The chairman of the DP, after Durrës and Fier, wants to hold a large rally in Vlora, the city that was massacred during the DP’s time in government page 5

Although the local elections are still relatively far off, it can be said without hesitation that the country has entered an election campaign. Thus, taking advantage of anniversaries marking the establishment of DP branches or other occasions, opposition leader Berisha has been holding rallies and meetings with voters for several months, focusing on failures to deliver, corruption, or government officials’ smuggling, as well as weaknesses in their work. Meanwhile, the front of the governing coalition has also been set in motion. A few weeks ago, PS chairman Nano urged local Socialist chairpersons “not to remain indifferent to Berisha’s visits to their districts.” While state propaganda is emphasizing the government’s successes, various officials have begun making promises, even organizing spectacles such as the “inspection of roads” by some of the ministers in the “Meta” cabinet. But Albanian voters, generally speaking, after ten years of pluralism, have grown accustomed to political games and have seen through election promises too. It can be said without fear that Albanians have not a shred of optimism left about what their politicians say from the podiums. The opposition, with little beyond repeating the promises it made at the start of its local officials’ term in office, has filled the squares with words such as “criminal,” “bandit,” “thief,” and others of that kind. Meanwhile, the government, with very few successes to “sell,” does not hesitate to say that Berisha’s place is in prison, not in the square. Faced with this situation, voters risk experiencing a political shock, refusing to go to the ballot boxes. On the other hand, when it comes to corruption among government officials, Albanian voters place more trust in international institutions and organizations monitoring Albania than in Berisha; these bodies have not failed to make this reality public. In general, what stands out so far in the propaganda of Albania’s political forces is their inability to present convincing alternatives for solving existing problems. Tired of promises, most of them left unfulfilled, voters today are more interested in the ways and means of delivering on them. Faced with campaigns of this kind, both sides of Albanian politics—first and foremost those holding power, both central and local—should, before taking to the streets to accuse one another, go before the people and give an account of the promises they made when they asked for votes and what they delivered by the end of their term. Only by subjecting their period in government to public scrutiny can politicians find the courage to ask Albanians for their votes again.

Page 9 Those hanged in Fier in ’93

None of the major drug traffickers has been arrested in Albania Ministry: We are afraid the court will release them page 8