Today is International Workers’ Day. A tragic event in 1878 in Chicago, in the USA, where workers’ protest was stained with their blood, became a symbol of the solidarity of workers throughout the world in demanding their rights to a better life. Many events have taken place since then, and the world has undergone numerous developments. The rapid development of human society through the technical and scientific revolution in democratic countries has greatly increased social conflicts, which previously ended in forms of violence. Consumer society, with its human spirit, has provided solutions to a number of vital problems facing the working masses. Nevertheless, 1 May continues to be commemorated by workers throughout the world as a day of demands and protest for a better life. Since today’s society, even at its most developed stages, cannot meet all the social demands of the various strata of society, the working masses have things to demand in their struggle. Unemployment, rising taxes, ecological problems, etc., are today the social basis of workers’ demands. In developing countries, meanwhile, the problems are more acute. Albania is commemorating this year’s 1 May at the beginning of its democratization. Freed from the pompous parades of a caricature of the years of dictatorship, Albanian workers today are seeking modest opportunities to celebrate their holiday as joyfully as possible. The setting for this holiday is different this year from that of previous years. Luxurious shop windows have increased in the capital and in several other cities. A stream of cars on the roads and young people’s fine clothes are evidence that something positive is happening in Albania, too. But the real lives of Albanian workers today cannot be identified with the shop windows of a few stores. Beneath the gloss, which is nevertheless welcome on a holiday, lie the major social problems that concern Albanian workers today. These are problems suddenly created by objective factors, unavoidable in a transition period such as the one we are going through today. But there are also many problems artificially created by the incompetence of those who govern, or by the mistaken economic policies of the party in power. Unemployment is today the deepest wound in Albanian society. Around 400,000 unemployed people and social-assistance recipients are the clearest evidence of the economic conditions of thousands of Albanian families. The government’s evasion of its responsibility to create employment opportunities for people forces Albanians to seek ways to escape poverty themselves, often putting their lives at risk. The Albanian economy today is supported mainly by the income of Albanian refugees working illegally in other countries, exposed to great dangers. The way national wealth is being divided in the process of privatizing state property is another major concern for workers today. National property is unjustly passing into the hands of a few people, while workers who created this property through their sweat over 45 years see themselves deprived of the right to become owners. The political criteria imposed on the privatization process by the party in power are leaving workers empty-handed. The continual rise in prices and taxes, implemented by the government as its only means of survival, is worsening people’s economic situation and increasing the extreme level of hardship. The rising cost of living is today the main concern of broad sections of the population. Faced with this troubling economic and social situation in the country, it is natural that Albanian May Day should not be merely a family outing. Albanian workers have things to demand on their day. But today they feel divided and betrayed by the trade unions whose duty it is to protect them. Every day there is talk and writing about the division of the unions, their servility and submission to the government, their inability to organize workers, etc. This state of organization among Albanian workers has been brought about through a strategy clearly laid down by today’s authorities, because only in this way can those in power act as they wish, without worrying about workers. This is another deep wound in Albanian society, because the sound organization of workers in their legal organizations is a guarantee for the normal progress of democracy in this country. Given the present condition of Albanian workers, Albanian society will continue to deepen its wounds. The Socialist Party, as a party that defends the interests of the broad masses of people, has been and will always be alongside them in their demands for a truly democratic and humane society. True democracy and a democratic and humane society.

On 5 May, Thursday, at 11:00, the Socialist Party and the Albanian Eurosocialist Youth Forum will organize a commemorative and festive meeting in the main hall of the Palace of Congresses on the occasion of Martyrs’ Day. Families of martyrs, representatives of veterans’ organizations of the National Liberation War, and members of the Socialist Party of Albania (PSSH) and FRESSH from all over Albania will attend. Organizing Committee

- The alibi about his meeting with Romiz Alia is a blatant lie - AGIM TIRANA, Lawyer Gazeta Shqiptare, in its leading article of 26.4.1994, written by Edmond Laci, states that officials of the prisons directorate told it that “it is true that Nano and Alia met secretly several times in the cells of Tirana prison, that their cells on the second floor were almost opposite and very close to one another, and that their first public meeting took place when Nano and Alia [unclear in source] during the hearings in the Nano trial, when on 11 March of this year former president Alia spoke for the first time as a witness in connection with the Italian aid scandal.” In its leading article of 26.4.1994, written by Edmond Laci, Gazeta Shqiptare states that officials of the prisons directorate told it that “it is true that Nano and Alia met secretly several times in the cells of Tirana prison, that their cells on the second floor were almost opposite and very close to one another, and that their first public meeting took place when Nano and Alia [unclear in source] during the hearings in the Nano trial, when on 11 March of this year former president Alia spoke for the first time as a witness in connection with the Italian aid scandal.” In the same article, dated 29.4.1994 and written by Edi Paloka, the newspaper RD states that the justice authorities confirm that “it is absolutely certain that Nano and Alia met. In fact, there is even a photograph of them together in a cell. From prison Nano ordered that the expert who would intervene in his trial be threatened...” These two journalists present false circumstances, while claiming that they confirmed them with officials of the prisons directorate and the justice authorities. Under Article 5 of the Press Law, No. 7756, dated 11 [date as printed], the press “is obliged to verify all news before disseminating it as true, with regard to its accuracy, content and source. And [the text is unclear].” Furthermore, under Article 20, paragraph 2, if “the press publisher commits a violation that constitutes a criminal offense, [the publisher] is criminally liable.” It would have been to the credit of these two newspapers, in applying the Press Law, to issue their own retraction after checking the truth of the information they claim to have received from officials of the prisons directorate and the justice authorities. It is not at all difficult to verify this matter. I am authorized by Mr. Nano to inform the public that he has not yielded for a single second in the face of such illegal actions and the basest provocations; their perpetrators will answer for them very soon. It is not true that meetings took place between Nano and Alia. Nor does any photograph exist (which Gazeta Shqiptare and RD would not hesitate to publish) showing the two of them together, not even in Tirana prison. Their cells are opposite one another. The reinforced security detail assigned to Nano in the corridors around the clock, and his movement in handcuffs accompanied by a guard, make any kind of meeting impossible. The police’s hostile leaders, Mr. Adroti e Shëpremte, Shtylla, Vrioni, etc., have tried in vain to invent things that never happened, particularly the alleged sentencing and detention of guards in the police cells of Laprakë. In this case, the higher authority should examine the legal basis for carrying out these actions, which began immediately after the testimony given by Ramiz Alia in court. It is an indisputable fact that many employees, (Continued on page 2)

Information received by our newsroom from Kelmend, in the district of Malësi e Madhe, reports that one of the past few nights someone placed dynamite in the car of the chairman of Kelmend commune, Gjek Alla. The explosion completely destroyed the car. The blast also caused damage to ...

A report from the mountains of Reç in Dibër The streams of Pëdiste electoral promises have turned the Black Drin into the Blue Drin, caused it to overflow its banks and flood Reç... 1. The Reç road will be asphalted 2. Pumping stations on the Reç Drin Even the moon has dried Reç’s fields. That was how things were, but that is how they will no longer be. From now on, they will not be scorched by the July sun and the August heat. Powerful pumping stations will be installed on the Drin River to irrigate Reç’s fields...

There are 18,000 residents of the communes of Krumë, Fajzë and Gjinaj in the district of Has who have been unable for four months to receive either the “moshen” of the democratic government [unclear in source] or what is called social assistance. These residents have great patience, but the question is: whom are they waiting for—the government or the local authorities? Having received no answer from the district officials, they have appealed to the government. To receive no social assistance in conditions of having no land and none of the things that provide material resources is devastating. But what can these unfortunate residents do? They have tried to find out who is responsible, knocking on door after door, but so far they have not got anything with which to buy even their children’s bread. On the contrary, police officers and state inspectors have appeared before them, who seem to have taken it upon themselves to protect the officials’ chairs. GAFUR MAZREKU

It has been some time that the DP in Durrës has been melting away and melting away... It is suffering, writhing in the fever of a serious illness which, despite the medicines that a certain person who goes by the name of “Durrësi” is trying to give it—with that association called “Durrësi”—apparently they are doing it no good; it seems someone may have given it other medicines, different from those that have expired: those brought from Tirana by Titari Sheshu ... [partly unclear] which, instead of curing it, leave it in a state ... [partly unclear]. The DP in Durrës found itself in a great predicament the other day. It had lost its seal. Yes, yes, it had lost its seal. Some teenagers, prompted by curiosity and goodwill, knowing that the DP offices had things stored all around ... [partly unclear] from 1981, discovered in the year ... [partly unclear] where a ... [partly unclear] was kept; the day before, regarding a Democratic Party cadre suffering from ... [partly unclear], they took the seal of their party. Seeing the DP’s grave and wondering by what means it had now completely lost its seal, they thought this was a terrorist act by the social-communists, who, angered by the democratic police chief Luan Hoxha, who does not allow them to hold meetings and rallies with MPs, had organized an attack against the DP offices out of spite. That is how the DP leaders interpreted the disappearance of their seal. But the truth was different, because the curious teenagers who had carried out the terrorist attack for ... [partly unclear] turned out to be children of DP cadres in Durrës. Interesting, these children of DP cadres. Once they were found together ... [partly unclear] at the head of the DP. That is how the mystery of the DP seal was solved. It was eventually found, but in a place that shall remain unnamed, because nobody needs it anymore. Nevertheless, this does not mean that the DP has not lost another seal—the one that the “organ” refers to when, about a confused person ... [partly unclear], who has lost his wits, it says: “You’ve lost your seal—may it be lost!” EDI VULAXHIU

Gjirokastër On April 27, around midday, two police colleagues of mine were sent to fetch the chairman of the Socialist Party in the village of Kolonjë, in the Taho Xhama area, from the sheep he was tending. There is no one in the local law-enforcement service who does not know him. They bring him to the station, and the first person to meet him is the police chief. “You organized a rally,” they tell him. “We had announced a work meeting, but we didn’t hold it either, after the police gave me a warning,” Tahiri tells him. “You should know the law.” “That’s all I knew,” Tahiri tells him again. The police chief gets on the phone with the head of the station. The station chief arrives. “Is this the gentleman?” “Yes.” The station chief starts shouting and spitting in Tahiri’s face. “You want Enver’s bust; you’re a Socialist.” The big chief sits down, sweating; the big one talks, the little one snarls: “You defend the SP, you defend Fatos the thief. Go write all you want at the SP, then we’ll crush your heads.” They take Tahiri to the detention room. “I’ll have another go at you later,” the police chief tells him. They keep him from 11 in the morning until 9:30 at night, then, when they release him, tell him: “Get out, and don’t get involved in this business again.” And all this because? The village SP leadership had put up a notice at the club where the Socialists usually hold their meetings, informing members and supporters of a meeting on village issues, to which the commune chairman had also been invited. The local policeman called it a violation... Tahiri took down the notice, the meeting was canceled, but he was still brought to the station. I had all my things and was getting ready to throw down my revolver’s cap when [unclear] / [unclear] and my comrade from the same region. But I didn’t throw them down; I’ll hand them over to Koppiku and Mugaraj for their merits in democratic police reform. Under these circumstances, I am obliged to sign: POLO POLICI

A report from residents of Malësia e Madhe says that on one of the last few nights someone planted dynamite in the car of Gjek Alia, the chairman of the Kelmend commune. The explosion completely destroyed the car. The driver of the car, Mark Pelingu, also suffered damage to his household furnishings from the blast, because the car was in the courtyard of his house in Tamare. Many people explain this act as an expression of dissatisfaction with the chairman of this commune. It should be mentioned that groups of villagers have repeatedly asked the president in writing to send an inspection team from higher up to verify how the commune uses and spends its funds, since they had suspicions about this, which grew stronger when the chairman got a car. In the end, with what funds did the commune buy a car for the chairman? However, prosecutors in this district say, regarding this fact, that they are aware of an incident and that the opinions people express about this case do not interest them at all. Several people have been [unclear]; they are pursuing the discovery of the perpetrator of this terrorist act, and that is what concerns them, not opinions. After the mining of the offices of the Shllak commune and the blowing up of the safe at the Dajç commune in the Shkodër district, where 4 million lekë were also stolen, the Kelmend commune has now been targeted as well. Correspondent of “Zëri i Popullit” Forty-eight years ago, in May 1946, the residents of Reç opened the first motor road in this area, the Kukës–Peshkopi road. Construction began in May and was completed in October of that year. It was called the “Road of Youth.” Forty-eight years later, in May 1994, as part of the elections for commune chairmen, the Reç road is to be paved. It will be called the “Road of Democracy.” The architects of this road’s construction are the Democratic Party of Albania. This news, in the absence of modern means of communication in Reç, is spreading by every traditional folk means. Details about the paving of this road have not yet been provided. It is said that only the Reç road will be paved. (The construction is only the square of Zall-Reç.) The road that passes through the territory of Dardhë and Muhur will be paved... during the next election campaign. (People are whispering that if the Socialist chairmen of these communes resign, then things will change...)

Even the moon has felt sorry for Reç’s lands. That is how things have been, but that is not how they will be. From now on, they will no longer be devoured by July’s devil and August’s River to irrigate Reç’s lands... The happy news, brought verbally from Tirana, has reached not only Zall and Draj-Reç, but also Qafë-Draj, Bardhaj, Thark, Hurdhë and Ndërshënë. “Word gets around easily,” the people of Reç say. It reaches Fusha e Madhe too. But what about the water... They talk and cast their eyes sometimes across the Drin (toward Draj-Reç, where for many years a powerful pumping station supplied water to the parched fields), and sometimes toward the bushes through which, for more than two decades, water from the Setë flowed along the 45 kilometers of the well-known Gurrë-Lurë–Cidhen–Dardhë–Reç canal. They look, murmur and nod thoughtfully. ✶ For now, these two balloons have been launched in Reç. They are being discussed, and the time is being passed from house to house... It is said that other balloons will soon be launched too, like the one for the television relay station, telephones, health centers, and vehicles carrying material aid... They will talk about them immediately after the other balloons are sent into orbit, day after day...

- Impressions - A very impressive thematic and entertaining event was organized by the Socialist Party in Laç, as part of this socialist gathering attended by people from across the district. From Milot and Mamurras, Laç and Zeja, Snulazi and Fushë Milot. They came also from the district’s most remote areas, Vingolli and Seita. There were Lulzimi and Izata, Vllashi and Pashkoja, Xhemili and Alma, Alberti and Tomaja, Fata and Aliu; Xhëla and Lleshi, Petnaqi and Dëshira; Imeri; Teuta and Antoni, Dhetra and dozens of other Socialists. Among them were also the deputy chairman of the District SP, Servet Pellumbi, and the deputy Ndre Legleti, a Eurosocialist from Taqi and Mirdita. The Socialists of Laç gathered for this thematic and entertaining event in a beautifully prepared hall, decked out for a traditional celebration: May 1. This is a date of significance for workers and the labor movement, which the transition has pushed into the shadows. How could we forget Workers’ Day? The toil and sweat shed cannot be forgotten. In barely 30 years, from a few houses that could be counted on one’s fingers, Laç has become the second-largest city in all of northern Albania. No, this cannot be forgotten. In this warm setting for a thematic and entertaining event, in the beautifully prepared hall, there was no presidium and no speeches were given. There were only good wishes and greetings; people sang and danced. The event did not make people forget everything; on the contrary, it would continually contribute a great deal to people’s culture and enjoyment. And what should we add in conclusion about this event? The new way it was organized, its theme and everything else about the event, the broad participation, the purpose and the merriment, the songs, the dances, and the warm wishes—all of this made the event of the Laç Socialists so enjoyable. BEKTASHI ZENEI