Resolution of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe The legitimacy of the Albanian Parliament cannot be called into question Election boycott is illegitimate The legitimacy of the parliament and of the Albanian majority cannot be called into question. This is what the head of the mission of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Lord Finsberg, said yesterday at a press conference. In a press statement released after the meeting with the President of the Republic, Sali Berisha, the special mission of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe said that “the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe will continue its cooperation with the newly elected Albanian institutions and will continue to encourage all political forces, not only the parliamentary ones, to intensify their efforts to achieve the standards of the Council of Europe”. The resolution also contains three recommendations. First, “Albanian political parties should do everything possible to begin without delay a constructive dialogue with one another”. Second, “they should consider the recommendations of the ad hoc mission of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and take them into serious consideration”. Third, “Albanian political parties should review campaign and election rules, in cooperation with the Venice Commission”. Speaking on behalf of the Council of Europe mission, Lord Finsberg said: “given the unusual circumstances in which the elections were held, the report of the ad hoc mission of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe clearly shows that those elections were in accordance with democratic standards”. He said that political forces, both the majority and the minority, have their own responsibility to discuss constructively the problems they have faced in the country over the last six months. “This is an important test for the maturity of Albania’s democratic institutions”. When asked about the opposition’s stance and its assessment of the 26 May elections, Lord Finsberg said that “many of the opposition’s proposals were not logical”. In response to a question about whether there is a possibility of reassessing the 26 May elections, given that the Albanian opposition has stated that it will not enter parliament, Lord Finsberg replied “absolutely not”. “That would undermine the constitution and the stability of the country”. Lord Finsberg welcomed the fact that the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe has no intention of creating committees to reinvestigate the 26 May elections. He said that the parliament is legitimate and that the country does not need the elections to be repeated. Lord Finsberg said he hopes the opposition will sit down with the majority to begin political dialogue. “It is important that Albanians have institutions that function and that all political parties are represented in them” [?].

Telegram to Berisha for the American President and the King of Saudi Arabia The President of the Republic, Sali Berisha, sent yesterday a telegram of condolence to Aziz Al Saud and President Bill Clinton regarding the killing of 19 Americans and the wounding of hundreds of others in the violence that took place in Saudi Arabia and Assir. Albanian communists use Nazi strategies Boycotting institutions and devaluing the country Gëka, Dako, Gjushi and Kakalari deny the conspiracy organized to destabilize the country, and the parliamentarians of the Council of Europe allow us to uncover the hidden truth of this scenario. By Sokol [?].

Interview with the Chairman of the PDSH, Prof. Dr. Tritan Shehu Page 3

Albanian communists use Nazi strategies Boycotting institutions and devaluing of the country Gëka, Dako, Gjushi and Kakalari [?] Under their rule, communism brought back the days of the past. We compare their act of boycott with the terminology of Serbian propaganda against democratic forces, and they are using it against Albania. This tradition continues in their recent speeches as well, where it is clearly seen that their political concept is linked to the distortion of reality and contempt for institutions born from free vote. These people do not want to accept the verdict of the people and seek to devalue the elected parliament. This behavior is dangerous for the stability of the country and obstructs the path of democratic reforms. [partially illegible text]

Finsberg: “If the opposition does not return to Parliament, that will be a sign of a lack of willingness to develop democracy in Albania” -The democrats’ amendments in the plenary session are rejected. -proposed by part of the left -Doka also votes for the resolution that considers the Albanian parliament legitimate By EDI PLAKA Page 3

In an interview given to Albanian television that was broadcast yesterday, Mr. Rozeri Zejler, President of the international “Miss Europa” committee, stated that “Miss Europa '96” in Europe will be held in Tirana, in the month of September. Page 5

Interview with the head of the Times press office, Mr. Qazim Gjonaj Page 6

The opposition’s proposals are not logical In Albania, representatives of political parties from Albania set out our recommendations for starting dialogue. They should sit together and discuss constructively the problems between the government and the opposition. Many of the opposition’s claims were not logical.