nr. 84 / 16 nëntor 2005

Political Analysis of the Situation in Albania

Is Albania Growing to be Anti- American under Berisha?

Is Albania Salvageable?

It has been 15 years since the fall of communism in Easter Europe. Most

of the Eastern European nations have established a feasible democracy.

Albania has not. Why is this happening to Albania when in the early 1990, there

was a real democratic movement in there? It was pure. It was simple. It was

democratic.

It was anticommunist. But, that movement, unlike the movements in other

Eastern European countries, was hijacked by communists, the Old Guard,

who first attempted to suppress and repress this movement it, but then they

changed their strategy to infiltrating this movement and occupy its leadership.

In 1990, Ramiz Alia, the Prime Minister of the Communist Party of

Albania, told the politburo that" Time has come that we allow pluralism in

Albania, but we must make sure that all the new parties, whatever their names might

be, must be lead by us, the Old Guard." His request was adhered to, and has

remained a reality in our nation's political life since. One can look at all the

political parties, be it the DP, the SP, the RP, etc., and realize that

all of them are indeed lead by former communists, the Old Guard. None of them have

a new generation leader. And, this is the problem with the Albanian

"democracy". No matter who wins, the political philosophy is the same. It is a

disguised communist philosophy.

One should not be surprised at the SP or other leftist parties for

being unwilling to allow Albania to establish democracy. They take an offense

at the word democracy. The one that concerns us is the Democratic Party, which

is supposed to champion the values of democracy and be a party that others

can look up to. For the DP to be democratic, it has to reform itself. To do it, the

leadership of this party has to be shaken up. And there have been

attempts to do this, but every time they have tried to do it, they, the reformists,

who are usually young, Christian, and pro-American, have lost. They were then

forced by the Old Guard to either flee Albania, such as the case with Eduard

Selami, or retreat into defeat, such as the case with Gjovalin Bzheta and Edi

Rama, or join other parties, such as the case of Dashamir Shehu, or be beaten

into submission, such as the case of Ekrem Spahia.

Here are some of the problems with the DP now:

It does not allow dissent within the Party. The only view that count is

Brisha's view, which is the Old Guard. He would fire anyone who dares

oppose him.

This is an approach that he mastered while working for the communist

party until 1990. The DP does not allow elections with in it, because, they

the Old Guard, knows fully well that if such elections are allowed, they would

lose power rather quickly. It limits the power of the base, which has younger

leaders, and gathers more power for the leadership in Tirana, which is the Old

Guard. It does not allow the new generation to move up in the Party, unless they

are educated in France and have totalitarian views. You look at the

leadership of the DP, and all have somehow studied in France.

It is not a Western Democratic Party, because it fights any English or

American views presented to its leadership. Non of its leaders are

British or American educated, where we believe, the real democracies are. Instead,

when young men from the USA returned to Albania , after having been forced into

exile 20 years ago, they were called anti-Albanian, American agents, Nanos

supports, etc. They were so filled with energy, honesty, integrity, and

hardworking values, and wanted to spread the American values to Albania. That frightened the leadership of the DP. The DP spent more time and resources trying to

discredit them, than exposing the failures of the SP. The DP did this because

they fear the American values in Albania.

It is an anti-Catholic Party, because, out of the 16 Advisors Berisha,

none of them is a Catholic, as if there were no Catholics qualified for that

job. Further, all the ministers, excluding Aldo Bumci, who by the way

studied in the Turkish Cyprus, are non-Catholics. And when the leader of this Party,

Mr. Berisha, was running for Prime Minister's position, he visited the

Roman Catholic Church in Hardsdale, NY, but after his election, he visited New York,

but instead of going to the same community, he met with the Old Guards of

Vatra, such as Agim Rexha and Agim Karagjozi, two unemployed Albanians, who are

nostalgic of the days when Enver Hoxha ruled Albania.

It is a pro-Middle Eastern Party, because from 1992 to 1996, when it

was the ruling party in Albania, Albania became a member of the Isalmic League

of Nations, many Arabs, who eventually were confirmed to have been

terrorists trying to establish terrorist camps in Albania, obtained Albanian citizenship.

On November 26, 1998, USA Today reported that "Bin Laden is believed to

have established an Albanian operation since 1994. The Chicago Tribune, by

Peter Symonds, reported on May 7, 2005, that two Shik Agents, Astrit Nasufi and

Flamur Gjymisha, had verified that they were aware of Hassan Mustafa Osama

Nasar, who had admitted that he was a member of the Egyptian-based Jaama-al-Islamia,

living in Albania since 1995. He was supposedly arrested in the streets of

Milan on February 17, 2003. Mind you that this happened while Berisha was the

President of Albania. Now that he came to power again, this connection to, and

admiration of, the Middle East is becoming even clearer. As the leader of this

Party, and the Prime Minister of Albania, Sali Berisha, meets with the Iranian

Ambassador to Albania and expresses his support to the Iranian

government's program of WMDs, ignoring the fact that the President of Iran has declared that "Israel should be wiped off the map" and that they have been sending jehadists

to fight American forces in Iraq. He appoints Dritan Misha, who has

studied jehad in Libya, as his spokesperson. The Socialist Party has called for an

independent investigation as to how over 12,000 foreigners, many of then Arabs,

obtained Albanian citizenship so quickly from 1992 to 1996, who are suspected of

having been terrorists establishing terrorist camps in Albania, Kosova,

Bosnia, and Macedonia.

It is an anti-American Party, because, because they appointed an Edit

Harxhi, an anti-American, to represent Albania to the United States in

Washington.

She, who has been married to a Turk and has live outside Albania since

1990s, and who has been fired by UNMIK for forgery, inter alia, has said that

the CIA is responsible to the 1997 chaos in Albania. Its leader met with Irans

Ambassador to Albania, knowing that the USA is at the verge of

attacking Iran. Its leader appoints Dritan Misha as his spokesman, knowing that he has

studied jehad in Libya, ignoring the relationship that America has with Libya. The DP

fought the NMD Branch of New York, which had brought to Albania young men from

the USA to ran for Parliament. The DP attacked them as Agents of America,

Nano supports, and anti Albania. The DP spent time and money trying to

discredit and destroy this Movement, only because it was mainly composed of educated

Albanian-Americans, who fled Albania when Berisha was still serving the

Communist regime, who wanted to return to Albania and serve It instead of serving

him by spreading American values in Albania. This was unacceptable to the Old

Guard, which until 1990 called America the Evil Capitalist Superpower that

wishes to impose its will on the rest of the world. Today they do not use those

words, but still believe them.

It is anti Politically Persecuted Party, because none of the Advisors

or Ministers is from the Politically Persecuted families. The DP fights

against their rights to property or fair compensation, instead of assisting them. The

old Guard is the one who persecuted these families for 50 years, and

continues to do it even now. They know that empowering the PPF means empowering

their enemy. Its would mean that the leadership of the DP may have to be

dispossessed of the property that they have unfairly, unlawfully, and forcefully taken

from these families more than 40 years ago.

It is an exclusive Party instead of an inclusive. The leadership of

this Party is composed of the Old Guard friends, who went to school

together, were members of the same party, the Communist Party, worked for the same

party, the Communist Party, and protected and defended each other. They do not

trust anyone else but each other. They suffer of demo-phobia.

It encourages chaos in the Balkans, by fighting for greater Albania.

First, the DP leadership called for Kosava's conditional independence, now it

calls for its full independence. I am fine with it, but the next step, once

Kosavo because independent, would be for it to join Albania. Then parts of

Macedonia, which are populated by Albania, will ask for the same thing, as Mr.

Arben Xhaferi made it clear to the Express Newspaper on November 3, 2003,

that "Kosava, Macedonia and Montenegro should be annexed to Albania". If this were to

happen, the Balkans would be thrown into chaos, and it would be disastrous move

for Albania at this time, being that all these regions are, indeed,

populated by Albanian Muslims who would be more than happy to attack their Christian

neighbors, be it Serbia, Montenegro, Macedonia, Greece or their own

small Catholic population. Creating a Greater Albania was, and remains, the dream of

the Old Guard.

Thus, no matter who comes to power in Albania, Albania is not

salvageable at this time. None of the political parties cares about it this time. All

they care about in not allowing a third political force take any traction to

do just that. The DP and the SP, which are the major parties for the time

being, pretend that they are fighting and arguing, but they both remember that

they are working under the same ruler, the Old Guard, and that their mission is

to make sure that whichever party comes to power, the leadership remains at the

hands of the Old Guard, the former communists.

In a survey conducted recently, 70% of the respondents stated that they

do not believer that Albania will see a Western Democracy for the next 20

years. They all believed that the problem is the Old Guard, which would not

let go.

When asked what would save Albania, 68% responded that we need a Third

Political force, completely devoid of the Old Guard, interested only on

the internal issues that the geographical Albania faces. They all believed that

than Third Political Force should be pro-American and pro British, instead

of pro-French or pro Middle Eastern. Out of the respondents, 90% believed

that Albania is not headed in the right direction under the DP, but is less corrupt

than the SP. More than 85% believe that Catholics have Catholics have been, and

continue to be, discriminated against by the Democratic Party under

Berisha.

In order for Albania to establish a feasible Democracy and win the

approval of the Albania people and the world, we need a party devoid of the Old

Guard that is pro-American, that allows reform within the party, provides for

the protection of minorities, especially Roman Catholics, fights terrorism,

resolves once and for all the issue of land, fights corruption and nepotism, and

concentrates in resolving the problems that the geographical Albania

faces instead of going beyond, to establish a greater Albania.

Editorial office

Transparency with the money of taxpayers should start with making the competitions pubblic

All Albanians, in one way or another, either directly or indirectly, are those who hold up the necessary structure called State. Starting from the simplest citizen to the President of the Republic, depending on the position, the income or the profits, everyone lends to the State a sum of money every year, used by different institutions of the country. This contribution is really necessary to guarantee some services vital for the citizens, like education, police, social assistance etc. A large amount of this money is used by different local institutions for various investments, reconstructions or repairings to the interest of the community. At this point starts the obligation of those structures of the State to realize the needed transparency about the use of the money of Albanian taxpayers.

Competition is a mechanism of the trade-economy aiming to place at the same start-line all the individuals who want to serve the community using funds gathered by the taxes citizens pay. Therefore, if there’s an investment of 10 milion dollars from the budget of the State, it is obviously the fruit of the money paid by taxpayers. This is not always so, for sometimes this money is got from strategic privatizations, like banks, previously belonging to the State, or also money from different foreign donators. If this is done through credits given by different foreign or local institutions, it is still considered an investment of the taxpayers, for the debt will be payed by the State through the money these give.

Competitions in general, have to follow an exact process. Depending on the amount of money in a competition, there are different enterprises or individuals competing. Almost all competitions should be public and with the same access for all. The winner is, or should be, the one who offers the highest quality with at the lowest price.

Like every process, this competition too can be marked by tricks, obviously overlooking or breaking the law of the State and its articles. It begins with the announciation of competition, if there’s an announciation. There’s an established time for the announciation, and in many cases, in order to give advantage to an enterprise, competition is announced in a moment when other contenders, except the one established to win, have no possibility to prepare the necessary documents. Sometimes competition should be announced through many central or local media for a certain number of days. This means money, and a lot, knowing the high price for commercial advertisement demanded by newspapers or TV’s in Tirana. The next trick is a fictious receipt through which a newspaper or a TV proves that a certain competition announciation was done for 10 days, while it was done for just 1 day. This is done for an extra payment for the irresponsible media, yet providing good profit for the institution (the head of it) that had to make the advertisement this competition in media.

The greatest trick is when there’s no advertisement of this competition, to the direct profit of a company or enterprise. All these have occurred with competition organized either by local (district, municipality) or central institutions. If it’s necessary we can give concrete evidence, even receipts. We’re going to limit ourselves in considering the phenomenon, being conscious that facts are evident, even to those who told us these things, boasting in a bar.

For the moment we’ve told about the inequality in competitions, going always deeper in the way offerings are presented, when it gives advantage to a company. Let us suppose that X municipality or Y institution want to give advantage Z company in a competition. The chief of this company, either directly or through mediators, is called, receiving the proposal to bring, along with the documents of his company (Z company), documents of two other ghost companies, or with a price that is lower to what he presented. Now is the time of the chief of Z company, who realizes the scenario with the help of any friend, because in a public competition, contend is obligatory. If he cannot find to ghost companies, then it is the trick of percentuals. When two other companies agree and obey the rules of the Z company, they both get a percentual from 5-10% of the total value of competition. There is another solution, that the Z company wins the competition and takes 15-20% of the total amount, while the two other companies realize the work. The above percentuals vary depending on the total amount of the given competition. The head of the institution, who organizes the competition, gets his part in this bargain, which goes between 15-25% of the amount, depending on the total amount given.

The above mechanism, although no details are given, in order to keep the secret of our source, explains how many individuals (chiefs, directors or leaders of lower levels) become rich in a few years. These mechanisms were used until the end of the government of the SP. Now, with the new government Berisha holding the slogan “Clean hands”, we hope and wish something will change. The “Shqipëria Etnike” newspaper wants to give its example giving a possibility of transparency with competitions, in all levels or amounts. Standing to the collaborations the Prime Minister Berisha asked from us, we are ready to offer our pages to different institutions, either local or central, to make advertisement of competitions, free of charge. We believe tha transparency about the money of Albanian taxpayers is vital to build true democracy. Therefore, we want to give our contribution, free of charge, differently from other media, who demand salty payments for this purpose. We offer unlimited space on our pages, while devotion and honesty is up to those whom we voted. We are and ask for transparency, and we offer what we can. The game now is in your hands, mister ministers, mayors, directors of enterprises or institutions.

Blerti Delija

Sokol Pepushaj

Democrats won, socialists are glad!

When I met a socialist who stood for deputy, he was very glad, like a silly man.

-What’s up, - I sad, - any good news?

Yes, - replied, - there’s no greater joy than spending 16 hours without energy in Shkodra. Enjoy Sali Berisha…

As he insisted to go with me for a cup of coffee and a drink of those preferred by Nano, we went at the bar preferred by Nano, but also by the ministers of Berisha, lastly. One by one there came many friends and we put together three tables. There were impassioned democrats and socialists.

Democrats look sad, while socialists look glad. Democrats want light and they know they won’t have this winter; socialists are glad to stay in darkness. Democrats wait for wages to double, free movement, raise of production, legalization of illegal houses, return of properties, and payment for the years of imprisonment; socialists enjoy the skepticism of the first.

While the losers, socialists, take a drink after the other for the joy, the winners, democrats, take a drink after the other because of sadness.

You can touch these two realities and make jokes with both, but can’t stay without saying:

Poor models, so solid and so fluid, without substance of freedom and logics! Here it is supposed to have its base the evil proposed, understood and accepted as good. The Albanians indeed do not understand that since the time of Enver Hoxha have found themselves facing serviles and mad people, spies and people without a substance of moral. Those who led the society were able to keep themselves right from this inability of them, showing smiles and promises during election campaigns, moving like the mole, from one party to another, so that even if the party loses, chameleons do not lose their power. Can’t we take as example on this line, Neritan Ceka, Skënder Gjinushi, Genc Pollo, Arben Imami, Sabri Godo, Genc Ruli, Vangjel Dule, Lufter Xhuveli and Paskal Milo?

This happened because the habitual characters were not penalized by the votes, first of all to give a message, as it was given on the 3^rd of July to Agron Duka and Anastas Angjeli.

In simple words, the evil is hard to be removed in Albania, because bad people lead bad affairs, monsters who give no account.

A phenomenon is being materialized, what might have a cost if the new government doesn’t concentrate on work. Many of those who left Albania obtaining foreign citizenship many years ago are coming back like migratory birds. They’re occupying leadership positions in the Albanian society, after they’ve left the profession of dishwashers or street-sweeper by the roads of Occident. This is what we think that overlooks the trust of the vote, because those “wisemen” left, when it was the moment of the holy struggle for the victory, to rule with Clean Hands. They didn’t even vote on the 3^rd of July, for they didn’t come here, because they didn’t know who was going to win, yet they rushed on the “cake”.

Empty people, without ideas, without a solid character, with many problems, for those who know them closer, found themselves favorized in these 15 years, even perfect ruling over those who vote, work, get tired through protests, grieve in vain and enjoy in vain.

The State of clean hands needs pure people, honored by the mass. But how can honor be measured? Here’s an example:

The Minister of Education and Culture, Genc Pollo, comes out of the car next to a bar in Shkodra. All the clients stood up to respect the minister. But all of them, almost at the same time, sat down and ignored his position as soon as they saw the deputy accompaining him. We know that all Shkodra knows who is all this about, even if we don’t tell his name, even if we don’t say that he is the most inable deputy of the world. The same happened to the leader of the socialists, Edi Rama, in the same bar, when they saw he was followed by a robber.

Nevertheless, our good purpose is our good mission; to reason and analize the phenomenon, without flattering either the right winged or the left winged.

The ignoring of the minister is a phenomenon. Even in this case the socialists enjoyed and the democrats grieved. These last because the self-respect couldn’t allow them to shake hands, feeling provoked by the presence of the silly deputy talking at the cell-phone from the moment he came out of the car until the waiter had to wait for a long time for him to order.

We cannot say if the minister understood anything, but we can say that many deputies honored neither by the political wing who gave them the votes, cause incongruity between the image of the state and the nature of the moral of the nation.

We can also say that the severe “code” of punishment, even for the deputy, whatever the wing he belongs, limits the controle complication, increases what the society reflects toward “wild” proportions, making automatic behaviors that in a near moment will realize the softening of society and the fusion of interests.

Sokol Pepushaj

Burrel: the Police of the State, a tool in the hands of the Albanian neo-communists of Fatos Nano

Instead of being an instrument at the service of people, defending human values, freedom and rights, the Police of the State in Albania was a blind tool in the hands of the neo-communists of Fatos Nano for 8 years. One of the known victims of the police violence was Ruzhdi Bajram Sadiku, born in August 18, 1973, living the the “Partizani” district in Burrel of Mat. His father, Sadik, was the leader of the DP until 2000, and always an activist of the democratic ideals of this political force. Ruzhdi followed the way of his father. He became a member of the DP in 1992, while still young. In 1994 he was elected head of the Youth Forum of the DP and in 1997 he became secretary of the DP. Ruzhdi represented always the DP in the elections’ commissions, as he was in October 2003, during the local elections, when he was subject to the police violence. As he refused to sign the document of the elections, for the elections center was prey of troubles caused by some people during all the day of elections, by that center came a police-van. 6 or 7 policemen came out wearing uniforms and masked, and in the presence of 10 people have beaten him for 5-6 minutes, no matter the protest of the envoy of the Republican Party. Insatiable of their cruelty, like blind tools of the political power, against every law and status, they took Ruzhdi in the police-van, where he lost consciousness because of the beating. He woke at the Hospital of Burrel, where he was told that some people found him in a foss near the “Partizani” district in Burrel. Ruzhdi became a target of the political police. After three months, while going back home, near the road of Qafe-Tuk, someone came nearby and asked him what was the time and then asked to light a cigarette. The road wasn’t populated so two other individuals joined the first and started to beat him offending him as he “organized certain “things”, and didn’t permit certain “things” at the voting center”.

Since it was the police who had beaten him the first time near the voting center, Ruzhdi didn’t feel like reporting this to the police. His case could be considered closed in a “nictate”, or for worse, there could follow reprisal by the government and its blind tools. He shared this problem with other members of the DP, who advised him not to consider going the police, for the result was known. After the second attack on January 15, 2004, and because of menacing phone-calls since October 2003, Ruzhdi closed the phone line and left for Tirana, to hide there by a relative he had, whose name will not be revealed for security. He remained there for one month and a half. Although scared, Ruzhdi was present in a big manifestation on March 20, 2004, in Tirana. In order to avoid hitting the eye of the police and people from Burrel, he joined the members of the DP of Tirana. Although he was hiding, his friends in the DP told him that the police was arresting members of the DP, so with they advice he took an important decision for his life. After staying in Tirana for one month and a half, he left Albania, because his life was in danger as soon as he would step outside. On December 25, 2002, his father was murdered on a road of the “Partizani” district in Burrel, while he was at work. According to some evidence, some children had seen the scene: a car had stopped and masked people from it had shot on Ruzhdi’s father. Ruzhdi tried later on to find those children, but he couldn’t find them. Two weeks after Ruzhdi reached France; his mother told him that Islam Dauti, member of the DP, was killed. Dauti was convocated by the police, and then he was found dead as a result of numerous knifing. The case of Ruzhdi Sadiku is one of many cases of violence used by the political police of the neo-communists of Fatos Nano for 8 years on power in Albania.

Jetmir Delaj

Leaving his country because he defended the votes

The elections of July 3^rd, 2005, showed that Albania has not reached yet the standards wanted by international forces. Almost all the Albanian political spectrum agreed that even this time, after 15 years of democracy; elections were not to be considered free and honest. This is the motive why the Albanian Parliament decided to have an investigating commission, which can hardly enlighten the truth, as composed in majority by deputies of the DP and SP.

Likewise in all Albania, even in Shkodra there exists evidence of manipulation in the elections by two of the main political forces, especially against the Movement for National Development (MND). In the big northern city, where MND was supposed to have a very good result, the pressure by the two political forces was even greater, clearly menacing the envoy of all levels. In the elections of July 3^rd, one of the commissioners of the MND was Luan Dani. As the democratic development wasn’t at the desired level during 15 years, while DP and SP replaced each-other, Luan thought that MND would be a better alternative for the Albanians. The day of elections he was convinced to give his best contribution as a commissioner to defend the vote that the electorate of Shkodra would give to a new ambitious force, like MND.

During the day of elections, as a commissioner of the MND, Luan Dani faced open pressure and menaces by commissioners of the DP and SP. This because the votes of the MND, expected in the majority system by this force, were putting in direct danger the other two main forces, the DP and the SP, who had reached a “deal” in the proportional system with their allies. Nevertheless, standing firm in defending the free vote of the citizens of Shkodra, Luan didn’t give in to the pressures on July 3^rd, 2005. This pressure and menaces however didn’t let him go even after the elections, making his life dangerous and impossible. In these conditions, Luan Dani, defender of the free vote and Albanian democracy, was forced to leave his country, in order to save his life.

This is the sad story of Luan, as well as of many citizens of Shkodra, whom even after 15 years, are stil pioneers of the free vote of the Albanians, which unfortunately woun’t be free and guaranteed for many years in Albania.

Albert Vataj

Even this is possible

Happenings like this, that we never thought they might happen in our city, made me curious and I cannot hide they appeared interesting to me, until the day it happened. When it wass about danger, I thought they wanted to make their case more pleasing and dramatic.

The story I’m going to tell started about one year ago. My relative Skerdilaid Frano Tyli told me he loved a very good girl and they’d decided to marry. Until here there’s nothing to consider. After two days, he told me he had problems for the girl had another religion and one of her uncles said: “she will marry that bastard only dead.”

They started to meet secretly. Complaint begun in our family; they came out as from a forgotten pit that was always present. Our families started to look badly at each other, and after a while like they’re hardly waiting to start fight. The uncle of the girl said to one of our relatives: “I think you’ve preparing to receive a good beat”. This raised the tension so we started to beware of them. Skerdilaid became as a target that only kept silent. He was accused but by unreal things. One day I asked him why he was staying like that. He replied in sadness: “If our family behaves like this, think of what the poor girl might go through”. Later on he told me that in this kind of situation, the only way left was to marry and leave the country. “We escape and both families escape the danger of unexpected events”. It was strange, but even this is possible. On March 17, in my presence and two other friends, they got married. The registrars looked surprised. We had forgotten to by the usual candies, so I promised to bring them later on to them, just for excuse. It was all prepared. After two days they left in a clandestine way. They left for no return, or they’ll return after many years, when they’ll have their children dhe their “guilt” will be forgotten.

Both families are angry now and the solution is interesting. Now that they’ve left, the excuse is easy. There’s nothing we can do to them there. Obviously there are many problems presented as a motive of angry, but never the truth. They are very good and love each other very much. This is what I wanted to tell you. Let these lines be a present for their marriage. I wish to thank the editors who have the courage to present this writing and publish it through internet, so that they will get this myr “present” for them, wherever they are. A hug to you both!

L.B.

Bujar Seferi, an example of the Albanian democracy

The family Seferi in Shkodra is one of the most persecuted by the “People’s Power” during the years of communist dictatorship in Albania. It was considered as an enemy by the party structures of the time, so their properties and possessions were confiscated. Bujar Zija Seferi, member of this family, was born in June 17, 1971, in Shkodra. Bujar, committed to the inherited democratic ideals, is one of the first activists of the democratic movement as well as a member of the Anticommunist Political Association “13 Dhjetori 1990”. Bujar is the nephew of Caf Susta (Bujar’s uncle) killed in 1982 by the Security of the State. Afterwards the members of his family were deprived of all the basic rights of life, like education, work, home etc.

At the beginning of the democratic age in Albania, the family Seferi was one of the first to embrace the democratic ideals. On April 2, 1991, soon after the elections manipulated by communists still on power, Bujar was present in the protests where dark forces of the Security of the State wounded him. Even during the disorders of 1997, caused by the neo-communist revolution led by Fatos Nano and his clique, Buajr Seferi gave an important contribution defending the democratic institutions. During the great protest of September 14, 1998, as a result of the murder of Azem Hajdari, the leader of December, Bujar was arrested and ill-treated for 3 hours, without any legal motivation. After that, he received warnings that violence would be used against him and his family by dark neo-communist forces on power.

During the years of the occult socialist government, wellknown as one of the most corrupted in Europe and the entire world, where fear for the unsafe tomorrow was dominant through armed gangs used to eliminate the political opposition, the life of Bujar Seferi and many other democrats became unsafe and insupportable. He received open threats for his life, by structures of the State and his life was really unsafe and in serious danger. He is an example of the Albanian democracy.

Ndue Bacaj

Political rotation brings the revanche of democrats

One of the first victims of this revanche is a 50-years old man from Shkodra, who’s being systematically menaced by those today on power

No wonder. What was predicted by many, is happening day after day. The revanche of democrats, now on power, is menacing the Albanian citizens, whose only guilt is their support to the Socialist Party, now in opposition. Firing, property confiscation, various arrests without any motive with the excuse of fighting corruption, these are some of the practices followed during these first months of the government of the Democratic Party. One of those individuals is the 50 years old, Memli Kraja from the “Partizani” district of Shkodra, who is going through repression and menaces by the new leaders , that see in him the firm opposer of the new system established in Albania. Kraja, member of the SP as well as one of the most active exponents of this party in Shkodra, although living abroad along with his family since some years ago, came back in his country to give his contribution during the elections campaign of the 3^rd of July. During the campaign, moving through the various elections’areas of Shkodra, he was one of the most active men of the socialists, that’s why this hit the eye of the political opposition, that didn’t forget his contribution for the victory of the twy candidates of the SP right in those areas considered bastions of the DP in these last 15 years. The situation became insupportable for the 50 years old man since the first days of July 2005, when certain people with dirty beackground begun to menace his life every day through phone-calls or directly. “Now is our time. Consider yourself lucky if you go in prison, because it might happen even worse”, - said those people to him. He says he doesn’t know them, but he probably fears any possible revenge if he reports them. Besides the menaces coming from the people of the DP, the 50 years old is also getting messages from those on power, named from this party. During these two last months, though being a good and honored citizen, he was brought to the police, supposingly to make some things clear, while his shop, in the district where he lives, is closed now since two months ago because of the frequent controles of the financial and municipal police, that made every excuse in order to stop his activity. In these conditions, he was forced to interrupt his activity in his shop. Although he had planned to return at his home, in the “Partizani” district, in his birthcountry with his wife and the two children, Memli Kraja finds it’s impossible to have a normal and quiet life in these conditions of continuously increasing repression by those actually on power. Though feeling sad about what he is leaving behind, he admits that living away from his relatives and friends is the only choice for him in order to escape this situation, that looks really unsafe for his family and future.

Alban Negri