Poll by the American public opinion expert David Hansen The percentage secured by the PD at the end of March has risen by 13 points compared with another poll conducted only three months earlier, while the percentage of PS voters has fallen by 1 percent. The American public opinion polling expert David Hansen presented yesterday in Tirana the results of a survey carried out in Albania on the political climate in the country. The poll results show that the vote for the Democratic Party would be 43 percent against 18 percent for the Socialist Party. In the survey conducted on 30 December of last year, the governing party, the Democratic Party, had received 30 percent of the votes, against 19 percent for the Socialist Party. Comparing the data from the latest survey with that from three months earlier, it is clear that the PD has gained 13 percent and the PS has lost 1 percent. According to Mr. Hansen, this rise of the PD is the result of the popularity of the government led by Prime Minister Meksi, in the economic and institutional spheres. When asked about their preferred parties, 37 percent of Albanians answered that they are with the Democratic Party, 18 percent said they are with the Socialist Party. This percentage shows an increase of 9 points compared with the December result for the PD, while the PS result roughly matches the survey result from three months earlier. The percentage of women who support the PD is 33 percent, compared with 18 percent among men, whereas in December 18 percent of women supported the PD compared with 19 percent of men. In the PS camp, almost no movement is observed. The survey, which was made public yesterday in Tirana, was conducted through the cooperation of the American public opinion expert David Hansen, the newspaper "Washington Post", the newspaper "Il Messaggero" and the Gallup Research Institute. Around 1,200 Albanians interviewed in cities and villages took part in the survey. There has been no change in the Republican landscape. Sali Berisha, President of Albania, continues to be by far the most popular political figure. Next comes Fatos Nano, the man most liked. Around 35 percent of Albanians think that he is doing a good job in leading the country, mainly because he is steering the country in a clear economic direction. However, almost 44 percent think that the country is heading in the wrong direction. Only 23 percent see their lives as better now than one year ago. Most Albanians continue to worry about inflation, employment and housing, but they express a strong sense of optimism about the future. Regardless of their personal economic situation, Albanians are convinced that their country's future is bright. Thirty percent say that their family's situation will be "better" in one year and only 12 percent predict that it will be "worse". Albanians are also very Western-oriented. Sixty-five percent believe that Albania could become a member of the European Union by the year 2000 and 43 percent think that this is also possible for NATO. Once again Albanians appear to be "fiery" voters. 89 percent of those questioned declared that they plan to vote in the next elections. A third of them are certain that they will do so and most expect to go to the polling station in their neighborhood or village. The survey shows that there is a significant difference in turnout between PD supporters and those of the PS. 82 percent of PD supporters say they will vote, compared with 71 percent of Socialist supporters, who say they plan to vote. Another difference of 24 percent indicates that the Socialists may have trouble mobilizing their supporters. The survey also found that Albanians have divided views toward key opposition figures. More than half of those questioned said they had never heard of Sabri Godo, Pjetër Arbnori, Rexhep Meidani and Neritan Ceka. By contrast, the chairman of the trade-union union, Valer Xheka, was known to 80 percent of them, and the leader of the Balli Kombëtar Party, Abaz Ermenji, to 51 percent. Among those questioned who knew the opposition leaders, there are no significant changes in the number who like each of them. As a rule, Sabri Godo and Valer Xheka are seen as the most positive figures (one in four has a positive opinion of each), while Kastriot Islami, Rexhep Meidani, Fatos Nano and Neritan Ceka receive very negative assessments. The American senators Bob Dole and Richard Lugar received the most positive ratings. More than half of those questioned said they had a positive opinion of Bob Dole. For Lugar this figure was 38 percent, and no fewer than 55 percent of PD supporters like him. Among the Democratic senators, Joseph Kennedy and Tom Lantos are known by 4 out of 10 respondents. More than one third of them had a positive opinion of Kennedy, while for Lantos the figure was 18 percent. Continues on page 5 Voting by party level The percentage of Albanians for Albania's future and past

The President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Leni Fisher, arrived in Tirana Dr. Paskal Milo: To be here at the beginning of the election campaign and to be worried and complain about the future of democracy is not normal. The President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Mrs. Leni Fisher, declared in Tirana that the Council of Europe is more than interested in playing an important role in the parliamentary elections of 26 May and 20 October in Albania. She made these remarks at Rinas Airport after her arrival in Tirana for a two-day visit. "I have come here to support democracy in Albania and I hope I will be a witness to free and fair elections," Fisher said, adding that this will depend on the Albanians and not on the Council of Europe. She also said that the Council of Europe will help Albania in the best possible way to ensure fair elections. "We cannot interfere in Albania's internal affairs. We are only able to do what we recommend to Albania and help it solve its problems," concluded Mrs. Fisher. It was Dr. Paskal Milo who commented to the media in critical terms on Mrs. Fisher's visit, while her arrival coincided with the start of the election campaign and also with the 5th anniversary of Albania's admission to the Council of Europe. "For such an important figure of the Council of Europe to come at the beginning of the election campaign and express concern about the elections, this will surely be taken by the Albanian people and the international community as implying a lack of trust in the Albanian government and administration," said Mr. Milo. "This, as well as the fact that she is coming with the foreign ministers of Italy and Austria, makes this visit meaningless in terms of strengthening the Council of Europe’s friendly relations with Albania. After all, we cannot call such a statement formal," he said. According to Mr. Milo, this is a discredited contradiction. He also said that the problem of immigration and national minorities cannot be called a concern in Albania. According to Mr. Milo, the elections will be held without problems because the state and all political factors are interested in peaceful and orderly elections. VZAN IAVES

To the Central Election Commission Today, the public deadline for submitting candidacies caused chaos in parliament yesterday. The parliamentary commission for reform was even more sharply exchanged through statements between the Democratic Party and the Socialist Party. The sharpest of all was the statement by Socialist MP Cilisete [?] and by the chairman of the Democratic parliamentary faction Spartak Ngjela regarding the role of the President of the Republic. Both MPs considered the president to be non-competing, while yesterday he appeared in a highly active and election-favored manner in Skopje and Tirana. Paskal Milo, chairman of the PSD, said that the presence of the head of the Council of Europe in Albania on the eve of elections harms the country's independence. According to him, the strength of the Albanian state on the international stage is also being lost. On the other hand, the director general of police Kristaq Kume assured the political party leaders today that the blue uniforms will be impartial during the campaign. "We are preparing special structures to carry out police activity in accordance with free election standards," Kume said. "If the parties wish, we are ready to cooperate." According to the police chief, during the campaign the police will take measures against any attempt to disturb the peace. Announcing a draft agreement that will be presented to the political parties to discipline their activity during the election campaign, Interior Minister Shaqir Vukaj said that in Albania there is no longer a red or blue zone. Acknowledging that the state cannot control the behavior of the parties, Vukaj said that the Albanian administration will be "completely impartial" with regard to the forthcoming elections. The police chief made it known that police forces will be engaged in preventing destabilizing actions and in particular those of a terrorist nature. Today, 40 political parties are expected to submit the names of their candidates to the CEC. Preparations for the campaign foresee vigorous developments.

President Berisha received the American senators Mr. Molinari expressed his confidence that Albanian-American relations will be further strengthened with the new administration in the USA and the new Congress. Senator Kerry stated that the efforts of Kosovo for freedom and democracy in the USA are finding continued support. President Berisha yesterday received in an official meeting the envoy of President Bill Clinton, Senator J. Molinari, as well as Senator John Kerry, accompanied by the U.S. ambassador in Tirana, Mrs. Marisa Lino. Speaking about Kosovo, Mr. Kerry said that, as far as the efforts of the Albanians of Kosovo for freedom and democracy are concerned, they have found and continue to find steady support in the USA. He expressed to President Berisha his own determination and that of the American Congress to work for support for the cause of Kosovo and of the Bosniaks, convinced that in the USA and with the new Congress Albanian-American relations will be further strengthened. This view was also emphasized by the Albanian senator Joe DioGuardi, who accompanied the senators at this meeting. The head of the Albanian state thanked the senators for the special support that the USA has given to our country and to Albanian democracy. He said that the continued assistance of the USA has been a very valuable help to our country in this vital period of transition.

The new electoral balance in the focus of the political parties The new balance serves no one's interests. 13 SANI NAZA