President Berisha in Krans Montana The President of the Republic, Sali Berisha, leaves today for Krans Montana, Switzerland, where he will take part in the Annual Forum of political and business leaders, which will be held from June 20 to 23, 1996. President Berisha will meet with many prominent politicians and representatives of the business community attending the forum.

The President of the Republic decreed yesterday that the new Albanian Parliament would convene on July 1. This is an important event for Albanian politics and for Albania’s economic development. The May 26 elections succeeded in giving the country a Parliament without communists. They withdrew from the elections after realizing their total defeat, while Albania took a major step forward toward Europe. The decommunization of Parliament is a new phenomenon in Albanian parliamentary life. During four years of democracy, Albanians became fully convinced that, in contemporary politics, the communists’ place was among those obstructing the country’s democratic progress and inhibiting economic reform. Their exclusion had in fact taken place as early as March 22, ’92, when they no longer had the support to forge communism in Albania. But despite their reduction to a political force without credibility, both within the country and abroad, they did not abandon their efforts to sabotage and obstruct reform by every means democracy could place at the opposition’s disposal. To do so, they used Parliament, repeatedly boycotting the most important economic reform laws, and did not even spare laws concerning the democratization of the Albanian army and Albania’s relations with NATO, the Council of Europe and the European Union. They displayed their anti-Americanism on every occasion when they had the opportunity to malign the Albanian state’s relations with the USA, while they also sought to parcel out Albania’s relations with its southern neighbors, even to the point of crossing national boundaries. Albanians, who had suffered so much under the communist regime, could not forget all the harm the communists had inflicted over four consecutive years. On July 1, the Albanian Parliament will represent the country’s genuine aspirations, which come together in one goal: Albania in Europe. The distance to it has now been greatly reduced. A Parliament without communists embodies even closer ties with Europe. An Albania that until yesterday was Eastern European is now undergoing a great catharsis. The composition of the Albanian Parliament itself reflects this. Those who will decide Albania’s future are among the country’s most democratic people, its most expert and best-prepared individuals in political and economic affairs. They are people who emerged from the reform process and put their knowledge and abilities to work in successfully carrying it out over the past four years. They have no connection to communism and represent none of the past’s [unclear text], except for the steadfastness they displayed during the communist regime. Their link to the future is their contribution toward building a modern Albania that enters the 2000s firmly established in Europe, where it should always have been and where Albanians have always belonged. The new Parliament will advance the country’s economic reform further. It will implement another, more important program that will further consolidate Albania’s economy, improve Albanians’ well-being and, at the same time, enhance the dignity of their country.

Interview with the Chairman of the PDSH, Prof. Dr. Tritan Shehu Question: Mr. Chairman, the President of the Republic decreed the convening of Assembly. What is ... under the procedures set out in the rules of Parliament. Question: The left-wing opposition has said it will not participate in Parliament, although it won a certain percentage under both the majoritarian and proportional systems. What is your comment on this boycott? to judge this matter. But I believe that every parliamentary political force has a moral duty, in accordance with the procedures set out in the rules of Parliament. Answer: First, I want to emphasize that our concept of coalitions is much broader than it has been understood to date. A coalition does not mean only participation in government at ministerial level. It extends further, through cooperation at various levels: parliamentary, state, governmental and local-government levels. So we are open to all these forms of cooperation and coalition with different it wishes or does not wish to participate

On convening the first session of the new legislature of the People’s Assembly Pursuant to Article 17, third paragraph, and Article 28, point 3, of Law No. 7491, dated 29.4.1991, “On the Main Constitutional Provisions,” I decree: ARTICLE 1 Assembly is convened on Monday, July 1, 1996. ARTICLE 2 This decree enters into force immediately. Tirana, 20.06.1996 Decree No. 1508 President of the Republic SALI BERISHA This is a normal legal development and a logical step in a procedure. After elections, Parliament convenes as usual. The date of July 1 was set within the legal deadlines. The convening of this Parliament will undoubtedly make a new contribution to Albania’s democratic development and will be extremely important for deepening legislative reform and, more generally, strengthening democracy in our country. This Parliament, which is now convening after the previous Parliament’s four-year experience, during which the DP held a majority, will help improve the quality of its work. This Parliament represents the Albanian electorate in a worthy manner and represents different social strata. Various political forces are participating in it; in other words, it is a diverse Parliament. Parliament now has a high intellectual level and will undoubtedly mark another important step in Albania’s development toward integration and the further refinement of the democratic system—in the economy, legislation and all aspects of our country’s political and social life. To me, this is a date of great political importance, to be followed by the normal work of government and by openness to all these forms of cooperation and coalition with various political forces. And we are inclined to encourage these forms of cooperation or coalition. It is then the duty and right of every political party to decide for itself whether or not it wishes to participate in such cooperation or a coalition. That depends on the interests of each political force. We will make every effort to create a diversity of political colors in Albania’s future government, at its various levels. Question: To what extent will the next government change? Answer: Change, renewal, regeneration and improvement are the most important elements of the DP—in its platform and its outlook. This year, the DP carried out a powerful process of renewal, from its grassroots to its highest structures, which was one of the important factors in its overwhelming victory in these elections. This shows that this is the only way to turn a political force into a force of the future, a winning force. Renewal will therefore undoubtedly extend to every level of the executive as well. This is necessary also because these structures must be adapted as well as possible to the demands of the times. Renewal is an ongoing process and the only method of combating stagnation and standing still; it makes progress possible and creates new space and room to breathe for the country’s political, social and economic leadership. Answer: It seems to me entirely democratic for every political force to decide for itself whether to come to Parliament or not. That is democracy. It is therefore their right to judge this matter. But I believe that every political force has a moral duty to its electorate to remain faithful to the vote that electorate gave it. To respect their electorate, they should enter Parliament and conduct their political struggle there in accordance with their platform. A boycott is an undemocratic method; it is a Marxist method. A boycott in itself expresses a tendency to create confusion in order to impose oneself on the majority. That is not democratic. It is the people’s free vote that decides who has the majority and who the minority. Nevertheless, we are open to dialogue. For us, dialogue is important. We will continue to be open to various forms of dialogue with both the left-wing opposition and the right-wing opposition. I believe the absence of the Socialists from the Albanian Parliament is temporary. They will return. I am convinced of this. They have also left the previous Parliament for months at a time and then returned. Based on that, I say they will return this time too. They will be more reasonable. I hope that very soon the PS will also see new elements of renewal, which are extremely necessary for democracy and for Albania’s left-wing opposition. Question: The DP has a majority. Will it govern alone in the new government or in coalition with the other parties? Interviewed by: NDREKË GJINI

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