Yesterday, at a press conference, the Central Election Commission: Yesterday, the Central Election Commission described as bombastic conclusions the remarks in the report by ODIHR observers, which claimed that Albanian electoral law had been massively violated. While acknowledging some irregularities that accompanied the implementation of the election law, the CEC told journalists that it found the conclusions drawn from observations conducted at just 7 percent of polling stations to be unsubstantiated and unreliable. The group of lawyers on the commission questioned most of the report, which claimed to have observed massive violations of the law during the electoral process. Conveying the position of the majority of commission members, the press statement assessed that the election law as a whole had been rigorously implemented and that shortcomings in its implementation had not caused serious damage to the voting process. Deputy Justice Minister Vladimir Kristo, speaking on behalf of the group of lawyers, [gave] legally reasoned grounds concerning the 32 articles that the report deemed to have been violated. The truth the commission presented regarding the claims of ODIHR observers leaves a bitter taste: the report’s negative tendency is reflected in the foreign observers’ assessments of the elections of 26 May and 2 June. Among the arguments that could substantiate the claims concerning alleged violations of the electoral law, the commission— the CEC—was divided over the report’s failure to assess the opposition’s abandonment of the commissions shortly before the elections ended, which, according to the commission, could not have failed to affect the credibility of the final voting results. On this occasion, lawyer Arjan Madhi rejected the allegations of a KJ journalist that he had said around 20,000 opposition members would end up in prison for violating election law. He and his colleagues stressed that other bodies make decisions on this matter, while they provided legal evidence of how the commission abandoners had violated the law. Regarding the decision on the partial elections, the secretary of this commission, Kreshnik Spahiu, said it was made after reviewing the documentation from more than 60 districts, as requested by the President of the Republic and in response to complaints from political entities. Acknowledging most of the recommendations in the ODIHR report, the commission members who spoke to journalists said that, together with the final announcement of the election results, they would also provide concrete assessments of how the electoral process had proceeded and how the electoral law had been implemented. They announced that [their families too?] were yesterday among the guests of Albanian President Sali Berisha in the coastal city of Vlora, 150 km south of Tirana. The large yacht carrying the American guests anchored in the Bay of Vlora at around 12:00 noon. At 14:00 President Berisha invited the American guests to his residence in Vlora, where he spent a ... [text cut off at the upper edge] ... President Berisha, according to ... President Bush and General Powell were in Albania as guests of President Berisha for a one-day visit. The spokesperson said that, during the conversation, President Berisha had informed President Bush about the political situation and assured him that Albania would know how to withstand attempts to destabilize the country coming from old communist forces and certain circles interested in such a situation. President Berisha assured the American guests that the government was doing everything to address the shortcomings observed in the 26 May election process, following the boycott of the elections by left-wing forces. The two presidents also discussed the situation in the region. President Berisha, according to ... encouraged the former aggressors who had caused the conflict in Bosnia. The issue of Kosovo also occupied an important place in the conversation between President Berisha and the American guests. President Berisha reiterated the Albanian view that resolving the Kosovo crisis was one of the key points for establishing peace in the Balkans. After the meeting, President Bush told Voice of America in an interview that he was happy about his second visit to Albania and the impressive achievements in the successful development of democracy in the country. “I am very happy to have come to Albania again. I have respect for President Berisha and for what he has done to privatize the Albanian economy, by establishing ... [continues beyond the visible portion] ... together with General Powell, who is known throughout the world for his courageous leadership in war. Today President Berisha has also been very kind to us, setting aside enough time to explain what he is doing in Albania. And we are greatly encouraged by this. I am very interested in Albania, in its successful story of democracy, which is growing stronger and stronger. It has been a great pleasure to come here,” said former President Bush. This is the second time former President Bush has come to Albania. He made his first visit in November 1994. (ATA)

George BUSH and Colin POWELL, guests of President Sali BERISHA Yesterday in Vlora Former US President George Bush and former US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Colin Powell were guests of President Berisha yesterday in the coastal city of Vlora. During his meeting with them, President Berisha discussed the political situation in Albania and the state of affairs in the region. After the meeting, President Bush said he was impressed by Albania’s changes and by its successes in the country’s democratization process. The former US president, [had] a working lunch with their families. In their conversation, the two presidents and General Powell touched on issues concerning political life in Albania and the situation in the region. that Albania would be able to withstand the efforts to ... His spokesperson said he had praised the role of IFOR forces in Bosnia and described them as decisive in the defeat of the influence [unclear] in the region. On the other hand, he said that a possible withdrawal of the forces would have consequences for the entire region, since it could encourage the former aggressors who that resolving the Kosovo crisis is one of the key points ... the standard of living of the Albanian people at a satisfactory level. “I see extraordinary progress in this wonderful country, and we are very happy to be here as guests of President Berisha, to explain what is being done in Albania. And we are greatly encouraged by ...”

Mr. Maurizio Nevola, President of the Chamber of the President of the Italian Constitutional Court and Head of International Relations at the Italian Constitutional Court, arrived in Tirana yesterday as an observer at the 17 electoral sections scheduled to vote on 16 June. Despite Mr. Nevola’s primary purpose in coming to Albania, during the two meetings he held yesterday with the President of the Albanian Constitutional Court, Mr. Rustem Gjata, and the President of the Court of Cassation, Mr. Avni Shehu, he expressed professional interest in the structure of these two institutions, which are of fundamental importance to a country’s democratic life. Mr. Nevola highlighted the fruitful cooperation between the judicial systems of the two countries, saying: “Our face is reflected on the other side.” He then stressed the mistakes made in the Italian justice system and economy, pointing out that Albania now had a greater opportunity than ever not to follow paths on which other countries had failed ... Mr. Maurizio Nevola’s visits will continue tomorrow as well, with the aim of learning about the current situation in Albania.

Yesterday afternoon, the Speaker of the People’s Assembly, Mr. Pjetër Arbnori, received in his office Mr. Lecamp, a representative sent by the French Senate. They discussed the election process in Albania, the progress of reforms in Albanian democracy, and the growing ties between Albania and France. Mr. Arbnori briefed Mr. Lecamp on the parliamentary elections of 26 May and assured him that those to be held on 16 June would also be fair and honest. “You are free to observe wherever you wish on election day in the areas where the elections are being repeated,” Arbnori told Mr. Lecamp. In response to Lecamp’s question about the report of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, Mr. Arbnori explained that the report lacked the fundamental conclusion that irregularities during the 26 May elections had occurred after representatives of the left-wing opposition withdrew from the commissions just three hours before the deadline for the end of voting. Arbnori further expressed his conviction and hope that the new parliament would include representatives from all political forces, so that Albania’s rapid progress along the path of democracy could continue.

Mr. Albert Pful, member of the German Parliament Mr. Albert Pful, a member of the German Parliament representing the German Social Democratic Party and former Council of Europe rapporteur on Albania’s accession to the Council of Europe, writes a letter to the chairman of the Democratic Party, Prof. Dr. Tritan Shehu, in which he says: “I would like to warmly congratulate you and your Party on your great victory in the parliamentary elections and wish you every success in Albania’s democratic progress? I have been informed by the media about the conduct of the elections and the measures taken by your President. I believe he has chosen the right path,” writes Mr. Albert Pful, adding that “the press has not always given me the impression of being objective and fair in its coverage.” “I hope that I will be able to come to Tirana again this summer and, until then, [I will rely] on this old friendship for Albania,” Pful concludes warmly in his letter. Pful is a member of the German Social Democratic Party and a member of the German Bundestag.

The Greek press minister meets the editor-in-chief and deputy editor-in-chief of “RD” At the invitation of Greek Press Minister Dimitri Repas, on Tuesday ... [a few unclear words] ... a delegation comprising the editor-in-chief of “RD”, Lazer Stani, deputy editor-in-chief Edi Paloka, and the editor-in-chief of the newspaper “Lajmi i Ditës”, Fabi Balliu, traveled to Athens. During its three-day stay in Athens, the delegation held several important official meetings with senior officials of the Press Ministry, the heads of Greece’s best-known newspapers, etc. On Wednesday, the delegation met with Repas, the Press Minister and spokesperson for the Greek government. The meeting focused mainly on relations between the two countries and ties between the Albanian and Greek press. Mr. Repas emphasized that Greece is satisfied with developments in Albania and seeks to further strengthen relations between the two countries. “We want this situation of calm and stability in Albania to continue, as it is not only in Albania’s interest, but also in the interest of the entire Balkans,” Repas said. The Press Minister then pointed out that Greece is also satisfied with the current treatment of the minority in Albania. “We will continue to strengthen relations with Albania,” he said. Press issues and cooperation were the other topics of discussion, which concluded that cooperation between the Greek and Albanian press should be increased. Mr. Repas promised assistance for the Albanian press. The meeting, which lasted about forty-five minutes, concluded with friendly greetings from both sides. “RD” correspondent

. After [reviewing?] the ODIHR report, the Central Election Commission is working on a full and detailed response to all the issues raised in it. Nevertheless, in the report in question, attention is drawn to the conclusion that “32 of the 79 articles concerning the pre-election period and election day were violated.” The commission does not at all rule out shortcomings in the implementation of the election law and is open and ready to examine them one by one. But the best conclusion ... continued on page 3 ... Observers from the Socialist Party, which, together with two small parties, is trying to present the final election result to the public as manipulated ... Yesterday the daily Albania published material showing that one of the observers ODIHR brought to Albania had been in the service of the State Security for nearly 25 years. It has also been established that a considerable number of these observers belonged to a Marxist-Leninist group in Norway. ARTUR KOPANI

The opposition press has written in recent days about the opposition’s “successful” visit to Athens. Tomorrow we will tell you in greater detail about the complete failure of the three people from the opposition who wandered around Athens, where nobody had invited them.