The People’s Assembly approved the laws: “On the dissolution and establishment of several ministries” “On Albanian civil aviation” The work programme of the People’s Assembly for the period 30 November–29 December 1994 was also discussed and approved. NDËRGJINI 1- At the beginning of yesterday’s plenary session, the People’s Assembly approved the work programme for the period November–29 December 1994. Regarding this programme, the Presidium of the People’s Assembly, Arbnori, stated that it had been approved by consensus by all parliamentary parties. Various deputies made several proposals to add to the work programme for this period. A number of other draft laws will be submitted for consideration and approval, and question sessions or reports by parliamentary committees on various issues will also be held. The deputy requested that the report of the committee on parliamentary reform be brought before Parliament as soon as possible, together with the obligations arising from the blocked assets, as well as the proposal for the administrative law; “On the denunciation of the international treaties on trade and navigation between the Republic of Albania and the USSR,” and the decree “On compulsory schooling.” The draft law on an amendment to the Finance Law will also be considered. 2- After approving this work programme, the People’s Assembly proceeded with its work by considering and approving the draft law “On Albanian civil aviation.” During various parliamentary reports. The deputy ... requested that the report of the relevant parliamentary commission on ... the destruction ... Pogradec ... demands ... for the verification of politicians’ assets ... to be presented before parliament. ... to come for the draft budget ... Mr Arb... considered these proposals, ... within this ... timeframe ... the program ... it is impossible ... to achieve ... therefore ... This program ... After ... the program ... the People’s Assembly ... to consider ... these ... of the Republic ... ‘The Draft Law ... of Albania ... Criminal Procedure ...’ ... added, several decrees ...

STATEMENT OF THE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF ALBANIA It appreciates the position of the member countries of the European Union and thanks all those countries that never agreed with the veto blocking the balance-of-payments assistance to Albania. At the same time, the Albanian Government assures all member countries of the European Union that it has been and remains fully committed to respecting all signed agreements, pursuing a market policy and the rule of law, and achieving the country’s integration into the European Union, attaching particular importance in this process to relations and cooperation with our neighbours. The Albanian Government also emphasizes that it is open and committed to dialogue with the Greek government, and that the current difficulties in Albania–Greece relations can be overcome through mutual goodwill. An encouraging factor in this regard is the assistance provided by the willingness of both sides.

As previously reported, at the invitation of the General Secretariat of the German Christian Democratic Union (CDU), Mr. Pjetër Hinze, the chairman of the PDSH, Mr. Eduard Selami, took part in the party’s congress. During his stay in Germany, PD leader Selami held separate meetings with prominent German political figures, including the president of parliament, Rita Sismuth; CDU Secretary-General Mr. Hinze; the minister of state in Mr. Kohl’s cabinet, Mr. Shmidbauer; former President of the Federal Republic of Germany Rikard fon Vajceger; and the president of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, Mr. Languth. During these meetings, Selami and his interlocutors exchanged views in an open spirit and expressed mutual appreciation for Germany’s support for democratic processes in Albania, the need to further increase assistance and economic cooperation, and the political situation in both countries and more broadly. They called for increased and intensified contacts between Albania and Germany, and between the CDU and PDSH, at all levels. During the meetings, PDSH Chairman Selami was accompanied by our Ambassador to Germany, Xhezair Zaganjori. The chairman of the Democratic Party returns to his homeland tomorrow. PDSH Spokesperson SOKOL BALLA

Today all savings banks, in cooperation with the Committee for Former Political Persecutees, will begin cash payments to those convicted and persecuted politically by the communist regime. The first instalment for all categories of persecutees entitled to cash payments under the decision of the Council of Ministers will be 50 thousand new lekë.

At the invitation of the Prime Minister of Croatia, Mr. Nikica Valentic, from 1 to 2 December Prime Minister Aleksander Meksi will make an official working visit to Zagreb. Prime Minister Meksi will be received by the country’s highest-ranking figures and will hold talks with them to exchange views on giving further impetus to bilateral relations in the fields of the economy, politics, education, transport, culture, etc. Several agreements in the fields of finance, transport and education are expected to be signed during this visit. During his stay in Zagreb, Mr. Meksi will also meet with Albanians residing in Croatia.

The program of draft laws to be reviewed during this period also includes a series of other draft laws, such as those on sponsorships, social assistance and care, the Labor Code, etc. This program also includes interpellations with the Minister of Defense, the Minister of Public Order, the Minister of Culture, and a question session with the Minister. During the discussion of this draft law, various deputies took the floor, speaking highly of its importance and noting that it had been drafted as an urgent necessity for organizing and directing the administration of civil aviation in accordance with international standards. This draft law assigns the General Directorate of (Continued on page 2)

According to Albanian Television, Albanian refugees from Greece are continually being returned at the Kapshtica border crossing; in most cases they have been mistreated and are often transported in military vehicles. On November 22, 1994, about 45 refugees brought in a military vehicle were returned at this border crossing. Under the control of Greek soldiers, they had been lying piled on top of one another all day. As a result, 16-year-old Altin Faik Dedrovo from Elbasan died at Kapshtica. Having previously been mistreated by Greek soldiers, his body had lain beneath the other refugees throughout the journey. In addition to him, four other Albanian citizens in serious condition were urgently taken from Kapshtica to the Korçë hospital for the same reason. A considerable number of Albanians who have been issued Greek visas by the Greek embassy in Tirana are turned back on the pretext that the Greek police computer does not recognize the Greek visas issued by the Greek embassy in Tirana. Editor’s Note Such barbarity as in the case described above would be inconceivable even in a state of war between the two countries. Could it possibly serve to improve the climate in relations between the countries? (Continued on page 2)

A favorable climate for the development of Albanian-Croatian relations can currently be observed. At present, a favorable climate for the development of Albanian-Croatian relations can be observed. Now, more than two years after diplomatic relations were established, the mutual sympathy of the two peoples has been accompanied by concrete cooperation between the two countries in various fields. In particular, after President Berisha’s visit to Croatia in May 1993, a fundamental improvement in Croatian-Albanian relations was noted. Increasingly, senior Croatian officials are describing these relations as exemplary. During the Albanian President’s visit, an agreement on economic cooperation, an agreement on the mutual protection and promotion of foreign investments, and a protocol on cooperation in the field of transport were signed. Tirana and Zagreb are connected by air routes, while Durrës and Rijeka are connected by a ferry route. Another important moment in relations between the two countries is the visit of Prime Minister Meksi, who Meksi will be received by and hold talks with the highest-ranking figures of this country, with whom he will exchange views in order to give a new impetus to (Continued on page 2)

… according to the way of ... the criminalization ... the Nazi-fascists ... gathered at the Academy ... arrests... of the Committee ... ... Haxhi Lleshi ... as “ZP” writes ... ... “Hoxha” ... “E. Hoxha” ... of the PS ... E. Hoxha. It portrays [it] in a “modern” form: “Amid the enthusiasm of those present, the deputy chairman of the PS took the floor ...” Strangely, “ZP” ... mentions in its report ... “the legendary commander.” In any case, ZP writes that the deputy chairman of the PS spoke very well among the nostalgics. Surely he had plenty to say to them during the “celebration.” Is the deputy chairman of the PS not the analyst and evaluator of the dictatorship of the proletariat? EKLEN PASI

At the time of the great political upheavals in Albania, when the PD won a majority of seats in Parliament at the end of March 1992, before even a week had passed since this political spring turning point—which would close a long chapter of Albanian life under the Dictatorship—the self-proclaimed Socialist Party, at a congress of phantoms, a Party that had once brought everything to ruin “out of spite” toward the democrats who would take power, announced its demand for early elections, as if it had not been precisely those who had been forced to accept the announcement of this demand by the PD and other democratic forces on the eve of the March 22 elections. This is where the relationship of political grotesquerie would begin, and ... a political force which, no longer able to dictate the course of Albanian political life, deeply implicated in the recent past, especially in the two years of the tightening of the communist iron curtain after the events of December, was trying to pursue a strategy of destructiveness and confrontation in order gradually to revive nostalgia for the dictatorship. The Democratic Party, as a political force, in addition to urgent problems and the inherited problems of the transition, thus had to confront this anti-democratic strategy as well, these phantasmagorical rebellions by the “stubborn” politburo members of yesteryear. The PS, having no progressive alternative, usurped by a handful of irresponsible people, surrogates for the old pyramid of communist Cheops, enticed by a (Continued on page 2)

According to Radio “Voice of America” From Gjirokastra, Gez im Basha The well-known reality of temporary Albanian emigration, mainly to Greece, has meant that the attitude of the Greek customs authorities toward them also reflects the Greek government’s disposition regarding the level of bilateral relations. On this basis, observers said that Albanian-Greek relations show no sign of improvement as long as Albanian citizens are denied entry into Greece, even though they hold visas issued by the Greek consular authorities themselves. The daily scene at the Kakavijë customs post is the gathering of people turned back with passports that are disregarded; in many cases, crossing is suspended on the grounds that the visa-verification computer has broken down. A more liberal attitude is shown toward Albanian citizens of Greek origin, whose visas the authorities (Continued on page 2)

At the beginning and yesterday’s “Demokraciii” ... “fascism” ... “kondatism” ... The Road ... “ZP” ... It could not be made any clearer or more explicit than this. Anyone who has eyes to ... read ... where ... there is nothing but ... some ... E. Hoxha. Note the context in which the pronoun “your” is used (the existence of classes and antagonistic contradictions), or the object “sht” (form, without moral value). Phrases such as “as they have been” ... “The money...” “we will return to it...” ... On the road you find ... ... “The money...” ... ...

The Court of Appeal’s decision remains in force A court hearing concerning Ramiz Alia, the last former leader of the communist regime, and other former senior officials of that regime was held yesterday at the Court of Cassation. They had filed appeals with this court against the decisions of the Court of Appeal and the Tirana District Court, where they had been sentenced to 4–8 years’ imprisonment. They are charged with abuse of office in collaboration, resulting in the violation of fundamental human rights and citizens’ fundamental rights, as well as with violating citizens’ equality in collaboration. The hearing was conducted by a panel chaired by the President of the Court of Cassation, Zel Brozi, with Gami Dizdari as prosecutor. The case rapporteur, Zef Nika, presented an overview of the appeals filed by the defendants and the arguments of each of them. The floor was then given to the lawyers. They called the decisions and sentences handed down in the first two levels of the trial unfounded and unlawful, and asked that the defendants be acquitted. In particular, lawyer Kleanthi Koci called it political (Continued on page 2)

PAGE 2 - THE CHAIRMAN OF THE DISTRICT COUNCIL, MR. VLADIMIR KELLO, IS DISMISSED PAGE 3 - TIRANA: “NO LIGHTS” — THE REFRAIN OF EVERY WINTER PAGE 4 - COMMERCIAL BANKS SHOULD PROVIDE MORE CREDIT PAGE 5 - WHO IS ENTITLED TO A SPECIAL PENSION AS A MILITARY PERSON? PAGE 6 - THREE NOVELLAS BY KASEM TREBESHINA PAGE 7 - ADVERTISING FOR YOU PAGE 8 - NEWS FROM THE WORLD

“On the dissolution and establishment of several ministries,” with the following provisions: ARTICLE 1 The following shall be dissolved: 1. Ministry of Construction, Housing and Territorial Planning. 2. Ministry of Tourism. 3. Ministry of Public Order. 4. Ministry of Labour, Emigration and Social Support. 5. Ministry of Transport. 6. Ministry of Industry and Trade. 7. Committee for Former Political Persecutees. ARTICLE 2: The following shall be established: 1. Ministry of Construction and Tourism. Ministry of Labour, Emigration, Social Support and Former Political Persecutees. ARTICLE 3 This law shall enter into force immediately.