ZËRI I POPULLIT, ORGAN OF THE SOCIALIST PARTY OF ALBANIA No. 54 (4 977) 51st year of publication | Thursday, 18 March 1993 PRICE 5 LEK A NEW WAVE OF PURGES IN BERAT AND KUÇOVË DO YOU WANT MORE, MR. PRESIDENT S. BERISHA: «The fundamental criterion for administrative reform must be ability at work... No one should be dismissed from work for political reasons.» Presidential cover and reality... Press conference with journalists. During its year in power, the DP government has carried out a series of politically motivated purges, dismissing people from their jobs. In the name of the fight to «eradicate communism», it is «eradicating» capable civil servants and specialists, and now has also begun «eradicating» workers with socialist convictions. «The fundamental criterion for administrative reform,» President Berisha said at a press conference with journalists a few days ago, from work for political reasons.» We all welcomed this statement. But reality is entirely different. The wave of purges on the basis of party affiliation continues unabated. So we have the right to ask: Is Mr. Sali Berisha’s statement presidential cover, or a temporary opiate...? Reality shows exactly the opposite. Very often, the authorities and the party have been emboldened by the President himself... In the city of Berat, the «electric current» of reform is being discharged onto workers with socialist convictions. N. Musku has been put on social assistance solely because he is the chairman of a PS organization. While socialists are put on assistance and thrown out onto the street because of their beliefs, PD members are getting two jobs apiece. We have written before about Kastriot Orrëzaj holding two jobs, which he continues to do: one at the electric utility and another at the National Bank branch in Kuçovë. Not only that, but at the electric utility, where he is director, his sister is the secretary. Vullnet Zylfyfari had worked for 25 years at the oil factory in Berat. Vullnet is its designer and one of its best specialists. But the PD judges people by their party loyalty and family background. In Vullnet Zylfyfari’s place, his assistant at the oil factory is the son of the Mayor, Mr. Ylli Ruli. These are steps moving at full speed toward a new class war, toward deepening the divide between sons and daughters. I would like to quote Slovak President Vaclav Tharel: «The issue is not to fight real people... I am in favor of a humane approach, not a new wave of purges and an atmosphere of fear.» Fatmira Bano, chairwoman of the PS in Kuçovë, confirmed this new wave of purges to the President at a meeting with several chairmen of district councils and municipalities where the PS had won. President Berisha, F. Bano says, did not know—or pretended not to know—about the PD’s blue bulletin, although we have confirmed its existence from reliable sources. The Kuçovë district council and municipality were won by the PS, and genocide and a wave of purges are being carried out against its people. Where does this policy of the party in power lead? It leads to disintegration, to revenge. Albania today needs understanding and unity, not division and a new class war being legitimized through administrative reform?! To dismiss and denigrate people because their beliefs differ from yours means having no clear understanding of democracy. The new purge campaign is essentially a resurgence of extreme right-wing forces that want to restore their compromised past. We will build Albania together—Democrats, Socialists, Social Democrats, Republicans, etc.—because we are united by being Albanian. The statement was welcomed by everyone. But the reality is quite different. The wave of purges based on political beliefs Mr. Sali Berisha’s statement a cover or declarative rhetoric, or a temporary opiate... Reality shows exactly the opposite. The President himself has often emboldened officials and parties. Thus, following his speech at the last meeting of the PD National Council, where he compared administrative reform with the reform Bill Clinton carried out at the White House, waves of politically motivated purges began in Berat and Kuçovë. Change in the central administration is being pushed through. The PD did the same thing when it took power. And we still call this reform normal. But the radicalization that also involves dismissing workers has nothing in common with Bill Clinton’s administrative reform. The PD government has either misunderstood the President, or the PD has ordered the government to implement its purge platform without hesitation. At the Berat electricity enterprise Vullnet Zyliftari and family background. In place of Vullnet Zyliftari, the municipality sent the son of the mayor, Mr. Ylli Ruli, to the oil factory. While the President asserts that the basic criterion for administrative reform should be professional ability, the opposite is happening in reality. The day after Mr. Berisha’s press conference, more than five workers from the construction materials enterprise in Ura Vajgurore came to the office of the district council chairman, Mr. Nevruz Kafazi. Three of them had been dismissed because they were members of the PS. The President says one thing, while the PD pursues a different policy. A legitimate concern arises: Is the President’s statement a cover, demagoguery, or falsehood?! Because reality shows no understanding; it does not speak of assessing people by their ability, but by their party loyalty. All these heads of the director, his secretary is his sister. Vullnet Zyliftari their party loyalty. All these heads of

- More than 10 percent of the total number of workers receiving social assistance throughout the country belong to this district. More specifically. - More than 10 percent of the total number of workers receiving social assistance throughout the country belong to this district. More specifically: - The number of workers receiving social assistance in this district reaches 32,000. - The social assistance of 1,200 workers expired some time ago. - The assistance of another 2,500 workers expires at the end of this six-month period. - During the second six months, it goes without saying how large the contingent of workers whose assistance will expire will be. We remind the government that Shkodër’s workers once accounted for 10 percent of the country’s total industrial production. Or, to be more specific, the wire and electric-cable factory alone provided more than 30 percent of this district’s export revenue, whereas today it is silent. The entire industrial zone of this city is experiencing the same silence. Well done, government. How very thoughtfully you considered Shkodër!

- Our correspondent asked him about this decision, and he replied - K. Islami: To take part in drafting the first Constitution of a state with a pluralist system is a great honor and a particular satisfaction, but also a heavy responsibility. Recognizing the importance of this matter, last year I agreed to chair the commission for drafting the Constitution, and this year to serve as a member of the Constitutional Commission elected by the second pluralist Parliament. Last year, commendable and extensive work was done, including the very serious involvement of the Council of Europe’s «Democracy through Law» Commission, and as a result the draft Constitution was brought almost to completion; the process was interrupted by the collapse of the Government of Stability and the calling of early elections. This year, in my opinion, there has been no desire to draft the proposal and submit it to Parliament for approval. The main reason is that the majority is currently not confident it can secure its approval by the usual method of «the tyranny of the voting cards», as it does with other laws, because in this case 94 votes are required. For this reason, the work of the Constitutional Commission has been delayed, and there has been no demand for accountability—the main task of the People’s Assembly—by the Assembly. Bearing in mind this lack of willingness and the lack of seriousness and systematic work, I refused to continue participating in a Commission whose activity is completely paralyzed. My apologies to the other colleagues who are members of the Constitutional Commission, for whom I generally have respect for their efforts, but I am convinced that this commission will not manage to submit the Draft Constitution by the new deadline of 16 June 1993, and perhaps ever. I hope I am wrong?

- Class boycott in support of lecturers - Yesterday, according to several reports, students in some courses of the Faculty of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering at the Polytechnic University of Tirana boycotted classes in protest against the dismissal of two lecturers. The lecturers were dismissed for political reasons. This is the students’ protest following those in Kamza, undertaken for the same purpose. However, internal sources report that further dismissals, or purges, of lecturers are being prepared in the political offices of the party in power.

In the clarification given to the newspaper RD by the spokesperson of the Ministry of Public Order regarding the latest and unexpected scandal—the permission, attributed to Bashkim Kopliku, for Greek soldiers to enter the territory of the Republic of Albania—it is reported that measures have been taken to verify whether the Greek newspaper or someone else made the false claim. We inform readers that the material published by the newspaper «24 ORE» was faithfully taken from the newspaper «Elefteros Tipos», that the translation is very accurate, and that a copy of the newspaper in question is now also at the editorial office of «Zëri i popullit». In the statement that Mr. Kopliku himself gave in his own voice to the newspaper of «B.I. B1», he said that he had personally given an interview to the Greek newspaper but had not said what was attributed to him; he himself confirmed that he was disappointed. Meanwhile, it is worth noting the evasiveness of our officials, as well as the Greek government’s unprecedented statement. We believe it is the duty of state bodies to verify this directly with the editorial office of the Greek newspaper, since this concerns not only state irresponsibility, but also the rights and dignity of Albanian emigrants and the territorial integrity of the state itself. Numerous requests have reached our editorial office from the districts asking us to clarify this material from the Greek newspaper; therefore, we will respond promptly by republishing it in full.

(The policemen “guard” them at night, while they are destroyed during the day) The fate of the assets of agricultural enterprises, as a result of the “utterly tangled” laws of the “democratic” government, is now becoming clear: they are heading toward complete destruction. I say destruction because that is what is actually happening; the process is not one of dismantling the former organization and privatizing the enterprises or, at the very least, properly distributing their assets to those entitled to them. There are many facts. Among them, we single out one of the most flagrant: More than 15 hectares of glass greenhouses with heating in Allias, on the road to Tirana, have been subjected to vandalistic destruction. Until two years ago, those greenhouses produced thousands of kilos of fresh vegetables in every season; today they have become a place where “the owl mourns.” Why? Apart from the madness of the officials in charge, there can be no other reason.

For some time now, TVPD and RD have been devoted to “protecting” the Government, using every possible battery and method. Surveys, opinions, interviews, reports on meetings of PD forums, triangular roundtables (?), “send-off” receptions, press-conference articles and other fanfare come to its aid, shower it with praise and “protect” it. Its fame reaches the heavens and the Government basks in the sun. The Ministry of Public Order—its most loyal weapon—keeps watch and protects it... But from whom are they “protecting” the Government?! From the “enemies”! From the socialists, from those who have been purged, from 300,000 people receiving welfare assistance and from thousands of other unemployed people. From those who were lulled and coaxed with promises to emigrate and find work abroad. From the homeless. From the farmers who cannot afford the charges for working their land and hiring a tractor, and have replaced it with a donkey. From intellectuals and pensioners living on symbolic, laughable wages. From those who are not seeing any “benefit” from the Government. From the people. So the Government is being “protected” from the people! The President himself, Mr. Sali Berisha, took it upon himself to protect it. What a fine job of defending it he did at the press conference! As the people say, he went to raise its eyebrows but put out its eyes. He knew nothing about the new job-creation programs, “knew” nothing about the unemployed or the people’s hardships. The Government had not told the President its one little “secret.” The blame lies in between... Let the people endure, let them keep hoping!... Tek Serekët, Koplikët, Zhulalët, Blerimët, tek Qeveria Meksal, Altka kush e mbron...! But the Government is being “protected” from the people...?! A government that people are trying to “protect” from the people has only one way to protect itself: to give way to a government capable of defending itself, a government that will itself protect the people.

After 15 months, half of them in solitary-confinement cells, Nexhmije Hoxha has been admitted to the prison hospital, where she has been for several days. Her health is poor, while she is also awaiting the decision of the Court of Appeal, to which she has appealed, claiming her innocence. Having changed her place of residence, moving from the villa to a cell, Nexhmije Hoxha has now also changed her place of treatment; specifically, she has changed doctors, since she is no longer being cared for by the previous ones, some of whom are involved in politics or have taken up positions.

We have before us a complaint concerning a breach of legality, addressed to Mr. Rexhep Uka, the independent judge of the pasture enterprise in Përmet, in connection with a claim filed against the Ministry of Agriculture and Food. The first document is signed by engineer Jorgo Thomallari, the second by agronomist Dhogjen Cimboku, two of the best-known and most capable specialists in Përmet. By ministerial letter, Uka appointed Dhogjen director on October 30, 1992. But another letter, dated February 16, 1992, without dismissing him, appoints Mr. Andon Vangjeli director. Mr. Vangjeli was the head of the trade unionists; comrade Cimboku is a socialist sympathizer. Law “On State Enterprises,” No. 7582, dated 13.7.1992, is being violated, but never mind: those who contributed to the democratic cause must be supported and given positions. That is how things are at the pasture enterprise, where the militants and the new officials want to have their way without restraint. The socialist and specialist leaves; the trade unionist comes. We have become used to ministers filing lawsuits against citizens. Let us see whether they will get used to lawsuits brought by citizens.

I heard the theoretical and philosophical defense you, respected Mr. President, made of the draft «ON HUMAN RIGHTS». I would not change a comma of what you said, if... 1. - If the axis—the refrain—of your speech, built around the word «freedom», did not resemble the very same refrain you used before and during the 22 March election campaign. Otherwise, repeating this refrain would deserve to be called a «broken record». 2. - If justice is restored for the victims of the purge campaign based on political beliefs, since merely refraining from opening new wounds, as you assured us you would, is not enough! 3. - If you return to and put into practice your Three Great Mottos from when you led yesterday’s opposition: «We are all accomplices», «In democracy there are no losers», «Opponents, but brothers»! FATMIR MUSAI