The Berisha regime seeks to “cover up” crime with crime

Editorial A wave of arrests has swept across the entire country. Various sources within the police report that more than 500 people have been arrested by the police, especially in districts where there has been a broad wave of protests in recent days, accompanied by the burning and destruction of key institutions. Meanwhile, through an extensive propaganda campaign, the authorities are trying to make the opposition responsible for the deep economic collapse and the multidimensional crisis gripping the country. The deranged minds of the DP, unable to explain why this savage wave of violence swept across Albania—a wave whose protagonists were identified at mass public rallies as its own misrule—are even trying to claim that the pyramid schemes had the Socialist Party’s blessing and were organized by it! Meanwhile, after sending the army into the streets, a “curfew” has been imposed in Albania, although it is well known that such methods are used only in dictatorial countries and only when a regime is breathing its last. Today more than ever, every opposition supporter, every representative of the opposition press organizations, and indeed every person, in the prevailing conditions of widespread psychological terror and violence against political opponents, feels under threat of losing their life, of being thrown into police cells, of physical assault. This is an extraordinary situation, entirely outside democratic standards. This is the fullest confirmation that a dictatorial regime has been established in the country. Thus, the Democratic Party in power, having seen just how much the people supposedly held it dear, having shown how strong its contract signed on 2O [sic] May and 20 October was, is now baring its teeth. It appears to be showing strength, but in fact it is expressing fear. It is not so much concerned about the buildings vandalistically destroyed by all manner of provocateurs, but is worried that, after the earthquake that shook several cities in the country, it feels its own citizens, it feels the ground trembling beneath its feet.

Political parties’ roundtable on the grave situation the country is going through The parties PDD, PLL, PSD, PRD, PAD, PS, PID support the proposal put forward by Mr. Kurt Kola on behalf of the Association of the Politically Persecuted to lead the country out of the crisis. The Association and our parties agreed on the following: 1- Resignation of the Government, 2- Establishment of a technical Government supported by the political parties 3- Establishment of a commission to audit government officials’ assets, privatization, and the people of Albania’s money deposited in the usurious firms, 4- Establishment of a commission to improve the electoral law and prepare early elections, 5- Determination of the procedure for drafting a new constitution, including a referendum on the form of regime, 6- Establishment of the Forum for Democracy, to which these parties will belong, and drafting its programmatic platform based on the above-mentioned objectives. 1. Democratic Right Party

News from the Vlorë Internal Affairs Branch: Page 5

Statement addressed to the media Page 5

The collective of the newspaper “Zëri i Popullit” protests to the highest state authorities, the President of the Republic Sali Berisha, the Minister of the Interior Halit Shamata, the Korçë District Prosecutor’s Office and the police station of this district, over the arrest of our newspaper’s correspondent in this district, Muharrem Meko, in his absence from his home. Throughout yesterday, despite our efforts to find out the reasons for our colleague’s detention, we were unable to obtain any information. The detention of journalist M. Meko comes immediately after threats were made to journalists from “Zëri i Popullit” that “we will burn you like rats.” Concerned for the fate of our colleague Muharrem Meko, who has committed no unlawful act in his work and whose only “weapon” is a journalist’s pen, we appeal to the state authorities to put a stop to the police’s actions against representatives of the opposition press, and to release our colleague immediately so he can continue his work in peace.

Along with the police, “plainclothes officers” also help arrest innocent citizens (ROJTER)

Join us at the rally to be held today in front of “Selman Stërmasi” Stadium, at 11:00, “Selman Stërmasi” Stadium, at 11:00, Let us demonstrate for our rights, for the establishment of true democracy Citizens of Tirana! Sisters and Brothers! The arbitrary, police-state and corrupt rule of the DP robbed you and left you stranded. It is time to rise up against the establishment of a neo-dictatorship and the violence of the police state. front of “Selman Stërmasi” Stadium, at 11:00, to Association of the Politically Persecuted, Democratic Right Party, Right Republican Party, Democratic Ideal Party. Tirana, 29.01.1997