Open letter to parliament FORGOTTEN AND ABANDONED – This is about life today, not the luxury promised for tomorrow – Honourable Members of Parliament! Through the newspaper «Zëri i popullit», the residents of Upper Opar, deep in the mountainous region of the Korçë district, are addressing this letter to you. We, too, the impoverished villagers of distant Opar, have understood and desire democracy. We know that good things cannot come down from the sky on 23 March, although the truth is that the party—we have been waiting for it for a long time—did not manage to come up here to us either, and withdrew after promising for days. We are asking for the most essential things, which we have lost; the rest can come later. Do you know, honourable Members of Parliament, that today we cannot obtain any medical care at all? And yet in Lekas there is a building that serves as a hospital. Three doctors with higher education used to work here, whereas today not one of them is here. In the premises of the former hospital, there are only two nurses, who play the role of advising people to go for examinations in Korçë or of raising the alarm in emergencies. But do the institutions in Korçë respond «urgently»? Never! We are forced, after an unbearable wait at the clinic, to carry the sick person on a stretcher for 8–9 hours to Korçë. And it has happened that, for lack of help, a sick person has died on the way. A full year and a half has passed without our hearing the sound of a car up here. The bus used to come up four times a week, and we do not even claim to have it every day. What is to become of us? Are we to remain forgotten and abandoned like this? When we told the Democratic Party deputy about our transport problem, he said confidently: «This is not a problem. We will solve it the day after the elections.» A month and a half has passed, and our hope is faint. Other facts show that we are forgotten and abandoned. It is well known that this is a livestock-farming area. Around 10,000 small livestock were distributed among our families. For almost a year now, not a gram of salt has been provided for them. As a result, we cannot make dairy products, cheese, etc., because of the lack of salt. We will not even speak here of the problems caused by the lack of law and order. No one responds to complaints about various abuses, neither the investigator nor the police. We received land, but it has been left fallow. SMT used to cultivate 70 per cent of it, whereas today only the pickaxe remains, as in the Middle Ages. We know that the [unclear] will ensure that we Opar highlanders can get down to the city. But what is to be done about our present hardships? Many families have moved away to the cities. But how have they moved? Their difficulties are immense. For a small shack and a plot of land somewhere in the villages around Tirana, the honest Opar man gives all his effort and years of hard work and even goes into debt, without any certainty of work or a livelihood. With regard to this uncontrolled movement of the population, the current state has washed its hands of the matter, providing no support whatsoever. That is why, honourable Members of Parliament, we, the residents of Opar, who gave so much to the war and shed so much sweat, still feel today that we have no help and are more than ever forgotten and abandoned. We ask. a pickaxe, as in the Middle Ages. We know that tomorrow will ensure the mass resettlement of Opar’s people in the city. But what is to be done about today’s troubles? Many families have left for the cities far away. But how have they left? Their difficulties are immense. For a ramshackle hut and a plot of land, someone from the villages around Tirana—an honest person from Opar—has apparently also gone into debt, despite all the effort and sweat of so many years, without any assurance of work or a livelihood. The current state has washed its hands of this uncontrolled movement of the population, offering no support whatsoever. This is why, honorable so much to the war and shed all our blood and sweat, feel today completely forgotten and abandoned. We ask the government to take urgent measures, from the center down to the local level. This is a matter of life today, not the luxury promised for tomorrow. From residents of the Upper Opar area, Korçë

When Ramiz Alia went to Shkodër a year ago (to offer condolences to the families of the martyrs of democracy), there was not a single newspaper that did not write about it. And some politicians and journalists wrote so violently, using the most vulgar language, that the honest reader would quote the deeply philosophical proverb: «The wind stirs up the sea, while words stir up people». All the interviews, reports and correspondence strongly attacked the former holders of power for their failure to act over the Shkodër trial. In fact, apart from the essence of this issue—that is, the need for this trial to be held—there was nothing else of substance in the propaganda of the opposition and its publications, which are now in power. But now, after the Democratic Party’s resounding victory in the elections of 22 March, we face a new, damning fact: Sali Berisha, the honourable President, went to Shkodër for a visit a few days ago. How the people of Shkodër and the soldiers received him, what questions they asked him and what «transparent» answers they got—only those present know, and even more so the new politician, Aida Shehu, the journalist in the President’s press office. There is only one thing that strikes you and prompts you to ask directly and publicly: How can the silence of those in power about the Shkodër trial be explained? Since the inability of those who were in power yesterday (starting with the president) has been replaced by the ability of those in power today, the silence makes one suspect that today’s holders of power are acting against themselves, against uncovering the truth that [sentence incomplete]

At the invitation of the Socialist Party of Belgium, Fatos Nano, Chairman of the Socialist Party of Albania, paid a visit to Brussels. During his stay in Brussels, Fatos Nano was received by the Secretary-General of the Belgian Socialist Party (Walloon), Roger Gallice, with whom he exchanged views on issues of common interest to the two parties. A separate working meeting was also held with the head of the party’s Foreign Secretariat, Ambassador Boutet. Views on the political, economic and social situation in Albania, as well as on the work of Parliament, were exchanged with Nestor Podriaut, a senator of the Belgian Socialist Party. Productive working meetings were also held with representatives of the Flemish Socialist Party. During his stay in Brussels, Fatos Nano also met Glen Ford, Deputy Chairman of the Socialist Group in the European Parliament; and the delegation of the Group of European Parliamentarians responsible for Albania, Bulgaria and Romania, headed by Aleksandër Langer, which included PDSI MEP Çeçi and the Spanish Socialist Party MEP Martinez. A separate meeting was held at the headquarters of the European Parliament with Christos Paputsis, MEP and PASOK’s secretary for foreign relations. Over the next two days, Fatos Nano will hold meetings in Vienna with Peter Shider, Chairman of the Socialist Group of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Austrian Parliament, as well as with Karl Shramek, secretary of the Social Democratic Party of Austria. While travelling to Brussels, Fatos Nano held the necessary political consultations with representatives of the Italian Socialist Party. On this visit, Fatos Nano is accompanied by Bashkim Zeneli, MP and secretary for foreign relations of the Socialist Party. 19.5.1992

– Mr Spiro Doraci is calling for the orphanage staff to be dismissed. A few days ago, the first hammer blows were heard in the orphanage building in Durrës. Driven by curiosity, we went there and asked the employees of this institution one by one to find out what kind of work was being carried out in the service of orphaned children. – The workers are demolishing the [unclear] and building [unclear] – the first-shift employees tell us. Recently, the Pluralist Executive Committee made a decision concerning the orphans: they are to be left without a home as well. According to Shaban Dedej, Mr Andrea Xhovapa has left the orphans [unclear] in a private surgical clinic. Shaban, speaking about the surgical clinic, declared: «I am the owner; here is the decision I got from the Committee, so take what you have here and go wherever you want!» Meanwhile, they put crowbars to the doors, forcibly taking possession and [unclear] the orphanage grounds, because [unclear] had opened the door. Outraged by these actions, the staff began talking with the Orphans’ Association, which [unclear] in particular [unclear] Spiro, [unclear] as they asked, presenting [unclear]. Then the entire staff of 64 people were [unclear] from work. They (the staff) do not know that this has been decided, as we have learned, and therefore they notified two [unclear] and the authorities of ... [?] and the demand ... on hunger strike together with all 44 children ... SIRAN FENXHIU

– The Albanian Deputy Foreign Minister declares at the CSCE meeting – The right of the Albanians in Kosovo to self-determination does not mean changing borders by force, and Albania is not seeking such a thing; however, it will not accept an unsuitable solution for the territories inhabited by the Albanians of Kosovo, Albanian Deputy Foreign Minister Mëhill Marku declared yesterday at the meeting of senior CSCE officials on Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Yugoslav crisis, being held in Helsinki. Mëhill Marku stressed the Albanian government’s insistence that the Conference on Yugoslavia take into account the inclusion of the Albanians with full rights, and praised the efforts of the CSCE to resolve the crisis peacefully. He pointed out that Kosovo, 90 per cent of whose population is Albanian, is now one of the most delicate and dangerous regions. Kosovo, Mëhill Marku said, has become a ghetto where the Serbian army oversees the lives of the Albanians. The Serbian regime has dissolved the legal institutions; there is military tension and a concentration of troops; new Serbian paramilitary forces are being formed; and weapons are being distributed among Serbs and Montenegrins, he said. A conflict in Kosovo, the Albanian representative at the CSCE meeting stressed, would have further repercussions in the region, and «Albania, for its part, will not be indifferent to anything that could threaten its sovereignty». He called on European countries to take immediate measures to prevent a massacre in Kosovo and called for the Serbian army to withdraw urgently and Kosovo to be demilitarized, as a necessary precondition for further discussion. The Albanian Deputy Foreign Minister also expressed concern about the escalation of the conflict in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which is causing casualties every day and sending a disturbing message to the peoples of the region and beyond. (ATSH)

Albanian society today is going through difficult times, which can be overcome only through the genuine and dedicated commitment of all Albanians. Impatience seems somewhat dampened by promises made without restraint. Nevertheless, people are waiting to enjoy the fruits of the “spring” of promises: Teachers continue to be treated as forgotten citizens. To be convinced of this, one need only learn about their salaries, which are fixed within the range of 900 to 1,200 lekë, among the lowest in the entire pay system. It is precisely this low level of pay that has forced the unions to enter into talks with the Government. Demands have been submitted and deadlines for a response have been set, but so far nothing. The independent education unions have called on teachers to strike. This means suspending classes, precisely now, before the end of the school year. Meanwhile, we learn from the Confederation of Free Trade Unions that no definitive decision has yet been taken for this purpose; a decision will be made on Friday at a national gathering of the union of the Federa- ... As docent Xhaffer Dobrush[a], chairman of this federation’s Trade Union Council, explains to us, in several districts the trade union councils have expressed solidarity with the independent union’s decision to strike. Yesterday, there were rumors that a strike had been organized in Tirana’s schools for higher pay and to establish order and calm in school premises. We went to the social-cultural section, which also includes education, but could not find anyone. At the Education Federation’s Trade Union Council, we were told that they were not organizing the strike, but that BSPSH was. Meanwhile, classes were proceeding normally in several schools, including “Petro Nini Luarasi,” “Partizani,” and others. More or less the same situation prevailed in several other schools we visited. At the “20th Anniversary” school, where classes were also proceeding normally, the deputy headmistress told us that only 9 teachers had not come to teach and that their lessons would be made up so as not to burden the pupils. What about the districts? In Tepelenë, 17 schools had been... (Continued on page 2)

- Government officials seem to be playing ping-pong with teachers’ demands. - Whose interests are some BSP leaders defending? - The RTSH “strike” to avoid broadcasting strikes. “You are right, we’ll look into it, we’ll resolve it, wait another month, wait another two months...” In the end, very little has been done, if anything at all. This is what has happened everywhere, and Durrës is no exception. Today in Durrës, the overwhelming majority of education workers are on strike. Classes have been suspended. Their demands are the same ones they have repeatedly presented since last year. Faced with economic hardship and the galloping rise in the prices of goods, they are asking for their pay to be increased and the promised wages to be paid, and for normal conditions for their work and life to be provided ... (Continued on page 2)

On May 19, 1992, with the approval and support of the independent trade unions and the Education Trade Union Federation, a 24-hour strike was declared in all the schools of the city of Shkodër. The purpose of this one-day, total work stoppage is to draw the government’s attention to the far from satisfactory conditions of teachers, to the delays in addressing some of the demands put forward, and to the failure to fulfill promises made. The teachers’ main demands concern improving their working and living conditions, securing greater state commitment to education-related problems, and fundamentally reforming our school system in the new circumstances that have arisen. B. I.

«We think that, for at least one year, we should keep under control a limited range of goods, such as bread, oil, sugar, electricity, kerosene and some other goods. But we think that all prices should be liberalized after one year». Electoral platform of the Democratic Party, «RD», dated 22 February 1992 «Our government will complete the process of price liberalization. Prices of food products will be liberalized. The prices of some essential goods and services, and of products that have no competition, such as electricity, petroleum products, postal and telecommunications services, etc., will continue to be controlled». Excerpt from the government programme presented to the People’s Assembly by Prime Minister Mr Aleksandër Meksi. «I want to assure you that all those who lose their jobs will definitely have a guaranteed minimum subsistence income. We will preserve the basket for bread, oil, sugar, soap, energy and rice. Given our conditions and difficulties, these products will not be removed from the basket». From President Mr Berisha’s speech in the city of Kavajë on 16 May 1992. What does «controlled prices» mean? Will their current level be maintained, or will a new «ceiling» be set?

At its meeting held yesterday, 18 May 1992, the Council of Ministers decided to transfer the state-administered building for the needs of the Steering Committee of the Socialist Party. The decision states that the building housing the Steering Committee of the Socialist Party is being taken over for administrative purposes for the purpose of ... The duration and the decision ... It is decided that the building of ... to the Socialist Party ... THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS 18.4.1992