The only achievement of today’s state in the economy is devising and collecting taxes On the one hand, it promises part of the population that it will compensate them for the increased price of bread; on the other, the government is robbing the people by raising taxes From now on, we will also pay customs duties on food products and raw materials brought in by the producers themselves - The only achievement of today’s state in the economy is devising and collecting taxes - On the one hand, it promises part of the population that it will compensate them for the increased price of bread; on the other, the government is robbing the people by raising taxes - From now on, we will also pay customs duties on food products and raw materials brought in by the producers themselves When Helmut Kohl was asked a few days ago about the results of the latest meeting of the seven most developed countries, he replied prudently: “We should not raise people’s false hopes about things we are unable to deliver.” What did the leaders of the Democratic Party not say and promise before coming to power? It may seem strange to you, but when I was in Cakran, Fier, a week ago, I learned that one man—Ber’sha himself—had vowed that if the PD won, “18 banks would be set up in Cakran!” And here we are now... This is the third time in a very short period that the PD parliament has tried to add an even greater burden of taxes onto the Albanian people. Yesterday, a package of six laws was presented and discussed in parliament for this purpose, “taking the easiest route: fleecing the people by raising taxes.” Some time ago, Baleta said, people stopped us in the street and asked: “Is the price of bread going to go up?” “Nooo,” we replied; “that’s a rumor spread by those who don’t wish us well.” Now look how the price of bread has gone up, and how other prices will rise too, because taxes will increase. Baleta could not have expressed the essence of the problem better. The government told the people that the increase in the price of bread would be compensated. That required money, which the World Bank was supposed to provide. As Hajdari stated in Parliament, it did not provide this money. The only salvation in this situation would be the state budget, but the PD state has not a penny in its wretched budget. Now let John Megow come to their aid, if they are friends with him. So what should be done? The government’s proposal, which Ruli is asking parliament to approve, is not to require foreign investors who want to take their profits out of the country to pay 10 percent of those profits to the Albanian State. Ruli justifies removing this provision from the existing law by saying that, since there have been no investments so far, our state has gained nothing. Deputy Gina disagrees with this reasoning and says that if there are no foreign investors, what is making the government so eager to propose removing the 10 percent? Perhaps some foreign company has an interest in removing this 10 percent so it can draw investments from us. Gina’s reasoning is sound, but he does not know that we are not all the same. It is strange that among such a multitude of problems, Kopliku is most concerned by abolishing the 10 percent levy on investors who transfer... money out of Albania! Throughout the discussion, what stood out was Minister Ruli’s stance: sometimes delving into details and technicalities, sometimes speaking in general terms, he tried to evade the heart of the problem. The heart of it is this: through its many taxes and duties, the PD government is sucking the blood of the people. The expression “sucking the blood of the people” is, of course, figurative. I clarify this because I know that the government itself is intent on developing Albania, but it is certainly quite capable of putting its opponents in prison, as it did with Idajet Beqiri two days ago. ago. ... chairman of the central strike committee ... They were waiting for a meeting with Mr. Koplik, from whom they had received no notice. The main demand of the workers in this sector is the fulfillment and ... is the fulfillment and ... Here is where we are now... For the third time in a very short period, the PD parliament is trying every which way to add even more to the tax burden on the Albanian people. This is why a package of 6 laws concerning the fiscal system was presented and discussed in parliament. “We have been discussing anxiously for 2 days,” said MP E. Hba. “The problem is very important. The question is whether our economy will run on taxes alone or whether it will begin to function as a real economy. In the propaganda before the elections,” he continued, “we said that if we came to power, you would see investments pouring in.” Together with Heba, we too asked: Where are these investments? “The number of serious foreign investments made so far is smaller than the fingers on one hand,” said minister Genc Ruli. In fact, Albania today is a country without an economy. “You are the minister of economy and finance,” MP Gina said to minister Ruli, “but nothing is being done for the economy.” Under these circumstances, the government has opted to have 18 banks established» the government has opted to have 18 banks established» Here is where we are now... The World Bank was supposed to provide it. money. The only salvation in this case would have been the state budget, but the PD state has a completely empty budget, poor thing. Now let Xhon Megou So what should be done? Come on, let’s raise the taxes once again; the people won’t say anything to us. The Albanian people are a brave and patriotic people; they did not give us 70 percent of the votes on 22 March for nothing. It is this love for the people that drives the PD government to decide to raise taxes on goods coming from abroad, impose an additional tax on every imported good, and levy taxes on food products and on the raw materials brought in by the producers themselves, which until now were imported tax-free. These measures lead directly to an immediate rise in prices and the cost of living. MP Peshkëpia said that the government wants to close the budget deficit by attacking the only sector that is functioning—trade. He also said that these measures cannot be taken in the middle of the year because the contracts were signed in January. An important decision that has BEQIR SKRELI would be established» government has opted to have 18 banks established» The World Bank was supposed to provide it. empty budget, poor thing. Now let Xhon Megou SKRELI Where is the PD government heading? How high are the taxes?

- 300 legal shacks, 700 illegal ones - The policy of continuity: From bunkers to shacks In the center of Tirana. In front of the Bank’s headquarters, on an area no larger than 100 m², there are 10 shacks. On its other side, 4 shacks stand in a row. There are 5 shacks in front of Republic Cinema, and 2 opposite them, with 3 more beside them in the former “Progress” garden. In Rinia Park, near its entrance, 7 shacks stand next to one another on an area of about 80 m². On the other side of the park are 6 more shacks, including the luxurious “Kafe Stil.” Also in Rinia Park, opposite Hotel Dajti, there is another shack, “KS Tirana,” and beyond it 3 more, including another luxurious establishment, “Kafe Bar Kumanova.” Continuing along both sides of “Dëshmorët e Kombit” Boulevard, by the Frashëri brothers, there is a shack where the American flag, together with the Albanian one, makes its presence felt alongside the three brothers. In the garden beside the Prime Minister’s Office are 3 shacks in a row, offering the prime minister coffee or oranges. On the other side of the Palace of Congresses, opposite the Presidency, there is another shack, and opposite the latter (the Presidency) there is yet another shack. Opposite the Palace of Culture (on the clock side) are four shacks in a row. In front of Hotel Tirana there is a shack adapted into a travel agency; at the other end there is another shack, and on the other side (opposite the museum) are 4 shacks in a row serving as travel and passenger agencies, cigarette sellers, etc. So much for the most prestigious setting in Tirana, its center and main boulevards. How many shacks are there in the outskirts? And in Tirana’s other gardens? A figure from well-informed sources is 300 shacks approved by the urban-planning section of Tirana Municipality just a week ago. Another 700 illegal shacks have been put up everywhere. Indeed, even those 300 shacks approved by the urban-planning section are not located where they were approved, but in places where there is demand. We went to the urban-planning section of Tirana Municipality to confirm the figures above. But from 8:30 until 12:00, the people there—and the notice stuck on the door—indicated that “public reception” takes place after 12:00. But at 12:00, ... Nevertheless, the figures above do not need official confirmation, because they are confirmed by thousands of eyes. This, then, is today’s policy of Tirana Municipality, a policy of continuity from bunkers to shacks, which also demonstrates Tirana Municipality’s greatest achievement, summed up in three letters: BBS—municipality, shacks, and Sali Kelmendi. The latter is (if you didn’t know) the mayor of the shacks. THE OBSERVER

The central strike committee of the electric-power sector, representing the will of 4,500 workers in this vital sector of the economy, is determined to continue the strike until the demands submitted to the government authorities are met. This is because the meeting held the day before yesterday with Deputy Prime Minister Mr. Bashkim Kopliku and the Minister of Mineral and Energy Resources, Mr. Ab-… The proposals presented by Mr. Kopliku do not offer solutions to the problems. Mr. Kopliku mentioned the long-term plans for the economy but told us nothing concrete. His concern was that we end the strike, not that we reach a settlement centered on our solutions.” Since nothing was achieved the night before last with the government representatives, it was agreed that the meeting would continue during the day at 7 in the morning... in the morning. The conclusion of a collective labor agreement, which for them is a guarantee of having a job tomorrow. It seems that they now fear being “thrown” onto the street by “democratic” methods. They are asking for nothing more than the implementation of the law adopted by Parliament, “On Collective Labor Agreements,” No. 7673, dated 17 February 1993. As they informed us yesterday, across the entire electric-power system the first shift did not report for work at

DESCRIPTION In Malësia e Madhe they say that when the morëgjulla fog lies across the Kraja mountains for three mornings in a row, then it will rain. It is not simply a matter of rain falling in summer and increasing the hard-won bread harvest without spending anything. Because a field without water now is a desert without people. And for several days in a row, a thin white mist could be seen on that side, cutting across the mountains like in folk ballads. Then one night the rain came too. It was a golden rain for the following morning, but insufficient for the scorched earth, where even the last of September ... because after this the full summer will set in and everything will dry out, and the degagur, as they say here. So the water cut off the way to go looking, and thus one stayed waiting, in the rain, then and after that ... (Continued from page 4)

CULTURE Yes, at the “Drita” club for writers and intellectuals in Gjirokastër, the day before yesterday, 13 July, the first book by the author and publisher Meto Muhameti was ... The purpose of this first publication by the author is the book “Mjellmat-1 këtu”, financed by the author himself. The publisher himself? Then why gather together? Because we need to come together, to see and discuss things with one another. But it is difficult for us to get together. As for poetry, regardless of the themes it explores, the times are harsh, and it faces them head-on! The market economy, the thirst for profit, money, and the easy passion to be swept along draw other, much finer passions after them. And yet among such passions, poetry is the sacred one of all time. A person or a country that engages with it shows itself to be noble. Gjirokastër showed this too: its writers and literature lovers organized this meeting at a time when few people think about such things. Of the twenty-odd attendees, only seven were writers. They offered wise words and made apt observations. Freedom and poetry go together in this book of lyrics; the old tradition of Albanian literature is visible there, as are folk poetry and the color of the region. The author, too, is visible: he knows what to take from this time, without abusing the feeling for the art of ... The poems and the whole of art will give and give in this new era, in its transitional phase; they will change through contact with society and ... (Continued on page 3)

We are 50 families in the village of Arapaj, which is situated on the low hills opposite the military rest homes on the beach of Durrës. Our main problem at the moment is the lack of drinking water. Despite our persistent efforts over the past two months, the electric water-supply utility in Durrës has taken no measures to provide us with drinking water. Several times the women have ... In contrast to this, that is, to the indifference about providing us with drinking water, stands the insistence of these state-dependent utilities on taking our money. We are not even comforted by the fact that the water reservoir is next to our village, and that it supplies part of Durrës beach as well as the other village, Rrashbull; the latter have even opened the pipes and are irrigating their land. Foreign Italian and German companies have arrived in our village, which is also beside the national road, with their machinery and equipment, but apart from kind words they are bringing us nothing. It is bad enough that we are not being supplied with drinking water, but why are they taking money from our village? A. Rama H. Kacmoll. N. Koxhlin. Xh Kacemol, I. Kacemol, F. Mema, etc., residents of the village of Arapaj-Durrës

Here is where we are now...

IN AUSTRIA: ROUND TABLE ON THE ALBANIAN QUESTION - Academician Rexhep Qosja also takes part - Kosovo’s newspaper “Rilindja,” citing sources from the National Unity Party based in Prishtina, reports that in recent days the Albanian-Austrian Committee, which also includes representatives of UNIKOMB, organized a round table in Austria under the motto: “Albanians in the former Yugoslavia: the risks and the strategy for the future.” At this round table, attended by a large Albanian-Austrian audience, distinguished professors from the universities of Strasbourg and Vienna spoke. From Kosovo, Academician Rexhep Qosja and Azis Abrashi had been invited and delivered papers. On this occasion, among other things, it was established that the Albanian question in the Balkans is one and indivisible, and that a possible outbreak of conflict in Kosovo would have consequences for the entire region. For this reason, more coordinated and better organized activity is needed from all Albanian political entities in Kosovo and beyond, and—more importantly—stronger, more resolute, and more concrete support from the international community. Without this activity and without a just resolution of the Albanian question, it was said at this Round Table, there can be no lasting peace and security in the Balkans.

Tomorrow you will read: HOW 122 MILLION LEKË CAN BE STOLEN FROM THE SWEAT OF THE PEOPLE (Experience of PD-ist privatization in Kuçovë)