President of the Republic of Albania Prof. Dr. Sali Berisha departed for Turkey on the afternoon of 24 June, where he will take part in the meeting of the countries participating in the Black Sea Initiative. At this event, the President of the Republic is accompanied by Foreign Minister Alfred Serreqi and Minister of Finance and Economy Genc Rulli. Those who came to see the President off at Rinas Airport included Prime Minister Aleksandër Meksi, Deputy Speaker of the Presidium of the People’s Assembly Shaqir Vukaj, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Order Bashkim Kopliku, Minister of Defense Safet Zhulali, Minister of Justice Kudret Çela, Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports Dhimitër Anagnosti, Zo- [continues] …Sali Berisha met and greeted them, as well as the ambassadors of Turkey, Greece, Romania and Bulgaria, countries participating in the Black Sea Initiative. President Sali Berisha, accompanied by Prime Minister Meksi, then reviewed the guard of honor. (ATSH)

According to the decree issued in recent days by the President of the Republic, Mr. Sali Berisha, elections for local government bodies will be held on 26 July. These represent an action of great importance not only politically, but also socially and economically. On 22 March we managed to seize the summit of the state pyramid, which is undoubtedly a historic victory for democracy over communism. But we must also win this second and decisive battle, and take control of the base of this pyramid as well. If we achieve this, we will have power in both dimen- [word cut off at the end of the line], a factor that is decisive for the rapid, uninterrupted progress of profound democratic reforms in politics and the economy, and for their success. The PS, understanding the great importance of these elections and learning from its crushing defeat in the 22 March elections, and consistent in its objective of making it as difficult—or even impossible—as possible for the country to be governed by the PD and other democratic forces, began its twofold electoral battle some time ago and has launched a frontal attack, particularly in the countryside, where everything will be decided. Through «ZP» and its old and new commissars, it is conducting a fervent and fierce propaganda campaign in the language, tones and demagoguery that have always characterized it. Its old workshop of slander, fabrications, rumors and empty threats is working at full capacity to shroud democracy in smoke, sow confusion and pessimism, and drive wedges of distrust, alienation and disillusionment with the PD among its electorate. The prolonged absence from the market of some food products is also being exploited for this purpose—a situation it prepared itself, with the aim of making the people’s legitimate concerns and demands, and their impatience, fall solely on the new government. We all know very well that it left power after carrying out the scorched-earth scenario ferociously for two years, leaving our government the great house that is our country in ruins, with only four walls remaining, a devastated economy, around 600 million dollars in debt, the state coffers empty—so empty that you could go in and crack your head; with warehouses destroyed and looted, whose goods could have guaranteed supplies for the people until autumn or even later. The PS is exploiting with barbaric ferocity the terrible poverty [text continues outside the frame] PS is exploiting with barbaric ferocity the terrible poverty and impatience of the people, for which it alone is responsible and to blame. At its first or eleventh congress, the PS showed that it will remain what it has always been: a regressive, destructive political force, unreformed, pathologically obsessed with privileges and power, which it wants to regain as soon as possible, at any cost, even at the expense of the country’s and nation’s vital interests. It is putting out statements and «predictions» about its victory in the local elections, feeding itself with an absurd and unrealizable dream: that within three months the Albanian people will be transformed from a people it has terrified and tortured for 50 years into the most beautiful people on earth. Nevertheless, there is no reason for us in the party not to heed these statements and dismiss them only with laughter and indifference. On the contrary, we must respond with total mobilization and commitment, as we did during the campaign for the 22 March elections, turning our branches and sections into highly operational work headquarters, with high productivity and effectiveness. For now, their activity is not what it should be at any time. This will have serious consequences if it continues even one day longer, giving the PS the opportunity to take ground and win support from our electorate. To win the second electoral battle as well, we are required to do extensive, intensive, practical and clear work, explaining and persuading people, making them more aware and more patient with the temporary hardships of reform, and engaging for this purpose the most qualified and respected people among the public. But our victory will be guaranteed by the quality of our list of candidates, which will be of high quality only if it is prepared with a strong sense of responsibility toward the PD, democracy in general and the success of reform, and if it passes through the close scrutiny of broad public debate. Our party has thousands upon thousands of members and supporters with contemporary intellectual and professional qualifications, who enjoy public esteem for their character and honesty. Our victory will also be certain if we provide faster and fairer solutions to some of the problems included in our program and promised to the people.

For about two weeks, an unknown voice from Macedonia has insistently urged various Albanian press outlets, including the newspapers «Republika», «Alternativa SD», «Bashkimi» and «Rilindja Demokratike», etc., to publish a piece entitled «Response». Among other things, it claims that Mr. Kopliku declared during his visit that «Albanians in Macedonia enjoy all rights». The above-mentioned editorial offices spoke with Mr. Kopliku, verified that the above statements were untrue, and did not publish the piece. Unfortunately, the newspaper «Kombi» acted hastily and differently, disregarding what is fundamental to journalistic ethics: verifying facts and checking them with the person concerned. Thus, this publication bears responsibility for printing a slander, and it is not difficult to under- [text continues outside the frame] stand who is interested in spreading it on both sides of the state border. Mr. Kopliku publicly declared in Macedonia that, as a result both of the talks held in Tirana between Mr. Berisha and Mr. Gligorov and of the meetings he had in Macedonia, he believed that there were figures with democratic views in the existing Macedonian government. And, as Mr. Kopliku declared, a person with democratic views could not deny one third of the country’s population the right to help constitute the state. Mr. Kopliku declared that it was a logical and mathematical conclusion for a democratic government to grant this right to the Albanians of Macedonia. Mr. Kopliku also stated that, in the past, Korça had been much more economically developed than Struga. Today this relationship has changed. Thus, the comparison was made purely in terms of economic development, not in terms of national or human rights, as it is maliciously being presented in the «Response» hastily published in «Kombi». The authors of the «Response» would do well to identify a Macedonian publication in which the statements they attribute to Mr. Kopliku were published. In response to questions from various journalists concerning the piece entitled «Response», including questions from the editorial staff of «Rilindja Demokratike», Mr. Kopliku denied making any such statement, which was published in «Kombi». On the other hand, he accepts no responsibility for distortions that may have been made to his public statements.

— Once again, primitive Serbian violence is set against the democratic culture of the Albanians — 23 June 1992. A day that will enter the history of the nation as the day of the First Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo. The representatives who received the people’s vote of confidence a month earlier were to meet in this Assembly to decide the future of the new Republic. It was no coincidence that Albanians throughout the world watched Pristina, besieged by tanks, with anxiety. Would this Assembly take place? The Albanian representatives in the Assembly and President Rugova had no doubts, but would Milošević maintain his «indifference» toward Kosovo? The facts showed that Belgrade did not repeat the «mistake» it had made on 27 and 24 May, when it was notified of a few minor interventions... This time Milošević made no effort at all to preserve the democratic façade of his rule. Pristina and many other towns in Kosovo awoke surrounded by Serbian police and soldiers, who had surrounded and blocked all the entrances to these towns. Armored vehicles patrol the streets of Pristina. Nevertheless, the First Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo began its work, not in its own building, which was also surrounded by tanks, but in the building of the Pristina Medresa. The meeting of this Assembly demonstrated the Albanian population’s determination to resolve the Kosovo issue democratically and peacefully. The first reports, published by the media and by the Serbian army, [the source repeats the preceding passage here:] resolve the Kosovo issue democratically and peacefully. In Bosnia the fighting continues, while in Kosovo military and police forces are increasing in number. Europe cannot fail to see that such actions do not lead toward peace. Belgrade maintains an appearance of indifference toward the Kosovo issue and speaks of the course of Kosovo’s autonomy at a time when Kosovo has been declared a republic. This is done to suggest that the Kosovo issue does not even exist. But the fact that Kosovo has for a long time had so many military forces stationed there—almost as many as were present on the fronts in Slovenia, Croatia and Bosnia—shows that not only does Belgrade not consider the Kosovo issue resolved, but it also intends to resolve this issue by the only method it knows: war. The «southern front» is not a momentary illusion, but a threat and a challenge to all of Europe. Under these circumstances, if Europe and the United States simply waited for the results of economic sanctions, tomorrow we could find ourselves facing an irreparable tragedy. Practice has shown that dictators understand only one language. Iraq and Kuwait are incontrovertible evidence of this, a historic lesson in how to stop a tragedy in the heart of Europe. Only in this way will peace be ensured and peoples be able to determine their own future through their democratic Assembly [text continues outside the frame] his building of the Pristina Medresa. The meeting in this Assembly demonstrated the determination of the Albanian population to resolve the Kosovo issue democratically and peacefully. The Assembly was unable to carry out its work— have imposed on Serbia are not stopping Belgrade from acting. Such a situation brings to mind the period before the intervention of peacekeeping forces in Iraq. Milošević, like Saddam Hussein, also promises that he will withdraw and sit down at the negotiating table, but in the meantime the bombings

— Before the second hearing of a trial — Apparently, until the status of journalists is approved, journalists will be the favorites of our courts. Especially those who carry within themselves the mission of liberating speech. This time, among others, the victim of an operation was an article called «DEMKE»—in fact, it was called DEMKE! (I) is something else, (Agim Rrapaj). On the day Agolli was... (?) ... thought these trials against its own journalist would be approved! Well, Agim Rrapaj, brought from Vlora on the direct orders of former minister Sabit Brokaj, now separated from the Reform with clear grounds of abuses and...(?) no longer agrees to be called the poor Demkë of his benefactor, now a depu...

DECLARATION by the PD parliamentary group — Also approved at the Party’s general meeting — [Handwritten note in pen: RD 26 June] Mr. Speaker, Honorable Members of Parliament, I have been charged by the PD parliamentary group with making the following declaration: Honorable Members, all of us, as well as the public, were informed through Albanian television that on 23.6.1992 a proposal was made and discussed in the People’s Assembly to send a message of greeting to the Kosovo Assembly and to lodge a protest against the illegal and brutal actions of the occupying Serbian military authorities against the meeting of the Kosovo Assembly. At a time when all the deputies of Kosovo and all the deputies of our Assembly, with a strong sense of responsibility for the delicate moment our nation was going through, expressed their concerns and views, quite unexpectedly and initially incomprehensibly, PD deputy Mr. Gremoz Pashko took the floor to make a speculative and sensational declaration concerning Mr. Azem Hajdari’s departure for the United States. Mr. Pashko’s position was particularly unexpected and incomprehensible to the group of which he is a member. A number of PD deputies immediately responded to Mr. Pashko’s declaration, the content of which is now known, by rejecting it, disassociating themselves from it and condemning it. This entirely undesirable event seriously disrupted the discussion of a major and serious matter of national importance—the exceedingly complex resolution of the problem created in Kosovo—and prompted 21 PD deputies to address a letter to the Presidium of their parliamentary group, asking it to organize without delay a special meeting of the group to analyze this unprecedented event, entirely outside the nature of genuine parliamentary activity. After the evening session of the People’s Assembly on 24.6.1992, a meeting of the PD parliamentary group was held and for several hours ... [Continued on page 4] The PD parliamentary group decided to examine this matter in relation to the performance of its parliamentary duties before the elections, and also to provide assistance in further clarifying the matter, should the Democratic Party’s governing bodies consider it necessary. The parliamentary group considered it particularly important to pause and assess the nature, possible aims and consequences of Mr. Pashko’s declaration—not to question a deputy’s right to express his views freely in the Assembly, but to clarify the group’s policy and position and leave no room or opportunity for misunderstandings or malicious interpretations concerning the issues addressed in Mr. Pashko’s declaration. At the very beginning of the group’s examination of the issue, Mr. Pashko again informed the group that he continued to stand by the declaration he had made in the Assembly the previous day. In these circumstances, it was therefore the group’s right and duty to hear the deputies’ views, determine its position and adopt a clear stance on the matter. At the outset, the Presidium of the parliamentary group and the Presidium of the PD once again clarified that Mr. Azem Hajdari had departed for the United States on 23.6.1992 to undertake a special, several-month training placement in order to improve his professional political skills, which had also been approved by the PD parliamentary group. Therefore, there was no reason to express doubts, raise hypotheses or make alarmist statements about Mr. Hajdari’s departure for the United States, as deputy Pashko did during the session ... [Continued on page 4]