Dear Mr. Andriessen, Honorable heads of delegations, Your Excellencies, Ambassadors, Ladies and gentlemen, It is my great pleasure and particular honor to welcome to Albania the representatives ... in the difficult history of our country. I want to assure you that the G-24 meeting, being held for the first time in Tirana rather than Brussels and devoted to Albania’s problems, is an extraordinarily encouraging and obliging day for us. I am convinced that this conference will give you the opportunity to focus on the case of Albania, while enabling us to present our problems, inform you about what we are doing to resolve them, and seek your assistance in supporting the efforts we have made and will make. At the beginning of last April we began building the rule of law and a market economy, although we knew that this would be more difficult for us than anywhere else. This is because for half a century our country was subject to the cruellest communist dictatorship, the deepest isolation, and extreme poverty. It goes without saying that these factors make Albania a special case. Its legacy consists of a devastated economy, centralist and obstructive practices, and the remnants of the dictatorship we experienced. Precisely for these reasons, during the transition period Albania has had to seek considerable sums in emergency assistance from the international community, and this assistance has been generously provided. But unfortunately, despite our efforts to break away as soon as possible and become self-sufficient as quickly as we can, we still need this kind of aid. (Continued on page 4) pleasure and special honour to welcome to Albania the representatives of the countries of the European Community’s Group of 24 and other international organizations. I would also like to express my gratitude to your countries and governments, as well as to all the international institutions, for the valuable assistance they have given us, without which we could not have achieved the political victory of 22 March, and this conference, which will be recorded as a special and hopeful event, could not be taking place here today—

— WE ARE READY TO GUARANTEE FOOD AND MEDICINES FOR THE MONTHS AHEAD — — THE FAILURE OF REFORM IN ALBANIA IS UNTHINKABLE. — — I SUPPORT MR. BERISHA’S STATEMENT THAT ALBANIA IS A SPECIAL CASE. WE HAVE TREATED IT AS SUCH, ALLOCATING IT THE HIGHEST PER-CAPITA AID AMOUNT WE HAVE GIVEN TO ANY COUNTRY — Establishing in Albania a system based on political and economic freedoms is a source of satisfaction for all those who value freedom. Free and fair elections made it possible for Albania to return to the family of democratic peoples and confirmed that it too shares the values common to all today. It is an honor for me to open this meeting together with President Berisha, whose commitment to political and economic reform has earned general respect and admiration. But freedom is fragile. It takes a great deal of time and care before it can flourish and bear fruit. Meanwhile, people need food, shelter, health care and, above all, productive work with which they can support their families and help rebuild their country. The hardships and suffering the Albanian people are now enduring are intolerable. That is precisely why we are here today. Representatives of the industrialized countries ... are now of the industrialized countries, whose assistance is coordinated by the European Commission in Brussels, have come to Tirana to assure the Albanian people of their support and solidarity and to agree on how they can help them. Meanwhile, the 24 countries represented here have committed 725 million ECU, or 900 million dollars, to Albania, mainly for humanitarian aid but also for technical assistance. The Community and its member states have provided 80 percent of this assistance. But even more is needed. The message of the G-24 to the Albanian people is that we are ready to help overcome the problems weighing so heavily on a country that has suffered so much. coming months and to provide the means (Continued on page 4)

...the budget deficit, as well as price, trade, exchange-rate and monetary reforms. We ask the G-24 countries to support our program when it is discussed by the IMF Board. Our stabilization program will be accompanied by radical structural reforms. In this regard, we are determined to create an environment in which private initiative is at the heart of economic activity and the government has only a basic regulatory role. We know that the formation of an economy of this kind over more than half a century, as well as the destruction of the last two years, have been so profound that it is impossible to pass through the transition period easily. Nor do we expect this period to be short. For this reason, we are moving resolutely toward stabilizing our economy and mobilizing Albania’s potential in order to shorten the period of crisis. Nevertheless, in this emergency situation we need your assistance in the following areas: 1. Food: Although the agricultural sector has responded positively to price liberalization, it is still far from meeting our food needs. ... In less than four months, our government has restored the rule of law. Our Parliament has made rapid progress in establishing the legal foundations of our new, free and democratic society. In fact, this Sunday we will hold another round of national elections, this time to elect representatives of local government. Furthermore, we are undertaking fundamental reform of the public administration ... so that its practices can be adapted to those of a civil society and a market economy. Our government has taken important steps toward laying the foundations of a modern market economy. We have agreed with the staff of the International Monetary Fund on a strong 12-month package of stabilization measures, which includes radical cuts in spending and tax increases in order to reduce— —in order to ensure that we get through the from meeting our food needs. The disruption caused by privatization (which has now been 80 per cent completed), the lack of inputs, as well as shortcomings in the distribution system, continue to prevent the agricultural sector from achieving sufficient production. Since food consumption has in fact declined, any further fall in the production of staple food items (Continued on page 4)

Pluralism is sacred. What proves its sacredness is precisely the possibility for all sides to appear, the possibility of competing—even deception against truth. But pluralism will be struck dead if the very forces that did everything possible to prevent it from coming about were to benefit from it. Pluralism would compromise democracy if it did not bring changes to its development. Who would need pluralism if the militants and officials remained the same, if the same people stayed in the State Security service, if foreign policy were made by those who had also lost in domestic politics? Is the PPSH the same old force that opposed change? I say, more or less, because: Let us look at its «voice», «ZP». It has constantly opposed the establishment and actions of the former opposition. Did they not spend the campaign buying ...? Did it not publish the names of those it would employ, who had to be protected at all costs? The whole «world» was against the PPSH and «ZP», but they stuck to their position. Against the tide! Likewise, even after paying 50 lek and changing its name to the Socialist Party, «ZP» defended the remains of the former dictators and some people buried unlawfully in the Martyrs’ Cemetery. It announced the socialists’ joy at the «suspension» of aid from the European Community, only for it to become clear two days later that the precious thing had short legs. Especially lately, and particularly after the suspension (!) of the Communist Party, the Enverist socialists once again took up their old positions as workers. Apparently they became convinced that they could not win any other way; nobody can trust them as socialists! Come on, let’s win as communists! Do you understand, then, the responsibility you are taking on, you PS militant? Do you understand the responsibility you are shouldering, you still-unenlightened PS activist? Do you understand what difficulties you are imposing on your own life, the lives of your children and your relatives, if central government and local government are divided? You still believe in tales of renewal. You still want to prepare new disappointments? Can’t you see that they are out of date? Can’t you feel Albania opening up to the world and the world’s concern and aid coming to us? When before have so much concern and assistance been directed toward Albania and its troubles? Why, then, are you afraid to become master of your land and of the fruits of your labor? Why do you want to leave your children to bear the burden of communism’s curse, which now has another name? Call once more upon your conscience, you activist, member and militant of the Socialist Party! Remember what has happened over these 50 years, and then you will find yourself, word for word, in the words of your children. Tomorrow, when all the deeds have come to light and the truths are laid bare, how will you feel? «ZP» is ready to deceive you and your children again. It will once again emerge without responsibility. But what will be left for you after that? Don’t look at the troubles of the ... people!!! Do not interrupt the path of democracy!

DEMOCRACY IS THE WILL OF THE LAW Who is destabilizing public order? Under Law 7566, dated 25.5.1992, Article 14, fourth paragraph, which states: «The Law and Order forces are permitted to conduct searches for the possession of unlicensed weapons...» — Who is destabilizing public order? — Under Law 7566, dated 25.5.1992, Article 14, fourth paragraph, which states: «The Law and Order forces are permitted to conduct searches for the possession of unlicensed weapons...» searches were carried out on several people who had been reported as carrying unlicensed weapons. As a result of these searches, the following people were detained: 1. Hysni Jashar Milloshi (former chairman of the PKK). 2. Sokol Spiro Koleka (one of the most prominent investigators under the dictatorship). 3. Florian Tekl Kolaneci (former SHIK officer). 4. Solo Philo Duka (former SHIK officer). 5. Dylber Qemal Dhramo (former officer), found with a TT-type revolver. Thus, as can be seen, all are former military personnel who did not want to let go of their weapons. Let us clarify things for «ZP» and the other «interested parties»... During parliamentary discussion of the weapons law, Parliament deliberated at length because one of the paragraphs made the procedure for searching a home ... . There were opinions in Parliament that the penalty for possessing an unlicensed weapon should be more than 10–15 years. In the end, the minimum sentence was set at 5 years, but, bearing in mind the social danger of the crime, Parliament authorized the Law and Order forces to search for weapons on a person, in a home, in a business establishment, and anywhere else. Parliament makes the laws, while the Law and Order forces will enforce them even when the enemies of «ZP» do not like it. «ZP» defends those who destabilize public order, those who violate the law and threaten democracy. «RD»

280 DOLLARS PER CAPITA, A HIGHER FIGURE THAN FOR ANY OTHER EASTERN EUROPEAN COUNTRY The world is helping us; now it is our duty to help ourselves by voting once again for the DP

On Thursday, 23 July 1992, at 11 o’clock, at the Palace of Congresses, PD chairman Eduard Selami will hold a press conference.

JUDGE AND DECIDE ACCORDING TO YOUR OWN MINDS AND INTERESTS, BROTHERS AND SISTERS! GO FORWARD ACCORDING TO YOUR OWN MINDS AND INTERESTS — NOT THOSE OF THE PS AND “ZP”, WHO HAVE LIED TO YOU FOR 50 YEARS. — ALBANIAN PEOPLE, DO NOT BE DECEIVED: THE 50-YEAR-OLD COMMUNIST HYDRA CANNOT TURN INTO AN ANGEL IN 4 MONTHS — BY VOTING FOR PD, GIVE YOUR CONTRIBUTION TO THE COMPLETE VICTORY OF DEMOCRACY, TO THE SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION OF REFORM, AND TO BEING INTEGRATED INTO EUROPE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, WHILE THE PS IS ASKING FOR YOUR VOTE TO STOP THIS PROCESS, TO TURN BACK, AND TO REGAIN ITS LOST FAITH AND PRIVILEGES. — THE PD’S ALTERNATIVE IS A NATIONAL ALTERNATIVE.