The Nano Case NANO’S LAWYERS BREAK THE LAW -After returning from Paris, Sanxhaku decided to take up the defense! -When summoned by Bendo, Sanxhaku refused to look at the file, calling that action illegal, but at the last hearing he asked for the file again. Isn’t this action illegal?! Nano gives his lawyers “the final advice” Photo: A. Babani Nano gives his lawyers “the final advice”; Photo: A. Babani

On the second day of his visit, President Berisha held talks with British Prime Minister John Major at Downing Street in London. For the first time, a high-ranking Albanian figure met with the Prime Minister of Britain. Mr. John Major came out to No. 10 Downing Street to receive Albanian President Sali Berisha and then held an hour of talks with him in his office. They spoke mainly about regional issues, including Kosovo and Macedonia. Mr. Major asked President Berisha to use his influence in the region positively. Speaking about sanctions against the former Yugoslavia, President Berisha called for the lifting of sanctions to be conditional on resolving the Kosovo issue. At the meeting with the British Prime Minister, the Albanian President also spoke about the rights of Albanians in Macedonia. Particular attention was also paid at the meeting to bilateral relations between Albania and Britain. Prime Minister John Major and President Berisha expressed the hope that trade relations would continue to improve. Since diplomatic relations were established in 1951, after a 50-year interruption, Albania and Britain have signed an agreement on transport and a memorandum of cooperation in the military field. The two countries are now preparing agreements on air services and tourism, as well as an agreement on the protection of investments. Yesterday President Berisha began the day with a visit to the memorial honoring distinguished figures of the British nation, where he also laid a wreath on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. At midday President Berisha was received for a private audience at Buckingham Palace by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth. This is the first time that an Albanian head of state has been honored with a private audience by Queen Elizabeth. Afterwards, for more than two hours, journalists from numerous media and press organizations asked President Berisha questions at a press conference. Today President Berisha will return to his homeland.

Tritan Shehu and MPs in the city of Erseke On Saturday morning, 26 March 1994, a large public gathering was held in the hall of the House of Soldiers in the city of Erseke. Among the hundreds of residents of Erseke and the surrounding villages attending the meeting were also the General Secretary of the Democratic Party, Mr. Tritan Shehu; Deputy Chairman Mr. Tomor Dosti; the Chairman of the Committee of Former Political Persecutees, Eduart Ypi; MPs Butka and Malaj; Mr. Idriz Xhomari, a director at the Ministry of Agriculture; and others. The meeting was opened by Mr. Taul Lala, Chairman of the DP branch in the Kolonje district. “It is a significant fact that you have made a major contribution throughout history and today to democracy,” Mr. Tritan Shehu said at the beginning of his speech. “This is also because your district was extremely persecuted by the communist regime. Your ‘freedom,’ your physical and spiritual ties with the world, were never severed. Your vote on 22 March showed this,” Mr. Shehu continued. “We are aware that we have many things to…” (Continued on page 4)

-Undisputed victory for the center-right -Berlusconi and “Forza Italia” are number one in Italian politics -Berlusconi: “There will be no compromise with the left” -An “enemy” opposition, or… -“The Second Republic,” a center-right republic Italy has experienced in recent days the most intense and fiercest electoral campaign since the postwar elections. The deep political crisis caused by the kickback scandal also shaped the harshness of this campaign. Italians wanted to “make a change” and went to the ballot boxes with that aim. But what did Italy’s political landscape look like in recent months? The kickback scandal and the emergence of the party at the far-right end of the Italian political spectrum. Meanwhile, especially in the south, the left, represented by Occhetto’s party, the Democratic Party of the Left, would achieve its greatest success in recent years. The political crisis continued to deepen; governments were unstable, people were dissatisfied, and the parties that had done well in local elections were demanding rapid political change. Then, at the height of this crisis, President Scalfaro dissolved Parliament and called new elections for 27 March. From that moment the fierce electoral campaign began. This time the opponents stood at two poles: right and left. Nevertheless, the first polls showed a clear advantage for the left. The leaders of these parties declared in advance that Italy would finally be governed by the left. At this point, just two months earlier, Silvio Berlusconi, the well-known Milanese business magnate, declared that he was leaving business and entering politics: “I cannot leave Italy in the destructive hands of the communists,” he declared. Later, in several debates, Berlusconi would fiercely attack those he called the Italian communists. The Milanese magnate immediately founded his party, “Forza Italia,” whose leading members were intellectuals from various fields who, as they themselves put it, were united by the aim of preventing communism in Italy. “Forza Italia” began to gain more and more ground, while attacks by the left on Berlusconi grew increasingly fierce. The left decided to enter the elections as a bloc and formed the Progressives’ Pole, which included the PDS (Democratic Party of the Left), PSI, Communist Refoundation, the Network, and the Greens. Under these circumstances, on the other side, Berlusconi decided to bring together the center-right. “Forza Italia” became the link joining Umberto Bossi’s Northern League and Fini’s National Alliance (MSI). The new grouping was called the Pole of Freedoms and also included the Christian Democratic Center and a group of candidates from the Pannella List. In this way, the main forces were grouped as the “Progressives” on the left, confident of victory, and the Pole of Freedoms on the center-right. Meanwhile, the center was represented by Martinazzoli’s Popular Party and Segni’s Pact for Italy, two parties that had emerged from the DC. On 27 and 28 March, Italians found themselves at the ballot boxes and… (Continued on page 4) Silvio Berluskomi Achille Occeto

The prosecution sought a 14-year prison sentence for F. Nano, while Sanxhaku asked for more than 20 days to do what he had not done until now: defend Nano. “Strangely,” and unexpectedly, Nano and his lawyers decided to put up a defense. Until now, their position had been different. One hearing earlier, A. Tirana announced (after “ZP” had reported it) that they would defend themselves in the court of appeal, but then “unexpectedly” Sanxhaku announced that they would defend themselves starting today. This “surprise” came after Sanxhaku’s return from the Inter-Parliamentary Union in Paris. “ZP” had made a great commotion by equating 20 March, the day the Union was to meet, with Nano’s deadline. What was said and done at the Inter-Parliamentary Union is known to those who took part. For “ZP,” after the Assembly’s proceedings, only five lines had been written, stressing that parliamentarians had taken a “great interest” in the Nano case. In any case, those five lines contained no “decision” for Nano’s immediate release. Meanwhile, after returning from Paris, Sanxhaku decided to change his position up to that point and defend Nano, but… asked to examine the case file. With this request, Sanxhaku is trying to cover up his previous bluff, but perhaps in his haste he is making another one. By “asking” to “examine” the file, he is also seeking to make known “once again” the alleged violations committed, but this is where his bluff was exposed. The presiding judge rejected this unlawful request and once again clarified his position and that of the defense. It is now clear that, of all the defense lawyers, only Nano’s lawyers refused to appear in court and inspect the file after being notified by the presiding judge. Thus, during the two weeks the file was at the court before the trial began, Nano’s lawyers did not bother to look at it. Why they acted this way has been said several times: so they could stand up and protest that procedures had been violated and that they had not been allowed to familiarize themselves with the file. At the last hearing, faced with these facts, Sanxhaku replied to Mr. Bendo that they had not appeared in court because they considered it unlawful to examine the file at the court. Mr. Bendo quite rightly asked whether such an action was not unlawful now. Of course, Sanxhaku could not answer this question, at least not logically, since he is caught whichever way he turns. If, in Sanxhaku’s view, examining the file at the court was unlawful, then why is he now asking to examine it? When the presiding judge himself asked them to appear in court to inspect the file, the action was unlawful; now that all stages of the trial have passed, are Sanxhaku’s requests perhaps lawful? It seems that the trip to Paris made Sanxhaku change his concept of the law somewhat, but their many bluffs could not wait for these changes to take place. Nano tried to change the mentality of Albanians who “did not understand Europe,” but it seems Europe forced Nano to change his own mentality. It seems that at last Nano understood that Europe cannot act as lawyer for those who have sunk into the mire of crime. In any case, at last, after hearing the defenders’ complaints, we will have the opportunity to hear Nano’s “defense arguments,” although Sanxhaku has declared that they “will attack.” If they “attack” with the “arguments” they have used so far, they will surely “be” convincing. EDI PALOKA Photo: A. Bahani

-Press conference by Bulgarian Foreign Minister Stanislav Daskallov- During his official visit to Albania, Bulgarian Foreign Minister Daskallov met and held talks with Foreign Minister Serreqi, Prime Minister Meksi, the Chairman of the Presidium of the People’s Assembly, Mr. Arborni, and the Chairman of the People’s Assembly Committee on Foreign Affairs, Mr. Selami. After these talks and discussions in one of the halls of the Palace of Congresses in the capital, Daskallov and Mr. Serreqi held a press conference. He was accompanied by [text unclear] for the journalists. He was accompanied by the Bulgarian Foreign Minister and Mr. Alfred Serreqi. We highlight the following from the press conference: SERREQI: Albanian-Bulgarian relations have seen quite positive developments. During this visit, together with the Bulgarian delegation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, we discussed bilateral relations, with the aim of developing them in our mutual interest. We also discussed the crisis in the former Yugoslavia and the process of integrating countries into European and international organizations. In conclusion, Mr. Serreqi stressed that Albania and Bulgaria have every opportunity to make their relations a model for the whole region. DASKALLOV: The visit was very useful for expanding cooperation between the two countries in all fields. At present there are no outstanding issues between Albania and Bulgaria that could hinder these developments. Good relations between us are not only in the interests of both countries but also of our entire region. It is our duty to meet more often at various levels, even at expert level. In any case, an ongoing dialogue is being maintained and it will be given concrete form. (Continued on page 4)

In just the last three weeks, 120 new members have joined the DP branch in Vlore.

The delegation of the PDSH Youth Forum in Strasbourg