The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, through a resolution, urges the Governments of its member States as well as the European Community to: — Increase aid to Albania, so that it does not become a destabilizing factor in the Balkan region. — Increase exchanges with Albania, in order to ensure the continuation of the process of restructuring the economy. The Assembly also encourages the Government and Parliament of Albania: — To achieve the country’s economic and social development by creating the necessary legal and institutional framework, particularly with regard to issues of democracy, human rights and minorities, and especially freedom of religion and its practice, as well as the protection of the poorest social groups. — To ensure the unhindered functioning of religious institutions and facilitate the return of churches, monasteries, cemeteries and religious buildings. — To preserve and strengthen pluralist society and democracy and guarantee the protection of minorities, in accordance with international standards.

According to sources from among the DP deputies themselves, in recent days there has been turmoil and gritted teeth within the largest parliamentary group, between rival factions inside the party. The cause is a request by a majority of deputies for a motion of no confidence against the Speaker of the Presidium of the People’s Assembly, Mr. Pjetër Arbnori. Apparently, they felt insulted when Mr. Arbnori read the Assembly’s statement in Parliament concerning the recent tensions with Greece, then closed the session without deigning to hear the deputies’ objections and opinions on this important statement. After this parliamentary incident, the deputies—who, fortunately, did not this time rely on the green card—under the leadership of Tomorr Malasi called another session, where they made the necessary objections. Thus, after complaints from other parliamentary groups about Mr. Pjetër’s leadership, it is now the turn of the very group that elected him to complain about him. In any case, three questions confront the deputies. First, it is still unclear whether Arbnori, given his influence and connections, will allow the motion of no confidence to be presented in Parliament. Second, is it possible that, after all Mr. Pjetër’s contributions to democracy since the period of the prison cells, he will be removed as chairman? And third, if Arbnori leaves the parliamentary podium, will the number of ambassadors abroad increase?

Yesterday morning, the armored car, escorted by police officers, brought the unfortunate Idajet Beqiri to the Tirana court. From the crowd gathered outside the court, the shouts “Down with dictatorship, down with fascism” could often be heard. A policeman who himself shouted “Down with dictatorship” immediately turned to the people and told them: “Don’t shout, don’t yell!?” Such was the atmosphere at the start of Mr. Beqiri’s trial yesterday. Regarding the word “murderer,” Beqiri emphasized: “A man does no harm to his wife, and she tells him—you are the murderer of children who have no bread. He answers: Berisha is the murderer who drove me out onto the street?! A fact: neither the husband nor Berisha is a murderer?!” Mr. Beqiri persistently asked for Mr. Berisha to be present in the courtroom, since, he said, Berisha himself could say: “You deal with this one; he is my friend.” Because we had very friendly relations, although we never agreed with each other. At the request of prosecutor Gjukaj, the closing arguments will be delivered on Monday. In response to the courtroom’s reaction about the issuing of the verdict, he replied: — You understand for yourselves. Could it be that an order is expected from above?!... Let’s wait until Monday.

A week ago, citizen SH.H., 21, from the village of Radokal raped his first cousin, an 11-year-old girl, who, after the physical assault, was in poor health and under the pressure of severe psychological trauma. She was admitted to the maternity hospital in Pogradec, where, although her condition lasted for several days, she gradually recovered somewhat. This is the third case of a maniac committing rape. Guilt in the case in question has been fully established; to spare the distress surrounding the two first victims, no report of any kind was made. Had the girl’s condition not deteriorated to the point that she had to be admitted to hospital, surely she too would not have reported it.

— Albanian politics: a policy of dragging things out — Without investment, without work, without construction, relying only on aid, democracy cannot have a future WHO WILL BUILD ALBANIA?!