The President of the Republic, Sali Berisha, received the Kuwaiti government delegation headed by the Minister of State for Awqaf, Jaman Al Falah Al Azmi. After expressing his gratitude for the assistance Kuwait has given Albania during these difficult times, both bilaterally and through international organizations, President Berisha emphasized that relations between our two countries and governments are expanding. This government visit also serves that purpose. We believe that the opening of our embassy in Kuwait will also help in this regard. Kuwaiti Minister Jaman Al Falah Al Azmi thanked the Albanian government for the just position it has taken and continues to take regarding Iraq’s aggression against Kuwait. Our visit, he said, is not accidental; it expresses our desire to provide assistance in all fields. Our people’s interest in Albania has grown. This is also evident in the desire of the Emir of Kuwait, Xhabir Ahmet El Sabah, to visit your country. Deputy Minister of Education Abdil Al Falah, who has visited our country before, expressed his appreciation for the visible changes that have taken place in Albania during this period. Speaking about international events, President Berisha condemned Iraqi aggression, whose instigator is the dictator Saddam and his regime, but not the Iraqi people. He then addressed the difficult situation of the Albanians of Kosovo under the harsh repression of Millosheviç’s regime, and Albania’s relations with its neighbors. (ATSH)

ADDRESSED TO: THE MINISTER FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS MR. REXHEP UKA. The Presidium of the District Council ADDRESSED TO: THE MINISTER FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS, MR. REXHEP UKA. The Presidium of the District Council At the initiative of the Mirditë branch of the Democratic Party, on 18.6.93 a meeting was held in the town of Rubik between the parties of the anti-communist camp to examine the situation created in the commune of Rubik by the abuse of power dominated by the socialists. The area’s member of parliament, Mr. Ndue Gjika, also attended the meeting. Numerous facts were presented in this debate demonstrating that the government of the Rubik commune, although the democratic camp constitutes the majority, has now taken on the character of a social-communist authority, since the chairman of this council, the socialist Pashk Zefi, has placed his “ego” above the elected council. Particular emphasis was placed on the unscrupulous profiteering from humanitarian aid. By taking the distribution of aid from the Red Cross and other humanitarian organizations entirely into his own hands, he has violated the distribution criteria, enabling him to appropriate it for himself and members of his family and to satisfy the social-communist clique that follows him. The manipulation of aid, carried out at the people’s expense, has in some cases gone as far as beatings. The chairman of the commune council, Pashk Zefi, supported also by the commune chairman, Mr. Bardhok Prenga, has, among other things, speculated with building permits, catering to the interests of particular individuals in violation of the common interests of the citizens. The arbitrary permit recently granted to a citizen to set up a forge right next to the windows of the children’s nursery is a glaring case in point. Furthermore, the commune chairman, Mr. Bardhok Prenga, after having sold part of the village school in Fierzë, leaving primary-school children to make their way to Rrassfik, is now sheltering in a room of the Fierzë nursery a citizen who has returned to this town from Klosi i Fanit after successfully carrying out the “revolutionary” initiative, while still retaining possession of the home he had there. At the conclusion of this meeting, concerned, on the one hand, by the failure of the local government in this commune to function and by the many problems and hardships faced by the people, and, on the other hand, by the abuse of power for specific political purposes in the service of the PS strategy, all participants unanimously agreed to the following demands: 1. The immediate removal of the chairman of the commune council, Pashk Zefi, in accordance with the relevant legal procedures, specifically within the days following the publication of this declaration. Otherwise, after this deadline, the political forces signing this declaration will withdraw their councillors from the commune council, thereby legally paralyzing its activity as well. 2. The central authorities should conduct a specialized inspection of the activities of this commune’s local government over the past year, extending it to the leadership of the Red Cross in the district, since corruption reaches that far. ON BEHALF OF THE PDK BRANCH — CHAIRMAN ON BEHALF OF THE PR BRANCH — SECRETARY ON BEHALF OF THE PSD BRANCH — SECRETARY ON BEHALF OF THE DPP ASSOCIATION — MEMBER OF THE PRESIDIUM Zef Lleshi B. Pep Kola Mark Ruçi Geg Lufi DEMOCRATIC PARTY BRANCH — CHAIRMAN ZEF BARDHI

Comment on the parliamentary week Last Wednesday, on the final day of this week’s proceedings, the People’s Assembly approved, among other things, two draft laws concerning an amendment to the law “On the return and compensation of property to former owners” and several amendments to the Criminal Code of the Republic of Albania. Given the particular interest they hold for the general public, we are presenting their articles in full: — Regarding the law “On an amendment to Law No. 7698, dated 15.4.1993, ● Article 1 undertook to correct a technical error in Article 3 of the previous law. It was worded as follows: “Article 1: In Article 3 of Law No. 7698, dated 15.4.1993, the words ‘but which, at the time this law entered into force, has been converted into building land’ are removed from the second paragraph. Paragraph seven of Article 17 is worded as follows: ‘The former owner of the land is entitled to withdraw from the co-ownership, with the owner of the premises paying the full value of the land, on the basis of the land price set by a separate law.’” These were the amendments made through the two articles of this law, which enters into force immediately. — The Criminal Code can no longer protect Ramiz Alia and his criminal accomplices — It was 1990, when the ground was crumbling beneath the dictatorship. And supposedly in the name of democratizing criminal legislation, Ramiz Alia, through Law No. 7380, dated 8.5.1990, “On certain amendments to the Criminal Code of the People’s Socialist Republic of Albania,” ensured the adoption of Article 39 on the limitation period for criminal prosecution, concerning the extinguishing of criminal prosecution and punishment, which stated: “Article 39: No prosecution may be brought ...” Ramiz Alia and his criminal accomplices can no longer be protected by the injured party. Meanwhile, Ramiz Alia, according to the customary “codes” of Albania’s unparalleled treacherous communism, approved another measure for the sake of his power, in the name of and as a lesson for the Criminal Code. His classic treachery! His consummate theft! He and his murderous accomplices, his other criminal collaborators, thus cloaked themselves in an unparalleled “pardon” for the thousands upon thousands of victims they themselves had created during nearly 50 years of dictatorship. As deputy Lazar Lengu also said during his remarks, this is a “stolen pardon” and, as such, must be denounced. Let forgiveness come only after justice has first been done. At that time Ramiz Alia was never concerned with “national reconciliation”; he cared only about saving himself and his collaborators. At the initiative of deputy Shaban Memia, a group of deputies initially submitted a draft version under which a chapter entitled “Crimes against the people and humanity” would be added to the Criminal Code. The limitation period for criminal prosecutions and sentences would also be abolished for the crimes covered by that chapter, and forgiveness would be granted by the injured party. But treacherous communism, approved another measure to serve his own power in the aforementioned article of and his murderous accomplices, other criminals like him, thus cloaked themselves in an unparalleled “pardon,” despite about saving himself and his collaborators. Thus, with this law, which makes no fundamental changes to the content of the Criminal Code, the justice authorities now have the right to punish serious crimes of the past. The red criminals have no reason to “complain” anymore. After all, they will be convicted under the laws of their own time! And they deserve this punishment because, first, deliberately and driven by arbitrary motives, during the years of dictatorship they committed such monstrous crimes that they violated even the most elementary laws of their own state. Second, during these two years of transition they have shown no sign of remorse for the crimes committed; on the contrary, through their insulting attitude toward the victims, they have further deepened the character of these crimes—a reaction that constitutes one of the greatest moral tragedies of our nation. Third, the aggressiveness of this category of criminals is evident today and poses a threat to the new Albanian democracy. Their criminal world seeks to restore the world that cultivated in them, for nearly half a century, the psychology and vice of crime. These are the reasons and attitudes that make them conscious accomplices and jointly responsible for the crimes of the dictatorship. Therefore, they deserve the verdict of justice. With this law, democracy discharges its moral obligation to the victims of the dictatorship and, by punishing its crimes and criminals, also frees the innocent part of the Albanian people from the intrigues of that dictatorship. Only from now on can reconciliation through forgiveness be genuine.

In Article 1 of Law No. 7698, dated 15.4.1993, from the second paragraph. The third paragraph is worded as follows: “‘Agricultural land’ shall mean land that was located outside the boundary lines of inhabited centers at the time of expropriation, has been converted into building land.” ● Article 2, concerning the price of land, has the following wording: “Article 2 In Article 17, the fourth paragraph is worded as follows: ‘The size of the former owner’s share of the land is calculated on the basis of the price of the land, which is set by a separate law.’ “Article 1 Criminal proceedings may not be brought if, from the day the criminal act was committed until the moment the person is charged, the following periods have elapsed: a) 20 years for criminal offenses for which the law provides for the death penalty as a type of punishment. b) 10 imprisonment of more than 5 years as a type of punishment. c) 5 imprisonment of up to 5 years or other, lighter penalties.” And if one were to speak of reconciliation, it is known that, according to the customary codes of the Albanian nation, it is achieved through forgiveness. And, just as—

“Article 39 death penalty as a type of punishment. b) 10 punishment. c) 5 nation, it is achieved through forgiveness. And, just as—

and sentencing for the crimes set out in this chapter would also be abolished. But, so that the criminals would not take “offense” at being judged under laws “they did not know”—that is, legislation that did not exist at the time of their crimes—this draft version was abandoned. After some discussion, the version of the law consisting of two articles was finally approved, as follows: “Article 1 Points a and b of Article 39 of Criminal Code of the People’s Socialist Republic of Albania,’ are repealed. Article 2 This law enters into force immediately.” Prepared by: RAKIP SULCE

— Press conference by Minister Serreqi — Yesterday, in the press room of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Tirana, Minister Serreqi held a press conference for journalists. At the start of the conference, the minister gave a brief overview of Mr. Klosh’s highly successful visit to Albania. He then spoke about the latest developments in Albanian-Greek relations. “The priest’s pretext is a naïve judgment,” Mr. Serreqi said. “The issue of these relations must be viewed from other perspectives.” “These are determined, first of all, by: - Our position on the crisis in the former Yugoslavia. Naturally, our government’s constructive and realistic policy does not please Greek chauvinist circles. - Our position on political and economic reform in our country. - Our position on minorities as well. In Alba- [sic], minorities enjoy all rights according to the highest European standards. Let us emphasize here that the presence of the Arbëreshë (Arvanites) and the unresolved Cham issue also constitute a knot that Greece does not wish to resolve with sincerity and justice. Furthermore, the presence of Albanian economic migrants and attempts to undermine the autocephaly of the Albanian Orthodox Church are other circumstances that continue to condition cooperation between Albania and Greece today. It should be clear to everyone that we can never tolerate these circumstances. Our foreign policy will continue to be an open and sincere policy, without prejudice. “Our government will continue to show the will and goodwill to resolve these recent disagreements with the Greek government on the basis of reciprocity and mutual respect,” Mr. Serreqi declared. Minister Serreqi then answered journalists’ questions. Regarding a question about the Cham issue, the minister stressed that this problem was not being raised for the first time now, but had been raised several times, indeed with considerable willingness, as during Prime Minister Micota-kis’s visit to Albania. Meanwhile, the Greek side has from time to time raised nonexistent issues concerning Second World War criminals. They forgot that the Chams had left their land, their property, and everything else sacred to them there. Asked what the European diplomacy’s reaction had been to this new situation, he replied with the words of Dr. Egon Klepsch during his visit to our country: “Albania is the most advanced country—” (Continued on page 4)