Statement by the leadership of the Socialist Party of Albania In recent days the political situation in the country has become extremely tense, particularly following the hunger strike organized by the leadership of the Association of Former Prisoners and Political Persecutees. After the statement issued by this association, with its respective demands, and the attempt at dialogue between it and government representatives, the hunger strike began, followed by the public announcement of the Government's statement condemning the association's stance. The Government's statement further strained relations between the hunger strikers and the Government and the Democratic Party. Once again, a bitter conflict between the Democratic Party and the Association of Former Prisoners and Political Persecutees openly manifested itself with harshness, nervousness, fear, insecurity and police violence. It is precisely this conflict, almost to the point of divorce, that is greatly worrying the Democratic Party, which appeared before the public with a typical statement in a totalitarian style, marked by nervousness, megalomania, a psychology of force and violence, and the use of language unusual for a party that calls itself democratic and claims to hold a monopoly on the truth of the rule of law in Albania. The content and tone of the statement are telling indicators of the crisis and panic that have gripped the Democratic Party and its state structures. Unwilling to see the true causes of this conflict with the social stratum that played an important role in overthrowing the dictatorship in Albania, the Democratic Party is trying, on the one hand, to minimize the conflict by speaking of a clique of agitated adventurers or bastards within the association, and, on the other, to spread the conflict as widely as possible, talking about fascist left and right wings, and red and black colors. It is not difficult to see, in this new political situation packed with tensions, that certain groups with differing interests and political orientations, within the Democratic Party and outside it, are trying to shift responsibility for the country's grave political and economic situation onto one another, blaming and labeling each other enemies, fascists, neocommunists, and so on. Thus, in an arrogant statement, the Democratic Party condemns the hunger strike, while other leaders at party or state level express support for the strikers, denouncing the police violence against the hunger strikers and the inhumane conduct of police authorities in several districts of the country. As can be seen, the situation is rapidly deteriorating toward further tensions. The hunger strike by the Association of Former Political Prisoners and Persecutees follows a long series of various strikes in many districts of the country, such as Kukës, Krahastë, Tirana, Shkodër, and others. These and other demonstrations by various social strata in Albania show the inability of the Meksi Cabinet's government and prove the justness of the Socialist Party's demand for a change in the course of governance and early elections. Day by day, the DP Caught under intense pressure from (Continued on page 3)

— The Tirana Court's ruling states that “the Meksi Government is objectively unable to meet the demands of the former political prisoners.” Pursuant to Article 131 of the CPC, Article 36 of the constitutional provisions, Article 39 of the constitutional law “On Human Freedoms and Rights,” and Article 9 of the Civil Code, the panel of judges declares the hunger strike of the “Association of Former Political Prisoners” illegal—this is the decision announced by the panel, delivered yesterday at 17:00 at the Tirana Court by its deputy chair, Judge Artan Zeni. The decision, which concluded the preparatory hearings and the court hearing, stated that the plaintiff (the Albanian government) had undertaken a series of measures concerning the “rehabilitation and integration of former political prisoners in Albania.” The hunger strikers have the right to appeal within 3 days. days. BRACE

Yesterday the Youth's Lirëza; today it belongs to generations, to history Lirëza, the historic site in Skrapar, became part of the congress. And once again, names were recalled. And once again, we will go there. This year's fiftieth anniversary was beautiful, but also seemed like a funeral! By whom? Why? Surely we should not have kept silent on this anniversary, on this historic event in the war of our people! Someone kept silent until there was no way to avoid including this date, this powerful Congress of Youth, among the national holidays. The people of Skrapar marked it in their heart-diary, together with hundreds and thousands of fighters, hundreds of delegates to that congress. My Lirëza showed its importance once again beside us. Hundreds attended the celebration, but the memories it stirred and the messages it conveyed were much greater. Lirëza's square, with its greenery, the rustling of its majestic beeches and its cold water, welcomed us with the verses of the poet from Skrapar: Where Youth quenched its thirst, Youth defeated death with a bullet; The water flows like an endless song. And the water flowed, as always, just as the history of those fiery days has flowed. Fewer veterans came this year. But they came. The square was filled with many young people, as if to revive once more the history, the memories, the blood of those who fell first after this congress. Veteran Fiqiri Basha from Tirana spoke, as did Xhafer Raca from Delvina and their Vlorë comrade, Sadik Sadikaj. They recalled the roads they had traveled, from the illegal units to the divisions. Their marches, how they had left their studies unfinished, taken up arms, and been steeped in the smell of gunpowder. They remembered their comrades, those who fell among the bullets, those who were temporarily forgotten, the comrades who could not come to this anniversary... A few tears are natural too. Light and bread, and memory awakens. Those twenty-year-olds, lined up in the common coalition, alongside the great powers against fascism. The commander of the Eighth Brigade spoke about the delegates from the Gjirokastër and Tepelenë regions. He remembered the pioneer Tana Kondi, then listed name after name. He spoke of little Lame (Sejfulla Malëshova), who splendidly polished the words of greeting from the allies who took part in this congress. And once again, more names, now enshrined in history, which no party or association can erase. From the celebration's podium, Xhafer Raca paid tribute to the martyrs Syrja Grabocka, Sotr Pojani, Grigor Diamanti, and Urani Pano, who gave their lives immediately after this congress concluded. Anniversaries have passed, and Lirëza remains forever the place of that congress. Lirëza now also has a new name, perhaps given to it by those who felt the bond of blood and honor, history and pride. Lirëza is now called “Lirëza of the Generations.” A beautiful name, because the congress held there had noble aims: that generation had gathered to express its solidarity with the youth of all the countries in the worldwide anti-fascist coalition... Time passes... The veterans who could not attend would not be able to watch the commemorative ceremony at the congress site on television, much as they would have liked. That commemorative ceremony, held in the amphitheater of the Academy of Arts in Tirana, together with Lirëza, once again recalled historical truth. No one spoke about parties in this square. “History is made by the people,” said local deputy Bashkim Çaka in his greeting. “We will always stand by history, by the struggle of our people, because through those periods we know our Albania better.” Toward the end of this commemoration, we approached the veterans once more; they had not missed this anniversary either. Deeply moved. Realistic. “Many comrades should not have been absent from this simple but beautiful commemorative ceremony,” Xhafer Raca told us. “Among them, patriots and Ramiz Alia. He has his place in history and, especially at Lirëza, he was among the organizers. The Albanian anti-fascist youth had never held such a large assembly. Nevertheless, it remains. The memories have not ceased.” Lirëza will celebrate more anniversaries, again and again, and will remain rejuvenated, like the age of 1944. PARTIZAN MYFTARI

The government's envoy, Mr. Safet Zhujali, arrived in Bulqizë at 7:30 in the evening and met with the chairman of the district council, Bashkim Lami, the chairman of the DP, Latif Demën, and other members of the DP. There is no—

Yesterday marked the fourth day that 28 hunger strikers, representatives of the association of former political persecutees and persecuted people of the Mat district, have been confined in one of the premises of the headquarters shared by the district's political parties and associations. Meanwhile

The number of strikers in the hunger strike for the two districts, Shkodër and Malësi e Madhe, has risen to more than 90, a member of the Association of Former Political Persecutees announced. What was discussed regarding the strike by the parties and associations that have declared their support for it; the branch of the Republican Party has also joined: the branch of the “Property—

The government’s envoy, Mr. Safet Zhujali, arrived in Bulqizë at 7:30 in the morning and met with the chairman of the district council, Bashkim Lami, the chairman of the PD, Latif Dema, and other PD members. 7:30 in the morning Lami, the chairman of the PD, Latif Dema, and other PD members. He did not meet any of the hunger strike leaders or the chairman of the association of former political prisoners, who have joined the hunger strike. There are 60 people on strike, including elderly people and women. After the meeting he held with the council members, Mr. Zhulali ordered the police to forcibly remove those occupying the premises from the hunger strike. Until 10:30 at night they were in the meadow of Qy...[text cut off] (Continued on page 3)

Yesterday marked the fourth day that 28 hunger strikers, representatives of the association of former political prisoners and persecuted people of the Mat district, have been confined in a room at the headquarters of the district’s political parties and associations. [Headline cut off] representatives of the association of former political prisoners in a room at the headquarters of the district’s political parties and associations. Meanwhile, yesterday other members of this association gathered near the building in support of their fellow hunger strikers. The hunger strikers initially confined themselves in a small hall at the “Skënderbeu” venue. They were forcibly removed from there by law-enforcement forces. The hunger strikers then confined themselves in the offices of the branch of former political prisoners. Here, too, the law-enforcement forces have...[text cut off] (Continued on page 3)

The number of hunger strikers in the two districts, Shkodër and Malësi e Madhe, has risen to more than 90. The number of hunger strikers in to more than 90, reports Gjin Gjana, a member of the association of former political prisoners. The strikers’ health is now showing signs of deterioration. They mainly have headaches. On Sunday, hunger striker Luigj Marku was taken for medical treatment. On Saturday evening, the Archbishop of Shkodër, Monsignor Ecano Ilia, visited the hunger strikers and spoke with them; however, the strike committee has not yet disclosed what was discussed. The Republican Party branch was added to the parties and associations that had declared their support for the strike, as were the branch of the “Property with Justice” association, the “13 December” association, and several branches of the association of former political prisoners in the city’s communes. In addition, a statement posted at the entrance to the building where the strike is taking place expressed the solidarity of 72 members of the PD section in the village of Boks, in the commune of ... (Continued on page 3)

Informers who spied on their fellow countrymen for the secret police but still hold important public offices will face moral pressure to resign from their posts. The new law III-III, named after the number of the notorious police department where the spies worked, will affect 15,000 officials, who will be investigated by a special parliamentary committee on investigations, made up of three judges, which will examine the department’s files. The process will begin in mid-September. The committee will investigate members of parliament, government ministers, judges, prosecutors, senior police and army officers, mass-media publishers, and university rectors who are suspected either of spying for the communist secret police or of having belonged to paramilitary units that helped carry out purges after Hungary’s 1956 anti-communist uprising, which was crushed by Soviet tanks. “Our party is among those who believed that the law could not be properly implemented,” László Surján, chairman of the Christian Democratic People’s Party (CDPP), told Reuters. “The law is a realistic compromise,” Surján said. “We voted for it in order to close the past as soon as possible and in the interest of reconciliation.” Hungary’s law on agents contains no sanctions. It will either open the secret police files, as happened in Germany, or bar government collaborators from public service for five years, as the legislation did in Czechoslovakia. Senior officials identified as informers for the former III-III are to be urged to resign. If they refuse, they will be disgraced because the names of their activities will be published in the official gazette and announced by the MTI news agency, said Deputy Justice Minister Giorgi Sandorfi.

Over these three days, although forcibly and brutally removed from the place where they were confined, the hunger strikers have not backed down. Indeed, in a petition they protested to the highest state authorities against the violence used against individuals by law-enforcement forces when they were forcibly removed from the venue. On Saturday, the former political prisoners continued their strike outdoors, in the flower garden in front of the Korçë courthouse, remaining there until late in the evening. On Sunday they again moved through the city streets in groups, demonstratively, while under the strict surveillance of law-enforcement forces throughout. Finally, on Monday, at around 12 o’clock, a group of about 40 people managed to evade the cordon of law-enforcement forces and rejoin the hunger strike in the very same building where it had first begun. Law-enforcement forces imposed extremely strict measures, while four members of the strike leadership were taken to the offices of the police station. Meanwhile, the association’s activists posted an appeal on building facades and along the city’s main streets, addressed to the public and especially to the student youth, asking them to support this most suffering section of the population. From all that has happened so far, it is clear that the Korçë association of former political prisoners is determined not to abandon its demands, regardless of the government’s position, the PD’s statements, or the outcome of the trial in Tirana. Correspondent of “Zëri i popullit”

“We are strong and determined, even unto death, to achieve our demands.” This is stated in the communiqué of the strike committee of former convicts and politically persecuted people of Elbasan. Having begun their hunger strike last Friday in the house of Aqif Pashë Elbasani, which until recently also served as a museum of the anti-fascist national liberation war, the political convicts and persecuted people of this district have refused to enter into dialogue with government officials. On Saturday, they even turned their backs on the government representative, the Minister of Mineral and Energy Resources, Mr. Abdyl Xhaja. As one of the hunger strikers says, they agreed to speak only with Mr. Eduart Ypi, not in his capacity as...[text cut off] (Continued on page 3)

- Political prisoners determined to continue the strike - “We are determined to continue the strike and will not leave until force is used...” said yesterday at a press conference the chairman of the “Association of Former Political Prisoners,” Mr. Kola, in the event of a police intervention, to defend our headquarters with physical force and without any other means,” said Kurt Kola, who came to this press conference after a meeting of the “National Council of the Association.” He said that the strike has spread to ... (Continued on page 4)

In the second quarter of this year, the shipyard in Durrës is in a financial position around 3–4 times better than in the first quarter. Fishing motorboats, the dredger, and the “Selita” barge are now being repaired at the shipyard. Two new fishing vessels are also being built. *** Archaeological excavations in Butrint by a joint Albanian-Greek expedition will last one month. This is the fourth year that archaeologists from our two neighbouring countries have worked at this very important archaeological site of antiquity. ** In the Elbasan district, this year the number of people who have mar... [text cut off] ... and in recent days from his home on the fourth floor in the city of Lezhë. The circumstances and reasons for taking this tragic step are not yet known. ** During a month, textile workers in Berat, who make up around 60 percent of the workforce at the combine, have now been placed on assistance. It is still not known what will happen to the approximately 1,400 other employees who are expected to be laid off from this combine. *** Borrowers who took out loans to buy homes in the district of Has are not paying their monthly instalments as required by law. This concerns millions of lekë taken out to build two apartment blocks with 30 units each and to buy 43 apartments. * A 32-year-old, SH. D., has be...[text cut off] *** During the past six months in Durrës, ... [text cut off] ... leave without permission, provoking police gunfire. In this incident, 40-year-old F. M. was wounded and is in Elbasan hospital. * The Peshkopi neighbourhood facility, with 200 beds and suitable conditions, an important centre for rheumatic healthcare, is now operating at only 50 percent of its capacity. ** There will be ... [text cut off] *** The agreement for about two years. This facility ... [text cut off] ... the largest in this district, opens 65 years after its inauguration. * So far, the seed enterprise in Korçë has collected 3,500 quintals of wheat seed, mainly of the “Dajti” variety, which is suited to the area’s climatic conditions. This quantity of seed will be used for the next sowings in the district. ** During the past six months, in the deep-processing area of ... in Ballsh, sulfur production ... reached 600 tons. The capacity ... is to produce several thousand ... per year, but so far it has been possible ... find a foreign market for sale ... ** ...lasted about two years. This facility ... [text cut off] The “Phare Democracy” programme organised a seminar on the general training of trade unionists.