In light of Bob Dole’s resolution, official Albanian policy and Rugova’s policy should be reconsidered

The Republican presidential candidate and leader of the Republican majority in the Senate, Senator Bob Dole, once again demonstrated through concrete actions that he is one of the greatest friends of the Albanian people and the entire Albanian nation. Two days ago, Senator Bob Dole introduced a resolution before the Senate, officially calling for the recognition of the political rights of the Albanians of Kosovo, first and foremost their right to self-determination. Senator Dole’s move comes at a time when other politicians around the world, influenced by the circumstances of the moment and seeking political capital, are imposing temporary settlement formulas which, to be sustained, require the armed force of NATO troops. Such solutions are also temporary because they do not take into account the most basic rights of different nations. The peace established in the former Yugoslavia by the Dayton Agreement, despite its positive aspects, is not particularly encouraging for the Albanians. It is enough to consider the fact that the Albanians were not only not invited to the talks held in the American city, but their future has also been confined to a framework of autonomy that will be entirely in Serbia’s hands. While others link the lifting of sanctions against Serbia and Montenegro to the fulfillment of the human rights of the Albanians of Kosovo, the resolu- Continued on p. 4 Senator Robert Dole

BE ENGLAND Lu.Me

But the state has still not heard even the call of the 29 victims from Dibra Ever since Albania opened its borders to its citizens, it has become commonplace—one might even say, without fear of contradiction, a family habit—to hear news of Albanians dying accidentally while trying to find happiness in foreign countries, as well as of some of them becoming involved in the criminal underworld in the countries they enter clandestinely. Unfortunately, instead of such negative phenomena—which, on the one hand, disfigure and cripple the nation, while on the other damage the image of Albania and Albanians around the world, whose support remains essential before our country can begin to stand on its own feet— It is impossible to go even a single day without hearing news from Italy or Greece, countries where the presence of illegal Albanian migrants is relatively large, about migrants who left Albania becoming involved in crime, or about deaths and repatriation Continued on p. 2

Arbnori leaves his chair but keeps two checks Parliament has no more work 140 more welfare recipients Yesterday the Parliament elected on March 22, 1992, was dissolved. Its term legally ended four days early. Although the opposition had requested that it work over the weekend, the opposition rejected this proposal on the pretext that the weekend is sacred. Sources close to the Green opposition confirm that the real reason the Socialists refused to continue the proceedings on Saturday and Sunday was fear that the removal of immunity from former Interior Minister Gramoz Ruçi might be raised in yesterday afternoon’s session. Nevertheless, the proceedings were brought to a close, with the 538th law adopted during a four-year period. The last law adopted was the Code of Civil Procedure, with 620 articles, which was passed unanimously in just 8 minutes—meaning that one article was approved every 0.8 seconds, breaking every record for the passage of laws. (The Law on Human Rights and Freedoms was passed over 8 sessions, or 2 weeks of work, and had 18 articles.) Parliament was boycotted 19 times by the Socialists, who boycotted it for a full 1.5 months in September 1995. The Social Democrats also boycotted it 10 times, but for shorter periods. Continued on p. 3

European parliamentarians also call for recognition of the right of the Albanians of Kosovo to self-determination Within a few days, Kosovo moved from the United States Senate to the European Parliament. Following the end of the war in Bosnia, and as a result of the continued Serbian repression of the Albanians of Kosovo, Europe is seriously concerned. This is also because Continued on p. 4

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