140 families living in the Levan-Fier Agricultural Enterprise, having moved there from various parts of the country, write to: the President of the Republic, Mr. SALI BERISHA - 140 families living in the Levan-Fier Agricultural Enterprise, having moved there from various parts of the country, write to: The President of the Republic, Mr. SALI BERISHA The Presidium of the People’s Assembly, Mr. PJETËR ARBNORI - The parliamentary groups, Messrs Ali Spahia, Namik Dokle, A. Imami, K. Mikalajdhi, M. Çeliku. - The Council of Ministers, Mr. ALEKSANDËR MEKSI. We who are writing to you are 140 families, with more than 1,200 people, who have been living with residence permits in the Levan-Fier Agricultural Enterprise since 1991–92. Some of these families have lived in this enterprise since 1990, but because of bureaucratic procedures, residence permits were issued late, causing the deadline set by the law on land distribution to pass. Our economic circumstances; having no land, the families’ return to their old homes, and having no land because part of it was taken by the level of Lake Fierza, have forced us to come together today (Continued on page 4)

- This shows that every day he is making ever-greater concessions to the extremist Balli Kombëtar wing in the Democratic Party. Could it be that he owes them something? - You citizens who have bought plots of land from the state after 1 January 1991 for building homes or business premises are being forced to return them to the former owner. The state breaks its contract with you; the state betrays your trust. But you can appeal to God. - You thousands of citizens who live in state-owned buildings that were formerly private property are at the mercy of the former owner, whom the law protects. He is protected by the law, the Democratic Party’s law, while the state is not capable of providing you with a home and instead leaves you “unlimited initiative” to solve the problem yourselves, by your own efforts. Have pity on this state that does not know what it is doing. - You new merchants who have bought premises from the state will become co-owners with the former owner of the land. If this “co-ownership” bothers you, and the state has taken every measure to make your co-ownership invisible through the high rents it has set for you to pay to the former owner, then simply sell the premises to him and be rid once and for all of the pressure. It will be the former owner’s good fortune if, instead of an official, he gets a first-class business premises in which you new merchants have invested millions. - Do you believe the properties of former collaborators with the Nazi-fascist occupiers will not be returned to them, as stipulated by law? You can see that they are being rehabilitated every day by the Democratic Party and Roqi of television. - Farmers, you were given land under the Socialist Party’s program, according to the People’s Assembly law adopted by consensus. The law on the return and compensation of property is a “Trojan horse” that threatens your land, your only means of livelihood in the countryside. Avoid provocations and enjoy the land you deserve, because it belongs to you who work it. The Albanian Parliament approved the law on the «Return and Compensation of Owners» on the day of «Black Thursday». As was made known, compensation of owners» late on Thursday. However, Albanian television (which is located in a gallery in the hall) was unable to report that night that all the articles of this law had been approved. Thus, it remained silent, leaving nearly 40,000 free private traders affected by this law in anxious suspense. But, at the same time, Albanian television did not remain silent. It reported an extraordinary basketball dunk scored by a young American during a basketball game. «This is America of surprises» — the TV announcer said. He also stressed that today the day of «Black Thursday» had been celebrated in grand style by Orthodox believers. Thus, according to the religious calendar, the Albanian Parliament approved a «black law» on «Black Thursday». The «cold war» has begun; the exhumed fossils, after 47 years, alongside «the living». As we learned in the hall of the «Internacional» Hotel—where the «free private traders» spent hours yesterday—the «fossils», whom they identify as the former expropriated owners, appeared by their shops. Each of them «held in their hand a yellowed paper which, to them, was a title deed. On the other hand, today’s shop owners also showed their title deeds, which naturally were not yellowed, and which were deeds of pro- (Continued on page 4)

What you will read in upcoming issues The Democratic Party and its government in a whirlpool of scandals - The Parliamentary Commission investigating the banking scandal over the disappearance of 1,600,000 dollars continues its work - Who is at the top of the dome? To whom did Arsidi give the dollars? What happened to these dollars? How many were used in the 22 March election campaign by a party of ma- The State’s [official] (“for health reasons”) has asked Parliament to resign. What is the real reason?! - The minister plus a little extra, B... big, and how much ended up in the pockets of the blue dome? - - How are the judicial authorities following up this matter? - - What connection is there between the visit of Governor Ilir Hoti and Mr. Agim Bendo to Paris? 1. Is President Berisha involved in this scandal or not? 2. Who is behind the joint Italo-Albanian bank? - Will the land in Vrionës and elsewhere be put up as capital for this bank? 3. Were the 10,000 dollars missing from the arms trade conducted by the Meksi government returned to the Bank? And how, and who brought them back? 4. Our customs offices are corrupt. - The embargo continues to be violated. - State officials and senior Ministry of Public Order officials are intervening to facilitate the passage of goods without customs clearance. 5. It is said that one of the deputy chairmen of the State Planning Commission the real reason?! - Does the minister plus a little extra, Blerim Çela, have links to private companies and the SME Bank? 6. Did the Democratic Party receive 700,000 dollars from the Kosovo LDK, headquartered in Switzerland? Who received it, and what were these so-called “American aid” funds used for? 8. Why is the Democratic Party submitting to Balli Kombëtar? - Could it be connected to the 900,000 dollars that, it is said, the Balli Kombëtar diaspora in the USA gave the Democratic Party for the 22 March elections? Who received it, and how was it used? 9. Is the dismissal of Minister Osman Shehu connected to the dispatch of around 45 citizens of Kukës to Germany as emigrants? Where does the corruption in this matter lie? We will inform you about these and other deeds of the Democratic Party and its government in upcoming issues, through opinions and facts. The editorial board will interview figures from the Democratic Party and its government.

The day before yesterday afternoon, a delegation of the Albanian Free Private Traders Association, headed by Mr. Qirjako Noti, requested a meeting with the President of the Republic, Mr. Sali Berisha. After a long wait, President Berisha “sent” a curt “no” through his secretary. Following this action by President Berisha, the delegation decided and sent him a telegram, much to the good fortune of ATSH journalists (who, as Radio Tirana reported, have been dispersed around Tirana; there are shops open). Mr. Qirjako Noti explains that these are “shops that have been rented out to third parties, mainly foreign companies, as well as shops taken by former owners, which are not affected by this law. Mr. Noti told his ... members that even though the president signed the law, we will not Noto Sali Berisha. After waiting for a long time, President Berisha «ordered» that a «no» be conveyed delegation decided to send Mr. Berisha a telegram. Thus, the only way to communicate with the President of the Republic was by telegram. The Ministry of Public Order says «no» to the «Free Private Traders» association. Yesterday, by means of an official letter, the Ministry of Public Order rejected the request by the Albanian «Free Private Traders» association to hold a protest on Monday. The «secret» argument given by the minister and Major Tonin Vocaj (whose signature appears at the bottom of the letter) was the coexistence of the «Orthodox Easter» holiday and the fact that the police were occupied with other duties. According to the «secret recommendation», the protest could be postponed until after April 25. - The strike by free private traders in Tirana continues for the third consecutive day. For the third consecutive day, Tirana’s free private traders are keeping their shops closed in protest against the Law on the Return and Compensation of Property. Thus, shops on Durrës Street, the road leading to the railway station, and in other parts of Tirana remain closed. Along with the iron bars, the wooden signs also stand stoically, showing every passer-by that their owners are on strike. Nevertheless, in various parts of Tirana, to keep their shops closed until death. - The Albanian «Free Private Traders» association will appeal to the Constitutional Court. - Yesterday, the chairman of the «Free Private Traders» association declared before the free private traders gathered at the «Internacional» Hotel that we will appeal to the Constitutional Court to examine the fairness of the law on the «Return and Compensation of Property».

A modern veterinary complex will soon begin operating in Elbasan. It will be the result of cooperation between the Elbasan Veterinary Association and a similar Norwegian association. Meanwhile, equipment from Norway has arrived for this purpose and its installation is continuing at the designated premises. In a word, the complex will have a veterinary clinic where examinations and surgical procedures on animals will be carried out using modern methods. Its laboratory facilities will consist of a laboratory for inspecting foodstuffs and animal by-products, another laboratory for detecting infectious and parasitic diseases, and a further laboratory for the artificial insemination (breeding) of animals using biological material brought from Norway. At the beginning of the complex’s operation, six local specialists who will work there will be joined by six Norwegian specialists. Later, the Elbasan specialists will have the opportunity to receive training, including abroad, at specified intervals. Perhaps the most important aspect of this cooperation will be the establishment of an experimental livestock farm. It will be based at the Cërrik Agricultural Enterprise. Around 50 hectares of land will be available to it, where specialists from the former Cërrik farm and Norwegian specialists will work together. This livestock farm will mainly focus on raising cattle. Perhaps this farm (and we hope another one will follow) will remind the residents of Elbasan and Cërrik of the season of cow’s milk, forgotten for years now. And small children may finally learn that besides powdered milk there is also fresh milk. Fresh milk. Cow’s milk. SEJDIN CEKANI

The Albanian Parliament approved the law on the «Return and Compensation of Owners» on the day of «Black Thursday».

THE LAW ON THE RETURN AND COMPENSATION OF FORMER OWNERS’ PROPERTIES