Most of his collaborators have been arrested Most of his collaborators have been arrested Ramiz Alia for the second time at the Prosecutor's Office Alia questioned about 2 April, the Shkolla e Bashkuar coup... The former communist president, Ramis Alia, has been summoned for a second time to the Tirana Prosecutor's Office. Yesterday, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., for two straight hours, he answered the questions of prosecutor Beqir Koko regarding 8 complaints out of the 70 that have been filed against him in total. Ramis Alia's answers began with the events at the former Shkolla e Bashkuar, when 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 in Kukës by the families of two victims who were shot, allegedly because of an assassination attempt on Alia during a visit to that region. The complaints were followed by dozens more from 36 families of people killed on the border in the years 1989-1991 and by many lawsuits filed over the period 1986-1991, in which Ramis Alia is the number-one responsible person for what was happening in Albania. Ramiz Alia was released from prison in July 1995, taking advantage of the entry into force of the new Criminal Procedure Code. He had been sentenced for large-scale abuse of state property to 5 years in prison and to repay 11 million lekë to the state treasury. The hottest point in the complaints against Ramiz Alia is the event of 2 April 1991 in Shkodër, where, despite 6 people having been convicted, the massacre 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 charged. Alia listening to his lawyer, Kleanthi Koçi P.B.

Inside Interest has declined in the plant that requires less care... p.2 One intellectual for every 30 residents............................p.3 In the traces 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 Balkan bargaining...p.5 ISRAEL seeks the presence of German troops in the Golan...p.5 THE GREEK PRIME MINISTER TAKES THE OATH...............p.5 JELCIN is preparing an imperialist-nationalist campaign....p.5 The French Foreign Minister in Moscow....................p.5 AJAX AGAINST DESTRUCTION..................p.7 WINNING TICKET (21 January)....p.7 NEXT TICKET

Mr. Sabri Godo's meeting with the residents of Sukth We promise what we deliver 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,” the chairman of the PR said 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 is coming to build our house for us; we must build it ourselves. The republican leader 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 his criticism of the ruling party in terms of corruption, incompetence and authoritarianism. He further stressed that it is necessary to prevent the return of former communists to power. “It is hard to believe,” said Mr. Godo, “that high-ranking officials Continued on p.2

After Godo's appeal After Godo's appeal Boycott of Parliament? The parties begin consultations Boycott of Parliament? 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 within January, the opposing parties that signed the latest joint declaration should boycott the work of the legislature. The first to hear this appeal were the socialists. Yesterday, the deputy head of their parliamentary group, Fehmi Abdiu, and MP Kastriot Islami sought consultations with the Democratic Alliance. At the meeting they held with the president of that party, Neritan Ceka, they discussed precisely the problems of the electoral law. But while on the law the Socialist deputies said nothing to the press, Islami said “no coment”, while Abdiu talked about the coffee machines and Ceka's health. Neritan Ceka explained what happened at this meeting. “It was a consultation requested by the Socialist Party,” the head of the Democratic Alliance said after the meeting, regarding the idea expressed by Sabri Godo of boycotting the work of Parliament if the electoral law is not brought there as soon as possible. It was a consultation with an exchange of views, and naturally no decision could be made without the party leaderships and parliamentary groups meeting. Certainly by the 25th there will be a common or at least similar position of the parliamentary opposition to block the path to manipulations of time and vote and to open the way for Albanians' free expression through free and secret ballot.” On Thursday, 25 January, the parties will meet in a session scheduled already at the last meeting on 9 January. “Before we go to the meeting on 25 January, Ceka said yesterday at noon, there may be bilateral contacts between the parliamentary parties. We can 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 faster 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 arrival from the center of the European Parliament seems to be very important for the course of the Albanian Parliament. It will be precisely this Presidium that will decide the program for the coming days of the Assembly, and mainly whether the election law will be introduced as soon as possible or not. If it is excluded from the program, Godo's call, it seems, will be heard by the opposition deputies. A. Simoni

The electoral law and European socialists “For a democratic country, rules are certainly necessary, especially for Albania, which is in the process of building democracy.” Jean Varlen, Secretary-General of the European Parliament, who came on a visit to Albania, expressed his concern over 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 also maintained his position on the law on vetting/control of figures. “It is the government’s right,” he said, “to decide who has committed genocide and who has not. There is also a court in The Hague for these matters.” The European socialist official also expressed his satisfaction at seeing that “this country is very beautiful and the people are very good.” A.S.