- On Friday and Saturday alone, around 1,300 Albanians were turned back by the Greek side at the Kapështicë customs checkpoint - The vicious circle of the bitter conflict between our government and the Greek government, at the center of which is the trial taking place in Tirana against five members of the Greek minority, has caused great anxiety and cold psychological terror among Albanian refugees working in Greece. This is the primary reason why, in recent days, a large number of refugees have been forced to decide to return on their own; many of them say that the Greek authorities have confirmed that immediately after the end of the trial of the five Albanian minority members working in Greece, they will be subjected to an iron-fisted crackdown, while all their income will be blocked. But, as we have learned, this operation has already begun. On Friday and Saturday alone, the Greek police turned back around 1,300 Albanians at the Kapështicë customs checkpoint, a figure confirmed by the officials in charge of this checkpoint and valid up to noon on Saturday. They also say that over the past two days the process of returning Albanian refugees by force of the Greek police has intensified considerably. This has also been confirmed by other refugees: this time, the Greek side is determined to see this operation through to the end. Correspondent of “Zëri i popullit”

. For several days, RD and the State Radio and Television have been “dissecting” statements by Socialist Party leaders in the foreign press, commenting on them as anti-national positions. In connection with this misrepresentation and the insinuations, journalist Adrian Myskimi approached PS deputy chairman Luan Hajdaraga, who said: “The Socialist Party’s positions on recent developments in Albania’s political situation are well known from the pages of the press. Specifically, on the trial of five Albanian citizens of Greek origin, I personally made a statement on Sunday, 14 August 1994, in the newspaper “Zëri i Popullit,” and emphasized that diplomacy cannot exhaust its avenues through judicial proceedings, and that disputed problems between the two countries should be resolved by the respective diplomatic services in a spirit of goodwill, dialogue, and tolerance. I also underlined that the trial of the five members of the minority is taking place in a climate of deteriorating relations between Greece and Albania and that, for this reason, we believe it carries a heavy and inappropriate political burden, which can only worsen the already grave atmosphere between our two countries. This is the logic that leads to a fair solution to the problems and to the establishment of bridges of communication and dialogue between the two neighboring countries and our peoples; we have consistently adhered to this logic and this position. Despite recent tensions, we have called on the respective governments to rise above the incidents and view Albania’s relations with Greece from a longer-term perspective. Therefore, Albania and Greece. “RTSH and some pro-government newspapers give no coverage whatsoever to these clear and public positions, which fully accord with the national interest, peace, and stability in the Balkans. On the contrary, in recent days, RTSH news programs and RD have been crudely repeating accusations and insinuations that flagrantly distort the positions and statements of the PS and its leaders for specific political purposes, by fragmenting and piecing together extracts taken out of context from their statements in the foreign media. Even in these difficult circumstances, the PS reiterates its well-known position: the difficulties that have arisen between Greece and Albania must be overcome through dialogue and mutual understanding, and good-neighborly relations between our peoples must be regarded as a factor for peace and stability in the Balkans. “We have stressed that the Greek minority in Albania should be a factor of friendship and harmony with neighboring Greece. Its members are Albanian citizens and are subject to the laws of the Albanian state; at the same time, as members of a minority, they must enjoy all the freedoms and rights guaranteed to them by the fundamental legal documents, including the Law on Human Freedoms and Rights. If, specifically, the five members of the minority currently being tried by the Tirana court are convicted for political reasons, then we Socialists, who oppose politically motivated sentences, will call for their release, just as we will do for other political prisoners. This is a clear position that leaves no room for equivocation. In a democratic state, no one is deprived of the right to hold particular political beliefs—not a politician, not a member of a minority, nor a political prisoner. “It is regrettable that, for propaganda purposes, the PS’s clear positions, fully consistent with the national interest, are being flagrantly distorted. This certainly does not serve the political situation; on the contrary, every effort is being made to escalate it further.”

- Factional groups are thriving by attacking one another. The police resolve the matter by detaining citizen Vladimir Guri for several hours. - The worsening situation has been taken in hand by Lirim Lambershi, former secretary of the PPSH in the administration of the Mechanical Combine and currently a member of the Democratic Party. is boiling. It has always been a hotbed: a problem for the Government, a headache for the leaders of the independent trade unions. Scandals keep piling up. The heads of the unions attack one another over corruption involving “small” sums. The administration of the Mechanical Combine is also drawn in. The center remains silent. Someone says, “Instruct them not to give material to the leftists.” Let’s deal with all the matters ourselves, internally, because we also have the State Audit Office on our side, which for a long time reviewed and recorded (confirmed) the Mechanical Combine’s documents and activities. They wait, but… anxiety erupts. This time the accusations are even harsher. Elmaz Dashi, chairman of the Independent Trade Unions of the Skrapar district, accuses Basri Qame and his associates of corruption; Qame was chairman of the Combine’s independent union. A three-way exchange of leaflets. Different groups emerge. Another union group declares itself to be the leadership. Names include Vladimir Guri, Shaqo Meli, and Merita Sako, members of the independent unions. Tensions rise. Niko Koxhaku, a member of the general council of the independent trade unions, arrives from the center as a delegate; he is chairman of the unions for protection and a deputy of Mr. Valer Xheka. They take action. They expel Messrs. Elmaz Dashi, Vladimir Guri, Shaqo Meli, and Merita Sako from the leadership. That is when another debate begins, ending in a fistfight. V. Guri lashes out with the accusation that they are protecting corruption. The delegate gets «niraç»—and is also a wrestler (it is said he is on a team with Mr. Agron Musaraj). And he fires back at once. V. Guri ends up, after the punches, with «urti» Ruhi Alushani. One phone call, and the police settle the situation. On the delegate’s orders, V. Guri is detained at the station for several hours. After this, Comrade V. Guri is assigned to lead the independent trade unions in Skrapar until an extraordinary conference. After him comes Comrade—Mr. Lirim Lambershi, former PPSH secretary in the Combine’s directorate and a member of the DP. But why all these scandals in Poliçan? They speak of corruption. Apparently the State Audit Office uncovered these things. The trail of this corruption leads all the way to the Government. The State Audit Office, or Mr. Blërim Çela, since he does not forgive, is expected to publish the results in the major newspapers. PARTIZAN MYFTARI

- KUÇOVË - For days on end, pensioners in the Kuçovë district—sometimes for as long as 10 days—wait outside the savings banks from 5 in the morning and return home at 3:00 p.m. with their heads bowed because they cannot get their pen- sion. The reason: there are no banknotes. So who should answer for this? Who is responsible for those elderly people who are “sunbathing” outside the savings banks? How are they supposed to pay the electric utility? How are they supposed to pay the gas company? How are they supposed to pay the housing tax? And above all, how are they supposed to provide bread for their children? B. J.

- DEVOLL - From time to time, reports have been published that in our country people are cultivating narcotic plants, plants used to produce drugs. The latest report is that there are dozens of these plants in Devoll. In other words, the bells of an epidemic deliberately cultivated, with serious consequences, have rung. S. H.

The prosecutors and the witnesses called to the courtroom once again fell short of substantiating the espionage charge. “If Clinton had given them the money, would you still have considered it CIA?” one of the lawyers asked, ridiculing the espionage charge. Witnesses for the prosecution make public claims of funding for the Democratic Party by the Greek government and “Nea Demokracia” during the election campaign. The trial of the five Albanian citizens of Greek ethnicity continued again yesterday, with seven more witnesses questioned here at the Tirana Court of First Instance. Although it was Saturday, the courtroom was once again full: journalists, representatives of the diplomatic corps and international forums, Greek lawyers and MPs, and, naturally, the far more numerous secret-police observers. In any case, the atmosphere was tense, and the proceedings were not like those of the previous day; a heavy political mood once again surrounded the trial. Official Athens, through the trial observers, noted that “Tirana is going through its worst moments,” while Tirana, it is said, has reacted harshly, claiming that it is not going through such moments. Yesterday, Albanian newspapers reported a new operation involving the roundup and arrest of 400,000 Albanian refugees in Greece. Until yesterday, as a sign of response, it had called the trial of the five minority members a “parody,” called for the return of 3,000 Albanian refugees, and, if it says they belong to them? Will the others follow? Meanwhile, yesterday in Tirana Judge Deda continued the proceedings with the testimony of witnesses. The first to appear in the courtroom was former “Omonia” MP in the first pluralist Parliament, Mr. Panajot Barka. “What Bardha testified to,” Barka said, “is contained in ...” (continued on page 2)

After the fact that the Democratic Party, led by Mr. Sali Berisha, had been funded during the March 22 election campaign by the «American Republican Institute» was made public, and after the DP acknowledged this funding, another funding source for the election campaign, which had until now been the subject of rumours, was made public yesterday in the Albanian court. This concerns substantial funding for the Democratic Party during the election campaign from the Greek government and «Nea Demokracia», led by Kostas Micotaqis. This came to light, among other things, through the testimony of Panajot Barka. Prosecutor Gjokutaj: Do you know, witness, of any money given to «Omonia» by various organizations or associations? Panajot Barka: During my time, when I was a member of parliament, I don’t know of «Omonia» receiving any money; only the government received money from the Greek state. The Greek government [funded] the Democratic Party and «Omonia». In fact, it received a very large sum of money which at the time constituted an extraordinary fund. It is understandable that this was justified in the fight against communism, but we were extremely sorry that the DP was receiving money from the Greek government while we, who had lined up alongside the Democratic Party, received none. After the court hearing, Mr. Panajot Barka told «Zëri i popullit» and several other newspapers: «Zëri i popullit»: You swore before the court that you would tell the truth, and testified before it about substantial funding for the DP. What is your testimony based on? P. Barka: On many sources. There are many political figures, as well as numerous Greek television channels and newspapers, that confirm it. On many occasions I was personally present when they gave them money, two or three [unclear], and not us. «Zëri i popullit»: You said it was an extraordinary fund. What amount are we talking about? P. Barka: They’re talking about a sum of 80 million drachmas... This was brought into Albania, in addition to the propaganda material, which was also prepared in Greece. «Zëri i popullit»: Do you know who organized the giving and receiving of this money? Do you know any names? P. Barka: I know names, but I won’t give them. Meanwhile, PBDNJ member of parliament Thoma Miço said: I know they received money. I don’t know the amount. There are politicians and journalists who have stated that they know the full amount of the funding for the DP from «Nea Demokracia» as part of the fight against communism. (continued on page 2)

I was unlucky enough one night, after leaving Durrës beach and following many attempts, to end up in the emergency department of Durrës Hospital. I won’t go into detail, but if you need an analgesic, a syringe and needle, Ultracorten, or any other medication, bring them with you so that you aren’t forced to go around the city’s pharmacies to buy them, as happened to me at 11 p.m. that night, since the emergency department was empty.

TIRANË A car garage is being built four metres from the wall of the apartment building, on what is supposed to be the pavement. The garage is being built according to a master plan which, it is said, was approved and signed by Mr. Sali Kelmendi. The garage door opens right onto the balcony of the first-floor apartment No. 93, stairwell 6, building 45-1, Grigor Heba Street. It blocks the road used by residents’ cars for their everyday needs and errands; it also prevents the municipal service vehicle from entering to collect the rubbish, without even taking into account a possible illness among the residents. (continued on page 2)

The law on the status of invalids of the Anti-Fascist National Liberation War (No. 7663, dated 20.1.1993) provides for their medical treatment and free medicines, free travel on urban public transport, and half-fare for intercity journeys. As several war invalids in the city of Elbasan told us, they do not enjoy free travel or half-fare travel from Elbasan to other cities. This is because vehicle operators in Elbasan differ from those in the neighbouring districts of Librazhd, Gramsh, etc.; that is, drivers of state and private buses, and even train conductors, demand that they pay the full fare (!) even though the cited law clearly states that war invalids must not be charged the full fare. The invalids have complained, but to no avail. Elbasan Municipality has still not found the time to address this concern. More precisely, it allows a law to be violated—a right that war invalids should enjoy.

Funding testified to before the Court

- The American secretary of the [unclear] Kril - MP P. Miço, in a statement, 36-year-old A. Bezhani from Elbasan. * * * - A. Bezhani back in Elbasan. * * * - On August 19, NATO said its final farewell to its Secretary General Werner, leaving Stoltenberg and Amato as the most likely candidates for the post. * * * - Dr. Ibrahim Rugova received Matthew Palmer, third secretary of the American embassy in Belgrade, in recent days and told him that the best solution to the Kosovo issue was an independent and neutral Kosovo. * * * - Six masked, armed bandits robbed 36 million lekë at a petrol station in Tirana after overpowering the guards at night and opening the safe. * * * - Over six months, the number of people injured in road accidents in Tirana reached 390. * * * - The Transport Trade Union Federation has been accepted as a member of the International Transport Federation. - A court in Peshkopi [unclear] the 50th anniversary of the formation of the 18th Assault Brigade and its [unclear]. - Requests for the urgent convening of the Albanian parliament were submitted to the Presidium of the People’s Assembly. - A fugitive wanted for escaping from prison four years ago has been arrested in Durrës. - More people detained for cultivating narcotic plants. They are Hysen and N. Coci from Lapanxhë, Berat. * * * - On the eve of the new school year, 1 million marks have been secured for Albanian-language teaching in Kosovo. * * * - Switzerland gave Albania 14.5 million francs to purchase electricity. - The abduction of a 10-year-old from Elbasan, to be used as a beggar in Greece, signals another grave social wound being added to that of the abduction of children and girls. - In an appeal addressed to religious communities, the government and parliament, representatives of associations in Albania call for this: Framo Hida urges, «Everyone against abortion». - In a statement, MP P. Miço announced that appointed police officers had insulted and threatened him after he intervened to ask the reasons for the detention of this party’s deputy chairman for Gjirokastër.