Interview with the Chairman of the Albanian Parliamentary Delegation to the OSCE, Genc Pollo, given by telephone from Stockholm - What was the content of the article adopted concerning elections in Albania at the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly? - This text was taken from the report of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly delegation that observed the elections in Albania and gave a positive assessment of the May 26 elections. - What position did the American delegation take? - I met several American congressmen, such as Mr. Laughlin from Texas, who told me they had voted against this amendment because they believed the elections were fair and that democratic forces in Albania should be supported. PAGE 3

Sali Berisha was the only president coveted like a television star by groups of journalists from television and the most important newspapers, who surrounded him everywhere. The Austrian press on President Berisha’s visit during the Salzburg International Summit, Austria Austria’s leading newspaper, Die Presse, in its July 8, 1996 issue, publishes an article entitled “A dense network of contacts at the Salzburg summit meeting,” with the subtitle “The stars of the Salzburg Summit from Tirana and Kyiv,” written by its editor-in-chief Andreas Unterberger, which says, among other things: Europe’s highest-ranking political figures lent brilliance to the Salzburg summit meeting. The Stars — the personalities who managed to stand out and be noticed by all the participants during the Salzburg International Summit — were Albanian President Sali Berisha and Ukrainian President Kutchman. important newspapers, who surrounded him everywhere. President Berisha can present his country with great intelligence and, above all, the situation of the Albanians in Kosovo. The second protagonist, quite unexpectedly, was Ukrainian President Kutchma. Although, unlike his predecessor, he was unable to refuse in English [wording unclear in the source], his success was unquestionable. After his speech, no one would have any further doubts about the fear of Kyiv’s march back toward Moscow. The Ukrainian President is fighting with great energy for his country, for opening the doors to NATO and the European Union, and for defense. The well-known Austrian newspaper Krone Zeitung, dated July 9, 1996, publishes an article entitled “The rush of Eastern Europeans toward membership in the European Union and NATO.” “‘Let us make Europe strong’ — this was the leitmotif of the summit meeting of the heads of state and government held in Salzburg. The prevailing view of everyone is: ‘A strong Europe needs a strong Eastern and Central Europe.’ The Albanian head of state Sali Berisha called for a rapid enlargement of NATO and the European Union, for political reasons: ‘A Greater Europe, against a Greater Serbia.’ Albanian President Berisha warns international politics against forgetting the Kosovo crisis hotspot. President Berisha further emphasizes: ‘Dayton is not the end of the crisis in the Balkans, because the Kosovo crisis has remained unresolved since the beginning of the crisis in Yugoslavia.’ The Austrian Press Agency APA, in its bulletin of

. A press statement by the Socialist Party, issued after the long meeting of the General Governing Committee, and a new picture of the ranks in this political formation of the Albanian left-wing opposition. Two currents have now been clearly defined: one belonging to the leadership, whose members are not in prison, and the other belonging to the imprisoned chairman. The first includes a good part of the current PS leadership, including Servet Pellumbi, an admirer of Marx, and Namik Dokle, a daily slogan-maker for PS propaganda. It also includes representatives of the Eurosocialists such as Ilir Meta, as well as retrograde figures such as Musa Ulqini. Bashkim Zeneli was also once part of this leadership, but was expelled because he was unsuitable due to his demands, which ran counter to points in the PS program. Nano’s faction is not very evident in the party leadership, but is concentrated in part of the General Governing Committee, specifically among those selected by Gramoz Ruçi, the party’s former Secretary General. Apart from Majko, who is more aligned with Nano, the rest made more of their contribution during Ramiz Alia’s period in government than during the period when he himself was in power. Maqo Lakrori, a supporter of Nano, was a minister during the communist period, while Kastriot Islami was Chairman of the first pluralist Parliament, which was dominated by the communists. Both enjoy the support of a group of lecturers from the Faculty of Sciences, who joined the PS because of family tradition or for some other connection to the former communist regime. Mejdani, accepted into the party just days ago, was a member of the Presidential Council, an interim form of government in 1991, which also included many people who were killers, according to the Democrats. Mejdani had been prepared by Nano to replace one of his opponents in the PS leadership. The identification of these currents had been predicted long ago by the Democratic Party. In the PS’s public positions, it had seen the Byzantine nature of communication among the party’s own leaders, expressed more crudely in their political positions on every reform initiative of the democratic government. Thus the PS continued its struggle through the daily boycott of the democratization of the country, while Nano, from prison, described Albania as a “banana republic,” just as he had envisioned it himself in 1991, when he was prime minister. But the country changed greatly, and the contrast between Albania’s development and the PS’s stagnation soon became clear. The recent verification of the PS’s internal divisions proved that everything taking place there in the name of reform is a stage on which the party’s preservation is enacted: half are power brokers and half are reformers. Both sides are alike, but the blame must fall on someone. Pamprëm Meano poli me i dobët. The most important points of his motion were not taken into account, while the “young people” he had proposed were thrown out of the office three days earlier. The meeting of the General Governing Committee did not bring the reformers to the fore, but neither did it reject them. This was because it was not a struggle between reformers and someone else. It brought down one clan and crystallized another. Naturally, it keeps turning back on itself. Party reform is the formula for the familiar replacement of one clan by another.

In its July 7, 1996 news bulletin, the agency publishes the article under the headline: “Berisha warns of an explosion in Kosovo.” “Incomplete attention to the Albanians of Kosovo”

Interview with Prime Minister Meksi The structure of the government will be consistent with the experience gained so far and with a vision for the future. Within such a framework, we will try to have structures that are as simple and efficient as possible, as close to the people as possible, and as capable as possible of fulfilling their duties. PAGE 2

as possible of fulfilling their duties. PAGE 2 The squeezed lemons rebel Nano loses the strategy - The governing committee, with the exception of seven people whom one newspaper called the most distinguished Albanian intellectuals, for the first time unanimously abandoned the cult of the individual to which the party had historically submitted. PAGE 3

According to a reliable source close to Klalit Nano, Kastriot Islami has packed his bags to leave Albania. The Albanian press has also written that three lawsuits have been filed against him, putting him at risk of being brought before Albanian justice. Meanwhile, he is also one of the most unwelcome figures in the Socialist Party. Përmbi paraqet dysh e ka nxjerrë nga selia edhe Doku i ka urdhëruar ati vendin e drejtuesit të propagandës së PS-së. Despised in politics, but just as despised because of his criminal record, late last night he emptied his wardrobe along with several suitcases. It is not known what his first destination is, për së është shpërhë dhe ai vetë në ambientet të ngushta, për të është e rëndësishme të shpëtojë derisa drejtësia shqiptare nuk e ka thirrur në bankën e të akuzuarve.

The Socialist Party leadership rejects the imprisoned chairman’s plan But although their victory has been almost complete, it cannot yet be said that everything has been settled in the open debate that brought to light the acute problems gnawing at the Socialist Party. First of all, because now we see people lined up on one front who previously could not stand one another, but also because of a reaction from all those groups who have tied their future in the Socialist Party to the name of Fatos Nano.

- They are not allowing him to enter the headquarters - Islami will soon face justice PAGE 3

Greek newspaper “Makedoniqi” reports Yesterday, the Greek daily “Makedoniqi” published a report announcing the escape from Albania of Gramoz Ruçi. The Greek newspaper wrote that the Secretary General of the Socialist Party, Gramoz Ruçi, had left Albania taking with him a considerable amount of the Socialist Party’s funds. The article points out that around $250,000 was taken by its Secretary, who left Albania immediately after a statement by Socialist Party chairman Fatos Nano about reforms in the party, which implied the departure of some of its leaders. The Greek newspaper referred to several foreign agencies, which had reported the news of the PS Secretary General’s escape as well as his taking of the party’s funds. The Albanian Socialist Party’s vice-chairman has disappeared HE ALSO TOOK THE PARTY’S FUNDS As reported by the Pinaia radio station, Vole, in a statement in its column. The former secretary of Albania’s Socialist Party, Gram. Ruçi, disappeared from Athens, taking with him the party’s funds, estimated at $250,000. A newspaper from Romania is investigating the broadcast “Mera,” that both the party chairman, Fatos Nano, who was in prison, and the chairman of the meeting ...