Editorial The government decides to grant loans without having a single lek in its coffers The Albanian government decided yesterday to serve a huge lie to the unfortunate Albanians who have lost their household savings in the failed pyramid schemes. In a decision issued yesterday, it decided to consider as homeless, and provide with state loans, all those people who, according to it, have sold their homes and put their money into the failed schemes. This latest decision by the Meksi government is a lie in broad daylight to thousands of unfortunate Albanians left without shelter. The government is opening its purse to grant home loans, even though there is not a single lek in its purse. In an interview given to the BBC last night, Prime Minister Meksi said the funds for these loans would come from the State Budget and the Savings Bank. It is precisely in this statement of his that the falsity of the latest decision by the government led by Meksi becomes apparent. It is well known that last year’s State Budget left the government with a deficit of 260 million dollars. This resulted from the failed economic policy of the Meksi government, as well as the colossal expenditure it incurred on the two election campaigns of last year. The present rulers themselves have acknowledged this financial failure, blaming the situation on “the failure to collect taxes and duties.” This dire financial state has led to the Albanian state still being unable to approve this year’s Budget, although the law stipulates that it should have been approved by the end of December last year. The state of deposits at the Savings Bank is similarly dire. The bank is currently struggling to pay the money owed to depositors in the failed Populli Foundation. To understand the Savings Bank’s financial situation, it is enough to recall that the Tirana Municipality alone has approved a list of 600 people who are to receive home loans from this bank. Nevertheless, fewer than 100 of them have received these loans so far. The reason is that the Savings Bank has no funds available for loans to those declared homeless by the Municipality. Prime Minister Meksi also spoke of financial aid promised by the Greek and Italian governments to overcome the current crisis. But despite their promises, this aid is not expected to arrive until the problem of the Albanian pyramid schemes and other issues concerning the country’s political situation have been fully clarified. The governments of these countries have already made this clear. So why does the government make such a decision when it has no way of carrying it out? The answer is clear. As part of its maneuvers to calm the angry people, the government is trying to deceive them with hollow decisions. This decision is just like the law passed last year on the eve of the May 26 elections, which spoke of providing loans to the homeless. At that time, the law was intended to deceive Albanians into giving their votes in the upcoming elections. The government’s current decision, meanwhile, is intended to reduce, if only temporarily, the anger of Albanians who have taken to protesting over their lost money. The government thinks that these unfortunate people will once again believe that its decision to provide home loans will be implemented. By then, the feeling behind this decision will have faded; by then, their protest will have died down. This is what the Meksi government thinks, even as it loudly proclaims its decision to provide home loans. But today’s people have long since stopped believing in government decisions. That is why they will take the government’s latest decision for what it really is: a new lie in broad daylight.

The Vlora residents’ protest on its 14th day. Answer to a concern raised by Vlora residents: Are the young men from Vlora being held in Burrel prison?... Answer to a concern raised by Vlora residents: Are the young men from Vlora being held in Burrel prison?...

Following the DP’s invitation to meet with the SP on 19.02.1997 The Socialist Party of Albania (PSSH), as a member of the Forum for Democracy, first of all expresses its optimism regarding the start of dialogue at the round table called by the Forum for Democracy, which will take place on 18.02.1997 and to which almost all Albanian political parties have been invited. Page 2

Fier: opposition at the head of the demonstrations Page 5

The Forum for Democracy invites all the citizens of Tirana At the major rally marking the anniversary of the fall of the communist dictatorship, on Thursday, February 20, 1997, at 13:00 in “Skënderbej Square.” On Thursday, February 20, 1997, at 13:00, the Forum for Democracy is organizing a gathering in “Skënderbej” Square on the anniversary of the fall of the symbol of the communist dictatorship. The relevant permit has been requested. The Forum for Democracy calls on all the people, students, school pupils, intellectuals, the unemployed, trade unionists and merchants to gather in the square on this symbolic anniversary to commemorate, but also to protest against every form of totalitarian rule, every violation of fundamental human rights and freedoms, and deception, theft and violence. Forum for Democracy

The Forum for Democracy called on Thursday for a rally in the square in front of “Selman Stërmasi” Stadium at 12:00. Heavy rainfall effectively made the rally impossible. Nevertheless, this did not prevent the police from cordoning off the square and allowing groups of PD’s black-shirted thugs to enter the cafés and kiosks around the square, beat people, threaten them and drive them out. Likewise, all the leaders of the Forum and the opposition parties were blocked at various locations where they were before 12:00 and were not allowed to leave. The Forum once again denounces RTSH, which presents these unconstitutional cordons as a triumph of the party in power in its struggle with the opposition. The Forum has neither weapons, nor clubs, nor money to pay street gangsters. It seeks to exercise its constitutional right to assemble and demonstrate peacefully. The Forum also denounces the Voice of America correspondent, who did not inform the public that its leaders had been detained by the police, but instead reported as if, at the time of the rally, they had been happily drinking coffee in the places where the police had detained them. The Forum for Democracy warns with concern that each day, as the violent actions of the PD’s illegal gangs increase and the authorities continue to violate human rights and freedoms, popular hatred is accumulating and will erupt tomorrow, creating serious social, legal and moral problems. Monday, February 17, 1997

On February 19–20, at 11 a.m., a large peaceful protest rally will be held in the main square of the city of Tepelenë, calling for the overthrow of the neo-dictatorship.

Page 3