Before the attacks, all those who deviate even slightly from the Party’s guide After the political challenge and the successive uproars that arose around the issue of the departure from FRESSH of several people placed at the center of attention, it is clear that public opinion is learning more and more every day from the way our politics is governed and commanded. What stands out is a frightening mentality: whoever leaves, whoever thinks differently, whoever objects, is immediately labeled as bought, as sold, as manipulated, as used. In this sense, the question is no longer what happened to the specific individuals, but what political logic lies behind this behavior. The logic of the Democratic Party, as it appears in practice, seems built on a commanding model in which people are not treated as free political beings, but as merchandise in the marketplace of power. They are either with the party and then they are good, or they leave and then they are immediately declared sold out. There is no room for doubt, for debate, for autonomy of thought. This climate affects not only FRESSH or a narrow political circle; it affects the very standard of democracy. If an individual has no right to change convictions, to criticize, to separate from a structure without becoming the object of slander, then pluralism remains a facade. At this point, the debate around the young people who leave an organization becomes a test for our political system as a whole. That is precisely why public opinion must reject the language of buying and selling people. In politics there may be interests, moves, mistakes and calculations, but the citizen is not property, nor is conscience merchandise. Whoever thinks that people can only be bought and sold has understood neither political freedom nor human dignity. (To be continued on page 5)

I am convinced that the Nano school is being added to the new political tectonics of Albanians at the end of this century. Perhaps first of all because of its broad rational outlook and its faith in the political force of modern socialism, which critically assesses and balances the substantive demand to transform the Socialist Party into a party of the present and the future, not of the past. Perhaps first of all because it fruitfully synthesizes a new culture of citizenship and political emancipation among Albanians, where a critical and opposing disregard is brought to life against passivity, timidity, mythologizing, folklorization, old doctrinarism and unrealistic chances, without challenges or courage; because it speaks in a calm voice about the need for solidarity and social cohesion as conditions for a force that seeks to be the only real, credible opposition. Its values will appear more clearly if we compare it with the features of the Berisha-Nano school. It truly constitutes an alternative of experiences and criticisms, of convictions and political concerns of today’s Albanian left, which inevitably include, under psychological pressure, not only the memory of yesterday’s FRESSH, but also of the PS as a party which, despite its relative maturity, has not yet gone through deep electoral and organizational tests. As an inspiration, it speaks in an energetic tone about the need to create a political force not merely as an ideological remnant of yesterday, but as a modern political instrument, capable of operating in the conditions of real pluralism and a transitional economy. We believe that Albanian social democracy needs new thinking, a clear vision of the social state, the market, individual freedom and solidarity; it needs people who speak not with slogans, but with arguments, not with anger, but with patience and concept. Precisely in this sense, the contributions of FRESSH and the new generation can be seen as a political capital that has been missing during the years of transition. If these contributions know how to preserve their moral autonomy and avoid the usual paternalism of our politics, they can become an important factor in the reform of the left. (To be continued on page 5)

SERVET PELLUMBI: The Apali decision, an effort under the tutelage of Berisha’s power. ILIR META: A FRESSH, there is no room for speculation, to “eliminate the opposition” Whether or not the newspaper’s direction writes it, that is of no importance to any serious left-wing reader, but it is very important what those who today represent FRESSH to one degree or another say and think themselves. This is the meaning of the answers that Mr. Servet Pëllumbi and Mr. Ilir Meta give to “Zëri i Popullit.” By setting aside pointless polemics, they give the reader a clear picture of the alternatives discussed on the Albanian left and of relations with the current power. Instead of fog and prejudice, their answers bring an argumentative tone. Pëllumbi emphasizes that the Apali decision cannot be read as an autonomous act, but as a move placed under the tutelage of Berisha’s power. Ilir Meta, for his part, underlines that a real FRESSH cannot become a place for political speculation or an instrument for “eliminating the opposition.” These formulations reflect not only the debate of the day, but also the concern for the future of democratic culture in the country. For the Albanian left, the challenge remains the building of a democratic society with European standards, where political competition is not reduced to intrigues managed by power, but is based on programs, organization and citizens’ trust. For precisely this reason, the euro-socialist voices are seeking a new political language, clearer and more convincing. (To be continued on page 5)

ILIR META, CHAIRMAN OF FRESSH We believe that spontaneous movements best decipher the real mood of young people. For precisely this reason, any attempt to present these movements as the product of manipulation or political bargaining is not only unfair, but also harmful to the democratic climate. FRESSH cannot be seen as an appendage of a police logic, but as an organism that must breathe freely within the pluralism of the left. We have been and remain convinced that the Socialist Party has all the necessary space to renew the role and contribution of the euro-socialist youth. This means not only formal openness, but also a new relationship with ideas, with debate, with political responsibility. Young people should not be called upon only for electoral enthusiasm; they must be heard on programmatic orientations and on the way modern opposition is built. Attempts to provoke divisions, to sow doubt and to compromise the legitimate representatives of FRESSH serve neither the PS nor Albanian democracy. On the contrary, they serve a culture of control that seeks to weaken every new energy. We consider it essential that FRESSH preserve its own identity, strengthen ties with the base and actively contribute to the revival of the Albanian left. (To be continued on page 2)

The 15 United States and the Albanian government are likewise part of aid and cooperation projects. In this framework, a delegation from the U.S.A. Department of State has arrived in our country to hold talks and contacts with representatives of Albanian institutions. According to the reports, the visit is connected with assistance programs, issues of administrative reform and support for democratic processes. Official sources emphasize that the meetings will focus on sectors important for bilateral cooperation. (To be continued on page 2)

Nëz FONIS — They have one vote across the whole country. Do blood donors abuse qesim? part of the staff of the transfusion center. These are not only complaints from patients, but also from their family members. Many people who give blood as an act of solidarity feel pushed aside, unrewarded, and in some cases even mistreated. What stands out is the fact that donors often do not even receive the minimum information about the procedures, conditions and their rights. There are cases where they wait for hours, while instead of understanding they are met with lack of correctness and indifference. This is especially serious when one considers that without their contribution no serious transfusion service can function. Protecting blood donors is not a matter of propaganda, but of civic standards. They deserve institutional respect, normal conditions, humane treatment and guarantees that their act will not be used by anyone for unjust gain. (To be continued on page 4)

Does drinking water flow through the streets? The lack of water in some neighborhoods has made citizens react with concern to losses in the supply network. According to complaints, in different areas broken pipes and continuous leaks are observed, while families remain without water for hours. This situation is seen as paradoxical, especially in the summer days, when needs increase. Residents are calling for swift intervention by the relevant enterprises and transparency about the reasons for the water shortage. (To be continued on page 4)