- Thousands and thousands more sign the petition for the release of the chairman of the Socialist Party FATOS NANO - The mountains of Skrapar resound. Death to fascism! Freedom Democracy The mountains of Skrapar resound. Death to fascism! Freedom Democracy -45 in 5o Rrëshen, Peshkopi, Naum, Fier, Vlorë, Tirana hundreds of citizens, for one of hundreds of no- -19 June [?], according to a predi script from Parma- -35 in 9 Pogradec, six voices from the students, around 5o- -57 in 9 Tirana, joyfully with lots. Nothing exists and no road does alarm- Monika Kryemadhi, Bashkim Fino, Vangjel Sinanaj, Petro Koçi, Servet Pëllumbi, Skënder Gjinushi, Fatos Nano, Pjetër Arbnori, the final fragments, the borders of dictatorship. FREEDOM DEMOCRACY

Message of solidarity Sisters and brothers Before 24 hours had even passed, brutality reached a justifiable level, I am with you. The shutdown of most of the work is nowhere an anti-state or anti-national act. On the contrary, for the uninterrupted and normal functioning of enterprises to be restored, it is vital to free the country from the destructive adventure of the Meksi government's “reform”. To root out poverty and insecurity. To heal the pain of hopelessness. To restore a climate of understanding and honest human relations. To open the way for a true economic and democratic rebirth in Albania. The cooperation of all left, center, and democratic right forces in Albania is more than necessary. The present suffering of the capital must be joined by the popular uprising of all strata, of every region and city of the country, against the new anti-popular policy. The demands for work, bread, peace, and hope are just. Equally just is peaceful protest by the most democratic means in Albania even after the strike has ended. Our goal is clear: no revenge, no persecution, no bloodshed, no civil war. Only dialogue, understanding, truth, and justice. TIRANA I read your notice with na- The 6-0-year anniversary of the Mukje Conference. President of the Republic Mr. Sali Berisha

Declaration by the Secretary General of the Central Committee of PASOK Agis Cohaxopullos Regarding the arrest and police surveillance of the Socialist Party's chairman Fatos Nano by the Albanian government, the Secretary General of the Socialist Party of Greece PASOK, Agis COHAXOPULLOS, made the following statement to the press: “Government actions and repressive measures are further proof of the isolation of the ruling party in Albania and, in particular in Tirana, from the opposition political forces. This policy of exclusion and confrontation is trying to create in Albania a tense environment with serious consequences for political life and the democratic institutions of Albania. Acting suddenly, the Meksi government, under political pressure, is trying to prevent any possibility of dialogue and cooperation for overcoming the serious political and social situation in the neighboring country. The chairman of the Socialist Party of Albania, Fatos Nano, and all political prisoners must be released immediately. Police persecution and the democratization of the country without the aid of the democratic process and free pluralism are becoming impossible. The union of all social and political forces of the country in a strong effort to respond positively to the movements of citizens in order to make and give the government a chance to act politically is the only way to lead the country out of this crisis. PASOK

The square in front of the House of Culture, which some 5-6 years ago formed a central tribune and gathered thousands of young people in Albania, the Social-Democratic League, has taken back its function, indeed in a spontaneous and completely different way. Mixed with women, men and children, hundreds upon hundreds of Skrapar residents, with tear-filled eyes fixed on the city podium, listened one after another to the speakers who went up and down the tribune. Where we thought even speech would have been removed, very young boys and girls and mature men, with anger and courage, openly defying threats of revenge, spoke freely before thousands of listeners eager to hear the truth. No one was holding the crowd by force. It kept growing. It was clear they had come for one purpose: to support the protest and join the revolt. One could sense a kind of new season, a new political environment, similar to those created by the opposition at its beginnings four years ago. This was the first time in these 4-5 days that the speeches were given one after another by ordinary demonstrators, not by the politicians and intellectuals themselves. The time of the orators may have passed. The time of the masses, of gatherings, of words that come from the heart, has arrived. In such a square, while Marko Belba from the village of Prishtë was speaking, an anonymous participant made such a comparison: “They came down from the tribune, and now the time has come for the tribune to come down to the people.” It was well said. In the town of Çorovoda, the tribune has come down to the people. And the square has become a tribune. (continued on page 2)

The mountains of Skrapar resound. Death to fascism! Freedom Democracy About 15,000 inhabitants of the Skrapar district have gathered again, they have assembled in the center of Çorovoda, traffic has been blocked, telephone communication for the district with other districts of the country has been completely interrupted for about 40 minutes, while long lines of demonstrators have set out toward the Kulmak pass. This is the scene of the next demonstration in Skrapar, the district that has been almost completely engulfed by the fire of popular protest against the arrest of the chairman of the Socialist Party, Fatos Nano. According to the words of a foreign journalist, what has happened these days in Skrapar is unprecedented in Albania, both in terms of the level of participation by the demonstrators and the content of this protest. Not by chance, the numerous citizens of this district are calling this protest “a mini democratic overturn”. In yesterday's demonstration, completely unheard-of political and anti-government slogans were articulated and displayed, slogans that had previously been considered “taboo” as long as the tradition of solid voting for the left was maintained and, as a result, this area was called “very red”. Together with the cries “Nano-Hero”, “Down with dictatorship”, “Freedom-Democracy”, “Fatos Nano, prime minister”, “Solidarity with the victims of the government”, “Down with fascism”, “Berisha-Nazi”, “Berisha-dictator”, etc., for the first time in Skrapar the slogans “Down with Berisha”, “Socialist government”, “Tepelenë-Skrapar-Berat together”, etc. were also raised. It can be stated with certainty that at least 8,000-10,000 of yesterday's demonstrators came from almost all the villages of Skrapar. It is enough to say that even entire neighborhoods of the town such as “Lilo”, “Pishtari”, “5 shtatori”, “Dëshmorët”, etc. took part with their residents almost without exception. Such a fact clearly recalls the demonstration of February 20, 1991, in which thousands of residents of Tirana took part. The demonstrators yesterday even took the symbolism of the protest further. In the middle of yesterday's demonstration, they sent flags and placards toward “Qafa e Kulmakut”. According to eyewitnesses, the crowd of demonstrators was furious and determined not to retreat. At the head of the column stood the elderly and the young, women and men, while the cries “Down with the political police”, “Fatos Nano is innocent”, “Death to fascism”, etc. were heard continuously. (continued on page 2)

Kukës The PD-inspired police scenario failed shamefully in the city of Kukës Republic II. In Kukës, despite the signs and anti-government slogans, the majority of the town's population had broken out into demonstrations against the authorities. Together with pensioners, students, teachers, women, about 100 people from the city, labelled as “hostile elements” by the Meksi government, had lined up in a long row in the center of the city with many placards carrying calls such as “Down with Berisha”, “Freedom democracy”, “Down with dictatorship”, “Free Fatos Nano”, “Berisha enemy of the people”, etc. According to sources from our journalist, police and special forces intervened around 10:00 to disperse the demonstrators by force. However, instead of retreating, the angry crowd grew even larger and burst into powerful chants against the police. The gathered citizens urgently demanded the release of Fatos Nano and expressed open solidarity with the pro- testers in other cities. In the end of this attempt, the police scenario failed and the city of Kukës remained under the moral control of the demonstrators. (continued on page 2)

President of the Republic Mr. Sali Berisha President of the Republic Mr. Sali Berisha