This is what happens in Gjirokastër Statistics unearthed about privatization FIGURES By the end of 1994, only 167 million and 367 thousand lekë. Of the assets, 800 properties have been sold and another 92 have been leased. Their valuation amounts to 167 million and 367 thousand lekë. Of this amount, 108 million and 780 thousand lekë have been collected, in cash, in securities, and from rent receipts. WITHOUT AUCTION 90 percent of the properties were transferred without auction, because most of them had only one bidder; secondly, properties were also excluded from auction if, despite having two or more bidders, they were awarded to people recommended by the PD. NEW MASTERS Eqrem Hoxha, head of the military branch; Frida Beyko, wife of MP Sadik Bejko; Syrja Baç, chairman of the PD; Agron Ahmeti, chairman of the privatization board; Asqeri Boçi, chairman of the independent trade unions; Qemal Shehu, secretary of the association of the persecuted; Theodhora Liti, former director at NPA, employee at the prefecture. AT WHAT PRICES WERE THESE ASSETS BOUGHT? For laughable sums. The printing house for 5 million 149,000 lekë, the price of a two-room apartment with a kitchen; the carpet enterprise for 2 million 412 thousand the two-storey NPA building for 1 million 405 thousand lekë, or the price of a room and a kitchen; the construction enterprise’s hotel, where 16 families live, for 2 million 300 thousand lekë. THE SOCIALISTS’ POSITION The Socialists have returned to the problems of privatization time and again. At the latest meeting of the PS branch executive committee, from which this article originated, they denounced the fact that many privatized enterprises had changed their purpose and had not opened up employment opportunities—which does not bode well for people’s future. ... and gives an instruction to the leadership of the NB concerning the farm workers, including those who have retired. But, as we are informed by the farm’s directorate, this instruction from the Ministry of Agriculture has met with resistance and has not been implemented, since the local authorities’ leaders have made it possible for...

This is what happens in Durrës . Who are Durrës’s new feudal landlords? — 11 families in the city of Durrës have illegally created “their own estates, with 10–20 hectares of land as well as hundreds of olive trees each.” — These new landlords may be the people who today head the PD’s government and party structures. The hills north of the city of Durrës (or, as they are called, the hills of Spitallë and Kallm) were the pride of the former Spitallë agricultural farm, which covered about 540 hectares of land and included tens of thousands of fruit trees, olive trees and vineyards. This part of the city of Durrës is one of its gems, a veritable riviera, owing to its gentle slopes and unrivalled beauty stretching down to the sea. On old maps, the western part of these lands was recorded as marshland belonging to “Abdurrhaman Krosi.” After liberation, all these areas were cleared and converted into farmland, mainly vineyards and olive groves. When the NB Spitallë agricultural farm was dissolved, the Ministry of Agriculture, with a special instruction also based on the law on land distribution, ordered the distribution of the former NB’s land to the farm workers, including those who had retired. But, as we are informed by the farm’s administration, following the Ministry’s instruction, the municipal authorities ordered the farm administration to give some of this farmland to former [unclear] who live in the city of Durrës. And that is what was done. There are nearly 11 families who consider themselves the former owners of these lands and have obtained ownership rights over them in a wholly arbitrary manner and in violation of the law, thereby creating their own estates of 10–20 hectares of land, with hundreds of olive trees each. On what grounds was this done, when it is known that the state and the people invested in and worked hard to turn these areas into farmland, vineyards and plantations? It is said that Durrës’s new landlords are structures. This irregular action presents us with a new scandal involving many names, which we will publish in the future. These new landlords have become “owners” of land using falsified and dubious documents and court testimonies. MIRELA NDINI

Yesterday afternoon MACEDONIAN POLICE USE FIREARMS AGAINST THE ALBANIAN UNIVERSITY An Albanian is killed, ten others are wounded and many arrested “Undoubtedly, this very important event is the result of the efforts of the Albanians there, as well as of the understanding shown by the Macedonian government and President Gligorov regarding this problem.” (President Berisha’s assessment, one day before the killing) Macedonian police block the University of Tetovo Albanians in Macedonia are being forced to defend their Albanian-language university in Tetovo with their blood. Yesterday, Macedonian police forces, ordered to stop classes in Albanian at this university, intervened, killing one Albanian and wounding others. Macedonian police used firearms and tear gas bombs. The violent interventions by Macedonian police were a continuation of the previous day’s intervention to forcibly close the university. Sources in Tetovo say that a state of emergency has practically been declared there. A large number of people have been arrested, and many police forces are being sent there from other parts of Macedonia. Speaking after the police intervention, the university’s rector, Prof. Dr. Fadil Sulejmani, said among other things: “These matters should be settled through discussions with the education and science officials of the Macedonian Ministry of Education, and not through dialogue with policemen. Do you think an entire people has been left in educational darkness? We endured for 50 years; now we will endure no longer.” A large number of Albanian citizens had gathered around the University of Tetovo to prevent the police forces from stopping students from continuing their lectures in Albanian. The lectures in Tetovo have attracted the attention of European political circles. The British government has expressed concern about the deteriorating relations between Albanians and Macedonians in this republic. The British government notes that the university issue highlights the need for appropriate education for the Albanian community, and at the same time the need for Albanians to respect the law. The second closure of the University of Tetovo is part of the anti-Albanian actions continually undertaken by official Skopje. Anti-Albanian actions continued throughout the past year. The inadequate law on the population census left tens of thousands of Albanians unregistered. As a consequence of this law, a large number of Albanians were unable to vote. A few days ago, Albanian MPs were forbidden to speak Albanian in the Macedonian parliament while the law on identity cards was being discussed. Under this law, names may be written in the [unclear] language, while Albanian names must be written in Macedonian using the Cyrillic alphabet. For this reason, Abdurrahman Haliti submitted his irrevocable resignation as a— (Continued on page 3)

412 thousand the two-storey building the executive committee of the PS branch, the collectives have been excluded from the right to own property; that only a few workers have become owners; that many privatized enterprises have changed their purpose and have not opened up employment opportunities, which does not bode well for people’s future. From time to time they have denounced the illegal sales, purchases and deals. THANAS DINO Column continuation note: “continued on page 3” [text cut off at the upper edge]

Yesterday, 17 February, the Financial Memorandum for the Second PHARE-Health ’94 Program, supporting the restructuring of the health sector, was signed by Dr. Maksim Cikuli, Minister of Health and Environmental Protection, and Mr. Elio Germano, Head of the Delegation of the European Community in Tirana. This program, with a total amount of 7 million ECU (8.5 million dollars), will enable the Ministry of Health to strengthen its operational and institutional capacities and to continue the reform program it began three years ago. This new program, covering the period 1995–1997, will enable the continuation of hospital reform, the development of administrative capacities, the redefinition of the role and position of public health laboratories and the repair of some of these laboratories, as well as the completion of the necessary technical studies. This important assistance makes it possible to extend the action already undertaken by the European Union in the Albanian health sector through a first PHARE-Health program of 6 million ECU, based mainly on strengthening primary healthcare. ... European Community in Tirana, the Financial Memorandum for the Second PHARE-Health Program ’94 was signed in support of restructuring the health sector. strengthen its operational and institutional capacities and to continue its reform program, which period 1995-1997, will... ... make it possible to continue hospital reform; develop administrative capacity; redefine the role and place of public health laboratories, as well as repair some of these laboratories; and carry out of 6 million ECU, based primarily on strengthening primary health care.

Yesterday, the Deputy Chairman of the Socialist Party of Albania, Dr. Servet Pëllumbi, and member of the Party Executive Committee Bashkim Zeneli received at the Party headquarters the Ambassador of the Republic of Poland in Tirana, Mr. Miroslav Palasz. The Polish ambassador handed Dr. Servet Pëllumbi an invitation for Socialist Party participants who will attend the International Conference to be held in Krakow, Poland, under the patronage of the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Mr. Daniel Tarschys. After thanking him for the invitation, Dr. Servet Pëllumbi and Ambassador Palasz exchanged views during the meeting on current political developments in both countries. Press and Information Office of the Socialist Party

The positions of the chairman of the Democratic Party, Eduard Selami, on the democratic path of the constitution are now known, as are the main arguments behind his new stance. The moment is decisive for the fate of the DP. Either this opportunity is used to save what can still be saved of the democratic path within the DP, or the party will disappear from Albania’s political scene for good. At present, the Democratic Party is equated by the overwhelming majority of the population with injustice, dishonesty, illegality and political immorality. The Berisha-Meksi government has earned the shameful reputation of a government of political scandals, economic corruption, mafia-style privatizations, failed reforms, etc. At the head of these abuses are ministers and senior party and state officials, in the center and in the regions, whose actions have now been documented by several opposition parties. The presidential offices have been turned into a major headquarters from which orders are issued to the party, the government, the judiciary and parliament, stifling their autonomy and violating democracy. Albania is gripped by an all-encompassing crisis, ruled by police violence, and tortured by uncertainty about tomorrow, owing to the political adventurism and thirst for absolute power of a person suffering from delusions of grandeur and unaccountability, and because of the failure to save Albania’s democracy and its ... (Continued on page 2)

Gramsh The Sports Palace in ruins Only the skeleton of the building remains of the Sports Palace whose construction began in Gramsh in 1988, after residents took the bricks for various building projects. When construction of the sports palace in Gramsh began, its initial cost at the time—that is, seven years ago—was 5.8 million lek (new lek), while the sports center cost a further 3.7 million lek. But from 1991 until today, not a single construction task has been carried out, because no further funds were allocated. Although there were no funds to continue construction of these facilities, the Ministers of Culture, Youth and Sports handed them over to the Municipality for administration.

Last night, the assembly of the Socialist Party of the city of Tirana was held, where the capital’s SP political objectives for the year were discussed, specifically how to put its alternatives into practice. Last night, the was held, where the capital’s SP political objectives for the year were discussed, specifically how to put its alternatives into practice. The SP deputy chairman, Dr. Servet Pëllumbi, also took part in the assembly and spoke. We will publish an expanded report on this assembly in the next issue. Correspondent of «Zëri i Popullit»

Peshkopi The 19 springs of Dilaver Vojka’s life were cut short by a road accident in Greece, where he had been working illegally for four months under an assumed name. It was a fellow from Shkodra, to whom he had confided his name and family address, who delivered the tragic news and prompted the humanitarian action of two men from Dibër who work in law enforcement in Tirana. They made intensive efforts and, two weeks after the tragic event, brought the young man’s body to his family. For Sali Vojka, who has endured sorrow upon sorrow in the course of his life, the boy’s return without compensation is a great consolation. For our state, legalizing the routes of emigration—routes that, for such poor and forgotten regions as Dibër, are far removed from all humaneness—the pains of life and the urgency [?] d[?]... ABDURRAHIM ASHIKU

By “Hero of the People” HAXHI LLESHI By “Hero of the People” HAXHI LLESHI “... Before dealing with our decorations, he would do well to remove the decoration of shame and corruption that he gave to Arsid.” READ ON PAGE 3