The task of saving a socialist—do the socialists themselves call it the work of Mr. Milošević or of Gazidede? Yesterday Socialist deputies stated bluntly in the media commission that their colleague, the rebel Bjondi Naska, who is on the verge of being fully expelled from his own party, has no right to denounce the secret wiretapping carried out at his home. For the socialists on the media commission, if first the daughter of General Xhelak and Sali's daughter-in-law slipped the surveillance device under the living-room sofa, then her father or brother in SHIK may have been monitoring him with hi-tech equipment. In this case, it seems that the surveillance was not an action ordered by the new party from secret-service employees linked to it, but a personal operation by two zealous militants. That is if the surveillance really took place. The second possibility is that all this story about filming, car tailing, wiretapping equipment, and red paint poured on the painter's walls is a product of the imagination haunted by Xhelak's ghosts. The task of saving a socialist, socialists themselves want to turn into an intelligence story in which Alia, Bashkim Gazidede, and Hekuran Isai must also be involved. All political sides are calling for the need for an investigation. Erbla[?] the party has declared the denunciation of the fellow deputy to be political. However, in a stance that seems laughable and out of place, the socialists are trying to minimize their colleague's reaction by reducing the issue to a police story. But what, according to the socialists, could be the hidden motives behind this story? First, to frighten a socialist and turn him back into a loyal dissident? Or to pressure him in order to curb the passion of dissent? Or to eliminate him politically? Yesterday in the media commission, Socialist deputies not only did not accept the version that Naska's surveillance may have been the work of socialists, but also declared his denunciation "infinitely ridiculous." According to them, Naska made the denunciation during the campaign period in order to serve not the socialists, but Berisha. That was enough for the socialists on the commission to close the matter of payment to the rebel deputy. The public denunciation by a deputy that he is being systematically monitored by people linked to the socialists should have been a cause for real concern on the part of the opposition. But instead of delving into the scandal of organizing a surveillance mechanism from within the same ranks, the socialists rushed to close their deputy's file by labeling his claim ridiculous. This shows a serious illness in parties that cannot accept either internal pluralism or the right of a member to denounce pressure. EN

The president of the French Senate, Mr. René Monory, will make an official visit to our country. During this visit he will become acquainted with the state of progress in our country. He is also invited to take part in the discussion at the international seminar "France in Albania." The French ambassador in Tirana, Mr. Le Hunsec[?], on Tuesday at midday held a meeting in the premises of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs...

President Berisha concluded his visit to Israel An encounter that will not be forgotten. Between the head of the Albanian state and the Israeli one. President Berisha, at President Weizman's home, brought to Israel the deepest feelings of the Albanian people toward this country and its people. To the Israeli President, Haim Herzog, as well as to the country's Prime Minister Simon Peres, together with the ambassador plenipotentiary, he conveyed to the American people and to Albanians in Israel his undying sense of gratitude. He conveyed the renewed manuscript of Albania's splendid tradition of hospitality and humanity. The Albanians in Albania, but also in Kosovo, in Macedonia, in Montenegro, and in the Great Highlands, kept the Jews alive in the darkest times and saved their lives from certain death. They sheltered them in their homes and honored them as friends. The rescue of the Jews during the Second World War can without hesitation be called unique in world history. It was President Weizman who pointed out that today's Albania is a country with a stabilized economy and an orientation toward the market economy. In what the Israeli President called a historic opportunity for his country to strengthen political, economic, and cultural partnership with Albania. A partnership that is by no means foreign to the background of the climate that exists between our two peoples. One expression of this partnership is the agreements that were signed on cooperation in various fields. In his speech, President Berisha dwelt on these special relations between the two peoples. The President of Israel, Dr. Ezer Weizman, during the time when the head of the Albanian state decorated him with the order "Gjergj Kastrioti Skenderbeu," stated that the once-and-for-all recognition of Albania as the home of Albanians and Jews in the difficult years of war remains a great historical assessment. Photo: Kavaja

Prime Minister Meksi received the Minister of Economy of Luxembourg, Mr. Coebels The two sides, and Prime Minister Aleksander Meksi received the Minister of Economy of Luxembourg, Mr. Coebels. In the meeting with the prime minister, Mr. Coebels, while valuing the economic reforms, market liberalization, and monetary and financial stability, underlined to Prime Minister Meksi that Albania represents a particular interest for Luxembourg business. After speaking about the prospects for the development of economic relations and broader cooperation with the European Union, he emphasized the agreement that Albania has on cooperation in various fields. Prime Minister Meksi expressed gratitude to the Minister of Economy of Luxembourg for the support his country gives to ours in the European integration process.

Another report from Petro Zamoni Meanwhile, as the scandal of the video of the General Secretary of the PS, Mr. Gramoz Ruci, continues to be the main topic of public opinion, a week ago a long fax was delivered to the offices of the newspaper "Rilindja Demokratike" through which a version was given about the inherited situation in the branches of the secret police from the time of the dictatorship. Previously unknown, this text was accompanied by the note "Year '97". It also included extended information concerning the actions of the former top leaders of the Albanian state. According to this information, more than 90 million dollars had been brought into the Albanian state coffers through the secret services. This text, presented as unpublished and secret material of Year '97, was called in editorials and elsewhere part of dubious files. Part of it was published under the title "Year '97". Here now is another part of this material, since different sections speak about the ways in which the government of the last years of communism used diplomatic bags, embassies, and hidden trade to bring money into Albania. Mr. Zamoni claims that this money was secured through foreign trade enterprises and placed in banks abroad. He emphasizes that part of it was used to finance the party apparatus and the secret mechanisms of the Sigurimi. p. 3

An enigma from Alia denounces: p. 3

The Tirana painter Xhefti Spaqari p. 3

From the interview with Angelika Pfeiffer, member of the German Bundestag Question: How do you think the reform in Albania has progressed, and how do you assess the democratization of life in parliament? Pfeiffer: I think both of these are, in a certain sense, very accelerated compared with the periods of transformation in other Eastern European states. I think that at a decisive point we are achieving concrete results with those of the European Union administration, specifically those of the specialist for relations in agriculture with Germany. Nevertheless, the socialists in Albania have not learned much from the history of the past. This has been especially evident in their stance in parliament, as well as in their ongoing attempts to destroy and obstruct parliamentary oversight of the actions of government institutions. For me it is clear that the socialists, with their former responsibility in the PPSH nomenklatura, Mr. Hekuran Isai and later the rule of the Sigurimi, have never truly broken with the past to the necessary extent. Cooperation with them does not represent a guarantee for the continuity of democratic reforms. Prepared by: ELAJONA

p. 2

From the PS archive files 2 and 3 July 1974 p. 2

On 5 February The leadership of the PDSh decided that on 5.02.1996 the National Council of the PDSh will meet. At this meeting, the National Council of the PDSh will also be convened at the invitation of Avdyl Xhezairi of the PDSh, the spokesman of the PDSh p. 5