The clown looks at the newspaper and seems like a clown compared with the real thing. As for Pellumb Kulla, whom I know better and more truthfully, I would ask, with all due respect: “If only he would ever stage the scene: ‘In the ...’, an event that he and others know well...” As for “The House That Does Me Good...” Bardhyl Ukcama, I thank you, I wish you well, and I hope that he will be a good little boy for ...” — How do you see yourself outside the political sphere? — “If only he would ever stage the scene: ...” — During the campaign you criticized the conduct of the American Ambassador. Did you respond? — The American Ambassador prevailed over my views, but I hope the Albanian people will benefit from his promises. I, too, am waiting. Personally, I don’t have great hopes that the USA will help; that was said during the election campaign too. For me, the road “Towards Europe” does not pass through America. — Which political force do you sympathize with most? — I have respect for the Party of National Unity. I wish it success. — What do you think of the composition of the PS parliamentary group? — I don’t prejudge it. One thing strikes me: there is no one in it who knows the village firsthand. — What is the village like today? — From what I can see, the situation has worsened considerably. There are farmers who don’t even have bread. Others are forced to sell the little dairy produce they have to buy flour. I am currently unemployed. Of the 17 agronomists in the area, 15 have found jobs; only we two former chairmen are unemployed. In addition to the other difficulties, there is also the fact that the head of the agriculture section in Fier, Hasan Hallili, is a PD deputy... Nevertheless, I’m not afraid of work, so I see the future with confidence and optimism. — Will the prediction come true this time? A local newspaper mocked: “Look how the communists keep their word!” — I say the communists have kept their word. One of them is president, and others are at the head of parties fighting for democracy. I would be satisfied if they fulfilled even 20–25 percent of their promises. And as for Mr Rexhep Uka, who is unblocking some of the 80 empty banks that are undermining the PD victory, at least let him unblock a few of them. In Cakran, they don’t want telephones in people’s homes, nor electronic phones to carry in their pockets or cars. But at least let us have lines installed, since even the telephone that served 20,000 people has disappeared. — Will you go into politics now that you are off the political stage? — Both no and yes... SEDAT BRAJA