Allies of the DP Youth Forum confident of victory in the local elections Representatives of 45 member organizations in Europe gathered in the presence of Klaus Welles, Secretary General of EUCD, and Aleksis Wintoniak, Executive Secretary of EDU, to discuss deepening cooperation among all the youth organizations of the center-right, which, as is known, have for months been aiming to merge the various European political youth organizations into a single body. PAGE 2

The 50th anniversary of Postriba’s first anti-communist uprising is being commemorated Attending are President of the Republic Sali Berisha, Speaker of the Presidium of the People’s Assembly Pjetër Arbnori, Chairman of the DP of Albania Tritan Shehu, and other prominent figures Postriba, which 50 years ago became a true fortress of freedom, organized the first anti-communist uprising in Europe, continuing its centuries-old struggle for freedom and dignity. PAGE 2

All the political developments that have taken place within the Socialist Party have continually been accompanied by a crisis of confidence. Appearing on several fronts, it has added to the reasons for a flawed transformation, or for the complete absence of one, from a communist party into a Socialist Party claiming to be a social-democratic party. The first area in which the crisis of confidence appeared was relations among the PS leaders themselves. From the first days after the conversion, groups and clans that demonstrated absolute power over the party were brought to the fore, which greatly hindered the party’s collegiality. In a party that includes both idealistic socialists and communists, the lack of collegiality would be reflected in successive splits and the crystallization of clans positioned parallel to one another throughout all the party structures. The second area of the crisis of confidence was between the grassroots and the center, stemming from the lack of alternatives coming from the center as well as the failure to include the grassroots in the party’s leadership structures. Meanwhile, it is clear that the grassroots will remain as far from the party leadership as the leadership remains from the grassroots. The PS center has continually grown more distant from the real problems of socialists in villages and cities, focusing on a very narrow range of people’s interests. The period of scrutiny of the PS leadership, spanning from the autumn of last year until now, has been a true battle among its leaders. First came the attack on the maleshovists, who, according to PS leaders, were connected to the President—a charge that would go on to be leveled in turn against all its main leaders. The second congress of the socialists was the clearest demonstration of the crisis of confidence at its deepest level. The career politicians among the socialists have bad-mouthed one another hundreds of times, and it was precisely during this period that the Socialist Party experienced its greatest exodus. The more the leaders’ mutual accusations intensified, the fewer socialists could be heard attending this party’s conferences in the districts. There were many cases in which conferences were held with half the delegates, while ordinary socialists’ interest in their party continued to decline. The crisis of confidence in the PS has now, now created its own cycle. Every time it strikes, it causes losses for the PS on every front. At the meeting of the Governing Council alone, a large number of those proposed either left or rejected leadership posts. In recent days, a new split has emerged among those known as the Nano clan. For a long time, he himself had been ahead of the leadership proposed by him, while those holding offices in Tirana have decided to formalize Nano’s secret papers, inserting into the regulations a paragraph on no confidence in the party and its leadership.

President of the Republic Sali Berisha received World Bank Director Mr. Jean Michel Severino “We will support you with everything needed to make Albania a political and economic [shkus] in the years to come.” President Berisha expressed his deep gratitude for the valuable support the World Bank has given Albania since the beginning of the implementation of democratic reforms and continues to provide, becoming one of the main contributors of financial and technical assistance. “Albania’s cooperation with the World Bank is among the most successful,” President Berisha stressed. “Today, dozens of projects are being implemented in the country’s most important development sectors, such as roads, water and electricity supply, education, healthcare, irrigation, privatization, the country’s major cities. Population [zhvendo] are necessary so that, at the same time, the essential services and infrastructure—roads, schools, health centers, and water supply—can be established in the residential areas of the regions.” President Berisha assured Mr. Severino that Albania is responding to the high rates of economic growth and, among other things, guarantees its macroeconomic stability. He described the decision to remove state controls over prices as important. World Bank Director Mr. Severino expressed satisfaction “Albania’s cooperation with the World Bank is one of the most successful,” President Berisha emphasized. Today, dozens of projects are being implemented in the most important areas of the country’s development, such as roads, water and electricity supply, education, health, irrigation, privatization, housing, afforestation, banking, etc. We are determined to expand this cooperation and would like future World Bank projects to include districts that have not yet been included, such as Korça and other districts. We are very interested in undertaking a broad program of [unclear] especially for the Belsh area and in several other areas with a strong tradition in this crop. The latest urban projects planned for Elbasan and Berat should be expanded and extended to other cities as well. For Albania, President Berisha said, the creation of funds for urban development is of particular importance for maintaining some of guarantees the country’s macroeconomic stability. He considered the lifting of state price controls an important decision. World Bank Director Mr. Severino said he was pleased to be visiting Albania. “You have achieved wonderful things that we admire and congratulate you for,” said Mr. [name omitted in source]. “That is why the World Bank is motivated when it considers Albania its beloved child.” Mr. Severino also emphasized that the World Bank is committed to supporting the continuation of reforms in order to consolidate the achievements made so far, and that it is already committed to cooperation with Albania and to expanding it into other priority sectors and areas. a political and economic success in the years to come.”

September 9 will be a historic day for the Albanian army President Berisha told the peacekeepers that the mission they have undertaken is a great symbol of Albania’s efforts for peace and stability and to integrate into European and Euro-Atlantic structures. PAGE 2

Socialists in Lezhë ask Mejdani Mejdani has suffered his first fiasco in Lezhë. He has been asked to give up leading the local election campaign. “We love you,” they told him, “but you have no experience. Pëllumbi should lead the local election campaign, because he is an authoritative politician whom the party needs.” This is the request made to Mejdani by the participants at the meeting in Lezhë. PAGE 3

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They are not even invited as observers to the Congress of the International PAGE 3

Nano’s purge campaign in the SP gets off to a failed start Angered by the declared satisfaction of anti-motionist Ruka and Islam’s “moderation” at the meeting of the parties chaired by President Berisha, the socialists who tomorrow will not follow the leaders of the Center Pole in the strategy of boycotting the local elections will be very temporary in their seats PAGE 3