The hunger strike by former political persecutées, announced several days ago and begun last Friday, has further heightened the political situation in the country. According to this account, the former political persecutées have submitted a petition to the government with 10 economic demands, the resolution of which, they say, will somewhat improve the extremely difficult conditions in which this group, the most suffering section of Albanian society, finds itself. Naturally, no serious political force and no person with a sense of civic responsibility can remain indifferent to this hunger strike of national proportions, to the question of why former political persecutées have become so embittered, and why they have been unable to find a language of dialogue with the government to resolve the demands they have put forward. It is precisely for this reason, and concerned about the course of the strike and the situation in general, that we feel entitled to make a number of observations. Socialists have always regarded former political persecutées as the most suffering section of our society and have called for their demands to be met through legal channels. Other political forces, especially the PD, have been extremely interested in using this long-suffering group and the great hardships it is enduring during this period of transition for their own short-term plans. It was the PD that, by exploiting the democratic aspirations of former political persecutées, instrumentalized this group’s suffering, presenting itself as the bearer of its ideals and the only force capable of resolving, as quickly as possible, the dramas they are going through. It was the PD that tried on several occasions to turn former political persecutées into “assault bastions” in the political struggle, fostering medieval revenge and a spirit of revanche among this group. It was the PD that, for its political aims, artificially inflated the number of former political persecutées in Albania, forgetting that it would be the one to pay the price for these short-sighted calculations. It was the PD that encouraged differentiation among former political persecutées: it cosseted some, such as the Kazazë, Kolë and their associates, made some MPs and senior officials, while leaving the mass of former political persecutées to suffer in misery, with virtually no support. It was the PD that, pursuing a class-war line, left former political persecutées without any economic support, [sh] commun…sistë, although it is well known that they are chiefly the ones who constituted the real dissidence under the dictatorship. The good of Albanian democracy requires that the exact number of former political persecutées be established, because, to the detriment of this long-suffering group, many opportunists and charlatans have joined its ranks—people of a hundred flags who have nothing in common with the suffering of former political persecutées or the ideals of democracy. Today, anyone who opposes the Democratic Party and its government, whatever their political orientation or affiliation, is readily labelled an anti-dem…ocratic force. This is a neo-communist mindset that harms democratic development and does nothing to ease social tensions or foster the much-desired unity of the people. People have not forgotten that at the funerals of deceived activists and collaborators of fascism held in Albania over the past two years, the country’s highest state officials attended in person, and PD representatives were present on every occasion. What wrongdoings have taken place and are taking place on the privatization boards, with which not only an entire people disagrees, but also former political persecutées, who see each passing day that they are being left empty-handed? Why does an entire department for former political persecutées operate when, after two years ... (Continued on page 2)

Yesterday, the delegation of the Eurosocialist Youth Forum returned home. It consisted of members of the presidium Luan M. Rama and Lushjana Abazi, and, at the invitation of PASOK’s youth organization, took part in the Balkan Youth meeting and other activities held in Thessaloniki, Greece, and its surrounding areas. The meeting, which was also greeted by PASOK Secretary-General Mr Akis Xohaxopoulos and attended by delegations from Albania, Bulgaria, Greece, Serbia and Armenia, decided that the Balkan Youth Congress would be held in October. At the conclusion, a resolution was also adopted, unanimously approving two articles proposed by the Albanian delegation. One called for insistence that the Albanian Government implement the European Parliament resolution to respect and guarantee the political rights and freedoms of the opposition and its imprisoned leader Fatos Nano, who was unjustly sentenced. The other called on the governments of the Balkan countries to organize a meeting on the issue of minorities and to resolve once and for all the problem of economic migrants, since most of them are young and everyone has the right to live, work and be paid without discrimination. FRESSH spokesperson

. Italian public broadcaster RAI announced on Monday that it had decided to stop carrying advertisements through which Silvio Berlusconi’s government promoted its activities. The decision was announced by Mr Xhuzepë Santanielo, the national publications controller, who intervened to ... The RAI decision was announced just a few hours after Khani Leta, head of the Council of Ministers and one of Berlusconi’s closest associates, pointed out that the government did not intend to abandon its “publicity” campaign but, on the contrary, to intensify it in new forms. In the afternoon, opposition parties called for these broadcasts to be suspended in order to verify their legality. This review is expected to be completed within a month. The Council Presidency’s campaign sparked a heated controversy. In this way, the government was forced to give up broadcasting RAI advertisements on the three television channels, just two days after the start of a campaign that had caused a great stir in Italy. The RAI decision was announced only a few hours after Xhani Leta, Deputy Head of the Presidency it in new forms. In the afternoon, the opposition parties of the left and centre called for the RAI supervisory commission to be convened and stressed that the national publications controller should intervene immediately to stop the publicity messages. The Democratic Party of the Left, the main opposition party, had described the government campaign as an “absurd and illegal campaign.” AFP

In the large Skëndulatë house, the upper floor, stairs, sofas, small rooms and the large guest room are occupied by former political prisoners who have expressed solidarity with the national general hunger strike. Some are lying down, some sitting, others standing. Someone comes and goes; another attends to the ordinary needs of life in this special act of solidarity. The police did not allow them to lock themselves inside the sports palace. They declared the strike at the association’s office and spent their second night without electricity, by flashlight, in the large house in Arabesque style. Most are elderly people who have suffered expropriation, imprisonment and long persecution. Their portraits and deeds are still kept and respected here. They come from the city of Gjirokastër, Libohova, the minority community, Kardhiq, and all the surrounding regions. The doctor and assistant doctor are on their feet, taking the hunger strikers’ blood pressure and checking their hearts. No health problems have appeared so far. The large house makes the sight of the heavy, prolonged anguish easier to take in. Political conversation and dialogue are understandable, although none of them wants to give even the smallest degree of politicization to their protest. Journalists come, enlivening the gathering. Outside, there is much politics around their act: politicization and political theatre. Those inside are determined to secure their rights; they want their economic demands met; they are outraged by the corruption and new immorality that have gripped the politics and state they thought would be established democratically. As can also be understood from the extremely nervous and ill-considered statements, this climate has put the PD in a difficult position. The things being said about this inside this house are serious. Around the large house, the grounds are visible, and a little farther away life goes on. Those confined inside, joined by more people today, say others will come too. A woman at the large gate is heartbreaking to see. She is from Zhulat; her husband is inside. She suffers from a heart condition, but he will not agree to come out. The woman looks at the large windows; she weeps, and her cries carry beyond them. THANAS DINO

Shkodër The strikers demand the dismissal of Deputy Prime Minister Bashkim Kopliku The health of the hunger strikers, as of the hour? is poor. Late the night before last, two more strikers were taken for treatment to a house, since they thought they might not receive medical assistance at the hospital. And from the early morning hours, a replacement of opinion is being sought, an issue prominently displayed by the strike committee. The strikers are chained together; the violence used in Durrës and other cities is among the matters raised. The arrival of those who were there during the violence, and the dismissal of Deputy Prime Minister Bashkim Kopliku, are at the top of the list? RTV. An appeal is also being made to all other persecuted people to speak out. Likewise, posted at the entrance is a photocopied form with a photograph of Mr Aboni, on which former prisoner Bardhosh Gjon Zeneli has written words under the title “Today’s Arborni against yesterday’s Petrit.” The PD section members from the village of Ura e Shtrenjtë and the collective of the flour factory have also declared their support for the strikers. Yesterday, the strike committee also thanked Shkodër’s Archbishop, Monsignor Frano Illia, and the Orthodox priest Jovan Jani for their support. Around 9 o’clock, the chief of the police commissariat, Mr Sulë Petku, also met with the strikers. Sources inside the strike say that Mr Petku assured the strikers that he would not order the police to use violence against you. The Democratic Alliance MP Mr Ridvan Peshkëpia and the chair of that party’s Assembly, Mr Gjergj Zef, also came to meet the strikers, but they were not allowed inside. They were told: “We take your support into consideration, but we do not want our strike to be given a political colour.” MUSA KURTULAJ

On Saturday, the numerous regular police and military police vehicles, first deployed in front of the Democratic Party headquarters and later in front of the district council headquarters, as well as the numerous police movements, created the appearance of a state of siege. For the politically persecuted, who had gone on strike the previous day and, [?] for the first time, a psychologically shocking situation of pursuit and intensive surveillance had been created. Regarding the repression exercised against the hunger strikers and the progress of the strike, Bardhyl Reçi, a politically persecuted person, told “Zëri i Popullit”: “We asked for a venue to hold the strike and they did not give us one. We went into the office of the district association of the politically persecuted, 16–17 of us, since that was all it could hold. The police came and threw us out. This happened on August 5, at 5–6 o’clock, after we had started the strike. From there we went to the ‘Dibra’ hotel and then to the second floor of the Sports Club. Din Trepça gave us the key and we went in. They took Din Trepça and put him in prison, after Safet Zhulali arrived. They also took the three leaders of this strike. They took us, put us in a rubber van, and headed us in the direction of continuing the strike outside and inside. The strike in Dibër continues. Correspondent of “Zëri i Popullit”

- Minister Serreqi meets Greek ambassador in Tirana Tsaligis - Albanian television, reporting a statement by the spokesperson of the Albanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, announced that yesterday Minister Serreqi received, at his request, the Greek ambassador in Tirana, Cristos Tsaligis, who emphasized that he was authorized to say that the Greek government considers the trial of the five members of the minority, on the basis of the charge brought, unacceptable. According to him, this trial aims to intimidate the Greek minority in Albania. He emphasized that the Greek government demands that the legal proceedings against the five detainees be stopped, considering this a condition for improving bilateral relations. Serreqi responded to this. He emphasized that the government would remain open and that it is for the court to say whether they are guilty or not. The spokesperson’s statement continued: The Greek government’s efforts to implicate the Albanian government in this process are unacceptable, and we categorically reject them, considering them evidence of a lack of goodwill to resume the dialogue proposed by the Albanian side, the only means of reducing tensions. The interviews with Papulias and Qirjaku, the leader of Omonia, which do not help improve the situation, also show that the Greek government is manipulating the Greek minority and denying its own domestic interests. A policy of pressure and interference against neighbors is not a wise policy, and the Albanian government is not in the least impressed by it, the statement by the spokesperson of Albania’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs concludes.

On the mountain of Malsia e Madhe [?] ... * * * At the “Luigj Gurakuqi” University of Shkodër, it has become possible to establish the department? ...

This happened on the eve of the University of Shkodër strike. * * * - The General Directorate of Railways announced that 650 employees were being placed on assistance. This brings the number of employees in this sector who have been placed on assistance so far to the same total number of employees. * * * - The school principal was notified by a letter with no stamp or registration number, the chairman of ...

* * * - At a venue in the city of Korçë, a burst of automatic-gun fire was opened on a criminal police officer from this district, Sokoli Meli, on the evening of August 5. Fortunately, there were no casualties. * * * - During the period from July 30 to August 5, ... took place in the district of Berat.

Nine car accidents with serious consequences for citizens’ lives. This has been called the “Black Week” in Berat. * * * - In Elbasan, twenty bus drivers are working to provide service to citizens within and outside the district. * * * - After a series of chronicles spanning nearly two years, on August 7 the madwoman N. was removed from the pages of the newspaper Republika. * * * - In Delvinë, around one hundred families ...

* * * - A group of teachers from the city of Olzini in Poland is visiting the city of Shkodër these days; invited by the teachers of the “Vaso Pasha” school, the Polish guests have become acquainted with the historical sites and rich cultural traditions of this ancient city. * * * - In the town of Elbasan, ...

* * * - Upon completion, hotel “1 the private park “Al-kilada” on the banks of the Zaranika; it will have 14 rooms, two verandas, parking, etc. * * * - In the first six months of this year, 1,203 children were born in the district of Durrës. * * * - In Shëngjin, Lezhë, 22 establishments are operating today, employing between 3 and 10 people each. They are serving the town’s hundred or so families and the hundreds of visitors who have come for a holiday during these summer days.

The Albanian Helsinki Committee learned of the decision of the Tirana District Court, which declared the hunger strike by the group of former political persecutées illegal. We do not consider it appropriate to enter into legal analyses concerning the Government’s judicial action or the legal basis for the Court’s decision. Our concern has to do with the consequences of the Court’s decision and what measures will be taken to enforce it. Our Committee once again calls for tensions to be reduced and dialogue to continue, convinced that if moderation and reason prevail, a fair solution will be found in any event. We wish once again to make clear to public opinion that we stand with all those who still see no end to their suffering and thus no end to the dictatorship, and who have nothing else in mind but to deserve? Why was an unprecedented level of corruption allowed to break out within this association, and why is it being labelled a destructive force only now that it is showing signs of slipping out of the PD’s control? years ... Moderation and reason must be sought first and foremost from the Government. We call on it not to let the judicial decision sever the channels of communication or compromise the prospects for dialogue, which means that violence must be avoided. Any strict interpretation of the court ruling and any hasty measure to enforce it will make the situation even more difficult and deepen the crisis. Unfortunately, there have been instances of violence by the police. A flagrant case is that of Durrës, where the police reacted brutally, attacking the premises and a group of strikers barricaded inside. Such conduct is incompatible with the code of conduct for forces charged with safeguarding democratic order. Every effort must be made to ensure that the will to reach an agreement prevails, so that the debate takes place within the norms of civilized confrontation, based on reason and not force. Albanian Helsinki Committee

The strike continues