The meeting of 14 parties on the electoral law At the table of the 14 parties on 9 January, convened by the Republican Party to review the progress of the electoral law, Mr. Godo, opening the meeting, said that in the absence of the law and the definition of campaign rules, we are in an atmosphere of doubt and uncertainty. Mr. Godo proposed discussion of the main issues summarized in 7 points: 1. To request that Parliament review the law by 25 January, in accordance with the two declarations of the 13 parties. 2. Acceptance of the 4% threshold is a positive step. To confirm acceptance of the majority-proportional ratio under the existing law. 3. To announce by 31 January the shortening of the 15-day period for holding elections. 4. To declare whether local elections will be held separately and to announce the timetable for holding them. 5. To announce the electoral districts if changes are to be made because of demographic movements. 6. To discuss among the parties and the Commission, the People's Assembly, airtime on television for parties with one quarter of the districts, without setting aside the smaller parties. 7. Equal financing for the districts, with confirmation of the collection of 400 signatures. Advance payment in March. Mr. Godo's proposal was welcomed by those present. Each one expressed the view of the party he represented, also making some suggestions. After a discussion lasting 2 hours, Mr. Godo presented a draft declaration. Most of the participants were ready to sign the declaration, but on Mr. Laco's proposal it was decided that the parties should first review the declaration in their leadership bodies and make any eventual remarks within three days. The Democratic Party, represented by Messrs. Shehu and Dostim, stated at the outset that it had not yet examined the electoral law in its own interests, something it would do soon, taking into account the demands of the 13 parties. The 9 January round table was an important and successful step because it laid out for solution the key issues that concern the parties, both regarding the electoral law and the campaign. It is expected that within three days the parties will sign the declaration, fixing the next meeting for 25 January. There is little chance that the Democratic Party will add its signature. In his statements, Mr. Tritan Shehu has understood the good will of the Democratic Party to test dialogue and the demands of the other political forces, but if, in the drafting of the law, some imposition emerges, especially on the majority-proportional ratio, then the conflict between the PD and the other political forces will be open.

Things expected from the PS conference The creation of a reformed PS is expected Things expected from the PS conference Attacks against the laws and Kadare The creation of a reformed PS is expected For about 50 minutes the Socialist leaders Pellumbi and Dokle spoke about the mixed market economy, implying by this the creation of cooperative-type companies. Regarding the creation of the reformed PS, which is expected to be dealt with by the Ministry of Justice, Pellumbi clarifies that it is absolutely true that it will be approved this day and furthermore that we do not know that it is any of the five. The PS will offer the future of Albania, if it comes to power, "social moderates" who will change many things in the country and, according to Dokle, will create "stability and the effect of power" an economy" completely different from the current one. Regarding the question of what he thinks of Kadare's statement that "the PS must under no circumstances come to power," Pellumbi declared that Kadare is not as brilliant in politics as he is in the field of letters and sees things from the EIFFEL tower. (continued on p. 3)

At yesterday's press conference, the two deputy chairmen of the PS, Pellumbi and Dokle, held at their headquarters in Tirana, journalists asked for their comments on the incidents that the socialist local authorities of Kuçova and the Municipality of Lumas in Berat have provoked to the detriment of the PR's activities. Irritated by the fact that this question was asked immediately after the "crying" for (continued on p. 3)

Four Egyptians were caught by the Albanian border police. They were looking for the road to the West through Albania. For the 4 Egyptians, the success of this long journey from Egypt, Rinas became an unlucky stop. They were caught with forged documents and escorted to Police Station No. 2 in Tirana. In this way, the trafficking of clandestine migrants from the Middle East is being brought to light, having intensified extraordinarily at the end of November 1995, especially with Kurds. The Istanbul-Rinas airline route thus becomes the cheapest way for this clandestine emigration. I.Z

For the organization and direction of the 1996 election campaigns, the Steering Committee of the P.R.SH, at its meeting of 16 January 1996, after discussing the material presented by the Chairman of the P.R.SH, Mr. Sabri Godo, decided: To establish the Central Electoral Commission of the P.R.SH, composed of: 1) Sabri Godo ........ Chairman 2) Fatmir Mediu ...... Vice Chairman 3) Çerçiz Mingomataj, Vice- 4) Arian Madhi ........ Member 5) Ismail Male.......... 6) Neritan Alibali 7) Gjoek Beci 8) Lutfi Dervishi 9) Maksim Begeja The decision to create this Commission came as a concretization of the decision of the National Council of the Party at the end of December last year. At this meeting they also defined the concrete tasks and the organization of the work of the Commission as a whole and of each member in particular, not only through the division of working areas with the respective groups, but also the technical and tactical development of the campaign, the organization of propaganda, the management of political and economic opportunities, etc. "Nevertheless," says the member of the Steering Committee of the Party and head of the electoral sector Arian Madhi, "this should not be considered as the opening of the campaign by P.R.SH. We are still in the pre-election campaign, and one of the current tasks of the Commission is precisely to prepare the Party to enter the 'campaign' with dignity. Correspondent, "Republika"

Greek diplomacy has yesterday shortened the list of demands that Albania must fulfill. Yesterday the President of the Republic, Sali Berisha, signed a decree lifting visas for Greek citizens entering Albania. From today Greek citizens and farmers can cross the Albanian border without a visa. The decree imposing visas on Greek citizens was signed in the summer of 1994, after a tense climate between the two countries, following the April '94 massacre when a Greek commando entered Albanian territory and killed two Albanian officers and wounded 7 soldiers. Relations between the two countries worsened with the arrest of five Albanian citizens of Greek origin accused of espionage in the summer of '94. After the release of the five Greek spies, the renewal of the visit of the Greek Archbishop Janullatos, now a few smaller demands must also be fulfilled. Greek schools must be opened in the cities of Sh- Continued on p. 2

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