Healthy, but calm and determined, Pjetri appeared on screen once again. But this time not as usual in the hall of Parliament, where he is the speaker, but in something less common: at reburial ceremonies. The hunger strike of the politically persecuted was nowhere to be seen in his handsome portrait, apparently thanks also to the sun reserves he is accumulating on the seashore. He spoke, and Vlora listened. All Albania listened, too. And was pleased. “Neither fascism nor communism can eat their përshesh in front of the Democrats’ eyes, as happened there during the Second World War,” Pjetri said in his speech. He knew what he was getting at with his expression, so carefully chosen for its meaning and so often repeated in its syntactic construction. Meanwhile, it is good to see that Pjetri is determined to defend to the end the përshesh the Democrats have cooked up and keep before their eyes. But he is wrong to talk about what happened during the Second World War with the përshesh cooked up by fascism. Not for any particular reason, but he will be left without the përshesh he likes so much... Because his father had this përshesh, too, but the përshesh blinded him. And...” Pjetri spoke very well in Vlora. Only, some people left the hall and the others made noise. In Vlora, they don’t understand you when you speak in Arshi Pipa’s dialect. The brave man of uncle Jaho from the Vlora River,

- The hunger strike continues on its eighth day - AZEM HAJDARI, chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Public Order, the SHIK and Defense, declares his hunger strike, shouting: “The police are with us”

- “Those who rejoiced in the squares, Did not become heroes, not even on the lists; Those who watched in the squares Became ministers” - DRITËRO AGOLLI Albanian Parliament Speaker Pjetër Arbnori was in the city of Vlora on Wednesday as part of the political campaign “Get the formerly politically persecuted out of the strike, without violence.” Perhaps it was because a very serious speech had to be followed up—the one he delivered at the KSB session, where Arbnori sounded the alarm that international mafia, in cooperation with former officials, was destroying Albania—that the head of the Albanian Parliament, who has also become the good-natured target of humor by the Albanian variety-show scene, delivered another serious speech at a commemorative reburial ceremony, where Sali Berisha’s shadow suddenly appeared, stretching far along the Vlora coast, to be thanked for the latest reburial. The war of the dead against the living continues It is not inevitable that Albania should never look back at its past. It cannot escape the phantoms being resurrected by those in power to make heroes of them; the dead are ruling Albania, defying the living and turning them into second-class people. Again, it seems that the greatest phantom, that of the dictator, has been welcomed by the Albanian leadership, since his police methods are ruling Albania. Arbnori (who is no longer blind), number two in the Albanian leadership, one of the founders of the fanatics. After smearing the Zogists, after saying that the capital of Albania is Tirana and not Johannesburg (where Leka Zogu resides), after sending Tonin, he says: How can you call the Zogist Abaz Kupi a traitor when he fought bravely on 7 April 1939; how can you call the Balli leader Mit'hat Frashëri an agent when he took part in raising the flag in Vlora in 1912? No comment!! You can add still more facts to this logic, embodied in these facts. How can you call the former prime minister of the collaborationist constitutional government a traitor... Taking as our cue the television announcement that, among others, the formerly persecuted people of Pogradec had also abandoned their leaders, we thought it would be necessary to contact members of this association. But it seems that is not the case; in fact, in Pogra-... The returned, the skinned are ruling Albania, defying everyone and turning it into a place where people are second-class. Once police methods are ruling in Albania. Arbnori (who is no longer covered), number two, an Albanian political leader, one of the founders of this struggle, used a strong and cold logic to revive...

SHKODER Shkodra is becoming the epicenter of the hunger strike by the formerly politically persecuted. It now ranks first for the highest number of hunger strikers, a figure that reaches nearly 90. We also learned that during the night medical assistance was given to three more strikers. Some members of the association of the persecuted from the areas of Shllak and Kelmend came to join the strike, but were not allowed in, being told there was no need, since those who had been confined to it for seven days would continue the strike to the end. In a statement, the Shkodra branch of the association of the formerly politically persecuted, following the one it issued the previous day about 20 deputies, described as renegades and unworthy of being called formerly persecuted the chairman of the district council, Mr Ali Kazazi; the mayor, Mr Filip Guraziu; the secretary of the district council, Mr Spiro Lito; and continued the list with 11 local-government employees and other people. Information sourced from the strike committee highlights their determination not to withdraw their demands. MUSA KURTULAJ

- Meanwhile, Arbnori, Butka and Shehu are relaxing at the Drilon villa. - POGRADEC strike, we thought we should find out what had happened. According to accounts from those who experienced it firsthand, we do not believe anything like this has happened in any other district. So, having heard about

“How can we improve and deepen the work of the Eurosocialist Forum in support of the socialist alternative, so that it can gain the broadest possible reach and support?” This was the subject of the round-table meeting of the Eurosocialist activity in the Mat district. Representatives of the Forum from all areas of the district took part in this meeting. Deputies Hali Lala and Ndre Kqis, as well as the leaders of the PS in the district, were also present. During their discussions at this meeting, the young participants summed up the work done to expand the Forum’s ranks, extend its activities, and improve the quality of its members. The young people who spoke at the meeting included Ajsis Mirdita, Ylber Toci, Agim Paruxhis, Sami Duka, Abdi Backa, and others. Deputies Ndre Legisi and Halil Lala, after commending the work done so far by the Mat Eurosocialist Forum, answered many questions from participants about the current political situation in the country in connection with the Nano issue. The young Eurosocialists were greeted by Rexhep Kycuku, chairman of the Socialist Party of the Mat District. The activity of the Eurosocialist Forum in this district aimed to improve and deepen its work in the future.

SHKODER The night before last, at around 21:30, dynamite exploded near the home of the mayor, Mr Filip Guraziu. Immediately, the public-order forces led by Mr Marjan Prendi went to the scene. So far there is no information about the perpetrators of this ugly act, but it is thought that it was done to threaten the mayor, although he is currently on holiday outside the city. Vëzhguesi

The day before yesterday in the afternoon, Luljeta Rrastori, 21, a resident of the «Skënderbeg» neighborhood, was buried. It is said that she committed suicide with a pistol on Monday evening. Law enforcement authorities detained her husband, Ndrekë Rrastori, who, assigned by the police station, was serving as the mayor’s escort. VËZHGUESI

On the seventh day of the hunger strike by political persecuted people in Dibër, there is still no complete information about the locations where it is taking place, the number of people in seclusion, or their health condition. Unable to hold the hunger strike in the city of Peshkopi because of the repression exercised from the very first day, the hunger-strike sit-ins have been concentrated in villages and communal centers in the district. Various reports speak of sit-ins in Magellarë, Dovalan, Muhur, etc. The sit-in in Muhur is said to be the largest. When we asked for details about the hunger strike and the strikers’ health in recent days, the spokesperson for the district’s former political persecuted people replied: “We are going out to the local areas to visit the strikers, and tomorrow we will comment on the number and condition of those in seclusion.” Correspondent of «Zëri i popullit»

For the second time, Korçë strikers were forcibly removed from the premises where they had barricaded themselves. Backed by the [unclear] on Thursday, five vans carrying law-enforcement forces [arrived]. Equipped for [unclear], fast, armed, and intervening with batons, shields, and helmets, while the exhausted hunger strikers were asleep, they rushed in, surrounding their building. Most of them entered the hall and forced the strikers to go outside. The latter went into their rooms and did not manage to withstand the police’s dictatorial intervention. But, faced with such a large number of police officers, they came out, shouting insults at the law-enforcement leaders, the government, and the PD. Throughout Thursday, the former persecuted people gathered at their association’s headquarters, intending to continue their resistance in various ways. In any case, the law-enforcement forces, for their part, are responding to the determination of the former persecuted people with an exceptionally high level of readiness. Correspondent of «Zëri i popullit»

A week ago there were about 50 strikers preparing to barricade themselves. There, the chairman of the Mirditë association, Mr. Gjon Mark Ndoj, told the strikers: “I’m going to Tirana, and from there I’ll bring you the new instruc-... tions.” Mr. Gjon went to Tirana, but, as they told us in Mirditë, according to the association, he had lost his way. Instead of going... (Continued on page 2)

PËRMET To obtain information about the strike by the former political persecuted people in this district, we went to its chair-... . We found him in the process of drafting a statement in which the national strike and the association’s leadership were [unclear]. Since 5 p.m. on the 5th, when around 00 people wanted to barricade themselves in ... (Continued on page 2)

BULOZË During these days, the former political persecuted people of this district have barricaded themselves on hunger strike three times in a row. On Tuesday evening, they went on strike again. The former political persecuted people of this district have issued an appeal to the government, parliament, and president. The appeal states: “We have been tortur-... ed for 50 years straight, with violence and tortur... We voted for a true democracy ... not for violence and dic-... We have decided to continue the hunger strike until all 10 demands put forward by the leadership of the country’s association of former political persecuted people are met.” SHQIPE ALIAJ

The fire that destroyed the apartment building where six families lived in Vreshnas, in the former Maliqi Agricultural Enterprise in Korçë, has been written about before. Left out on the street without shelter, the heads of the families have spent this time going from one office to another, from Korçë to Tirana and back. Finally, they drew up a petition and sent it to the President and the chairman of the People’s Assembly, as well as to the leading newspapers. They still have not received a reply. They have nowhere to lay their heads, and summer is nearly over. Government officials are on vacation in luxurious villas. ARBEN BRADVICA

At the invitation of the Albanian community in the USA, our distinguished writer Dritëro Agolli has left for a visit to that country with his wife. He is a member of the Presidium of the Socialist Party of Albania and a deputy in the People’s Assembly. Correspondent of «Zëri i popullit»

On Saturday at 10:00, a meeting of the strike committee of the 10 newspapers will be held at the offices of the newspaper «Koha Jonë», since on Monday, August 15, the second meeting with representatives of the Government will take place regarding our economic demands published in the press. The strike committee

As part of economic cooperation with our country, a delegation has been scheduled and will ... billion lire ... Durrës ... 70 young people ... have been ... at the school, but ... 100 ... The Museum of Sinjë in the district of Berat ... in Vlorë in 1938, is being reconstructed... * * * ...

... in Fier, from a blow ... veter... 1-year-old ... in Malaj, 26 ... The incident occurred in ... Of 542 people ... glaku ... Elbasan ... * * * In the district of Kolonjë, ... 482 objects and ... * * * In Gërmenjë of the arts in Tirana... * * * Private individuals engaged in commercial activity in Berat were ... 320 thousand lekë ... alcohol ... * * * The music group «The Fish Hook» ... its second album * * * In the district of Kolonjë, ...

... the 43-year-old painter Gëzim Erebara ha... his exhibition of 22 works in oil technique. * * * The madwoman N., after a brief pause, appeared again in the pages of the newspaper «Republika». During the first days of July, three cases of sexual violence were recorded in Gjirokastër. * * * A regional customs office for the district of Gramsh, Librazhd and Peqin will ... * * * In the city of Shkodër, between ... several enterprises, such as the artistic one, the wickerwork one, the combine ...

... woodworking, etc., have been occupied for several years by different families. The privatization board in this district has not stated whether these buildings will in the future be enterprises or residential homes. * * * The priest’s house of the Millot church has been occupied for more than 25 years by seven ... and now the only representative of this church, Sister P. Kallmeti ... * * * Concerning the Ardenicë Monastery, this cultural work of historical value and ... * * * ...

... ristikë, the Orthodox Skanda has laid claim to ownership of it. So far it has not been appropriated ... because the relevant law is lacking. * * * Soon the city of Lezhë will have its own archive center. It is said that this center will be established in the former dormitory of the agricultural school in this district. * * * In Durrës, retail outlets for mi... other ones in the neighborhoods are ... residents’ needs. This has ... been ...