Interview with Doctor of Sciences Aleksander Koçani given to the radio “Voice of America” -Mr. Koçani, what did the public opinion poll group, which recently conducted a survey on political opinions in Albania, include? At present, under conditions of democracy, where free spaces are created for all specialists, and for sociology as well, which has the right to specialize as they see fit, they try to organize themselves within the possibilities offered by democracy. Under these conditions, I too personally, thinking 3-4 years ago that I would specialize in the field of public opinion polling, have worked, read, contacted foreign specialists and conducted several surveys of the questionnaire or observational type. For the survey on political opinions in Albania, a mixed group has been created, consisting of several lecturers, two of whom are leaders. There is me, and also a mathematician. The group also includes three other lecturers who have participated in aspects of this field of thought. It gives you an advantage to do qualified scientific work; then there is a group of four students, who are permanent and work on the survey, as well as three or four other students who are reserve, because the survey may last several weeks. -How do you carry out the technical side of opinion polling from a professional point of view? From a professional point of view, we took into account the specific conditions of Albania. We have problems of a professional technical nature. On the other hand, we also have a problem linked to the specificity of Albania, which has to do with people’s psychology. 50 years of sty- (Continued on page 3)

Yesterday at noon President Berisha had a meeting with George Soros. President Berisha valued the assistance provided by the Soros foundation through programs covering different sectors, mainly education. The continuity of cooperation in the future was discussed, and it was described by both sides as useful. Agreement was also reached on cooperation in implementing educational programs. Press and Information Office at the President’s Office

Editorial The authors of the political murders of the last years of the dictatorship and the 1990-1992 dictatorship will answer before justice. The order-givers and order-executors are to be brought before the law. It is the Parliamentary Commission for Defense, Public Order and SHIK which has asked the Minister of the Interior for accurate information on the killings that occurred at the border from 8.5.1990, when crossing the border was no longer considered treason against the homeland, as well as on the political killings that occurred from 8 December 1990 to 22 March 1992. The upheavals of the communist regimes in the Eastern countries, accompanied by the growing revolt in Albania, had made it clear that the end was approaching for the Albanian communists as well. In these conditions, faced also with international pressure, the leaders of the dictatorship in Albania, determined to keep their chosen regime standing at any cost, took two courses of action. To prolong the idea of liberalization of life in the eyes of the world, De Cuéllar was welcomed in Albania and some superficial changes were made to the laws, including the repeal of the law on border crossing, which had been considered national treason. But this was only a façade, since in domestic policy the communist leaders, ordered to worsen the situation that was slipping out of their hands, turned to unprecedented violence and terror after Hoxha’s death. Dozens and dozens of young people, deceived by the newly issued law, headed toward the border in the hope of escaping dictatorship and misery but... Unlike the laws they had issued, the communist leaders had given strict orders, so dozens of boys were shot at the border. Many of them were killed and massacred even after they had been captured by the guards. They were brought into Albanian cities bound with barbed wire in order to terrorize free people. December 1990 would deal a blow to the face of the dictatorship’s power. The popular revolt at its height made the old class tremble. Meanwhile, the toppling of the dictator’s monument in February 1991 would mark another climactic moment. Ramiz Alia asks that fire be opened on the gendarmes, the demonstrators in Tirana square, but the Minister of the Interior does not obey. Then changes occur. At the head of the Ministry of the Interior and the state SHIK comes a young man from among those who, on the day the monument fell, had asked that the rulers march toward Tirana. With the appointment of Gramoz Ruçi as Minister of the Interior, the killings of silence also began. The killings of the February and December events in various parts of Albania and the political crime of 2 April in Shkodra are all signed by Ruçi. But today the day has come for them to answer for all these crimes. The families of the victims demand it, and all Albanians demand it, those who in those years clashed with the bloodied dictatorship in order to bring the days of freedom and democracy. Republic of Albania People’s Assembly Commission for Defense, Public Order and SHIK Tirana, 17.10.1995 Subject: Information requested regarding the killings at the border from 8.5.1990, the date on which the criminal offense of treason against the homeland by crossing the border was abolished, as well as the killings that occurred during the period 8 December 1990 to 22 March 1992, carried out by the bodies of the state security police and the former Ministry of the Interior. Minister of the Interior Mr. Agron Musaraj Honourable Minister of the Interior The Parliamentary Commission for Defense, Public Order and SHIK, on the basis of letters, concerns of deputies and sessions with official martyrs of the PPSH regarding the border from the dictatorship state, led by Ramiz Alia and the PPSH, asks to know whether there was responsibility in the implementation of the official instructions for killings at the border, the confiscation of the population and of the victims' families, which carried out hundreds of killings in the districts, which according to geography were in the state border areas of the Republic of Albania, such as Shkoder, Malesi e Madhe, Tropoje, Erseke, Sarande, Pogradec, Vlore, Kukes, Diber, Korce, Devoll, Gjirokaster, etc. These political killings of the dictatorship were aimed at the deadly purpose of eliminating citizens by accusing them of being agents, in order for the truth to come out about their order-givers, and to establish personal responsibility of the order-giver, order-taker, order-executor and the killer. In answering the questions, the commission requested the main authors of the killings, regarding the orders that had to be given to those accused of border crossing; the families of the victims have still not received the help of those accused of the lawmakers who again come with criminal intent against the citizens of the country. For this reason, we request information regarding the names of the main perpetrators who ordered the killings at the border during the period 8.5.1990 - 22.3.1992. (Continued on page 3)

“Kallapdeshtim” - the SP accepts the poll results - “ZP” is left to be satisfied only with the fact that PD does not have the result of 22 March ’92 -18% of the undecided will know how to choose by ’96 EDI PALOKA After trying unsuccessfully to find “some loophole” in the way the poll was conducted by the group of specialists from the Department of Sociology-Philosophy, in the SP they were forced to accept the poll results, marking their “Kallapdeshtim”, but through “ZP” they decided to react in other ways. Thus, while commenting on these results, “ZP” focuses on the fact that PD does not have the percentage of 22 March ’92. “After three and a half years in government, PD does not rise even one step above the result of 22 March ’92; on the contrary, it even falls” - writes the daily “ZP”. The SP and “ZP” are only pleased by the fact that today PD does not have the result of 22 March, but they are again mistaken. We have never denied that there will be some dissatisfied with the reforms; however, here the dissatisfaction of those affected by the reforms is more moral than material, since no one can say (regardless of whether he may have also been dismissed from state employment) that today he lives worse than before 22 March. In any case, the SP forgets another figure: 18% of the electorate that has not stated its position and will decide at the polls whom to give its vote to. And this 18%, who undoubtedly voted for PD on 22 March, will know how to decide whom to give their vote to in ’96 as well. Are they mere speculations? Those who once called themselves anti-communists moved entirely into the PD camp. Some of them may today be indifferent to politics because other issues may have become important to them; some may also be dissatisfied for one reason or another, but they can by no means give their vote to G. Ruçi and F. Nano. These were the people who, four years ago and more, rose to their feet and clashed with the police to bring down the regime of Nano. They have sealed in capital letters their position toward the chairman of the SP and all the others around him, so no one is going to return to the SP. I have happened to talk with many of those whom “ZP” calls the disappointed, and indeed they have personal dissatisfaction that may have been caused by an injustice committed by a municipal employee or another state administration employee, but if you ask them whether they would now vote for the SP, they all have one answer: “Never for them.” But will these people vote for PD? Many of them, by ’96, will decide to vote and will have to choose right or left. If they have a memory, they will see not the faces against whom they rose in 1991, but those who speak the same language as the ones spoken for 50 years by their predecessors. And that is not all. The so-called “disappointed” by “ZP” would certainly, after their “disappointment”, have to choose a better alternative than that of PD. In fact, the SP’s “alternative” is destructive, completely lacking ideas, tensions, meaning all the alternatives they present to Albanians through the polls of the year 1991. Meanwhile, PD, aware of and for the few mistakes it may have made, is determined not to spend the time until the next elections in tension-raising campaigns and obstacles (like those prepared in the SP headquarters), but to commit itself so that even before its supporters and the public it can implement those points that may have remained unimplemented from its program. That is why it is too early for “ZP” to rejoice that PD no longer has the electorate of 22 March. By ’96 the 18% of Albanians who are undecided today will know how to move to the right side, and the SP will experience its own great “Kallapdeshtim”.

Press conference of Mr. George Soros ILIRIANA A. BAJO The magical man, who in a wonderful way carries within himself the human desire to win through philanthropy, the multimillionaire George Soros is visiting Albania once again. “The American spirit” brings to the press, with care, and in this visit makes it possible to carry out a direct communication with journalists from the electronic and print media. What the Open Society Foundation had achieved for (Continued on page 3)

Question: -Mr. Chairman, today you are presenting to the People’s Assembly a proposal of yours, a parliamentary one, regarding the establishment of a Parliamentary Commission for drafting a draft Constitution. Please tell us what, in essence, this proposal of yours aims at? Answer: In reality, it is a proposal I had also made several months ago in the Presidium of the People’s Assembly, at the meeting held together with the chairmen of the parliamentary groups. At that time, in fact, we reached an understanding in the meeting, but in Parliament they denied the agreement. And since then I have not received any response from the parliamentary groups. So the proposal I am repeating today is a proposal to create a parliamentary commission for drafting a Constitution project, in which all parliamentary groups would be included, regarding the establishment of a Parliamentary Commission for drafting a draft Constitution. Please tell us what, in essence, this proposal of yours aims at? (Continued on page 3)

The visit of the German State Secretary for Defense, Mr. Bernard Viltz, has ended Yesterday the three-day visit of the government secretary of state for Defense ended. Invited by the Albanian Minister of Defense, Mr. Bernard Viltz visited the army, the Higher Military Academy, the military hospital, held meetings at the Ministry of Defense with the Minister of Defense, Miran D [?], the Chief of General Defense, and was also received personally by the President of the Republic. On the day of departure from Albania, Messrs. Viltz and Zhulali held a press conference for journalists. The Albanian Minister of Defense described Germany as one of our country’s partners, a natural and historical friend. Germany, as one of the most powerful states in Europe, is at the same time a factor of stability. During the latest visit, steps have been taken toward cooperation between the two sides and the visit of the State Secretary for Defense (FRG) marks an important step for the continuation and consolidation of relations. Mr. Viltz’s visit, according to Minister Zhulali, and with the support of the development of democracy in Albania, economic development and the market, and peace and hope as a factor of peace and stability in the Balkans. He also positively գնահատed (Continued on page 3)

The living conditions of the Greek minority and the protection of its rights are today much better than in the past, declared yesterday the Greek Deputy Foreign Minister, Gregoris Jotis, on the second day of the Balkan Summit, which is taking place in Athens, Radio BBC reported in its Albanian-language program. According to the same radio, it is assessed that this statement may be thought to mean that the Greek government is perhaps preparing for another realistic opening toward Albania.

From the “Hazbiu” file we will publish materials of the 5th Plenum of the Central Committee of the PPSH held on 13 and 14 October 1982 These materials will include: 1. The self-criticism of Kadri Hazbiu before the Plenum meeting 2. The speech of Enver Hoxha, the discussions and debates of Xhelil Gjoni, Hekuran Isai, Rexhep Kolli, Thoma Thomai, Enver Halili, Shefqet Peci, Ramiz Alia, Veli Llakaj, Nazar Berberi, Harrilla Papajorgji. TODAY: KADRI HAZBIU’S SELF-CRITICISM. HAZBIU: “So until 1966 the first deputy minister ran the Security, Mihallaq Ziçishti was in the Tirana Directorate, Feçor Shehu and Halim Xhelo, who then went to the Army Security, while Llambi Peçini was in different functions and positions in the Security apparatus” PAGE 5

Brokaj forgets the name of the French colleague Remember, comrade Abdiu! PAGE 2