Union for Democracy finds no available areas. Arbnori and Hajdari’s election tour fails. Sutja: “I will give 70% of the deposits, plus 10% of the interest.”

Panic in the newspapers RD and Albania It seems that the political race is taking place only on the right. Seeing the degeneration of PD, many centrist or left-wing forces have been invited to be enticed by PD’s lost votes. The latter is realizing day by day that its defeat will benefit the right. This explains, to some extent, its formation of the “Union for Democracy” with phantom parties and associations and, at the same time, its move toward the conservatives of AD’s liberals. In fact, if one is not swept up in the events of the day, such moves by PD or anyone else are just a normal political game. But, unfortunately, that is not the case. With the emergence of the unified grouping called the “United Albanian Right,” it seems that the balance established in Albanian politics five years ago has been upset. For the first time, PD sees itself losing and being challenged not by its pathological enemies, the Socialists, but by the parties of the right, all of which have had a history with this party in the name of their anti-communism. PD cannot tolerate its former natural allies taking the lion’s share in the upcoming elections. This has driven PD’s offices mad, and naturally its disjointed propaganda as well. RD and Albania never tire of counting the ages of right-wing leaders, forgetting that once the advanced age of these leaders was even useful for editorials. Ultimately, it is not the right’s fault that Albanian politics, the economy, and institutions have degenerated to this state. Over the past two years, PD lost its bearings and was deafened by the drums of “Vision 200.” PD has always wanted to rule over the Albanian right. It has always tried to identify itself, and itself alone, as the true right. Today it is realizing that it is being split from within by that very right, which it ignored and only exploited. PD has wanted the right always to enter its own fold. It has always wanted to hand out crumbs, but has never accepted traditionalist conservatives as genuine allies in politics and government. All the failed alliances between the right-wing parties and PD bear witness to this. In the name of certain anti-communist ideals, right-wingers have often harmed themselves by lining up on a front with PD. Joint election campaigns handed votes to PD, whereas today things are different. PD has never hesitated to abandon its allies when they have tried to work for their own interests, which PD has always excluded from its program. Former property owners went on a hunger strike at the PR headquarters. They demanded their properties democratically. The PD government answered the former owners’ demands with batons and clubs and bloodied them all without difficulty. Thus it dispersed them in the middle of the night in the worst possible way. Former political prisoners held a hunger strike at their headquarters. PD should remember that at that time you were with them too. Continued on page 2

Photo: A. Babani

This was stated yesterday by the American Secretary of State, Medlin Ollbrajt. During her visit to Belgrade, the American Secretary of State will present this request to Serbian President Millosheviç. She will call on the Serbian side, and Millosheviç in particular, to take steps toward democracy. If Millosheviç responds positively to Ollbrajt’s request, the US will be ready to lift the outer wall of sanctions imposed by Washington. These sanctions include US opposition to international financing for Serbia, its membership in the UN, and full diplomatic relations.

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VEFA SILVA Kamberi are liquidating Pages 7–8

“REPUBLIKA,” Sami Frashëri Street, near the Petro Nini Luarasi high school, Tirana. • Tel/Fax (+355 42) 259 88. Tel. (+355 42) 230 90 • Account No. 986/110, Banka Tregtare Tiranë