Congress elects the new chairman of the DP “No alliance with the PS” ANDREA STEFANI TIRANA — “I am pleased: the Assembly decided to broaden, not narrow, the spectrum of the social base on which the DP rests. That is the mistake they made in these years in the former communist countries.” A few minutes after being re-elected chairman of the Democratic Party, Eduard Selami explains to Gazeta Shqiptare, in a very concise way, its strategy for preserving at all costs the support of broad social strata and remaining a popular party. This is an objective to be achieved amid fierce political rivalry in the country, the transitional period, and the now evident diversity of interests among different sections of the population. The first obstacle is the relationship with the opposition political forces. “We do not accept, and will not accept, any kind of coalition with the PS, because they have not reformed,” Selami declares at the Assembly. “Any kind of agreement with them would be to the detriment of democracy and its future in Albania.” The line that emerged from the DP Assembly is clear: while the population continues to be concentrated around two parties, social-base consensus is more possible than an alliance with others. It is clear, and all the speeches at the Assembly stressed, that beyond ideology, the overall progress of the Reform, and economic reform in particular, will have a decisive influence. Unlike three years ago, when the dictatorship was overthrown, it is now the economy that is demonstrating its superiority over politics. During these three years of pluralism, Albanians’ outlook has advanced considerably, and it will be very difficult for politics to rally people around itself through immediate economic successes. But precisely economic success, given the inherited backwardness and the crisis the country is going through—regardless of the optimism or pessimism expressed by the two opposing sides—has been acknowledged by everyone as the more complicated objective. “Alongside being anti-communist, we must do everything to ensure Albania’s progress continues, because it is very easy to declare yourself anti-communist, but there is much to repair after what communism destroyed, and this is our concern”: by saying this to Gazeta Shqiptare, Selami highlights the great responsibility of delivering privatization, investment, and solutions to unemployment, inflation and the other problems concerning the economy and many sections of the population. With 87 percent of the votes behind him, compared with the 12 percent won by the other candidate for chairman, Ylli Vesiu, Eduard Selami expresses optimism about the party’s future.

DELVINE — (p. re.). Crowds of people have attacked and looted humanitarian aid from the warehouses located in Vrion, in the Delvinë district. They marched from the villages of Metoq, Gjashtë and Shelegar and, together with some local residents, stole 1,000 packages of clothing, 2 tons of soap, a quantity of glass and other items worth several million lekë. Thus, at the beginning of this winter, the phenomenon of mass looting of warehouses by the population has reappeared, two years after the same thing happened in Fushë — Arrëz. Fortunately, unlike the Fushë — Arrëz case—where 39 people died when the warehouses burned down—the looting of the Vrion warehouses caused no casualties. Thus, just as the trial that sentenced five people in connection with the Fushë — Arrëz tragedy had concluded, the justice authorities are obliged to begin another criminal case involving a crime of the same kind. Kristo Joti, from the village of Vrion, who worked as the warehouse keeper and guard at the looted facility, has just been arrested. The looted aid had been sent by several educational institutions and municipalities in Greece for the schools and pupils of the Delvinë district. The reasons for this violent act are still unknown. The fact that people from different villages happened to be together in the

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YESTERDAY IN ALBANIA TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTER ARRIVES IN TIRANA — Invited by his Albanian counterpart Alfred Serreqi, Hikmet Çetin, Turkey’s Foreign Minister, arrived in Tirana yesterday. This is another important event in Albanian-Turkish relations. In addition to talks and the signing of important documents, the Turkish Minister is also planning meetings with high-ranking Albanian figures. Turkey was among the first countries to help Albania during the transition period. In the last two years alone, Turkey’s total food aid has amounted to 30 million dollars. Last year Albania and Turkey signed a treaty of friendship and cooperation. INTEREST IN THE ALBANIAN-FRENCH LITERATURE SALON IN TIRANA — Opened on Friday by the Municipality of Tirana, the Albanian-French literature salon has attracted the attention of many visitors. Located in suitable premises in the city library, it houses around 25,000 titles from various fields of literature. Only 5,000 of them were provided through contributions from the citizens of Marseille. The library has been designed as a salon, also so that, in addition to reading, other cultural activities can be held there. FIER MUNICIPALITY UNCOVERS FRAUDULENT CLAIMS FOR ECONOMIC ASSISTANCE — “Recently, an investigation found that a citizen had applied for economic assistance from the Municipality even though he had just built a three-storey villa.” This is the latest report from the Economic Assistance and Social Support Office of the Municipality of Fier. Meanwhile, the problem persists. “This is not an isolated case,” municipal employees told the ATSH correspondent.

A driver Causes an accident involving his son and is sentenced BERAT — A painful tragedy in Berat. A parent accidentally kills his child. Novruz Delibashi was given a three-year suspended sentence, with the condition that any further crime he might commit would result in a five-year prison sentence. This was the decision of the Berat Court in the case concerning the deaths of two people, one of whom was his only son. Delibashi—a vehicle driver—was travelling along a village road. As a result of carelessness, the vehicle he was driving left the road and overturned. In this serious accident, his 15-year-old son, who was in the car, was killed on the spot, along with another passerby.

Medicines will also be cheaper in private pharmacies TIRANA — Medicine prices will also be lower in private pharmacies. TIRANA — (Ar. Me.) — Medicine prices will also be lower in private pharmacies. The state will soon impose controls on them. A draft decision by the Ministry of Health provides for setting a ceiling level for medicines as well. “The high prices currently charged in private pharmacies,” Besnik Bruci, a specialist at the Pharmacy Directorate of the Ministry of Health, tells Gazeta Shqiptare, “are not affordable for everyone. It is natural that in an emergency no one looks at the price, but this leaves room for abuses.” The draft decision—which is to be submitted to the Government for approval today—will seek to limit the differences between prices in private and state pharmacies. This will be made possible by setting a ceiling level—a limit that cannot be exceeded—for medicines sold by private pharmacies as well. The number of private pharmacies is currently growing. Fifty have opened across the country, and many licences have also been issued. So far, 15 licences have been issued in Tirana alone, and 5 private outlets have opened, not counting several joint ventures. In addition, a large number of state pharmacies—there are 400 across the country—are being privatized. “Nevertheless, the state will retain 50 percent of them,” Bruci says, “because there are areas where there is only one pharmacy, and it must remain state-owned.” However, not every kind of medicine may be brought into Albania. At present, only 500 different types are permitted; they are included in a list drawn up by the Ministry of Health and updated once every 10 years. From now on, the various associations that bring in aid will also be required to report the types of medicines they bring into Albania.

YESTERDAY IN THE WORLD ALGERIA, NEW ATTACKS AGAINST FOREIGNERS — Two more attacks, one of which cost the life of a woman who had married an Algerian, were carried out in Algeria against foreign citizens or institutions of other countries, the day after the wounding in the capital of the Italian merchant Anielo Castaldo. TANKUENTE, FOR THE 1980 EARTHQUAKE: 18 ARRESTED — Thirteen men were arrested in connection with the Salerno Financial Police squad’s investigations into false invoices, issued in connection with an investigation into Peruvian forces for reconstruction and construction, which worked on rebuilding the Comapanies road (Italy) after the 1980 earthquake. IN MOSCOW, POLICE STOP DEMONSTRATIONS AT THE LENIN MUSEUM — A line of police officers equipped with anti-riot gear stopped a nationalist demonstration around the building housing the museum of the former communist, where people had gathered to demonstrate in front of the building of the former communist, the Lenin Museum in Moscow, on the occasion of the 67th anniversary of the death of the “father of the people,” Vladimir Iliç Ulianov, known as Lenin. THREE TRUCK DRIVERS ARRESTED ON THE MOTORWAY — Three truck drivers, one Pakistani and two residents of Kentas, who for several months had been operating on the motorway network using forged documents and transporting goods, have been arrested by police, who report that ... they were stopped during a French road-police operation.

ALLIANCE/Disappointment for all the Eastern countries Does Moscow convince Washington? NATO says no to Albania, too TIRANA — (c. bo.) — NATO’s gates are closed to Albania and all the countries of the East. The announcement, unexpected for many countries, arrived in Brussels, where the North Atlantic Cooperation Council was held. US Secretary of State Warren Christopher was clear: “The prospect of NATO enlargement is impracticable at the moment.” Alfred Berre-gi was present, along with all the foreign ministers of the former communist countries of Europe. But why, after so many promises, is NATO saying no? According to official accounts from Brussels, Washington has expressed its refusal, accepting a Russian request that NATO should, as far as possible, refrain from taking in other countries—including Albania, Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic—and send them back into subjugation. To avoid leaving the Eastern countries behind, Christopher has therefore proposed a middle-ground solution. The project is called “Partnership for Peace” and will officially come into force in January, at the NATO summit. Eastern countries that join this initiative—and Albania may be among them—will have the opportunity to consult in cases where national security is threatened, but no guarantee of protection. The Hungarians and Poles have agreed to join, but only on condition that this be a temporary arrangement, with the prospect of full integration into NATO. But Russia’s response was that, according to Anatoliy Daban-shin, an ideologue of Moscow’s foreign policy, “The truth is that they are shifting responsibility onto Russia, whereas NATO itself refuses to extend the alliance to other Eastern countries, because this is a dangerous and extremely costly initiative.”

ATHENS — Less than a month before the start of the period in which Greece is due to assume its turn in the European Union, the government in Athens has threatened to close the borders with Macedonia. Greece “We will close the borders with Macedonia” ATHENS — Less than a month before the start of the period in which Greece is due to assume its turn in the European Union, the government in Athens has threatened to close the borders with Macedonia if its European Community partners establish diplomatic relations with the former Yugoslav Republic. Speaking at a reception hosted by the President of Greece, Konstantino Karamanlis, Socialist Prime Minister Andrea Papandreu, while warning of military threats, asserted that a possible economic blockade, through the closure of the Greek borders, is not merely an empty threat.

INSIDE European Film Festival 11 days of screenings in Tirana At the International Center of Culture ON PAGE 2 “I would feel sorry for Lenin’s statue” The story of the first woman sculptor ON PAGE 2