Press conference of the Secretary General of the Democratic Party, Mr. Tritan Shehu, as well as the deputy chairmen of the Democratic Party, Messrs. Tomorr Dosti and Engjëll Hysenbegasi Yesterday, at the headquarters of the Democratic Party of Albania, the secretary general of the party, Dr. Tritan Shehu, and the deputy chairmen of the party, Messrs. Tomorr Dosti and Engjëll Hysenbegasi, held a press conference concerning the completion of the branch meetings of the Democratic Party of Albania nationwide and other important political issues in current Albanian life. Only the Democratic Party can ensure these rates of development for Albania Press conference of the Secretary General of the Democratic Party, Mr. Tritan Shehu, as well as the deputy chairmen of the Democratic Party, Messrs. Tomorr Dosti and Engjëll Hysenbegasi Yesterday, at the headquarters of the Democratic Party of Albania, the secretary general of the party, Dr. Tritan Shehu, and the deputy chairman of the party, Messrs. Tomorr Dosti and Engjëll Hysenbegasi, held a press conference concerning the completion of the branch meetings of the Democratic Party of Albania nationwide and other important political issues in current Albanian life. First, Mr. Tritan Shehu issued a press statement in which he emphasized: The organization of the press conference immediately after the completion of all the expanded branch meetings of the Democratic Party, where organizational problems of the party were discussed, especially with regard to its base, and where relevant decisions were adopted. The main objective before which our party structures will continue to stand, including in the future, will be: “To roll up our sleeves at the base, to strengthen the sections, as the basis of the future stronghold, to use that in the political struggle and in continuing broad dialogue with the electorate, in every family, every home, with every individual.” In this context I can say that during the past year there has been a further improvement of our structures, a change that is undoubtedly necessary and rational in light of the demands of the time. During this period of 3 months, working with the sections, the situation is twice as good. We have succeeded in creating 35 new sections as well, thereby definitively covering a territory of the country. Alongside this, it should be noted, is especially linked to concentration within the Democratic Party, and relates to our conception of a Democratic Party as an open party without prejudices. Thus we have managed to achieve around 7,500 new admissions throughout the territory in about 2 months, admissions that are also significant qualitatively. It should be stressed that members of the extreme parties (Continues on page 3)

Albanians once again think of their country as being governed by the Democratic Party The second poll organized by the newspaper Albania identifies the Democratic Party as the winner of the upcoming elections. Poll no. 2 of the newspaper “ALBANIA” Albanians support the Democratic Party Albanians once again think of their country as being governed by the Democratic Party The second poll organized by the newspaper Albania identifies the Democratic Party as the winner of the upcoming elections. On the question of whether elections were held today, which party would you vote for, 51.1% of respondents answered Democratic Party. This survey aims to assess the electorate’s mood on the part of this party and, although the transition is creating new directions in its political spectrum, it could reduce it further. Despite a long-standing increase compared with the elections of 22 March in past years, it has not moved left but remains within the political spectrum of the center-right. Likewise, the result is more positive compared with the local elections held in autumn '92, while if taken as a vote with party preferences, the electorate’s attachment to the Democratic Party is desirable. The question of (Continues on page 2)

EDITORIAL The Socialist Party lacks alliances and allies completely. The tale of alliances The Socialist Party lacks alliances and allies completely. They lack them or rather the Socialist Party in Europe is missing them, but the socialists of Tirana are lacking these parties. It is well known that there are left-wing and socialist parties in Italy, Germany, France, Italy, Austria, etc. There are left-wing parties in Hungary, the Czech Republic, Poland, etc. But the socialists of all these parties do not believe that they have any equivalence of their own in the Albanian Socialist Party. Accepting the fact that this is one of the weaknesses of Albania's political formation, it should be said that this isolation of the party does not have its source in Europe, but within itself, within its past, its past reflected in the program it has presented, in the alternatives and in the completely anti-reformist position this party has taken for four years now. Likewise, its isolation does not stem from the parties with which the Socialist Party is in opposition, nor even more from Albanian institutions. As has been said and as usual reports have shown, the socialists have offered their own explanations of their relations; there have been meetings that were naturally lobbying meetings, but then those meetings were held all the more rarely. This not-at-all-enviable place where, when you wish, friendship has come as a result of acquaintance and not of ignorance. A leader of the Italian left, specifically the one who was to launch the PS campaign from Italy, Pietro Fasino, has stated that the Albanian socialists still need time for reform. Meanwhile, the secretary-general of the German Social Democratic Party has said, referring to the Albanian socialists, that being left-wing does not mean being a social democrat. These two judgments about the Albanian socialists were not made in 1992, when the cracks were only beginning to appear, but in the last two months and within the geography of the relations you claim to have. Your entry into the Socialist International, which you imagine as a process, has already been achieved by Albanian left-wing parties. For a party with communist reminiscences, the process will be long and one of contempt. Even if the name is a big one. Despised socialists. And to go to meetings with the Bulgarian socialists, whose international name has led them into NATO, is not a morning of the European left but a friendship among eastern communists. The institutes and foundations you mention as your hosts were initially more for Albanian centrist and right-wing parties. It is ridiculous when you finally mention the respected French foundation Est Libertés, adding the epithet “right-wing” as well. The legitimacy that the foundation is not right-wing is not believed to be something it would boast about; rather, you simply qualify it as your friend who can arrange your biography. The manipulation of evidence with this foundation and with other institutes and foundations is immoral. If they invite you someday, you should be convinced that this is not your merit but the result of the opinion created in Europe by the progress of reforms in Albania. For which you have made no constructive contribution. If they have still condemned you, this has not happened because you are worthy of European social democracy but because they wish that one day you may become worthy. The tone of servants you have placed in this article of ZP only supplies the tone, not the friendship. ZP.

President Berisha visited the flooded areas The government will help the affected residents President of the Republic, Sali Berisha, made a visit yesterday to the areas affected by the rainfall of recent days in the Shkodër district. President Berisha was accompanied by the Minister of Defense, Safet Zhulali. In Shkodër, President Berisha held a meeting with representatives of the local authorities, of the defense institutions and those of internal affairs, in order to become acquainted with the situation created in this district after the heavy rainfall. The chairman of the District Council, Ali Kazazi, informed President Berisha about the measures that have been taken to deal with the situation created in this district. He said that so far they have (Continues on page 3) President of the Republic, Sali Berisha, made a visit yesterday to the areas affected by the rainfall of recent days in the Shkodër district. President Berisha was accompanied by the Minister of Defense, Safet Zhulali. In Shkodër, President Berisha held a meeting with representatives of the local authorities, of the defense institutions and those of internal affairs, in order to become acquainted with the situation created in this district after the heavy rainfall. The chairman of the District Council, Ali Kazazi, informed President Berisha about the measures that have been taken to deal with the situation created in this district. He said that so far they have

New Year’s greeting message from the U.S. Ambassador in Tirana, Joseph E. Lake In the name of the American people and in the name of our government, I would like to take advantage of the New Year holiday to wish all Albanians continued success on the challenging road toward consolidating democracy. We support your efforts to turn freedom into a way of life In the name of the American people and in the name of our government, I would like to take advantage of the New Year holiday to wish all Albanians continued success on the challenging road toward consolidating democracy. We support your efforts to turn freedom into a way of life, to reform your economy completely into a free-market economy while at the same time guaranteeing human rights for all Albanians. It is time to move toward 1996 and the parliamentary elections that will be held in the spring of next year. The most visible and significant aspect of the successful transition to democracy is that the electoral process is carried out freely and fairly, and that a people succeeds in this important event. Albania’s foreign policy stance in this unstable region is very responsible and important, and Albania will play a critical role in the Balkans in the post-Dayton period. Albania and America have common political interests in the Balkan region. The government of the United States highly values the constructive and positive role that you and the Albanian government have played. The United States and the American Embassy in Tirana wish continued good cooperation in the future as well. Happy New Year JOSEPH E. LAKE, Ambassador Tirana, 28 December 1995

The newspaper “KJ” censors the fifths It is not only the newspaper “RD” that censors, with the “5 pëshe” column, the answers to the question “P.S. do they find anything and become “independent” “Koha jonë” falls into it”. Although it declares itself a newspaper interested in the commercialization of words and news, “KJ” is seen, even with a point, as preferring the Japanese world or, more precisely, its own shell, in such a position of opposition to the interests of the conservative press on TV. Top news says it does not desire the “5 pëshe” case. Whenever “KJ” has shown clashes between reformers and conservatives in the last two in “KJ” we have directed only to the copy of the keyes we left. The returning copies that we do not have deal with a case that uses “5 pëshe” for calculations, so this newspaper came to be as a clash in “KJ”. Thus when the day arrives that the “independent” believes a minority of “P.S.” now the generating channel is that “Koha jonë” censored, and also only the children who are allowed to board-crossing. The road of Dokle. A.DAJTI

From the legacy fund of the Socialist Party Minutes of the meeting of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the PPSH, dated 2 and 3 July 1974 Minutes of the meeting of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the PPSH, dated 2 and 3 July 1974 p. 7

The parabola of fatalized delay p. 5

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