Local elections and the constitution, the topics of the meetings The EU foreign affairs commissioner meets Albanian parties The European Union’s foreign affairs commissioner, Hans Van Den Bruk, met yesterday at midday, during his visit to Albania, with the ten main Albanian parties. “Mr. Van Den Bruk supported neither the opposition nor the government; he supported Albania.” This was the response of Spahia, chairman of the Democratic delegation, as he emerged first from the meeting with the EU commissioner. “The meeting showed that assistance from the European Community will not be lacking for Albania,” Spahia said. “We discussed the latest developments in our country.” While the deputy chairman of the DP said only this much, the secretary-general, Gjongecaj, who was also present at the talks, said: “The meeting was very positive regarding what is happening in Albania.” “The meeting was important,” Pëllumbi said after the half-hour allotted to his party, following the DP’s three ten-minute slots, “as was the entire visit by the high commissioner, Van Den Bruk. This visit is the assistance Europe is giving Albania to emerge from the political crisis. We presented the situation in Albania and put forward our proposals for support and assistance from European institutions to help the country and the electoral process emerge from the crisis they are in.” Pëllumbi called the meeting “important,” not successful. “Important is more than successful,” Pëllumbi replied, adding: “Important for the PS, for Albania, democracy and its future.” “We certainly addressed these issues; we presented new general requests.” Meanwhile, the president of the PAD said he had presented the commissioner with his party’s views on the round table and the Constituent Assembly, and on the constitution. “Their view,” Çekapas said after the meeting, “was that the opposition cannot be excluded from its role in politics.” The commissioner acknowledged that this could happen only in Parliament. In light of this, although the Socialists were not given confirmation, there is a strong possibility that the EU foreign affairs commissioner suggested the PS enter Parliament. Finally, Van Den Bruk met again with the PR, PBDNJ, PDK, PBSD and PBK parties. Menaxhtojmin [...ma,] Albania.” The Socialists, represented by all four deputy chairmen, were also very reserved. “We consider the meeting very important”—“important,” The leaders of the Pole of the Centre were more forthcoming. “There was no particular discussion today about general elections,” said the chairman of the PSD after the meeting. Van Den Bruk did not suggest the PS’s entry into Parliament. At the end, PBSD and PBK parties. Afterwards, he met Foreign Minister Shehu and President Berisha. Today he will meet with Meksi and Arbnori and hold a press conference with journalists.

— What were your comments to the commissioner? — The meeting was very short, because the gentlemen did not have time. I was struck by the fact that they gathered all the parties together, on the grounds that this was the pro-government grouping that takes part in Parliament. We stated that the PR is today the third party in political, governmental and parliamentary life, and that the PR considers the country calm and the situation stable. They wanted to know about two issues: what we think about the local elections and what we think about the constitution. We said that the local elections are based on the experience of May 26; everyone has considerable experience, including the government officials themselves, and they will be more or less calm. As for the constitution, we stated once again what we said on May 28: first, the PR has called for the convening of a Constituent Assembly on a proportional basis; second, a constitution should be drafted; third, it must necessarily be put to the sovereign people; and fourth, a law should then be drawn up for eventual elections, in accordance with what the majority of public opinion decides. — And what were the commissioner’s views? — The commissioner spoke briefly, and I did not like the fact that he gathered us all together. Mr. Van den Bruk said that the situation was clear and that he had formed the opinion he wanted. — Which side did the commissioner support? — No clarification of that kind was given, and even the great commissioner could not do such a thing. In your view, this is decided by the people themselves, not by commissioners. A.S

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Statement . Today: 16 newspapers with a blank page. The managers and publishers of the country’s leading newspapers met today to discuss the many problems facing the print media. They note with concern that the many financial and economic problems, as well as the high taxes they have to bear, are placing the print media in serious difficulty and driving it toward bankruptcy. Following the situation created by the intervention involving a purchase of $200,000 by the Soros Foundation in Albania for the newspaper “Koha Jonë,” the newspapers’ publishers and managers note that: The aid mechanism of philanthropist George Soros is general in nature. The advantages it provides genuinely help consolidate open society. But the focus of Soros’s assistance in the case of the newspaper “Koha Jonë” is in flagrant contradiction with the principles of open society. It sets an extremely dangerous precedent for press freedom and tramples on the free competition that has only just begun to take shape in the Albanian press market. In protest against the Soros Foundation’s intervention in the press market to create monopolies in the press, the newspapers listed below will use every form of protest. Tomorrow, the newspapers will be published with one blank page. 1. Albania 2. Gazeta Shqiptare 3. Dita Informacion 4. Poli i Qendrës 5. RD 6. Republika 7. Bashkimi 8. Tribuna 9. Balli i Kombit 10. Rilindja 11. Lajmi i Ditës 12. Drita 13. Sindikalisti 14. Liria 15. Sporti 16. Bota Socialdemokrate. At the same time, the publishers and managers of the above-mentioned newspapers appeal to the Albanian government to review the print media system as a priority, so that it may be relieved of taxes and duties. A group has been established to negotiate with government representatives and detail the requests. Tirana: July 25, 1996. Newspaper “REPUBLIKA,” Sami Frashëri Street, near “Petro Nini Luarasi” high school, Tirana, Account No. BTK 986/110 Tel/Fax 259 88