On 23 January 1993, Saturday, during the 4:00 p.m. news broadcast, Television aired an unsourced report which, among other things, accused the Socialist Party of being a destabilizing force, etc., etc. That same day, the report was repeated at greater length in the 8:00 p.m. news. This time the source was “Voice of America.” According to this source, a report by the U.S. Department of State stated at greater length than the first report that the Socialist Party, particularly its circle, was a destructive force; that the Socialists were obstructing reform, inciting unrest and illegal strikes, and obstructing the establishment of order, etc. If the report had come from “Voice of America” and Elez Biberaj, we would not have been surprised at all, because we are used to them and have long since learned to put them behind us, without even mentioning them. We know Biberaj’s mission. But since the U.S. Department of State was cited, this caught our attention, because someone had given it an unclear picture of the situation in Albania. It was also published in RD on 27 January, citing ATSH as its source. This report differed both from the 4:00 p.m. and the 8:00 p.m. reports broadcast on TV on 23 January. What is this report broadcast by Mr. Buspapaj? Members of the Socialist Party leadership, MP Bashkim Zeneli and Arta Dabulla, met on 27 January 1993 with Mr. Christophor Hill, counsellor at the U.S. Embassy in Tirana. They asked Mr. Hill for an explanation of this position attributed to the U.S. Department of State. In the conversation that took place with him, Mr. Hill said: “I have not heard this news item on Television, broadcast by ‘Voice of America.’ But I have the State Department report here, and I say that it does not say this; it says that they are not referring to the Socialist Party, and they are not in the report. ‘Voice of America’ is a radio station; it has various sources, and I do not know where it got this information.” Of course, we will believe Mr. Hill, who, as those present from the Socialist Party told us, had the report on the table. Then who concocts these fabricated reports for “Voice of America”? Elez Biberaj himself, or his special collaborators in Albania? Such speculation by RTV does not serve democracy. Correspondent of “The People’s Voice”

Protest — At least a little justice — Mr. President! Following the continuous attacks and pressure by the ruling state Party against Socialists and their supporters, matters have reached a peak with the monstrous crime against the six-week-old baby of Fabaradha Dega. We expected you, Mr. President, to respond to this barbaric act. Why this silence? You, who defend the interests of the nation, why do you not demand justice? We, the women, mothers and sisters of the Socialist Women’s Forum, are deeply indignant and ask for at least a little justice, because we see that this sacred word, justice, seems not to exist at all. We demand that the hand of revanchism—and of anyone who tramples on human rights—be stopped. Socialist Women’s Forum of the Shkodër district

— We call on the Ministry of Public Order and the other specialized agencies to provide the necessary explanations. This must be done as soon as possible, since there are rumors implicating some of the state’s highest-ranking figures — During the past few weeks, the Municipality of Durrës was the target of a break-in. The operational group of the police department and the employees of the Municipality’s offices themselves found broken locks, forced-open safes, hundreds of thousands of lekë stolen, as well as shortages in the accounting records. Traces and evidence were also collected at the scene of the robbery, photographs were taken, and it is quietly said that the police have managed to identify the perpetrators. It is even said that the perpetrators have been discussed by the leaders of the Municipality, the police and the prosecutor’s office. So in Durrës it is public knowledge that the Municipality has been robbed; rumors about the perpetrators are circulating, but the relevant authorities have still made no statement. One thing is certain: the robberies took place. Concerned to uncover the perpetrators and restore the stolen property, we address the Ministry of Public Order and Mr. Kopliku personally, both as Minister and as a man from Durrës, asking him to intervene firmly with the Police Department in Durrës so that it discloses the robbery and its perpetrators. This absolutely must be done, because various rumors implicate some of the state’s highest-ranking figures in this affair. We do not want to fall prey to hearsay, so for now we are not publishing the views and opinions of Durrës residents, but we expect the whole matter to be clarified. KASO LAPI

Shkodër: 400 workers of the maintenance enterprise have gone two months without wages — Their assistance has run out; they threaten to go on hunger strike — A group of around 50 workers arrived in the morning at the square in front of the Shkodër district council headquarters. They looked worried. We could tell both from their appearance and from their conversations. They had come to meet the chairman of the district council, Mr. Ali Kazazi. What was troubling them? As some of them told me in conversation, they were employees of the construction enterprise. There are 400 workers at this enterprise who have not received wages since 8 December of last year. The reason: they have been receiving assistance. As is known, assistance is paid for up to one year. They have completed that year, and so their payments have been discontinued. During this period, they told us, no kind of work has been offered to us. We have held several meetings here in Shkodër with the district leaders, but they have been unable to offer us a solution. A few days ago a representative … the participants’ discussions focused on drafting a new statute for the Journalists’ Association, with the aim of helping strengthen and invigorate its work. By secret ballot, the leadership of the Journalists’ Association, made up of thirteen people, was elected. The government will also issue a law soon. However, although several days have passed, nothing is being done yet. That is why they came again today to express their concern at the district council, since, as many of them emphasized, we have been left without our daily bread. One of the members of the delegation, who had just come out of a meeting with the chairman of the district council, Mr. Ali Kazazi, tells us that the chairman was very concerned about our plight, but could do nothing, and apparently the solution to this problem was not in his hands. We understand that the government must deal with this problem seriously, but it seems it had not considered that one day assistance would run out, and where would people go then? She also pointed out that, at that meeting with the chairman, we set a deadline of 5 February for our problem to be resolved; otherwise, after that date we will go on hunger strike. There are also some workers employed at such stations, as well as workers from the repair and services enterprise, the arts enterprise, etc. The employees of the zotnika station have also been paid eight days late. We could mention other concerns too, but they are already known. The Shkodër district in particular has many problems of the kind mentioned above, and these are increasing day by day. The social assistance departments attached to this district council are completely unable to cope with them; in recent years various workers whose assistance has ended or is about to end have been turning to them. We believe this government must provide another solution quickly, since some of the obligations stipulated by the social assistance law for the period when workers are receiving assistance have not been implemented so far. We also point out that the problems and concerns of ...

Yesterday, in one of the halls of the International Cultural Centre in Tirana, a conference of journalists from the press organizations, ATSH and Albanian Radio and Television convened. At the beginning of the conference there was extensive discussion concerning Journalists’ Association, made up of thirteen people, was elected. of Albania, based on the merger of the two former organizations: the former Journalists’ Union and the former Journalists’ Association of Albania. Subsequently, the participants’ representatives up of thirteen people, was elected; it comprised thirteen members, of whom seven were from press organizations, two from ATSH, two from Radio and two from Television. The leadership elected the ATSH journalist Mero Baze as chairman of the Journalists’ Association of Albania. Correspondent of “The People’s Voice” Association of Albania. Shkodër, but also the other districts. From what we can see, these problems are growing, and the government must therefore find a solution for everyone as quickly as possible. Assistance is nearing its «glorious» end. MUSA KURTULAJ During this period, they told us that no kind of work had in Shkodër with the district officials, but they have not been able representative appointed by them went to Tirana to meet with the Prime Minister. They had been told that the Prime Minister could not receive them because of time constraints, so we met with the Prime Minister’s secretary, Mr. Zef Bushati. At that meeting, we received the response that assistance would be provided by the European Community. The participants’ discussion with the aim of helping to strengthen and invigorate its work. In a secret ballot, the executive committee of the Journalists’ Association was elected, consisting of thirteen people: seven two from Television. The executive committee elected of Albania.

PETITION To the President of the Republic, Mr. Sali Berisha, To the Speaker of the People’s Assembly, Mr. Pjetër Arbnori To the Chairman of the Council of Ministers, Aleksandër Meksi To the public information media RTV, the newspaper «Paskja», RD, Alternativa, ZP, Kombi, Republika, Koha jonë, Bashkimi. On 15 January 1993, through RTV, we learned of the Government’s decision to liberalize the prices of the food basket, as well as those of a category of items such as travel services, fuel, housing rents, electricity, services (postal, etc.), and of the 25 percent increase in the wages of agricultural enterprises, pensions, and the 18 percent increase in assistance. We are deeply indignant at the President’s promises made before and on the eve of New Year 1993, and at the Government’s contrary actions! With these prices rising to stratospheric levels, and with minimum pensions and assistance, there can be no talk whatsoever of a human life. Such actions are contrary to all logic and drive the people into unprecedented poverty and the nation toward ruin, opening the way to disintegration, anarchy, and the complete destabilization of the country. Such actions lead to adventurism and a loss of confidence in the leadership of the Democratic Government. We remind you, gentlemen, that a 25 percent increase in pensions does not make any difference at all. To give and take in the other direction, it does not provide anything that could be called a decent human living; it cannot pay one month’s rent for the home that the respected President showed us in the skies, along with the New Year’s greeting for people to enjoy their homes. Honorable gentlemen, We pensioners, who are holding protests on 27 January over this issue, have so far received only a letter from the High Council of Pensions, No. 5/4 2 and 2/12, signed by the head of the insurance office, Mr. Gjergji Jani, which says: «The President of the Republic, Mr. Sali Berisha, received your protest and learned of the concern we raised.» On his behalf, the Council of Ministers was instructed to examine the issue raised, and to send you a response regarding whatever outcome is reached». It seems we received the answer through this decision announced on RTV. Please, we escaped the rain only to fall into hail, storm, and tempest. On this occasion, we, the white-haired people who fought in the National Liberation War and who spent and devoted 50 years on various fronts of work and production in all four corners of the homeland, (Continued on page 4)

We were accustomed to the sound of the drills across Munellë, to the blasts of the deep-level and gallery mines, to the noise of the carts and vehicles transporting copper and timber from underground and aboveground deposits rich in resources. But now it is as if they can no longer be heard. Nobody can say why this is happening. “No one is working”—that is the reason, but they will say it is only a consequence. Beyond that, no one gives you any news. The mine is silent, the miners are silent, while the roads crossing Munellë—the mountain with vast reserves of copper and other resources of national importance—are increasingly deteriorating. Everyone who passes through here whispers to themselves: What is happening? Will these people ever start working, these people whose sweat has long been frozen in the depths of the galleries? We were at the Tuc mine these days. The oldest in Pukë. A mine with a tradition of carrying out every task. How much copper the miners wrested from underground, as one miner put it, only God knows. We had plenty of troubles before, too. The miners were never properly compensated for their labor and sweat, but at least we were not left without work. We were also provided for in the canteens and dormitories. But now? Only the mine guards are scattered around, and nobody else. The flooded mine is being guarded so no one gets into the underground waters and steals some equipment left there when the mine flooded two months ago. In other words, no work is being done. And no one provides for the families in Tuc. Every day they still walk from Tuc to Fushë-Arrëz and back to get their daily bread or some other food. Their line never ends. “Work will resume, the mine will not close, the destructive forces are to blame,” and so on, is repeated even on the television news. But whom should we believe? Reality or lies? The miners are waiting. The galleries flooded with water need cleaning too. A whole mass of workers cannot live on assistance, and some of them have no income at all. Well! How much longer can this go on? FADIL ÇOBA

On 16 January 1993, Peshkopia experienced moving moments, moments worth cementing in writing and on film for history to speak of. «The Second Monism must be won by a broad margin». A dozen and a half vehicles with TR and DI license plates, in a convoy, traveled along the district’s paved roads to take their place first in front of Peshkopia’s stadium (awaiting the helicopter), and later along the city’s main and secondary boulevards... Dozens of people, SHIK agents and SHUAK agents, were bustling about that day, that night, and the next day, lending presence and authority to the great event. The second anniversary of the founding of the Democratic Party branch in the district of Dibër was celebrated. The Speaker of Parliament, Mr. Arbnori, the Minister of Defence, Mr. Zhulali, and the central secretary of the DP, Mr. Dosti, took part in this great event. Other gentlemen from Dibër, Tirana, and beyond also attended. On this occasion, a meeting was organized in the cinema-theatre hall (we do not know whether or not the name «29 November» had been removed). On this occasion, on Saturday and Sunday, the Tirana–Peshkopi and Peshkopi–Tirana air route operated at full capacity. The helicopter made several return trips. The expenses were covered by the Ministry of National Defence from the account «The people’s torn pocket can bear plenty». S. RAKIPI

During this period, they told us that no kind of work had been offered to us.

On 26 January, Tuesday, Parliament discussed several amendments requested by the President of the Republic, Mr. Berisha, to the law on the legal profession. We will not dwell on what was said or what was decided. During this session, MP Dokle, referring to the draft law which says that former State Security officers and their collaborators must not be allowed to work as lawyers, added that SHIK collaborators should also be included when, in their activities, they violate the approved laws and follow us «like shadows». PD MPs reacted. How could SHIK, the PD’s faithful weapon, be following people? That could never happen! Then, extremely indignant, Mr. Spahia stood up and called on Mr. Malasi, who was chairing the session; like an uneducated schoolboy, he shouted at him because he supposedly had not given him the floor. After storming out of the chamber and calming down with a drink in the buffet, Mr. Spahia returned, took the floor and protested in a bass tone against Dokle’s statement: «Do not accuse SHIK, sir, because it does not follow anyone…»! Now a question arises! What special concern does Mr. Spahia have for collaborators? It was not clear! Why was Mr. Ali Spahia so outraged (worries are not good for him)? How does Mr. Spahia know that SHIK does not surveil, follow or eavesdrop on people by telephone—even MPs? Why is he so certain when, despite the high offices he holds, he is not mentioned in SHIK? There is only one possibility… It seems Ali Spahia revealed in Parliament that, as deputy chairman of the Democratic Party, he oversees SHIK, just as Simon Stefani oversaw the Sigurimi, and just as Tomor Doshi oversees the cadres, as does Lenkë Çukol. Keep a good watch over SHIK, Mr. Spahia, or you might catch a cold! Shik-Shik-Java