It is not the first time that the socialists have shown themselves to be capable capitalists. Nor is it the first time they have done so by breaking the law, but this time it differs from the others: the famous «ZP» is involved. According to certain information obtained from the Financial Police, several foreign and Albanian private companies are operating in the «ZP» building. These companies have rented part of the «ZP» building. Since the building where «ZP» performs its tricks is state-owned, Article 21 of Law No. 7512, dated 10.8.91, provides that «the rental of state property shall take place only through the National Privatization Agency». An investigation by the Financial Police confirmed that the «ZP» directors had not carried out such a procedure. The gentlemen F. Kumbaro and (Continued on page 3)

In a statement by the spokesperson of the Socialist Party of Albania, published in «ZP» on July 28, 1992, while emphasizing its victories in the latest elections, the party announced that it «now controls the majority on the municipal councils of Vlora, Berat, Fier, etc.» We do not know how accurate this statement is regarding the other districts, but as far as Vlora is concerned, the socialist deputies are needlessly losing sleep and dreaming. The fact is that the Democratic Party won the Vlora Municipal Council, and by a considerable margin over the Socialist Party. How should we explain the distortion of the truth by the SP and «ZP» in this case—as an inability to break away from a half-century-old tradition, as an instinctive, revanchist rush, or simply as a lie added to the endless series of lies that the socialists have spread as part of their campaign, especially in recent weeks, in order to return to power at any cost? Let the authors choose for themselves; let us not deprive them of their right as authors, or dictate their preference. They can choose one or the other, perhaps both, perhaps neither! In any case, one thing is clear: just as the SP and its spokesperson did not conduct the election campaign honestly, they are now dishonestly manipulating matters to mislead public opinion and the Albanian electorate. Woe to us if we believe the words of those who lie to us in broad daylight without shame, responsibility or morals. What can we expect from them on the eve of the next elections, when they are liars? VEZHGUESI

— Statement by Mr. Eduard Selami, chairman of the PDSH, at the press conference of July 28 The local-government elections at this time, in themselves, and the distribution [of votes/seats]. These difficulties were exploited by those who created them, who absolutized [them] and clouded the prospects for the path of reform. Another reason is the decline in the number of voters and abstention. According to approximate calculations, the increase in the SP’s percentage did not result from an increase in the number of voters for it, but from a decline in the total number as a result of abstention. Those who voted for the SP voted for it again, while most of those who abstained are people who voted for the Democrats the first time. Acknowledging these difficulties, as well as the need for the DP, the DP Parliament and the Government to have worked better to clarify the situation, we must say that the result is a surprise and does not justify the difficulties we are going through. It is strange that a country that suffered for 47 years under dictatorship cannot endure the difficulties of the transition brought about by that dictatorship during the first 3–4 months after democracy was established. If this shift had benefited the other parties of the anti-communist front, such as the PR, PSD or any other party, it might have been considered a positive sign explaining the decline in the DP’s percentage. But the fact that it benefited the SP, the worthy heir of the Communist Party, makes this a difficulty on the road to democracy and a step backward compared with March 22. Despite this, we are determined to continue along the path we have embarked upon, to continue the path of reform at any cost, because we consider it the only way out of the crisis and this difficult situation. The local-government elections, which have their own importance, cannot, on the basis of the result alone, call into question the historic victory of March 22. The DP members elected in free voting on July 26 [at/in] the enterprises will justify the people’s trust and will. We will not accept an alliance for the people. «Democrats» who were in the majority when they awoke from the dictatorship. If, in the anti-communist front, this shift had benefited compared with March 22. The results became known after the voters’ arrival. «The League... ... of candidates in municipalities and local governments. ... from elections in which one votes directly for the specific person in the village and neighborhood. Apparently, the Democratic Party should have been more careful in choosing our candidates, although most of them were or were not members of the DP. As a third reason, I would say that there are certain difficulties in everyday life, such as soap, oil, sugar, salt, etc. These temporary difficulties, inherited from socialist prosperity, we were unable to stabilize because of the lack of ...

— SOCIALIST SCANDALS AT F. NANO’S PRESS CONFERENCE Yesterday Comrade F. Nano was to hold his «admiring» press conference concerning the results of the local elections. Throughout the civilized world, press conferences are held with the participation of journalists only. This was also the case at the press conference of the chairman of the DP, Mr. Selami, but the socialists have their own «democratic» rules. At the entrance to the Palace of Congresses, where the press conference was to be held, a crowd of socialists gathered, insisting on taking part in the conference. Under the regulations, the service employee would not let in anyone who was not a journalist, but as the «great» Enver said: «There is no fortress the communists cannot take.» Helped by a Socialist MP whose name I cannot remember, but who is known because he entered Parliament from the [district?] while wearing an unmade white shirt, the socialist crowd broke through the first entrance. Once inside, a «Eurosocialist» said: «Where are those who said they wouldn’t let us in, that they’d break our legs?» It seemed that beneath his flabby skin and bones he concealed the tremendous strength of a party-inspector secretary. As a result of this socialist enthusiasm, some journalists managed to get into the hall after «independent» efforts. Some of them went into the hall and it was announced that the journalists’ area had become extremely cramped. Meanwhile, a fight had erupted at the hall door between the socialists left outside and the service staff. Vulgar, hooligan-socialist insults were shouted loudly, regardless of the fact that the honored Nano was also in the hall. Seeing this situation, the chairman of the Journalists’ Association, Mr. Sokol Muho, called for order to be restored in the hall by allowing only journalists to remain. Some of the journalists were told to leave. Under these circumstances, the SP representative intervened and asked their sympathizers to leave the hall. Nobody moved. Then some socialists voluntarily took it upon themselves to check the journalists. After the journalists had been checked and the fans had been «forgotten», the SP representative called for the conference to begin, but the journalists and Mr. Muho refused. It was then requested that only foreign diplomats remain in the hall, along with some journalists and some of those still outside. The journalists left, and the foreign diplomats and the socialists remained in the hall. One of these «diplomats» said to the service employee with complete seriousness: «What have you locked the door for now, when there are journalists...» Since the situation was not being resolved, it was decided that some journalists would also attend the SP rally. Thus began Comrade Nano’s press conference, which, like all his press conferences, was very entertaining and characterized by a winding, evasive style. Before closing the conference, Nano had to throw out one of his admirers, who, enthused by his boss’s «ability», jumped up shouting: «Comrade chairman, comrade chairman!» So the socialists once again set an example of their democratic culture, making clear even before the diplomatic corps how the SP would solve the people’s problems. We especially wish Comrade Nano that they do not act like the DP, which «did not keep its promises», but that he show socialist strength in those areas where the SP won, since municipalities and municipal councils have full powers and independence over certain matters such as employment, setting up the service system and distributing aid. Lucky is that part of the people that will have the fortune to experience once again the 46-year experience of red rule. EDI PALOKA ... reform at any cost, because we consider this path the only way out of the crisis and ... the ribs, beneath the skin ... shriveled and the bones concealed ... a monstrous power from former ... party secretaries. As a result of this socialist enthusiasm, some newspapers managed to ... into the hall after attempts by ...

Yesterday at 11 a.m., Mr. E. Selami held a press conference on the conclusion of the local-government elections in Albania. After reading a statement in the absence of the election results, which, he said, had not yet been released, Mr. Selami answered the journalists’ many questions. Asked why the elections had been boycotted by DP sympathizers and how this could be explained, Mr. Selami replied that abstention cannot be called a boycott, because a boycott is a declared abstention. This abstention, he continued, is explained by «the economic hardships and difficulties that the electorate has been forced to face during this campaign period. Also,» Mr. Selami continued, «abstention is not an Albanian phenomenon and should not be viewed as such. It has been seen in many other Eastern countries that have travelled the same road.» As for the DP’s position concerning the SP’s runoff with the Human Rights Party in some southern areas, such as Gjirokastër and Delvinë, the DP chairman said this is a complex phenomenon, and that alongside political shades, the preferences of minorities, which must be respected, also play a role. This, he continued, is a matter of their own choice. Asked what the DP would do if the left were to dominate, Mr. Selami replied that such a thing could affect the pace of reform, but not its direction. The journalists’ response [unclear] had no comment concerning the problem of emigration, but said he would judge the matter once the final results were available. In connection with a question about problems within the party ... Contrary to the national interest, the DP chairman stressed that he did not want to view this issue with prejudice. Another question was how long the DP intended to continue supporting the policy of national reconciliation, which had not been realized during the campaign and was perhaps one of the reasons for the low percentage obtained, while President Sali Berisha had also spoken in favor of national unity. Mr. Selami replied that this was a misunderstanding, because the DP had followed and continued to follow the same line emphasized by Dr. Sali Berisha at the party meeting, and that in this case the question was unnecessary. Asked whether he thought July 26 was the right time to hold the elections, Selami said that personally he had favored holding the local-government elections on the same day, but since victory was not certain, they could not be held in this form. He thought that this was now a necessary time to resolve the conflict between the branches of government. He also thought that July 26 was the most appropriate time, for the same relevant reason, to hold the elections mentioned above. After the victory, Mr. Selami continued, the contradiction or conflict between promises and keeping them is understandable. And, on the other hand, according to the same logic, July 20 was unavoidable. We could not allow this division of powers, which in the end would serve our party interests. Asked about the danger posed by the SP as heir to the Communist Party, the DP chairman replied that it is precisely for this reason that we refuse to [unclear] with this party. Nevertheless, I cannot equate these two forces, because the SP has changed somewhat. The DP chairman was then asked what the greatest danger was, apart from economic reform, which in fact ... Has not yet begun. Shouldn’t the passage of certain contradictory laws also be mentioned—for example, the housing law? In response, Mr. Selami reiterated the position in the statement and added that, in our current situation, we are able to acknowledge our own mistakes, as well as those of Parliament and the Government, during this brief four-month period. Nevertheless, this period was far too short to assess it as such a loss. By acknowledging the mistakes made, the DP will eliminate them and avoid making fatal errors. Mr. Selami was then asked whether the election results would affect the creation and announcement of factions within the DP. It is too early to make such a statement, he replied, because the reactions of the party’s various levels to these elections are not yet known. Nevertheless, I personally think this will not happen; on the contrary, these elections will lead to restructuring within the DP. Asked next whether the positions and assessments of the DP chairman had affected the election results, he replied that we have always declared ourselves a center-right party, and that the positions of the extreme right have had a negative effect, just as those of the left have. I think that a statement by a deputy or party member should not be interpreted as the party line. Regarding the position of the Albanian press and the party press during the election campaign, Mr. Eduard Selami said that the press had not played its role properly, as demonstrated by the insufficient raising of public awareness. At the end of the conference, when asked about the possible relationship between the government and local government in areas dominated by the socialists, he replied that the Constitution would regulate these relations. Nevertheless ... Correspondent of «RD»

— LET US NOT STIR UP PEOPLE’S IRRITATION — In their efforts to win back some of what we gained on March 22, today’s opposition mobilized two entire phalanxes of speculators. Not only in its press, but throughout its party activity, the tendency to exploit in a communist manner the difficulties it had created was striking. Better than anyone else, it knows how it created these difficulties, and that is why, more than anyone else, it tries to profit from them. I think that the efforts to re-... accusations in this political struggle (because economically it was favored by the Government of Stability and the technocratic government)—that was the entire election campaign conducted by the PP(S) at the expense of local government. The people had to be deceived, so the game of speculation began. It is enough to accuse those in power of failing, in 3–4 months, to do what they themselves ought to have done; it is enough to stir everything up so that hope is lost; it is enough to cloud the waters, while there is no force for change to clear them. It is characteristic of our «socialists» that, in the name of democratic socialism, whenever they get the chance, they do not think and judge as Albanians, but place themselves somewhere in Rome or Athens—and then it is clear how fair and constructive their criticism is. Consider some of the laws they refused to pass in Parliament, such as the law on enterprises or the one on excess living space. At first glance, they see in these the new class struggle. And they try to persuade Europe and the world of this. The aim: to preserve the same administration, built entirely on biographical and party criteria. If this had not happened before, would restructuring be necessary? Would these measures be considered abnormal in a democratic state? ... are considered entirely normal, since the appointment of directors in state enterprises, whose activities have been criticized, is made by the state, which has the trade unions as opponents at every turn? And do socialists know the other thing: that simply on the basis of biography and party affiliation, a small group of people were deprived of a full education and training—something that has not happened and does not happen in any democratic country? So, even if only to rectify socialist relations, they should now not only have refrained from worrying, but should have supported the new democratic government in the process of restructuring, and then moved naturally, not merely in words, toward nationwide reconciliation. In applying the second law, they see a violation of human rights. Certainly, for Western Europeans, who have never been privileged in housing on the basis of biography and party affiliation, this is considered a violation of individual rights. But we Albanians know well how what is called surplus living space was acquired. We also know that many people, although they did not deserve it, could not even obtain the minimum living space, but lived in miserable conditions. The question now is: has the time come to put injustices right? For Democrats, indeed it has; for socialists, not yet. We have mentioned these two facts, as we could mention others, because with them the opposition wants to convince not only our people but others too that the Albanian government is acting wrongly. But people know how to draw their own conclusions. It is also astonishing that the socialists try to convince domestic and foreign opinion that the Democrats have been governing Albania for a long time and that the latter’s government brought Albania into this state. Yet on this point too, we see the contradiction when, only in the last 2–3 months, they have loudly raised the issue of socialists being purged from the administration. The socialists governed until March 22, unfortunately in their communist style; they therefore had to be removed from the administration, and this is the A of the work being done by the democratic government. It is noticeable that the opposition, throughout the period since March 22, has done nothing but criticize, as though they had come from some other country. The question arises: why? They have now stated this openly: they want political discord between central and local government. And they argue this as if they were really in Rome or Paris. But should things not be this way in Albania? Because we have remained an extremely poor country where local government, without strong support from central government, cannot solve practically any problem—that is, it becomes paralyzed. Let us take, for example, the problem of supplies, now a vital issue for us. For there to be oil, sugar, meat, soap, etc., these must necessarily be provided by the central government’s supply enterprise. Their distribution, meanwhile, will be handled by local government. If the latter, simply for political or party reasons, fails to distribute them on time, or if there is abuse, instead of solving the economic problem, political insinuations will be created, after which people’s anger will be difficult to manage. Therefore, before going to vote on July 26, people should not be deceived by the socialists’ speculative criticisms, but should think about the future-oriented solution to their problems. GAFUR MUKA