The recurring theme at party conferences in the districts is the numerous divisions The Socialist Party is continuing its conferences in the districts, in preparation for resuming the remaining part of its congress, which began before the elections. These important activities of the party are also an extremely clear indication that unmistakably demonstrate the crisis the SP is going through. What stands out at these meetings are the divisions, which are now emerging quite openly, without any reservation. It is no longer possible to speak only of the so-called Nanoists or those aligned with the current Socialist leadership, but also of Pellumbists, Metists, Dioklists, and so on. In some places, Nano’s motion is supported and hailed as an “important movement” serving the renewal of the party, while someone else accuses the current chairman of the SP of being divisive and of violating the norms and rules of party life. There are also others who express criticism of one or another party leader in a less direct way. Thus, in Kurbin, one of the speakers, while criticizing Nano’s views and the way in which he tried to impose them on the party, said more or less that he “was with those who were beaten by the police on May 28.” By this he meant, no more and no less, that he was with Pellumbi, Dokle and the others who are leading the party in the absence of F. Nano. Seeing such a situation within the SP, one sometimes gets the impression that the congress may not be held at all, despite the titanic efforts of Socialist leaders to preserve unity at least until the congress; after that, let everything explode. At first glance, it seems as if the problems were created as a result of emotion and Nano’s letters from prison in recent times, but this is not true. It is enough to look back at the path taken by the SP since its founding to see without much difficulty that this party has constantly been weighed down by conflicts. Problems in the largest party of the left-wing opposition have existed for a long time, from the beginning of its life. The very lack of reform shows how difficult it has been for reformist elements to break through the wall of conservatives, which prevented new ideas from taking hold in

The Court of Appeal in Tirana has found guilty for the second time and sentenced to a total of 87 years in prison, with one person released in the courtroom, six senior former officials of the former communist dictatorship. The Appeals Judicial Council, headed by judge Mërgim Dragoshi, sentenced Prokop Murra and Zef Loka to 20 years in prison, Muho Asllani and Dilaver Bengasi to 18 years, Gaqo Nesho to 16 years, and released in the courtroom, but placed on five years’ probation, former PPSH Central Committee secretary Foto Cami. Following this ruling by the Court of Appeal, those tried—Muho Asllani, Prokop Murra and Foto Cami—escaped the life sentences imposed on them by the Tirana Court of First Instance on 20 June 1996. The sentences of the other three defendants remain unchanged. Those tried, Gaqo Nesho, Dilaver Bengasi and Zef Loka, were sentenced again to the same terms as by the Tirana Court. Around ten lawyers, three of them with academic degrees, adopted the same strategy to obtain lighter sentences for their clients. All together, they launched an “attack” against the panel of judges of the Tirana Court of First Instance, chaired by judge Petrit Kaja, accusing it of a lack of professionalism and serious violations of judicial procedure. The six people on trial joined this strategy, seeking acquittal and attempting to argue that they had been sentenced out of political revenge. But the contradiction in their arguments was immediately apparent. On the one hand, they claimed that their clients were victims of laws which, if they had not enforced them, would have resulted in their own internment or imprisonment; on the other hand, they cited hundreds of cases in which they had saved people from internment. In essence, the argument can be understood as follows: “We had the option not to enforce the law, but we enforced it in order to eliminate the political opponents of the former dictatorship.” Nevertheless, proceeding from the premise Continued on p. 3 The photograph shows the defendants in court.

The chairpersons or secretaries of the branches are to report to the PRSH Central Headquarters at 10:00 on the dates below, regarding matters relating to the local government election campaign. Tuesday 13.08.1996 Tropojë, Kukës, Has, Dibër, Bulqizë, Mat, Mirditë, Pukë, Shkodër, M.Madhe, Skrapar, Kuçovë. Wednesday 14.08.1996 Sarandë, Gjirokastër, Delvinë, Tepelenë, Përmet, Korçë, Pogradec, Devoll, Librazhd, Mallakastër, Vlorë. The Presidium

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