More than 50% of the Albanians who took part in the November 6 referendum did not support the adoption of the constitution. Formally, it can be said that in the referendum the Albanians said no to the draft constitution, but everyone knows that its rejection has nothing to do with the draft itself, which was found democratic by specialists and European institutions. The opposition parties, chiefly the Socialist Party, and even some others claiming to be parties, called on the people to say “No” to the constitution so that they would not regret it the day after the referendum, because of the dictatorship that the adoption and legitimization of the draft would bring. The Socialist Party, as well as fifteen other parties registered as such with the Ministry of Justice, warned that dictatorship would be imposed precisely one day after the constitution was adopted. The former Minister of the Interior, Ruci, himself, in his role as PS secretary general, urged Albanians not to mistake soap for cheese. Former Minister Ruci and others appealed to the people to reject the constitution because, in this way, they would be saying no to the institutionalization of the dictatorship that Ruci and his comrades had lived with every day, as on March 22. Now Ruci is entitled to say that the Albanians did not mistake soap for cheese, or someone else may say “civility won.” In other words, dictatorship was not imposed. At the same time, Ruci and the others must acknowledge that since March 22 Albanians have not been living under a dictatorship or a police state. Because 53% of Albanians felt free to vote as Ruci had told them to—he who is still not a minister. The November 6 referendum is an affirmation of democracy, of its presence. For the Republican Party, the referendum result is the Albanians’ first duel with themselves and with the process of integration. The Albanians, unconsciously, did not support this integration process; they did not support its momentum. The “No” vote cast on November 6 has nothing to do with the draft constitution. We consider it a good version. Rejecting the constitution is a kind of departure from Europe. And, for the first time, Albanians are putting an obstacle in their own way. The Republican Party supports respecting the will of the people and welcomes this genuine respect in Albania after imposed. In addition to the severe pressure caused by the pain of reforms, this is also a consequence of the revival of the communist threat. But we also believe that changes need to be made to the structures of government, with a view to combating corruption, eliminating incompetence, strengthening public order, revising the economic platform for reforms, and revising the Land Law. The Republican Party does not support new elections. Albania needs political stability. Meanwhile, we consider the communist threat real, and for this reason a coalition of right-wing forces would be effective for the future of reforms. The November 6 referendum proved the dominance of democratic ground in Albania after March 22; on a broad scale, it proved the existence of democratic space, which is threatened by pressure from left-wing forces. These forces are propagandizing the November 6 “No” as their chance to return to power. That would be a consequence for democracy.

Venizellos thanks the Albanians “Greece is ‘satisfied’ with the result of the Albanian referendum, which rejected the draft constitution that could have restricted the rights of the Greek minority and its religious freedom,” government spokesperson Evangelos Venizellos said on Friday. “Greece wishes the friendly Albanian people and all Albanian political forces well as they pursue their path towards institutional modernization and the adoption of a constitution modeled on the European one, corresponding to a modern rule-of-law state,” Venizellos added. The Greek government had sharply criticized the draft constitution, which was rejected on Sunday with 53.8% voting “NO,” particularly Article 7, which required the heads of religious communities in Albania to hold Albanian citizenship, to have been born in Albania, and to have lived there for the past 20 years.

Former US President George Bush arrived in Tirana yesterday for a private visit, during which he met with President Berisha and the staff of the US Embassy in Tirana, and also visited the city of Kruja. At Rinas Airport, the former US President and his wife Barbara were welcomed by President Berisha himself, members of the Government cabinet and of the People’s Assembly. At the meeting at the presidency, President Berisha expressed his gratitude to former President Bush for the assistance he and his administration had given Albania in liberating it from dictatorship. President Berisha also expressed his special gratitude for the Bush administration’s support for the “red line” against Millosheviç in Kosovo. In honor of former President Bush, President Berisha hosted a lunch at the Palace of Brigades. President Berisha decorated former President Bush with the “Golden Order of Skënderbeu.” “In recognition of his special support for the Albanian people and other peoples who suffered under communist dictatorships” was the citation for the award. Thanking him for the decoration and special recognition, President Bush said that he valued the fact that this high medal was being awarded by a man committed to freedom and democracy. President Berisha then introduced former President Bush to Adem Demaci, whom Berisha described as one of the symbols of the Albanian people’s resistance for freedom in Kosovo. At the end of the visit, former President Bush and Mrs. Bush visited Kruja and the Castle of Skënderbeu in that city. George Bush and President Berisha

On November 8, the chairman of the Republican Party, Mr. Sabri Godo, returned to Tirana after his visit to London and Rome. On November 8, the chairman of the Republican Party, Mr. Sabri Rome. He was received at the Italian Parliament by Mr. Melaci, chairman of the “Forza Italia” parliamentary group, a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee and the person responsible for this party’s foreign relations. Mr. Edmond Edmondi, an adviser at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, was also present. During the discussion, relations between the two countries and the establishment of contacts between political parties were reviewed. Mr. Godo stressed that the Republican Party considers relations with Italy a priority, including the issue of reviewing the economic projects of the Joint Government Commission so that this cooperation can be put into practice through a long-term program. Mr. Melaci shared the same view and said that cooperation could be extended to other areas not included in the projects. Mr. Melaci will visit Albania in the second half of this month.

For many years, world historiography, academic publications, and even tourist guides have published very scarce information about Albania. Greek and Yugoslav studies have served as sources of information for almost all publications about Albania, or whenever Albania is discussed. Even more serious publications, such as “The World Fact Book,” have presented and publicized Albania through Greece and the former Yugoslavia. On the one hand, Greece has sought, through methods of repression and violence, to eliminate the presence of the Albanian minority in Greece and has been careful to erase this presence from international publications. Meanwhile, Greece—and not only Greece—has permanently circulated falsified information about the Greek minority in Albania. There has never been any debate or comparison between Albanian publications and, first and foremost, Greek publications, as well as serious publications from other countries. Such publications have, contradictorily, put the number of the Greek minority at around 250,000. Albania and its long isolation (Western researchers, unable to travel to Albania, made do with the information provided by Greece) have “helped” Greece falsify facts and truths. Just one year ago, “The World Fact Book” 1993, a CIA publication prepared in early 1993, stated that the Greek minority in Albania amounted to around 6–8% of the entire population. This means that America, for example, has long viewed Albania through Greece; the Greek minority would have to number 250,000 to 300,000, and naturally this publication contained no information about the Albanian minority in Greece. But now the world has begun to learn about Albania from Albania. The latest edition of “The World Fact Book” 1994 once again addresses the Greek minority in Albania. But Albania is open and has offered researchers and serious publishers the opportunity to compare their accounts with the truth. According to “The World Fact Book” 1994, a CIA publication, the Greek minority in Albania numbers no more than 60,000–80,000 people. A. DALIPI

I do not think it appropriate to respond in the same language, although at least the signatory and the person who inspired the “article” that spoke ill of me deserve it. Without taking time to go on at length, I would remind you only that: - Perhaps chance brought me to the position I hold in the leadership of the PRSH, but I would like to tell you that I work for this party according to my convictions, which are imposed on me at the same time as a political course. I am at ease knowing that my presence in politics is not determined by “obligations” from the past or simply by narrow aims. Finally, I would like to stress that when I accepted this position in politics, I knew that I would encounter politics, tolerance, and a willingness to listen to alternatives, but at the same time also the mediocrity and intolerance of many people who believe they are engaged in politics! The naivety of everyone lies in the fact that they agree to live alongside precisely what I mentioned at the end. FATMIR MEDIU This response was also sent to the newspaper “Aleanca”

MARASH MIRASHI All Albanians today are faced with a fait accompli. As never before, last Sunday more than one and a half million Albanians became participants in that much-discussed REFERENDUM. They went to the ballot boxes to say YES or NO regarding Albania’s future constitution. The constitution, or more accurately its draft, was rejected. What happened? Albania was once again left without a constitution, without the fundamental law of the state. Nothing more. But even that is quite enough. Can this be regarded as ... ... THE LOSS OF VICTORY This may be regarded as a loss of victory if the adoption of the constitution was equivalent to a victory. So, was Albania lost until yesterday? If the nonexistence of a constitution sets a state, a people, or even a nation back in time, then Albania was lost. Thus, since we are speaking of an effort, we might call it a journey; then we have the right to say that Albania, a week ago—that is, on November 6—wanted to recover its lost time, to find itself, and here I leave it to the Albanians themselves to decide. So Albania once again became relevant to itself, and not a little. But can we say that people did not believe in Albania? Can we say that people knowingly lost their predetermined victory? Can we say that people spitefully bypassed a problem which, among the problems requiring solutions, is the most delicate? The people’s verdict has already answered these questions, and in this case no one can show disapproval of this “opinion” of the people; nor does anyone have the right to smile at the people’s “wisdom” or “lack of wisdom.” Thus, it is a NO that continues for as long as Albania’s constitution remains in flux and still finds no ground or footing, nor is one desired. The NO that was expressed is not taken as a NO to a possible constitution, but as a NO to that draft which set out to become a constitution. Instead, one must not overlook the fact that the work of approving the (now invalid) draft constitution gradually turned, without anyone realizing it, into a campaign of outright approval, in which the political forces, for the most part, centered their criticism on the President of the Republic. I do not undertake to defend anyone, not even the President, but I want to emphasize that this greatly contributed to the NO on Sunday. The President was precisely a citizen like all the others and had the right to one vote, while the propaganda in his favor or against him came from his position at the head of a state currently without a constitution. For the first time in Albania, the head of state has respected the people’s verdict—a verdict that, in this case, runs counter to the will even of the President. In the final analysis of THE LOSS OF VICTORY (as we called it), it must be said that the NO did not all go to the account of S. Pëllumbi or his party. At PS rallies against the constitution, it was said that the constitution was opposed by 16 parties. So after this, we have the right to say that “the whole NO” does not belong to PS either. At least one or two other parties also had their share. After this analysis, which certainly cannot be perfect, can this be called a ... LOST VICTORY... Both yes and no. So there are two alternatives for this answer as well. One can analyze the facts that were actually present at the time, whether working in favor of NO or in favor of YES, and arrive at a single answer. This can be called a lost victory if this was precisely the constitution Albania needed, and the only one. In other words, all Albanians truly lost a historic opportunity if the next draft of this constitution proves to be even more inadequate than the one that was rejected. Only in this case would we say: A LOST VICTORY. If this one is better, if it is even the best, then perhaps it is not too much to ask where exactly the victory was lost—in what sense? Perhaps, to illustrate this, it would be useful to recall once again the fierce campaign which, at times, parties of entirely different kinds turned into something—or with wings, or hated, with the boundaries of a campaign almost ... (Continued on page 4)

On November 10, the President of the Republic, Sali Berisha, called a meeting with representatives of the parliamentary parties: Sabri Godo, chairman of the PR; Eduard Selami, chairman of the PD; Servet Pëllumbi, deputy chairman of the PS; and Vasili Melo, chairman of the PBDNJ. The purpose of this meeting, as President Berisha stated, was to draft a new constitution through a committee elected in Parliament, discuss it there, and then submit it for final approval in a referendum. “This was the solution Berisha considered the fairest. The other parliamentary parties shared this view, with the exception of the PS representative, who said that “the constitution should be prepared by this parliament and approved by the next parliament” (?!).

International Conference on Minorities in the Balkans Page 4 The dramatic voice of conscience Page 3 The Constitution did not escape the political “trap” Page 2 Transparency in democracy is mandatory Page 2

To the Orthodox: Vote for the Constitution. The Constitution will destroy the churches; it will drive away his hierarchy, Janullatos. To the Muslims: Vote for the Constitution. The Constitution takes your lands from you by law and gives them to the Greeks. Archbishop Janullatos said nothing about the referendum and the constitution. Almost as if he were not in Albania, as if he were not holy. Not a word about the constitution. Neither “vote for it” nor “don’t vote for it.” These are not the affairs of a man of God. Janullatos is here only for God’s secret affairs. God himself knows what to do with his flock. God will personally instruct the Albanians about what to do with the constitution. Janullatos spoke with God. God, for his part, spoke directly with the Albanians. Do you know what words God brought to the Albanians? “Vote for it,” God told the Albanians, “vote for the constitution, you Orthodox and you Muslims.” Then God—or the one who presented himself as God—whispered a few words in the Albanians’ ears. But Janullatos, no, he did not speak to them.

To the Chairman of the Albanian Republican Party, Mr. Sabri Godo Dear Mr. Godo, On behalf of the chairman of the Christian Democratic Union, Chancellor Helmut Kol, I wish to thank you very much for Chancellor Helmut Kol’s congratulations on the occasion of our electoral victory. We are convinced that this result serves not only our country, but that we also regard it as a challenge to continue our efforts to build our shared future in Europe. Sincerely yours, Johan Adolf Cohausz

Tomorrow, at the Palace of Congresses, at 11:00, the chairman of the Republican Party, Mr. Sabri GODO, will hold a press conference.

The madwoman N from Tirana was seen wandering the streets of the capital, shouting: “We won, we won! Tomorrow I will announce the new Government cabinet. The ministers who voted against the constitution will all be for the ministers? There will be three ministries of the interior. The Minister of Culture will have to compete in a beauty contest. Be careful, said the madwoman. They have seen Koci Xoxe in the Social Democratic Party. Be careful, she said, Koci Xoxe is operating illegally. He does not appear in person. He wears glasses and leafs through a professor of modern history. This man has come up with the idea that Koci Xoxe is someone else, a megalomaniac who has issued orders for expulsions from the Party and has mentioned the Party statute … The Parliament? In Tirana? But isn’t this Koci Xoxe, isn’t this the one who created the Penitential Party? Did he mention the Labour Party, or are we going to remove them from their chairs? Koci Xoxe, identity, in the Social Democratic Party… … more dangerous than the real Koci. Tomorrow, said the madwoman, I will also announce an economy among several party chairmen for their winter holidays in Greece. Poor Greece pays, if only it didn’t pay! “The state came through well, said the madwoman. It smells of cheese. Do you know who paid to save trade? The merchants, exhausted by taxes. Their latest declaration is against the Communist Party. They do not accept the Communist Party. They have begun to swarm with black worms. They don’t do it? …The Democratic Party increases by 30%. But it is against new elections. Against its own deputies, among whom chaos is evident in a campaign. Well, well, if they weren’t people of the pen, where would they come from, from the fortress? Such people, said the madwoman, in the Social Democratic Party—and is that all? …Koci Xoxe, the madwoman told them, Koci Xoxe is dangerous. Koci… THE CHRONICLER