DECLARATION by the People's Assembly of the Republic of Albania The People's Assembly of the Republic of Albania, being conscious of the independence of the Albanian nation in Kosovo, in accordance with the universal right of nations and peoples to self-determination, and supporting the legitimacy of the referendum for the independence of Kosovo, expressed through the massive popular vote in the referendum of 26 to 30 September 1991, declares: 1. The People's Assembly of the Republic of Albania recognizes the Republic of Kosovo as a sovereign and independent state. 2. The People's Assembly of the Republic of Albania recognizes the right of the Republic of Kosovo to be a subject of international law in relations with other states. 3. The People's Assembly of the Republic of Albania calls on all the countries of the world to recognize the Republic of Kosovo as an independent and sovereign state. 4. The People's Assembly of the Republic of Albania asks the Security Council of the United Nations and other international bodies to take the Republic of Kosovo under their protection and to ensure it the conditions and guarantees for its existence and independent development. 5. The People's Assembly of the Republic of Albania condemns the genocidal acts, measures and violent actions of the Greater Serbian regime, which have severely violated the freedoms and rights of the Albanian people in Kosovo. 6. The People's Assembly of the Republic of Albania calls on world public opinion, the competent bodies of states, governments and international organizations to intervene immediately to make possible the immediate end of violence and the respect of national and human rights and freedoms in Kosovo. PEOPLE'S ASSEMBLY OF THE REPUBLIC OF ALBANIA

In recent months it has seemed that, just as within the ranks of the opposition, the dissatisfaction and revolt of broad layers of the population are being attributed to the aggravated situation, the stalling of reforms and the uncertainty of the future, to the coalition government itself. And instead of the government, on the one hand, and the opposition, on the other, drawing closer to one another in order to face together the real causes and concrete responsibilities, the opposite is happening. This is further feeding the people's distrust of the coalition. The murmurs cannot obtain the proper and acceptable answer from the government, or more precisely, they cannot get the swift solution that is needed. The Albanian press in general, and the opposition newspaper in particular, are strongly raising the need for a more professional government, without linking this to the representation of political forces. Why are the brains and logic of coalition governments gradually losing their professionals, and why is it so difficult to attract and include in them such prominent personalities? Have they ended up benefiting the political forces that want to keep the steering wheel of government only for themselves, or have they lost credibility in the eyes of professionals? Yet if their entry into government threatens the politicians' seats and is pushing out the incapable and the incompetent, then why on earth are they not being set aside? This should, among other things, be a sign that political forces have not yet freed themselves from egoism, jealousy and megalomania, and that this is keeping them divided and in conflict. It is enough to ask a very simple question: Who, up to now, among the people who have been in opposition, in government or in administration, has taken it upon themselves to openly acknowledge their own mistakes and to give an account before public opinion? Only then could a climate of trust arise. Otherwise, words will remain political phraseology.

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Photo: Dritan Kaba

Slovenia Yugoslavia On 22 October it reported that federal tanks had bombed the Croatian city of Karlovac yesterday, killing at least 11 people and injuring many others. In Zagreb, a spokesman for the Ministry of Defense said there had been fierce fighting in several regions of Croatia. Earlier, the Tanjug agency had reported that federal forces were trying to take control of strategic areas. According to Croatian sources, the bombardments have also continued near Dubrovnik and other coastal cities. The situation remains very tense.

THE PARLIAMENT IS COMING TO AN END [...]

THE PARLIAMENT IS COMING TO AN END [...]