Europe’s presence is essential, but not at every step Signals coming from Europe and the US always attract the attention of Albanian political forces. First and foremost, this is because they convey messages of democracy and emancipation, which light the way for Albanians to achieve as quickly as possible the goals associated with freedom and democracy. This time too, with Albania at the center of attention because of events related to the May 26 elections, every signal coming from European institutions is being followed with great interest by Albanian political circles. This has been the case with the resolution of the European Parliament and with the meetings in Strasbourg between the leaders of Albanian parties and the heads of the Council of Europe. The stance of the left-wing opposition, which gives great prominence to all the criticisms from abroad regarding the May 26 elections, is also attracting attention. Neither position is difficult to explain. For the PD, which takes positions and comments on resolutions or any other kinds of signals coming from Europe and the US, it would be better to put into practice the advice Europe has given us. The Socialists and the parties of “Polit” really are calling for the elections to be held again, something the PD firmly opposes, but it does not occur to them that holding elections as they demand requires a different electoral law from the current one, under which the May 26 elections were held. However, a new law cannot be drafted without the parties’ round table functioning. Who- ... of the Council of Europe. It was also the case with the latest resolution, adopted by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, which, while calling for consideration of the possibilities of holding the elections again, also appointed a mission to observe and guide the round table of Albanian parties, which was placed on the agenda of measures to be taken in Albania to restore confidence in democracy. But regarding this resolution, as with its predecessors, in this post-election period following May 26, two different positions can be discerned among Albania’s political forces. On the one hand is the position of the PD and the government, which make no secret of their tendency to downplay the demands set out in it, regarding European institutions as “advisory, consultative in character, etc.” On the other hand, the position of the left-wing opposition attracts attention, as it the May 26 elections. Neither position is difficult to explain. For the PD, the criticisms received sound like accusations of irregularities and violations identified on May 26. The worst thing is that, finding itself in such a position, the PD seems to think that not only the elections but everything connected with them is irregular. Thus, for example, Parliament and the government, whose composition is expected to be announced any day now, feel as if they are walking on eggshells if the criticisms from European institutions are fully accepted. On the other hand, this would cause the PD and the government to lose ground to the opposition parties, especially the left-wing ones, which have been emphasizing what they call manipulation of the May 26 elections. In a way, a certain tendency is also clear among the parties on this part of the political spectrum, primarily the PS, to justify themselves to their electorate. To hold elections as they demand, the May 26 elections were held, is needed. However, there is no way to draft a new law without the parties’ round table functioning. Everyone understands that the Socialists should be the most interested in the round table, since by continuing to boycott Parliament they have nowhere to bring their views and ideas into discussion with the country’s other political partners. The Albanian left-wing opposition welcomes the participation of European representatives in the round table of Albania’s parties, but this is at odds with the passivity of its members when it comes to making the round table function. The involvement of European envoys is certainly positive, but that does not mean they should lead Albanian politicians by the hand as if they were children. First of all, the party leaders who will participate in the round table are not political novices who must wait for others to provide every formula. Foreign assistance is necessary, but not at every step. g.l.

18 parties are still in debt to the state “Return the money you received for the campaign!” This is the demand the Ministry of Finance has made of 18 parties that took part in the May 26 elections but failed to win more than 3 percent. Under the law, the funding the state gave these entities for the election campaign—which amounted to sums such as one million new lekë—must be paid back. But this is not being done. The Ministry of Fi- Finance has therefore intervened by freezing the current accounts of these parties, or at least those that have bank accounts. Some of the parties have responded. For example, the president of the Democratic Alliance, Ceka, said that he cannot return the money to a state that stole his votes. Two days ago, the state froze the PAD’s account, as well as that of the PSD. At this point, the only way forward seems to be a court case. Only a court can legally annul the state-funding transactions. A.S

An earthquake measuring 3.8 on the Richter scale occurred in the city of Tirana. The report was issued by the Seismological Institute in Tirana, which recorded the earthquake tremors yesterday morning. At the epicenter, the earthquake had a magnitude of 5, and its epicenter was 190 km southeast of the capital, in a border area between Greece and Albania, near the city of Leskovik. In Tirana, the earthquake was felt at 0.6 and 7 minutes on June 10, 1996. It is also reported that there were no human casualties or material damage on either side of the border. Yesterday’s earthquake is the first recorded in 1996 and the fourth recorded since 1990. The last earthquakes to cause major material damage in Albania were those of 1967 and 1978. B.M.

Page 2

Page 2