The Socialists have opened the red drawers The elections held in the General Steering Committee of the Socialist Party (PS) seem, for the time being, to have brought calm to the Socialists’ headquarters. In the name of unity, the secretary posts were taken by Mr. Nano’s supporters, with tight votes, showing that he is still quite powerful despite his three-year isolation. The only person who escaped Mr. Nano’s clutches was Mr. Dokle. Thanks to his immense popularity, Mr. Dokle managed to secure a very key post for himself in the PS. All the organizational plans will be prepared by his hand around the world. Mr. Meta placed the PS last among the Eastern parties seeking to join the Socialist International. Mr. Meta is known for his intensive activity abroad and has won great sympathy among European leftists. Meanwhile, it is Mr. Meta who has in his pocket a personal invitation to the upcoming meeting of the left in New York. It is not known how his failure to be elected to the PS’s top bodies will be received in European left-wing circles. These were the foreign politicians who, before the Socialist Congress, openly expressed support for Mr. Meta’s group. His defeat and indignation may have an impact Nano the PS. All the organizational plans of the PS will be prepared by him, and the organization of this Party will be carried out under his direction. This post must surely have made the supporters of the “anti-Nano” current in the PS somewhat optimistic. This current has finally declared itself publicly. It was Mr. Meta himself who, after failing in the contest for the post of Secretary General, left the hall indignant, launching a fierce attack on Chairman Nano and declaring that a faction opposed to the PS Chairman now exists in the PS General Steering Committee. According to Mr. Meta, this faction is just as powerful as the other wing, which has managed to seize control of the PS. Mr. Meta has demonstratively resigned from his post as head of the PS’s foreign relations, making way for Mr. Mojkom Zeqo. The latter has never had any experience in foreign relations, but it seems he won this post thanks to his loyalty to Mr. Nano, even in bad times. The PS’s foreign relations department had long been under heavy attack. It was the former chief, Meta, who openly defended this department and its work at the Congress, also revealing many rather unpleasant unknowns about the PS’s status. It was Mr. Dokle. Thanks to his popularity, he has earned considerable regard group. His defeat and indignation may seriously affect the PS’s foreign relations, despite the fact that the head of these relations is known for his extensive intellectual background and command of many foreign languages. The last one who has managed to hold out is Mr. Dokle. One of the most outspoken opponents of the imprisoned Chairman’s ideas, Mr. Dokle will not be forgotten for the speech he delivered at the Congress and for the connection he made there between God, Nano and his own honor. Mr. Dokle, known for his strained smile and the nervousness with which he must be regarded as a great hope for the opponents of the motion, should be acknowledged as having suffered a severe defeat in the clash with Nano. Those in power have stepped up their attacks on the PS and its current leadership. The ruling camp is making it clear that it would prefer someone else at the head of the PS. Mr. Mejidani was described, immediately after winning the PS’s number-two post, as a man of Ramiz Alia who began his career on the Presidential Council of the last eastern dictator. The Alia cohort will continue to weigh on the PS for a long time yet: it has brought names from the past back out of the closed drawers of bygone times—but red ones. Adrian NDREU

Certainly, the visit by the Greek Foreign Minister, Mr. Teodoros Pangallos, serves the further development of relations between Greece and Albania, as well as the strengthening of stability in the Balkans. This visit, regardless of the motives behind its organization, will give a boost to cooperation between private entities from the two countries as well. It is precisely they who found the path to dialogue long before the politicians did. Naturally, the visit makes one think that the icy periods in relations between our two countries will become a distant memory. But this cannot be said with certainty until the problems between our two countries have been fully resolved. This is not about strictly political problems, but about problems that are, in some way, linked to citizens’ right to property and to move freely. Thus, apart from the problem of Albanian emigrants who live and work in Greece—which cannot be resolved through an agreement such as one on seasonal employment, but through the legalization of those who have settled in Greece for years—another problem, perhaps even more important, is that of Albanian citizens’ property in Greece. Considering the period we live in, a time when integration and free movement are on the agenda, there is no reason for either of the above problems to be difficult for the Greek side to resolve. Nor should the Albanian side feel uneasy about asking a friend for these things. If the baby does not cry, the mother will not feed it. In any case, the future will tell us everything.

The Macedonian government’s decision to suspend the decision of the Tetovo Municipal Assembly to divide its territory into five new municipalities is a hasty, arbitrary and undemocratic decision, it was said at an emergency meeting held in Tetovo by the Organizing Council of the Referendum. The Chairman of the Tetovo Assembly, Shaqir Haliti, stated: “We have a constitutional right and we will hold the referendum. This is also in accordance with the law on local self-government, and the government’s decision is unfounded and biased.” He stressed that this bias is evident from the fact that some other municipalities—or, more specifically, the city of Skopje—are allowed to determine their own territorial division, whereas Tetovo is not recognized as having such a right.

Applause and doubts await Pangallos in Albania P. 2

The PR branches in the districts of Berat, Gramsh, Kukës, Kuçovë, Kavajë, Krujë, Lushnje, Mallakastër, Malësi e Madhe, Peqin, Ersekë, Elbasan and Vlorë are to submit the documentation requested by the Central Headquarters urgently. The other branches are also to submit the requested additions by September 3, 1996. The Presidium