—Interview with President Berisha after his return from Brussels— Question: During your stay in Brussels, you met with well-known figures such as Mr Zhak Delor and Mr Egon Klepsh. What was the subject of your discussions with these personalities? With Mr Zhak Delor, President of the Commission of the European Union, and Mr Egon Klepsh of the European Parliament, who had fond memories of his visit to Albania and followed developments in our country with great attention. I asked Mr Klepsh for the European Parliament to show even greater interest in the situation of Albanians in the former Yugoslavia, particularly in Kosovo, where they experienced a genuine apartheid. Albania’s economic development and relations with neighbouring countries were also topics of my discussions with Mr Egon Klepsh. Question: You delivered a speech to the European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee. What were the fundamental issues you presented? I gave an overview of the development of reforms in Albania in the economic, political, institutional and legislative fields. I stressed that the changes Albania has undergone in a period of time provide a strong basis for the irreversibility of the processes and all developments in Albania. Among these developments, I believe the major changes in Albanian legislation and respect for human rights are spectacular changes. I also spoke about the situation in the region and Kosovo. There were many questions from European parliamentarians, who showed great interest in Albania. There was also a question about former Prime Minister Nano. It became clear that they did not have accurate information; they did not know that there were three court decisions upholding the detention order. In any case, I assured them that there would be an open trial, in full compliance with the Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms. Question: Mr President, according to the information we have, you met with the King and Prime Minister of Belgium? During my stay in Brussels, I had a private audience with His Majesty King Albert and a working meeting with Prime Minister Deane. I would say that these were very open and cordial meetings. We discussed the development of bilateral relations. At these meetings, I insisted that Belgium include Albania in all Mediterranean projects. The situation in the region also occupied a special place in both meetings. I asked Belgium and its government to help Albania in international institutions with the integration process. Here too, I found full understanding and great personal interest in Albania, as well as a willingness to help us. I think these meetings will give impetus to the development of bilateral relations between Albania and Belgium. Belgium’s Foreign Minister is expected to visit Albania in the near future. This visit will broaden and give more concrete form to relations and cooperation between our two countries, and will further increase Belgium’s commitment to helping Albania join the Council of Europe and in other areas.

—The signing of the “Partnership for Peace” agreement—a significant event for the entire nation After the signing yesterday in Brussels of the “Partnership for Peace” agreement, the President of the Republic, Sali Berisha, received a telegram from the chairman of the Party for Democratic Prosperity, Arben Xhaferi, who, on behalf of all PPD members, expressed his heartfelt congratulations on this very important event. “With the signing of the ‘Partnership for Peace’ agreement,” the telegram says, “the process of fulfilling the traditional aspirations of the Albanians begins; it demonstrates the results of the sound policy you are leading, and of the democracy that will return Albania to the path laid out by our national renaissance figures. “By including Albania in this project, due recognition is given to the constructive policy of the Albanians at this time of great challenges and tension. With this agreement, Albania and the entire Albanian people gain the strength of a stabilizing factor in the region,” the telegram concludes. Similar telegrams from the PPD chairman were also received by the Chairman of the Presidium of the People’s Assembly, Pjeter Arbnori, the Prime Minister, Aleksander Meksi, and the chairman of the Democratic Party, Eduard Selami. ATSH

. Yesterday at 9:00 in the morning, the first public hearing began at the Tirana court against the two “KJ” journalists Aleksander Frangaj and Martin Leka, as well as officers Romeo Liçi and Bashkim Feta, on the joint charge of disclosing state secrets, and, separately, Martin Leka on a charge of defamation. The hearing was presided over by Arben Ristani, chairman, with Maks Shauapi and Anila Kristani as members. The prosecution was represented by prosecutor Ardian Leka. The “KJ” journalists were defended by lawyers Tirana and Pellumbi. It is worth noting that during the hearing the defendant Romeo Liçi partially admitted the charge, while the other three defendants—Bashkim Feta and the “KJ” journalists Frangaj and Leka—denied it. The next hearing will open today at 9:00 in the morning. “RD” correspondent

I consider Albania’s signing of the Partnership for Peace a very important moment in the process of its integration into NATO and Western international institutions. I think Albania, as the former communist country that was the first to seek NATO membership, and as a country that stood fully on the side of NATO and the allied forces during the days of the ultimatum, has clearly demonstrated and continues to demonstrate that it hopes and believes in the Partnership for Peace as an active, dynamic process through which our armed forces will be fully equipped and Albania will become one of the members of the North Atlantic Alliance. I can say that in this regard Albania’s major progress in reforms and the absence of psychological barriers that still seem to exist elsewhere give Albania a special place in the Partnership Agreement. I say this because the Albanians, who in the 1960s were the first to break away from the Warsaw Pact, saw NATO as a reliable ally that would defend them if they were attacked by the Warsaw Pact, as happened with Czechia and the Warsaw Pact. It is precisely this factor that has influenced Hungary, the saviour state, [text unclear] Albania’s fragility in NATO cooperation with Brussels [text unclear]. The position I took was very fruitful; I held a very fruitful meeting with NATO Secretary General Manfred Werner. I am pleased to note that our views on developments in the region are the same. We also discussed further expanding Albania’s cooperation with NATO. What was the subject of your discussions with this representative personality? European Union, we discussed at length Albania’s relations with the European Union and the situation in the region. I can say that by treating Albania as a special case, the EU has played an exceptionally important role in overcoming the difficulties of the transition period. I personally thanked Mr Delor for the considerable assistance he has provided to Albania by establishing the concept of Albania as a special case within the EU, and explained to him that, as a result of this assistance, Albania has now emerged from dependence on humanitarian aid and is seeking EU assistance to build its infrastructure, the lack of which sets Albania apart from other European countries. Mr Delor assured me that he personally and the EU Commission would help Albania build its infrastructure. He showed great interest in the road corridors Albania is interested in: the East–West corridor, Durres–Shkup–Sofje and Istanbul, which is an integrating corridor, although [text unclear] the Korçe–Follorine–Selanik corridor, and the South–North corridor, Janine–Durres–Hani i Hotit. Mr Delor told me that Albania would benefit from the new concepts he has set out in his White Paper on the Europe of the coming years, in which the development of modern infrastructure is declared the top priority for speeding up the integration process and, at the same time, creating new jobs. At the meeting with Mr Delor, On this occasion, as at the North Atlantic Council, I expressed our view that the partition of Bosnia is a solution that offers no happy prospect, and I also insisted that the issue of Kosovo be placed on the agenda. I stressed that the Balkan crisis cannot be resolved without resolving this issue. I think I found understanding with Mr Delor regarding the great importance of the Kosovo problem. I discussed these issues at length with the chairman of the… Question: Mr President, what is the significance of the “Partnership for Peace” agreement that you signed in Brussels?

—Also in place of a reply to “ZP”— At the Ministry of Labour, Emigration and Social Support, we learned that: Following several recent disruptions in the provision of economic assistance by local government bodies, yesterday we made inquiries at the Economic Assistance Directorate of the Ministry of Labour, Emigration and Social Support, where we learned that: The full or partial economic assistance to which families with no or little income are entitled under the law will continue to be provided regularly. If there have been some adjustments in the current year, this is because changes were made to the relevant law. For this reason, all economic assistance offices had been instructed to provide assistance only to families entitled to full economic assistance until they had familiarized themselves with the new law. The other families would receive it the following month, once the offices had become familiar with the law. Thus, for example, the Municipality of Tirana was given only 14 million lek for January, whereas it should have been given approximately 23 million. This municipality will receive the difference from the total amount together with the allocation for February. So, for February, this municipality will be allocated around 32 million lek. Studies carried out by this ministry have shown that 33 percent of the economic assistance fund for Tirana has been misused; nevertheless, the ministry has made a 20 percent reduction compared with last year. The economic assistance offices in Tirana’s administrative neighborhoods are responsible for verifying the lists so as to fully validate the families that will benefit from this assistance. ZEF LLESHI An illustration for ZP’s article “Shqiperia e radhleve”

Kuçove—260 new members have joined the DP in Kuçove just recently, 36 of them intellectuals. Sarande—During January, 84 new members joined. Mallakaster—From 16 to 23 February, a total of 98 new members were admitted to the Democratic Party in Mallakaster.

—The factors on which it has been drawn up— The draft budget is awaiting presentation to Parliament any day now. Deputies will express their views on it, and ultimately their vote will either approve it or send it back for revision. 46.165 million lekë—that is the planned revenue for the 1994 budget. In this aggregate figure, the tax directorate is undoubtedly expected to make the largest contribution. Its share in this process is planned at around 50%. The remainder has been “entrusted” to taxes, 9,245 million lekë; non-tax revenue, 1,412 million lekë; and social insurance, 6.278 lekë. Total expenditure, meanwhile, is planned at 72,940 million lekë. A review of the expenditure structure shows that the budget revenue is allocated to current expenditure amounting to 57,910 million lekë. Other items of expenditure in the draft budget are: bank interest, 5,272 million lekë; operating expenses, 9,335 million lekë; subsidies, 2,943 million lekë; social insurance, 10,925 million lekë; other, 15,151 million lekë; ARN, 1,284 million lekë; critical imports, 4,955 million lekë; investments, 13,551 million lekë. Thus, the state budget will continue to run a deficit in 1994. But an optimistic sign and a reflection of the significant positive economic developments of 1993, as well as forecasts that they will advance during ’94, is the fact that this deficit is on a downward curve. Thus, whereas in 1991 this deficit stood at 92.93,94, the deficit for the respective years is 17.4%, 11.3% and 8.0%. In 1994, too, this budget deficit will continue to be kept at levels that are not too worrying. (Continued on page 2)