The Nano case in a restricted document: “presidential pardon” STRASBOURG/ Yesterday the political committee voted in favor of membership. Greece also voted in favor

INTERVIEW Yesterday after the vote Selami: Here’s how we passed the test Dokle: “Nano gave his approval from prison” TIRANA - We are now just one step away from Albania’s admission to the Council of Europe. The political committee—the biggest test for joining—has now given its approval. Amid applause, Strasbourg, 10:00. Eduard Selami, head of the Albanian delegation to the Council of Europe, just out of the meeting, openly displays his joy. “Everything went very well and without problems, just as we had anticipated.” What is the content of the approved document? “It is 13 pages describing briefly the progress of reforms and democratic processes in Albania, from the first elections up to recent times. The additions concerned the approval of the new codes and Albania’s policy in the Balkan region.” How did the vote proceed? “Entirely calmly, and everyone voted unanimously for our membership.” Did the Greek delegation support it? “Yes, they voted in favor of Albania’s admission, while asking that the rights of the Greek minority be respected not only in the areas where they live in compact communities.” Who spoke on behalf of our delegation? “Dokle spoke too. I thanked them for the vote and said that we would continue to deepen democratic reforms. I also said that this is a victory for all Albanian political forces, including the opposition. Then Mr. Dokle spoke and said that the Albanian opposition had supported this membership. Dokle even declared that Fatos Nano, too, had given his approval from prison for Albania’s membership in the Council of Europe.” Fatos B. Baxhaku

“The solution to the Nano case could be a pardon by the President (la grace presiden-tielle).” This is just one sentence excerpted from the draft resolution on the report by Belgian Kelt-schermans, political rapporteur of the Council of Europe, written several days before the final resolution was put to a vote here yesterday. The documents drawn up by the political rapporteur—which present an overall positive picture of Albania—were distributed to committee members on a restricted basis. A report by the Belgian and a draft resolution drawn up by him on April 24 bear the stamp “restricted.” What are the measures to improve democracy in Albania, what are the parties’ assessments, and what weight does the Nano case carry in Albanian politics? These are all aspects being published for the first time from documents considered restricted and therefore not entirely intended for mass publication. The case of the imprisoned Socialist leader takes up almost a page of the draft resolution. In one of the separate points of the draft resolution, Keltschermans briefly describes all the stages of Nano’s story, from his arrest to the accusations and his meetings with international representatives. It is precisely at the end of this paragraph that a presidential pardon is mentioned. In fact, for Nano in prison, yesterday’s vote has added another chance. Under the strict rules of the Council of Europe, if Albania becomes a full member, it must also sign a series of protocols to which the participating countries have already acceded. One of these protocols specifically provides for every citizen’s right to appeal to European justice if they are dissatisfied with the justice system in their own country. This too may be a possible solution if the situation of the Socialist leader cannot be eased through a possible retrial under the new legal codes that have just been approved in Albania. The Belgian’s personal report also mentions the term “Nano case,” but only once, when it sets out the differing views of the political parties on the country’s main problems. “As regards the development of pluralist democracy, the answers received in June 1994 to the survey conducted by the rapporteurs from the Albanian Government, the Republican Party, the Socialist Party and the Union for Human Rights were different. The development of the situation appears to depend on party affiliation; the answers show the existence of a major polarization in the country,” the report states, among other things. “Progress regarding the Constitution, the legal order and its application (the Nano case), the situation of ethnic minorities and freedom of the press are regularly taken into consideration.” The restricted draft resolution by Keltschermans also gives consideration to the evolution of Albanian politics after the victory of “No” in the referendum in November 1994. “After the referendum, political confrontation in the country became more serious. Legal and economic reforms slowed down because the Government has lost some confidence in the po- The documents submitted by the political reporter — undoubtedly positive overall for Albania — were distributed to the committee members on a restricted basis. A Belgian report and the draft decision “restricted.” What reservations does the reporter have about the [?]… One of the specific points in the draft decision briefly sets out all the stages of Nano’s story, from his arrest and subsequent accusation to end of this paragraph that the phrase is noted: “the solution may be… perhaps a possible solution, if it cannot be achieved that the situation of the Socialist leader is eased by a possible retrial under the new legal codes, which just…”. Every citizen’s right to appeal to European justice, if public… The positions of the Socialist Party and the Union for Human Rights have been different. The development of the situation seems to depend on political affiliation; the responses show that polarization exists… as a whole, by the Albanian Government, by the Party… The rhetoric referendum, the political confrontation in the country became more serious. Judicial some of the people’s confidence… ke.bo. The fierce clashes at the top of the PDD reached their peak for the first time… for Gazeta Shqiptare. But Baleta and Kalakula, are they a mapo an… friends least not the “ferocity” which, even one morning, they had not tried to hide.

The Council of Europe headquarters in Strasbourg

Opponents await the Conference Yesterday the PDD’s party meeting. Ten hours shrouded in mystery TIRANA - Yesterday’s meeting of the Democratic Right Party began noisily but ended in profound silence. Expected to be the final act that would determine the definitive split with Baleta and Kalakula, the meeting ended surrounded by an information blackout. After deciding on lengthy discussions—which lasted 10 hours straight—the meeting decided to keep quiet. “Everything will be made known only at the Party’s National Conference, which will be held soon.” The two PDD leaders—until yesterday morning sworn enemies of one another—refused to make statements. “I can only say that the meeting was very interesting,” were the few words Baleta managed at the end of the meeting, “and there was free discussion, with everyone putting forward their views. Naturally, the conflict between Kalakula and me was the main topic discussed,” Baleta concluded to the Albanian Newspaper. But are Baleta and Kalakula friends or enemies after this meeting? Silence. None of the protagonists speaks, although the silence seems to indicate a possible peace, or at least not the “ferocity” they had not tried to hide that morning. At the end, just minutes before the meeting began, signs of tension were clear outside the hall where it was to take place. A police force was stationed there to keep people from entering the hall. At the entrance, two strong young men allowed in only party members whose names appeared on a list. The conflict began right there. A group of protesters demanded that Baleta recognize the list; [illegible]. A group reacted against them, and [illegible] was sent to prevent Njeri? ... and Baleta himself from entering. “What is this, a party meeting or a police operation? With bodyguards and thugs? This isn’t how you build a party,” Baleta protested. “But the Greeks and Serbs will not win in Albania. Today they [pointing toward the hall, where Kalakula was inside] don’t need a meeting, but votes to carry out a coup.” Baleta then entered the meeting. For 10 hours straight, with no one going outside, the storm of insinuations remained shut inside the meeting hall. And from there, only a faint breath of ... emerged. Baleta yesterday entering the meeting (photo: H. Pustina). Inside was Kalakula; there was no going outside, the storm that began in the street was silent breeze emerged, but one that could entirely… Amand Mer

He let the Montenegrin go free SHKODER - Another person is implicated in the Montenegrin espionage case, which aimed to keep Berisha and Rugova under surveillance. Along with Beqir Lesheviç, the spy from Montenegro, and Mehmet Logu, the Guard officer accused of “treason against the homeland in the form of espionage,” a border officer is also in prison: Fejzi Hysa, a guard-duty officer at the Murriqan post, is accused of “violating the rules of guard duty.” Almost three years ago, he had let Lesheviç go after he had been caught illegally crossing the Albanian-Montenegrin border. The incident took place in September–October 1992, when a Murriqan border unit caught a [paratide?] Beqir Lesheviç, from Kravora in Ulqin, Montenegro, crossing the border. Fejzi Hysa, on duty at the border post, released the Montenegrin Lesheviç a few hours later. According to the investigation, the former officer claims he had been ordered to make this decision by the operations officer of the Shkoder Division. Hysa also explains that, since they had no telephone available where they were, he had called the operations officer from the Oblika post. There are, in fact, witnesses who confirm that he did this, but at the same time there are other people who swear that it was done beyond the wire. For his part, the operations officer of the Shkoder Division denies that Hysa mentioned the “monitored” Lesheviç to him. He has also said—according to reliable sources—that there is no document recording an order to release the border violator, for which only the Border Police Directorate was authorized. Meanwhile, some of the documents—the records kept in every case—have disappeared from the division’s archives. Meanwhile, other information concerning the arrival of people and the facts is being collected in the files of the persons involved in these [?]. The central figure in the espionage network is Beqir Lesheviçi, who is also a known agent. A kind of assessment concerning the police’s conduct, on general matters… [?]… such as the reasons and the procedure. Subsequently [?]… at the end of 1996.

The lawyer’s reply arrives TIRANA - Arsidi will definitely not enter the courtroom of the Tirana Court, where the scandal of the 1.6 million dollars has been dragging on for months. The lawyer for the French negotiator, in a letter sent to the Albanian Embassy in Paris on April 19 — made public during yesterday’s hearings — ruled out any possibility of his client coming to Albania. “Arsidi does not wish to appear as a witness, considering this unnecessary, since he has already answered the Albanian prosecutors about the matter in question,” reads Arsidi’s lawyer’s letter. Meanwhile, according to the lawyer, in addition to Arsidi’s own objection, there is also a legal obstacle preventing the French negotiator from arriving in Tirana: “The French justice system,” the lawyer writes, “has expressly prohibited him from coming to Albania.”

Diplomat Zariç says TIRANA - “Serbia does not need the presence of a third party to talk with Kosovo’s leadership.” Mirujob Zariç, Belgrade’s Chargé d’Affaires in Tirana, tells reporters: “On the occasion of the third anniversary of the declaration of Serbia and Montenegro as a single state, we are beginning dialogue with the aim of starting direct talks between Serbs and Albanians. But why does Serbia currently not prefer a powerful state to mediate in this matter?” “Who, Germany?” says Zariç — the country that encouraged Croatian and Slovenian separatism. Or the United States, which, through its one-sided policy, broke the embargo on Muslims in Bosnia. Meanwhile, the Serbian representative in Tirana has not forgotten to declare that his country will continue to respect internationally recognized borders, in order to ensure good neighborly relations and mutual respect.

Berisha and van der Broek (photo: G. Xhengo) TIRANA - “We will help Albania with the association agreement with the European Union.” Havam van Der Broek, the intermediary between the EU and the countries of Eastern Europe, responded in this way to Albanian President Sali Berisha’s invitation to strengthen relations between Albania and the EU. The European Commissioner arrived in Tirana yesterday on an official visit, during which he met with the senior authorities of the Albanian state. Berisha and van der Broek (photo: G. Xhengo)

TIRANA - “It is in the interest of all countries, nuclear or non-nuclear, developed or developing, for the treaty on the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons to be extended indefinitely and unconditionally.” Albania’s Permanent Representative to the UN once again took a position against the proliferation of nuclear weapons during a speech delivered at the Conference of States Parties to this Treaty.

The national team leaves Georgia On page 3 Not paying the fine? “Property” On page 3 Trade unions: The Government softens On page 3 The mobile phone arrives On page 3