Albanian and American armies begin peacekeeping maneuvers Page 2

The criminals who killed the two police-brother[s] have been identified

Servet Pëllumbi contradicts his chairman The clan leaders At this time, the decision of chairman Fatos Nano reached us; he too was instructing that they had to leave at all costs before the ballot boxes were opened, in order to surprise this, as he called it, political prefab of Berisha. If until now two currents within the Socialist Party have flowed against each other, the turbulence in developments within the SP has now increased further. The fully identified clans have begun a new movement which may result in the creation of new clans and other dimensions in the splitting of the Socialist Party. From the SP conferences held in the districts, it is apparent that various SP leaders are having new reflections. Thus, in Durrës, Majko, one of Nano’s admirers, has shown a certain cooling toward his chairman, this time sidestepping the promotion of his image before the coastal socialists. It seems that the chairman of his heart has descended somewhat from his pedestal, creating a kind of new rift with Majko, as well as an attachment to a new name for chairman. The same thing has happened in Pëllumbi’s clan. The Eurosocialist Ilir Meta has called for young people to come en masse into the leadership of the SP, while the anti-genocide law put forward by Dokle has been persistently opposed by Pëllumbi, his ally against Nano and the motions. Pëllumbi’s speeches have also provoked a quarrel with Meta, who, directly, seems through his positions to be harming Pëllumbi more than Nano. So far the Malëshova supporters have been left without a chairman; they have not yet announced one, or apparently are waiting for the Tirana conference to present one of their own to lead the SP. In any case, such a division is clear, with people sometimes on one side and sometimes on the other, with the Socialist chairman Fatos Nano being the first, in an analysis published after the elections, to accuse the leadership of the socialists’ boycott two hours before the ballot boxes closed. After Fatos Nano’s accusations against the leadership and his openly declared war on it in the three consecutive motions he heard, the issue of the boycott—or, more precisely, its authorship—was passed over so tangentially that the authorship of the most shameful and unprecedented act seemed destined to remain anonymous. The act of the SP leader’s political suicide, through the election boycott, placed the leadership and the Steering Committee before a great responsibility, not only toward the electorate but also toward the party’s base. This was demonstrated by the party conferences the SP is holding in the districts, where responsibility for the authors of the boycott is insistently demanded: an act that was destructive for the Socialist Party, and one that also burdens the party with a grave responsibility before the Albanian electorate. It is Servet Pëllumbi who, at the SP conference in Krujë, openly denounces Fatos Nano as the instigator of the communist boycott. In an attempt to justify the crushing defeat and the irresponsible act of the boycott, Pëllumbi speaks of the grave division among Albanians, trying to set them against one another. Pëllumbi says in his speech that he went on a bus with people from Shkodra to Ersekë and directed the carrying out of the attack at the polling stations. Meanwhile, another group went from Fier to Tepelenë. We tell this informer that the people of Shkodra are not terrorists; the people of Shkodra are freedom-loving people, people who hold freedom, democracy and human values sacred, and destructive for the Socialist Party, but also an act that burdens this to set them against one another. To understand what divided figures are leading the Socialist Party today, we are publishing Comrade Pëllumbi’s speech. Let the reader judge for himself what future the former communists—or today’s SP leaders, whose figures have been converted—are preparing for Albanians. [The text then abruptly shifts to unrelated material:] The figure is concentrated among academic and university circles, while the duties of Secretary are carried out by the head of the Directorate for the Organization of Elections and Referendums in the State Secretariat for Local Government. The other seats on the Commission are divided equally between the political parties of the opposition (the governing coalition) and the opposition, in accordance with the results of the elections for local government bodies. A separate article of this decree provides for changes in interparty representation depending on the results of local elections and the political position of the respective parties (government or opposition). Today, too, by his decree No. 1580, dated 13 August 1996, “On the appointment of the Central Election Commission of the Republic of Albania,” the President of the Republic appointed the chairmanship and members of the permanent electoral commission. The chairmanship of the Central Commission consists of: 1. Nestor Thereska, Chairman 2. Pëllumb Cela, Deputy Chairman 3. Fiqiri Kupe, Secretary Taking into consideration the proposals submitted to the Presidency by 19 political forces and the results of the latest elections permanently speeches have likewise followed the disputes and Meta, who seems, directly through his positions, to hurt Pëllumbi more than Nano. So far, the Malëshovists announced one, or perhaps they are waiting for the Tirana conference to show their inclinations regarding the leadership of the PS. In any case, they too have shifted from one side to the other, apparently without managing to establish a clear profile amid the fierce battle between the main factions in the PS. It seems the faction leaders have remained provisional, day-to-day leaders, and because of this they themselves are alternately attacked and cherished by their followers. The approach of the PS Congress, which will also be the decisive battle between the factions, has prompted all sides to reassess the party’s leadership prospects. Thus, there are divisions in the Nano faction, where Majko’s liberalism is apparent, as well as in the Pëllumbi faction. Meta, Doble and Pëllumbi are positioned as the points of a triangle, while there are distances within Nano’s faction, although one can nonetheless draw parallels among his supporters within the PS Steering Committee. The latter are fewer in number. If we also take into account the fact that Meta controls FRESH, the number of Nano’s supporters is steadily declining. Nano will be at a new conference, with the exception of two or three losses from Fier or Gjirokastër; in the other parts of the country, the current PS leadership has reduced Nano’s circle of friends. Although the current PS leadership has reduced Nano’s friends. Even though it is indeed difficult to explain at conferences the “Komiteti Islami” [Islamic Committee] for the preparations, the ... central ellipse within a party, so that delegates understand it as something good for the PS. The small number has also made this PS faction more unified, but disagreements with the other side in some cases have helped to partly compensate for the heavy blows dealt to Nano, with which they may also partly ... The attack made by Nano, Poli Q, who have driven people away from themselves. The attack made by Nano, Poli Q, who has Poli Q, an ally of Nano, against the PS leadership over its meetings with the PD, is meetings with the PD, is meetings with the PD ... [the visible part of the image continues] They have stopped these meetings, but after the Congress, whichever faction and whichever faction leader takes over the party will return to the negotiating table, even if they are not party chairman ... not party chairman ... not party chairman ... not party chairman ... not party chairman ... not party chairman ... not party chairman ... not ... the date of 25 August.

President Berisha’s decree: 19 political parties have confirmed their participation in the local elections President Berisha’s decree: The composition of the Central Election Commission is determined 19 political parties have confirmed their participation in the local elections In accordance with the decree allowing political parties to propose members of the Central Election Commission up to 15 days before election day, the President of the Republic allocated 4 seats on the Central Commission to the Socialist Party, 1 seat to the Social Democratic Party and 1 seat to the Agrarian Party. By decree No. 1579, dated 13 August 1996, “On the formation the President of the Republic decreed the formation of the permanent Central Election Commission. According to this decree, the permanent Central Election Commission will have 17 members. Its chairmanship (Chairman, Deputy Chairman and Secretary) is proposed by the Council of Ministers. The Chairman and Deputy Chairman must belong to the elections for local government bodies. The Central Commission is composed as follows: 1. For the Democratic Party: -Eva Karagozi -Hysen Osmani -Paskal Xhallufe -Arben Xhiku 2. For the Republican Party: -Shkëlqim Barushi 3. For the Christian Democratic Party: -Marenglen Gjonaj 4. For the Social Democratic Union Party: -Behar Gjoka 5. Among the Commission members representing the opposition, the President of the Republic appointed, for the Union for Human Rights Party: -Jorgji Vllaho The President allocated 4 (four) (one) seat to the Social Democratic Party and 1 (one) seat to the Agrarian Party. Meanwhile, the spokesperson for the President of the Republic informs the opposition parties—the Union for Human Rights Party, the Balli Kombëtar Party, the National Unity Party and the Legality Movement Party—to propose additional candidates for the Central Election Commission, because these parties are entitled to have members on this Commission if the Socialist Party, the Social Democratic Party or the Agrarian Party, for one reason or another, do not wish to be represented on the Central Election Commission.

...At that time, the decision of chairman Fatos Nano also reached us from Bënça: he too was instructing that they had to leave at all costs before the ballot box was opened, in order to believe this, as he called it, police prefab of Berisha. The SP, demanded—the act they carried out The school director of Ersekë, who directed the exercise of violence Shkodra are not terrorists, that freedom, democracy, human and national values sacred. They have never Therefore, in this respect, I would say that we estimated 10–15% manipulation by the DP through the lists and the commissions, but we did not account for the use of violence by the special groups set up against us. I’ll give you an example: A bus carrying people from Shkodra, prepared for this purpose, went to Ersekë, and he directed the use of violence at the polling stations in Ersekë. Here is another example: a group went from Fier to Tepelenë. Page 3

After pressure to boycott the dialogue on the local elections Page 3

Are you ready to spend a magical night? That is how Reiz Çiço, one of the people behind La Bouche’s arrival in Albania, addressed the spectators. And it must be admitted that the concept of the group “La Bouche” went beyond the bounds of magic. Planned to last 100 minutes, it went on for more than two hours. “Be my lover,” the song that propelled the group to the top of the world charts, brought the concert at the national stadium “Qemal Stafa” to a climax. “We Wanna you sing together” (We want to sing together) was the request made by the lead singers Melanie Thorton and Lany Mc Ray, a request that did not need to be repeated twice, since the many people present sang along to every song. After the first three songs, Melanie Thorton introduced the orchestra musicians and the three choir members. “We have worked together since 1994 and feel like a family. I believe that, these days, family and friendship are among the most important things,” she said, among other things. The well-known song “Sweat dreams” (Sweet Dreams) marked the high point of the concert, and its title appeared on the many banners held up by the group’s fans. “I like to talk a lot,” Melanie Thorton said, “but I am very sincere when I say that we love you all, because without you we would not be here.” For the audience, she sang “I will always love you.” That song, together with Lany Mc Ray’s “You are not alone,” were the only two performances from easy-listening music and a pleasant surprise for all the spectators, who were used to hearing techno-rap rhythms. After two hours, “La Bouche” ended the concert with a medley of “Be my lover” and “Sweat dreams.” Tell your friends to come tomorrow to the same place at the same time. Before coming to Albania, “La Bouche” had feared that the concert might not be very successful. Now, as they were leaving the stage, they told me this was the most wonderful audience. “The next concert will be even bigger,” Reiz Çiço concluded. The next concert is tonight, and one more thing: it will be a magical evening. A.NDROI

ATSH