The National Council of the Republican Party met The Party’s organizational preparation for the election campaign and the definition of operational forms of work so as to achieve the desired result in the elections. These were the main issues that shaped the course of the discussions at the PRSH National Council, which met in one of the halls of the Palace of Congresses in Tirana on Friday, 22 December. After hearing the alternatives for organizing the Party’s work as it entered the campaign, presented in the reports of the Electoral and Organization sectors, respectively by the heads of those sectors and members of the PR Steering Committee, Arjan Madhi and Ismail Male, the members of the National Council discussed them at length, also putting forward concrete analyses and their own views. Particular emphasis was placed, resulting in a decision by the National Council, that by 31 December all Party branches must complete the drafting of the lists of candidates who will represent the Party in the elections. Issues of propaganda and the press were the subject of discussion by members of the PR Steering Committee and the heads of propaganda and press, Gjok Beci and Neritan Alibali. A skillful and effective propaganda effort, strongly supported by the republican press, will make the Party’s operational work even more fruitful in all its structures, both centrally and at the grassroots. Most of the speakers representing the branches they came from emphasized that the principle of republican self-initiative, enshrined in the Party’s new Program as well, should be seen especially as a concrete guideline that obliges the branches to develop a smart local policy and propaganda, in line with the conditions of the area in which the branch operates. Among other things, the National Council also decided to create an electoral штаб to direct the campaign, to be headed by Mr. Sabri Godo. Correspondent, "Republika" "...Today, more than ever, the Republican Party must focus its forces against the socialists. A possible catastrophe would be definitively averted if the Albanian electorate were to give the socialists an answer even stronger than that of 22 March 1992. But this is doubtful, because the socialists have gained some ground thanks to several unforgivable mistakes by the PD. The problem is further complicated because the PD, which finds it extremely hard to break away from euphoria, believes it can recover the lost electorate. But the rift is deep. Former owners, former persecuted people, the strikers from Kukës cannot forget the violence used against them. There are also the unemployed and other categories disappointed by incompetent governance, disregard for the law and the absence of order. All of them no longer want to see the socialists, but they do not want to know anything about the PD either. How can they be brought to take part in the vote and cast their ballot for democracy? There is only one answer: turn toward the Republican Party and the Right League... Continued on p. 3

PD prepares its own draft, with reduced proportional representation Government in January: electoral draft law No. 2 ready In January 1996, electoral draft law No. 2 will be brought before Parliament. This was confirmed by the chairman of the PD parliamentary group, Ali Spahia. And this time it is the opposition that is putting forward its own proposal, which, given the weight of the PD in the legislature, will apparently prevail over the opposition’s draft. The latter, draft law No. 1, calls for no changes to the existing electoral law and has been set aside for discussion in Parliament in January. What is the content of the PD draft? There is considerable reserve on the part of PD leaders. A few weeks ago it was the secretary general, Shehu, who refused to open "Republika" to say that the PD was still undecided about the law. He even stressed, according to Shehu, that the PD was still undecided as to whether the draft law would be submitted by the Government or by a group of Democratic MPs. Now, however, the signals seem to have become clearer. MP Spahia states that it is the Government that is preparing such a draft law. In this work of the C.M. the opinions are also reflected of Continued on p. 4

To Mr Servet Pëllumbi / Deputy Chairman of the Albanian Socialist Party To Mr Namik Dokle, Chairman of the Parliamentary Group of the Socialist Party Calm the political passions of your activists in local government To Mr Servet Pëllumbi Deputy Chairman of the Albanian Socialist Party To Mr Namik Dokle, Chairman of the Parliamentary Group of the Socialist Party Gentlemen! The Berat branch of the Republican Party and the sub-branch of this party in the commune of Lumas organized on 20 December 1995 a meeting of the inhabitants of this area with the chairman of the Republican Party, Mr Sabri Godo. A few days before this event, while PR members were preparing the meeting, activists of your party, taking advantage of the fact that the socialists were in power in this commune, were pressuring villagers by threatening to cut off assistance to those who met with Sabri Godo. This was stated by a good number of the roughly 150 participants in the rally. This threat had also been used some time earlier by the socialist Vizi Patriku, a resident of the village of Sheqes in this commune, who wanted to prevent an event organized by the Berat branch of the PR in that village. The Republican Party strongly protests against such shameful acts, considering them irresponsible, anti-democratic and inhumane [?]. The threat of hunger is more serious than the threat of weapons. Exercising power by cutting off people’s bread and means of livelihood in order to prevent them from taking part in lawful party activities means committing a deliberate political and social crime. Events of this kind clearly show that during the election campaign certain segments seriously risk violating democratic rules and violently crossing the established limits of political struggle. Since the PR will intensify its contacts with its electorate even in areas where socialists hold local administrations, we ask you to: 1. Verify the event in Lumas and take an objective, non-justifying position. 2. Calm the political passions of your activists in local government. 3. Give the appropriate instructions to your representatives in local government so that they take the necessary measures to prevent such anti-democratic acts. Otherwise, your declarations about social pacts, etc., remain nothing more than empty political and electoral slogans. Head of Press and Information PR Spokesman, Neritan Alibali