BLEDI KASMI The adoption by the UN General Assembly of the resolution on the human rights situation in Kosovo demonstrates another success for Albanian diplomacy, for which resolving the national question has been and remains a primary objective. With the victory of democracy in Albania, the way has been opened for diplomacy to work toward resolving the Kosovo problem. This is the first time that the highest political body of the United Nations has adopted a resolution on Kosovo, signaling the internationalization of the key issue for all Albanians and an end to the long silence. The adoption of this resolution by 114 votes in favor, 2 against and 40 abstentions demonstrates the support and special interest these countries have in resolving the Kosovo problem, as well as their backing for the just and peaceful path being pursued to achieve this by the President of the Republic of Albania, Sali Berisha, and the President of the Republic of Kosovo, Ibrahim Rugova. The resolution strongly condemns the measures and practices of discrimination and violations of the human rights of ethnic Albanians in Kosovo, carried out by the authorities of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro). It calls for an end to human rights violations and the repeal of all discriminatory legislation, and for democratic institutions to be established in Kosovo, including a parliament and a judiciary. The resolution calls on the UN Secretary-General to find the means and methods, through consultations with the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, to establish an international monitoring presence in Kosovo. It asks the UN Secretary-General to report on this to the General Assembly. This resolution is a concrete expression of the struggle of the Albanian people of Kosovo to preserve their identity in the face of the violence and repression used by the Serbian occupier. It is an important step toward resolving the Kosovo problem, which is an open wound for all Albanians.

– We all have one God! That is where everything begins – – Those who still hold communist ideas today are the ones who want to have again the power they had when the Communist Party was in power. – Special congratulations on this occasion to the President of our Republic, who was pleased and expressed his satisfaction at my appointment, and who is guiding this country with such strong determination in this very difficult time we are going through – (Exclusive interview for “RD” with His Eminence Cardinal Mikel Koliqi, given to our correspondent in Shkodër, Ilir Seci) – We all have one God! That is where everything begins – – Those who still hold communist ideas today are the ones who want to have again the power they had when the Communist Party was in power. – Special congratulations on this occasion to the President of our Republic, who was pleased and expressed his satisfaction at my appointment, and who is guiding this country with such strong determination in this very difficult time we are going through – (Exclusive interview for “RD” with His Eminence Cardinal Mikel Koliqi, given to our correspondent in Shkodër, Ilir Seci) 1. Your Eminence, how are you experiencing this Christmas as the first Albanian Cardinal? – The appointment itself was an extraordinary thing. Naturally, when the holidays come, bringing joy to the whole people, I too will take part in this celebration, asking God to return to us those graces and blessings sent for the well-being of this people. I will try to do this so that the efforts and suffering we have endured do not go to waste, but serve the progress and well-being of all Albania, without distinctions of religion, social class or anything else. 2. Your Eminence, you said “without distinction of religion.” What message do you send to all the Albanian people on the occasion of Christmas? – Every religion has its own expressions, spiritual and social perspectives, but young believers have grown up only with the elements they received in the schools of that time, namely Marxism-Leninism and the other consequences of that ideology. At that time, the press condemned every effort toward the progress of the world, not only in religious matters but also in social ones. We knew those aims of the communists to be evil; those aims remained the same later, too. We can read this incompletely in the lower part of the cut-off article. Later, too, in their wickedness, they were against human progress because they divided the world, splitting it into “the good,” who were the communists themselves, and “the bad,” those who opposed them. They made such a great and dishonest distinction that it is impossible to judge it. Do they defend their communist ideology today? Not with arguments! the Communist Party was in power. I have faith that the youth will advance this country; we are seeing them grow, and that gives us hope. 4. Your Eminence, what wishes would you convey on this occasion? – To everyone, my wish is that God help us and bless us… for the well-being of all Albania, without distinctions of religion, social status or any other kind. message do you send to the entire Albanian people on the occasion of Christmas? — Every religion has its own expressions, spiritual views and social views, but a believer of any religion can get along well with any other believer who does not share their religion. Why? Because we all have one God! That is the beginning of everything. Therefore, for us, one God means that Christians should understand one another, get along with each other, love one another and strive for one another’s good. That is why we are together. 3. Your Eminence, do you believe that Albanian youth will attain the faith in God that existed before the establishment of communism? — To tell the truth, things are moving rather slowly in this regard, from this point of view. This is because young people are not accustomed to the teachings that we once gave for the revival of religious faith; these... Long live Albania! Long live the unity of all our people! Long live the progress that lies ahead, especially through the rising generation! Many happy returns to everyone!

– From the joint meeting of the PD parliamentary group and government members – Yesterday, the PD parliamentary group, in a joint meeting with members of the government, reviewed the country’s severe energy situation and discussed the urgent needs and possible solutions to this situation. At the beginning, the members of parliament put a series of questions to the Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy, Mr Abdyl Xhaja, and the director of KESH, Mr Fation Tugu, concerning the causes of this situation. In his answers, Minister Xhaja said that the situation had been unavoidable. He explained it in connection with factors including the decrease in water inflows, below every forecast level, as well as damage to the network resulting from the heavy load. Among the factors that could improve the situation, Minister Xhaja also mentioned the alternative of heating the population with kerosene. This is entirely possible, he said, because we have kerosene reserves: besides producing a considerable amount ourselves, we have also imported quantities that cover all the population’s needs, but distribution to the districts is where this problem falls short. In the electricity network, Minister Xhaja emphasized, over the last two years… [text continues in the cut-off section] …God, in all our efforts for the progress of this people. The first and most necessary wish is that we be united, that we do not return to the divisions we once had, that we do not pursue personal interests or our own individual views, but look to the good of the people and the good of the nation. Then God will help us; then prosperity and understanding will carry weight. Best wishes, best wishes to everyone! [text continues in the cut-off section] In his speech on this occasion, the chairman of the PD, Mr Eduard Selami, taking a critical stance toward the work of this ministry, said that the creation of this severe energy situation was unjustifiable and resulted from the lack of a strategy in this field. Mr Selami said that we should be concerned not only with the present but also with the prospects for resolving this situation, and that it cannot be resolved without a clearly defined platform, without a strategy. “Minister Xhaja should have presented these concerns and uncertainties here to us in Parliament some time ago,” said Mr Selami. “Indeed, he should also have presented a strategy for progress in this vital field, namely electricity. This is also because, as the PD, our party program includes solving the population’s problems with energy and drinking water.” Afterwards, MP Bashkim Kopliku spoke about the need to privatize this sector of the economy as quickly as possible, saying that this would be the optimal solution. In his remarks, MP Roland Tafili said that keeping this sector operational [continues outside the frame]. the foremost and most essential thing, that we have achieved unity, that we do not return to some interests but meet all the needs of the population; however, this issue is faltering in its distribution to the districts. Regarding the electricity network, Minister Xhaja emphasized that in recent years more has been invested than in the preceding ten years combined. The Italian government alone, he said, invested 6.5 billion lire last year to improve the capital’s energy system. The population’s use of electricity for heating and cooking, the “industry” of kiosks on the one hand, and the failure to collect taxes from up to 30% of all consumers have led to the worsening of the situation, Minister Xhaja said. KESH Director Fatjon Tugu presented many figures and facts concerning the strategy of the department he heads for importing and exporting electricity, and also pointed out the fact that... unity, that we do not return to some

– President Berisha receives leaders of the Association of Former Political Prisoners – At the request of the Association of Former Political Prisoners, the President of the Republic met with the association’s leaders, Messrs Engjell Kokoshi, Fatbardh Kupi, Reshat Kruja and Leka Dosti. The meeting discussed many issues of concern to the Association of Former Political Prisoners, particularly securities and their use in the privatization process, pensions, and the installment of the money promised and provided for in the budget. The association’s leaders asked the President for the State Audit to become involved at every level where they believe corruption has occurred, such as in the allocation of apartments and the issuing of certificates, not only in the capital but also in the districts. President Berisha assured them that he would insist that the Government continue its efforts to resolve the requests they had submitted. Regarding the securities, he said: “In privatizations in general, and in large enterprises in particular, priority will be given to former political prisoners, after former landowners. Therefore, the President said, they should not agree to sell the securities at a devalued price, because they will soon find use for them as holders.” Press and Information Office of the President

Yesterday in the People’s Assembly The People’s Assembly’s Commission on Culture and Public Information continued its constructive debate on the most pressing and current issues concerning the activities of RTSH. All members of the Commission highlighted the achievements of this important national institution, while also emphasizing serious shortcomings in its management and work organization—deficiencies that prevent RTSH from becoming a national information and cultural institution that is as independent and democratic as possible. At the end of the meeting, the Commission unanimously voted to submit to the People’s Assembly an amendment proposing a change to the law “On the Status of RTSH” and to submit to the People’s Assembly for approval the Commission’s decision to dismiss the RTSH Governing Council. (Continued on page 2)

The trial of the “Arsidi” case will begin on 29 December in the Tirana District Court. in the Tirana District Court. The defendants’ bench will be occupied by the former governor of the Albanian Bank, Ilir Hoti; former Prime Minister Vilson Ahmeti; former director of the Commercial Bank, Ardian Xhyheri; and former bank employees Agim Tartari and Agron Salihu. They are charged with misappropriating state property, an offense provided for under Article 62 of the Penal Code. According to the charge, the defendants, acting in collusion with one another and through French citizen Nikolla Arsidi, misappropriated the sum of USD 1.6 million, while the attempted misappropriation of USD 1.2 million remained unsuccessful. It has also been announced that the composition of the judicial panel has been decided. It will be chaired by judge Andi Çeliku, while prosecutor Genc Gjokutaj will conduct the prosecution. ZHANETA LAZRI

Prime Minister Aleksander Meksi comments A few days ago, the Academy of Sciences became the subject of discussion and accusations in the opposition press, prompted by a letter from 16 former members of the Academy of Sciences, published prominently in the newspaper “ZP”. Rather than expressing concern about the Academy’s work, the 16 were more concerned with expressing their opinion about the effectiveness of its functioning—or lack of functioning—and were troubled by the non-functioning of the former Assembly of the Academy of Sciences, as well as other matters. They were members of that Assembly. They regarded its non-functioning as “the destruction of the Academy,” which, they claimed, had resulted from inaccuracies in the selection of members of the Academy of Sciences and from the Kosovo [??]. In particular, they do not hesitate to accuse the state of making the Academy subject to its orders, as in the past under the dictatorship of the one-party system. After the politicization and denunciation of the handling of the issues raised by the 16, we requested a meeting with the chairman of the Academy, Prof. Shaban Demiraj, to obtain an explanation of the accusations they make against him as chairman of this Academy. Asked about his position regarding the statement by the 16 former members and the accusations by the 16 academics, Prof. Demiraj replied to us: [??] “The Academy they accuse me of [??]—and this is also a misunderstanding on their part, which led them to make that statement—I believe that the Assembly’s inactivity is a weakening of the Academy, which I brought about in this Academy. The implementation of this reform in this institution has not been carried out within the deadline, because, after all, the Academy is an institution financed by the state and depends on it. “To tell the truth, I cannot say which members of the Assembly thought that the Government had acted correctly. In Government Decision No. 53 of 21.9.1993, point 3 states: ‘Until the new statute is approved, the governing structures of the Academy of Sciences shall be suspended…’ So the Assembly has also been suspended. Asked whether this is the way it is functioning and what one can see of it, Prof. Demiraj continued that the Academy is functioning, because it consists not only of the chairman and the Assembly, but also of the institutes, which are [??].” [Text repeats/continues:] “I believe the Academy [??] [??].” (Continued on page 2)

Interview with MP Sadedin Balla, Chairman of the Temporary Parliamentary Commission for the verification of fires and destruction carried out in several districts of Albania during 1991–1992 Mr. Balla, a few days ago you presented to Parliament the report on the verification of the fires and destruction carried out during 1991–1992 in several districts of the country. Were sufficient evidence, names and facts from this report provided to the Prosecutor’s Office to bring the individuals responsible, former officials of that time, to criminal accountability? Of course they were, because the report was drawn up on the basis of documentation collected from the districts and central departments that had connections with those events, as well as statements and admissions by certain people holding various state and SHIK positions. I think that, as the Commission conceived the preparation of this report, it contains plenty of factual material, along with numerous depositions and admissions that constitute important material for the Prosecutor’s Office, the Police and SHIK. Has this report been sent to the Prosecutor General’s Office, and what procedures do you think will be followed to bring to criminal accountability those who, through their actions or inaction, planned and carried out the scenario of this total destruction? Among the Commission’s tasks was also to oversee what had been done by the investigators and other special bodies during this period (that is, from the events themselves up to today), and I think the Commission succeeded in setting things in motion, especially at the district Prosecutor’s Offices, but also at the General Prosecutor’s Office. The Commission will submit this material to the General Prosecutor’s Office. We think this material will also prompt them to take action and begin investigations by reviewing the files that had been collected to investigate these events and whose investigations may have been suspended, with many cases closed. So all the files relating to these events will be reviewed once again. As a commission, we think the responsible individuals will be held criminally accountable and that the truth will be uncovered. This is because in the documents we have seen that, as is to be expected, in certain districts there are accounts of events and names connected with the destruction during those events; if the competent bodies engage seriously, the truth can be pursued to the end. All these events involving the barbaric fires and destruction of those years are brought up to date and substantiated through the testimonies and documents at our disposal. Through our work, by means of this (Continued on page 2)

Clarification We allowed the reference to be considered, as it had many shortcomings; it was decided that it should be rejected. The credit for cancelling the contract belongs not to Mr. Shehu but to those who worked with him. In the interest of full transparency with the public, we suggest that the letters be published. 2. Regarding the other matters invented by Mr. Shehu in his belated reference, including the reconstruction of Hotel Tirana, the specialized bodies have carried out inspections, the conclusions of which contradict his claims. In the interests of impartiality in judging these matters, let these conclusions be published so the public can learn the truth. Press Spokesperson for Tourism at the Ministry of Construction and Tourism

Since, following the publication by the press or certain individuals of a portion of my statement sent by “Dita Informacion”, it is being misinterpreted, I am obliged to make the following clarifications. 1. This statement was made not for the press but for the Prime Minister, to whom I handed it on 27 July 1994. I also submitted it to the President, the Chairman of the PD, the Speaker of Parliament and, later, to three MPs and ten other MPs, through their secretariats. I warned the Prime Minister of my resignation as early as October 1993, when his inclination not to cooperate with me became openly apparent, but I postponed my resignation until July 1994 (for personal reasons, as well as for another reason that I do not consider it appropriate to explain). At that point I finally decided to resign and explain my reasons. Again, the Prime Minister, Mr. Ruli, or someone...