After examining the draft law on the sale and purchase of land, the Committee on Laws has decided to put it before Parliament for approval shortly. This shows that the government, taking advantage of the current composition of Parliament, which does not truly represent the balance of forces on today’s Albanian political scene, is rushing to see its dangerous game with the criminal law on the sale and purchase of land through to the end. The pages of the newspaper “Republika” have repeatedly stressed that this law constitutes a flagrant violation of the most basic rights of the individual, such as the right to property. The government and those supporting it in this undertaking—whose consequences will emerge immediately once it is put into practice—are acting on the idea of crossing the river for now and letting all hell break loose later. With its shortsighted policy on the land issue in Albania, the government has managed to create several kinds of owners for one and the same property, something which unquestionably leads to inevitable conflicts. Once the law on the sale and purchase of land takes effect, those involved in the conflict will include not only the rightful owners and those created by the communist authorities and the current authorities, but also anyone who finds themselves buying land from someone who is not its legitimate owner. The number of people who have signed the petition against this law, exceeding 300 thousand, should serve as a warning to the government that later it will be very difficult, if not impossible, to get this draft law through. It is paradoxical to talk about a law on the sale and purchase of land when television news programs constantly report on the expanded meeting “of district councillors, with the participation of police officers as well, to address the problems that have arisen over the division of land.” In this case, at least, the government should be honest with itself. Let it declare that land has been divided 100% according to Law 7501 throughout the country, and only then consider sales and purchases. In fact, this law is to be discussed together with several amendments on compensation for the rightful owners, which sounds like a deal to placate them. This shows once again that the government itself is aware that this law has no basis whatsoever. … by those who have signed the petition against this law, which exceeds and parliament to stop rushing down a road that will lead the country into a dead end, from which …

The National Presidium of the Socialist Party, together with its deputy chairmen Dokle, Pëllumbi, Meta and Hajdaraga, is on trial. The presidium of the Tirana Socialist Party is also on trial. They have been sued by the Social Insurance Institute because for a year and a half they have not paid the social insurance contributions for all those employed in the administrations of these entities. The unpaid amount stands at 75 million lekë. It has chosen Namik Dokle, because he has got used to being summoned before the judicial authorities. Lawyer Sanxhaku, attached to the Socialist Party, confirms that it lost the case because the Institute is entirely in the right. Thus, the party of the underprivileged classes, and the party whose largest readership for its newspaper comes from among pensioners, is withholding their pensions. This is not the only money-related scandal in this party. M. P.

For now, there is little hope of any agreement. In Kosovo, as in Macedonia, a compromise peace in Bosnia and Croatia would worsen the situation of the Albanians rather than ease it, because it would reduce the West’s attention to their fate. On the other hand, in the event of a general war in the Balkans, they would be the first victims. P. 5

American and British strategists must reluctantly accept the French argument in favor of opposing the third and final enclave, which is Gorazhde. It nevertheless appears that French diplomacy, which on this issue seems to be acting on the very personal initiative of President Zhak Shirak, will leave London and Washington little room for a solution. P. 6

The keys to the cell door are in the hands of the district court A routine procedure was just carried out, as is done for every prisoner. Over a routine procedure, such as the safeguarding of legality, the usual balloons of the “Nano case” “burst.” A letter from the chairman of the Court of Cassation, Zef Brozi, effective until July 31, 1995, was published in the interested press as one of the most important “decisions” of the Court of Cassation. First, it is forgotten that this is merely a proposal (and by no means a decision) made to the Plenum of the Court of Cassation. The procedure for safeguarding legality is a legacy left by the old code, and it does not release Nano at all. From now on, mathematically speaking, the chances are zero. On voting day, three people will be absent: chairman Brozi himself (who is getting married on July 29) and the two judges who have gone abroad on official business. The required quorum will therefore not be met, and the Plenum will meet after August 1, when Brozi’s proposal will no longer be in force. Under the new Code of Criminal Procedure, the District Court will have the right to order a retrial from the beginning in any criminal case. Thus, in practice, the keys to Nano’s cell door are in the hands of the Tirana Court. M. BARBULLUSHI

Even the two former apparatchiks, released from prison, asked to sign the intellectuals’ petition for the struggle against communist genocide. It has been decided that the courts’ budget will be set by the Ministry of Justice. This is a flagrant violation of the independence of the courts! To remedy this anomaly, from now on the Court of Cassation will be funded by the Soros Foundation. The decision will be made by the board of directors. According to analysts, the land sale-and-purchase law is expected to be the first law applied only partially, and only to properties whose title deeds bear the PD seal. We are for peace at any cost. NATO’s headquarters will be based in Tirana, but the independent newspapers and the communists disagree with this. Two more successive PS deputy chairs have also requested a divorce from Marx. In fact, Nano also commented from Bënça on the question of whether Marx should remain in or leave the PS. In doing so, he gave a clear signal that Marx should not be removed, but unfortunately only Pellumbi picked up on that signal. Now the problem is becoming complicated because some think it would be better to remove the beard than Marx. Asashi Akashi has decided to commit harakiri, but the Serbs won’t let him. All of them

Inside: Paradoxes over land ownership As is known, the law on land was passed four years ago and has not been implemented. In many regions, that law has not been observed because the people themselves have ensured that everyone takes their own property. Therefore, the figures suggesting that implementation of the land law is nearing completion are not true. P. 3

A compromise would also be ideal for the Council of Europe, because at the same time as it brought Albania into its fold, it would ensure that the observations made by some of its envoys, who had reported on the situation in Albania during various visits, were not devalued. P. 4