At the meeting of deputy Genc Ruli with elected representatives in the local government bodies in Gjirokastër. Among other things, he insisted on learning about food and heating supplies. When the subject turned to heating, he expressed surprise: Greek coal hasn’t arrived; it’s much better?! We did not know about the problem of importing coal. In the depths of winter, Gjirokastër was helped with a quantity of coal from Memaliaj, and the problem of municipal heating was eased somewhat. We asked in Tepelenë about the progress of the mines and were told: «With the exception of mine no. 1, which is just about being kept going, the other three are heading toward closure». Memaliaj is closing?! Its coal is the best in the country; it has reserves, it has a tradition. If there is anything that is truly a national asset and source of wealth in the south, it is the coal deposits in Memaliaj, too. The ministry and the government are having difficulties with them, but here they are, going further downhill every day. Gjirokastër is as far from Kakavie as it is from Tepelenë. Why, then, should it take imported coal and help block our own industry?! The Minister of Economy knows these things. We believe the government as a whole knows them too. THANAS DINO

«— O our mini-ministers, may you enjoy your money.» Facts that indict: The year 1992, the year of so many things, the year of hope and disappointment at the same time, will be remembered and will go down in history also for the fact that it gave Albania a government that will be remembered more for its many scandals than for its good works. I know. There are also those who, after reading this paragraph, will say that «Zëri i Popullit» is lying, that it is trying to destabilize the situation (which, according to the government officials, has been stabilized!). Like everyone else, they will rush at you like witless people, and will surely have some statement from the government spokesperson to back them up. But let us not rush. Let us not let our tongues run ahead of our minds. Let us list some facts, judge them calmly, and then speak. — Aleksandër Meksi, a specialist in medieval restoration, was unable to avoid choosing for the government cabinet people whose mentality does not even reach the early Middle Ages. Perhaps it was not in his hands, but it is unforgivable for him to become complicit in such choices, for which the country and the people pay a heavy price. He knows whose hand made the provocative and slander-filled statement when the events in Poliçan took place, but he lacks the courage to denounce a liar, thus becoming a partner in an information scandal. He went to Italy to meet Prime Minister Amato, but the news broadcast in advance by our television and by the disinformation agent Koliqi—the news rightly refuted, since it was a real scandal—gives us the right to suspect his other activities as well. And Mr. Meksi, once again, remained silent. He remained silent when the very least measure that should have been taken was the dismissal of the television director and the head of the relevant editorial department. A scandal, and a particularly remarkable one, was Meksi’s own failure in Italy, because he did not go as Aleksandër, but as Prime Minister of Albania, a country whose government is headed by people who invited the world with the slogan: «We govern—the world helps us». Among his own scandals, Minister Sërrqi is exceptional. Without a doubt, he takes first place. The author of the eavesdropping scandal, the head of the delegation of sexual beings who made a disgrace of themselves right in the middle of America, the main person responsible for the scandal and the failure of Meksi’s visit to Italy, during which even Italy’s foreign minister did not receive him. This half-minister, now typecast as the man of scandals, is chiefly responsible for the uncertain fate of thousands upon thousands of Albanian refugees, who wander around the world without feeling any kind of support from their mother state. And ironically, he continues to be kept in office as Minister of Foreign Affairs by a show of hands. Bashkim Kopliku, the man of night-time operations, just like in Operation «Black Bubble»; the one who sent the police to Poliçan, the one who sent the special police forces to Bulqizë in the middle of the night, the one who ordered dozens upon dozens of illegal searches at midnight; the one who, together with Safet Zhulali, one of the most incapable people in the government cabinet, went flying around in helicopters, laughing at the suffering of the people of Poliçan; the one who swore and vowed that he would crush the heads of criminals and thieves, but later took many of them on at the ministry he runs; is unable to uncover the thieves among his own subordinates who robbed the Durrës community, and is unable to uncover how Hajdin Seidini, the former head of the police in Albania whom he himself sent to Switzerland, took with him the sweat of hundreds of Albanians. And he continues to hold the post of Minister of Public Order and that of Deputy Prime Minister. And what about Safet Zhulali? I believe you know him well, and there is no point in going on. He does honor to the government that keeps him in its ranks. Blerim Çela will never be forgotten by Albanians for his shameful call: «Give your votes even to Slobodan, but never to the Socialist Party»—a scandal he carried further by falsifying signatures for the failed trial. Kudret Çela, the Minister of Justice who is afraid to defend justice. He agrees to remain a minister even when laws emerge that bar him from being even an ordinary lawyer. Dashamir Shehi, the Minister of Emigration, who sent even the few emigrants to Slovenia only to have them sent back again—and others like them are members of the Meksi cabinet, members of the cabinet of scandals. How much longer can this go on?... Only the capable, the honest, the dedicated, the democrats—and not the abusers and profiteers of democracy—will move democracy forward. After all this, let anyone say that «Zëri i Popullit» is lying... ALBAN KOSOVA

On Saturday, Socialist deputies Dritëro Agolli, Prof. Sabit Brokaj and Halil Lala[j] held large meetings in the village of Bushkash in the district of Mat and in the town of Ulzë. At both meetings the deputies said that we are all in difficult circumstances. The government is facing difficulties, they said; parliament has problems, but people have the greatest hardships. That is why we have come to share our troubles and lighten one another’s burdens as much as we can. You surely have criticisms of parliament, of the Socialist parliamentary group, and of the government officials too. As for us, we will reflect on them; as for the others, we will convey them in full, as you ask, and will insist that your voice be heard». The conversations were calm, although at times irritation also surfaced, the result of emotional wounds and a loss of trust from (Continued on page 4)

Observation The people of Shkodër, known for their humor, many years ago, when they saw a very large hole being dug in the middle of their city, right near the entrance to the PTT building, asked: What is this hole for? They received a very witty answer: A bunker-flower is going to be planted. Indeed, bunkers became part of our lives back then, or, as they say, they sprang up before our very eyes. Therefore, after they had become identified with the regime we went through, many people thought it was something serious when a contest was announced in the newspaper «Republika» asking what could be done with these thousands of bunkers all over the country. Little did the poor readers know that the newspaper’s contest would end up as a joke! Today, without having found a solution for the bunkers we inherited, we see that Tirana, like all the other cities in the country, is being re-bunkered. Take a look around our capital; everywhere garages are springing up like mushrooms after rain, endless garages, and countless shacks. Having made use of makeshift means, the owners of these «works», the new creations of the democratic era, have now raised the stakes; they are using

We are more than a hundred families who, for economic reasons, moved during January 1991 and afterward to the state agricultural farms (NB) of Grabian, Çermë, Pluk, etc. We completed the formal registration. We have permanently severed our ties with the places we came from, and have had our military records, cadastral documents, etc. removed. With a few minor exceptions, we were employed until September 1992. From September 1992 until now (February 15, 1993)—that is, for about 160 days—we may have worked for only two periods of fifteen days. They tell us we have been laid off because of the reform. The director of the Grabian NB, Rexhep Murizi, and the elected chairman of the independent trade union, Qemal Buzi, tell us to go back where we came from, because they can do nothing for us. If our fate depends on these people, then let us go hungry. But we know we cannot expect director Rexhepi to solve our plight, since all he thinks about is how to enrich himself. While we go hungry and wander from office to office, this director is pleased with his nine cows, stolen from the farm’s stables. At present we are unemployed. What is to become of us, brothers?! A joint enterprise with an Italian firm is to be established on the basis of the Grabian NB, where 800 workers will be employed. Those selected are mainly local workers or people who arrived before 1991. That means we can finally forget about getting work. But we and our children have the right to live. Help us live! EITHER GIVE US WORK, OR GIVE US LAND. We are Albanians too. Nexhip Mullai, Besim Rika, Xhafer Alika, Lulzim Meçe. Note: About 130 people, mainly from Grabian and Çermë, came to Tirana yesterday to complain at government offices. Without bread and out in the cold, these unfortunate people spent the cold February night. THE EDITORIAL OFFICE

More than a year ago, the idea was put forward and efforts were made to organize an All-Albanian Assembly for national reconciliation and unity. The initiating commission for this gathering, made up of distinguished intellectuals, was formed and re-formed. Its co-chairs were the much-admired Albanian academic Rexhep Qosja, the well-known writer Ismail Kadare, and the writer Prof. Teki Dervishi. But just as our hearts had begun to warm with hope for the successful progress of this historic assembly, it was “sunk,” and the great patriotic idea of national reconciliation and unity was “frozen.” It is now publicly known who did this. Our President also played a role in this “freezing.” Under the difficult domestic circumstances and those of monist Albania, which had not yet been fully defined, there could have been no worse disservice to our national cause than this counteraction. Likewise, given the country’s external circumstances, when Millosheviç’s neofascist chauvinist forces have gone completely berserk, threatening not only Kosovo but also peace in Albania, the Balkans, and Europe, no action could have been twice as harmful to our national cause. And this grievous disservice, with incalculable consequences, continues to this day. It is clear that this “perpetrated” act, according to the logic of two parallel lines that can meet only at infinity, is impossible. But can this issue be left to spontaneity to be realized at infinity? Naturally not. Our history has taught us that this must be put in order today, with today’s motto: Now or never. So why has it been “frozen,” and how and when will it be “thawed” and realized? When we speak of national reconciliation and unity, the relevant passions and subjective individual viewpoints are presumed to be set aside. Naturally, the various services have their own character and concern the general interests of the nation. These services belong to groups of individuals. Only by weighing this freedom and through mediation can what the nation promises be achieved. Therefore, from the perspective of monism, which denies the past, in today’s democracy… From the perspective of a pro-

According to well-informed sources, we learn that drug dealing is taking place in Tirana. In recent days, specific individuals (identified by first and last name) have been caught, detained, and then released on the pretext that the drug (cocaine) was “expired.” We also learn that the person who reported the drug dealers to the law-enforcement authorities altered his car’s license plate out of fear that the organizers of this trafficking might attack him. We would like to ask the following questions: 1. Who released the drug dealers? 2. Has this corruption reached the senior officials of the Ministry of Public Order? Finally. A. Ç.

With the good intention of informing readers about the efforts of Tirana Municipality to address people’s problems, this summer the editorial staff of the newspaper «Zëri i popullit» planned to interview the Mayor, Mr. Sali Kelmendi. However, it seems that Mr. Kelmendi is very busy. Through his secretary, he instructed that our questions be answered either by his deputy or by the Municipal Secretary. Mr. Sali Kelmendi may take offense, but the editorial staff will not carry out his instruction. The questions we would have asked him in the interview are therefore sent to him through the newspaper, as follows: 1. During the election campaign for the July 26 elections, you made many promises to your new constituents. Do you think you have kept your word? 2. Is there any hope for employment and housing? What have you done about people’s problems? 3. Does it not seem to you that Tirana, the capital, has turned into a rubbish heap? What position is the Municipality taking in the face of this situation? 4. There is talk of the government obstructing local government. Do you think this fact makes you bear an undeserved responsibility in the eyes of the citizens? 5. In these circumstances, cases of corruption in the privatization process, allocation of land, etc., have been identified. What is your opinion? 6. Do you have incompetent employees? If so, who brought them in, and will you be unable to remove them? Those were the questions. Since, as we all know, he is a man of his word, let him take the trouble to answer our questions directly, and not through intermediaries. THE EDITORIAL STAFF

«LOOK AT YOURSELF—IT MATTERS FOR THE PARTY TOO» by dr. Servet Pëllumbi, deputy chairman of the Socialist Party

palli He knows who made the provocative and cover-

Italy’s increase

Sëjmiçëve who puts into … … taking with them the sweat of hundreds of Albanians.

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