- They take workers’ homes for democratic services, by an unlawful order of Prime Minister Meksi: MPs Vasil Gjika, Sadedin Balla, Simon Puta, Gaqo Rrota, Marash Ibraj, Tefik Ajazi, and Peri Dishnica; officials Albert Broka, Edmond Spaho, Vladimir Kristo, and Arjan Starova; judges Rustem Gjata, Fran Jakova, and Mimoza Panariti; and the regime’s journalists Reiz Çiço, Shpëtim Rroqi, etc. - These days, debate has continued, and is still continuing, between the Tirana Municipal Council and the head of this municipality, Mr. Sali Këlmendi, over the arbitrary allocation of an apartment building constructed using the contributions and funds of enterprises. According to statements by some elected representatives, the entire Municipal Council, including its chair, Mr. Besnik Petrela, and the deputy mayor and Municipal Council member, Mr. Ramazan Driza, regardless of party affiliation, oppose Prime Minister Meksi’s unlawful letters, which arbitrarily give homes to some new «blockmen». The residents to be housed in the apartment building constructed near the centre of Tirana with contributions from the water-supply enterprise and the «Dinamo» factory were designated according to need. An agreement was concluded with the Municipality from the outset, in accordance with the law. Each enterprise that completed housing with funds raised in compliance with the laws submitted its lists. Under Council of Ministers Decision No. 530, dated 17.10.1994, these lists are to be reviewed by the relevant committee at the Municipality’s Public Services Directorate. They prepare a report and forward it to the Municipal Council which, after reviewing the enterprise committee’s decision and the relevant report, deliberates and decides. Thus, under the Council of Ministers’ decision, the mayor—in this case, Mr. Këlmendi—has the right only to sign what the Municipal Council has approved. However, both chairmen—the head of the Tirana Municipality and the head of the Council of Ministers—have, in collusion, done as they pleased, displacing not only the citizens who have worked themselves to the bone to build the structure, but also the elected members of the Municipal Council. Thus, in letter No. 802, dated 17, 3, 1995, Prime Minister Meksi orders that the following gentlemen be housed in this building: 1) Vasil Gjika 3+1 2) Sadedin Balla 3+1 3) Tefik Ajazi 3+1 4) Simon Puta 3+1 5) Gaqo Rrota 3+1. Three days later, on 20. 3. 1995, in letter 805, the chairman of the Council of Ministers orders that the following receive homes in this building: 6) Rustem Gjata 2+1 7) Fran Jakova 2+1 8) Natasha Shehu 2+1 9) Albert Broka 2+1 10) Marash Ibraj 2+1 11) Mimoza Panariti 2+1 12) Shpëtim Rroqi 2+1 13) Reiz Çiço 2+1 14) Arjan Starova 2 times 2+1 15) Edmond Spaho 2+1 16) Vladimir Kristo 3+1. At the beginning of the month, on 3 April 1995, Mr. Meksi sent another letter, No. 919, adding MP Peri Dishnica. Readers can judge for themselves who these gentlemen’s benefactor is. Most of them are from other districts, where they also have privatized homes. Their merits lie in another field. In one letter, Mr. Meksi does not hesitate to state the reason: «for services during the referendum!»... But Tirana’s Municipal Council has unanimously decided to ask the mayor, Mr. Sali Këlmendi, to account for breaking the law. They called the actions carried out an assault. For, without the Council’s knowledge, the mayor, Mr. Sali, issued the authorizations on the basis of which some of the gentlemen, sensing their good fortune, hurried to sign contracts with Tirana’s municipal enterprise. Citizens are up in arms. But where can they complain?! To the mayor?! To the MPs of the People’s Assembly?! To the Ministry of Justice?! To the president of the Constitutional Court?!... This is the «popular», democratic character of Mr. Meksi’s state. They give his Government their vote of confidence in return for a price they have paid with all their nails. We do not know how things will develop from here. The Municipal Council has requested the paperwork so that it can learn the positions taken by the municipal administration, including the mayor. Will the elected representatives have the strength to stop the corrupt administration?! No one can know. The only thing clear is the rulers’ and MPs’ shameful haste: sensing the end, they are seeking to grab central Tirana as a reward for their servility to today’s regime. We stress that some Socialist MPs, such as Grimoz Ruci, who have no housing and have worked in Tirana for years, have been allocated an apartment building on the outskirts, which is expected to begin construction in six months... In conclusion, we would say that if these types of leaders are to receive workers’ apartments in return for contributing nothing but talk, it would be fitting to put up a sign on the building: servants’ residence. SEDAT BRAJA

TIRANA. Meeting at the Tirana city SP headquarters with representatives of the Left Coalition Party for

- The High Council of Justice accepts the resignations of the three chief judges of Tirana and appoints Qazim Gjonaj, replacing Agim Bendo. - At the High Council of Justice The name of the Tropojan Qazim Gjonaj, previously known for the scandalous trial of the Shkodra case, has once again appeared on the scene. There he introduced something unprecedented not only for Albanian justice but for justice worldwide, sentencing five innocent people on the murderous charge of indirect intentional killing. This time he is the president of the Tirana Court, appointed following a meeting of the High Council of Justice, replacing Agim Bendo, who has also sentenced the chairman of the Socialist Party, Fatos Nano, in violation of all legal procedures. The already very long list of Tropojans in leading positions includes, for example, Sali Berisha, head of state and of the High Council of Justice; Premtë Martini, president of the Court of Appeal; Azem Hajdari, chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Defence, Public Order and SHIK; Skënder Bucpaj, Director General of RTVSH; Halit Gjecaj, Commander of the Republican Guard; Mehmet Elezi, director of the Centre for Strategic Studies on Foreign Policy; Shaban Memia, PD secretary for Tirana; Afrim Krasniqi, chairman of the PD Youth Forum; and many others. Now President Qazim Gjonaj is added to their ranks, and all we can do is wish him well on the roads ahead..., though may God grant that they are not roads of complicity. Correspondent of «Zëri i Popullit»

Yesterday, the Minister of National Defence of Turkey, Mr. Mehmet Golhan, concluded his three-day visit to our country. After talks with the country’s senior military authorities, yesterday morning he was also received in a separate meeting by the President of the Republic, Mr. Sali Berisha. In his remarks, President Berisha expressed satisfaction with the fruitful cooperation that exists and is being further encouraged between the two armies. He thanked Minister Golhan for the assistance they have given and continue to give to the Albanian army during these difficult moments of transition, expressing our country’s confidence in and commitment to cooperation with

Tirana with representatives of the Left Coalition Party for Epirus, Greece These days, a working meeting was held at the headquarters of the Steering Committee of the PS of the City of Tirana with a delegation from the Left Coalition Party for Epirus, Greece. At the meeting, the delegations, led by Musa Ulqini, Chair of the Steering Committee of the PS of Tirana, and Kosta Rizas, Secretary of the PKM for Epirus, once again expressed the feelings of friendship that existed between the Albanian and Greek peoples. The positive role of the left-wing forces in the two countries in strengthening good-neighborly relations and cooperation between the two countries was also emphasized, in the struggle against chauvinism that seeks to undermine them. The two delegations exchanged views on the organization of Party structures, their work with young people and women, their role as opposition in local government bodies, how electoral campaigns are organized, etc. They agreed that such valuable meetings should be held reciprocally in the future, because they serve to strengthen the friendship between our two peoples, among the oldest in the Balkans.

Yesterday morning, Parliament held a plenary session. After reviewing and discussing the agreements presented, the MPs ratified the agreements between the Albanian government and the International Development Association (IDA). After this, MP A. Sula made a statement concerning the problem of the relocation of hundreds of families from the northern districts, because of the flooding caused by the construction of hydroelectric power plants, and their resettlement, in accordance with the government’s decision, in the Durrës district. In their statement, they pointed out that they had observed a disorganized process with no detailed plan, which would have made it possible to properly resolve many problems. Regarding the situation, which they described as difficult, they called for urgent measures to be taken, for an accurate and evidence-based study to be organized, and asked that, given the difficulties facing the country, the possibility of resolving these problems in the places where the families had lived until now be considered. Parliament’s proceedings continued in the evening session as well. During the evening session, Parliament discussed and approved several amendments submitted by the Council of Ministers to the “Law on the Restitution of Property” to former owners. These concern properties confiscated under the law enacted after the Second World War. (Continued on page 3)

Letter from the International Helsinki Federation addressed to the Albanian Helsinki Committee Dear friends, On December 2, when we read the report on the Committee’s activities during 1994. The support of all ...? of ...? the Albanian Helsinki Committee ...? a ...? only ...? from ...? ...? We know that it is difficult to ...? ...? ...? democracy ...? ...? First of all, 1994. The support ...? organizational ...? of ...? in ...? independent, ...? ... the official decision in these new years of democracy in Albania, Albania is ...? ...? But that is not so. No democracy can survive in a situation where citizens are silent, where no one reflects on principles. It is the right of citizens in a democracy to ask, (Continued on page 4)

— A return to Berisha’s failed referendum scenario, proof of the PD’s total poverty and inevitable crisis NOTE: Yesterday’s “RD” publishes, in the center of its front page and across almost two-thirds of it, a statement by former chairman Shaban Gazidaj from the village of Ngracan in Mallakastër, who publicly distances himself from the Socialist Party because, according to “RD,” he sees no alternative or prospects for the country’s development in the Socialist Party’s program. Without in any way prejudging the position of a person who has finally seen the light and, after a detailed study, has managed to discover that the SP program offers no alternative or prospects for the country’s development, we would like to remind “RD” that Berisha used this version once before during the referendum, and the result he sought failed to materialize, without the support given to him by the SP secretary in the village of Tomorrel in Skrapar. Let “RD” collect the ballots, but along with them it will collect defeat. The man from Mallakastër.

The heads of 15 Albanian newspapers, independent and party-affiliated, central and local, affiliated and unaffiliated with journalists’ associations, met today at the offices of the newspaper «Koha Jonë» to coordinate the necessary actions against the unjustifiable taxes that burden and threaten the existence of the print press in Albania. At the conclusion of this meeting, it was decided: 1 - To establish a committee for the protection of the print press, composed of: Nikollë Lesi, Carlo Bolino, Ilirian Zhupa, Shpëtim Nazarko, Luan Rama and Lufi Dervishi. The committee was delegated responsibility for determining actions aimed at freeing the press from unbearable taxes and fees. 2 - The committee, bearing in mind that pluralism of information is a supreme value of democracy, declares its commitment to act outside any political interest involving the parties. 3 - Within the coming week, the committee will prepare legal amendments to abolish taxes on taxation, tar[k?]ulation, advertising, and customs duties on paper and raw materials for the press. 4 - In the meantime, the committee will seek meetings with all political forces represented in Parliament, with the Minister of Finance, Mr. Vebor Vrioni, and with the Parliamentary Media Committee. 5 - On Saturday, 15. 04. 1995, to raise public awareness, all newspapers will publish a blank front page, on which the slogan will be written: No taxes on the press. The signatories of this declaration welcome the solidarity of other newspapers and other social forces with the measures adopted. «Koha Jonë», Nikollë Lesi «Zëri i Popullit», Thoma Gëllçi «Gazeta Shqiptare», Carlo Bolino «Populli Po», Ilirian Zhupa «Republika», Lufi Dervishi «Aleanca Nacionalë», Vladimir Zoto «Dita Informacion», Shpëtim Nazarko «Aleanca», Preç Zogaj «Sporti», Besnik Dizdari «AKS», Teodor Keko «Java», Habib Jashari «Intervista», Artan Kristo «A.S.D.», Thimi Nika «Kombi», Kristo Mërtiri «24 O R E», Anila Leka Tirana, 12.IV.’95.

THE ATTACK ON THE LEADERS OF THE SOCIALIST PARTY IS DIRECTED BY THE STATE’S NISH Interview with the General Secretary of the SP, GRAMOZ RUÇI