The epilogue of F. Nano’s trial The epilogue to Fatos Nano’s trial, contrary to expectations, was delivered by the Socialist Party at yesterday’s press conference. “Once upon a time there was a PPS,” said Servet Pëllumbi, more or less, in the presence of dozens of journalists. I say “more or less” because S. Pëllumbi read it as: “Once upon a time there was a PS,” thereby denying the PS’s relationship [to its past]. And while Servet Pëllumbi no longer needs this motherhood and is now bothered by it, ironically and to his misfortune, it follows him like a ghost. And when your mother follows you, whom you try to deny, you are more than a sinner. Bashkim Zeneli read the PS’s statement at the beginning of the press conference: “Limits and human rights have been violated. Nano’s trial—political, manipulation; the path of lawlessness is being followed; Nano, a politician of great caliber...” and many other conclusions that the old guard of the PS often repeats, as if to convince themselves all the more. The three old leaders of the PS—S. Pëllumbi, N. Dokle, B. Zeneli—led this press conference. And the new thing was that the three of them were led by the ghost of chairman Nano, made present by his photograph on the table. It was striking that no eurosocialist had been invited to the platform at this conference. On the other hand, there was no shortage of questions from foreign journalists, who sought solidarity with the conference’s leadership. This press conference could also be called the prologue to Fatos Nano’s trial. The old leaders of the PS tried to show the journalists the party’s unbreakable unity, even though they did not believe it themselves. Because... While B. Zeneli reads the statement, darkening everything, Namik Dokle (we hope he was not playing a role in front of the representatives of the Council of Europe) declares: “Compared with the former regime, Albania is experiencing a true renaissance... We have been and remain in favor of Albania being admitted to the Council of Europe.” By this logic, the statement of the PS General Committee must have been written by Fatos Nano from prison—or by his photograph. For 45 minutes straight, the highest leadership of the PS—Pëllumbi, Dokle, Zeneli (the three of them together could make one chairman)—performed the epilogue to Fatos Nano’s trial, beseeching and swearing solemnly even to his photograph on the table. And throughout this event they had summoned journalists as witnesses. “Once upon a time there was a PS,” Servet Pëllumbi repeated for the last time, ... without thinking that he was the first to have thought of such a thing... Meanwhile Fatos Nano has now left the political stage, leaving his photograph in the chairman’s seat. Ylli RAKIPI Photo: Armando Babani A view of the platform at yesterday’s PS press conference...

“The stance Nano took at the trial has enhanced his stature. We also discussed this issue (the position of PS chairman) yesterday. We see no reason to replace him as chairman of the PS,” said PS deputy chairman Servet Pëllumbi yesterday at the press conference. Former Prime Minister Nano, sentenced by the Court to 12 years in prison, has led the Socialist Party since June 10, 1991—the date on which the communists called themselves socialists. “Now that Fatos Nano has been imprisoned, we will be able to meet him more often as a citizen, too, so it will be easier for him to lead,” said PS Secretary for Foreign Relations Bashkim Zeneli at yesterday’s press conference. Leadership by a team or by one person? This issue has often been debated among the PS leaders. The debate has also been reflected in the socialist press. Dr. Maqo Lakroni spoke in the press in favor of team leadership several months ago (when the issue of aid from Italy, administered by the Nano 1 Government, had not been discussed). Today the socialists are again seeking Nano as the Party’s leader. Having an old political class at the helm, clearly reflected in their public speeches, is creating confusion not only among the socialists. The declaration that Nano will be chairman of the PS remains more than a mystery. Nano will be treated like any other prisoner. No prisoner has the right to lead a party or associations from prison, even if they are humanitarian ones. And at the announced press conference, through a statement by the PSSH Steering Committee, the socialists put the court’s decision on trial and reiterated “the nationwide demand for early elections.” Elections which “the PS began thinking about on March 23 (1992)” (S. Pëllumbi, PS deputy chairman; see the interview published in ZP on 27. 8. 1992). The statement of the PSSH General Steering Committee ends with the words: “The political prisoner Fatos Nano, locked up in Tirana prison, is an open wound in Albania’s body.” From the PS leaders’ own statements, it is clear that the convicted F. Nano is an open wound in the PS leadership “team.” It is a wound that even the eurosocialists’ distancing themselves from the old detachments of the Communist Party seems unlikely to heal. Lufti DERVISHI

A call is made to Adam to be “independent”! When a journalist from “The Economist” (England) asked who was to blame for poverty and violence in Albania, the system or Enver Hoxha, one of our colleagues answered: Since the whole East is poorer than the West and has less freedom than it, the System is to blame. But the fact that Albania was poorer and more oppressed even than the East itself is undoubtedly Enver Hoxha’s fault. Even the editorial colleague at “Aleanca” (who poses the overly general question: Where is Adam?) cannot find another case like Albania, where collectivization reached even the head of a chicken and violence made even the most innocent person an enemy. By now Albanians have seen both Skopje under Yugoslav communism, Bulgarian villagers with automobiles, and the modern tourism of dictator Ceaușescu. There is nothing like Enver Hoxha anywhere else! Can we perhaps stop continuing to be a special case? Maybe not, but what can you do when “the Albanian kind of communism” follows the kind of its intellectuals: when government posts are offered to them, they accept; when they leave, they forget that they were (political) ministers and declare themselves “independent”! They proclaim themselves intellectuals, against the state—which, if it were not a state, would not be called one—raise their voices over human-rights violations (as if only those in the Opposition were people!), want to leave the state without any prisons, without any police, without any party dominating parliament, without parties that all demand radical changes—in other words, without anyone to judge. But would poor Albania not still be a special case for you, even then?! For your part, you forbid us to ask, concerning the “red” period: Where were you, Adam? “Down with revanchism,” you shout; “down with revenge”—that is primitive. Are we going to Europe or not? We are, of course we are, we say, and someday we too will shout, like you: For your rights! As if, until today, they had been for our rights (together)! But then a “freelance” journalist appears on your front page and, as a European, says that the whole lot will be damned. “... Another one appears and publishes, better still, the government spokesperson and her own self, and brings us scenarios and our rights. The dictatorship is gone, for everyone’s good, but we are still who we were and it could hardly be otherwise. We will overturn what remains of that era, even though the shadow of dictatorship has fallen on all our souls. We are all poor, too, and that laughable salary, called such by our editor, nevertheless keeps us going. If you have other sources, other profitable and quick ways to earn, why don’t you offer help? If you call those on assistance lazy, we will be the most hated people in the country, instead of you explaining what you will do for them when you take power! Surely you won’t have Minister Hendi and SHIK? Surely after this people won’t have duties anymore, and human rights will reach the level of respect...? still who we were, and how could it be otherwise? We will overturn that era, even though the shadow of the poor too, and that peaceful calm is called far away, our homeland, as though it would take our breath away. If you have other resources, other profitable and quick ways, why don’t you tell us? You tell the welfare poor so little; it would be better than promising them what you will do for them once SHIK? Surely after this people will have no more troubles, and Human Rights will reach the level of respect found in the cooperatives of Paradise? Or do you want people to accuse you now of being a special case? There are various ways of trying to resist the violation of human rights. One of them is to aim for the power you have just lost. But there is another way: to make an effort to save your soul continually from the persecution mania and the desire that madly drives you to make a fool of yourself! You call on Adam not to join the Government (because you are not the government); you ask all the independent Adams—when you beat them, and are sure that in Albania no one is independent, because we are all poor “special cases” of the race! Leave Adam alone; he knows what he is doing. He is not happy, but he is certainly free. That is not little, is it? Faruk MYRTAJ

Yesterday, on 6. 04.1994, PRSH chairman Sabi Godo and Secretary-General Çerçiz Mingomata held a meeting with the Commission of the Council of Europe, where the special ... of the political commission, ...

Yesterday, on 6. 04.1994, PRSH chairman Sabi Godo and Secretary-General Çerçiz Mingomataj held a meeting with the Commission of the Council of Europe, attended by special rapporteurs of the political and legal commissions, the Human Rights Commission, and the commission for relations with non-member states of the Council of Europe, chaired by Lord Finsberg. Çerçiz Mingomataj Europe, attended by special rapporteurs of the political and legal commissions, the Human Rights Commission, and the commission for relations with non-member states of the Council of Europe, chaired by Lord Finsberg. At the outset, Lord Finsberg emphasized that their visit was intended to assess the progress Albania had made in the fields of democracy and human rights. He then expressed his interest in PRSH’s vision on this issue. Mr. Godo told those present that Albania is currently engaged in the processes of democracy and that its economy is being transformed into a free-market economy. We now have a generally stable political situation, and our problems are similar to those of new democracies. Despite our party’s many criticisms, he emphasized, we do not lose sight of the optimistic prospect that this country will move toward Europe. The question is what difficulties it will face on the way and how many of them can be avoided along the route. Economic reform represents a departure from economic autarky, but when measured against the concrete reality in Albania, PRSH disagrees on many points concerning economic development and the way the economic reform is being implemented. We believe it made a mistake with the current law on distributing land per capita. Without establishing the basis of private property, democratic legitimacy cannot be given to a market-oriented economic foundation while at the same time affirming a commitment to preserve the capitalist system. Then, at the request of those present, Mr. Godo outlined the Party’s reach as well as its vision for the future. The talks took place in a warm and friendly atmosphere.

A government decision and… the funds are missing Today, three quarters of the population have no personal identity card. Certification documents have been distributed to them. But is that enough? Since 1981, the Albanian State has not registered identity cards; until 1990 it used the stock created for them at the Ministry of Public Order. For almost four years, citizens have been issued certificates of citizenship because a government decision is missing and, more importantly, the funds. This has created irregularities and opportunities for abuse and forgery, with considerable national risk. Thus, forged identity cards are currently being sold on the market (reportedly) in Greece, with which Albanians have managed to change their names. It is also known that, besides an international passport, many foreign countries require an ordinary identity card, which has thus—becoming a “necessity”—turned into a source of profit and an illegal business for the circles concerned. “We have made requests to the Government several times,” explains Abdyl Xhaja, head of the Civil Status Office, “but it is clear that the funds are lacking.” The problem becomes even more complicated when one considers that almost a third of Albanians work abroad and that, if carried out, this reform requires a thorough process of implementation. Another possibility would be for the Government to introduce a system like that of many European countries, with a simple identity card—a system still used in Macedonia today. Nevertheless, in the Municipality of Tirana alone, people have been unable to obtain identity cards since June 1990. This needs to be considered more quickly, not simply for the renewal of Albanians’ documents as such, but also to prevent chauvinistic advances on humanitarian grounds arising from banal economic circumstances.

Although the victory of the “Pole of Freedom” in the latest elections turned out to be easier and more convincing than had been expected, it seems that the biggest difficulties for the leaders of the right-wing coalition, foremost among them Silvio Berlusconi, lie in finding common ground in their efforts to form a government. The main reason for this is the stance of the leader of “Lega Nord,” Umberto Bossi, who first of all absolutely refuses to be part of a government with the far right of Xhanfranko Fini’s “National Alliance” (at least, that is what he says), but has also made statements against a possible choice by Berlusconi to be entrusted with forming the government. Bossi’s positions have naturally sparked controversy within the ranks of the right-wing coalition, where there has been no shortage of criticism of their own leader, even calling him “a windbag who has betrayed the electorate’s hopes.” This situation within the right-wing coalition has had repercussions on the stock exchange and the performance of the Italian lira, which, after a marked rise following the elections, is now experiencing a certain decline. Meanwhile, Bossi has begun making contacts with leaders of centrist parties and political groups, such as Mario Segni, with a view to some kind of rise in the prices of his coalition partner. (continued on page 4)

The Tirana–Durrës motorway will be the first work of its kind in our country. As planned, implementation by the Italian-Albanian firm “Euroteorema,” under a renewable contract for only the first five-kilometer section, has finally been approved by the State Budget, with a value of 4,250,500 US dollars. The Albanian branch, based in Peqin, has completed the final calculations and is at the stage of beginning the works. The contract provides for a completion period of 13 months. The many works of art are what have pushed the cost to between 900,000 and 1 million dollars per kilometer. It is enough to mention here the Vlora crossing, which has been estimated to cost 20 million lekë, or 2 million dollars. There has been much discussion about this, and the version put forward by the Albanian side is that this work should be removed. The costs are expected to be covered by the State Budget, and a possible loan from international institutions is also hoped for. This project does not include the motorway’s entry and exit points—that is, the Durrës road and the entrance point in Durrës. These two stretches will be completed as part of the respective cities’ urban plans. The motorway’s surface has also necessitated partial and full expropriations covering an area of 10.7 hectares, and this is only for its first five-kilometer section. These areas and the expropriated residents will be compensated by the state with other land belonging to it or in cash. “This is the first time a project of this kind has been undertaken in Albania, and for this the state has chosen the best experience in the field,” we are told at the relevant office in the ministry. The mixed firm “Euroteorema” Peqin is not entitled to hire other firms, apart from the subcontractors provided for in the contract. These may include those who purchase machinery, equipment, materials, etc., and they must first be approved by the ministry. The supervision method to be used for this project is a modern method followed in all the developed European countries—Italy, Germany, France, Switzerland, etc. Nevertheless, the 13 months set as the delivery deadline should be accompanied by a start date for the works, which has still not been determined. Why?

WHEN WILL THEY BE PROVIDED

For nearly a month now, following the President’s promulgation of the Mining Law on the prospecting, discovery and exploitation of natural resources, state enterprises, private companies and foreign firms have been required to obtain a license from the Ministry of Mining and Energy in order to carry out their activities. The Mining Law that has entered into force is the first law to enable the state to control and regulate the prospecting, discovery and exploitation of natural resources throughout the territory of Albania. Alfred Mero, a specialist at the General Directorate of Mines, says: “Previously, no such law existed. This law has been studied in every aspect and opens the way, in accordance with international standards, for the lawful conduct of economic activity in the mining sector. I am responsible for licensing matters in this Directorate. Up to this point, since the Law was issued, we have publicized it among state enterprises so that they can familiarize themselves with its requirements. We have done the same with private entities. Today, April 6, the first application for an exploitation license arrived, from a private entity in the Tepelenë district. There has been considerable interest, and we expect to receive further applications.” ARTUR KOPANI

Before a number, aren’t you afraid your human rights will be trampled? Long live the sharp-witted N. of the capital, Dritëro Agolli, who on Wednesday, at 12:30, held a press conference at the headquarters of the Socialist Labor Party. “First, I will read an important statement by the Steering Presidium of the Central Committee of the SLP. I want to tell you from the outset that, at this moment as we speak, I want to say that in our Party, for 12 years, it will take it upon itself. “What does this mean?” said Servet Pellumbi. “We have not thought of leaving our party in your hands. Besides, the European Parliament would not accept such a thing. And heaven forbid, if the Berisha regime were to do that too, what would be left for our party?” “That’s not how it is,” said Bashkim Zeneli. “In fact, many more are rising up.” “You have no right either,” the madwoman interrupted, “because if Gramoz Ruçi does it, the entire State Security will be on its feet.” After these words she stood up and shouted, “Down with the Eurosocialists!” Long live the euro-elderhood! You, Comrade Molotov Zego, why don’t you come to the press conference? Or are you not afraid your human rights will be trampled? Long live Dritëro Agolli’s politics! Down with Namik Dokle...! Accompanied by the overwhelming majority of those attending the conference, the madwoman rushed out and, marching past the State Bank, stopped on the steps of the National Museum and began one of those usual speeches. Albania is one of the occupiers on a day marking the liberation of Shkodër. The Democratic Alliance Party was founded two years after the creation of the Ecological Party. A great Albanian writer is writing an epic about me. It will be published in a newspaper printed at the dark printing house. In Tirana, the rights of colorless people have been crushed. Gallup reports that in the September elections, 80% of the Arvanites in Greece will vote for the Greek minority in Albania. 80% of party leaders have not been beaten. Next week the Chairman of the PS will be appointed; on festive occasions, Fatos Thanas Nano is named. THE CHRONICLER

In the previous issue of the newspaper “Republika,” the article “Madam Kristin Fon Kohlin” was also published. The newspaper’s editorial staff apologizes to readers for the expressions used in this article. Their improper use, especially when referring to a foreigner, is not in keeping with the nature of our newspaper. The Editorial Staff