From the PS heritage archive Minutes of the meeting of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the PPSH, dated 2 and 3 July 1974 p. 7

By Av. SPARTAK NGJELA p. 2

On 5 February The Presidium of the PDSH decided that on 5.02.1996 a meeting of the National Council of the PDSH would be convened with the following agenda: “Preparations for the Third Ordinary National Congress of the PDSH”. PDSH Spokesperson

. The Front for the Salvation of Democracy convened by the Socialists is a front for the salvation of the Communists. They recognize no other hierarchy for their political actions than that of tradition: the creation of fronts on ideological foundations, as happened with the Anti-Fascist National Liberation Front created in Pezë, and with the Mukje agreement, as well as the role played by the former Democratic Front of Albania. Dokle and Islami had no difficulty recreating this infamous history of fronts, since the mental make-up of these Socialist Party leaders is of the same kind, as is the political structure of this party. The call to create such a front was left hanging in the air. It was supported by none of the political forces participating in the meeting of 13 parties convened to discuss the electoral law. This showed once again that the Socialists’ aim of implicating the other Albanian parties in anti-democratic ventures failed and will continue to fail. The division of democracy did not take place and, perhaps even more than the objections to the electoral law, the response to the Socialist scheme for ideological terror was of great importance. The exercise of influence by the major party came to an end, leaving behind the bitter taste of decline. The Socialists lost yet another failed front, yet another anti-democratic front. The bloated anti-PD atmosphere built around the draft electoral law was terrain that the Socialists tried to claim as their own. As has always been the case with them, they tried to exploit the disagreements that are commonplace in political struggle for their own purposes. But no political force in Albania that seeks democracy could join a front with a regressive party that has a river of crimes behind it; with a party characterized by inactivity within its ranks and in Albania’s political life for so many years; with a party that has brought dictator Hoxha’s cabinet back onto the political scene; with a party that [unclear in source] and is guided by the ideology of violence. The Socialists are in retreat. They began their retreat by repeatedly abandoning the Albanian Parliament, and continued it by opposing the fundamental laws of Parliament and by repeatedly abandoning the Albanian Parliament, continued it by opposing Parliament’s fundamental laws, withdrew from reform by every means in order to impede it, turned away from their electorate by replacing real, life-oriented alternatives with counter-alternatives, turned away from Albania by sabotaging its entry into the Council of Europe, and continue to retreat as saboteurs of Albanians’ political civic life. Their latest attempt to bring Albanian political forces under their control and bind them against the Democratic Party failed disgracefully. There has never been a clearer instance of the appearance of party monism and the tendency to create more satellites than in the call for a front. The authors of the front, such as Islami and others, are known for statements of this kind, which are not only a [unclear in source] to democracy but also seriously undermine the functioning of the rule of law. Fronts carry the bitter taste of dictatorship, while politically the Socialists seek to collectivize ideas. Thus they showed that they feel uncomfortable in a democracy. Their instinct for violence surfaced. They were left alone. All the political parties denounced the revanchism of the Socialist leader. The Democratic Party’s position was mature. It showed the former Communists the Parliament, while they took to the roads. Their former-Communist consciousness could not lead them to any other choice.

President Berisha concluded his visit to Israel At the dinner hosted in Tel Aviv by the Israeli industrialists’ association in honor of President Berisha, his wife and the accompanying delegation, Mr. Berisha briefed Israeli businesspeople on the progress of reforms in Albania. After mentioning that 400 joint ventures are currently operating in Albania, 110 of them in the manufacturing sector, President Berisha said that he hoped some of them would include Israeli investment. Next, President Berisha spoke about the priorities Albania offers foreign investors, macroeconomic stability, the favorable climate, etc., assuring them that Albania is a country where one can make a profit. The feelings of friendship that the Albanian people cherish for the Israeli people will work in your favor, Berisha said. In the morning, the President visited the site of Christ’s crucifixion, the Holy Sepulchre, Jerusalem’s famous gates and walls, the market dating from Roman times, etc. At 9:00, a welcoming ceremony for President Berisha and his wife was held at the presidential residence by Israeli President Weizman. In this city of around one million inhabitants, the cultures, traditions and histories of Jews, Muslims and Christians have developed over the centuries. In the old part of the city, President Berisha etc. In all his meetings with senior Israeli officials, President Berisha received confirmation that Albania is the end and President Berisha. For his part, President Berisha expressed his impressions of Israel’s ancient and recent history. Jerusalem, he said, astonishes you with the continuity of life. It is a city of many religious faiths, where each faith respects the others. Berisha devoted particular attention to the meeting with the Albanian community and Israeli businesspeople. Albania for foreign investors, for macroeconomic stability, a that the Albanian people hold said. In the morning, President Berisha, his wife, and the delegation accompanying him visited the center of the ancient city of Jerusalem, with its 4,000-year history. He visited the place of Christ’s crucifixion, the Holy Sepulchre, the city gates and [the text is unclear] Berisha made a special point of meeting with the Albanian community and Israeli businesspeople. At confirmation that Albania is a worthy partner for cooperation. Today President Berisha begins his visit to Malta. expressed his high regard for the reforms undertaken. Further development of bilateral relations and cooperation in steelmaking, transport, trade, etc., of Luxembourg’s support for the signing of Albania’s agreement with the European Union. Photo: Reuter

The President of the French Senate, Mr. Rene Monori, will soon pay an official and friendly visit to our country. This was confirmed yesterday during a meeting between the Speaker of the Presidium of the People’s Assembly, Mr. Pjetër Arbnori, and the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the French Republic in Tirana, Mr. Lui Dominisi. The French Ambassador conveyed to Mr. Arbnori the greetings of the President of the French Senate, Rene Monori, who country. Mr. Dominisi also stressed that France is pleased with the successes achieved in Albania’s democratic development. For his part, Mr. Pjetër Arbnori praised the strengthening of relations between Albania and France.

Prime Minister Meksi received Luxembourg’s Minister of the Economy, Mr. Goebels Yesterday morning, Prime Minister Aleksandër Meksi received Luxembourg’s Minister of the Economy, Mr. Goebels. Mr. Meksi briefed Mr. Goebels on current developments in Albania. Mr. Goebels, referring to experts from the International Monetary Fund, expressed [the source text is unclear here] in such fields as steelmaking, transport, trade, etc., which were at the center of the discussion. The Minister of the Economy of Luxembourg, a country that will hold the next presidency of the European Union, assured Prime Minister Meksi of Luxembourg’s support.

Another report from Pietro Zannoni While the scandal over Serbian funding for Socialist MPs and the newspaper “KJ” has also made the pages of the Russian official press, journalist Pietro Zannoni sends another report, again obtained from the original source. It concerns 15 million dollars given by Serbia as funding at the beginning of ’91, during the period when, by decision of the Central Committee Secretariat of the PPSH, the newspaper “KJ” was turned into an “independent” newspaper. Another 4 million dollars were given to the newspaper “KJ” solely to cover printing costs, Zannoni writes, always citing information from the former security-service agent. The figures in this report are almost equal to those mentioned in the Serbian parliament by Shesheli, who demanded an accounting of where the 20 million dollars poured into Albania had gone. In his report, Zannoni also explains the links between the Serbian communists and the Albanian communists, links that were often based on pressure exerted by the Serbs on the Albanians. “The Albanian communists had become puppets controlled by the Serbs,” Zannoni emphasizes in his report. In fact, these references by Zannoni do nothing other than reconfirm facts already known about the links of the Albanian communists. Thus, we are dealing partly with known facts and partly with matters that have also been widely discussed, but for which the full truth is still awaited: the facts about the recent funding of Socialist MPs and “KJ.” E PALOКА

From an interview with Angelika Pfeiffer, a member of the German Bundestag Question: How do you view breaking with the past...? The Albanian parliament has two laws barring former members of the Communist nomenklatura and former collaborators of the secret service from taking part in politics; these laws have been widely discussed. Are you familiar with them? Answer: I think both laws are necessary. It would be good if we had such a law in Germany too. However, there are currently some obstacles to applying this law in Germany, since there we are dealing with the unification of two states. In other words, there are two states. On the other hand, the population of West Germany is sensitive to problems of this kind. Because of the lives they have led and the different system, West Germans cannot understand why we East Germans want to act this way. Question: There has been a debate between Mr. Kohl and the German SPD concerning the latter’s alliances with the Party of Democratic Socialism (the former communists). What can you tell us? Answer: The Social Democratic Party shows tolerance toward the former communists. In this context, the entire Democratic Union has debated with the Social Democrats. In our view: from history. Question: Gorb açov thinks that the former communist parties in Eastern countries differ from one another. But within these parties there is a group of conservative fundamentalists and another of moderates, which, according to M. Gorbaçov, are heading toward a clash. What do you think? Answer: Gorbaçov himself is a reformist, and we are grateful to him. Personally, I find it very difficult to believe that people, members of a party, change their convictions overnight. It is impossible. I myself do not believe in the renewal of the former communists. Certainly, in time there will be a new left, but I myself hope that its share of the European political spectrum will be small. Prepared by: J. ZALOSH NJA

The photo shows figures in traditional costumes dancing; no printed text is discernible in the photograph.

An emigrant from Athens denounces: p. 3