Mr. Gjongecaj on today’s roundtable convened by the President of the Republic with the country’s political forces “The roundtable called by the President of the Republic to hold a dialogue with the political parties is necessary and fully in keeping with the recommendation made by the latest delegation of the Council of Europe in Albania” PAGE 3

At the Legal Affairs Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the CoE There is no one left to write to the Socialists After its failed congress, the Socialist Party is lonelier than ever. Not a single greeting on the successful conduct of the Congress proceedings. Not a single greeting for those elected to head the party’s forums, following the coup against the PS leaders by the imprisoned chairman Fatos Nano and his supporters. The only representative of the European left who attended the congress informed Europe, and especially the democratic left, about the true character of the Socialist Party, which claimed it would reform itself through the second phase of its congress but instead sank even deeper into a swamp of Albanian Stalinists and Enverists, the last fossil of tragic communism in Europe. In a Europe without communism, the Albanian Stalinists found no ally left to support them, no ally to send them greetings. Because in democratic Europe today you cannot find a single political leader, a single party representative, who would greet and support the Socialists’ efforts to boycott democracy, their efforts to boycott the institutions of the democratic state. In democratic Europe today, you cannot find anyone who would greet a congress convened to condemn Marx but bring Stalinists to the helm; convened to condemn Enver but bring Enverists into its leadership forums; convened to condemn the last Albanian communist dictator, Ramiz Alia, but hand the party over to his former ministers and advisers. Europe cannot send greetings to a political party whose constant political line is anti-Europeanism. The attacks by Albanian Socialists on prominent figures in Europe’s political life are well known. Even prominent figures such as Leni Fisher and representatives of the latest CoE delegation, Finsberg and Kolumberg, have not escaped their vile attacks and slander. At their congress, the Socialists themselves admitted that their party has many people who divide American diplomats into good and bad, CIA spies and agents of other secret services. Europe, of course, cannot welcome such neurotic Stalinists. The Albanian Socialists, who gathered at their congress to reform themselves, demonstrated not reform but the confirmation within the party of the living remnants of the Albanian Stalinist dictatorship. They gathered at the Congress and condemned the Eurosocialists; they could not find Europe’s support and backing. Still less could they be congratulated for this most regressive act. The Albanian Socialists, who ran a frightening election campaign that reminded voters of the terror of the dictatorship’s dark years and lost badly in the May 26 elections, chose a boycott to justify their defeat and defy democracy. With their permanent Stalinist boycott line, they tried to hold Albanian democracy hostage. But the boycott line adopted by the PS was their ultimate discrediting. They have now turned on one another, attacking each other and vying to eliminate their comrades, following the model once practiced by their spiritual father, Enver. But now the reality within the PS has become known not only to Albanians, but also to Europe and the European left, which has finally turned its back on the PS. The PS cup is now surrounded by the winter of profound loneliness. Even honest Socialists, true leftists who aspire to social-democratic ideals, have withdrawn and are withdrawing en masse from the PS or PN, because in reality the Socialist Party has turned into Nano’s party and his clan’s. The phenomenon of withdrawal has also affected representatives of the party forums. Now in the PS nobody wants to take up positions except Fatos Nano and his former ministers and advisers. There is no one left to write to this gang, which has sunk its claws into the Socialist Party. Mr. Kolumberg pointed out that while positive and clear signals of dialogue are coming from the parties in government, the opposition parties refuse to go to Parliament and continue their boycott. Kolumberg emphasized that a boycott is not a democratic tool. PAGE 3

Mr. Kolumberg pointed out that while positive and clear signals of dialogue are coming from the parties in government, the opposition parties refuse to go to Parliament and continue their boycott. Kolumberg emphasized that a boycott is not a democratic tool.

- The Socialists accept the invitation after five hours of debate - Political forces reject the invitation from “Polit Q” The PS leadership decided late yesterday to take part in the roundtable talks among the country’s 14 political forces. The roundtable, initiated by President of the Republic Sali Berisha, has invited the main political forces to discuss the local government elections, which will be held on October 20. PAGE 3

After Fatos Nano’s accusatory letter Fatos Nano’s vile accusations against me involved a woman, [the text is unclear] and must be explained. Lakrori said that all of Fatos’s bitterness and [unclear]...

The DP is fully committed to achieving a decisive victory on October 20 as well PAGE 3 Xhaferri met with representatives of the PD structures in Durrës

Fatos Nano’s vile accusations against me have a woman behind them, Maqo Lakrori commented yesterday to his friends on the accusations Fatos Nano had made against him. Lakrori, who has held the post of international secretary since the last meeting of the Socialist Party’s Steering Committee, said he was disappointed and had made a mistake in accepting an important post in this party, where intrigants have suffocated it—and from whom chairman Fatos Nano himself is continually falling victim. Returning to the accusations made against him, Lakrori reminded his friends, not without concern, of the French expression “Cherches la femme”. Asked to be clearer and explain himself, Lakrori said that all of Fatos Nano’s resentment and outbursts against him were the result of a vile intrigue by Arta Dade. She is like a merit-monger who has disoriented Fatos Nano in the web of her poisonous intrigues. Her comrades know her as a shameless intriguer, and she has constantly set us against one another; lately, however, she has caught Fatos Nano in her web and is telling lies about not only me but other comrades as well. But in any case, Lakrori added, it is unforgivable for the chairman to judge his comrades on the basis of the intrigues of a vile person like Arta Dade. Ar. Da.

For the German Bundestag delegation PAGE 2

“Out of spite toward Berisha,” PSD decided to boycott the local elections; now, “out of spite toward Berisha,” it will take part in the elections PAGE 3

Zhulali meets with German parliamentarians — Albania is on the right track. The changes you have made are significant; they are viewed realistically in Germany. The aim is to continue this process. This will be achieved more effectively when the opposition, too, assumes serious responsibilities. PAGE 2

The dishonest line-up of the Socialist leadership at a press conference held at its headquarters in Tirana brought to mind this party’s Ramizist team in 1991. Only Nano was missing; unlike on other occasions, he was not present in their thoughts and words, according to a diagram they kept describing—or, to refer to a discussion by Vukaj at the Socialist Congress, he was brought up at every opportunity, even where politics had no place, much less Nano. PAGE 3