On 11 January 1996, Prime Minister Bujar Bukoshi received Mr. Sabri Godo, chairman of the Republican Party and current chairman of the Albanian Right League, at the Representation of the Republic of Kosovo in Tirana. At this meeting, among other things, the current developments concerning Kosovo were discussed. It was established that the most intensive possible activity is required on the part of Albanians wherever they may be, in defense of the nation and especially for a just solution to the Kosovo issue. On his part, Mr. Godo declared: The Republican Party and the Albanian Right League once again confirm their statements that under no circumstances will they give up their demand for the full independence of Kosovo and its right to self-determination. Acceptance of nominal autonomy under Serbian domination, of whatever kind, leaves Kosovo in a colonial state, contrary to the principles of European and international charters. Statements about autonomy demean us; the Serb-Montenegrin cause, according to the 1974 constitution, lead to the denial of the sacred aspirations for the freedom and independence of the Kosovars and to the destruction of their efforts for self-government, embodied in the referendum and the elections from which the Kosovo parliament, the President and the Government emerged. We are not against talks between Pristina and Belgrade in the presence of a third party, but the basis of these talks should be the modalities for granting independence to Kosovo, a right that all other peoples of the former Yugoslavia have won. Diplomatic pressures must be resisted. The appearance that independence is being claimed is out of date, it does not hold. The right of peoples to independence lies within the historical logic of every age. Depriving the Kosovars, who make up 90% of the population on their own land, of this right for the sake of conjunctural considerations is anti-national and unacceptable. We support the activity of the Government of Kosovo in all states that are inclined to such a thing. We wish this declaration by the LDSH and the Republican Party to be made known to President Rugova, to the political forces and to public opinion in Kosovo. Prime Minister Bukoshi on this occasion welcomed the position and views of the Republican Party and the LDSH, considering them well founded and very important for the present moment. Prime Minister Bukoshi and Mr. Godo discussed, in a fraternal and understanding atmosphere, other issues concerning developments in Albania and in the nation as a whole. The Republican Party and the Albanian Right League steadfastly support their declarations that under no circumstances will they give up their demand for the full independence of Kosovo and its right to self-determination. Republika correspondent

Electoral law, 13 parties sign the joint declaration Twelve yes votes for the declaration on the electoral law have been returned to the Republican Party. The leaders of the 12 parties together with the PR signed the declaration presented by Godo at the round table a few days earlier. Only the PD did not sign. In fact, the absence of Tritan Shehu's signature was anticipated at the January 9 meeting. There he presented the PD's proposals, different from the points of the above declaration, such as changing the majority-proportional ratio, unequal financing of the parties for the election campaign, and 400 signatures for a candidate. The joint declaration of the parties, as stated in it, seeks to create an atmos- Continued on p. 3

Things that don't happen twice At the Civil Registry Office of Tirana, the most interesting case related to wedding ceremonies has been recorded. An 18-year-old girl was taken as a witness to legalize her parents' marriage. If the couple's other daughter is also 18 years old, then the two witnesses will be the parents' children. The couple have just celebrated the marriage they entered into in 1976 and were able to survive thanks to their transfer to the city of Shkodër, where they were exchange workers and no one asked them to account for the documents of the ceremony. This time too, the couple would have escaped the ceremony, but the new voter registration, organized by the Tirana city authorities, disturbed the spouses' peace with which they had been reconciled for years. To avoid the fine, which for them means a large sum, ZH. Krriti and Ndricim Lekadheu carried out the ceremony, a full 19 years after the wedding day, marking a record and the first rare event in Albania. The head of the Tirana Municipality Civil Registry Office, Abdyl Xhaja, says he has seen a lot in around 70,000 ceremonies he has conducted in 30 years of work. Ma. Be.

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All PR branches in the districts are informed that by 20. 1. 1996 at the latest they should submit the subscriptions according to the plan approved at the last meeting of the National Council. Head of Press and Information Neritan Alibali