The Democratic Party is regarded by us as a European democratic party Mr. Pierre Lelouche, member of the French National Assembly, adviser to President Chirak on foreign policy and representative of the governing Rassemblement pour la Republique party, stated a few days ago to the BBC: “The Albanian Democratic Party is regarded by us as a sister party. This party had only just been established and immediately submitted itself to the working standards of the European democratic system. Mr. Berisha took part in our union; before becoming president, he was here as early as 1991, during the general conference in Paris chaired by Mr. Chirak. This is an example of our cooperation with the democratic parties of the countries of the East. We are happy that Albania is emerging from totalitarianism and joining the European democratic family.”

. The Socialists announced on the front page of their recent congress that they are seeking the property. In his report, Pëllumbi openly states that the SP will “review” the entire privatization process, ensuring fairer proportions between private and state property. Thus, the SP is promising Albanians a return to the “sanctity” of state property, openly threatening hundreds of thousands of Albanian property owners. The thesis put forward at this stage of the congress, to build state ownership in the economy, implies not only nationalizations but also a major centralization of the economy and much higher taxes. The state control over the economy promised by the SP means artificially strengthening the state at the expense of property owners. Their concept of governing the state can have no other parameters than state ownership, because they are realists, or a party that, for fifty years, nationalized everything to the point of absurdity and eliminated private property down to its smallest cells. It was the state property they created through force and demagoguery that gave them the means for enormous theft and abuse. It was state property that equipped this caste of officials with absolute security that they would never have to answer for catastrophic theft and abuses. That is why it is understandable and believable that, if the Socialists return to power (which will not happen), they will attack private property furiously, destroying and nationalizing it. Because they want “their” property: they consider the state their property, with which they can do whatever they want. They have proved this. To declare that you will dismantle the legal institutions of a democratic state and undo the entire privatization process from the beginning means to ... and that undoing the entire privatization process from the beginning means promising Albanians a return to socialism; it means promising them the sharing of poverty among everyone. But why do the Socialists want “property” (nationalization)? First, there is the hatred in the genes of this caste of former communist state officials who have taken over this party, a hatred they harbor for prosperous, free governments. Second, by conceiving of the state as their property, they seek to (mis)use and steal from it under the umbrella of their offices, just as they did before. The declaration of state control over the economy and the threat that the privatization process will be reviewed from the beginning constitute the clearest act by this party demonstrating its return to the doctrines of Marx and Enver Hoxha. Their position is diametrically opposed to the one the DP took toward the few minor privatizations that the dying communists carried out in 1991. During the DP’s term in government, there is not a single instance of Parliament or the government intervening to infringe upon the properties acquired by the communists. During these four years of the DP majority, the democratic Parliament and government, without touching any of the properties distributed in 1991, committed themselves fully to advancing economic reform and mass privatization. Through laws passed in a European manner, they succeeded in making hundreds of thousands more Albanians property owners. At this stage of the congress, the Socialists sought the property. Thus, with their proposals for state control over the market and a review of privatization, they are seeking nothing more and nothing less than the expropriation of hundreds of thousands of Albanians and mass nationalization. This is because they know no other way to govern than with poor citizens and a state that distributes poverty to everyone. They openly targeted farmers, traders, businesspeople, factory and shop owners; they openly targeted Albanian citizens who, through effort, sweat and perseverance, managed to become prosperous. To declare that you will control the free market and undo privatization means telling the farmer: you will plant what I tell you; the property, whatever you want. It means telling the owner of a factory or shop: your property, whatever you want. It means telling the seller: I, (in the interests of the state), tell you, the trader, to buy or sell not what is profitable for you, but what I, the state, tell you. It means… The SP has trampled on the sacred program of hundreds of thousands of Albanians… The SP wants the property and the sacred property of hundreds of thousands of Albanians back… “Communist humanism.” The SP demanded Albanians’ property, promising them a return to the socialist era of “equality and happiness,” ration coupons and endless queues.

The commission’s request that political entities submit their candidate lists confirms this Interview with Prime Minister Meksi It is clear that the law clearly defines in its first two articles the positions for which vetting is conducted. What must the person standing as a candidate in the election before us not have been, between 28 November 1944 and 31 March 1991? In these cases, the commission will verify precisely the official documents specified in this law. Must the person not have been a member of the government, a member of the Central Committee, or a first secretary? They must not be listed in the State Security records or in the registers of collaborators, informers, agents, residents, etc. of State Security. They must not have been an officer in State Security, legal or illegal; must not have been a witness, denouncer or false, aggravating witness in political trials documented in files kept in the archives of the Ministry of the Interior; and must not have worked in camps and prisons. They must not have graduated from the former Ministry of Internal Affairs’ higher school in the State Security branch or attended three-month courses, because all the register books for checking this exist. p. 3

On 19 March 1996, the newspaper “Koha jonë” published a political analysis by Mr. Frrok Çupi with the striking title: “Is Greece betraying the Albanian opposition?” By Skënder Shkupi p. 3

Berisha received the distinguished Albanian-American director Sten Dragoti Yesterday, the famous American director of Albanian origin, Sten Dragoti, arrived in Tirana. Also yesterday, President Berisha received director Dragoti in a special meeting. “I am pleased to meet you here, in the homeland of your parents. Distinguished personalities like you have increased confidence in Albanians. You have improved the image of Albanians and Albania in the world,” President Berisha told Mr. Dragoti. “I have come here,” Dragoti said, “with the land of my ancestors, but also because I value Albania and Albanians highly, and their ability to cooperate between American and Albanian investors in investing in tourism, hotels, etc.” Last night, President Berisha hosted a dinner in honor of Mr. Dragoti, attended by the most distinguished Albanian artists.

Meksi received German Defense Minister Ruhe I am impressed by the reform of the Albanian army and by the fact that the German experience is being followed, Minister Ruhe emphasized. The two sides are now closer to one another. Our assistance will not be lacking.

p. 2

Our ambassador Besnik Mustafa is elected head of the second group, which includes 24 countries On Tuesday, March 26, elections were held for the chair of the second electoral group at UNESCO, which includes 24 member countries. Among the many candidates was our ambassador, Mr. Besnik Mustafa, who won unanimously. In accordance with the statute, Besnik Mustafa has been elected to the group’s highest position, that of chair. This is an event that deserves attention for many reasons. For the first time, the candidacy of an Albanian diplomat has won to lead one of the important sectors of a major international organization, demonstrating the qualitative growth of our diplomacy. This election paves the way for our country to put forward a candidacy for the UNESCO Executive Board at its General Conference, which will be held next year. A.J.

Meksi received German Defense Minister Ruhe