Albania will not intervene in the event of a conflict in Kosovo. During an official visit to Warsaw, the Albanian Foreign Minister, Mr. Alfred Serreqi, stated: “We are a neutral country and have no intention of intervening beyond our borders.” He made this statement while speaking about the issue of Kosovo. Speaking about an intervention in former Yugoslavia mandated by the UN, Mr. Serreqi added that “the consequences of the sanctions imposed on Serbia have become painful for the Albanian population as well.” Some time after these statements, Mr. Serreqi was informed in Tirana of the serious incident that had occurred in the village of Prekoc, four kilometres from the Albanian border. This was the most serious provocation by the Serbs in a war that is already completely [muzhishme] in Kosovo. It is precisely at this very delicate moment that the Albanian Foreign Minister’s statements are being made. But what does this statement tell us? It is known that the President of Albania himself, most recently at his meeting with Pope John Paul II, declared that the Albanian state would always stand by its brothers of the same blood in Kosovo and would not allow ethnic cleansing by the Serbs in Kosovo. Could it be that Minister Serreqi considered his earlier statements mere little jokes? Could it be that Serreqi became frightened when the war drew near? Did he speak only as a minister, or does he also have Prime Minister Meksi’s authorization? Anyone who hears these statements is left with many questions. The best thing would be for the Meksi government itself to issue a statement on this matter.

The new ministers, who are advanced in age, began their “successful” visits around Europe even though they had not yet received Parliament’s vote of confidence or taken the oath before the President. More than a month has passed since the President of the Republic decreed changes to the Meksi Government, appointing Mr. Agron Musaraj Minister of Public Order, Petrit Kalakulen Minister of Agriculture, Xhezair Telitin Minister of Education, and Edmond Spaho Minister of Tourism. These ministers are currently illegitimate, since the Albanian Parliament has still not reviewed the decree on changes to the Government, even though the deadline for submitting it to Parliament has now passed. Although they have not received a vote of confidence, the new ministers have already been handed the keys to their offices, cars and guards. They have once again begun reforms in the departments they lead, dismissing and appointing officials. These ministers have even begun “successful” visits around Europe, as in the case of the Minister of Public Order. What will happen to the new ministers? The deadline for Parliament to review the decree has passed. Without receiving Parliament’s vote of confidence, they have no right to take the oath before the President. Without taking the oath before the President, they cannot be called ministers. Thus, the Meksi government currently has four ministers missing! Will the President sign a new decree for these ministers and, if so, will there be other changes in the Meksi Government?

On Thursday afternoon, during the parliamentary session in which the Social Insurance Law was being discussed, specifically the article concerning women’s pregnancy, an act that has by now been repeated in our Parliament took place: MP Leka Toto struck MP Baleta with his powerful fist. Despite having lived a life full of hardship, Toto, with his physique, managed to overpower Baleta, whose treatment during the communist period had been quite satisfactory. Twice in our history, Albania’s two old political forces have clashed fiercely: the Communists and the Ballists. The first time was at Mukje in 1943, and the second time in the Albanian Parliament in 1993. Whereas the first time the reason was physical strength, after 50 years these two political forces were able to communicate only with their fists. In this fight, MP Ismet Ferizaj became a victim; figuratively speaking, he represents the people who are aligned neither with Balli nor with the Communists, but who have always been victims of these old forces. MP Ferizaj is the second victim after MP Shaban Memia, who fell onto the parliamentary carpet a few days ago. So far, we have no information about any other victims in the Albanian Parliament.

In recent days, several refugees who had gone to Germany after July 1990 have arrived in Albania. The return of Albanian refugees from that country has just begun, and it is thought that the number of returnees will continue to increase. In a letter we received from an Albanian family currently in Germany, we learn that many Albanian refugees have been interviewed and are awaiting their return to Albania. The family in question, the Kokalaris, have themselves been interviewed and are awaiting a second interview on May 11; according to them, their chances of remaining in Germany are very slim. Several sources of information report that Germany will accept only politically persecuted refugees. The German authorities guarantee political asylum to emigrants whose lives are physically at risk in their country. This is what several news sources report. Koha jonë

The New Political Initiative, having learned of the statement made by Foreign Minister Alfred Serreqi in Warsaw (Albanian newspaper, May 6, 1993), in which he declared Albania a neutral country with no responsibility for what might happen as a result of the massacre being prepared by Serbia in Kosovo and in the other Albanian-inhabited areas of Macedonia and Montenegro. The New Political Initiative, having learned of the statement made by Foreign Minister Alfred Serreqi in Warsaw (Albanian newspaper, May 6, 1993), in which he declared Albania a neutral country with no responsibility for what might happen as a result of the massacre being prepared by Serbia in Kosovo and in the other Albanian-inhabited areas of Macedonia and Montenegro, DECLARES: Its condemnation of Minister Serreqi’s statement in Warsaw, emphasizing that it runs counter to the national spirit and to the major obligations the Albanian state must have in defending the interests of Albanians wherever they are in their territories beyond the border. At the same time, this runs counter to the official policy publicly declared by Parliament and the President of the Republic. Therefore, we rightly raise the question: Is Mr. Serreqi’s statement his personal opinion, or a change in Albanian policy on the question of Albanians in their own territories in the former Yugoslavia? Albanians are capable and united enough not to allow Albania to become a new Bosnia.