“Albania’s membership in the Council of Europe is one of the high points of our national history, and June 29 will forever be counted among the most memorable dates for our nation,” said the President of the Republic, Mr. Sali Berisha, at the expanded meeting of the National Council of the DPA, held yesterday afternoon at the Opera and Ballet Theatre in Tirana. Albanian Democrats, intellectuals and other guests warmly applauded at this meeting Albania’s admission to the Council of Europe, the DPA’s admission to the EUCD and the FRPD’s admission to DEMYC. Representatives of the diplomatic corps accredited in Tirana were also present. The expanded meeting of the National Council was opened by the Secretary General of the DPA, Mr. Tritan Shehu, who then gave the floor to the Speaker of the People’s Assembly, Mr. Pjetër Arbnori. After speaking about the procedure, the work, the dedication, the emotions and the joy brought by the historic victory of Albania’s admission to the Council of Europe, he pointed out that now is the time for all of us to love Albania, so that others will love us.” (Continued on page 4)

Address by the President of the Republic, Mr. Sali Berisha, delivered at the open meeting of the National Council of the Democratic Party June 29 will [text in the right-hand column] forever inseparable. Without our great hero, his warriors and his deeds, we Albanians could not have become what we are today; instead, we would have been swept into the abysses of history. The day after tomorrow, in Strasbourg, the capital of European democracy, the Albanian flag, the flag of Skanderbeg, will fly proudly, without a star, alongside the flags of the other free nations of Europe. Honor to our flag for all time! Your Excellencies, Ambassadors, Honored clergymen, Mr. Arbnori,

On Albania’s admission to the Council of Europe The National Council of the Democratic Party, meeting in Tirana on July 11, 1995: (Continued on page 4)

On the admission of the Democratic Party to the EUCD on July 11, 1995; (Continued on page 4)

Address delivered by Mr. Pjetër Arbnori at the meeting of the National Council of the DP on the occasion of Albania’s admission to the Council of Europe Three years have passed since we began the struggle, and during this time all of Albania had to strive, work and overcome a series of obstacles in order to transform itself into a democratic state, to realize the dream that the youth had expressed—a democratic Albania, which was finally realized. May you all, all the Albanians here in the country, who worked and fought for this day, be honored. Admission is not merely a festive ceremony at which the flag is raised I have the distinct honor of reporting to you on the great event: Albania’s admission as a full member of the Council of Europe. How beautiful it was in the first slogan of the student movement: “Let us make Albania like all of Europe.” This was also one of the fundamental points of the National Party’s program: to join the community of other nations, not merely as a table at which one sits to enjoy the benefits of the world’s most vital civilization, but

Speech by the Secretary General of the PDSH, Prof. Dr. Tritan Shehu Honored ladies and gentlemen, A few days ago, the PDSH was accepted as a full member of the European Union of Christian Democrats and People’s Parties, which is undoubtedly not only the most important political formation, bringing together 49 of Europe’s most important parties, but also a formation where admission as a full member requires meeting a series of conditions and providing numerous assurances, making this procedure quite difficult. At the meeting of this Union’s council, three applications for full membership were presented: by the DP, the Croatian Democratic Union, and the Finnish Christian Democrats. Only we achieved this goal. The Croatians were accepted as associate members, while the Finns remained observers for six months. The DP was accepted directly as (Continued on page 5)

Speech by Prime Minister Aleksander Meksi Members of the Presidium, Ladies and gentlemen, Today’s meeting of the National Council concerns Albania’s entry into the Council of Europe, the Democratic Party’s membership in the Union of Christian Democratic Parties, and the Youth Forum’s membership in DEMYCE. Thus, three events that are all connected. The DP and our electorate, those who believed in us, in our electoral program and the Government, those who chanted “Freedom, Democracy” and “We want Albania like all of Europe” on December 12, 1990, and in the days that followed, must assess these events in their true dimensions as a very important occurrence in the history of the Albanian people. The European aims of the Democratic Party have been expressed in all its documents. From the beginning of its democratic rule, Albania declared unequivocally that it supports full integration into the European family, into the family of Western democracies, which were defended and cherished for 50 years in a row. We have been and remain convinced that (Continued on page 5)

At the invitation of the President of the Republic, Sali Berisha, the President of the Republic of Turkey, Sulejman Demirel, arrived in Albania today for a warmly welcomed official visit. The second visit by the President of Turkey in less than two and a half years, following President Ozal’s visit in February 1993, together with President Berisha’s visits to Turkey, once again demonstrates the high and steady level of friendly cooperation between our two countries. During the stay of the Turkish President and the other government officials accompanying him in our country, official talks with President Berisha, a visit and address to the People’s Assembly, a working meeting with Prime Minister Meksi and other members of the government, etc., are planned. On the basis of the Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation signed by us in the first months of democratic governance, during Mr. Demirel’s first visit to Albania as Prime Minister, it is expected that today’s visit by the Turkish President will give a new impetus to close cooperation between the two countries in all political, economic, cultural and military fields. Welcome to Albania, President Demirel!

. At the foundation of June 29 lie the legendary uprisings and wars of martyred Kosovo and all the other Albanian regions, led by Ymer Prizreni and Abdyl Frasheri, Qemali and Hasan Prishtina: Albania in Europe. For half a century, the dictatorship tried to replace the ideas of the giants of Albanian thought, our great humanists, with the monstrous ideas of Marx and Lenin, Stalin and Enver Hoxha. But it failed. Today, the clear-minded men of our nation, in the true National Renaissance brought about by March 22, are more present, greater and stronger than ever in their own lands. June 29 is their triumph. The Renaissance figures belong to immortality. Albania’s membership in the Council of Europe is founded on the struggle and supreme sacrifice, courage and selflessness of Qemal Stafa, Asim Zeneli and Abaz Kupi, Misto Mame, Jaho Salihi, Hamit Shukaj, Raqi Qirinxhiu, Vasil Laçi, Reshit Collaku, Hysni Lepencica, Mustafa Gjinishi. (Continued on page 2) There stand the uprisings and legendary battles of martyred Kosovo and all the other Albanian regions, which, led by Ymer Prizreni and Abdyl Frasheri, Ismail Qemali and Hasan Prishtina; Haxhi Zeka and Bajram Curri, Luigj Gurakuqi and Çerçiz Topulli, Mihal Grameno and Babe Dude Karbunara, brought independence to Albania. June 29 is the day of the triumph of our Renaissance figures, the geniuses of this nation: Buzuku and Budi,

wherever they may be! Ladies and gentlemen, The beginning of this century found us occupied, and we remained unfree until its final decade. Efforts to distance us from Europe, we who are among the oldest inhabitants of this continent, continued until four or five years ago. It is enough to recall here that Albania’s last dictator, terrified by Timișoara, would declare as late as 1990 that Western and Central Europe were enemies of Albania, to understand that March 22 was the Albanian miracle of this century; it was the day that brought June 29, this blessed day for Albania and for all Albanians. Your Excellencies, Ambassadors, Honored clergy, Mr. Arbëror, Ladies and gentlemen, We have gathered today to celebrate a momentous event, not only for us but for all Albanians wherever they may be, for our children and for generations to come—the admission of Albania to the Council of Europe. Albania’s unanimous acceptance on June 29 as a full member of the Council of Europe does not mark an unexpected event; rather, it comes as the logical and ultimate triumph of the efforts and superhuman sacrifices that our nation has made throughout its history for survival, freedom, and dignity, and as Europe’s appreciation and gratitude for its precious contribution to developing and preserving the values of its European civilization. the landmark events in our national history, and June 29 will be counted among the most momentous dates for our nation. This day marks the complete triumph of the natural aspirations of Albanians and their European orientation; it marks the end of the diabolical and inhuman anti-Albanian and anti-European attempts to prevent this triumph. We Albanians are indeed among Europe’s oldest nations, but history’s smiles have been exceedingly rare for us. Our nation, on its long journey through centuries and millennia, endured great traumas and tragedies, prolonged interruptions to statehood, occupations, anti-Albanian racism, and the savage dictatorship. All of these, without exception, from the first to the last, had the dreadful aim of cutting our roots, erasing our identity, and thereby ending our survival. History proved that we survived. Ancient nations belong to eternity. So does our nation. May God bless Albanians wherever they are! We reached June 29 after titanic efforts. Our resistance and survival have passed through true sagas of bloody struggles and sacrifice. Their price has been a whole sea of blood, pain, suffering, and tears, but also of manliness, courage, and unparalleled self-defense. But the most deserved and greatest reward for our resistance is June 29, the day Albania took its place alongside the democratic countries of Europe. Long live Albania!

At the foundation of this day lies our precious contribution to the roots and values of European civilization; there stand the immense wars and battles that shaped our national history, Skanderbeg. For Albanians, Skanderbeg is not only the story of our major contribution to the defense of European civilization, nor merely a legendary leader. He is, in truth, our very being. Our history contains instances in which, as in our case, the being of the nation and that of its leader are one and inseparable.