Kosovrasti: Electoral law in Parliament today Tereska “inspects” the Secretariat for Local Government and is satisfied Yesterday was a day of developments concerning the completion of the legal framework for the local elections. The new electoral law, prepared by the government, was sent to Parliament early in the day. The news was announced yesterday by the Secretary for Local Government, Njazi Kosovrasti. This draft law should also include the elements revised at the president of the Republic’s most recent interparty roundtable, particularly those concerning the commissions, police intervention, and voting procedures as well. Kosovrasti is even calling on the Law Commission to hold a preliminary discussion. On the other hand, if the much-discussed draft law passes through the commission tomorrow and the plenary session the day after, no deadlines will be missed, since the final deadline is September 12, that is, the day after tomorrow. But the draft could pass through both the commission and the plenary session tomorrow. What is strange is that this draft law was not discussed at any of the government’s recent meetings, at least according to official announcements, and it is not known who dealt with it. Chairman Arbnori [on] public demonstrations, the so-called rallies. So far, the notorious decree of Ramiz Alia remains in force, giving the security forces extensive powers. For several years it has been disapproved of by many Albanian parties, but it only reached Parliament the day before yesterday, although the government had completed it several days earlier. Yesterday, the draft was discussed by the Public Order and SHIK Commission and received praise. The commission’s chairman, Hajdari, made the following remarks after yesterday’s meeting: “one of the great achievements of Albanian legislation.” According to its drafters, the bill aims to give the right to assembly precedence over the right of the authorities to ban such gatherings, and is better than the current law. Also yesterday, as part of the local-election preparations, the chairman of the Central Election Commission, Nestor Tereska, met with the Secretary for Local Government, Njazi Kosovrasti, and his senior staff. Kosovrasti briefed Tereska, whose commission oversees everything related to the local elections, [continuation outside the frame] on “the readiness and measures taken by the Secretariat to ensure that the October elections are free, democratic, and in accordance with the law.” “But for us,” he said, as well. Kosovrasti even considers these procedures equally important, especially in their implementation. According to the person responsible for local government, the law could be introduced today for discussion in a plenary session of the People’s Assembly, but first it must pass through At the end of the Government’s [term/meeting], at least according to official announcements, this draft law was not discussed; says that Democratic MPs discussed it, but it is not known on what basis. Meanwhile, yesterday a draft law more widely discussed than the one on elections passed in the committees. It concerns the law on assemblies and It was discussed in the Order and SHIK Committee and received praise. The chairman of this committee, Hajdari, said the following after yesterday’s meeting: “It is important to emphasize the fact that the old law, which contained many restrictions, will no longer be in force. The new one is in line with the constitutional law and the Charter of Human Rights in the Republic of Albania, which has been

They admit their guilt, but do not repent Yesterday, the prosecution’s closing arguments were presented at the Tirana Court in the case against the leaders of the Communist Party. In a legally impeccable closing argument, prosecutor Kadri Skeraj sought an 8.5-year prison sentence and gave a legal analysis of the crime committed by the defendants Timoshenko Pekmezi, Tare Isufi, Kristaq Mosko, and Sami Meta. Referring to the order of the Ministry of Justice, immediately after the parliamentary decree, the Communist Renaissance Party, legalized by Ramiz Alia, was not only outlawed, but its activities were also suspended. The Ministry of Justice also shut down the newspaper “Zëri i së Vërtetës,” which was funded by the CP and had Hysni Milloshi as its chairman. The reasons that compelled the Ministry of Justice to take these restrictive measures, prosecutor Skeraj said in his statement, were that the idea that had led the Albanian people to tragedy had to be buried. [continuation outside the frame] The Ministry of Justice was taking coercive measures,—said prosecutor Skeraj in his speech—the idea that had led the Albanian people to tragedy for 50 consecutive years had to be buried. But not everything went according to the measures taken by the Ministry of Justice. The old and fanatical communists organized themselves in a different form. In small groups, communist cells organized regular meetings in around 10 districts of the country, repeatedly opposing the state and democracy and reviving the ideas of From the trial of the CP’s re-creators Photo: A. Tërpini

The ambition to achieve the best possible result in the October 20 local elections has led the PR branch in Dibër to engage in intensive work to select the most suitable candidates to represent the PR in these elections. Despite the difficult conditions and the intense pressure exerted by the authorities, almost all PR branches in the district have fully completed the selection of candidates for mayors and members of municipal councils. Priority in these elections has been given to the younger generation. It is important to note that all the candidates put forward have been approved by the PR sub-branch itself. These days, a meeting will be held at the PR Dibër headquarters with all the candidates for heads of communes and municipalities, to give them the necessary instructions on conducting the election campaign, the chairman of this branch, Alfred Deshati, tells the newspaper Republika.

The agreement on education may be followed by another agreement, this one on healthcare in Kosovo. This was announced by Slavica Gjukiç-Dejanoviç, vice-president of the Socialist Party of Serbia, the ruling party, in a statement published today by the Belgrade newspaper Telegraf. According to her, a logical continuation of the agreement, which does not address the heart of the political problems, would be the return of Albanian medical workers to healthcare institutions in Kosovo. According to figures from independent trade unions in Kosovo, the Serbian regime has violently expelled more than 2,200 Albanian doctors, specialists, and other workers from healthcare institutions and has closed many healthcare facilities.

A group of observers led by the vice-chairman of the Permanent Central Election Commission, Dr. Pellumb Çela, will observe the parliamentary elections in Bosnia-Herzegovina, which will be held on September 14, 1996. The group, which also includes Shkelqim Barushi (PR member) and Hysen Osmani (PD member), was invited by the ODIHR office as observers to monitor these parliamentary elections. As a full member of the OSCE, Albania has the right to observe elections in various European countries. This is the first time Albania has been represented by its own observers, within the framework of the OSCE, in another country, which also demonstrates the regard for the central commission

Socialists do not want elections but electoral terror P. 2

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