Those responsible are being sought: Ruçi & Meta are at risk There is real chaos in the PS: responsibility for the May 26 elections has begun to be sought. A lengthy meeting at the party’s central headquarters in Tirana brought together yesterday the chairs of the PS branches in the districts. These are the chairs who will bear on their shoulders the responsibility for “allowing the authorities to manipulate the elections,” but others in the party leadership have neither escaped nor will escape responsibility. Most at risk is the secretary-general, Gramoz Ruçi, who, as the head of organization, failed to organize the party and its structures at all well, contrary to what he claimed. Although no names are yet known, major changes are expected, from the top down to the grassroots. The Socialists must try not to make the dismissals in the leadership too visible, shifting responsibility instead more toward the district structures. For example, the abandonment of the American Department of State led to its not being a “major witness” to the manipulations. None of the other leaders of the Socialist Party responded to the chairman’s criticisms, but it seems that the search for those responsible had begun. Meanwhile, those who did respond were the leaders of the Center’s Political [group], who were not at all in agreement with Nano, “who had entered the opposition by chance.” Then, on Sunday, came another sign. The wife and intermediary of the PS chairman, Rexhina Nano, gave her first political interview; she did so in “KJ,” under the title “Self-analysis is necessary and natural.” Mrs. Nano, who ... end. Meanwhile, taking responsibility had also been discussed before, and on that occasion Although no names are yet known, major moves are anticipated, starting from the very top. The Socialists will try to avoid announcing dismissals in the leadership, shifting responsibility instead to the district-level structures. It all began with the critical letter that party chairman Fatos Nano published in “ZP”. In it, he criticized some actions by the Socialist Party and the entire opposition on election day as hasty. The article emphasized in particular the recent withdrawal of members of the “moderate” opposition, as Nano calls it, from the area and polling-station committees. According to Nano—and not only according to him, but also according to the Departme- [the source text is truncated/garbled here] —self-examination is necessary and natural.” Mrs. Nano, who in a way was also speaking on behalf of her husband, said that responsibility must be borne to the very end. the new PS deputy chairman, Ilir Meta, who is in charge of the party’s foreign relations, was attacked. Now the PS is looking for the causes of its “defeat” within its own ranks, and appears to have given up its efforts to have the elections declared invalid. Before long, the PS will enter its opposition to the PD with a new leader. R. N. PS Vice-Chairman and official responsible for foreign relations Ilir Meta

While disputes remain heated over who lied and who misrepresented the Greek positions on the May 26 elections, between the leaders of the Center’s Political [group] and several PD officials, the Albanian customs posts at Kakavija and Kapshtica are being “overrun” by the large influx of returning emigrants. In five days, more than 3,000 emigrants have returned through Kakavija, and approximately the same number through Kapshtica. I. Zagoria

More than 1,100 candidates for MP, competing from 13 political entities in the May 26 parliamentary elections, will receive an MP’s salary for two months. The funds are ready, and within a few days the candidates will sign at the CEC to receive payment. This Western practice is being applied in our country for the first time. Although more than 960 of them have been buried in the history of Parliament [wording unclear], they have entered it as members for two months. They have also received an identity card, which nearly everyone wishing to enter politics wanted. Observers suspect that paying the candidates will bring the number of contestants in the next parliamentary elections to 11,000. P. M.

Two representatives of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) have been taken hostage by several Serbs in Banja Luka, in the northwestern part of Bosnia. This was announced by a senior OSCE representative, Johana Vile, who, however, did not wish to disclose the names of the people seized. According to still-unconfirmed reports, the two hostages are being held by the Association of Families of Arrested or Missing Serbian Soldiers. They hope that through this action they will be able to draw international attention. According to several sources, one of the two representatives taken hostage is the regional director of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe.

PS Secretary General Gramoz Ruçi PS Deputy Chairman and person responsible for foreign relations Ilir Meta

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