Interviews with Messrs. Leuprecht, Piska, Machacek with Chief Editor Ligori With the Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Mr. Peter Leuprecht Interviews with Messrs. Leuprecht, Piska, Machacek with Chief Editor Ligori Leuprecht: "I leave with the firm conviction that Albania has made extraordinarily great progress in relation to democracy, the rule of law, and human rights" With the Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Mr. Peter Leuprecht Question: Mr. Leuprecht, first of all are you interested in the purpose of your visit to Albania? Mr. Leuprecht: I came to Albania with great pleasure, invited by the Albanian government and the Speaker of the Albanian Parliament. And of course also on the initiative of Ambassador Alikaj. This is a visit from the Council of Europe. Albania is now a full member of the Council of Europe; this is a very joyful development. We did not come alone, together with the director of the human rights department, Mr. Pierre Imbert, and the director of legal affairs at the Council of Europe, Mr. Guy Levy. For various reasons, and because of the use of this delegation, the main themes of our discussions have been human rights and their functioning in Albania. Question: Is this your first visit to Albania? Mr. Leuprecht: In my work I have had a lot to do with Albania, especially in recent years, but this is my first visit to Albania. But it is not the first time for Messrs. Piska and Machacek. Question: Since the focus of your visit is human rights, it is of interest to know what opinion you had (through the information) about human rights in Albania and how you found them in concrete terms? Mr. Leuprecht: There is not any major difference between my perception before I came here and what I found here. What I want to say is that tomorrow I will leave with the firm conviction that Albania has made overduly great progress in relation to democracy, the rule of law, and human rights. We are aware that Albania had the hardest transition phase of all the other post-communist states from dictatorship to democracy. Albania emerged from the previous regime ruined. That is also why we rejoice at the successes Albania has achieved and, moreover, that today it is a member of our organization. Question: Its admission to the Council of Europe means that Albania has also undertaken a series of commitments in the field of human rights. All our Albanian partners who spoke with us assured us that Albania will respect all solidarity in Albania. Our position is to guarantee assistance to Albania in the further building of democracy, in strengthening the rule of law, and in guaranteeing human rights. We have concrete existing programs. We are implementing the second program of the Council of Europe and the European Union in relation to Albania. We are determined to cooperate in this direction with Albania. Question: Did you find among Albanian partners the desire and determination to deepen the expansion of human rights in Albania? Mr. Leuprecht: Absolutely yes. We have discussed concrete steps and not general, pretty words. We believe that in Albania there is no disagreement from your authorities. They will provide help in reforming the legislation, in the training of judges, police officers, the administration, prisons, and in the organization of justice. Question: Any special impressions from your visit, outside the official character? Mr. Leuprecht: They are completely positive impressions, I have good impressions of Albania, I have a great sympathy for your country, Thank you very much!

8 November - the 54th anniversary of the Socialist Party -November 1948. By decision of the Political Bureau, the PKSH is transformed into the PPSH -June 1991. By decision of the Political Bureau, the PPSH is transformed into the PSSH One of the most tragic dates in the history of Albania -November 1948. By decision of the Political Bureau, the PKSH is transformed into the PPSH -June 1991. By decision of the Political Bureau, the PPSH is transformed into the PSSH Today the PSSH marks 54 years since its formation. For many parties in the democratic world, the 54th anniversary would be a moment of pride, but the same cannot be said for the specimen which, at the time of its founding, marked one of the most tragic dates in the history of Albania. The mention of 8 November today, rightly for the overwhelming majority of Albanians, provokes disgust and hatred, and precisely for this reason and for the bankruptcy that this specimen continues to produce new offspring, that date must not be forgotten. The 50 years of an unprecedented tragedy must not be forgotten, the crimes, the moral and physical destruction, the economic ruin and all the misfortunes that communism caused this country must not be forgotten. They must not be forgotten, so that they are not repeated. In 54 years the specimen changed its appearance, changed names too, but remained the same, with the same goals and the same means and methods to achieve its goals. In November 1948 the head of the Albanian communists, the then Political Bureau, decided that the Communist Party should be called the Party of Labor, but this did not in the least change the criminal path of that party; on the contrary, even after every mass crime they continued to boast that the party was growing stronger and they howled so as not to break away from the teachings of Marxism-Leninism. The centralized socialist system systematically undermined Albania's economy. Year after year everything was destroyed, bombed. But daughters of dirtiness “The Party is not trampled” they had as a bogeyman for the skeleton principles of annihilation through the work of the dictatorship of the proletariat and the class struggle; these “skeleton principles” the Albanian communists had found in Marx’s fanatical ideas the way to annihilate a nation that had resisted throughout its history efforts that were strong and continuous. After almost 50 years, the Albanians rose up and cut off the head of the red specimen. But the specimen, accustomed to changing form, transformed itself again. Again, by decision of the Political Bureau that seized it in 1991, the PPSH was transformed into the PSSH. The strong name, the name only, nothing else. The specimen is still the same. As before, the breed continues to feed on human blood and its cronies continue to cry out for the death penalties of Marx. Even today after 54 years it speaks the same political language and with the language of principles it has the same thing, which means that its tomorrow does not exist. Therefore they must not be remembered and written about, and every day in the women journalists' murders all the torture posts will testify to and remind us of our tragedy.

“We are pleased to have Albania as a member of our family” At the meeting with the delegation of the Council of Europe led by the Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Peter Leuprecht, President Berisha praised the valuable assistance that the Council of Europe has given Albania in a difficult period and continues to give it. One of the fields in which Albania has made profound changes, emphasized President Berisha, is that of human rights. “I value your mission and want to assure you that we are determined and open to cooperate with the Council of Europe in all fields, including legal ones, especially for the consolidation of the independence of the judicial system.” President Berisha assured them that Albania is ready to cooperate with the Venice Commission in drafting the bill “On the organization of justice” and with foreign experts in drafting the training school for judges. Regarding the constitution, President Berisha said that: “We have presented our initiative for the commission to create a constitution in a referendum and the choice of one of the 15 models of the European Union. But the socialist obsession opposes our insistence on the fixed point of blocking the constitution. As for the law “On denunciation” President Berisha emphasized that: “Europe must know the bitter past of Albania which rightly incriminates elements who, finding themselves in a hopeless situation, proclaim all day long that in Albania there will be no free elections. But as the referendum campaign and the local elections have shown, President Berisha continued, in Albania absolutely free elections will be organized”. The Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Peter Leuprecht stated that: “We are pleased to have Albania as a member of our family and our attention to it is constantly increasing”. He congratulated President Berisha on the extraordinary changes observed from his last visit two years earlier to Albania. He offered assistance for the training of judges, police and prison staff, which will be welcomed by President Berisha. Meanwhile the Vice President of the Austrian Constitutional Court Karl Piska, member of the delegation, praised the visible successes in the path of reforms and especially the achievements in building an independent legal system in Albania despite the many difficulties that Albania inherits in this field from a savage Stalinist past. In relation to the denunciation law he stated that: “Even in Austria such a law was drafted that removed from active authorities the right of electing compromised elements in order to ensure the establishment of democracy in the Republic of Austria”. He also praised the work of the Constitutional Court of Albania and the good cooperation that this court has with the Austrian one”. Press and Information Office attached to the President

Albanian Socialists in Moscow Take part in the Bolshevik celebrations A group of 8 people left Tirana a few days ago for Moscow in order to take part in the celebrations on the occasion of the 78th anniversary of the Bolshevik revolution. As reported by some internal sources in the Socialist Party, three of them are Socialist Party officials. Their departure and the purpose of the “visit” to Moscow were kept secret, but the same source informs that the purpose of the trip was participation in the Bolshevik celebrations About 10,000 nostalgics took part in the rally, holding portraits of Marx, Lenin and Stalin in their hands. They swore that they would restore communism to power and recreate the Soviet Union, statements made in the name of the so-called Front of the Revolution. One of the speakers mentioned the presence of participants from all former communist countries in that rally, but none of them spoke. CORRESP. OF “RD”

With Mr. Karl Piska, Vice President of the Austrian Constitutional Court In 1945, when Austria was liberated from the rule of the Nazi powers, a law was passed for a limited period so that various national socialist officials would be deprived of the active and passive right to vote. This law was intended to guarantee the construction of the Austrian rule-of-law state. Question: Mr. Piska, did you have contacts with your Albanian colleagues and are there any Council of Europe projects for the Constitutional Court of Albania? Mr. Piska: I am coming for the third time to Albania. The first visit was essentially a courtesy visit to the president of the Constitutional Court of Albania, I. Rasten Gata. The second time I was together with the President of the Austrian Parliament Prof. Dr. Hans Fisher. Now, for the third time I am here together with the Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Mr. Peter Leuprecht. This time as well we again visited the Constitutional Court of Albania, where we held detailed and informative talks with the president Gjatë Nedjems very impressed that (Continues on page 2)

With member of the Council of Europe C.P.T. and member of the Austrian Constitutional Court, Mr. Rudolf Machacek We will help Albania sign association with the European Union if it wants this I am completely surprised that after 3 years Albania succeeded in establishing a new order With member of the Council of Europe C.P.T. and member of the Austrian Constitutional Court, Mr. Rudolf Machacek We will help Albania sign association with the European Union if it wants this Question: I feel pleased to have the opportunity to talk again. You remain one of the most renowned jurists in Austria. You have been to Albania, you have information about the laws adopted by the Albanian parliament, the new criminal, civil codes, etc. What is your opinion about them? Do they comply with the legal standards of the Council of Europe? Mr. Machacek: I had been to Albania 3 years ago. At that time I observed an extraordinarily difficult situation. It was something like a consequence of an earthquake. We were looking for the future. I am completely surprised that after 3 years Albania succeeded in establishing a new order. I value the achievements in the field of the press, private economy, achievements in the rule of law. I especially value the achievements of the legal profession. Three years ago I had talks with the President of the Chamber of (Continues on page 2)

The Socialists defend the centralized economy The Socialists defend the system of the centralized economy by evoking as a success the half-century economic catastrophe that this reform brought to Albania. The Socialists defend the centralized economy by showing their phobia of the free market economy. In yesterday’s interview in “ZP”, PS deputy Ibrahim Baçi praised as very positive the role that agriculture played during the centralized economy, emphasizing that even today agriculture should be (as in the period of partition) a major branch of the economy. Further on, Mr. Baçi reveals his phobia toward free-market relations and the free initiative of the individual. “The Albanian market today,” Baçi emphasizes, “has been flooded by foreign goods.” Although the debate about how the installation of the market economy was carried out was left to the filling of disruptions and agricultural dirt, for Baçi this is not important; what matters is the “great light” of the centralized economy, as he calls it, and that it supposedly aimed to restore the glories in a state of upheaval. Wasn’t (Continues on page 8)

From the Plenum meeting: “On the marked lack of vigilance and the grave mistakes of Kadri Hazbiu at the time when he was Minister of the Interior” From the Plenum meeting: "On the marked lack of vigilance and the grave mistakes of Kadri Hazbiu at the time when he was Minister of the Interior" Aranit Cela: "Why should this fact not be used for 'Rrahman Parllaku, who has been wandering around for so long?" Enver Hoxha: “They needed to be put in the sack” PAGE 5

The nominal list of those killed at the border after ’89 and the heads of the respective branches Ruçi against the request to denounce killings at the border The nominal list of those killed at the border after '89 and the heads of the respective branches It is unacceptable for the freedom of citizens to be openly violated by the freedom of some immoral journalists PAGE 2