Local-government parties at the President’s. PSD absent The electoral law and the anti-genocide law will be amended Local-government parties at the President’s. PSD absent Local elections on 13 or 20 October The electoral law and the anti-genocide law will be amended “Local elections will be held on one of the two final dates of the maximum legal period.” This was jointly decided by the ten parties participating in local government and the President of the Republic, at a meeting held yesterday at midday. Berisha himself confirmed the decision after the meeting, before journalists, as did the party representatives, although they described the dates as the fifteenth and the second-to-last day of October. Under the law, the maximum period ends on 26 October, which falls on a Saturday, so according to the President’s words, the elections will be held on 13 or 20 October, while according to the restriction proposed by the party politicians, they will be held on 20 October. Ten parties held discussions yesterday for around two hours at the Presidency: PD, PS, PR, PBDNJ, PBK, PBSD, PBD, PDK, PA, PUK. The Socialist Party did not respond to Berisha’s invitation, while others proposed that they be independent. “Nevertheless,” the President acknowledged, “this will be determined by the round table of political parties.” One of the main issues discussed at this round table, and accepted by all the President’s invitees, was amending the electoral law. “The electoral law needs some adjustments that do not affect its essence,” Spahia said. “These partial amendments,” Pellumbi also agreed. “The electoral law should be reviewed and a deadline set for its amendment,” Godo also believes. Berisha shared the same view. “The election law,” he said, “will be reviewed by the political forces. If necessary, it will be improved further, although it is a law under which the opposition won the largest number of councilors and local-government leaders.” The parties expressed differing views: some, led by the Socialist Party, favored repealing this law; others, such as the Republican Party and PD, favored reviewing it. There were also opinions in favor of strengthening the anti-genocide law. “We believe that the genocide law should remain in substance,” the Republican leader stated, “but it should be reviewed in many respects, since we are dealing here with a very large number of people who have to pass through this sieve and could be unjustly paralyzed.” Berisha also favored reviewing the law, believing that the law in question would be amended by the Albanian Parliament, and that this would affect commune councilors. The Socialist Party was unequivocal in calling for the repeal of this law. Pellumbi spoke yesterday about several conditions for the elections to be free, and one... party politicians PBSH, PBD, PDK, PA, PUK, while the Social Democratic Party had not responded to Berisha’s invitation. Berisha said he was unaware of this absence of the left-wing parties. In general, the participants were satisfied with the meeting, which the President of the Republic called very “fruitful”; the Republican leader, who took part in the talks along with his deputy Mediu, said after the meeting that an understanding had essentially been reached, albeit with differing nuances. At this inter-party meeting, as confirmed by the head of state, it was jointly decided that local-election matters would be considered at a round table of the parties. Berisha even insisted on establishing a permanent electoral commission, which, in his view, would be better composed of par- largest number of councilors and local-government leaders.” Berisha also spoke of another proposal concerning the electoral law: “Another idea, which received broad support,” the head of state said, “was to include an article—not an anti-boycott provision, but one that establishes the legal responsibility of electoral commission members to carry out their duties to the end. Political boycotts will remain an inalienable right, but leaving the commissions should be considered a matter of legal responsibility, so that what happened on 26 May is not repeated.” Another issue discussed at the meeting between the parties and the President was the anti-genocide law and the vetting of public figures. As Berisha himself announced, this will be amended by the Albanian Parliament, and the amendment will of them is precisely this repeal. Yesterday Pellumbi also recalled the recommendations of the Council of Europe, against whose law Spahia himself had spoken. But then Pellumbi surprised everyone by saying that the PS has not yet decided whether it will participate in the elections. The professor said this would be discussed later; nevertheless, the PS would be ready to help prepare the conditions for free elections. Yesterday the party representatives and the President also discussed decentralizing local government and reducing the powers of local administrations, especially their financial powers, but only next year, since this budget year has not yet ended. Aurel Simoni

Democratic congressman from New York, Eliot Engell, will go to Belgrade today, where he will meet Serbian president Slobodan Milloshevic, before visiting the province of Kosovo and then Macedonia, it was learned Wednesday from his office. Engell is a staunch defender of the Albanian cause in the province of Kosovo. He is due to attend a ceremony on Saturday at the American Information Center in Prishtina, the province’s capital. Kosovo is a province whose population is 90% Albanian, and whose demands for independence Belgrade denies. Map of Kosovo and surrounding countries, labeled: SERBIA, MONTENEGRO, KOSOVO, ALBANIA, Macedonia.

A warning to the government and Minister Shamata The government’s decision to liberalize the price of bread, although it “hit” Albanians in their pockets, did not remain in the headlines for long. The reason was several high-profile killings within a few days, culminating in the attack on the police station in the city of Pogradec, Gjy rezi. The government’s decision to liberalize the price of bread, although it “hit” Albanians in their pockets, did not remain in the headlines for long. The reason was several high-profile killings within a few days, culminating in the attack on the police station in the city of Pogradec, Gjy r ezi. Yesterday, Tirana police also launched an unsuccessful operation to arrest one of the 20 protagonists of the famous escape from Tirana prison around two years ago, who was also suspected of murders committed during the period he has been wanted by police. All these events, which have taken place over the course of four days, are a serious warning to the new Meksi government and to Minister Shamata, who heads the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Unfortunately, we must acknowledge that criminal activity, despite the statements and figures given by the previous heads of law enforcement, has been increasing. This was to be expected, given the lack of experience in how mechanisms function in a democratic system. The main issue is that the boundaries between More on p. 3

The next parliamentary elections: yesterday’s Berisha-Pëllumbi duel The next parliamentary elections are fading into the distance. Yesterday the two biggest sides in the duel, President Berisha and the Socialist Party, were in the same building, and both spoke about these elections. “The next parliamentary elections will be held around 21 May 2000, in the first spring of the century,” Berisha said. “Naturally, 21 May is not a final date; there will be consultations at that time, and the President, together with the political parties, will set the election date.” But that is if Berisha is still head of state in 2000… “I said the President,” Berisha replies. In the face of this firm position by the head of state, Servet Pëllumbi’s position seems uncertain. Asked whether the PS will continue to insist on new elections, its deputy chairman replied: “Now we have local-government elections. If these are to More on p. 3

Engell: “The US, more support for the LDK and Rugova” p. 4 Russia accuses the Hague Court: “it is biased” p. 5 Government: the program has been completed, but the confidence vote is next week p. 4