Statistics on the anti-pyramid-scheme protests: 1,200 killed, 6,000 injured. Friday of bombings in Albania The parties and Vranicki sign the political agreement on the elections. At the ballot boxes by the end of June. The law will be approved on Monday Page 3

Going to the elections under an agreement. This is how we will go to the ballot boxes within the month of June. It was decided yesterday in Vranicki’s presence, when the ten parties signed an agreement, in the true sense of the word. Exactly two months after the 9 March agreement, the Albanian political parties participating in the round table signed another agreement, called the Political Agreement. In this way, it can be said that the arrival of the OSCE envoy for Albania, Mr Vranicki, was crowned with a modest success at the last minute. The political parties participating in the round table took another step on the difficult road to normalizing the situation in the country. Moreover, it is significant that this agreement was reached at a moment when the process had been shaken by manoeuvres by a political force seeking to buy time to strengthen its position. What may be considered positive about the political agreement signed yesterday is that all sides agreed that elections should be held before the end of June and that the public rescue committees should be dissolved on the eve of the setting of the election date. Nevertheless, a good many of the points in the agreement reached yesterday in the presence of Mr Vranicki have been formulated in broad terms, leaving room for ambiguity and different interpretations. The fact is that some secondary matters, which were not given due attention in the 9 March agreement, paved the way for friction even among the signatories themselves, threatening to blow it apart. Agreement has indeed been reached on the election date, but it is not known whether the party leaders are aware of the difficulties involved in preparing the ground for elections. Specifically, it is not known whether the elections will be held using the existing division of electoral districts or whether a modification will be sought; how the voter lists will be handled, bearing in mind not only the manipulation in last year’s elections but also the burnings and destruction of recent months, and so on. Given that the anti-genocide law, although softened, remains in force, it is by no means surprising if debates begin immediately over the so-called “virginity commission,” since it is difficult for the parties to accept the monist character of its composition. And this may require another visit from Mr Vranicki. It is worth saying that “another important matter is the law itself,” but the agreement does not say how such a thing can be guaranteed. It is true that the Political Agreement endorses an electoral law of the constituency type, but the manner of its implementation remains extremely vague. One striking thing about the agreement is that it makes no mention whatsoever of the Government of National Reconciliation, the role it should play during the period remaining until election day, its role during the period remaining until election day, or the political parties’ attitude toward it. Above all, the experience so far of the political struggle being waged in Albania is another factor that breeds pessimism. It is quite possible that, once back in Albania, Mr Vranicki will again seek enthusiasm for the agreement reached yesterday, the party leaders will resume their empty debates, and the obstructionist manoeuvres may once again result in the electoral process not being punished – [?]

Former Chancellor Vranicki during yesterday’s press conference. Photo: G. Shkullaku

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Since 10 March 1997, the editorial office of the newspaper “Koha Jonë” has been without its telephone lines 287 96, 287 81 and 355 91. The editorial office has contacted the director of the Tirana Telecom Branch, Mr Thoma Kalami, several times, but so far nothing has been fixed. We are forced to work using a household telephone, so we ask the Tirana branch to transfer our telephone numbers, since we have been forced to move to another address as a result of the editorial office being burned down on 2 March. THE EDITORIAL OFFICE

On FM 98.10 MHz Broadcasts begin at 7:00 and end at 23:00. Initial programme of radio “KOHA” At 8:00 every day you can listen to the programme: “A review of the day’s press” At 9:00: “Reading of the editorials of the main Albanian newspapers”