- THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY HAS CONVENED - - SEASONAL DEMOCRATS MAKE THEIR APPEARANCE. - THE DP—A PARTY OF DEMOCRATIC ASPIRATIONS, MODERN [text unclear]. - EVEN TOLERANCE AND PATIENCE HAVE THEIR LIMITS. - DEMOCRATS IN WORDS, PS AGENTS IN DEEDS. On Wednesday morning, 5 August 1992, the National Council of the Democratic Party began its work in the National Museum hall. Members of the DP parliamentary group also took part. The meeting was chaired by the DP chairman, Mr Eduard Selami. Also on the presidium were Messrs Tomor Dosti, DP secretary; Arben Imami, DP deputy chairman; Sali Berisha; and Aleksandër Meksi, members of the DP leadership. After opening the meeting, Mr Selami gave the floor to Mr Sali Berisha for the opening address. In his speech, Mr Berisha stressed: “This council is meeting at a very important moment for Albania and the Democratic Party. It is meeting at a time when the DP is facing a fierce socialist-communist coalition and pseudo-democrats, opposed by the DP—the party that achieved this century’s most important victory after the independence of 5 April. Therefore, today it is absolutely essential to defend democracy. The DP began its struggle when it faced a fierce dictatorship, and it will win this struggle too.” Mr Berisha went on to analyze the government’s work, noting that as a new government it may also have made mistakes, but “the government has two major and very important merits: 1. It prepared an economic program for Albania, approved by the whole world and by the IMF, which has studied and endorsed this program. This program will lead Albania to achieve the objectives before it. 2. No accusations of bribery or corruption have been made against this government.” In his speech, Mr Berisha also addressed reform issues and the need to carry them out in the Ministry of Public Order, SHIK and the army. “The reform in the army,” he stressed, “was not carried out on ideological criteria, but on the basis of the age and respective abilities of military personnel. It was further noted that people were removed and dismissed, while others were retained; no other measures were taken against them, and today many of them receive salaries almost as high as the president’s. As for SHIK, reform was essential, because, following another reform carried out earlier, the State Security service merely changed its uniform and all its employees transferred to SHIK. Even former State Security directors had been kept on. Therefore, restructuring was essential, and those who had served State Security for 20 years were removed. SHIK is now recovering; new, non-politicized people are joining, serving democracy. Therefore, those who portray the reform as anti-democratic are merely heralds of anti-democracy.” But these essential reforms in the law-enforcement agencies are clashing with reform in the justice system. “Justice,” Mr Berisha continued, “is still in the hands of the red nomenklatura. The reality is clear: within just a few days, offspring of former members of the Bloc, arrested for crimes against democracy, are being released.” “The issue is political, and only political; therefore, a very great sense of responsibility is required for the fate of democracy.” Mr Eduard Selami, who spoke next, agreed with the analysis made by Mr Sali Berisha. “On 26 July, democracy went through a difficult situation, because this was the last opportunity left to the authorities after the unexpected blow they received on 22 March.” Analyzing the mistakes observed during the election campaign, Mr Selami also pointed to interference in the elections “by some members of the leadership and people engaged by some members of the DP leadership. Mr Selami also stressed that the parliament and government with the DP should have acted earlier to resolve the issues raised during the period after 22 March.” At the end of his speech, the DP chairman stressed the need to reorganize the DP ranks as a party that would bear the main burden of the country’s problems. The second session began at 3 p.m. The temperature of the discussions and debates rose very high. From the outset, it became clear that the overwhelming majority of genuine Democratic members of the National Council were confronting four or five pseudo-democratic cobras, former [text unclear], with an unmistakable organizational and ideological platform against the DP, against democracy and against national interests. Their crystallization into a clan or faction does not stem from their convictions or a desire for diversity of opinion, but from the scenario they have undertaken to implement. As has now become clear, one of its directors or principal actors is Neritan Ceka, an outspoken defender of SHIK’s criminal cadres and someone privileged by it. Even when the Ceka card had completely burned out, Messrs Imami, Hajdari, Zogaj and others kept Neritan Ceka and their ties with him aloft. For his part, he at least kept himself safe and broadened and tightened his ties with the clan. Mr Arben Demi, R. Peshkopia and Mr Shkëlqim Kodra also came out in defense of the factional group. But they found themselves like a light shower amid 12 opponents. At the center of the well-founded open criticism was also Mr P. Ceka, both for his long inactivity as a DP leader, for the venom in his published writings, particularly in “Koha jonë,” and for his open and biased defense and support of Frok Cuni, who works at DP institutions and demonstrates openly anti-democratic conduct. This was accompanied by an account concerning corruption. Several other speakers argued that all genuine members of a delegation led by Mr Arben Imami had [text unclear]. The representatives of Mr Arben Imami had not fulfilled the duties of the chairman of the electoral district committee and had taken a passive stance, failing to perform their duties as DP deputy chairman. In his discussion, Mr Imami, alongside his prepared justifications and objections, also called for a motion or statement concerning Mr Sali Berisha. He displayed his own [text unclear] and those of his former-nomenklatura associates, but could not explain his role at the meeting. All the speakers challenged and rejected Mr Arben Hajdari’s subjective, unfounded and harmful statements. Almost his entire intervention was met with counterarguments. “Nearly all the speakers above criticized Mr Arben Hajdari’s mistakes and subjective, unfounded and harmful statements. But it became clear that, once they withdrew from the line of attack, everyone took the opportunity to tell him to withdraw for five days.” Meksi Center. After this, he went further down this path with the rally organized in Shijak on Tuesday afternoon, where the DP held an all-party rally after its victory in the 26 July elections. The executive committee of the DP branch in that town expressed its position regarding Mr Hajdari’s speech and program, which went so far as to call the Kavajë rally “fascist” and to sabotage the one in Shijak. On this occasion, inappropriate concerns were also raised: [text unclear] with another letter placed at the microphone, before the traditional microphone and democratic struggle. Almost all the speakers opposed Mr Arben Hajdari’s subjective, unfounded and harmful opinions and statements. His position was countered by a joint statement calling firmly for reform and concrete attention; the written statement was signed and [text unclear] by the newspaper “ZP” and “Koha jonë.” It was also demanded that the extraordinary national conference of the DP—which has the authority to take measures and make decisions—be convened as soon as possible, preferably within this month. The gathering clearly expressed the complete resonance between the pseudo-democratic group’s ideological platform and the PS strategy. The real voice of the PS and “ZP” warning of a new one-party system under the DP was heard once again, along with another failed charge [text unclear]. Their aim is “easy to read”: for the DP to lose the local elections, and to be weakened and discredited as irresponsible, to the benefit of the PS. Mr Agron Çika presented a document showing that Mr Neritan Ceka had testified against the archaeologist Astrit Qorri from Durrës, who was sentenced and served 10 years in prison on the basis of that testimony. He and other speakers strongly demanded the opening of files on the pseudo-democrats, politicians and officials in central and local government, and a determined, frontal campaign by the government against corruption, the most dangerous enemy of democracy. This would make it possible to remove the “blemishes” Ceka, Pashko, Tozaj, Çupi, Daj, Zogaj, etc.) We will report on the continuation of this gathering in our next issue. “RD” correspondent

- The DP’s victory—a great victory for democracy over social-communism - To celebrate the Democratic Party’s great victory in the 26 July elections for local government bodies, a magnificent and highly enthusiastic rally was held on Tuesday at 7 p.m. in “Amerikani” Square in the city of Kavajë. In addition to thousands of residents of this city, already well known for its historic role in our democratic processes, hundreds of Democratic Party members and supporters had arrived by bus, car and other vehicles from Durrës, Tirana, Elbasan, Peqin, Lushnja, Shijak, etc. Also present were the chairman of the Democratic Party, Mr Eduard Selami; the DP secretary, Tomor Dosti; the deputy chairman of the National Council Presidium, Mr Tomor Malasi; and leaders of DP branches in the districts of Dibër, Laç, Elbasan, Tirana, Durrës, Berat, Vlorë, etc. The rally was opened by the chairman of the DP in the Kavajë district, Mr Luan Skurati. In his speech he highlighted the great victory achieved by the DP branch in the 26 July elections, attributing it to the residents’ democratic spirit and their desire and determination to finally defeat communism. The victory in this city also has its roots in the traditional unity that characterizes all the residents of Kavajë. He then gave the floor to Mr Eduard Selami. At the outset, he highlighted Kavajë’s contribution to the beginning and continuation of democratic processes in our country, emphasizing that this rally too was a symbol of gratitude from all the democrats of Albania. Mr Selami went on to explain the significance of the DP’s victory in the 26 July elections, the factors that determined it, the shortcomings and weaknesses that prevented an even greater victory, and the tasks and objectives for the future, to carry the democratic struggle through to complete victory and Albania’s integration into Europe. In his speech, Mr Selami also rejected the shameless accusations and slanders made by so-called pseudo-personalities in their statements, stressing that everything was done deliberately and maliciously to foment division within the DP ranks and sabotage the country’s recovery and reform process. Leaders of DP branches from the districts then delivered greetings.

- Pensioners everywhere are respected, hospitable and understanding! - I wish you well, you who, with your organization, tried to make a man [text unclear] and to [text unclear] the encephalopoline—“ZP”—of 31 July 1992, with the article “[text unclear]”. [The rest of the passage is corrupt and cannot be reliably translated.] Perhaps you are the person who put something in front of the Ministry of Agriculture before your article was published—then I would have had to [text unclear] other people at home. First, thank you for the very [text unclear] and numerous appreciations of Mr Shendro and my [text unclear]. As for such wishes, [text unclear] in a socialist-communist circle like yours is truly [text unclear] to me.

Dr. Kastriot Islami, who has emerged on the political scene over the past two or three years as a party man, graduated in France in the exact sciences. We can in no way question his qualifications for this diploma, although we regret that a man who studied in Paris or at the Sorbonne, and saw how workers and employees live in French [text unclear], should respect the clique [text unclear] of the authorities. We say this because, a week after [text unclear] in Paris, I saw Albania’s ranking [text unclear], and this diplomat, with his considerable understanding, still belongs to the old order. Nevertheless, this is a personal matter for each individual. What we do regret is that a man with a scientific title published an article in “Zëri i popullit” entitled “Chairman of the Central Election Commission.” Vladimir Kristo, [text unclear], according to [text unclear]. I truly thought that Dr Islami had presented arguments and facts about serious violations and manipulation, but, as far as the matter concerning Vladimir Kristo is concerned, he had notified [text unclear] about the elections being extended on 26 July until 10:30 p.m. because of the heat. Could it have been cool on those days and Mr Kristo lied? No. It was very hot. The heat continues even these days. Could Mr Kristo have accused the Socialist Party of interference, and therefore postponed the closing time of polling stations by 30 [text unclear]? Absolutely not. Could he have told observers [text unclear] not to observe, which would have been fraud and drawn criticism? No, he did not do that either. Could this have been a matter of an electoral-law expert? Absolutely not. Could what he wrote have harmed one party or another? Surely not, since the time factor does not affect this or that election. Two or four hours available to voters in the areas where they live are not a measure of party bias, but a simple convenience for the public and for all entities taking part in the vote. Nevertheless, the scientist, looking at things through the lens of political judgment, set logic aside, thinking that he had to take a strong position and could not leave the chairman of the Central Election Commission alone. On what grounds? On the basis of his status as a deputy? It would be absurd if, for his sake, this or that deputy were allowed to make allegations against others when those allegations are unfounded. Yet he did so, apparently as a party man without a party card (at least, that is what he used to say: “I am not a member of the PPSH”), and had to join the attack against every government of the democrats. And what conscience does he have, given that the voting day was postponed and this was not announced the night before (continued on page 2).

A socio-psychological overview of the 26 July elections Whether we like to admit it or not, all three of the recent election campaigns revealed serious shortcomings in our cultural-democratic formation, consequences of the deformation and the impact of [text unclear] spiritual evidence that has affected the personalities of Albanians ... (Continued on page 2)