Alia is questioned about 2 April, the coup at the United School... Most of his collaborators have been arrested The former communist president Ramis Alia has been summoned for the second time to the Tirana Prosecutor's Office. Yesterday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., for two consecutive hours, he answered questions from prosecutor Beqir Koko regarding 8 of the 70 complaints filed against him in total. Ramis Alia's answers began with the events at the former United School, where the military coup was organized. Ramis Alia was asked what he knew and what orders he had given. The first complaint against the former communist president was filed from Hasi i Kukës by the families of two victims who were executed for an alleged attempt on Alia's life during a visit to that region. The complaints were followed by dozens more from 36 families of those killed at the border in the years 1989-1991 and by many complaints concerning the period 1986-1991, for which Ramis Alia is the number one responsible for what was happening in Albania. Ramiz Alia came out of prison in July 1995, benefiting from the entry into force of the new criminal procedure code. He had been sentenced for large-scale misuse of state property to 5 years in prison and the payment of 11 million lekë to the state treasury. The hottest point of the complaints against Ramiz Alia is the event of 2 April 1991 in Shkodër, where, although 6 people have been convicted, the massacre still remains a mystery. Ramis Alia heads the list of 34 former high-ranking state officials of the dictatorship who are accused of mass expulsions and internments in Albania. So far, 30 people from this list have been indicted. Alia listening to his lawyer, Kleanthi Koçi P.B.

The parties begin consultations After Godo's appeal The parties have begun consultations after the appeal made by the Republican leader. Godo demanded that if the electoral law is not brought before the Assembly by the end of January, the opposing parties that signed the latest joint declaration should boycott the legislative proceedings. The first to hear this appeal were the socialists. Yesterday, the deputy head of their parliamentary group, Fehmi Abdiu, and MP Kastriot Islami requested consultations with the Democratic Alliance. In the meeting they held with the president of that party, Neritan Ceka, they discussed precisely the problems of the electoral law. But while the socialist MPs had nothing to say to the press about the law, Islami said 'no comment', while Abdiu spoke about the coffee fixed points and Ceka's health. - Neritan Ceka explained what happened at this meeting. 'It was a consultation requested by the Socialist Party,' said the number one of the Democratic Alliance after the meeting, 'regarding the idea expressed by Sabri Godo to boycott the work of Parliament if the electoral law is not brought there as soon as possible. It was a consultation involving an exchange of views and, naturally, no decision could be taken without the leaderships of the parties and the parliamentary groups meeting. Certainly by the 25th there will be a common or at least similar position of the parliamentary opposition to close the way to manipulations of time and vote and to open the way to the free expression of Albanians through free and secret voting.' On Thursday, 25 January, the parties will meet in a session already scheduled at the last meeting on 9 January. 'Before we go to the meeting on 25 January,' Ceka said yesterday at midday, 'there is a chance for bilateral contacts between the parliamentary parties. We may also meet Godo or Gjinushi.' On 25 January, Parliament will also meet. But not for the electoral law. It seems that the Hungarian president who will speak on Thursday before the deputies is more urgent than the electoral law. Whether the latter will be discussed this week or not will be decided by the Presidium of the People's Assembly, most of which is in Strasbourg. Their return from the center of the European Parliament seems to be very important for the progress of the Albanian Parliament. It will be precisely this presidium that will decide the program for the coming days of the Assembly, and chiefly whether the election law will enter or not as soon as possible. If the program excludes it, Godo's appeal, it seems, will be heard by the opposition deputies. A. Simoni

Mr. Sabri Godo's meeting with the residents of Sukth Yesterday afternoon the chairman of the PR, Mr. Sabri Godo, met with the residents of the Sukth commune in the Durrës district. The meeting was opened by the secretary of the PR branch in Sukth, Vehip Ademi, who spoke about the main issues on which the republican program is based. He then gave the floor to the chairman of the PR, Mr. Sabri Godo. 'Four years ago our main task was to bring down the communist system,' said the chairman of the PR at the beginning of his speech. 'Today we have the task of building a consolidated democracy with a strong economy.' Considering Albania as our common home, Mr. Godo said that no one comes to build our house for us, but we must build it ourselves. The republican chairman then spoke about the country's troubling economic problems. 'We are not nihilists,' he said, 'and we do not deny the achievements of these four years, but we cannot fail to point out the gross mistakes made by the government. Mr. Godo did not spare criticism of the ruling party regarding corruption, incompetence and authoritarianism. He further stressed that it is essential to prevent the return of former communists to power. 'It is hard to believe,' said Mr. Godo, 'that high officials Continued on p.2

'For a democratic country, rules are certainly necessary, especially for Albania, which is in the process of building democracy.' The Secretary General of the European Parliament, Jean Varlen, who came on a visit to Albania, expressed his concern about the delay in approving the election law. 'Elections must be fair,' he told Gjinushi yesterday during their meeting, 'and for them to be fair, everyone must know the rules of the game from the start. We are concerned about the failure to recognize these rules. But no matter how much Mr. Berisha changes these rules, the people will know whom to vote for.' Varlen maintained his position on the law for the vetting of figures. 'It is the government's right,' he said, 'to decide who has committed genocide and who has not. For that there is also a court in The Hague.' The European socialist secretary also expressed his satisfaction at seeing that 'this country is very beautiful and the people are very good' A.S.

Interest in the plant that requires less care has declined... p.2 For every 30 inhabitants, one intellectual............................p.3 In the footsteps of the 16-year 'exodus' of cultural values....p.3 Esperanto has accompanied me among my names.....p.4 'Blue Spaces' in crisis...p.4 The new Prime Minister Muratoviç, master of the Balkan bargain...p.5 ISRAEL seeks the presence of German troops in Golan...p.5 THE GREEK PRIME MINISTER TAKES THE OATH ...............p.5 YELTSIN is preparing an imperialist-nationalist campaign....p.5 The French Foreign Minister in Moscow....................p.5 AJAX FACING DESTRUCTION..................p.7 WINNING TICKET (21 January)....p.7 UPCOMING TICKET