A deteriorating situation that fuels crime A few days ago, a shocking and very tragic event took place in the village of Jubë: because of property disputes between the two clans of this village, Muçi and Lala, there had been arguments and tensions, which led to a clash, resulting in three people killed and several injured. Although the investigative authorities have opened a criminal case, so far, regarding this grave event that has deeply shocked public opinion in the Durrës district, the authorities and the Ministry of Public Order have communicated nothing. One might think that, as far as this body is concerned, everything is going smoothly and there are no tensions, even though one of the victims is a police officer. HASAN JUBA

THOUSANDS OF RESIDENTS OF THE CITY AND SURROUNDING VILLAGES CLASHED WITH THE POLICE FOR MORE THAN 5 HOURS, AFTER THEY WERE PREVENTED FROM MEETING THEIR DEPUTY FATOS NANO ON MAY 9, THE DAY OF THE PEOPLES’ VICTORY OVER FASCISM. — “It is no coincidence that we came to commemorate May 9, the day of victory over fascism, in the city of Kuçovë,” deputy Fatos Nano told those present at the meeting organized in the city cinema hall, “because this is a remarkable day in the history of peoples, a day that also embodies the glory of the Albanian people. May 9 can be commemorated in every… ” Tefik Ajazi “I thank you for the welcome you have given me,” Fatos Nano told those present, “because by doing so you show that you are true democrats who do not understand democracy as a quarrel, but as a real opportunity for mutual understanding, for exchanging views for the good of the country. Albanians, regardless of the democratic façade put up by those in power, are not…” [the source text is corrupt] “…accusations that have no basis whatsoever. I am not going to deal with their explanation,” Fatos Nano went on, “because people are able to judge for themselves. Tirana gave those in power its answer with the symbolic rally a few days ago, just as you have given them yours, and are continuing to do so.” Then Dr. Servet Pëllumbi, deputy chairman of the Socialist Party, spoke. He said: “We have come together with the deputy for Kuçovë to fulfill a wish of yours. You have heard about the unrestrained campaign of slander and attacks against Fatos Nano. These are aimed not only at him as a person, but at much more: the [unclear in source] and his patrons seek to divide the Socialist Party, to frighten its members and supporters, which ultimately means eliminating the opposition and destroying…” [the source text is corrupt] “The day of victory over fascism,” he told those present, “appeals to all of us not to forget the tradition of hardworking Kuçovë, honest Kuçovë, democratic Kuçovë. You voted for Fatos Nano and have felt the attacks by those in power very directly. Since they could not surround you with barbed wire, and could not beat all of you, and with the rubber batons held in the hands of our sons, our brothers, who are just as troubled as all of us, but who have bosses at their head who do not think that one day they will answer before the law for the violations of the law they are committing today, they have made up this vile slander to turn you against the deputy you yourselves elected. But rest assured that Fatos Nano and the entire Socialist Party will never part from you, and will never tire of working for you.” Meanwhile, Luan Hajdara said: “Fatos Nano is the deputy for Kuçovë and we are proud of this, because we did not vote only for the Socialist Party, but also for a capable, honest man; we voted for a skilled specialist and an educated intellectual. Perhaps someone wanted Kuçovë to be represented in the Albanian parliament by some Ballist, some former Sigurimi spy, or some…” [the source text is corrupt] As they walked along the city streets, Fatos Nano addressed the police officers. “We have not given you permission to hold a rally,” they replied. “Nobody is holding a rally,” Fatos Nano answered. “We are taking a walk, just as citizens go about their business.” “Get in the car, gentlemen!” ordered a thin civilian sharply, wearing a beige canvas suit and holding a radio in his hand, from which someone ordered: “Surround them with police and do not let them move!” But this was never going to happen. After the meeting… Quite naturally, Fatos Nano and the other deputies accompanying him, together with local government officials—the Chairman of the District Council, the Mayor, and the chairwoman of the Socialist Party District Steering Committee—set out for a walk along the city promenade. But police chiefs had been ordered to prevent the deputy from walking in the city that had elected him. They had been ordered to make the deputies get into the car, and applied pressure to this end, threatening five deputies of the People’s Assembly, the people’s representatives elected to local government bodies, and the two journalists present. “By what right are you asking me to…” [text missing] …with a furious glare, and do not let them move!” The police were quick to respond and formed what is known in police terminology as a cordon, placing Fatos Nano and the twenty others accompanying him in the middle. But the deputies did not obey the police officer’s orders and set off toward a café on the hill, where they went to have coffee. The police followed them too; some of them would not leave, even though the district council chairman ordered their leaders to withdraw the forces because they were acting unlawfully. But the police officer did not obey in this case either. The radios never stopped crackling. The rubber batons were ready. There were countless police vehicles, some without license plates or with Berat plates, such as a minibus with plate BR-94-017 and an ARO with plate BR-94 005. Many police officers had come from Berat and Lushnja, in violation of the law. The “specialist” Ali Shenepremte was also in Kuçovë with cl- [text cut off] LUAN M. RAMA (Continued on page 3) The statement by the spokesperson of the Ministry of Public Order is false. … and dozens of others injured by police beatings. Most of them are children, women and elderly people. Towns or villages of Albania, and also in Kosovo, [the source text is unclear: «se kuopa»] is one of the first schools of the struggle against fascism and dictatorship. The hall where the meeting was held was much too small to accommodate the thousands of people who had heard that Fatos Nano would be holding a meeting and had gathered in the square in front of the cinema. Meeting with them proved impossible, owing to the extremely strict measures taken by the police, which had also been reinforced with additional forces brought in from Berat and Lushnja. According to our conversation with the Chairman of the District Council, who is also the chairman of the museum’s defense headquarters, he had no knowledge of the additional forces, since everything had been done without his approval, in flagrant violation of the law on the powers of local government. The meeting in the cinema hall lasted more than two hours. Those present, among them many members of the Democratic Party, spoke with the chairman of the Socialist Party, who is also the area’s MP, Fatos Nano. They also spoke with MPs Servet Pëllumbi, Sabit Brokaj, Luan Hajdaraga and others. … are so blind that they fail to understand their own bluffs, just as they can never be deceived by the slanderous lies. You have always known how to defend, with blood and sacrifice, your hard work and sweat, just as you have known how to find fair solutions in difficult situations, one of which was March 22 of last year. In many other parts of Albania that we have visited, people express their dissatisfaction with the MPs elected from the ranks of the PD, who no longer even know where the constituency that elected them is. Today’s naïve and incompetent authorities have been seized by panic over the failures they suffer at every turn in their work—failures that, unfortunately, weigh on the people. Therefore, to spread confusion and divert people’s attention from their everyday troubles, they make up all kinds of pretexts… … has elected as chairman. But [he] also says, «you are the ones, you are honest», «through…»; the Socialist Party and things like that will never find the ground they seek among the blerimët. MP Sabit Brokaj spoke about the patriotic, national and democratic traditions of the people of Kuçovë, highlighting the workers’ movements of the 1930s, traditions that have not only not faded, but have been crystallized much more… … shows only one episode from Kuçovë at the end of the 1930s. That film is not broadcast because the «gramophone generals» are sitting cross-legged in the offices of today’s Albanian authorities, while the latter know how to do only one thing very well: their job as gramophones. Many of those present in the hall, after voicing their concerns about the hardships they are going through, strongly emphasized that none of the slander had taken hold among them. — On what grounds do you demand… … the attacks against Fatos Nano, which target not only him personally, but much more. Blerim’s attacks and those of his masters aim to divide the Socialist Party, frighten its members and supporters and, ultimately, eliminate the opposition and destroy democracy. Today’s authorities have spent a full five months writing the accusation you have now heard, which is a complete and utter failure of a slanderous fabrication, spending no small sum but 11 million lekë. Servet Pëllumbi then went on to discuss the childish tactics employed by the authorities to achieve their aims, inventing a split between Fatos Nano and the Party that… According to preliminary figures, which are not final, 17 people were injured and dozens of others suffered injuries from police beatings. Most of them are children, women, and elderly people.

Albania ranks among the countries with the highest number of police officers in the world relative to its population, a Ministry of Public Order employee said the day before yesterday. He did not provide figures, saying, “I do not have accurate information.” However, sources inside and outside the Ministry of Public Order speak of around 28,000 police officers. The official authorities neither confirm nor deny this figure, apparently in order to preserve state secrecy from the Albanian people. Meanwhile, several other facts corroborate the Ministry employee’s statement. For example, the state budget for this ministry, approved by parliament two months ago, showed a marked increase compared with previous years. The Albanian parliament has so far approved seven types of police force, and more are expected to be approved. The blue color of police uniforms is present at almost every turn. The only place where people can find work today is the police. This large increase in the number of police officers is directly proportional to the increase in the number of crimes. While the increase in police numbers is presented as a necessary requirement for maintaining order, it is clear that the Albanian state is taking on the characteristics of a police state. Correspondent of “Zëri i popullit”

The day before yesterday, on May 9, the Committee of Veterans of the National Liberation Anti-Fascist War, in cooperation with the Socialist Party Committee and the Association of the Nation’s Fallen of the Durrës district, organized a commemorative ceremony near the obelisk at the former Nazi-fascist concentration camp in Porto Romano. Veterans and workers took part in this event, as did people who had been held in this infamous camp, members of martyrs’ families, women, young men and young women. To commemorate this significant date, the chairman of the Association of the Nation’s Fallen, Comrade Kurt Zebi, delivered the appropriate remarks. Veteran Haki Kokomani also gave greetings on behalf of the former internees, recalling memories from… (Continued on page 4)

Thieves in Tirana do not spare even the miserable wages of social workers and employees. The theft took place on the night before a holiday, from the cash office of the former Executive Committee in district no. 1 of the capital, on the third floor of the building. This building is 100 meters away and opposite the main Party of Parliament. The police reported the incident as a “break-in” in due course, after the thieves had left. There are no official reports of the amount stolen. Given that the administration of this district is not getting rich, the amount must be considerable. The assistance beneficiary who, for… …days, had been coming every day to collect the money, was instead met with the answer: “Blocked by the police.” It is not known whether the theft was committed by insiders or outside thieves. The possibility of a person who had been improperly placed there also exists. Only one thing is clear: at the former Executive Committee, guard duty is provided by sixty-year-olds, as well as by police and exhausted precinct employees. This makes the theft even more mysterious. Only the illegal Minister of Public Order, Agron Musaraj, can explain this. Correspondent of “Zëri i popullit”

For the best article about the draft law on the press and information media, As announced at the Seminar for Journalists held by the SOROS Foundation in Tirana in February, a competition was also announced for the best articles Journalists from newspapers, RTV, ATSH, freelance journalists, and others took part in the competition. The articles were reviewed by a jury of foreign journalists comprising Bernard Poulet (France), Xhoshua Riedman (USA), and Konstantin Gebert (Poland). Following the announcement of the results by the jury members, the following winners were declared: 1. First prize ($250) — Hamdi Jupe 2. Second prize ($150) — Kreshnik Hashorva 3. Third prize ($100) — Andrea Stefan. SOROS FOUNDATION