- The second Tetova meeting devoted to the choice of a national Albanian solution was held, attended by more than fifty delegations from Albanian regions and dozens of independent intellectuals from both sides of the border. - For the second consecutive time, representatives of the Democratic Party of Albania, the Democratic League of Kosovo and the Albanian Republican Party were absent. Within the span of three months, Tetova has twice become the central venue for Albanians to deliberate on resolving the national question. Representatives of more than fifty political parties and numerous associations and various social organizations, distinguished intellectuals, professors and academics from both sides of the border gathered on January 18 and 19 at the meeting called “Tetova 2” to exchange views and debate with one another the greatest problem facing Albanians: the just resolution of the national question. The organization of this round table is a commendable initiative of the National Unity Party based in Tirana, the National Unity Party headquartered in Prishtina, and the Popular Democratic Party headquartered in Tetova. It is a forum where Albanians stand side by side regardless of their political beliefs, and speak in Albanian and fraternally about their shared future. “Tetova-2” analyzed the steps taken since November of last year, when the first meeting was held, and advanced them further by putting forward ideas for an all-national body, while emphasizing the need for a detailed political program to resolve the problems accumulated among Albanians in all regions. ... a great responsibility, which is not theirs alone. They must be helped. The circle of those included must be widened. Because at both Tetova meetings, representatives of the Democratic Party of Albania were absent, representatives of the Democratic League of Kosovo were absent, and Republicans from Albania were absent. Why? Are they not in favor of resolving the national question? Nobody believes that. Then why were they absent? Do they lack the courage to sit at the round table for discussions? Can they not face dialogue? Or have they grown tired because perhaps it belongs to someone else? Representatives of the Socialist Party of Albania, MPs Luan Hajdaraga and Mojkom Zeqo, once again publicly expressed the conviction of the PSSh that it would support without reservation every step taken in favor of the national question, every step that brings Albanians closer to one another. Because “Tetova-2” also sends this message to all Albanians wherever they may be: tomorrow will rest on the foundations of today. From this perspective, the two meetings held in Tetova take on special importance. The number of participants at the second meeting was greater than at the first. The third meeting is to be held in Ti- ... you have done held, and advanced them by making more visible the idea of an all-national assembly, putting forward the necessity of a detailed political program for resolving the accumulated problems, so that Albanians would no longer be discriminated against and divided. The course is set. No one claims that victory can be achieved immediately. But equally, no one has the right to prejudge. The participants in the gathering have assumed a responsibility ... ... so that we send Albanian appeals, wherever they may be. Tomorrow will stand meetings held in Tetovë take on special significance. At the second meeting, the number of participants scheduled to be held in Tirana. It is to the nation’s honor that none of those who ought to be present should be absent. Tetova appeals. Its message is clear. Tomorrow will be too late. Tetovë, January 19, 1993.

71 FAMILIES THREATENED BY FRATRICIDE Zef Gjergji is chairman of the Socialist Party organization in Ungrej, in the Kashnjet area. A few days ago I met him in Lezhë. He had come down to the city especially to send registered mail (for security) to three addresses, as usual—to the President, the Prime Minister and the Chairman of the Presidium of the People’s Assembly—a request on behalf of 71 families in Kashnjet, who are threatened by fratricide. We adapted the phrase “threatened by fratricide” for the readers of our newspaper, since the request addressed to the three aforementioned offices states more accurately and explicitly “on the brink of fratricide.” KUJTIM DASHI (Continued from page 2)

THE SOCIALIST PARTY FORUM The Steering Committee of the Socialist Party in the Devoll district was called to a special working meeting, prompted mainly by ongoing actions and appeals made to the leadership of the PSSH by both ordinary workers and veterans, as well as by new Party members. Their concerns centered on the decline in the activity of the district Party Steering Committee, and especially its Presidium. In response to these real concerns, the issue was put clearly and in a particularly pointed manner: Why has the work declined, and is the district Steering Committee capable of changing this and putting the Party’s work on the right track? In his briefing, the chairman of the Socialist Party Steering Committee for the district, Bedri Rrepa, failed to rise to the level of the question posed. Therefore, all the members of the Steering Committee who spoke said that the analysis should be pursued further, particularly with regard to certain subjective factors connected with the failure of the district Party Steering Committee and Presidium to function and carry out their work. And with the work of the chairman of the Steering Committee. It is true, it was emphasized by (Continued on page 4)

An Open Letter to Mr. PRESIDENT • A great concern compels me to address you, in the hope that I may contribute, even a little, to shedding light on a series of heinous crimes committed against my family. I am not asking for protection, because that would reopen the wounds of my murdered family members; rather, I would ask the state to identify the perpetrators of the crimes and act firmly, since we have been treacherously killed, though we owed no one anything. This would be a small matter of honor for this state; otherwise, it would prove itself to be a partisan state, and this would give it the loathsome name of “traitor” to a small people—perhaps as an unwitting act, but one of extremely painful significance for us and others like us. Then nothing would remain for me but to curse our ill fate: that we were born Albanian and loved Albania so dearly. In 1983 my brother, Sokol Raita, was killed. The true reason for the murder was never discovered and perhaps never will be. One thing is certain: the criminal who committed the act was strongly influenced by people no less criminal, who now live peacefully. In May 1992 my uncle, Jak Raita, was killed at the threshold of his home. The killers have not been found. In September 1992 my father was killed “accidentally,” adding to our chain of sorrows a burden difficult for a person to bear. The two murders committed against us, especially that of my uncle, will indict this era, in which some people have gone out of control. These people trace their origins to the crime committed against us in 1983. It seems they existed in latent forms from then on, but later, in 1992, they brought their criminal acts to full expression. A great concern troubles me, Mr. President. Forgive my lack of modesty when I say that my family is being extinguished, while our ancestors stood up to the enemy with istikám and drove him away for the sake of great Albanian interests; now we are paying so dearly for the unprecedented originality of these transformations, which may be anything but democratic. What questions torment me: What kind of state is this, which does not care for the most important thing—the lives of its own citizens? Could it be that the threads of these heinous crimes cannot be traced if one considers whose interests this state represents? Could these crimes be organized—unprecedented acts of lynching inflicted on an individual by the state itself, as an indirect participant, thereby putting into practice the interests of the par- (Continued on page 2)

of the Socialist Women’s Forum of Albania - To the President of the Republic, Mr. Sali Berisha. - To the Albanian Helsinki Committee Mr. President! How long will you continue to remain silent in the face of such criminal acts? This is the human dimension

Yesterday at ten o’clock, the trial of nine trade unionists, former leaders of the strike at the Ballsh Oil Refinery, began in one of the courtrooms of the Fier district court. They are accused of violating Article Seven of Law No. 7458, dated 22.1.1991, “On the Right to Strike.” Under the law, those charged with this offense may be fined up to 1,000 lekë or sentenced to up to three months’ imprisonment. After five hours of court hearings, presiding judge Ilirian Celibashi postponed the trial until Tuesday at nine o’clock. You will find details about the proceedings in this trial in upcoming issues. Correspondent of “Zëri i Popullit”

Lately, an unexpected or unheard-of “authoritarianism” has begun to emerge. Indeed, the honorable President himself has stated on two or three occasions, presumably on behalf of his party, that It is not difficult to understand what kind of ground this “authoritarianism,” repeated so often, is preparing. Especially since “reform” is underway. Especially since the Youth Forum of the PDSH and its leader, Mr. Arben Lika, hurry to make their positions public after every meeting they hold, and are dissatisfied with the steps being taken to implement the reform. In this regard, public opinion has rightly adapted Enver’s well-known expression: “Youth gives the homeland life and vitality, while giving the (Democratic) Party a new orientation.” The authoritarianism of governing even... alone was brought out in a hurry when one of the opposition party leaders, specifically Mr. Gjinushi, spoke in the press in favor of early elections. The rush to bring out this “authoritarianism” seemed intended to remind the Albanian electorate of the result—I would say, the fatal result—of March 22, as if the people had not “corrected” it on July 26. Perhaps, in my opinion, the people had the idea of co-governance, easing social tensions, etc. in mind in the local elections. This “authoritarianism,” which began with the triumphant’s fixed idea and continues to measure itself against the morning shadow, in my view not only disregards, but also insults, belittles, and ultimately offends the members of the so-called coalition, the ... BARDH DEGA (Continued on page 4)

On Thursday afternoon, for six hours, in an office with the board of directors and the director-general of RTV, Shkëndër Buçpapaj. This session had been awaited for some time, so the attendance of deputies in the chamber and of journalists and guests in the gallery was unusually high, although. The proceedings of the assembly at this session drew the interest of those present. The RTV director was informed by the PD group, PD, the PS group, the PSD group 6, Gjiha- sja, the groups, the PSD group 6, Gjiha- ... one also discussed one of the ... interruption regarding the dismissal of the director, against RTV ... by 10 deputies, T. Keko, A. Arjani, A. Jupj, G. Pashi, P. Pula, P. Milo; S. Gjihashi; V. Uka, B. Makaridhali, ... and 23 spoke out of the 27 announced. They were common on both sides ... This was out of a desire for these ... to wait until ... ... an educational resource for students of the law faculty, for those in the dramaturgy department, for comedians, for writers, sociologists, etc. RTV Director S. Buçpapaj — a model of the new person created by the Democratic Party Mr. Buçpapaj revealed some of this person’s characteristics in parliament. CYNICISM. Asked how he felt now that 50 people had been dismissed, he replied: “I said that I would dismiss the unfortunate, the parasites, the corrupt, ...” Did any of these names come to mind more readily? Virgjil Kule, Milto Baka, Ilir Keko, Arjan Negro, Hysni Lita... Beside me is the talented, unemployed RTV journalist Arjan Melonashi. Which of these three categories do you fall into? I ask Arjan jokingly. He answers me with a smile: “I really like ...” I think of taking the microphone out of his hand, but you can’t take away his smile. His smile seems to me to reduce Buçpapaj and whoever appointed him to zero. In response to another question, Mr. Director said that he considers the employees of RTV in Prishtina to be employees of Tirana television, since he has opened the doors to them. That sounds very nice, but is it true? Does anyone believe that you have opened the doors to journalists from Prishtina when you have closed them to journalists from Tirana? The workers filling the Assembly gallery do not let you believe that. The RTV director declares that relations with the Confederation of Trade Unions, the Committee of Veterans of the National Liberation War, etc., are very good, except for the occasional minor conflict. This needs no comment. The Confederation of Trade Unions’ protests themselves speak of their being ignored, and of their activities being censored and distorted by TV. That is why I call these positions and statements outright cynicism. BOSSISM and arrogance were another major feature of the RTV director’s conduct in parliament. He forgot that, formally, he is accountable to parliament and often spoke as if he were a director to whom everyone else was a fly. In the way he answered questions from the PS group, he showed, as one deputy put it, that he was riding the horse backwards. He answered the PS group’s questions with “yes” or “no,” or with ready-made quotations. He answered the PD group’s questions at great length and in detail. He tried to use the parliamentary podium to attack the Socialist Party and “Zëri i Popullit.” He reached the peak of his bossism when he addressed a socialist deputy with the words: “You’ve made a mistake; I can withdraw your mandate”*! The height of it! As far as we know, not even Mr. Pjetër, as Speaker of the Assembly, has ever addressed a deputy this way. They say arrogance comes on horseback and leaves on a donkey. By a majority vote, our parliament rejected this proverb. Director Shkëndëri left parliament by car. Nine tricks, one act of courage. Having dealt with courage above, now it is the turn of the tricks: the director answered many questions with tricks and cunning. They say that no matter how sly a fox is, it often gets caught by all four legs. This happened to the honorable director too. Asked why television does not show the commemorations held for the martyrs, for Liberation Day, etc.,

“THE PEOPLE GAVE US THEIR VOTE TO GOVERN EVEN... ALONE”?! Lately, an uninformed or inexperienced “authoritarianism” has been...

- To the President of the Republic, Mr. Sali Berisha. - The Albanian Helsinki Committee - Other women’s forums in Albania We were deeply shaken by Fatbarda Dega’s letter addressed to Mr. Sali Berisha, in which the monstrous, unprecedented crime—the deliberate killing of a six-week-old baby and the serious endangerment of the mother’s life—was publicly denounced. This new crime adds to the succession of inhumane and anti-democratic acts: throwing women with socialist convictions out onto the streets without hope and persecuting them. Patience, tolerance, and moderation have their limits, and this is a crime against human life. The Socialist Women’s Forum vigorously protests this inhumane act, committed by people with darkened consciences, and joins Fatbardha Dega’s demands that they be brought to justice. in the face of such criminal acts? Is this the humane dimension you promised us? We protest the incomprehensible and unforgivable silence of the Albanian Helsinki Committee. This stance is a neglect of its duty to protect human rights. We appeal to all women’s forums in Albania to join our protest in defense of the lives of the mother and child. Every act directed against them is at the same time a concession to dictatorship against democracy. Expressing our deep indignation at the killing of the six-week-old baby and at the fascist attitudes toward human rights, we declare that we will fight at all times, by every means and in every form permitted by law, so that those responsible are brought to justice and such attitudes are not repeated. The Presidium of FGSSH

The Italian company, with an office and warehouse in Tirana, distributes machinery and brands. “MIDNIST”- - Sales agents for Albania, wanted: - Sales agents.

An Italian trading company with offices and warehouses in Tirana, for the distribution of various products, is looking for: - Sales agents for the main cities of Albania; - Shops interested in selling goods in the main cities of Albania. Interested parties should call 261 58 (Tirana).

An Italian publishing company for its new offset-printing line in Tirana is looking for: - Offset-press typographic technicians; - Offset-press mechanical technicians. - Graphic technicians for film assembly and plate preparation. Anyone interested should call 261 58 (Tirana) to arrange an appointment.