After sending a petition to many addresses, nearly 400 workers at Plant 12 in Elbasan have been gathered in the protest square in front of the plant since Monday, demanding that their requests be met. Having been placed on unemployment assistance in February of this year, they returned to the plant on this day to force the administration to raise their wages and not give them an assistance benefit, since the plant has a financial balance of 426 thousand dollars. The workers have decided to remain in the protest square in front of the plant this week, and if their demands are not met, to go on hunger strike next week. The plant’s director, Liljana Daka, explains on this occasion that not only does the plant not have a balance of 426 thousand dollars—and to me this is a strange “invention”—but it is also in debt by several million lekë. Plant 12 has not been operating for more than three years. And it is not only the 400 or 500 laid-off workers who were put on assistance, the director continues, but also more than 1,500 others who were laid off earlier. There is no law allowing us to raise the wages of the 400 workers who are protesting, especially since the plant is also in debt. We pay wages only to the workers in two departments, those in the workshop and the rubber department, who continue working, the director concludes. At a meeting held with managers and specialists from the plants of the former metallurgical complex at the Elbasan district council on Tuesday, 12 July, where the future of each plant was discussed in detail, Minister Abdyli Xhaja also took part. He had worked as an economist at this complex for 25 years and stressed that the workers of Plant 12 cannot receive full wages without working. If the 400 workers at this plant are given full wages, as they demand, then all workers at the other plants who have been receiving assistance for some time could demand the same thing. So the logic is this: workers should be employed and then paid for the work they do. But Plant 12 has been closed for three years, because the plants it worked for—the cast-iron plant and the nickel-cobalt plant—have also closed. In any case, the protest by the plant’s 400 workers continues. SEJDIN CEKANI

- Its toppling follows the desecration of dozens of other busts and symbols - We believe that everyone knows what the name, contribution and personality of Naum Veqilharxhi represent in Albanian history, language and culture. Any comment about him would be superfluous. We can only say that he is one of the illustrious figures in the pantheon of our National Renaissance, and that in our city a special school bears his name, while his graceful bust stood at the head of a beautiful garden. I say “stood,” because in the end even his bust could not escape the mad wave that has long been sweeping through our city against figures such as Naum Veqilharxhi. On Wednesday morning it was found thrown from its pedestal and barbarically mutilated. This desecration of Veqilharxhi’s bust comes after a series of inhuman, vile and barbaric acts against the busts and symbols of the National Liberation War; the desecration of the grave and busts of Asdreni, Naim Frashëri and Themistokli Gërmenji; the theft of Mio’s works; and the handing over of three hundred pal-latit të kulturës to a foreign citizen who is highly suspect. So we are dealing with a black hand, a certain circle which, inspired by the silence of those in power, has taken it upon itself to erase from the memory of the honest and patriotic people of Korçë the illustrious figures of its history. Those in power are silent; the police and SHIK are silent too, and show no sign of taking action in this regard. Is this deliberate silence or inability? PETRIT PENDOVINJI

Dozens of Albanians from different districts of the country, turned back this time not by the Greek army but by our own soldiers. H. L., from Has in Kukës, over 40 years old and in a miserable condition, exhausted from sleeplessness and hunger, told us: “We couldn’t get across the Three Bridges, above Çarçovë in Përmet, because our own soldiers turned us back. Where are we supposed to go now? From the north and east the Serb attacks us, to the west the sea shuts us in [?], and from the south...” It is sad that these days the Three Bridges have become like Kakavija during the “Broom” operations. Why is this crossing point not being opened? During meetings of the party and state leaders of the PD in Përmet, it has been said again and again that this crossing point would be opened. The president confirmed this too at a meeting some time ago with the ko­jonarët, declaring that he would open the Three Bridges. We learn from the Përmet municipal administration that the Greek side agrees to open this crossing point. There has been no shortage of statements by our and Greek officials. Nor has there been a lack of documentary evidence. LLAZI PRILLO

LAÇ In memory of Father Shtjefën Gjeçovi On Tuesday, in the foyer of the cultural palace in Laç, the municipal council of this city, in cooperation with the Writers’ and Artists’ League, organized a commemorative session on the birth anniversary of the personality of our culture, Father Shtjefën Gjeçovi. At this event, the paper “Gjeçovi, a personality of Albanian culture” was presented by the researcher Hilë Kac[?]mani, discussing the figure of Gjeçovi in Gjeçovin. We may single out the material collected on correspondence and views about Gjeçovi by Noli, Konica, Fishta, Bardhi, Xhuvani, Bageri, Shpej(n)ec, Ugolini, Nop[?], and others. Composer Ruzhdi Karaj presented the paper “Gjeçovi’s views on the homeland, language, culture and society.” Poems by Gjeçovi were recited, such as Naim Bujar Frashërit—about him as an Albanian-language teacher, cleric, patriot and writer, archaeologist and collector of folklore, pioneer researcher of Albanian customary law. Particular attention was given to Gjeçovi’s activities from 1899 to 1905, the period when Gjeçovi worked and lived in Laç-Sebaste of Kurbin. The poet Ligor Stafa presented the paper “Various personalities on... Composer Ruzhdi Karaj presented the paper «Gjeçov’s thoughts on the homeland, language, culture and society»; the poet recited Gjeçov’s poems, including Naim Bujar Frashëri. «Thana», «The Albanian’s Oath» by A. Zefi and A. Berisha. At the end, a concert was given by the well-known folk group «Gurra e Kurbinit», featuring Gjergj Pacani’s solo çifteli performance and renditions of the songs «Albulena», «The Mountains Gave Birth to Skënderbe», «Greetings from Kurbin», etc. BEKTASH ZENELI

The Shirokë camp in Shkodër has still not started operating. This camp, known especially for children’s holidays during the summer season, has now shut its doors to them. It is the deputies/representatives of the leaders of the two unions, the confederation and the independent union, in the final division of this camp, who have denied hundreds of children and workers the right to spend their holidays in Shirokë this summer. It seems they cannot manage it in winter, since summer—the season of holidays—will be coming. The independent unions have begun using some of the camp’s facilities, but not for children’s holidays. As for the confederation, it has

TIRANA David Leka’s murder converted into 49 years in prison - The Tirana Military Court found guilty and sentenced for the “crime of intentional murder for revenge and abuse of office”: T. Sopoti—17 years, A. Hima—15 years, A. Halili—15 years, P. Laska—1 year, M. Hjadari—1 year. Yesterday at midday, the Tirana Military Court brought to an end the trial of five police officers from the Laç Public Order Department, accused of murdering 24-year-old David Leka a year earlier. Just like the prosecutor the day before, the panel of judges found them guilty and handed down the respective sentences. Although the court sentenced them for murder, its ruling did not manage to convince anyone that the convicted police officers were D. Leka’s killers, especially since the ruling itself describes no moment in which the accused are shown acting aggressively toward the victim. Whereas in his closing argument the prosecutor stated that “the defendants bear responsibility regardless of the fact that that day there were others in the Public Order Department with more experience and higher rank than them,” none of those others appears among the accused or under investigation, even though one of them, the head of personnel at the Laç Department, was accused of repeatedly striking D. Leka on the head. “He struck D. Leka intensely on the head with the heels of his shoes and ...”[?] Nevertheless, the prosecutor... They maintained an indifferent attitude, and in some cases even encouraged the beating of T. Leka. Only one of them, the police chief A. Dashi, tried to avert the consequences of the violence while he was taking the injured I. Dosti to Lezhë hospital. All five defendants, supported by numerous testimonies from eyewitnesses, including members of the victim’s family, denied—providing arguments as well—that they had taken part in violent and aggressive acts against D. Leka. “We also tell the family that we did not beat anyone,” they said; “we do this according to the code of manhood.” Nevertheless, following accusations of human-rights violations made by the domestic opposition and many foreign organizations, the Albanian state had to present a different reality, which it achieved by applying a thick coat of black to its previous image. Five police officers sentenced in order to save five others became victims of this force. To further complete this image

Letter to the editorial office: The police should not be an instrument of violence, but a protector and enforcer of the law - Written by Hava Gjoliku, wife of the “Hero of the People” Jaho Gjoliku and mother of the martyrs who gave their lives in the fight against fascism and its collaborators for Albania’s liberation. Although I am 90 years old, I am compelled to make public the conduct, acts of violence and police pressure being directed at me by the police of Tirana’s Region No. 2, headed by Mr. Artan Kalia. In violation of the laws of the present state and disregarding even the court’s decision, they want to evict me from my home. The court has not yet resolved the legal dispute, but it has ordered the suspension of enforcement of the eviction decision until such a matter has been decided by the competent body itself, namely the court. I rented a home from the state, where I lived with my family in an orderly manner and maintained it with my income from 1948 onward; since then I have lived there with my married sons and their children, and the house where I now live in retirement. The dispute between us and those who claim to be the owners of the house is a long one, and I will not go into it here. But one thing is important. The court has not yet answered whether it has issued a decision for the police to remove us. Who is ordering it to overrule the court’s decision? Mr. Sali Kelmendi has told me that he himself has neither issued nor intends to issue any unlawful order. Likewise, the legal adviser Elda Alimehmeti explained that every action taken in this regard has been unlawful. We do not claim or demand what does not belong to us. But, on the other hand, we will not allow the laws of the state to be violated at our expense. I was interned with my family during the time of King Zog, together with my five children, but the gendarmes treated us very badly. During fascism I was sentenced twice; two of my sons were killed in the youth’s war for the liberation of the homeland. Despite all this, after the suffering, the house and the matters mentioned here, and countless hardships, I never imagined that a day would come when we would live in a democratic state, only for someone to force us out of our home. So, let the state authorities ... every time with the fascists, today they want to ...

- The budget «victim» of a premature law - Procedures have begun, but the collection of property tax in the countryside has still not started. This is confirmed by a specialist from the Tax Directorate at the Ministry of Finance. According to him, implementing the property tax in the countryside, especially the tax on agricultural land, is currently impossible as a result of a particularly large number of difficulties that must be overcome. As if the economic inability of villagers to pay taxes at present were not enough, a series of technical difficulties have also been added. Thus, while tax on buildings is, in any case, more feasible to collect, villagers find themselves unmotivated to pay tax on land. In many areas of the country, the land-allocation commissions have not yet achieved their privatization objectives. The effects of claims by former owners continue to be felt, but even in cases where land has been allocated to villagers in accordance with the law, implementing the tax is still impossible. The basic documents certifying the transfer of property are missing; most villagers still do not consider themselves owners, since they have not yet received their title deeds. In addition, collecting tax on land is made more difficult by the lack of precise technical procedures for classifying land, on the basis of which the tax law can be enforced. The impossibility of collecting tax in the countryside as a result of the objective and subjective difficulties that arise at every turn seems to confirm the opposition’s thesis that implementing taxation in the countryside under current conditions is premature. Even the specialists of the Tax Directorate, perhaps unwillingly, are forced to acknowledge (the opposite of what they stated a month ago) that it is not the payment of tax but the title deed—the legal document proving ownership of the land—that matters. Of course, the inability to collect tax on land, which was expected to provide a welcome source of revenue for the state budget, has put government officials in a difficult position. According to information from the Ministry of Finance, its deputy minister, at a meeting with the Minister of Agriculture attended also by tax specialists, decided to convene a meeting with the heads of cadastres and the directors of the district agricultural directorates. They are expected to be reminded that they are far behind in achieving the objectives for land allocation, issuing title deeds to villagers, and preparing the tax documentation. Guidelines have also been issued to the administrations responsible for property tax, which are now established in the districts. But they too are condemned to wait, because they still do not know whom they are going to tax. Thus, the law on agricultural land tax itself remains unenforced, confirming precisely the opposition’s thesis that this law is premature. S. GRUDALI

The PS conference focused not on new admissions, which have been plentiful and are gradually making the PS in Skrapar younger, but on consolidating its life and addressing the concrete reality of the elections and the problems facing the district. The period between the two conferences in Skrapar, besides the party’s reorganization, clearly brought out the strength of people’s trust in the Socialist Party and its program. The fact that the PS won the local government elections on July 26, 1992, by more than 74 percent in both municipalities and all eight communes, demonstrates that it enjoys an undisputed reputation among intellectuals and honest people. Both the report and the discussions showed that much remains to be done concerning those elected to government. In general, the conference concluded that those elected have justified the trust placed in them. Many participants were concerned about ... the coordination between local government leaders, those elected on the PS’s nomination, and the PS leaders in the district. While considering the role of local government, the Socialist Party conference also decided to focus on the central government, which has blocked it. It was said that the latter had abused its moral and legal authority with grandiose promises. The conference called for coordination of work and a realistic assessment of events among elected party representatives at the grassroots and central levels, elected local government officials, and members of Parliament. [Unclear] that the people had welcomed the price increases, such as those for electricity, [as] propaganda. This conference also did not forget the issues surrounding the privatization board, which has become a festering sore. That national wealth was not distributed as it should have been and continues to be privatized— (Continued on page 2) From the union...» ...

The issue of the current position of Albanian women was the central theme of the round table of intellectual women organized by the Socialist Women’s Forum. This round table follows a series of discussions and debates on family issues within the framework of the women’s club «Vatra familjare», as well as an informal meeting with the [unclear] organized by FGSSh with intellectual women from Tirana about a contemporary concept of women’s emancipation. After ... [unclear] reflection and in the form of a symposium entitled «The Status of Albanian Women in the Transition Period», an effort was made to conduct deeper and broader analyses, as a starting point for carrying out more carefully planned activities with clearer objectives. This was the aim of the symposium held on Saturday at one of the ... (Continued on page 2) From ... started