. A poll by the American Republican Institute released yesterday discredited the opposition party’s claims of a possible victory for them. The poll revised the voting results from 26 May in different areas of the country. Based on all the results of this vote, the Democratic Party’s victory is beyond dispute, while the percentage received by the Socialist Party remains within the range of previous polls. After the Democratic Party’s landslide victories, an analysis of percentages is of little value; it becomes meaningful only when examining the reasons for the Socialist Party and its satellites’ withdrawal from the elections. There is little doubt that the main reason was the certainty of a complete defeat. The 56 percent received in several areas, some of them considered by the Socialists to be their own strongholds, confirms the Democratic Party’s longstanding, deeply rooted methods. Naturally, there is now no need for Socialist Party operatives to go around people’s homes at night collecting anti-voting signatures, as they did during the Enver association period. This will not save them from the party’s complete destruction, nor does it justify their abandonment of their electorate. The Socialists have resorted to conducting clandestine activities. They tried this in several areas during the election campaign, too, urging people not to attend Berisha’s rallies. The signatures they are collecting now are only a manoeuvre that merely aggravates the wound they have already suffered from the free vote of the Albanians, just as do their calls to occupy squares and streets. Rebuffed by the sovereign people’s decision, the Socialists cannot coexist with a civil and democratic society by violating it. They cannot coexist with peaceful, committed people working for the country’s democratization while threatening to destroy that peace. Their desire to bypass the Albanian democratic system and seize power does not increase enthusiasm for them at home or abroad; rather, their desire to disrupt the Albanian democratic system and break the law only diminishes such enthusiasm. Given what they have achieved in the elections, they can be regarded only as a tangent in Albanian life, whether political or economic. Abandoning dialogue with people through the ballot box also means abandoning democratic ways of communicating with them and reverting to the instincts of the dictatorship from which they themselves originate. Ruçi has every opportunity to keep quiet about his criminal plans if he cannot behave normally in the new Albanian life. The same applies to Enveri [?], his hand-picked chief in three parties. A statement from the Ministry of Interior also reports the Socialist-led terror disturbances in Patos, Tepelenë, Përmet and Fier. In one of the cities, the Socialists also used firearms and wounded several members of the security forces with blunt objects. It seems the Red Front finds it difficult to reinforce order difficult to accept defeat and is trying to seize other people’s peace. This seems natural for a party whose leading figure [?] is now Gramoz Ruçi, an instigator of violence precisely during election periods. It is still election season, and the Red Front is trying to disrupt the atmosphere. They do not want a peaceful Albania, peaceful elections, or a peaceful future.

The meeting of the foreign ministers of the member countries of the Central European Initiative will take place in Vienna from 31 May to 1 June 1996. At this meeting, the decision adopted at the October 1995 Meeting of the Heads of State and Government of the Central European Initiative in Warsaw concerning the full membership in the organization of the associated countries, including Albania, will be implemented. Our country will participate with a delegation headed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Alfred Serreqi. Full membership in the Central European Initiative gives Albania the opportunity to complete the framework for cooperation within this regional partnership and to participate in all areas of cooperation. In accordance with the organizational rules of the Central European Initiative, Albania will also take the chair of one of the working groups. During his stay in Vienna, Minister Serreqi will meet with his counterparts from the member countries and will also be received by the President of the host country, Mr Klestil, and by the Austrian Vice-Chancellor and Foreign Minister, Mr Shusel.

The President of the French Senate, Mr Rene Monory, has sent his best wishes to the Chairman of the Presidium of the People’s Assembly of the Republic of Albania, Mr Pjetër Arbnori, for the result of the parliamentary elections held in Albania on 26 May 1996, the Press and Information Directorate of the People’s Assembly reports.

International Republican Institute confirms the DP victory The IRI in Cairo confirmed that Pikëpamje Shqiptare, an American-Albanian public-opinion research firm headed by Mr David Hansen, was to conduct

PBDNJ reviews its position on the elections; it will take part in the run-off round The PBDNJ leadership. its positioning

IRI commissioned its center at Pëkjanë Shqiptare, an American-Albanian public-opinion research firm headed by David Hansen, to conduct a poll of voters on election day as they left the polling station after voting, a practice generally known as an exit poll. In addition to Mr. Hansen’s experience conducting polls for political campaigns in the United States, he also conducted election-day polls in Russia and Palestine in the past year. The Albanian election-day poll consisted of more than 2,400 voter interviews at 160 polling stations spread throughout Albania. The margin of error for this poll is plus or minus 3.5%, with a 95% confidence level. IRI’s election-day poll predicted that the Democratic Party would win 56% of the vote and the Socialist Party 22%. IRI’s election-day poll showed that 85% of all Albanian voters on election day believed that Albania was moving in the right direction; 12% said it was moving in the wrong direction. Seventy-one percent were satisfied with the development of democracy, and 67% were satisfied with the progress of economic reforms. Sixty-two percent expressed approval of President Berisha’s performance, and 61% approved of the work of the previous parliament.

PBDNJ reviews its position on the elections; it will take part in the run-off round having analyzed the situation that emerged after the May 26 elections and noting that it was acknowledged, at least in part, that there had been irregularities and violations of electoral law, that several areas were sent back to the polls, and that many other areas went to a run-off, has reviewed its previous position and declared that it will take part in the run-off elections in all three areas. This is stated in letter no. 83, which the leadership of this party sent to the Central Election Commission.

Eduart Kullolli’s friends at the “RD” newsroom “When we were bringing our wreaths, Gjinushi came up to touch them, but we drove him away, insulting him. And Namik Dokle too...” Several friends of 24-year-old Eduart Kullolli, who was killed two days ago, came to our newsroom yesterday, outraged. After seeing the photographs published in “ZP” and “KJ” as well as the documents prepared for this newspaper, Leonard Zani, Besnik Zemblaku, Ilir Kuta and Artan Sejdini came to the newsroom. “They photographed us and called us Eurosocialists—we can’t stand the sight of socialism. The other boys from the neighborhood who were there have nothing to do with the Socialists either, but I haven’t seen the newspapers,” they protested, before recounting what had happened. “Eduart Kullolli had been our friend since childhood, and we paid our respects to him as friends. We don’t want it to be thought that he was ever involved in politics. As for us, we have been and will remain with the PD.” Photograph of a group of people; several faces are circled.

-Yesterday, K.Islami admitted to two “KJ” journalists that they had lost by nearly 70%: “We will withdraw” -PS observers received information that they had lost Page 3

Announcement by the Ministry of the Interior Page 3

-While hundreds of thousands celebrated the PD victory, the opposition protesters numbered no more than a few dozen -Those who voted freely for democracy will not allow the violence of the minority to prevail over the majority

To all electoral entities Following the invitation extended by the President of the Republic, Sali Berisha, to the opposition to participate in the second round of elections to the People’s Assembly, the Central Election Commission addresses all electoral entities that have qualified to compete in the second round of voting, according to the attached list, asking them to notify the relevant constituency commissions of their participation by 12:00 on 31.05.1996. Under the final paragraph of Article 8 of the law on elections to the People’s Assembly of the Republic of Albania, these commissions are required to announce the candidates for the second round. The aforementioned commissions are also to be notified accordingly. FOR THE CENTRAL ELECTION COMMISSION: Secretary KRESHNIK SPAHIU Chairman EDMIR KAPIDANI Tirana, 30.05.1996 Page 2