Welcome by PD Chairman Shehu for the election observers RUFFY: The Albanian government’s preparations are up to standard Observers: 400 foreign and 1,000 from the country PAGE 2

Today Albania’s electorate will choose the best alternative and candidates to govern Albania locally for the next four years. October 20 is a notable event in the history of Albanian democracy. Free elections are landmark events for the renewal and development of democracy. But for us Albanians, these elections are even more important. On May 26, with our free vote, we divided history. Unlike other nations of post-communist Europe, we voted in a nationwide plebiscite for our Western affiliation, for the freedoms and rights won, and for the friendships forged. Thus May 26 will remain a historic day, not because the elections were won by a particular political force, but because in these elections the Western alternative for Albania and the Albanians prevailed—the alternative of consolidation

President Berisha received foreign observers Yesterday, President of the Republic Sali Berisha received the Council of Europe Delegation headed by Mr Ruffy, the delegation of the National Democratic Institute, the delegation of the International Republican Institute, the Turkish Parliament delegation, the delegation of the Parliaments of Vienna and Burgenland, the Greek Parliamentary delegation, the coordinator of the Italian Observers’ Group, the delegation of the European Democratic Union, Ms Doris Pack, Chair of the European Parliamentary Delegation, the Director of the “Boltzmann” Institute for Human Rights, a professor at the University of Kiel, election specialist Mr Kalterfeiter, Mr Brun Haller, representative of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe , who have come to Albania to observe the elections for local government bodies. President Berisha expressed his deep conviction that, like the election campaigns, tomorrow’s election day would also meet high standards and that the elections would be free and fair. He expressed his gratitude for their commitment to observing the local elections in Albania and assured them that they would have his support and every facility to follow these elections closely. After expressing their high regard for all the changes they had observed in Albania during these four years of democracy, and especially for the Albanian government’s efforts to ensure a calm campaign and free and fair elections, the interlocutors assured President Berisha that they would observe these elections as objectively and rigorously as possible. The head of the Council of Europe Delegation, Mr Ruffy, and all the members of his delegation stressed: “You are an object of admiration for your efforts to hold free and fair elections, while also taking the Council of Europe’s recommendations seriously.” Regarding ODIHR’s departure, he said: “The press has given excessive attention to their withdrawal from election observation. Their departure in no way calls into question either our presence or our mission in Albania.”

Albanians will go to the polling stations again today. Once again, they face the opportunity to make their own choice and the importance of that choice. If the situation that has emerged is an opportunity that has come only once in four years, the importance of their choice is a phenomenon that determines the shape Albania’s future will take. Every vote today matters both to the voter and to others. Their choice, the future, and the opportunity to determine that future themselves. Likewise, it is an opportunity to take part in shaping their future, to direct it according to their own alternatives and capabilities, to the greatest extent possible in a democracy. For Albanians to feel at ease with this opportunity and secure the peace of the future, and to cast their vote for the local alternative... [partly illegible] It is not difficult to distinguish between the goals that set the parties apart across the political spectrum. The Democratic Party faces a more advanced alternative in its proposals. While other aspiring parties are still promoting their political or economic possibilities, the PD offers new, concrete opportunities that align with the coming years and promise a better future. Today, the PD alone carries the reasons that will lead it to an indisputable victory in the local-government elections. Its local-government program balances opportunity and need, creating complete harmony between the two and opening up great possibilities for implementation. The Democratic Party not only seeks modern local government with extensive autonomy, based on financial autonomy; it is also a party that has built a very good record of governing. It has faced the transition, and it alone is capable of managing it professionally, as well as meeting people’s aspirations for a happy and secure future in a market economy. It did this during the past four years, and this will be confirmed in the future. Albania over these four years. Socialist local government in those communes and municipalities where they won in July ’92 has not functioned. It has been placed entirely under the destructive, conservative umbrella of their party and has remained that way to this day. There have been many cases in which socialist local officials sabotaged local government programs; matters even went so far that funds from the democratic government were either stolen or refused by conservative socialist officials. The greatest reason Albanians must act responsibly today is the future as a whole, part of which is shaped through local government. Respect for the future is expressed by voting for the PD candidates and the alternatives they represent. Local government is democratic and serves well-being only if it operates according to the program drawn up by the PD. Any other outcome would be a new sacrifice for Albanians. Today, only the blue vote.

The PS orders commission vice-chairmen to sabotage the electoral process While the shameless political chameleon Namik Dokle was writing protests to the Central Permanent Election Commission, the Local Government Secretariat and the embassies over some supposedly “verbal instructions” from Kosorvasti, the socialist appointees as commission vice-chairmen were sniffing out the fatal defeat of October 20 in cafés and latrines. PAGE 3

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