TODAY IS 5 MAY, MARTYRS’ DAY Today is a sacred day. For sacred is the name and blood of those who gave this day its symbol, everything precious they had: their lives and their dreams. Longing, love, respect and gratitude, pride and eternity gather together and stand over the white marble alongside the red star of freedom, alongside the bouquet of fresh flowers that the black-scarved mother has gathered so carefully, which noble fellow travelers tie with their hearts. Today Albania is pensive. Because the martyrs are twice her sons. And so the mother’s grief for their dream is doubled. They were young. They carried the sun in their eyes. Freedom and the homeland in their hearts. That is why they gave themselves to Albania. And Albania became their embodiment. Do you feel it? Today the flag waves slowly. Even the rivers make no sound. The birds are silent. The flowers are more open. Because it is Martyrs’ Day. And everything pays tribute to them. 52 years ago Qemal Stafa was killed. Through his name, Albania and the people weigh the mountain for the sons and daughters of the motherland. Because they were all Qemals. They were also Margaritë, Mihalë and Misto, Matohe and Asim Zenelë. They were, and remain, so. Fellow travelers into eternity. Today is a sacred day. It is the day of the martyrs of freedom. That is why we go where they rest—crowned with glory, they gave glory and a name to antifascist Albania. We do not shout; we do not make speeches. For hearts speak. Eyes speak. There lies their trust, their dream. Someone has damaged their graves, desecrated their memorials and monuments. They have even imprisoned their songs. Because they are afraid. They are afraid to hear: “Rise, martyrs, just a little...” They are afraid to hear: “Join us, comrades, in the partisan unit...” But they forget that they are steadfast, that they are united. They forget that the songs live in hearts, where the monuments are too, where their lives are. Today is 5 May, Thursday, at 11:00, the Socialist Party and the Albanian Eurosocialist Youth Forum are organizing 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 the organizations of LANÇ veterans, and members of the PSSH and FRESSH from all over Albania will attend. The Organizing Committee Those wretched ones—the rats of history—forget that the history of Albania is the history of the men and women partisans of freedom, of the partisans of progress. That is why the song says: “For the flag, for the mother tongue—The heroes rise again from their graves—Do not anger me, or the stable will go up in flames.—For freedom, the Albanian will not forgive you.” Today is 5 May. It is a day in which all the days of the year come together. It is the glory of all the days united in one. So do not forget. Shed blood appeals to memory and the people’s conscience. The people made antifascist Albania, formed from their sons. Patriots, communists and non-communists made antifascist Albania. The people also made democratic Albania. Democratic communists too. And their sons and daughters. That is why 5 May is sacred. But it is sacred for another reason as well. Within it today is also 29 November 1944, without which there would be neither 5 May nor Albania. For 29 November—the day of freedom—was declared by the great parliament of martyrs, which ordained eternity. May the Ballists and their kind be left without a dog. I know that they fear 29 November and 5 May, but no one is to blame if, in history, they awaken this “new” respect for Albania’s fate, born of shame and vileness. The martyrs and partisans gave themselves to honor, and so today we honor them all; Albania honors them, and so does the whole democratic world. Whereas the Ballists, criminals and all the collaborators of fascism gave themselves over to shame, and shame covered them. Today is a sacred day. It is 5 May, Martyrs’ Day, Albania’s day. People, do not forget!... Songs can be imprisoned. Monuments and graves can also be destroyed. But dreams and hearts cannot be imprisoned.

Aleksandër Frangaj, Marlin Leka are pardoned without their guilt being proven. Aleksandër Frangaj, Marlin Leka are pardoned without their guilt having been proven. “President Berisha, as a sign of Albanian recognition for the work of 80 journalists who last year stood up in the name of free speech and truth in the four corners of the globe, decided to pardon the prison sentences of journalists Martin Leka and Aleksandër Frangaj, the suspended prison sentence of journalist Ilirian Zhupa, as well as the fine imposed on journalist Shyqyri Meka”—this is part of what yesterday’s RD headlined “Message from President Berisha on the occasion of World Press Freedom Day,” which was also made public late Tuesday evening by TVSH. And so, after UNESCO President Mr. Frederiko Major, it is the Albanian president, Mr. Sali Berisha, who finds an opportunity to greet his journalist friends and even do what Mr. Major cannot do: pardon four Albanian journalists sentenced by Albanian courts during this year. Our president’s free and noble spirit, apparently moved by the deaths of 80 journalists in the four corners of the globe, decided to say “enough” to the suffering of Albanian journalists in Tirana’s filthy prisons. So the President pardons them, but... they are innocent. Nevertheless, the President pardons them; but he found them guilty, just as the courts before him did, sentencing them for disclosing state secrets, defamation, and violating provisions of the Press Law. Nevertheless, as a tribute to 80 journalists who died in the name of free speech, the President pardons Albanian journalists for their “converted offenses”—as I call the prison terms and million-lek fines imposed by the Albanian justice authorities. More or less the same thing was said by Marlin Leka and Aleksandër Frangaj a few months ago before the panel of judges: “We are not here to defend ourselves, but to defend free speech.” And they were innocent, as Martin Leka—who was in prison solely for Mr. Qelesh’s pleasure—also said... They were jailed for defaming Mr. Zhulali, even though he had not felt insulted by the alleged defamation and, consequently, had not filed a complaint. Later, Leka was sentenced for disclosing state secrets, while Frangaj was found innocent. But Mr. Qelesh complained that the sentences were too lenient, and the journalists’ case file at the Court of Appeal eventually contained a complaint by Mr. Zhulali; journalists Frangaj and Leka were accused not of “disclosing state secrets,” as provided for by the Criminal Code, but under Article 20 of the Press Law. But despite this, they consider themselves innocent because, as material evidence, they had the words of then-President Berisha: “There are no secrets for journalists.” But today’s President Berisha has to face the truth. And this truth presents something entirely different from what the Albanian court presented! Martin Leka, Aleksandër Frangaj, Ilirian Zhupa and Shyqyri Meka were sentenced by the courts simply for their opinions, or imprisoned and regarded by public opinion as prisoners of conscience. In any case, Mr. Berisha’s gesture is noble. Congratulations!

The chairman of the Ballsh branch of the Democratic Party, Mr. Arben Hoxha, has decided to become involved in privatization, where 12 of the 21 people are the hard core of the Democratic Party led by Arbënli himself. But Arben has not taken only

Statement of the National Committee of LANÇ Veterans The National Committee of LANÇ Veterans, on behalf of the more than 300 or so veteran participants, families of martyrs, etc., gathered on 3 May to commemorate the martyrs on the occasion of 5 May, heartily denounces the devilish maneuvers of certain perverse initiators and the brutal interventions of certain officials to prevent this event from being held by us in the hall of the Theater of Arts, as had been planned, contracted and arranged beforehand. The event was to be organized by the National Committee of LANÇ Veterans, the Tirana District Veterans’ Committee, the Association of the Nation’s Fallen, and the collaborators together with the two other lawful veterans’ associations. After our interventions, they hastened to... the fragile situation they created under the pretext of repeated cancellations, to keep us from using the hall, taking advantage of other days; all this was done to make the event socially impossible and prevent its organization on RTV, which is a co-creator of this program and has been hostile toward us on this screen. But no force can cast the glory of the martyrs into oblivion. Thus, in honor of this sacred day, covered in blood, as best we could and in the way we could, we commemorated the fallen who made their sacrifice in the struggle for the freedom, independence and prosperity of the Albanian people, in the fight against the Nazi-Fascist occupier and their collaborators, the Ballists and Zogists. But why do they deceitfully and forcibly obstruct us, when on this very day we see the day of the martyrs as theirs—those who fought for peace, which they have? The opposite is true when you keep them by deceit, and again? and others and… [some lines illegible] for the fallen: Afrota Shala… [partly illegible] of democracy. Or to abuse them by threatening… [partly illegible] …to point our fingers at those who, under the pretext of… [partly illegible] did not accommodate… [partly illegible] and prevented the event from being organized… [partly illegible] by doing… [partly illegible] Once again, exhausted and… [partly illegible], on this sacred day we denounce as… [partly illegible] the National Liberation… [partly illegible] and most recently in Shkodër, Korçë, Mirditë, etc., they have overturned… [partly illegible] the heroism of the National Liberation War and desecrated martyrs’ cemeteries, which the people hold sacred. Meanwhile, on the other hand, they decorate and glorify war criminals who collaborated, murderers and martyrs… [partly illegible] In this matter Gjonmarkaj and Abaz Kupi and others… [partly illegible] 44-Fig… So this is not a matter of confusion over the day—or the hour—but an entire plan of machinations by extremist and revanchist right-wing forces, aimed at their neo-dictatorial goals. In this particular case, the aim is, by demagogically playing the martyrs’ card, to hand the banner of commemorating the martyrs to a group of lawful informers and occupiers, in order to take away from the lawful organization of Veterans of the Antifascist National Liberation War its rightful duty. And this is done by the very officials who once caused an uproar and were carrying out the activity… [partly illegible] by the Ministry of Justice. We appeal to the officials, if they are committed to democracy, not to give space to the far right, which desecrates the symbols of the fallen… [continues in the right-hand columns] …for all their families, veterans and their organizations of cooperation, sacrifice has been… They are being persecuted. We told you while alive, so that they do not want the people… [partly illegible] In the effort… [partly illegible] …by supporting these… [partly illegible] unlawful and without any credibility, you are doing nothing other than fueling the ignorance and anger of the former fighters for the liberation of the homeland and the families of martyrs of the bases of the LANÇL War, as well as of former prisoners in Nazi-Fascist prisons and camps, their relatives, and the entire people. Our people, like people everywhere in Europe, cannot allow the high antifascist and democratic value of the National Liberation War and the martyrs’ blood to be desecrated. History will condemn those who follow this path. True democracy does not accept anticommunism being used to cover up and justify collaboration, fascism and Nazism. We call on the President to intervene and put a stop to revanchist actions that devalue the National Liberation War, dishonor its martyrs, harm the veterans and their organization, and seek to place the representatives of treason and collaboration on the same pedestal as them. We call on all public opinion, all parties and associations to uphold and defend the Antifascist National Liberation War, the youth and the whole people. We call on international organizations of resistance and human-rights protection to say stop to this dangerous, revanchist, divisive and destabilizing activity, which is breaking out at a time when the country and the nation need stability, unity and true democracy more than ever. The National Committee of LANÇ Veterans

Hundreds of veterans, families of National Liberation War martyrs, and other attendees were prevented, through maneuvers by “initiators” and those in power, from holding the commemorative meeting in the theater hall of the Academy of Arts, as had been planned and booked. Finally, as part of the 50th anniversary of the liberation of the Fatherland, the meeting dedicated to this memorable day was successfully held on the afternoon of May 3, in the more cramped conditions of other premises at the Socialist Party district committee, with more than 500 participants. The meeting was organized by the National Committee of National Liberation War Veterans, the district veterans’ committee, the Association for the Fallen of the Nation, and the “Understanding and Peace” association. The meeting was chaired by Comrade Pirro Dodiba, chairman of the National Committee. The commemorative addresses were delivered in two separate sessions by the deputy chairman of the National Committee, Arif Kaso; Muntaz Shehu, a member of its presidium; and Mahmut Agolli of the Veterans’ Committee, brother of martyr Musa Agolli. Amid partisan songs, veteran and disabled veteran Masar Bekteshi recited his poems dedicated to the martyrs, which had a sharply topical resonance. At the end, the message that the National Committee of the National Liberation War sends to the families of the martyrs on the occasion of May 5 was read. NEXHMI MENZELXHIU

Mr. Arben Hoxha, has decided to become wealthy. To achieve his aims, he is skillfully exploiting all the opportunities the Party has given him, also putting to use other special agencies, such as the Privatization Board, SHIK, the law-enforcement agencies, etc. Recently, he set his sights on a military facility with around 16 rooms, which Mr. Hoxha managed to make his own without much difficulty. Mr. Hoxha ran into some trouble, but thanks to his abilities he was able to get through it easily. In this way, he managed to deal with the actual owner of the land on which the facility stands, while “fixing” the Privatization Board, where 12 of its 21 members are the Democratic Party’s strong arm, led by Arben himself. But Arben has acquired more than that. In Ballsh they say he owns a combine harvester, a warehouse, etc. We are not even mentioning the arrangement by which all the members of his family have government jobs, where they also receive hefty salaries. No one can enter into a duel with Mr. Hoxha, the chairman of the Ballsh Party. He can beat you and destroy you without even getting into the game. Anyone wishing to learn the details of this matter concerning this all-powerful chairman should ask those who know him here in Ballsh. A. C

Following the robbery of the National Museum, about which the state authorities continue to maintain a strange silence, smugglers of cultural treasures apparently have been emboldened to repeat the same deed, this time on a different scale. This time it was in Korçë, at the museum of the People’s Painter Vangjush Mio. This act of banditry and desecration follows the attacks on the grave and monument of Asdreni, those of Naim and Themistokliu, and the monuments and busts commemorating the National Liberation War. Apparently, here in Korçë someone thinks that the creator of our great anthem, the Bible of the Albanian language, or the freedom fighters have taken someone else’s place, and has taken it upon themselves to remove them from the shining pedestal on which their work, in the service of the people, has placed them. The recent seizure of a significant part of the great painter Vangjush Mio’s work also points to such a mission. And it is no small number: 21 of the finest works produced by his brush, such as “Lake of Pogradec,” “View from the Mosque of Ugëllin,” “Church of Drenovë,” “Portrait of the Romanian Girls,” etc. The painter’s daughter, Rozeta Mio, who has served as a guide since 1962, tells us, deeply concerned, that the museum was guarded by two guards who were paid there. She also tells us that several foreign visitors had offered sums reaching thousands of dollars for many of the stolen works, but, she continues, I could never have done such a thing, because my father’s dearest wish was for his works to remain the property of the Albanian people. And yet someone—perhaps even the government press—has kept silent about this for more than 7 days, while this has happened to the golden treasury of our culture, and has reported nothing, even as it keeps broadcasting accounts of officials’ visits to various cities for the Easter celebrations. Our officials forget that the fine brush was brought here by a foreigner, and perhaps people like that will be needed to make up for some of his works. What else can one expect from a state that is unable to protect and preserve the centuries-old history and culture of its people? ALI MYFTARI

Today, Organizing Committee

Today, throughout our country, May 5, the Day of the Martyrs of the National Liberation War, is being commemorated. This day, marked by the pure blood of the Martyrs, will be remembered from generation to generation. Only the martyrs’ deeds are immortal, because they not only gave their lives, but also sacrificed them for the freedom and independence of the Nation, democracy, and the prosperity of the Albanian people, who suffered under the oppression of the fascist boot. The sublime sacrifice of the martyrs’ lives remains, and will remain, on the sacred altar of the homeland, a symbol and our national pride. The glory of the martyrs does not die; no force can extinguish it. Their memory will remain unforgettable. National Committee of Veterans of the National Liberation War of the Albanian People Tirana, May 5, 1994