…On Thursday, 24 October 1991, a meeting of the National Council of the DP was held in Tirana. This meeting was the biggest event in the life of the Party since its Congress in September. The meeting was opened by Mr. Sali Berisha, chairman of the Steering Commission. After a brief overview of the purpose and tasks arising from the current developments in Albania for strengthening the DP’s struggle for democracy, he gave the floor to Mr. Eduart Selami, secretary of the Party’s Steering Commission. On behalf of the DP Presidium, Mr. Eduart Selami presented the achievements and problems related to the declaration of the three political parties, PD, PR, and PSD, which constitutes the main political action of the party over the past two months. It aims to achieve stability in the country as soon as possible and establish true democracy in Albania. Despite the importance of the declaration’s seven points, the degree to which they have been implemented is minimal. The demand to dissolve the State Security Service, for example, has been fulfilled by one quarter. The overwhelming majority of employees of this infamous institution have been dispersed among various ministries, mainly the Ministry of Public Order and SHIK. The latter has no idea at all what is happening in Albania, leaving the political mafia free to use covert elements of the State Security Service to destabilize the situation in the country. The media continue to operate as they did under the one-party system. We believe that new parliamentary elections cannot be held without resolving the acute problem of RTV. At a time when most local newspapers have become organs of the PS, the conversion of our newspaper RD into a daily has been left undone. Below, Mr. Selami gives an overview of the limited renewal of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The process has begun, but is proceeding very slowly. In particular, our missions in Washington, Moscow, London, Paris, Bonn, Brussels, and Rome must be considered in order to create a completely different image of Albanian foreign policy. This policy must be placed on a sound basis of national interests, not on the interests of Barz Aliu’s client. The Albanian communist … [?] … [illegible text] … [Part of the text is very unclear.] … Mr. Imami expressed the view that the newspaper «RD» should become a daily as soon as possible. The failure to carry out this task makes the Party Presidium responsible. The various political parties have… [?] … administered Jundrejt… [?] The removal of communist symbols from the national coat of arms and flag is of great political importance at this moment. We will endeavor to fulfill this demand of democracy and the popular masses as soon as possible. A notable victory for the DP in Parliament was the adoption of the law granting amnesty to political prisoners. We managed not only to defeat our opponents in their most entrenched position, but also to make them adopt our point of view, as was shown by Fatos Nano’s remarks on the alternative: acquittal or amnesty. Finally, he addressed the problem of the law-enforcement forces. Their incompetence, indifference, and inability must be analyzed by all the opposition parties in order to find an urgent solution. In his speech, Mr. Arben Imami, deputy chairman of the Party, focused on the extremely negative role of President Alia, who, while being an unwavering enemy of democratic transformation in Albania, is taking advantage of the changes brought about by the opposition by presenting himself abroad as the initiator of Albania’s new political climate. He must be blocked and stripped of his ability to act, since his resignation is not in our hands. DP state officials in the government or Parliament have no reason to accompany him on official visits, not even for protocol purposes. His insistence on remaining in that position has gone beyond the bounds of ethics, so there is no reason to observe those bounds out of formal respect for him. A pressing problem for democracy, Mr. Imami continued, is the concentration of State Security employees in the Ministry of Public Order, in SHIK, in the investigative services, the prosecutor’s office, and many other institutions, where they provide their extensive information. They must be purged from every cell or hole into which they have infiltrated, firmly and without hesitation. The RTV problem also requires an urgent solution. Without the depoliticization of RTV, no step toward early elections can be taken. Without a solution, there can be no elections. The security of life and property has by now become a troubling issue for every Albanian. We are fighting for the disarmament of the population. If the laws are not enforced, then the entire population must be armed for self-defense, because the public-order authorities have become indifferent observers and recorders of crimes. the PS, which has extensive resources and property. On the issue of bringing forward the political elections, Mr. Imami pointed out the need to draft a new electoral law, which would be a compromise among the main political forces. He added that the Party must make greater efforts to organize itself more effectively, in a way that would serve the election campaign. Public-opinion polls should be conducted from time to time. “There are some real obstacles to holding elections as early as December,” he said. “Winter is coming; the seven points of the declaration by the three parties have not been implemented; the legislation being drafted is favorable, but it will take some time to approve.” “It is known that it takes time to approve.” The election campaign has already begun. We must prepare to start with the formation of electoral committees, which will be divided into three groups: the voter-list group, the observation-and-monitoring group, and the propaganda group. Mr. Imami’s entire discussion was driven by the concern that bringing the elections forward was dictated by the need to strengthen executive power, reinforce public order, and carry out economic reform. Mr. Berisha called it a mistake for DP officials to accompany, receive, or see off President Alia. The DP expressed its position toward the president on the very day he was elected. Today, there is virtually no order in Albania. We have been, and remain, in favor of free initiative and enterprise, but our government officials must be more active in the fight against the economic mafia. None of the DP’s members, activists, or leaders, whether in power or not, should allow themselves to make illegal gains from the chaos that has been created. Through much more action, and now, they have the right to examine things closely. Their backs have been broken, so they never have the courage, nor do we. Regarding the elections, he believed that the political situation, the lack of order, and the government’s inability to establish order and public peace meant they should be held as soon as technically possible. Mr. C… [?] … [text cut off and partly illegible] ours only those who changed before 31 March. May I ask: what about those hundreds and thousands of honest members of the PP who had not left that party by 31 March, but voted for us—do they not have the right to join us? To deny them this right is undemocratic, because it punishes not only the individual but also harms democracy. In this case, it is forgotten that the DP is an electoral party and our history depends only on the voters’ ballots. The start of the battle to uproot communism led to the beginning of a fierce campaign of slander and attacks by the PP(S)SH against the DP and some of its leaders. But this too, for all its lack of substance, will end like the others. Naturally, this campaign also has its expected consequences. Thus, for once, a two-sided stance is also evident within the DP. Here I do not mean differences of opinion about the course the DP should pursue to uproot communism. More specifically, should rallies and demonstrations be used alongside other legal means, such as the work of democratic deputies or ministers? It is an undeniable fact that yesterday in Parliament the PP(S)SH showed that it had decided to remove me from the political scene (with its well-known methods, of course) if I did not abandon popular demonstrations. I think that in this case the removal of one or two people is not important; what matters is that they avoid the pressure that proclaims dictatorship and its remnants. Therefore, we too must decide here whether to continue with civic political actions or to stop them. Mr. Alia, civic political actions or to stop them. … [The bottom part of the column is covered/cut off.] …of his activity has been and remains the building of a democratic state, the struggle against communism as a system, but not against communists. “I have always aimed,” he said, “to establish democratic institutions and a market economy in Albania, as well as to enhance its prestige in the international arena. I represent the PD in the government. I did not knock on its doors; my party appointed me. I must lead an economic reform. I have tried to implement all the points of the program. Land reform is in line with our program, as is privatization. Stabilization is our undertaking. A great deal has been done internationally to integrate Albania with the world and secure its admission to the IMF, the World Bank and other powerful international institutions in record time—a fact without precedent in the history of these institutions. These developments will cut communism off at its roots in Albania. Democracy will be established on the basis of the law. The world measures our level of seriousness by the quantity and quality of the democratic laws we pass, not by the number of rallies. Others may have different opinions. There is no question of a split here. Different opinions strengthen democracy; they do not weaken it. Regarding the approach of the elections, Mr. Pashko emphasized that we should not enter the elections without being certain of victory.” In his remarks, Mr. Genc Ruli pointed out that the domestic situation was deteriorating and could lead us to catastrophe. For democracy to be achieved, democratic forces must take power. The PD’s participation in the government has been successful. Reform, at its core, requires a degree of calm, since the election campaign will interrupt all economic activity. The election campaign must be organized carefully. Haste is fatal. The PD’s influence in Albania’s political life is very great. I think the most suitable time for holding early elections is March. Our greatest concern will come after taking power. We have a state apparatus that is almost entirely nonfunctional. It must adapt to a new state and a market economy. Anti-communism is necessary in Albania, but it must not lead us into civil war. Our aspiration is Europe. We must also adapt psychologically to Europe. Coalitions with the Government of Stability were accepted as unavoidable, as a transitional arrangement. He added that there is no choice between a rally and reform. Both are part of our struggle: rallies give us domestic credibility, reform gives us international credibility. The Ministry of Finance is fully committed to eliminating financial corruption in Albania. In response to a question about his position on the president, Mr. Ruli said that the president does not defend the people’s right to decide in Europe… [sentence continues/text partly illegible] … [the bottom text of the column is faded and partly obscured] Alia. He continues to be all-powerful and very cunning, so the struggle against him must never let up for a moment. We must strive to secure more than 50 percent of the votes in the coming elections. The SHIK and elements of the State Security Service are operating in the shadows against democracy. The police, too, are powerless against crimes committed according to prearranged scenarios. Economic reform is a victory for the PD. But it is not being implemented in practice. It is being obstructed by crypto-communists. The question arises: when should we enter the elections, soon or in the spring? I favor a middle ground, an acceptable date—February 20. The new electoral law is extremely important. Regarding the reorganization of SHIK, Mr. Çika proposed placing all its employees on full social assistance, then selecting qualified people to bring into SHIK—specialists who are capable, honest and untainted. He strongly demanded the arrest of the bloc leaders. He expressed the view that the withdrawal of our ministers from the government would be a reasonable move. Mr. Ndriçim Allaj pointed out the predominance of political factors over economic ones. The people are suffering from shortages of basic foodstuffs. Those in power are getting richer. The situation regarding basic necessities. Those in power are getting richer. The situation in the countryside is alarming. The unplanted fields today are a threat to us tomorrow. The state is paralyzed. All this was engineered by Ramiz Alia. It is the PD’s duty to become the leadership of democracy. We must think carefully about the election date, because losing would be fatal. He insistently called for the immediate arrest of the bloc leaders, the distribution of land, the placement of agricultural specialists, the provision of farm tools to peasants, and the restructuring of SHIK as initial steps toward parliamentary elections. He proposed organizing a week of struggle against communism during the first days of November (1–8.11.1991). In her remarks, Ms. Merita Zaloshnja focused on the issue of early elections. She noted that on March 31 we lost in the countryside. What have we done to win there in the upcoming elections? She criticized our MPs and PD ministers for not forcefully emphasizing the obstacles to implementing reform in the countryside, specifically Messrs. Pepa and Dumani. … socialism, which is obstructing the implementation of reform. She also discussed the need to secure funding for the election campaign and to have a good electoral law. The issue of RTV is also important and must be resolved as soon as possible. Albanian RTV has been and remains opposed to the PD. “I think,” said Mr. Ismet Ferizaj, “that discussion of the election issue should have begun back in April. The people are criticizing us because work has declined. Today we should discuss: should we work toward the elections or not? The PD should fight to have its people in SHIK, the Police, the Prosecutor’s Office, the Investigative Service, etc. As for the president, we do not have the power to remove him, but under no circumstances should we agree with the view that we should keep him. I consider unification necessary, but democracy is just as necessary.” Mr. Agim Haxhiaj emphasized that the PD leadership must … (Continued on page 6) SKËNDER SHKUPI … [Continuation of the article, beginning mid-sentence.] … alternatives: acquittal or amnesty. Finally, he addressed the issue of the law-enforcement forces. Their ineffectiveness, indifference and incompetence to find an urgent solution. The chairman of the PD, Mr. Sali Berisha, emphasized that at this stage the PD has declared as its fundamental objective and urgent task of particular priority the eradication of communism from Albania. By this, the PD means the elimination of communist platforms, practices and power itself. Democracy and communism are incompatible with one another. Communism is illegitimate; it has been so from its very beginnings. Historically, it was imposed by force and never gained legitimacy. Eradicating communism from Albania is also necessary in order to implement the policy of national reconciliation. The PD is the first Albanian political force which, from its very founding, called for this policy to be put into practice. It is the only party in Eastern Europe that came forward with the slogan “opposition, but fraternal.” Under no circumstances should we abandon this slogan. Others have killed us, set us on fire, persecuted and imprisoned us; we will neither pursue nor persecute anyone. If we insist on the punishment of the megakudhëtë, this is a lawful act, one that any honest person anywhere in the world would condemn, regardless of their political beliefs. Our fundamental message remains national reconciliation. The limitation of immunity by the People’s Assembly was a great achievement and a sound premise for achieving this reconciliation, which is also one of the PD’s great historic initiatives. In this sense, we emphasize that there can be no national reconciliation if we do not entirely reject the right to change. We have heard several times that we must accept into our ranks… [text cut off]

On Thursday, 24 October 1991, the National Council of the DP met. At this meeting, following the main discussions by Mr. Selami concerning the joint declaration of the democratic opposition parties and the fulfillment of the demands in this declaration, and by Mr. Imami concerning the objectives that the DP and Albanian society must achieve in order to enter truly free and fair elections, an analysis was made of the country’s political, economic, and social situation. The analysis found that the demands made by the opposition were not being addressed; that the law-enforcement forces, the prosecutor’s office, and the investigative authorities were not providing guarantees for the preservation of order; that the distribution of land was being obstructed; and that Albanian television, despite repeated demands, remained one-sided, while procedures for resolving its problems were being delayed. The economic reform program was assessed in this analysis, and the DP expressed its full support and commitment to its implementation. The National Council also recognized the contribution of our government officials to bringing Albania into international economic and financial organizations and mechanisms. At its first meeting, the National Council of the DP focused particularly on the issue of elections. It expressed the need for early elections as the only alternative for establishing order, ensuring the functioning of the rule-of-law state, distributing land, and carrying out the reform. The National Council decided that the Party Presidium should organize a meeting with DP representatives in the executive bodies to analyze the deepening of economic reform and support it. It called on the Party to be a strong barrier against corruption and actions aimed at usurping economic power by former holders of power. The National Council decided that the Party should continue to coordinate all legal forms of struggle for democracy in the future. THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF THE DP

Honorable Mr. Speaker. Honorable Members of Parliament. Allow me to summarize here the views expressed by the DP deputies during the discussion of the economic reform program presented by the Government of Stability, which, taken together, also give me the right to make a statement of vote. In their [field?], these discussions emphasized that this is a realistic program, formed on the basis of an understanding of the economic and political reality, as a rapid solution leading toward a market economy. It is also a program that has received support from the Council of the 24 and the IMF. The Government has also secured the support of parties outside Parliament and of the trade unions, having consulted their representatives in advance about the program. This is a guarantee for the start of the implementation of economic reform and for its depoliticization, so that its consequences will not be exploited by parties and the press to create political capital. The general view is that the reform constitutes a multidimensional, multi-year project, whose implementation should be begun by its designers. Armi of which should be begun by its designers [?]. Armi of the measures envisaged by the government are optimal and encouraging. But the road must be measured by the pace of the first steps. The first step, taken with the land law, is in fact far too slow; therefore, it must be accelerated in order to give the entire reform its initial momentum. The vote of confidence we give the government obliges us to call for its powers to be increased in the areas of upholding the rule of law, establishing order and public peace, and mobilizing all material, human, and intellectual resources for the most successful possible start to the reform. At the same time, we call for implementation to be transparent, so that it will make people aware— (Continued on page 5)