For the supply of electricity: At the Tirana Municipality, we learned from Ilir Perhati, a specialist in the Industry Section, that: The Italian company “ENEL” has begun work on reconstructing the city’s electricity network, laying new cables and installing 20-kilovolt electrical substations, which will significantly improve the electricity supply. Specifically, work has begun in two directions: digging a trench and laying cable from the substation near the Autotractor Factory, and from the electrical substation near the railway station, towards the city centre. For the first phase, the Italian side has offered 6 million dollars, as well as technical assistance, excavation equipment, various machinery, etc. This phase is expected to be completed by the end of June. For the supply of drinking water To improve the drinking-water supply, the Italian Government has allocated 25 billion lire, which will make it possible to begin work on the Bovilla project. For this year alone, 13 billion lire have been secured for reconstructing the capital’s water-supply network, and a meeting with the Italian side has been scheduled for the 25th of this month to reach a final solution, after which implementation planning is expected to begin. Also, to improve the water-supply network, which is in poor condition, the Tirana Municipality, in cooperation with the Ministry of Construction and at the request of the President of the Republic, has secured additional funds amounting to around 70 million new lekë. These will cover investments in the reconstruction of the city’s network in the most critical areas. ZEF LLESHI

NATO Secretary General Mr. Manfred Verner is coming to our country. The Secretary General of NATO, Mr. Manfred Verner, is coming to our country. The visit by the head of the world’s most powerful military alliance is being made at the invitation of the President of the Republic of Albania, Mr. Sali Berisha. This visit marks the high point in contacts between NATO and our country, contacts that began with the democratic era. Exchanges of delegations from both sides followed Albania’s request, made in November ’92, to become a member of NATO. Meanwhile, the recent visit by Field Marshal Richard Vincent preceded Mr. Verner’s visit. Albania’s request to become a member of NATO did not come about by chance. Following the fundamental democratic changes in Albania, in early May it was natural for Albania to achieve what it had long felt it ought to achieve: establishing ties with its Western partners. These ties were established in every field, and it is understandable that such a relationship also had to be established. Field Marshal Vincent said at the press conference he gave before leaving Albania: “There is a desire within the Alliance to include you as well... Your admission to NATO is a political, not a military, issue.” Meanwhile, as Minister Zhulali also states: “Morally, we consider ourselves members of NATO, regardless of the legal and procedural formalities. In practice, the Albanian army is engaged in concrete cooperation with NATO and the WEU in the operation called ‘Albanian Guard in the Adriatic’, which aims to uphold the embargo against the former Yugoslavia.” Verner’s visit to Albania shows that the real and full political-military conditions for this visit have been prepared. This visit shows that the policy pursued by the Democratic Government and the reform being carried out to create a new army are bearing fruit— to achieve it long ago, the establishment of ties with it is understandable that they should also be established in the military sphere. In this way, Albania is correcting a historic mistake caused by the old regime, which for 50 years kept the country artificially on the side of the losers, on the communist side. But close ties with the North Atlantic Treaty under today’s conditions are becoming almost a necessity. At a time when the Balkans have become an explosive point that could shake the whole world, Albania’s admission to NATO would be not only a defensive move but, above all, a political and diplomatic move that would directly or indirectly help stabilise the situation in the region. NATO’s support, which has itself been offered and is providing assistance in these processes, should also be noted. Nor should we forget the importance of President Berisha’s visit and speech in Brussels, where he was accompanied by Mr Hulali. All these factors have brought about the creation of ever closer ties, based on mutual interests, between Albania and NATO. Ties that will surely grow stronger until Albania naturally finds itself in NATO among its true partners. Vermer’s visit surely serves such a goal as well. EDI PALOKA

The Chairman of the Presidium of the People’s Assembly, Mr. Pjeter Arbnori, held a friendly conversation with the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Italy to Albania, Mr. Paolo Foresti. After warmly welcoming him and wishing him success in his new post, Mr. Arbnori gave him an overview of the democratic processes that have taken place in Albania. “Unlike in other former socialist countries,” he said, “the victory of the democratic forces here was clear and evident, with the majority of the people joining its course. We are pleased that, for the first time since the war, we have a pluralist parliament where opinions can be freely expressed, that people are finally free, and that we have a free press and public opinion, free from any restrictions. Speaking about the long-standing traditional relations between our two countries, Mr. Arbnori emphasized that even during the dictatorship, Albanians had a window onto Italy through radio and television, which played an important role during the democratic processes in our country. Italy is a member of the international organizations that we, too, aspire to join. Speaking about the situation in our country, Mr. Arbnori noted that the democratic government is proceeding confidently along the path of reform, and that the Assembly is drafting laws with determination to support reform in all fields—political, economic and social. The socialist-communists’ campaign about the supposed danger of a right-wing dictatorship is false and is being conducted with revanchist aims, he explained. In his remarks, Mr. Foresti said that the Italian Embassy in Tirana would be the home of all Albanians who have a genuine sense of humanism. Italian-Albanian friendship, he pointed out, retained a positive element even during its darkest period, surviving in silence throughout the years of dictatorship, only to flourish in these days of democracy. The Italian ambassador then conveyed to Mr. Arbnori the greetings of Mr. Fanfani and Mr. Pikoli, as well as their willingness to assist the Albanian parliament in its work. PRESS AND INFORMATION OFFICE OF THE PEOPLE’S ASSEMBLY

[Photograph; various figures on stage]

The dramatic company of Shkodra’s “Migjeni” Theatre is working to stage the play “Our Brother in God”, written by Pope John Paul II. The play will be performed ahead of His Holiness’s visit to the city of Shkodra on 25 April this year. This is part of the extensive preparations being made on this occasion in this city with its cultural traditions. The events of the play take place in Poland at the beginning of this century, but the message of humanism they convey gives them universal human value. The play was translated into Albanian by Zef Kroqi, while the director is Tonin Ujka.

The alliance between the motionists and the pseudo-socialists, alias Fatos Nano’s labourites, is becoming increasingly evident through concrete actions to undermine and, if possible, overthrow the legitimate government in Albania and block the path to democracy. Like branches from the same rotten root, these destructive forces have recently focused their attention especially on trade-union organisations. Communism has always sought support among the working class, presenting itself as the class’s “spearhead”, its fanatical and sole defender, and so on. It is well known what a catastrophe it brought upon workers and all peoples when it managed to usurp power. The neo-communists of the Democratic Alliance and the conservative communists of the Socialist Party, continuing the Marxist-Leninist tradition, are now trying to infiltrate Albanian trade unions. The conservative communists cannot easily achieve their aims openly because their credibility rating is below zero. They are activating their allies, who were smuggled into the democratic movement and left it, thinking they also have a right to a share and an inheritance in this movement—and, as a result, possess some credibility. On this illusory basis, the motionists, with the zeal of hyenas, are asking the trade unions for secret meetings. Following the example of their masters, they do not come out into the open either, but prefer backroom dealings, rendering them the services of obedient slaves. Exploiting the difficulties of the transition, of the Socialist Party aim to turn the trade unions once again into transmission belts, into levers of communism or of their party clans, and then use them as blind instruments against democracy, to destabilise the situation in the country. Communist forces everywhere in the world have played this contemptible, anti-democratic role throughout their history. They have always acted as destructive, predatory forces. The offspring of the PPSH and the State Security Service do not want to abandon this “historic” mission, regardless of the masks they wear. Albanians know well what it means to leave the fate of the country in the hands of communism, even if it now presents itself in democratic colours. They know well the role of its ally, even if it may present itself as a democratic alliance. They know that clean dealings do not require secrecy and backroom manoeuvres, and that honest work requires courage and openness. Albanian workers and their trade unions, who made a decisive contribution to the victory of democracy, will surely not allow themselves to be treated once again as levers for the unrestrained ambitions for power of the Enverists, Ramizists and other communist or neo-communist “-ists”. “RD” CORRESPONDENT

A glimpse from the People’s Assembly At Tuesday’s session, devoted mainly to the issue of presenting the draft constitution as soon as possible, after Prime Minister Meksi stated clearly that at least the wording should be preserved and the draft Constitution kept, deputy Dokle, as always, could not resist getting involved without becoming “concerned about... about the people’s troubles”; that is to say, “you say Albania needs a constitution, yes indeed, but also to get past...” At this point, Dokle added some more words... I believe that, after this action, he did it himself. Here: “According to the acts, sir, and according to the procedures that apply to you, and also to the Republic of Albania, to exercise power under the provisions of the Constitution that...” ... is decreed by Ramiz Alia, while he is still under house arrest?...(?) Socialist Fehmi Abdiu denounces his own party’s evil ways As for deputy Fehmi Abdiu, during the debate and questions to Mr Meksi, after expressing solidarity with his request that Parliament extend the deadline for the draft constitution, after expressing his appreciation for the Prime Minister’s contribution and noting the spirit of understanding that had existed between him and Mr Meksi as members of the commission for drafting the Constitution, he also addressed the deputies on the right, both in the form of a rebuttal to them and as a statement, and said sincerely: “So don’t take everything as malicious, gentlemen, because there are also things that are not malicious!” In his response, deputy Abdiu justified the esteem in which he is held. But this time he deserves special regard: his sincerity is a great service to his own party, and not only to his own party...! Deputy Ulqini—Member of the Socialist Party’s Secretariat in Parliament Again on Tuesday, during a back-and-forth exchange (“you said it, no, you didn’t” [“no, it’s like this, no, I said that”]) with Mr Meksi, deputy Musa Ulqini finally grew “tired” and “frustrated” and dropped the “bomb”: “It seems I did well to bring my tape recorder with me!” he said to Mr Meksi. Congratulations on the appointment Continued on page 4

Manfred Verner, President of the North Atlantic Council and Secretary General of NATO, was born in Stuttgart on 24 September 1934. After completing his university studies in Heidelberg and Paris, he pursued law studies at the University of Munich. In 1958 he defended his doctoral dissertation on the subject: “On the relations between allied states in the field of defence”. In 1962 he was appointed parliamentary adviser to the state of Baden-Württemberg. In 1965 he was elected to the Bundestag and remained there until he was elected NATO Secretary General. In the Bundestag, he chaired the Defence Group until 1976. After that, he also held other positions in parliamentary groups, including in the fields of development policy and international relations, etc. Mr. Verner was Minister of Defence of the Federal Republic of Germany from October 1982 until May 1988. On 1 July 1988 he was elected NATO Secretary General, a position he continues to hold