Protest rally in the town of Ersekë. The chairman of the Socialist Party, FATOS NANO, and Presidium member Maqo Lakrori take part. FATOS NANO REITERATES: «Instead of inventing imaginary external and internal enemies, this incapable government would do well to listen to the voice of a people tired of the adventures of adventurous politicians, the voice of people seeking work and bread, seeking light and water, seeking the possibility of living as free people in their own country. It is this voice that says: THIS GOVERNMENT MUST RESIGN. On Monday afternoon, a peaceful protest rally was held at the “Gramoz” stadium in the town of Ersekë, attended by residents of the district, trade unionists, unemployed workers, intellectuals, women and the elderly. Anyone who was in Ersekë would have thought that this was the very last day suitable for a rally. The very low temperatures, the strong wind and the snow coming from the Gjonç gorge made it difficult even to stand there for a few minutes. In Ersekë there is no sufficiently large indoor place where people can gather. Even the cinema hall that was there is now in ruins, within the shell of the Palace of Culture, whose construction began and was left unfinished … … in defence of the most basic demands of the right to work and bread. These were very strong reasons, reasons connected with their lives, that drove the residents of Ersekë to come out to that rally. They wanted to hear a kind word, a ray of hope—something those who hold power today cannot give them. The rally was held at the stadium. There, amid mud and snow. It seems the police had received their orders from those above them. It was the same scenario as in many other districts: “Don’t let the Socialists into the city centres! Push them to the outskirts! If you can’t, provoke scandals and use violence …” But the people of Kolonjë said: Fine, let the police have the square. … more. Two are too many. That is why the people of Kolonjë feel the need for change immediately. They can never give their vote to the past, to those who have drawn the old, rusty swords of the Balli out of their flesh; that is why they are moving toward the future. On July 26 they voted for the Socialists. But the PD government, arrogantly, does not recognise this legitimate authority and has deliberately blocked its activity. Appointments and dismissals, transfers and reshuffles are carried out by Uran Ballishti and the PD branch, which gathers … people without qualifications, reputation or authority. The speakers talked about all these things; the people of Kolonjë listened to what they feel every day. They spoke of mass assistance and unemployment … … a job. The government has opened no new jobs so far. Amateurism and incompetence are its defining characteristics. Every government always has two alternatives: either take responsibility for the country’s affairs and problems, or leave the stage at once and make way for another government! This alternative applies to this government too. To date, it has shown that it does not think about the people, but only about bringing out from the rulers the old, yellowed title deeds of the former landowners and latifundists. The Socialists say: The right to work and property cannot be denied to everyone else. Today’s Democrats are leaving this country without even a history … let alone writing a new one. And history clearly shows who shed sweat and who created the property. It was the people, and they must be its owners. While supporting the legitimate right to recognition of former property, we demand that this not be done at the expense of the majority. This is possible, as many other countries before us have proved. Today’s Democrats, driven by unrestrained selfishness and profit, seek to try a treacherous path, silencing the voice of protest and obstructing rallies as well. But dictatorship can never return to Albania, not even through all sorts of … … and Gjonji’s [unclear] made it difficult even to stay outside for a few minutes. In Ersekë there is no large indoor venue where people can gather. Even the cinema hall that once stood there is now in ruins within the outline of the Palace of Culture, which began to be built and was left half-finished, like so many other things. But people are no longer impressed by this. They have much greater worries than a Palace of Culture. These are the concerns tied to putting bread on the table, clothing, and providing for themselves and their children. The people of Kolonjë have returned to those distant times when their eyes were turned toward emigration. It is this grave economic and social situation, the lack of prospects and the loss of hope in that government which calls itself democratic, that makes them brave the strong wind, the bitter cold and the snow. These much greater concerns brought the people of Kolonjë out of their homes that day and gathered them together in the “Gramoz” stadium, all together to raise their voices in protest against the arbitrariness of this state, while Socialist Party representatives from several districts of the country meet, at their request, with the President of the Republic, Mr. Sali Berisha. and the snow. The police had apparently Socialists into the city centers! Send them to the outskirts! If you can’t, provoke incidents and use violence as in Fier!” keep watch. They are not to blame. They received those orders, and they are ashamed to treat their fellow citizens this way—those known for their honesty and fairness. This was also the first sign of what many speakers at the rally said about the district: today’s state is proving to be a great usurper of powers. It shows this through its actions and pays no heed to the will of the people expressed through their free vote. The Socialists won in Kolonjë. On March 22, they voted for the Democratic Party, driven by the movement and the desire for change. But disappointment soon took the place of hope. Uran Butka, Kolonjë’s de jure MP, a cadre chief in these times, has become a grotesque figure who is often the butt of jokes among the people of Kolonjë. The distinguished Butka family also had a Ballist in its ranks… and others. They spoke of widespread welfare assistance and equally widespread unemployment; they spoke of illegal and dangerous emigration, not only among the people of Kolonjë but also among others, through many perilous routes. But they wanted someone to tell them what the future would bring. They wanted hope, a light for the future. Everyone’s question was: what will happen, how will things turn out? “The Socialists have their alternative,” said Socialist Party chairman Fatos Nano at the outset of his speech. “We cannot accept that the people’s labor and toil be squandered and go to waste by a handful of incapable people, whose only accomplishment in a year of governing has been to put people out of work for party-political reasons. The Socialist alternative is to revive the economy, get work underway, launch investments, and not dismiss anyone from their job without first opening…” (Continued on page 4)

— The fiscal policy of the Meksi Government will further burden the people. — The people will pay three times as much in taxes and duties as last year. — The increase in taxes will lead to a further rise in prices. — About 125,000 pensioners and 400,000 assistance recipients are threatened with hunger by this increase in taxes and prices. — New Albanian capitalists risk going bankrupt because of competition from foreign goods.

— Proposed by MP Dokle — At the beginning of yesterday’s parliamentary session, the floor was taken by Mr. Namik Dokle, chairman of the Socialist Party group, who made the following statement: «Mr. Speaker! According to the German news agency DPA, RTSH reported that US President Bill Clinton had warned Serbian President Slobodan Milosheviç that America would respond militarily to stop any use of force by the Serbs in Kosovo. This is a very serious and very important statement by the American president, which gives us concrete hope that the United States will play its role in establishing security and peace in the region, and particularly in Kosovo. Therefore, I invite you to welcome this statement by US President Bill Clinton.» After Mr. Dokle, Mr. Pjetër Arbnori took the floor and said: «Both Bush before him and Mr. Clinton have made statements of this kind. This gives us hope for a just resolution of our national question.» Then, speaking on behalf of the PD parliamentary group, Mr. Minga took the floor and stressed: «Mr. Clinton’s statement should be welcomed. But above all, it must be stressed that it was the stance of the Meksi Government and President Berisha that compelled Mr. Clinton to adopt such positions.» The discussion then moved on to the package of draft fiscal laws.

An emergency air shipment of medicines and medical equipment worth 750,000 dollars has arrived in Albania. The United States Agency for International Development stated on February 26 that the shipment was supplied … … worked with representatives of Project Shpresa to identify the country’s most urgent healthcare needs and address them. The project also plans to train Albanians in the storage and efficient use of medicines and medical equipment. It was supplied “to help address the severe shortages this winter.” The Agency reports that its 1-million-dollar assistance to Project Shpresa made it possible to purchase medical equipment, coordinate the shipment to Albania, and supervise the fair distribution of equipment to hospitals throughout the country. The Albanian Minister of Health and a group of three specialists received the DC-8 aircraft, which landed in Tirana, the capital of Albania. The Agency’s representative in Albania most urgent needs in healthcare and meet them. The project also has a plan medicines and medical equipment. The shipment includes antibiotics, heart medicines, vitamins, water, syringes, stethoscopes and other essential equipment. This is not the first shipment from the United States. According to the Agency for International Development, since September 1991 medicines and medical equipment worth 2 million dollars have been sent to Albania through the aforementioned Project Shpresa. Total United States assistance to Albania amounts to more than 63 million dollars. Of this amount, 42 million has been food aid.

— A group of local government leaders and Socialist Party committee members from several districts of the country meet, at their request, with the President of the Republic, Mr. Sali Berisha. SALI BERISHA DECLARES: On Monday, March 1, 1993, the President of the Republic, Mr. Sali Berisha, received a group of heads of local government bodies and Socialist Party committees from several districts of the country, including Fier, Berat, Kukovë, Vlorë, Elbasan, etc. They had requested the meeting in order to make clear to the President of the Republic “the many difficulties faced by local governments because the government does not deal with their problems.” President Berisha thanked those present and expressed his strong desire to meet them not in Tirana but in their respective districts—a wish that has remained unfulfilled to date because of the President’s many duties. Neve Kazaçi, Chairman of the Berat District Council, took the floor and told Berisha that they had thought of speaking with him because many problems had arisen locally due to the failure of the relevant bodies to act in accordance with the law passed by Parliament. “We are working under very difficult conditions, and, worse still, the difficulties keep increasing.” The usurpation of powers by the government, he said, had led to the creation of two authorities, citing as examples the director of agriculture, the education directorate, and the centralisation of powers concerning the NBTs, SMTs and land-reclamation enterprises. — The practice of dual authorities will come to an end. — The purge campaign is contrary to democratic principles. (Continued on page 8)

According to Reuters - ATSH TRIESTE. — Italian officials said on Saturday that they had discovered weapons aboard a Croatian ship that was stopped by Western warships on suspicion of violating the UN embargo against the former Yugoslavia. Police said that a search of the ship «Vela Luka», intercepted in the Adriatic on February 5, revealed that it was carrying rifles and ammunition. Twelve containers have been opened so far, and the search will continue. The Croatian ship, which was sailing from Albania, was stopped a month ago by Western warships as it continued its journey to the northern port of Trieste.