Although not favored by fate, throughout its history Albania has struggled to rise above the currents, has struggled to survive. The fact that we have this Albania today (such as it is) shows that our people’s struggle, efforts, realism, and optimism have been crowned with success. At every stage, through its great Albanian men, it has known how to proclaim clear and concrete objectives: to preserve the territorial integrity of Albanian lands, to win autonomy, to proclaim independence, to consolidate the Albanian state, to make Albania a modern state. These have been some of the objectives and, at the same time, the stages through which our history has taken shape. The beginning of this year coincides with the beginning of a new stage in our history. The Albanian people, through the mouths of the representatives who have emerged from its own ranks, demand, proclaim, and pledge that 1995 will be the year that makes True Freedom a reality: political freedom, economic freedom, spiritual freedom. The Albanian people have been insulted, deceived, betrayed, and left in the shadows. They have realized that they have gone from the frying pan into the fire. They have had enough. The year we have just lived through convinced them completely that those who swore and shouted about democracy were inspired only by their ambitions to fleece this people as much as possible. They saw with their own eyes how Albania was plunged into chaos and anarchy, how corruption and crime flourished and continue to flourish, how human rights were violated, and how their hopes were crushed. So, enough! This year Albanians want to go to the ballot boxes and choose the most capable, honest, and patriotic people to lead them. This year they are determined that Albania should belong to all Albanians, and not, as until now, be the fiefdom of one man, one clan, one caste. Albanians want national independence, sovereignty, and dignity, not humiliation, servility, capitulation, and submission to foreigners. They want this year to establish order, the law, the rule-of-law state, and the Constitution, rather than allow the whip, violence, and arbitrariness to continue. From 1995, Albanians expect jobs; they expect investment. They want to live by the sweat of their brow in their homeland. They expect a social market economy in which production and the market serve people, rather than Albanians being sold like market goods. Starting this year, Albanians want to sing and cry, rejoice and grieve, write, think, and speak with their own heads and hearts, not at the direction of the many police forces, uniformed and plainclothes, that Berisha’s regime has created in Albania. Albanians demand these freedoms not only because they lack them, but also because they deserve them and are capable of enjoying and realizing them. We Albanians are a cultured people; we are a people with an average age of 27–28. We cannot be mocked. We have had our fill of Berisha’s democracy: a democracy of corruption, scandals, and violence. The political force that will be the locomotive of this process of Albania’s revival has also fully established itself: the Socialist Party. With its program, strategy and tactics, and the capable and honest people within its ranks, it will know how to set in motion all the altered and suppressed energies of this people along the road to progress, while always being ready to cooperate with anyone who wants what is best for this country. The Democratic Party has failed. The only value it has left today is to serve as “raw material” for our variety shows, which until now have been in crisis. People need to part from their past with humor, however bitter it may have been. That is why the verses of our great poet Naim Frashëri, recited by the author Kadri Roshi on New Year’s Eve, are not merely verses of love for the homeland. They are the prophecy of 1995: “Albania will not be like this...!” BEQIN SKRELI

Vlorë WILL THIS BE THE YEAR OF EMPLOYMENT? The people’s New Year celebration in Vlorë passed with the joy of seeing one year end and the great hope that 1995 would be better. Every resident of Vlorë, in their own way, tried to spend these days joyfully. Everywhere there were warm New Year’s wishes. There was nothing particularly special about the city’s atmosphere. Even the city’s decorations underwent no change. The only things that symbolically brought the New Year to mind were two fir trees, placed in the ... A rapid rise in prices. The price of meat rose by 60 percent, apples were sold for 70 lekë per kilogram, mandarins for 100–120 lekë, and so on. Naturally, those who had an income celebrated New Year pleasantly. Meanwhile, the market showed the absence of poor people and those living on assistance and social support, not to mention those with no economic support of any kind. New Year found Vlorë in complete economic collapse. Productive activity has been reduced to a minimum. Unemployment is extraordinary. People therefore hope that the New Year, 1995, will first and foremost be a year of new employment prospects for people.

Shkodër A Year of Hope With the wish “Happy New Year,” [unclear] December, organized in collaboration, it seemed that people wanted to forget for a moment all the worries, troubles, and difficulties of the year they had left behind, hoping to begin a prosperous year. Throughout the night and the first day of the New Year, the rain did not let up. “Happy New Year with rain, with hope for more light from our hydroelectric plants!” The [unclear] staff at the Vau i Dejës, Koman, and Fierzë hydroelectric plants repeated the announcement of satisfactory Drin River inflows. These inflows reached as much as 500 cubic metres of water per second at Vau i Dejës. After a concert at the “Migjeni” theatre on the evening of the 31st Every resident of Vlorë, each in their own way, tried to make these days more cheerful. Warm New Year’s greetings were heard everywhere. the city’s decorations had not changed at all. The only things that symbolically reminded people of the New Year were two fir trees placed in the city center. Private traders were among the most enthusiastic at year’s end, and they were the first to realize that people, having been compelled to do so, were spending a little more to celebrate New Year. Therefore, they offered many consumer goods ...

In the municipality of Çërravë, in the district of Pogradec, formerly the Nizhavep estate, many families have been left in desperate need and dire misery. Pogradec 1,000 Çërravë Families Await Social Assistance In the municipality of Çërravë, in the district of Pogradec, formerly the Nizhavep estate, many families have been left in desperate need and dire misery, because the government removed them from its records some time ago. With every passing day, hardship, poverty, and uncertainty about the future increase for its residents. The municipality’s chairman, Selami Hoxha, and its administrative employee, Dashamir Çaushi, express concern about the residents’ difficult living conditions. Many of them now have no land either, following the destruction of the farm. It is impossible, they say, for the funds to have arrived on time even once; until today, they have had no choice but to go two or three times every month to the relevant ministry to ask for what the government has guaranteed residents merely to keep them alive. “We have become like a red mark at the ministry’s doors,” they say, “but this bothers us less than the usual abuse by the officials there.” It is always the same refrain, the same line: “The government has cut our funding in an important area, in ...; we have cut yours.” The residents of Çërravë are now convinced that the municipality’s leaders can do no more; this is how the authorities are. Pensioners have not yet received their pensions either. At the bank in Pogradec they are told there is no money. So, on the eve of the New Year, while those in power choose restaurants to celebrate as joyfully as possible, 1,000 families in the municipality of Çërravë are battling hardship and misery. For its part, it experiences ... and the many gunshots of its residents. Every day, the residents see their hardship, poverty, and uncertainty about the future increase. The head of the commune, Selami Hoxha, and its administrative employee, Dashamir Çausli, express their concern about the residents’ difficult lives. Many of them now, following the farm’s destruction, have neither land nor work, nor any source of income to meet even their most basic needs. There are around 1,000 families who, according to the assessment of their economic circumstances, are entitled to social assistance, but, as the commune’s officials say, the many obstacles created by the authorities, the withholding of funds, or the lack of money have left them at the end of their tether. The end of the month is approaching and, as we learn from them, they still have not received their social assistance for November.

The traditional New Year celebration in Kurbin did not bring anything new either. Despite the bad weather, rain, and strong wind, often without a break, the traditional celebration remained within its usual “contours.” Although people exchanged greetings with one another, especially in the villages, they made do with what they had... From the family tables came the words, “Cheers, and may the coming year be...” Wherever we went in Kurbin these days, in the towns and villages, among friends and relatives, we found the tables in the reception rooms laden. Although unemployment has taken its toll, and although prices rose noticeably, especially in recent days, people did not lack any of the things necessary for a celebration like this. We wish the citizens of Laç a Happy New Year, and they add: “Perhaps this New Year will give us some opportunity for employment, perhaps it will bring us peace and security, perhaps ...” In the town of Laç, we found 10,000 unemployed people. The people of Mamurras, burdened with hardship, and those of Milot have likewise been almost abandoned by the authorities. The people of the villages in the Kurbin highlands in particular wished that this New Year would bring them a doctor, an ambulance, proper roads for cars, some mechanized equipment to cultivate their little bit of land, and at least one telephone in every village. These are such essential things, which, unfortunately, have been lacking in recent years. It happened to be accompanied by a little more precipitation, including rain. During these days, it was possible to have ..., which, fortunately, had been absent in recent years.

The year that has just ended was very successful for the new parties on the European stage, especially in Eastern [Europe], which, with a few minor exceptions, is governed by ... Among the most important events was the resounding victory of the ... in Hungary and Poland. Beginning in Lithuania, the left has ... in Poland, Hungary, Romania, and Bulgaria. The victory of the left in Poland in 1993, as well as in Hungary and Bulgaria in the year just ended, was convincing and clear, but ... The elections in these countries left no doubt about the left’s victory. Evidence of this was the connection of ... tentac... with the other points. The victory of the left throughout the whole of Eastern Europe ... [and left-wing parties] also governed in many Western countries ... left-wing victories became an objective ... objectives ... of political forces, mainly those in power, that is, the right. Events in Eastern Europe, as well as the victories of the left, continue to be at the center of attention of analysts, parties, and Albanian and foreign politicians. In Albania in particular, these developments have ... and will continue to attract attention because, in a way, events in Albania over the past four years have been one step ahead of these countries, to the extent that on numerous occasions in Albania the forces of the ... political right have said that Albania is following the scenario ... Four or five years ago, in the countries of ... Eastern Europe, the right came to power; it was the force seen as bringing about the overthrow ... of the communist system. After ... several years in power, the right ... showed that it was not as successful at governing as it had been at overthrowing communism. The creative abilities of the right in economic policy, in transforming society toward a market economy with as little pain as possible for the populations of Eastern European countries, have been extremely limited. As a result, the electorate that supported and voted for them four or five years ago did not vote for them again. Moreover, during the years of right-wing government in Hungary and Bulgaria, as well as in other Eastern European countries, as had been predicted, these were more anti-communist fronts than genuine European right-wing parties, with clear social and economic alternatives and the strength to put them into practice. They proved unable to shoulder the heavy burden of transition and ensure that it was completed with as little pain as possible. Under the influence of ... and the other parties, they were not ...

The Conference of Veterans of the National Liberation Anti-Fascist War of the Përmet district began its proceedings with a minute of silence for those veterans who are no longer with us. In the report delivered by Ethem Selfo, chairman of the district’s veterans of the National Liberation Anti-Fascist War (ANÇL), the organization’s work between the two conferences was reviewed. Intensive work and dozens of commemorative activities to defend our people’s historic victories, protect the symbols of the war, and commemorate important dates have enlivened the organization’s activities. In the report and discussions by delegates Polikron Xhoni, Sofo Cinxho, Trifon Zyba, Laku Nqajellari, Hekter Bundo, Paskal Zoto, and others, it was emphasized that all activities had been carried out in cooperation with youth associations and, in several communes and in the town municipality, with local government. Nevertheless, following attempts ordered by central government bodies to prevent activities commemorating May 24 and November 29, the veterans’ persistence and composure helped soften the programs for these celebrations. Luto Haxhiu, delegate of the National Committee of Veterans of the National Liberation Anti-Fascist War, also spoke at the conference. At the end, the conference elected the governing bodies for the coming period.

There are 120 villages which, in addition to darkness, must also cope with the difficulties caused by the lack of telephone service. Despite the efforts of local officials to connect the villages by telephone and expand the directory, the situation remains extremely critical. To date, not a single number has been added to the directory. The only action the officials have taken with great courage has been removing telephones for political reasons. The era of democracy was unable to deliver the promised “paradise.” And the problem of telephone connections still remains. The telephone lines are completely destroyed. There is no possibility of making them work. The poles continue to be cut down, damaged, and burned on a large scale. Likewise, telephone service offices in the villages are in an extremely poor state. Long neglected, they have turned into garbage dumps. Although Telekom and the post office branch in Durrës claim that they are eliminating the problems by repairing some lines and installing new cables, the lack of telephone service in the villages of Ishëm and Jubë-Sukth, the communes of Gjepalaj and Rrushbull, the village of Rinia, and elsewhere clearly shows the extremely critical situation prevailing there and highlights the government’s responsibility for the miserable conditions that have been created.

This year has been a successful one for the socialist alternative in the Pogradec district. In just one year, the majority of young people are embracing, supporting, and backing it more and more. The Referendum fronts have taken on the most significant branches. Now, at the end of the year, what has been—and gives us reason for optimism—in the PS in this district is a highly significant fact: 355 new members have joined during this year, mostly in the 18–35 age group. Around 90 of them belong to ... and after the Referendum, there are young people, especially intellectuals, mainly ... teachers, geologists, veterinarians, and agronomists. In the villages ... Nizhar? Grunjas, etc., there are ...

Following the publication of the Memorandum by 46 deputies of the People’s Assembly, the Declaration of the Albanian Helsinki Committee, and the latest developments, the spokesperson of the Chairman of the PSSH announces that he is authorized by him: — To greet and thank all members of the Albanian Helsinki Committee, who, with their declaration of 27 December 1994 on the “NANO Case,” joined the sound assessments and civic appeal of international institutions and broad Albanian public opinion. The Chairman of the PSSH, Fatos Nano, considers this step important for the creation and expansion of civil society in post-communist Albania. — To thank, at the same time, the 46 deputies of the People’s Assembly for the Memorandum on his release from prison, and to emphasize that the Chairman of the PSSH regards it as proof of their civic and political timeliness. — To congratulate journalist Hamdi Jupa, who, through two logically connected questions, obtained from Mr. Berisha, at the press conference of 28 December 1994, a new public statement and confirmation of the Democratic Party President’s fixed idea that “keeping Fatos Nano in prison is linked to preventing the victory of left-wing forces in Albania.” In fact, the opposite is happening and will happen. These developments cannot be stopped in Albania either. The Chairman of the Socialist Party of Albania, Fatos Nano, on the occasion of New Year 1995, expressed his gratitude to his comrades, colleagues, and well-wishers for their unreserved support for our shared aspirations, and offered his best wishes for the future.