“Austria is one of the countries with which we have among the friendliest relations.” “Austria is one of the countries with which we have among the friendliest relations. I am very pleased that the cooperation we have with your country in many fields is also taking concrete shape in relations between our two armies,” the President of the Republic, Sali Berisha, told the Austrian Minister of Defense, Werner Fasslaband. Mr. Fasslaband conveyed Austrian President Klestil’s greetings to President Berisha and spoke about the exchanges envisaged in the agreement signed with Minister Zhulali. President Berisha thanked the Austrian state for its readiness to provide assistance in the military field as well. They then discussed the critical situation in the region and possible ways out. During this discussion, it was confirmed that Albania and Austria hold identical views on the crisis in the region. Press and Information Office of the President Tirana, 25.10.1993

The principle of accountability is an established concept in the life of democratic parties. It is an element that always brings individual responsibility within one’s section and, even more prominently, the responsibility of the section leader, all the way up to the party’s central leadership. Within the section, freedom has often been understood as having no limits, a freedom of subjectivity that has burdened its constructive spirit. First and foremost, accountability has been understood as a test of a party’s past, rather than as normal, democratic conduct for preserving the section’s constructive spirit. It is true that the DP spent three years of its life in a period that provided a new constructive example for itself and for society. It learned for itself and observed others; it organized its own expansion during a politically compressed period, but it still has many things to organize in its life. At its last National Council, the DP emphasized the need for self-correction, for correcting a phenomenon for which accountability is first and foremost necessary. This means that DP leaders, from the section upwards, should direct the work of the new elections toward rendering this account. It is true that DP section leaders have done extensive work and that conditions are evolving under other circumstances, influenced and determined by other factors. The fact that the DP will go there as a party in power and not as a new opposition, as happened in 1992, means that, in terms of organization, especially in the field, the DP will be guided by a spirit of realism and mutual accountability. Rural sections are often poorly organized. No party life takes place, dues are not paid, and the program is not well known. Likewise, many section leaders in these vast areas, where most Albanians live, have built their membership by bringing in people of culture, thought and intelligence. These party leaders must account to the section, and the section itself must take a firm stand toward them, since these people have often harmed DP politics in terms of its expansion, specifically in terms of winning over as many people as possible. Observations show that the section meets most often and discusses economic, political and administrative reform, which was quite justified for the period we have gone through. But it has given very little attention to the organizational aspects of the party, that is, of the section itself. In closing this note, we will emphasize that although the DP has a short, three-year history—which does not imply that a bureaucratic atmosphere can be created—accountability must be treated neither as excessive bureaucracy nor as a tendency toward opposition within the section. It is a modern undertaking in the life of every democratic party. MUJE BUÇPAPAJ …of awakening, of self-satisfaction in a phenomenon that first and foremost requires accountability. This means that the leaders of the PD, from the section level upward, should direct the work of the new elections toward providing this account. It is true that the leaders of the PD sections have carried out a great deal of work; it is true that these party workers made it possible, with historic passion, to contribute to the victory of March 22, 1992, and later to lead the PD toward major economic, political, administrative and institutional reforms. But this must not lead to political euphoria, an uncontrolled state of development that will cost a great deal in the future. Especially when it is said that the next elections will be he[?]...

We see Austria as a friendly country and wish for relations with it to continue to deepen. — The Chairman of the Presidium of the People’s Assembly, Pjetër Arbnori, received Austria’s Federal Minister of Defense, Fasslaband. — “We see Austria as a friendly country and wish for relations with it to continue to deepen,” said Arbnori, to Austria’s Federal Minister of Defense, Fasslaband. Assessing the assistance Austria had provided Albania over the past two years, Mr. Arbnori described Austria’s position on the situation in the Balkans as favorable and supportive toward Albania, as well as toward Albanians living in Kosovo and Macedonia. “You now have a stable democratic system and have achieved success in the economy,” said the senior Austrian official. Speaking about the tense situation in the Balkans, he stressed that it was essential to prevent the situation in the Balkans from deteriorating and that “Albania will have our support in always being a factor for stability in the region.” (ATSH)

On 24 October, a ceremony was held in the city of Korçë to inaugurate the 42nd Infantry Brigade. It coincided with the anniversary of the liberation of the city. The troops were drawn up in the “National Warrior” square, while thousands of residents of the city and surrounding villages watched the ceremony. The Minister of Defense, Safet Zhulali, and other senior military officials came to take part in the ceremony, as did Austria’s Federal Minister of Defense, Dr. Werner Fasslaband, and the other members of the Austrian delegation. The Minister of Defense, Zhulali, accompanied by the division commander, Colonel Shkëlqim Nure, reviewed the troops assembled for the occasion. At the rally organized for the occasion, Minister of Defense Safet Zhulali greeted those present. He stressed that it was necessary to restructure the army and return it to the barracks so that it would become more disciplined, better organized and stronger, and able to carry out the tasks required for national defense. He then outlined the main directions of future reform: modernization and better equipping of the army; expansion of military education and training; and establishing ties and cooperation with the armies of democratic NATO countries, the Western European Union and all countries that [text incomplete]. The participating troops of the Brigade were also greeted by Austria’s Federal Minister of Defense, Dr. Fasslaband, who, among other things, stressed that he was pleased to take part in this important ceremony and to see at close hand the people, their preparation and the quality of their training. “Austria,” he said, “is a friend of the Albanian people, ... Austrian. Colonel Shkëlqim Nure, reviewed the troops lined up for the occasion. At the rally organized on this occasion, Minister of Defense Safet Zhulali greeted those present on behalf of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Albania and the President, Sali Berisha. Among other things, he said that the ceremony marked the transfer of this brigade to the army’s new structure, which had been successfully completed in a short period of time, achieving one of the reform’s bold objectives. The Minister of Defense handed over the flag of the 42nd Infantry Brigade. This was followed by a ceremonial march-past of the troops of the 42nd Infantry Brigade. (ATSH)

One of ZP’s “analysts,” its Sunday observer, after referring to RD’s own position of 15 October 1993 regarding the press conference, concludes that “Selami ate his words” about the PS statement with PASOK. One of the “analysts” of ZP, its Sunday observer, after referring to RD’s own position of 15 October 1993 regarding the press conference, concludes that “Selami ate his words” about the PS statement with PASOK. For the amusement of readers, here is what follows. At his press conference on 14.10.1993, in response to a question from the ZP journalist, Mr. Ardian Myslimi: “You described the PS statement with PASOK as anti-national, anti-Albanian, etc. ... what is your opinion now?”, Mr. Eduard Selami replied: “It is true, I commented on the statement made by Fatos Nano, on behalf of the PS with PASOK, and I commented specifically on the part where, together with PASOK, he called for foreign intervention and the International Community to be removed from the region, for them to leave the region because the problems there are Balkan problems and the Balkan peoples can solve them themselves. I called this an anti-national statement and one contrary to the national policy of the Albanians, because the policy of the Albanians is that we want and have called for the presence of the International Community to resolve the conflict in the region. To call today for NATO, United Nations troops and other international troops to be removed from the conflict in the region is, in my view, directly in favor of the Serbian aggressors. So I have no intention of taking anything back. This has nothing at all to do with whether PASOK won or did not win the elections. That is a very small matter compared with the statement that was made. In this respect, I consider that statement extremely damaging to the national interests, and I have been—and continue to be—astonished that the rest of the PS has not distanced itself from it. I think this concerns not only Albania’s interests but also those of the region, because our view is that Serbia lies at the heart of the regional crisis: its military potential, its aggression, its ultranationalist policy. Any measure that eases the way for and helps Milošević and Karadžić and other representatives of Serbian extremism is destabilizing, because it means that the conflict and the war will continue. In this respect, I have no intention of changing anything in the statement I made, and once again I express my astonishment that the rest of the PS swallowed this, because I understand that Fatos was worried about the money over which he is being brought before the courts and could do anything, but the rest astonishes me by failing to react to such a position. This has nothing to do with a rigid nationalist stance; on the contrary, as I said, it is in the interests not only of Albania but of the region too, because we must acknowledge one thing: in Greece as well there are plans and circles that have openly pursued the nationalist, extremist policy of Serbia and Milošević, and this is one of the reasons we cannot come to an understanding with them, because we believe there must be a firm and clear position against aggression, against the current Serbian forces that are chiefly responsible for the crisis in the region. Finally, a word for you, observer. Next time, ask at the newsroom about the ZP newspapers that covered the conference before drawing conclusions that you seem to favor. I think Mr. Myslimi will have clarified the facts for you. Or, if you are so concerned, you are welcome at the PDSH press office, where you can see for yourself the superiority of recording devices over disinformation and dilettantism.”

[Beginning of article missing] ... the leadership of the DP. This is done according to the old scheme of the Serbian Chetniks, who (at least as an epic poem describes it), before facing our krishniks, would spew wine froth and clouds of smoke beneath the dark, misty Albanian skies. However, focusing only on this aspect of analyst Keko’s anger at Mr. Selami’s statement: First, the chairman of the DP is not at all to blame for the “blunders of the alliance”—the visit of the PAD to Belgrade, as President Rugova called it. Moreover, blame for Albanians continuing to be patriots and love their homeland, despite Keko’s and his superiors’ wishes. The chairman of the Democratic Party is not to blame for Keko’s Alliance, which has been left without a single member, without any credibility, without any political or national balance. Nevertheless, Deputy Keko seeks to launch an offensive of undeserved insults against the Democratic Party and its chairman, Selami. Keko forgets that what he says comes from an old model, an old Belgrade style, and that it will get him nowhere—least of all with the chairman of the PDSH. Mr. Eduard Selami belongs to the new generation of Albanian politicians. This accomplished intellectual found himself at the forefront of the student movement in December 1990, together with Prof. Berisha and Mr. Hajdari. You, Mr. Keko, would do well not to have forgotten that when the next generation of Albanians, in its early beginnings, was fully exploiting the support ... [text cut off] “Mercenaries are brave against friends, cowards toward enemies,” Kamya says in a philosophical treatise. And here I would pause, too, to expose this absurd, ninth-rate quagmire of Keko, and the immaturity with which he undertakes to analyze the statement by the chairman of the PDSH, Mr. Eduard Selami, when in fact he does nothing but reveal a ridiculous part of the old substratum of street language, and in reality possesses none of the logic of someone who should learn from the failure of his alliance. Mr. Keko, this great owner of filthy epithets in his article, tells Selami, in “His Political Career,” published in «Aleanca», dated October 24, 1993, that he takes it upon himself, with the sword sharpened by «Aleanca» in Belgrade at Milosheviçi’s, to demand a twof[?] from the chair- …and to this day, Mr. Selami is one of the most prominent figures of the PD. Mr. Selami, especially since taking over as head of the PD—with an absolute majority of votes—has devoted himself with particular passion and determination to organizing the PD, in order to build a party on the Western model. Perhaps one of the reasons for Keko’s resentment toward Mr. Selami is precisely the latter’s clear position on the national question. In particular, the dignified defense Mr. Selami has given to the Albanian cause in all the international forums he has attended, whether as chairman of the PD or as chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the People’s Council. As for calling your party leaders’ visit to Belgrade anti-national, Mr. Selami did not need to consult any analyst, since Albanians from Prishtina to Saranda have regarded it as such. It was the act of mercenaries sold to Belgrade. To me, mercenarism is now a historical and social phenomenon, and for the citizen it is a phenomenon described by the saying: “Mercenary troops are always ambitious, treacherous, brave against friends, cowardly toward enemies. They fear neither God nor have any honesty toward people.” It must also be said that going to Belgrade was not only an act of mercenaries but also an even more scandalous act against the homeland, against the young women who are laid low every day in Kosovo by bullets from the hosts of «Aleanca». Among other things, in his statement Mr. Selami appealed to your conscience to return to God’s path, to the path of your homeland, as your fellow countryman, in order to save yourselves from total crime. And you, Mr. Keko, cannot curse him for this humane conduct with that hooligan’s vocabulary—not at all—for someone who has made up his mind to accept the path of freedom and escape from crime?! M. B. and for the citizen it is the act of mercenaries but also a sin crime?!

Of approximately 45,000 apartments in total, as of now, 36,230 in the city of Tirana have been privatized, which means approximately 80 percent of them. Given this pace, Gëzim Kallecu, chairman of the commission for the privatization of state-owned apartments and deputy secretary of the Tirana Municipality, told ATSH that the process is expected to be completed by the end of next month. Nevertheless, the privatization of apartments also has its problems. In its latest analysis, the Municipal Council notes that a major obstacle to progress is the unsatisfactory pace of registering apartments in the land registry. Only 6,065 apartments have been registered so far, so the Municipal Council once again requested that the Central Commission intervene with the Ministry of Justice to better organize notarization and registration, which fall under that ministry. The Council also considered apartments with excess floor area, and the commission was asked to strengthen oversight both of those already privatized and of those still in the process. Cases involving apartments that will not be privatized were also reviewed—specifically, those of the Municipal Council—which will subsequently be submitted to the Council of Ministers for approval, in accordance with the law.