Car bombing: PD makes accusations specific “The perpetrators of the February 26 tragedy are to be found in the ranks of the PS.” For the first time, the PD secretary general narrows down the PD’s suspicions about the terrorists. A few hours after the incident, President Berisha had said that the car bomb had been planted by members of the former secret police. But neither he nor others, although they stated that the bomb placement had a political character, specified the terrorists’ political affiliation. Shehu’s words in a lengthy interview in the newspaper RD show that the text of the statements by Albanian citizens was accurate: they concern the former secret police, part of which is now in the Socialist Party. Thus Shehu, after explaining that the former Sigurimi agents, just as in ’91, initially created an atmosphere of ... [Illustration of a bomb] ... bomb. “I do not want to accuse the PS as a party,” Shehu says, “but ... ... have been at different levels of the PS, manage to penetrate, coordinate and create ... The left-wing opposition’s Ylli Polovi-na is in prison, accused of making public calls for violent action against the constitutional order. Meanwhile, the Socialist Party has taken a firm anti-terrorist stance. In addition to statements and visits to the victims’ families, the party’s deputy chairman, Servet Pellumbi, proposed at a press conference a rally of all political forces against terrorism. The idea for this rally was opposed by the “state.” The chairman of the Republican Party, Sabri Godo, opposing the politicization of the tragic event by both parties, the PD and the PS, rejected the idea of a rally modeled on the PS and proposed a procession organized by the Apolitical Association Tirana. Godo’s view was supported by ... that it concerns the former secret police, part of which is atmosphere of terror—a claim the Democratic leader justifies by citing the calls made, according to him, by the Socialists for “cracking skulls,” etc.—says that against this terrible backdrop, the bomb went off. party,” Shehu says in the interview. “But I did want to accuse those segments of the secret police, made up of nostalgics, who coexist within the PS. They are the very same people who, operating at various levels of the PS, manage to infiltrate, synchronize, and then carry out acts of terrorism. This is something dangerous, very dangerous.” Meanwhile, a member of both parties, the PD and the PS, opposed the idea of a PS-style rally Godo’s view was also supported by Shehu, who nevertheless blames some Socialists for the incident. A. S.

On March 11, 1996, court proceedings concerning the electoral law will take place at the Constitutional Court. The Socialist Party will be a party to the proceedings examining the constitutionality of this law, adopted by Parliament on January 24, 1996, as it disagrees with several provisions of the law. The petition, submitted on February 21, 1996, bearing the signatures of Namik Dokle and Gramoz Ruçi, has been considered by the Constitutional Court, accepted as a case to proceed to trial, and a date has been set. The Socialists, supported by the Social Democrats and the Democratic Alliance, are demanding changes to the way electoral commissions are organized, the method of vote verification, and, in particular, the way candidates for the new members of the next Parliament are nominated. S.R

They wanted to continue the work of E. Hoxha and H. Milloshi . Court sends the re-founders of the CP to prison. The Tirana Court of First Instance ordered the detention of the four leaders of the so-called Albanian Communist Party, who were caught in the act two days earlier by the capital’s Police Station 3. All four re-founders of the former Communist Party explained to the judicial police all the details of their activity, which they had begun long ago. Judge Ridvan Shkëmbi ordered pre-trial detention for three of the four protagonists and house arrest for the fourth leader. Thus Timoshenko Pekmezi, 54, Sami Meta, 62, and Kristaq Mosko, 45, will be investigated in prison, while Tare Isufi, 73, will be investigated under house arrest. All four are accused of secretly gathering unlawful and unconstitutional materials in cooperation with one another, with the aim of re-establishing the Communist Party. Their criminal acts were classified under Article 242 of the Criminal Code, which stipulates that re-establishing a party, organization or association disbanded as unconstitutional, or continuing its activity secretly or openly, is punishable by imprisonment for one to five years. In the courtroom, all four defendants admitted that they had established a Communist Party and had been carrying out a range of activities for some time. Prosecutor Kadri Skera, representing the prosecution, presented a large quantity of materials that proved this party’s activities were in open violation of constitutional laws. They had drawn up lists of their organization’s structure— Three of the four defendants will be investigated in prison, and one under house arrest because of his advanced age and poor state of health. Their criminal offense carries a sentence of up to 5 years in prison.

. At least 12 killed and more than 30 injured. Before the site had even been cleared of the rubble and blood caused by Sunday’s explosion, Jerusalem was shaken by another tragic blast, which caused at least 12 deaths and 30 injuries. The announcement of yesterday’s explosion was made by Radio Israel, citing information made public by the police. According to the first information released by the Israeli military police, the attack was carried out by a suicide bomber, who had the explosive substance in his vehicle. The explosion took place in a heavily populated commercial area, especially as yesterday was also the Jewish religious holiday of “Purim.” Footage broadcast by Israel’s state television, Continued on p. 2

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Starting today, the newspaper “Republika” will be in readers’ hands every day—

hands every day, alongside the other daily newspapers. Making headway in today’s conditions, as far as the press is concerned, is truly a very heavy burden; but, bearing in mind that the press of the right-wing forces, despite their weight in the country’s political life, is extremely underrepresented compared with that of the left, it is essential to intensify propaganda and, as part of this, increase the frequency of the newspaper’s publication. In this way, we will try to strengthen the confidence of those who aspire to nationalism and right-wing ideas in their realization, while exposing both the old communist demagoguery and the disguised neo-communist kind. In addition, we will try to provide up-to-date information about what is happening at home and abroad, with analyses, commentary and opinions, always maintaining the seriousness that has characterized our newspaper.