Albanian Prime Minister Bashkim Fino meets the American president in the Netherlands. OSCE: We want to take part in the Central Electoral Commission

PAD: “We would wait until 9 March.” The united right, a fight among the big players. The CEC starts work Albanian “Marshall” just around the corner Europeans are once again calling for a Marshall Plan. Fifty years after a US Secretary of State proposed a global economic plan worth 13 billion dollars (80 billion USD today) to lift the old continent out of the devastation of World War II, the idea of a Marshall Plan II emerged in The Hague, Netherlands. The successor to George Marshall, American President Clinton, said the time had come for Europeans to be helped once again, but this time by Europeans themselves. According to Bill Clinton, wealthy Western Europe must help its poor eastern part emerge from 50 years of totalitarian communism. A plan, then, whose name and inspiration would be American, but whose funding would be mainly European. The anniversary of the Marshall Plan seemed to mark the West’s belated recognition of the crises in Eastern countries, which were irritated above all by the effects of economic factors. Eight years after the crisis of Eastern communism, this is the first time the West has seriously discussed an intervention on the scale of the historic plan that lifted Europe out of poverty. The short history of post-communism in the East has seen several civil wars, ethnic conflicts and an unending economic crisis. The change of system put socialist economies out of action, deepening inherited poverty. Among European countries that might qualify for a Marshall Plan No. 2, Albania is undoubtedly at the top of the list. The country, which does not meet the criteria for NATO or EU membership, has no rival when it comes to benefiting from Western aid. In fact, Albanians can boast that they were the first to come up with the idea of a Marshall Plan “BË”, when they confronted Secretary of State Baker in July ’91 with banners bearing the words “Marshall Plan for Albania” in English. Meanwhile, sources from the EU speak of a very serious economic commitment by Western countries to help Albania emerge from the abyss of the economic and political collapse of recent months. With the collapse of the financial pyramids, it seems that our country will emerge from the dark tunnel of anarchy only with the help of the greenbacks the West will provide. Signs indicate that the money will be given, but for that to happen Albanians must meet at least some conditions that would prevent the misuse of funds, as has happened during much of our recent history. The postponement until after the June elections of decisions by the conference of donor countries in Rome shows that the West’s willingness must correspond to the new mood in Albania. If the Albanian parties cannot reach an agreement, European commitment will not come through diplomacy. That this plan will not go beyond diplomatic bounds. That this plan will not turn into serious projects to rebuild the country—it should be said, first and foremost, that Albania’s politicians and government must first be put in place by a mandate resulting from a proper vote. If the West does not find a reliable partner in this, the money earmarked for Albania could easily end up in Romania or Bulgaria, as has happened in the past. The Albanian “Marshall” is just around the corner. All we have to do is clear the way for it to come closer.

Page 3 KJ “VEFA” President Alimuca distributes 5 million lekë and less to clients