Who are the sinners? As expected, instead of engaging in a detailed discussion of the opinions presented by its chairman, the PD’s Extraordinary Conference focused mostly on identifying shortcomings and weaknesses in the activities of party structures and analyzing them, while criticizing and calling into question the policy pursued during this period. In this context, the overwhelming majority of speakers pointed to the PD’s shift to the left. Both Selami and his opponents criticized the positions taken against right-wing groups such as former owners, former political prisoners, and other forces of this political camp. Most of the speeches were marked by a spirit of rapprochement with the Right, criticizing various shortcomings in the PD’s and its government’s struggle against communism. Thus, Selami himself, noting that “the PD’s electorate has been flowing from the Right,” criticized the party for its mistaken policy toward former owners and its inflexible stance toward former political prisoners. When P. Arbnori asked him “just to turn the steering wheel a little to the right,” Selami replied that “as soon as I turned it to the right, my friends turned against me,” alluding to the party leadership. Another noteworthy indication was the long applause in support of arguments favoring the Right, or criticizing actions of a leftist nature observed in the PD’s policies over these years. The struggle waged by PD leaders against right-wingers within its own ranks, labeling them “extremists,” and so on, was also mentioned. Despite developments within the party, the PD still contains people with right-wing ideas and outlooks. But whatever their number, the decisive fact is that they are far from leadership positions and thus unable to influence the party’s political line. This is one of the factors that have led the PD to shift left. The creation of the LDSH and its strengthening will cause a good portion of this group to move into the LDSH’s trenches, finding more suitable ground for developing and triumphing with their ideas. Under these circumstances, declarations of support for the Right may be a necessary means of preventing the hemorrhage in question. On the other hand, Selami himself has recently been the main hero on the pages of the left-wing press—a fact Berisha would deliberately bring up—and by attacking his opponents for “leftism,” he would neutralize the negative effect of the sympathies expressed toward him by the Socialists and the Left. This may even have contributed to the discussions resembling a contest to claim the banner of right-wing politics. But although much was said against “leftism” and tolerance of communism, no one identified the “sinners” who had led the party to such positions. A PD shift toward the right in its stance and actions would undoubtedly be positive in terms of efforts to prevent the restoration of communism. But it should not be forgotten that some PD positions, such as those on property, and some PS positions, such as those on property and power, are far removed from the values of the Left in its struggle to rise to power. G. LEVONJA

Two at the parliamentary session At the morning session, Parliament put to a vote for approval the President’s decree declaring eight people killed during the final days of February 1991 “Heroes of Democracy,” as well as establishing a memorial in their honor. The quarrel broke out when it came time to appoint the parliamentary commission to implement this decree. It all began with the reading of statements by the PS and PD parliamentary groups, making mutual accusations about who was responsible for those victims. The debate then continued over how many members each party should have on the commission. Finally, the commission was appointed, with five members from the PS, [number missing] from the PSD, and one from the others.

At its afternoon session, Parliament passed the law on “Declaration of the assets of officials and elected representatives.” According to the law, some MPs said, it does not provide for the declaration of the assets of the President, the Prime Minister, or the Chairman of the State Audit Office. Some MPs also said that requiring politicians to declare their assets violates human rights. Thus, the law risks being declared unconstitutional if these MPs manage to prove that it truly restricts their human rights. However, this problem apparently will not affect those whose assets are the subject of the greatest public curiosity. I.A

“The Municipality of Tirana’s attempt to establish a public TV station has also failed. In the report that dis- [text missing] local radio,” the voting mechanism of the Municipal Council does not turn it into a decision, on the pretext that “the documentation does not [text missing]

On Tuesday, 21.02.1995, at the headquarters of the Association of Former Political Persecutees of the Delvinë district, motivated by the highest interests of the nation, which is the Messiah of all Albanians wherever they may be, the political parties and associations of the right-wing spectrum in the Delvinë district, after discussing in depth the social, economic and political situation of the country and the danger of the return of communism, the undersigned organizations decided to cooperate on the following fundamental issues: 1. The national question and the unification of Albania within its ethnic borders are the duty of all Albanians wherever they may be. 2. A true Albanian must have only truth as mother and father, and God, the laws and their homeland as their guiding principles. 3. Communism and its barbarities are like Siamese twins, present among us; therefore, the future and safeguarding of democracy require the unity and cooperation of all anti-communist forces. 4. Before the drafting of the constitution, a popular referendum should determine the form of government (parliamentary republic, presidential republic, monarchy). 5. All political forces and various associations, inside and outside parliament, should participate in drafting the constitutional proposal. 6. Property ownership and the right to earn a living in the homeland should be recognized both to entrepreneurs and to interested families. 7. The former officials of the communist regime should be dispossessed of their positions of power. 8. The files should be opened for all those who deal with state affairs. 9. Their assets should be verified and their source declared. 10. The leading formation of democracy in our country should be the Association of Former Political Persecutees. 11. Property is sacred and must be returned unconditionally to its rightful former owner. 12. The housing problem should be resolved by providing interest-free loans for an extended period (25–30 years). 13. Economic support should be provided to education, which prepares the nation’s future, to pensioners, people with disabilities, orphaned children and the society’s disadvantaged groups. 14. We declare, and will demand, that the state is not merely there to impose taxes and conscription; it has a responsibility toward the suffering people, and the state’s duty is to eradicate the people’s misery. The state must work like a well-oiled machine and aim to improve the living conditions of the entire population. When the government does not meet the important needs of the nation, we must make that division ourselves. We will show the government our fist, telling it: in this country, you also need food; in other matters, clear [measures] and the necessary will to meet the needs of the times and fulfill the most immediate aspirations are required. 15. The party branches and branches of the right-wing associations of Delvinë are open to all organizations, associations and individuals in our district who aspire to the ideas we have set out above. 16. Albania is not Somal[i] and must not become a field of intrigue; the wicked must find their place, in prison or on the gallows. We, the democrats, who suffered under the communist regime, must clear away the dangerous thorns for the good of the nation. We feel this is part of our duty and that we owe a great debt to this people; therefore, we will carry the struggle we have begun through to the end, without equivocation. We will not forget the Albanians or the evils for a moment; rather, we have learned lessons and duties from them. People do not all think alike, but the ideal will be one: the elevation of the Homeland; the minority will yield to the majority. We believe that love for the Homeland must be unconditional. We believe in an almighty God that Albania has—its immortal and eternal people, who have known how to preserve and defend it. This bond of faith ensures that Albania will not die, fade away or disappear from the face of the earth, but will live forever. The publication of the LDSH program on 7.02.1995 in the Albanian media was received with enthusiasm and particular satisfaction by the analogous political forces of Vlorë and the western regions, and was hailed as a political achievement of great importance for the good of our national cause. LDSH is and will be a real guarantee for true democracy and the realization of nationwide aspirations. LDSH in Vlorë strongly supports the creation of this alliance and, on this basis, immediately began practical activity to make the League’s program known in detail in our district. Branch of the National Front Party, Delvinë Branch of the Legality Party, Delvinë Branch of the Republican Party, Delvinë Branch of the Association of Former Political Persecutees, Delvinë Branch of the Association of Former Economic Persecutees, Delvinë Branch of the Property with Justice Association, Delvinë

Tirana. Two former neighborhood chairmen headed to the Prosecutor’s Office Tirana Municipality has referred the matter to the Prosecutor’s Office over violations it identified involving two former neighborhood chairmen during 1989–92. For apartments completed during those years, the two former chairmen issued, reissued and issued for a third time authorizations to different citizens for the same apartment. They also enabled a fourth party to occupy apartments without any documentation; those occupants had been living in these units for three years. The two former chairmen of the administrative centers of the former Neighborhoods No. 5 and No. 6 forced more than 50 families to turn to the courts over the past two years to verify the validity of their authorizations, which are protected by a perfectly proper stamp and signature but cannot be converted into housing contracts. There are cases in which 45 authorizations have been issued for 15 units. After gathering all these decisions, the Municipal Council reviewed them one by one—the manner and time of issuance and the reasons for issuing them—uncovering a series of machinations by the two former chairmen. It then decided, with great care, that the residents of these apartment buildings should be the citizens who had received authorization as the most deserving. In just one such apartment building, as a result of serious violations by former chairman Pali Xhori, 17 units must be vacated with the force of the law-enforcement agencies so that another party can move in. For the party left ‘with six in their mouths’ [left out in the cold], the Municipality has registered them as homeless, giving them the earliest opportunity to be rehoused. The apartment buildings constructed by the Ministry of Defense were not spared these machinations by the former chairmen either; the Ministry did the same thing as the Municipality in placing in the apartments the army employees who were precisely entitled to them. Correspondent, “Republika”

The day before yesterday, in the morning, the “Luigj Gurakuqi” Normal School in Elbasan, the first Albanian national secondary school, celebrated the 85th anniversary of its founding. Former students of the normal school from all districts of the country and from the diaspora, lecturers and teachers, pupils and students, as well as other guests, took part in the event held for the occasion. The President of the Republic, Sali Berisha, was also present with his wife, accompanied by ministers Xhaja and Teliti, as well as the Secretary-General of the Presidency, Kolec Topalli.

“Today all of Europe is celebrating. The left has suffered another defeat, after the one in Estonia. What happened in Sh... is unbelievable! A person wanted to join a left-wing party and was not accepted. They told him he had to do his party apprenticeship in a centrist party. Preferably one in power. This shows that left-wing parties are short of cadres. The brain drain from the big party to the other democratic parties cannot help but affect the strength of the left. Unfortunately, the brain drain did not stop there. This brain keeps flowing farther and farther to the right. If we are not more vigilant, we will suffer very badly. A right-wing newspaper had rightly observed that a president who visited Sh... was not as Albanian nationalist as he should have been. He was a modernized man, whose options were a little further to the right than those of some of our cosmopolitans. At one point he got us all into trouble when he failed to mention the international acts and Helsinki. It’s a good thing someone didn’t tell him how much we had supported the unification of his country. Today his country’s time has come. If you are going to get involved in politics, you have to declare your assets. What, I have to declare my money? What kind of business is this? Is there someone who doesn’t know how much money I have? Should someone who doesn’t know how much money I have be a national component? Yes, perhaps... [unclear]. And I, that I pay... then sometimes one keeps quiet. Besides, this is also a violation of human rights. We politicians are people too, aren’t we? We may be a little crazy to sacrifice ourselves to get this ungrateful people out of misery, but nevertheless we cannot allow anyone to ask us to keep track of our own wealth as well. Somebody else deals with that. We deal with the nation’s troubles. If only I were young again and had some sense, I would become a politician. But if I had some sense, I would surely think about this problem differently. You never know when a person decides to get involved in politics.” THE CHRONICLER

Models of Albanian-Greek relations p. 3 Numerous requests for the construction of the name p. 3 Malaria has regularly claimed human lives p. 2 We are once again at risk from CHOLERA p. 2 Boni and Belgrade linked to the return of 400,000 Albanian refugees to Kosovo p. 4 Football cannot be played in Durrës p. 4 The 85th anniversary of the school is celebrated

Vlorë, on 15.02.1995, representatives of the political organizations affiliated with LDSH met and confirmed that, since April 1994, an alliance of these right-wing forces against the evil had been established in Vlorë and had operated as such through a Coordinating Council that convenes to address every political issue with a national emphasis. the analogous political forces of Vlorë and was welcomed For LDSH Vlorë National Front Party, Vlorë Legality Movement Party, Vlorë Republican Party, Vlorë Association of Former Political Persecutees, Vlorë Association of Former Political and Economic Persecutees, Vlorë

“The effort by Tirana Municipality to establish a public TV station has also failed. The report discussed at the meeting of the Municipal Council states: ‘A public TV station should be approved under the authority of Tirana Municipality, to reflect the multifaceted issues facing the capital in all spheres of life; the work being done by municipal departments to solve problems; and political, economic, business, construction, cultural and sporting activities…’ Although this effort is fully supported by Law No. 133, dated 18. 4. 1994, ‘On the establishment of local television and radio channels’, the voting mechanism of the Municipal Council has not turned it into a decision, on the grounds that ‘the documentation is incomplete’. This is the third effort to establish a public TV station in Tirana to fail within two months. After the Municipal Council’s effort to open a second channel alongside the state one, and after the effort by two private entities, the Municipal Council, too, has been unable to approve in principle the opening of a public TV station. The public of Tirana and the Albanian public as a whole have been wanting a second channel for three years; it would substantially provide what the only state channel is unable to say. Correspondent, “Republika”