– PD leaders are stirring up trouble and urging a return to the old boundaries. – - People's Assembly of the Republic of Albania - President of the Republic - Council of Ministers - Chairmen of the parliamentary groups NOTICE TO “ZËRI I POPULLIT” As has been known for several months, despite our complaints to the highest forums of power, up to the People's Assembly and personally to the President himself, Mr. Sali Berisha, who promised us and even gave us his word of honor that the land would be distributed according to the law in our village of Gosë e Vogël, the land continues not to be distributed according to the law. This is being obstructed by the chief judges of the Kavajë district, Naim Karriqi and Hysni Isufi, who, like the Commission and the police they send to establish equality and calm, have been compromised by some people from that small group who have occupied the land and do not want it distributed according to the law. Therefore, we ask you to help us ensure that this reform is implemented properly and as quickly as possible in accordance with the law. As we said above, it is being obstructed by the district bigwigs, former leaders of the cooperative economy, and the Democratic Party leaders in the village, who stir up trouble and incite people to occupy this land of their fathers. From 103 villagers of Gosë e Vogël, Kavajë

A comment on the People's Assembly. I and the overwhelming majority of the people (this is my opinion) do not understand what it is: a People's Assembly (parliament) or a Political Bureau of the PPSH, which is not broadcast on either radio or television, except on rare occasions in the late hours after midnight. The people gave you their vote to deal with their concerns, gentlemen deputies, not to meet whenever Mr. Pjetër Arbnori pleases. The Assembly seems to me like a theater on screen, except that on screen we do not see the proceedings of the Assembly. Instead of hearing the deputies discuss, we hear a certain Gurashi speaking on their behalf. BAJRAM MERISHA Tropojë

– A former fish warehouseman becomes director of the Albanian Telegraphic Agency – This article was prepared several days ago, when, to the astonishment of all Albanian journalists, Mr. Ilir Zhilla, a former fish warehouseman, was parachuted into the post of director of the Albanian Telegraphic Agency, one of the most important national information institutions. We are publishing the article unchanged, shocked by the extreme radicalism he displayed in recent days when, by a single order, he dismissed 32 of the agency’s employees. The case is truly inexplicable—a former fish warehouseman is appointed director of the Albanian Telegraphic Agency. This is Ilir Zhilla. It is a slap in the face to Albanian journalism, an excessively hasty and unprecedented action. The decision on this appointment is said to have come from the offices of the Presidency. There is no need to dwell on the role of the ATA as the country’s only official information agency, or on the need to renew the staff at this institution, which was depoliticized months ago, etc., etc. Better to say something about the newly appointed director. Through no fault of his own, but because class struggle has burdened him with a workload, he has published an occasional article, reportage, or sketch in the local and national press, and that is all. In other words, even if you searched by candlelight for his journalistic contributions, you would not find them. We do not want to speak ill of him, but the ATA newsroom is led by “its new director, Ilir Zhilla,” appointed to that post by order of the President of the Republic. This operation is an act of violence against the Albanian press in general, even though our president, in meetings with foreigners, “pleads” for freedom of the press and information. Although for nearly a year the ATA has been a depoliticized institution, the PD’s notorious personnel policy also came down on it with a heavy sword. – 32 journalists are dismissed. – The President of the Republic “pleads” for freedom of the press and information As we learned yesterday, 32 of its journalists were dismissed from the Albanian Telegraphic Agency in recent days. All of them have higher education, are qualified, and have years of service at this important national information institution. Those dismissed were given no explanation for this action. Only a list bearing their names announced that the persons concerned were no longer to enter the ATA building. The purge operation against ATA journalists was with a heavy sword. In recent months he worked in re- (Continued on page 2)

On the occasion of Eid! — On June 11, Lesser Eid will be celebrated, — 300 Muslim believers from Albania have set off for Mecca. On Thursday, June 11, the feast of Lesser Eid will be celebrated, one of the greatest and most popular festivals of Muslim believers. Lesser Eid falls 2 months and 10 days after Greater Eid, precisely on the 10th day of the month (lunar) of Dhul-Hijjah, according to the Islamic calendar. This festival, like many other commemorative days, is celebrated so that Muslims may feel and enjoy spiritual and physical well-being each year. After a long period of dictatorship, the spirits of believers were liberated once and for all; they were freed to observe, commemorate, and celebrate all religious rites. A victory for life and for the new democracy in Albania. Anyone who is a believer in the Muslim faith will go to the mosque on this special day of Lesser Eid, at the appointed day and time, to pray. On this occasion, those who have managed to establish even a modest financial footing will slaughter a sacrificial animal (livestock or other animals) and distribute some of its meat to the poorest and most needy. Of course, today any believer can do this, because almost all ordinary people are poor. In any case, all Muslims are obliged to celebrate even under these circumstances: to pray in the mosque, visit one another, express their love and forgive one another’s sins, and wish each other “Happy Eid for many years to come, Happy Eid, Happy Eid...” Throughout the world, those who meet the requirements of the faith also have another duty to fulfill once in their lifetime: the pilgrimage to the Kaaba, where they will perform the appropriate prayers without distinction of race or rank. Thanks to the contribution of the King of Saudi Arabia, Fahd, and at his invitation, 300 Muslim believers from Albania will also have this good fortune. They are setting off today and will go to Mount Arafat (in Mecca) to perform the religious rites, where they will repeat the words «Labbayka laka thumma labbayk» («I have come to You, O Lord; here I am»). They will also visit the tomb of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and other places of great historical and religious value. Here in Albania, too, let us respectfully commemorate this special day and celebrate it all together, with love for God and one another. May God inspire the spirits and will of Muslim believers. Happy Eid, and may it come again!... SELIM HOXHA

A party of new thinking The main document presented at the first conference of the Socialist Party of the Gjirokastër district, a brief report described as radical and entitled “Let us take the ‘nca’vën for solving new problems,” dealt with three main issues: work to consolidate the district party organization, adopting the style of a party in opposition, and tasks for the local elections. The brief but substantive discussions that followed showed not only that new thinking is taking root in the SP, but also the intensity of this thinking. The contributions of Adem Hajredini, Thanas Xhurreba, Afrim Meles, Jorgo Mandili, and ro Dede were well received. What were the main issues addressed? First, we think, was what could be called the current situation in the country and the SP. Certain groups of voters are becoming rapidly disillusioned with what they expected and were promised up to March 22. What should be done? The SP cannot rejoice in this; it is not a party of petty feelings and attitudes that should be pleased by the absence of visible progress and turn this situation to its advantage. Without obstructing the PD government’s reform and work in any way, it will also support the mass of disillusioned people, while offering alternatives

To the President of the Republic, Mr. Sali Berisha To the Presidium of the People's Assembly To the Presidium of the National Committee of Veterans and Invalids of

ALBANIA DOES NOT BECOME POORER ... Anyone passing by Mr. Berisha’s residence will see cars with “plainclothesmen” at all hours of the day, soldiers with submachine guns at the corners of the building, in the nearby alley, at the edge of the elementary school, or elsewhere. Nevertheless, children pass silently by the “plainclothes” military personnel or soldiers armed with submachine guns. The family in front of the building seems to recall the film “Tomka and His Friends was put at the back of the list; for many, many years he worked as a fish warehouseman in Durrës. The truth is, he has published two or three stories or I had heard years ago that Mr. Zhilla, with bags of fish, had made his way through newspaper editorial offices to get an article published or to get a- If these are the rules and the situation, they should be followed. But if you want to live with the people, you must have the courage to live as they do. And if that is impossible, do as all the presidents of the world do: move into the presidential palace! Albania will not become any poorer because of that, just as it did not become poorer

Veterans and Invalids of the National Liberation War To the Islamic Religious Community To the Religious Community of the Autocephalous Orthodox Church To the Religious Community of the Catholic Church To the Committee for the Defense of Human Rights of Helsinki in Albania. = We, the Veterans of the Durrës District, consisting of Partisans from all units of the National Liberation Army and from all regions of the country, who possess weapons with a valid permit, express our concern and disapproval at being deprived of a right that preserves a memory of moral and historical value. It is known that the weapons we possess are weapons we took from the enemy in order to fight it in the name of the ideals of freedom and liberation of the Fatherland. Our entirely lawful request to continue possessing those weapons is based on the fact that we are living historical witnesses, witnesses of the Albanian people. We are witnesses to the war the Albanian people waged to defend and liberate their Fatherland from the two Nazi-fascist occupiers and the traitors of the country, the bandits and their collaborators with the enemy. We make this request also because we are convinced that this is the path imbued with the full force of patriotism and morality, followed by our people in the twentieth century and throughout their history. The Veterans of the National Liberation War, who carried Albania’s weapons with them and took them outside the country, have been ... The unscrupulous effort, with the intention of silencing and annihilating them, seeks to deny the glory of the Albanian people. Our request to keep our wartime weapons under permit, naturally, is to preserve them as mementos, not as happened ... [?] but we consider it ... [?] moral and inviolable ... [?] ... [?] ... [?] ... [?] ... [damaged/unreadable section] ... the veterans ... [?] ... to arm trophies belonging to the Veterans of the National Liberation War. We also say: is our disarmament today appropriate in view of the situation in Kosovo and bloody Serbian anti-Albanianism? ... To tell you plainly and clearly, as Albanians have always done (and we Albanian Veterans as well), without batting an eye before anyone when our sacred and inviolable things have been savagely insulted and violated—such as the Fatherland, national feeling, and the struggle to defend them, as is happening with the law in question (the law on weapons)—in this matter we not only feel constrained, oppressed, and without consolation, but also insulted in our Albanian honor, when in practice we are being marked out to be treated just like evildoers, murderers, and detested criminals, such as those who killed the Navy officer in Durrës, those who killed veteran Xhemal Selimi in Shkodër, those responsible for the Libofshë crime, etc. The Veterans’ weapons have never been fired at the people, at our own people. No harm has ever come from them because we, like our sons and daughters and all our people, stand for order, security, and civic peace; we support the holding of democratic protests against murderers, thieves, and other evildoers who try to discredit democracy. Being such people, we feel that we have the moral right to keep our weapons. We express our indignation and our protest that the law on weapons be amended in such a way that veterans have the right to possess a trophy weapon, with permission from the relevant authorities. Veterans of the Durrës District Durrës, June 3, 1992

The Ada Air airline company announces that, starting May 31, 1992, it will operate flights on the Tirana–Bari–Tirana route as follows: ZY 121 Tirana–Bari, departure 12:45, arrival 13:45. ZY 122 Bari–Tirana, departure 15:45, arrival 16:45. All times are local. Passengers traveling on this route are kindly requested to arrive at the airport 1½ hours before departure.

The aid that various international humanitarian associations and organizations have brought, and will bring, to our country is well known. It has been, and will continue to be, written about both as a sign of thanks and gratitude, and as a mark of respect for the friends who are standing by us in difficult times. But alongside them, now that the first private companies are beginning to operate in Albania, with the start of business activity and the honest prosperity of some merchants, the long-standing tradition of helping others is also taking root here. The merchants of Shkodra are among the first to set such an example. They are supporting many people with their assistance, modest though it may be at this early stage; they are taking on the sponsorship of special issues of various district newspapers, and are also contributing to the city’s social life. A FINE EXAMPLE SET BY SHKODRA MERCHANTS - Assistance: color and black-and-white televisions for families in difficult circumstances. - Sponsorship of the press. - The «Kraja» company gives 6 million old lek for improving the city’s sanitation. A few months ago, the «Kom-Ko» trading company distributed several color and black-and-white televisions free of charge to around 14 Shkodra families in poor economic circumstances, as well as the company’s New Year gifts. Ndi... [part illegible] ... upcoming issues of the newspaper «Shkodra». Various trading companies have also sponsored press outlets such as «Shkodra» and «Vllaznimi Shkodran»; among them are not only the «Ademi» companies, but the finest example, which has also served as the initiative for this short report, is that of the «Kraja» company. Drawing on the oldest traditions of well-known Shkodra merchants such as Pogu, Ademi, Muzani, Topalli, Dabarbaku, who, by setting aside part of their profits in accordance with the teachings of religion as well, helped poor families among the people, this company undertook work that is both admirable and useful for the city. It is strongly sponsoring the cleaning of the city, its streets and squares, to the full extent of its financial means, even though it is a new company. Since the president of the company is Muzan... (Continued on page 2)