SHOCKING REPORT FROM ERSEKA A few days ago, a theft took place at an army weapons depot in the Leskovik area. The thieves managed to steal 130 revolvers and 35 automatic rifles. The incident is shocking. The criminals and wrongdoers do not want the weapons they stole for playing, but to terrorize the people. And 165 armed evildoers are no small number. Nevertheless, everyone has remained silent about this shocking incident so far. The spokesperson for the Ministry of Defense is silent. The spokesperson for the Ministry of Public Order is silent too. As recently as yesterday, television even showed a filmed report about a wrongdoer who wanted to rob an empty shop. That was fine. The European and world press, as far as we are able to follow them, do not hesitate to publish such reports. Is it only for the sake of sensation?! If this is still how people think, we believe this is an outdated mentality and practice. We must all distance ourselves from it quickly. Many shocking events (weapons thefts, murders, etc.) have been hidden since March 22, especially by television. The “river” of crime that flooded the screen before the elections was meant to say: Look, the socialists are incapable of governing; they cannot establish peace and public order. But are there now fewer crimes—or even more, and more shocking ones? If we wanted to politicize the problem and the incident in Erseka, and not only that one, we could say: The new government officials are unlucky; they cannot establish order, even though they promise to do so within 24 hours. In this partisan “game” of struggle, no one benefits except wrongdoers and lawbreakers. The socialists never want to engage in or set traps of this kind, which are often encouraged by the press and propaganda—something that serves those in power. They call on everyone to oppose crime and vandalism. Only by taking this path will the people and the country prevail. Yet today there is silence, and the public is not being informed about such an incident. Why? Through negligence, to keep it secret, or to spare the leaders of the two ministries trouble? Gentlemen in power, this is the way of working under the old monism. Distance yourselves from the past through your actions and be transparent, as democracy demands of you. The people want to know both about the incident and about the identification of its perpetrators. There are 165 firearms involved, and they are not wooden guns.

Parties, the people, and the political struggle Read all the party newspapers. We often hear expressions such as: “the interests of the people,” “the people’s sufferings and troubles,” “Our Party is supported by the people,” “The people gave us their vote,” and so on. I believe we all agree that such expressions are not new. Until yesterday, only one party used them. That is why, when speaking about the past, the issue is simple: “The Party of Labour was to blame.” Now the issue is more complicated. Many parties, not just one, claim to share the people’s aspirations. Meanwhile, for now, they assign responsibility only to the phrase “The Labour-Socialists are to blame.” What about tomorrow? Tomorrow, something new will be found to shift responsibility away from themselves. Under these circumstances, each party pursues its own tactics. The Democratic Party, together with its Social Democratic and Republican allies, being in power, will naturally try to implement its program in order to ensure that it remains in power. The other parties will try to convince the people that the current government officials are incapable, do not know how to govern, and cannot pull themselves and the country out of backwardness. But how? By what route? Through what forms and means? Here are some thoughts on this key issue in today’s political struggle. Should we support the government or destabilize it? “Let us give the government time to show what it can do,” some say, and suggest that the political struggle be toned down. “No, let’s not give them any time at all. Didn’t you see what they did to Nano’s government last year? We should do the same to them,” others say. “We shouldn’t criticize them; let them make mistakes, and then they’ll fall quickly—that’s what some others say.” “No, because the people will suffer for it—will we have to suffer even more?” “Let them suffer; it’s their own fault—why did they vote for them?” comes the reply. These are snippets of conversations often heard here and among some members and sympathizers of the opposition. Meanwhile, we also see clear signs of people making excuses for the government: “Things aren’t going as they should because the government isn’t being left alone; the communists, Enverists, socialists, etc. are interfering.” These are new realities of life in a pluralist society, but they also require new ways of thinking to deal with them. First: the expression “Let us give the government time” is right. It means that, in practice, the Socialist Party does not encourage or seek to destabilize the country. We all remember last year, when Nano’s government asked for time to prove its abilities. But the opposition at the time did not give it that time. It incited the trade unions, encouraged the notorious hunger strikes, stirred up demonstrations in Skanderbeg Square, and brought it down. Should we act in the same way? I think not. The reality of the political struggle in the country shows that this is the prevailing view among Albanian socialists. It is true that any government needs some time to demonstrate its abilities. Therefore, neither the repeated expressions quoted above nor other remarks circulating among people who do not properly understand political struggle and political maneuvering serve the program or the image of the Socialist Party. What is more, they harm it, because they give the party in power a weapon to try, tomorrow, to justify the incompetence of one or another government official, naturally using its well-known methods, by declaring: “They are to blame,” “They are obstructing us; that’s why things aren’t going well.” Second: Party struggle must not harm the interests of the people. The saying that the people bear and suffer everything both expresses a reality and serves as a reminder to the honest members and sympathizers of every political force. We have all witnessed a phenomenon: there were all those clashes, burnings, and killings. Not every political party tried to conduct a thorough analysis of these political events; instead, each sought to exploit them to accuse others and gain political credibility. Under the present circumstances, this mentality is suicidal, since it harms the interests of the people for whom everyone professes devotion in their documents and programs. In this context, expressions that are circulating are also harmful, such as: “Gensheri resigned; they won’t help us.” “No one helped them either; things will get worse,” and so on. The authors of these views live under the illusion that they are serving their party better by voicing their party’s opposition. These people, who see themselves as prophets, fail to understand that when they take the opposite position, they will be asked: “But whose side are you on?” The shadow of this way of thinking… KOÇO DANAJ (Continued on page 2)

A few days ago, news was published that several automatic rifles and a large quantity of ammunition had been stolen from the Infantry Academy (the former United School). It was also said that an investigative team had been set up to follow up on the incident? So many days have passed. What has been done? Why is the public not being informed? What are the spokespersons for the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Public Order, and the General Investigation Directorate doing… LUAN M. RAMIA

Party Chronicle The Chairman of the Socialist Party of Albania, Fatos Nano, received at the headquarters of the Steering Committee a delegation from the Party of National Unity of the Albanians in the Former Yugoslavia, led by its chairman, Halil Alidemaj. At the beginning of the conversation, Fatos Nano expressed his pleasure at speaking openly with Albanian brothers who lead political parties, continuing their previous meetings. Speaking about the situation in Albania, Fatos Nano said that it is difficult, complex, and burdened with many problems awaiting a better way of resolving them. Some realities we experience every day, such as public order, the economy, and the implementation of the law of the state, must not be allowed to proceed spontaneously. Even more, Fatos Nano, some facts about how democracy is functioning are worrying us. (Continued on page 4)

As everyone now knows, on May 3, 1992, the remains of Enver Horhë, Hysni Kapo, Gogo Nushi, Myslim Peza, Spiro Moisiu, Josif Pashko, Medar Shtylla, Omer Nishani, Alqi Kondi, Nako Spiro, Kahreman Ylli and Todo Manco were exhumed. As everyone now knows, on May 3, 1992, the remains of Enver Horhë, Medar Shtylla, Omer Nishani, Alqi Kondi, Nako Spiro, Kahreman Ylli and Todo Manco were exhumed. News of the carrying out of such an unprecedented act in history became known to the wider public on the afternoon of May 3, when everything was already over. That news, too, was a failure, insincere and deceitful. Because the truth was not told; instead, according to the Tirana Radio announcer, who referred to a correspondent of our external radio service (as though she had received the news from foreign agencies), it was announced that the graves were being transferred from the Martyrs of the Nation Cemetery to the Sharra Cemetery pursuant to a special decision. (An anonymous decision?). People are therefore right to ask, even to this day: Who is anonymous? Who is the nighttime “gravedigger”? This mystery is solved by Decision No. 28, dated May 1, of the President of the Republic, Mr. Sali Berisha. He ordered the removal of the remains of the people named above from the Martyrs of the Nation Cemetery. Thus, the President, who, when he spoke before the People’s Assembly after his election to this office, swore to preserve the human dimension, kept his word. As the humane person he is (having also been a doctor), he began with the exhumations. We have no nostalgia for anyone, but we want every phenomenon and event to be called by its proper name. This is not about discussing whether they deserved to remain where they were or to be transferred (as was said); the issue is how this shameful act was carried out. The graves were opened at night. Secretly, treacherously, like thieves. In a way that has never happened in Albanian history. The families of the exhumed were also informed at night. Why was the exhuming party afraid of daylight, afraid of people? Nevertheless, the nighttime executors opened the graves. Did they leave them open? They also opened the coffins. During the opening of the graves, the family members of the exhumed were not allowed to be present. Thus, by violating their lawful right, the exhuming party once again revealed night. Our people, whenever the body of a deceased person passes by, observe an unwritten law. They stop and stand silently to honor the deceased passing by, whoever that person may be. The exhuming party forgot even this elementary human custom. This illustrates the well-known Albanian expression used to portray a heartless person: “He brings the dead out of their graves.” There is something else that is striking. The President’s spokesperson, who never forgets to publicize every meeting of Mr. Berisha, was silent this time. Why was he silent? Or had he not received instructions from his boss?.. The age of transparency does not tolerate such things, especially when it concerns very important decisions by the President of the Republic, decisions that reveal his human dimension. Who is the one doing the exhuming?... And how far can this process go? Let this be the last! The Observer

Albania does indeed have a presidential palace, but it cannot have a President for a palace— Observation Why is television silent? — Albania does indeed have a presidential palace, but it cannot have a President for a palace — The deputies of the People’s Assembly, and especially those of the Democratic Party, applauded this statement enthusiastically. They were almost exactly the same people who, during the election campaign, used the former communist elite or the unjustified privileges as arguments, which, as [text unclear] from office. And we have previously stressed that we are against demagoguery and that it is necessary for the status of the President to be regulated by a special law. But the deputies of the People’s Assembly now face another task: defining his status. They will decide whether and how much he will receive in terms of treatment, salary, the lives of his spouse and family, and travel; whether he will have 10 secretaries or not. They should look abroad as well: what duties and what rights will this person have? Citizens remember the same debate last year. Then, too, television remained silent, and only under pressure from public opinion was the session broadcast afterward. They remember that last year the law “On the Status of the Deputy” was the only one that the President of the Republic returned to the People’s Assembly for reconsideration. There were long and heated discussions at the time, and statements such as “only extension cords sing without being paid,” etc., etc., were heard. Television broadcasts meant that many things that had been said in ... (Continued on page 3)

A belated conversation with the Italian lawyer Silvio Forti These days a story like this is circulating in Tirana: Three months ago, a mother’s child went missing. She cried and complained as much as she could, but to no avail. A short time later, the child appeared at the door of the house, making the mother immeasurably happy. But when she wanted to bathe the child that evening, she noticed an incision on the child’s [unclear]; an operation had been performed there. One of the child’s kidneys had been taken. This is truly a macabre story for us, but it is not unheard of. Organ transplantation has become fashionable today in what is considered the developed world, where, paradoxically, one person’s life is raised up on another’s death. Medicine is apparently advancing even through this kind of crime... I do not know how true this story is, unless it is an “invention” added to the rumors and the many other stories that are far from scarce. It was brought to mind by a report about an Italian state, taken from the Italian press, on a subject delicate for public opinion—the society of our children—as well as a practice that was legal until recently: their adoption by foreign families, Greek, Italian and even American. These reports speak of three thousand Albanian children sold, something that has not been proven; but even the figure of 270 official adoptions reportedly carried out in recent months is not small. The report speaks of forged documents, “an organized mafia operating through Greece, for the account of CosaNostra, a criminal business.” I said “if these things are true” because I do not undertake to declare this to be the truth; unfortunately, when an attempt was made, its author paid dearly for his entirely humane appeal to put a stop to these wicked actions, which, under the guise of legality, sent our children far from their homeland. Nevertheless, almost inadvertently, I too became involved in these stories. On December 10 of last year, after witnessing a painful scene the previous day at Rinas Airport, where a child was screaming and struggling against the foreign adopters as they were sending the child to Switzerland, I was also among those waiting in line, writing the article “Could this be the extended hand of the Mafia?” On November—on December 11, I found a letter addressed to me from the Italian lawyer Silvio Forti. I did not know who he was, nor did I make inquiries. I did not know what he was doing in Albania, nor do I want to know, but his “warning” that these children might fall into the hands of the “Organ Mafia” did not please me. A decree by the President had also been issued late, some time earlier, prohibiting adoptions, but this [text unclear] did not please me. (Continued on page 3)

NATIONAL LIBRARY TIRANA How can “The People’s Voice” reach every village? And how can the newspapers «24 Orë», «Kristal», «Ora», etc., reach them as well? Only the organization that the KD of the PSSH must establish in every district can make this happen. Only the dedication of the Party organizations, of every member and sympathizer, can make this happen. Let us consider this one of our most important duties.

Our parliament elects the highest bodies of the legislative power: the Constitutional Court, the Court of Cassation, and the leaders of the General Prosecutor’s Office. More accurately, these bodies were only partially elected, since none of them was completed as required by law. There are several astonishing reasons for this, and they have to do with the seriousness of parliament’s proceedings. Before discussing these bodies specifically, let us recall that it took about a week of debate to reach the parliamentary sessions, starting on Thursday of last week. A flood of rhetoric was poured out by PD deputies about the “urgent need to elect these bodies as soon as possible,” about the saying “time is gold,” and so on. Indeed, on Tuesday, in the name of “golden” time, the session began without the participation of the Socialist Party’s parliamentary group. The conclusions: On Wednesday, the Court of Cassation was elected, but one of its vice-presidents was left unappointed; although nominated by the President of the Republic (under the Constitutional Law), he refused the post. The Prosecutor General was elected, but his deputy was not, because the candidate nominated by the President of the Republic refused the post. Part of the Constitutional Court was elected—the part nominated by the deputies. The other part, which is to be nominated by the President, will be elected later, perhaps when the President returns from abroad. We ask: are these actions by parliament and the president serious? Are people’s views sought before they are appointed to leadership bodies, or is everything done as before, at the “master’s” command? The fact that the two candidates presented by the President refused the post on the very day their names were mentioned in parliament and announced on radio and television leads one to suspect that they had not been consulted beforehand. In the face of these facts, many deputies left the parliamentary chamber for no reason. (Continued on page 3)

A QUESTION EVERYONE IS ASKING: As everyone now knows, on May 3, 1992, Enver Hoxha, Hysni Kapo, Gogo Nushi, Myslim Peza, Spiro Moisiu, Josif Pashko, Medar Shtylla, Omer Nishani, Alqi Kondi, Nako… were exhumed …from the Cemetery of the Nation’s Martyrs. Thus, the President, who, when speaking before the People’s Assembly after being elected to this post, swore to uphold human inviolability, kept his word. Such are the “human,” “humane,” “democratic” dimensions of the man of the night. Whenever the body of a dead person passes by, our people observe an unwritten law. They stop and stand still, –

At yesterday’s meeting, the Council of Ministers decided, among other things, to suspend payment of the wage increase by the Bank until 30 June 1992.