Ramiz Alia will stand trial in Paris Xhaferri’s end comes on October 5. Roma “towers” are attacked.

Even less to Brisha and his poor imitator, Shehu It is not in the interests of the Republicans, and certainly not of the entire Albanian Right, to see the destruction of the DP. There are many reasons, but above all there is the need to balance the Albanian electorate, which is “marching” to the left. The Right would benefit from a major surgical operation, or at least an accurate diagnosis of the acute illness afflicting the DP. The opportunity was there, but both doctors, as expected, deliberately got it wrong. And what happened is well known: the Party of Democratic Hopes fought imaginary enemies and purged its ranks of opponents who wanted to organize a communist coup inside the DP. After giving the sons who thwarted the plan their way, the DP immediately returned to alliances and, calling itself center-right, declared at a press conference that it was open to an alliance with the Right and was studying possible compromises. The DP has the right to seek allies, but you cannot ask for a loan ten times without repaying the first one. The Right respected Berisha’s party with the noble aim of rooting out communism anew and establishing the real structures of democracy. But what did Berisha give the Right? Alliances were never respected. The right-wing electorate was not infrequently subjected to rubber-stamp slanderers. The strikes by former owners and former political prisoners (the genuine Albanian Right) were forcibly broken up. They had also held hunger strikes in the cells of Spaç, while their own state—the state to which they had given everything, their souls and their votes—did not spare them violence. Berisha’s government treated property as if it were its father’s goods; those who were on good terms with the party “mother” got the benefits. Perhaps the Albanian electorate should remember the republican axiom: If property does not take root, the state will not take root! What should the Right do today? It must give up its role as a servant. A strong, organized Right with a clear voice among the electorate would give Albania a chance not to move left. “The United Right” sent a message about the strength of the Right, but it should not remain geographically confined to Shkodër. Albania is not short of a right-wing electorate, even though Berisha abused it, divided it, left it in the minority, and tossed it crumbs from his own table. Perhaps a united Albanian Right would bring some of the DP electorate back to its senses; that electorate has lost faith in the authoritarian Party, which operates on the basis of clans. If the Right were to cooperate with DD before the elections, it would lose its chance to make a real contribution to establishing Albanian democracy.

Calm under the peacekeepers. 16 April 1997 Photo: A. Babani Calm under the peacekeepers. 16 April 1997. Photo: A. Babani

Vranicki did not forget the committees Franc Vranicki arrived in Albania yesterday. The official atmosphere was not very enthusiastic, thanks to the attacks against him by the pro-Berisha media. Nevertheless, the senior politician did not show much regard for these attacks coming from shadowy chanceries. Yesterday Mr. Vranicki made it clear that cooperation with the multinational forces and the development and expansion of dialogue are priorities. In this statement he also had in mind contacts with the rescue committees, which have been much discussed by official sources at the Presidency. The OSCE special envoy, Vranicki, has to work through a mountain of accusations coming from the presidential party, the DP. He responded to this with sharp diplomacy, refusing to consider himself captive to Berisha’s aggressive politics or to those of any Albanian newspaper. In his view, insinuations by anyone have no place. Continued on p. 2

Three people are trapped in the tunnel filled with Two tragedies averted in Durrës Page 5

The parties support Godo, the DP is against. P. 2 The PSD and PAD flirt in the PS offices with chairman Nano. P. 3 In Tirana, two old enemies—Abaz Ermenji and Leka Zogu. Balli is coming for you. P. 3 Committees are also appearing in the North. P. 2

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