Peaceful protest in Durrës — From the rally organized last night in the city of Durrës — Peaceful protest in Durrës STOP REPRESSIVE MEASURES, STOP POLITICAL PURGES! WE WANT WORK, WE WANT A MEASURE OF SECURITY FOR THE FUTURE! — From the rally organized last night in the city of Durrës — Around 2,000 residents of the city of Durrës gathered under this slogan for a peaceful protest rally, organized in the sports palace hall by the District Steering Committee of the Socialist Party, together with workers placed on assistance, people unjustly dismissed from their jobs, young people and veterans of the National Liberation War. Also present were Dr. Servet Pëllumbi, deputy chairman of the General Steering Committee of the SP, members of the presidium Arta Dabulla and Dr. Ethem Ruka, and the chairman of the Durrës SP, Bardhyl Agasi. The many difficulties that continue to increase, reforms driven by political prejudice, the constant and unstoppable rise in prices, low wages that make the cost of living ever more expensive, rancor and revanchist fever, and the complete absence of any prospects for the future were the reasons that drove people to gather at the rally, to protest and demand respect for the rights they are entitled to by law in a truly democratic state. “We have gathered here today to protest,” said the young Eurosocialist Gazmend Bizhga, “to express our complete dissatisfaction with the way the political, economic and social reform is being carried out. Our protest is powerful because true democracy does not come through euphoria and make-believe. They say the fall in production has slowed, but that is not true. Not only that, there are no prospects, and none of the government officials can say when the decline might stop. Around 300,000 people are receiving assistance. Others are seeking it. What will be done with them in the future, especially if we bear in mind that for most of them the assistance period is also coming to an end? Instead of lists of people receiving assistance, the government should be thinking about lists of those who will start work. The campaign of dismissals, which is becoming ever more brutal and threatening, is now being justified by those in power by pointing to the changes being made by Clinton’s new American administration. But over there, the principal leaders are changed, not all the employees. They do not replace capable, specialized and qualified people with incapable and uneducated ones. The replacements being made here make the future even darker, because nobody believes that the incapable can plan and build it.” Arta Dabulla and Ethem Ruka also spoke at the meeting, emphasizing the work that must be done to explain and make people understand everything that is happening. Democracy is not consolidated through incompetence Speaking at the rally, Dr. Servet Pëllumbi told those present: “We have come among you to support you in the peaceful and lawful protest you are holding against the government’s policies—a policy that not only disregards the great Albanian people, but has very quickly plunged them into disappointment. We are protesting together with you today because democracy does not come about as we all dreamed it would, and it is not consolidated through incompetence and corruption. You are all witnesses to the anti-democratic actions that have taken place throughout Albania, including in your city, involving the dismissal of people from their jobs and the appointment in their place of the incompetent and the corrupt, solely because they took part in Democratic Party rallies or in the toppling of monuments and busts. We are protesting together with you today,” Servet Pëllumbi said, “because— meet legally in a democratic state of their own. way the political, economic and social reform is unfolding. Our protest is powerful because we see no prospects for the future. The new class struggle being practiced today by those in power is nothing other than the final sign of their failed policy. The workers are the ones suffering most from the burden of the mistakes of the Meksi government’s policies, said Hajro Resuli, taking the floor at the rally, the head— of the government, a policy that not only disregarded the people’s great hope, but very quickly turned it into disappointment. emphasizing the work that must be done to enlighten and persuade people about everything happening in Albania. For this, they said, we must not be afraid: we should also take to the squares, demonstrate, write in the press, and address the government, parliament and the President himself. The leaders of the Socialist Party also answered many questions from those present in the hall. «Zëri i popullit» correspondent

DRITËRO AGOLLI Member of the Presidium of the SPA What I am about to say is also self-criticism on my part. First, I want to say that we must take up the issue at its “roots.” The economic, political and psychological dictatorship seeks to cut the roots thread by thread or tear them out. To uproot them, this dictatorship long ago proclaimed the slogan: “Let us uproot communism.” We socialists understood this slogan as something abstract, as something merely ideological. But the call “Let us uproot communism” was to be put into practice all the way down to the roots. This was an idea, a strategy that would emerge at some point. Now this expression is not heard much, but it can be heard in the roots’ fibres as they are torn out. First, this meant uprooting the National Liberation War, the root of the roots of socialism and its humanist ideals: the root of a part of patriotism and Albanian identity. Second, it meant uprooting the livelihoods and means of livelihood of former communists and socialists, that is, creating assistance primarily for them, removing them from their jobs and clearing the ground. And then the Democraticist bulls—not democrats—could graze and dance. Third, it meant uprooting the tree of the Socialist Party by stripping it of all its nourishing substance. This was the strategy of uprooting planned by the Democratic Party, and it succeeded in carrying out that strategy. The Socialist Party and its supporters—the youth, trade unions, associations and individuals—must understand this. They must place this at the centre of their work and struggle, so as to have a basis from which to move on to defending other issues in the future. Without this at the centre, they will not be able to defend other issues such as economic hardship, rising prices and crime; organizing strikes and demonstrations; protecting and enforcing the laws; addressing the faults and mistakes of those in power; raising their voices for the proper functioning of local government, and so on. If the Socialist Party does not rise up against the DP’s strategy of “uprooting,” the issues mentioned above will not be defended at all. We must fight for the dynamism of the Socialist Party, for setting its entire body in motion, so that all the organs of this body—the brain, heart, lungs, liver, ears, eyes and others, except the appendix, which is useless—function harmoniously. The body of the Socialist Party, with all its organism, is not yet functioning satisfactorily. We must admit this. There have been great achievements, but not all parts of the party organism function harmoniously. These parts must not be subordinated to the appendix, which can be removed. The Presidium and leadership of the Socialist Party are still somewhat sluggish. We have not yet lost our fear, and I do not exclude myself here. We are still afraid of the Democratic Party, of this body that keeps swelling and swelling, spewing vapours from its nostrils and excrement from its relevant organs, shouting through its mouth and howling in newspapers, on radio and television, and so on. These vapours and this excrement pollute the environment and frighten us too; that is why we do not act as we should. Let us say that if we have— (Continues on page 3)

Vacllav Haveli, analyzing the process of transition from communist dictatorship to democracy, or, as he puts it, “From life in a lie” to “Life in truth,” says that a person inevitably undergoes what is called a “crisis of human identity.” According to him, the profound crisis of human identity caused by life in a lie has also manifested its moral aspect; among other things, it is reflected in a profound moral crisis in society. This entirely objective phenomenon is absolutely unavoidable in the phase through which democracy is passing here as well. This crisis has many aspects: moral and material, political and cultural, psychological and social. The communist system, based on social property, brought about human demoralization, the loss of human individuality within the collective, and the breaking of identity in the name of anonymity. People are currently searching for new balances. The emergence from this state is accompanied by psychological traumas in which everyone examines themselves, their social position and their former communist relationships, while seeking to assume new positions. This transition is not so simple. It inevitably causes upheaval for every person. Erih From has said that human nature is neither an unchanging entity with fixed qualities nor an absolutely pliable substance shaped by life’s circumstances, but is a product of historical development. Those who suffered the drama of the identity crisis first and foremost were the people who sincerely, though with equivocation and hesitation, devoted themselves to the “cause of communism,” fully convinced that it would be the order that would bring a happy future to our country. Today they are elderly and— GEZIM TUSHI Chairman of the Socialist Party of Vlorë (Continues on page 2) ral; among other things, it is reflected as a deep moral crisis of the communist society, which is seeking to occupy brings perturbations for every person. Erh From has said that human nature is neither

“STERILE OPERATION ’93” — “We’ll carry out the reform however we want,” says the chief engineer — We found the director and chief engineer of the Bulqiza chrome mines, Gëzim Dauti and Vehbi Musta, in their office, at the head of the operation to completely reform all the mine’s organizational structures. Brought to the senior post of director of all the Bulqiza mines immediately after the model operation organized against the strikers confined in a hunger strike on level 9—an operation carried out with a “flash” in cooperation with the central and district security forces, under the leadership of the DP—Gëzim Dauti holds the “blank cheque” for the purges. The reason for the pencil that makes unchecked cuts in the “blank cheque” is the purging of all socialists from the mine. (Continues on page 2)

Gramsh is one of the areas where the Socialist Party has won at every level. One immediately notices the calm here, the undamaged social and industrial facilities, and that work and activity in them are normal, as everywhere. Gramsh has indeed respected understanding and mutual respect. It had them in the past, and it has them today. This is precisely the source of the good political climate that exists in this district today. It is quite commonplace for socialists, democrats and republicans to get together, have coffee or debate with one another. In the July 26 elections, the SP won in all the communes and municipalities of the district. These facts speak of positive results and of its electorate being in power—not being used for political revenge, but for conveying messages of understanding to the other parties. In offices, enterprises and institutions, in schools and everywhere else, the same people remained at work, even though they represent different political parties. Let them tell us today whether the SP has done the opposite. But what is happening? Surprisingly, the good political climate has lately been accompanied by new political “killings.” Their source is up there, in the Government and the Party that are democratic in name only. The law “On the Functioning of Local Government” is being gravely violated by the prime minister himself, trampling on the people’s free choice. The government’s choice: in Tirana or elsewhere, the people voted for the DP, willingly or unwillingly, so let it govern. In Gramsh, the people trusted the socialists, so let them fulfil their obligations to them. Let this be a test of fairness for the areas where the SP won. Public opinion in Gramsh has been stirred in recent days. Almost all enterprises have been made national and now report directly to the centre. There is nothing wrong with this, since apparently France, Japan, etc. do the same. But people are asking: Who proposes them, who appoints them, and on what professional criteria are the new managers appointed? How can the director of the construction enterprise, Enver Kala, one of the district’s oldest and most capable architects, be removed? He is not a member of any party, but he is capable at his job. According to the government’s logic, it should be the other way around: even if incompetent, a person should be a DP member! Not one of the candidates proposed by the SP for secretary of local government was appointed to the position, even though they all have higher education. They appointed… (Continues on page 2)

— Since no films are being made at the film studio, it’s a wonder they haven’t closed it, said a film lover sadly. — It is closed; the lock is ready, but nobody turns the key. If the government announced this decision, it would be called an “anti-culture government.” It doesn’t want that bad reputation, the other replied. — You’re right, since it tells directors S. Pecani and GJ. Xhuvani to find sponsors wherever they can, because the government gives them money only for salaries (serum). — Ah, those poor filmmakers, rushing back and forth, now to the Koqi company, now to another company. Back and forth they go, scripts in hand. — Fine, the minister, Mr. Anagnosti, kept his word about helping his filmmaking colleagues make films, but at the very least now he has to be a man of his word about what he declared, thumping his chest in front of the filmmakers: “If the Government does not subsidize cinematography, I will resign.” — We’ll see! He usually keeps his word. IRID AVRAMI

Following Betino Kraksi’s resignation, the PSI elected the Party’s new secretary. — The new secretary of the Italian Socialist Party, Xhorxhia Benvenuto, took up his new office and immediately got to work. “I look to the future,” he told reporters. “We must work, while recognizing that there is a past to reflect on, as regards both our positive and negative aspects; but people’s trust must be restored.”

A new poetry book by our distinguished poet DRITËRO AGOLLI Published by the «PROGRESI» Economic Publishing Center Coming soon: “THE BELATED PILGRIM” A new poetry book by our distinguished poet DRITËRO AGOLLI Published by the «PROGRESI» Economic Publishing Center This new poetry book is a synthesis of the 40-year artistic thought of our national poet DRITËRO AGOLLI. In the lines of his poems, readers will find the poet’s reflections on the ancient and recent history of the Albanians; the artist’s commitment to the fate of the people and the nation; and the highest level of artistic expression and poetic thought. The poems in this book are mainly works from the last two years; the poet’s muse was fully galvanized in response to shattering events. They are reflections on the democratic processes sweeping our country, in which the poet has played an active role. But the present also impels the poet to reflect on the past, with a sense of the illusions and disillusions, of the tragedy and utopia of a dream. Thus the poet resembles a belated pilgrim in a caravan crossing the wilderness. The metaphor of this new poetry is the metaphor of illusions and disillusions, accompanied by a sense of shared guilt, but also by the poet’s apology before society for not having been able to tell the whole truth earlier. Nevertheless, the poetry in this book is poetry of optimism, arising from self-knowledge and knowledge of the truth. Soon, the Progresi Economic Publishing Center will place this new book by the poet Dritëro Agolli in readers’ hands. This is the publishing center’s first publication. The book’s reviewers are Ilirian Zhupa and Koçi Petriti.