Doesn’t this point to a “crisis of alternatives”? Although fewer than four weeks remain before election day, the electoral atmosphere is very subdued. This is also a consequence of the unforeseen problems created by the “innovations” introduced into this year’s election procedures. The two major parties officially launched their campaigns in Tirana. Although, on the surface, differences can be seen between the scenarios of the two parties, they also had one characteristic in common. Both parties, which claim they will win an absolute majority, citing figures verging on the unbelievable, steered clear of concrete issues at the ceremonies launching their election campaigns, the issues that con- [continued on p. 2]

Starting today, together with “Republika,” the supplement “The homeland begins at your home”

Emigrants, vote for us in Albania: free travel The Democratic Party has also started its election campaign in Greece. In a notice posted near the office in Athens, where Albanian emigrants were collecting their cards for their home country, PD calls on them to vote for it. It promises emigrants free trips to Albania so they can vote for democracy and PD. The notice even said that if they could not return to their homeland, they could vote at their embassy in Athens. This is a major mistake, because emigrants must come to Albania to vote, not vote in Greece, in order to avoid possible irregularities during travel between the two neighbouring countries. Thus PD is conducting a truly broad-front campaign. For several weeks, the notice with the words in Albanian and “Vinire” at the top has puzzled emigrants, who came to the offices to collect the cards that would take them back to their families. PD is offering those who have left a free trip to come to Albania and vote for it. Many Albanians are spending money on their campaign in a democratic fashion, and it would be very interesting to know where these expenses are coming from. The Democrats are organizing a large concert in the capital lasting more than four hours and receive none of the proceeds they could have made from ticket sales, since admission is free. In PD, they explain that the state is not involved in these events at all, and that PD covers everything with its sponsors. In other districts, concerts are organized with tickets, so PD also has somewhat lower expenses. Meanwhile, this is not the first time news has come from Greece about parties’ election campaigns. Since at least 300,000 Albanians live there, most of them voters, if they put a ballot in the ballot box, it would constitute a considerable vote for the political parties. Most Albanian daily newspapers circulate in Athens and attract many emigrants. PS, too, has written in its press about socialist emigrants, who also protest and express concern about Nano and others there.

The candidates rejected by the Commission for the Verification of Public Officials, who were included on the parties’ proportional-representation lists, have not been accepted by the Central Electoral Commission. Candidates rejected by the Commission for the Verification of Public Officials, who had been included on the parties’ proportional-representation lists, have not been accepted by the Central Electoral Commission. Many parties had included on their multi-name lists the names of those deemed “unclean” by the vetting commission. But the Central Commission did not consider this proper and, according to one of its members, is not taking these candidates into account. Thus, every possibility and hope of those rejected becoming members of parliament after the elections appears to have vanished. “We do not accept as a candidate anyone who does not have a certificate of clearance,” said yesterday a member of the Kapedani Commission, definitively ruling out the unclean candidates such as Peshkëpia, Teta, etc.

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On 2.05.1996 at 10:00, PRSH will launch its election campaign in Tirana. Besides the parliamentary candidates, all the chairpersons, secretaries and organizational staff of the branches will take part. Make arrangements so that you do not miss it. Further instructions will also be given in Tirana.