The DP and Berisha to win the next elections Press conference of the Secretary General of the DP, Mr. Tritan Shehu The moral distance between Albanians and the socialist leader Through its representatives, the Socialist Party exploits every opportunity to carry out its nihilism. It did so last night on the Eurobarometer program, as did Namik Dokle and, naturally, Skënder Gjinushi. This time, their doubts are directed as much at European institutions as at Albanians. The Socialists doubt the honesty and sincerity of the 64 percent of Albanians who have expressed support for Albania joining the Council of Europe; they cast doubt on the 44 percent of Albanians who see their future in line with the European Union and the 39 percent who see their future in line with the USA; on the 75 percent who believe that human rights are respected in Albania; and on the 59 percent of young people who are satisfied with the country’s progress to date. The Socialists express doubt about the 76 percent of Albanians who view the market economy optimistically and the 79 percent who consider the country’s direction to date entirely correct. The moral distance they create between themselves and the people by distorting the votes would be to their advantage if the remaining percentages for the other responses fell within the opinions of the socialist, social-democratic, or alliance leaders. But when they represent the minority opinion on reform, the direction of democratic governance, and Albania’s integration into Europe, the moral distance established last night by the leaders of the Socialist Party and the chairman of its parliamentary group, Namik Dokle, is the distance that separates Albanians from former communists, communists, Sigurimi agents, Enverists, and all the electoral constituency that forms the main support base of the Albanian far left, or the Red Front of Albania. The insistence of the communist duo Dokle–Gjinushi on last night’s program that Albanians’ views about their future and their aspirations do not exist shows a lack of regard for all Albanians. Imposing their views—those of a minority implicated in the past—on the majority is a provocation against Albanians’ ability to freely express their views on democratic institutions and governance. Dokle told Albanians last night that they cannot express themselves differently from the Socialists as soon as “we” have the opportunity to make this happen. The Socialists’ rejection, consistently demonstrated throughout the reform process over the past four years, of political, economic, and legislative reforms is now being extended by their leaders to freedom of thought. Totally rejecting the Eurobarometer data and blaming Albanians for these results cannot change the respondents’ answers. The echo of their disregard for the vast majority of Albanians correlates with the Marxist tendencies displayed by their program. A few days ago, the Conference of European Democrats issued a warning about the danger of communism’s return in the East. Unlike other Eastern countries, it welcomed the Democratic Party into its ranks. This is the significance of erecting a wall against communism, first in Albania, which has seen that Albania is a country deeply scarred by communism. The Eurobarometer gives the highest results that can be achieved by a people aspiring to Europe. Albanians have passed Brussels’ test, but they have done so much more freely. Dokle, Gjinushi, and their communist group are the ones left behind. The blame for this should not be sought in the morality of Albanians or in their freedom to be what they aspire to, feel, or want; it should be sought in their own lack of the moral strength to cope with freedom of life. The invitation to President Berisha to attend the Paris meeting was one extended to Albania, an acknowledgment of the Albanian President’s merits. It was also a further contribution by him to Albania’s integration into Europe and its recognition in Europe. Yesterday at noon, the Secretary-General of PD, Mr. Tritan Shehu, together with the Deputy Chairman of PD, Mr. Ali Spahia, and the Secretary for International Relations, Mr. Albert Brojka, held a press conference concerning PD’s admission to the European Democratic Union (EDU). At the beginning of the conference, Mr. Shehu read a press statement, the text of which we publish below: “Two days ago, PD was admitted as a full member of EDU, one of the most important political organizations in European countries. This admission, together with its admission to UECD several months ago, completes the full cycle of PD’s integration into the most prestigious levels of the politics of our continent, and is undoubtedly a powerful precondition for Albania’s full integration into European structures. This success is due to our program, to all those who support our party, to everyone who contributed to the successful progress of reforms, and to all those who opposed the dictatorship and worked for a democratic Albania. Undoubtedly, this is also due to the work of the Government and Parliament, and especially to President Berisha. In his press statement, A.Mock, the Chairman of EDU, explains the reasons for PD’s admission quite clearly, saying, among other things, that in this way we recognize the fact that President Berisha, as leader of PD, and his government managed in four years to free the country from the total collapse left behind by the communist regime and lead it toward democracy, the rule of law, and a market economy. We recognize Albania’s European orientation and fully support it. We are pleased by Albania’s admission to the Council of Europe. We extend a warm welcome to Mr. Berisha and the other leaders of PD, wishing him and PD every success in the upcoming elections. On the other hand, the Paris Declaration adopted at this meeting clearly describes the regime of E. Hoxha as a criminal regime, according to all the former communist countries, based solely on concentration camps, terror, the Iron Curtain, and the secret police. Likewise, this declaration and the press conference held at the close of this event emphasized the danger of former communists returning to power in these countries, particularly in Albania, where they have still not broken with the old ideological system and pose a risk of a new totalitarianism. At this summit of European center-right forces, the Lithuanian Conservative Party was also admitted as a member, while the Italian UCD and Rocco Butiglione were admitted as observers. Mr. Berisha greeted the summit, assuring it of PD’s democratic and European path, and spoke at the press conference. (Continued on page 2)

The invitation to President Berisha to attend the Paris meeting was one extended to Albania, an acknowledgment of the Albanian President’s merits.

Albanians have responded positively to Europe regarding the progress of democracy Press conference of the EU Ambassador in Tirana, Elio Germano p. 3

The American Embassy refutes “ZP” THE EMBASSY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA IN TIRANA HAS THOROUGHLY REVIEWED THE VERSION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE'S 1995 COUNTRY REPORT ON HUMAN RIGHTS FOR ALBANIA, AS PRESENTED IN THE MARCH 14 SUPPLEMENT TO “ZERI I POPULLIT”. THE EMBASSY AND THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE HAVE CONCLUDED THAT THE SUPPLEMENT IN “ZERI I POPULLIT” CONTAINS SIGNIFICANT AND SERIOUS TRANSLATION ERRORS, DISTORTIONS OF AND OMISSIONS FROM THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE VERSION OF THE REPORT AS APPROVED AND PRESENTED TO THE CONGRESS. THIS SUPPLEMENT DOES NOT ACCURATELY REFLECT THE VERSION OF THE REPORT AS APPROVED AND PUBLISHED BY THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. AN ACCURATE COPY OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT IN ENGLISH IS AVAILABLE AT THE UNITED STATES INFORMATION SERVICE IN THE INTERNATIONAL CULTURAL CENTER. has thoroughly reviewed the version of the State Department’s 1995 Report on Human Rights in Albania, as presented in the March 14 supplement to the newspaper “Zëri i Popullit”. The Embassy and the State Department have concluded that the supplement in “Zëri i Popullit” contains significant and serious translation errors, distortions, and omissions from the English-language version approved and submitted to Congress. The Service office in the International Cultural Center.

Exit visas for Albania are abolished The Government spokesperson, commenting on the Belgrade Government’s decision to abolish exit visas for travel to Albania, emphasized that this decision is in the right direction and is welcomed by the Albanian Government. Freedom of movement for people, a key principle of the Helsinki Act and other international documents, would serve understanding and the spirit of dialogue in the region.

After detaining him for two hours, the police kept his documents and the text of the speech he was to deliver before the European Parliament Yugoslav police stopped Adem Demaci, chairman of the Kosovo Committee for Human Rights, from taking to Brussels a dossier concerning the harsh repression carried out by the Serbian authorities in this province, whose population is overwhelmingly made up of ethnic Albanians. Demaci said that he was questioned by Serbian police at the border between Kosovo and Macedonia. After holding him for two hours, the police confiscated his documents, the text of the speech he was to deliver before the European Parliament, video cassettes, and other testimonies from Kosovo Albanians about the mistreatment and violence inflicted by Serbian police, he said. Demaci made these statements in Skopje, where, at the invitation of the European Parliament, he is preparing to travel to Brussels to inform international public opinion about the human rights situation in Kosovo. Demaci, 60, is a laureate of the Sakharov Prize for Peace. He spent 28 years in Serbian prisons, until 1990, because of his commitment to Kosovo’s reunification with Albania.

Ruçi threatened Ruka in his office and accused him of having suspicious connections that could lead to the leaking of PS secrets, an information source from PS reports. This time, the clash between Ruçi and Ruka was particularly bitter and came as a result of Ruçi’s reaction to the article published in “RD” under the headline “Ruka, the next Chairman of PS.” P. 3

his further efforts for the integration and recognition of Albania in Europe