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Yesterday at the Council of Ministers meeting 30 million lekë to purchase apartments for former political prisoners Yesterday at the Council of Ministers meeting. Privatization: The Government favors buyers Yesterday at the Council of Ministers meeting Privatization: The Government favors buyers 30 million lekë to purchase apartments for former political prisoners The Council of Ministers approved the options for individuals or legal entities to participate in the privatization of share packages that the state decides to privatize in favor of a buyer. The proposed method of privatization is auction. A decision was also taken “On the main procedures for the privatization of strategic companies.” The procedure will include: granting the opportunity for privatization, preparing and approving the privatization plan, and selling and transferring the shares of strategic companies. The sale and transfer will take place in the following forms: a) transfer of shares through a public offering b) transfer of the company’s shares by auction c) transfer through negotiation. the new relations between AKP and the Ministry of Privatization. In another decision, entitled “On the Privatization of Share Packages in Commercial Companies,” [they] are created

. Two letters from ordinary Socialists, one from Burrel and the other from Kuçova, have been enough for the physics professor Mejdani to regard the entire campaign he conducted for the local elections as right and fully representative of the people. For Mejdani, both letters are in keeping with what the PS set out to achieve. This seems both comical and irresponsible for a politician or political grouping, given the PS’s results in the latest local government elections. Mejdani considers his anarchistic alternatives entirely reasonable and claims they have been embraced by the people. The evasion of responsibility by the Socialist Party, and specifically by its leaders, has been under way for some time. Responsibility has been placed in such a mechanism that it is parceled out as much as possible, never being defined as political responsibility, but only as local and multiplicative responsibility. Mejdani’s request that ordinary Socialists send him letters of support is not so much concern for correcting his own course as it is for the Socialist Party as an institution. Thus, in an interview, he sought to revive the communist-massovist consciousness of fanatical and conservative Socialists, so that they would launch a propaganda campaign according to the familiar schemes of the dictatorship period. According to his logic, this would also save the PS from its responsibility toward the Albanian left-wing electorate. Perhaps this is the only way they have tried to create some confidence that the PS will not disperse or collapse. But while responsibility has been collectivized, the Socialists at headquarters in Tirana have also initiated another movement, one that reaches all the way to the party leadership. Petitions are being prepared, with long lists of names, calling for Nano to leave the party chairmanship; this has two meanings. One is that Socialists are tired of the demagoguery and irrationality of an imprisoned chairman, but the involvement of prominent Socialists who expect all the sins to be laid at Nano’s door does not fit this explanation. One thing is clear: factional warfare in the PS has reached the stage of a struggle that now dominates even the boundaries between factions, having entered within each faction. In this situation, one might expect a Mejdani opposed to Nano, an Islam opposed to Nano, or a Boçar opposed to Nano. On the day of accountability, everyone wants to identify with the innocent, and in this case Nano is the most absent from this washing away of sins through a scapegoat. Having been chosen as the victim, he will find it very difficult to use even the veto he has been given over the political actions of the leadership. Cooperation with the grassroots to save at least a shred of socialism is uncertain. Since the party’s second congress, the grassroots have shown they are not willing to follow Islam’s whims, while now the escalation of the struggle between the leadership and the grassroots is even greater.

President Berisha received Polish Deputy Prime Minister Kolodko Albania is very interested in strengthening its bonds of friendship and intensifying cooperation with Poland in all fields, not only at the bilateral level but also multilaterally. “In this context, your visit,” President Berisha said, “marks an important step in the relations between our two friendly countries.” The Polish Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, having conveyed President Kvasnjevski’s greetings to President Berisha, praised the achievements of reform in Albania and its role in the stability of the region, and expressed his government’s willingness to strengthen political ties and cooperation with Albania. Both interlocutors were of the opinion that there are many opportunities to increase cooperation in the economy, education, culture, etc. President Berisha asked Mr. Kolodko to convey his greetings and invitation to President Kvasnjevski, inviting him to visit Albania. Yesterday at noon, the President of the Republic, Sali Berisha, received the Polish Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Mr. Kolodko, the press and information office of the President of the Republic announced. After praising the very good political relations and cooperation between our two countries, President Berisha emphasized that The Deputy Prime Minister and Polish Minister of Finance, Mr. Grzegorz Kolodko, meets with Albania’s highest-ranking officials Mutual support for integration into Europe

Finally divorcing himself from the DP, Hajdari, relying on a secret agreement with Kastriot Muço, has decided to turn himself into the Don Quixote of the trade union movement Xheka is supported by the former hunger strikers

Constitutional meetings were held yesterday in the district councils of Tirana, Dibër and Bulqizë, as well as meetings of the municipal councils in Patos and Shijak Mr. Kosorvasti speaks about the constitution of the newly elected local government officials “The meetings to constitute the newly elected local government bodies began yesterday,” Mr. Njazi Kosorvasti, State Secretary for Local Government, told “RD.” As can be seen, these meetings will include the election of the chairpersons of the district and municipal councils, as well as the deputy chairpersons of the district and municipal councils. The chairpersons of the municipalities and communes will also be confirmed at these meetings. Mr. Kosorvasti told “RD” that the first meetings were held yesterday in Tirana, Dibër, Bulqizë, Patos and Shijak, and were attended by members of the Government, Shehu, Zhulali, Panariti, Lulja and Ymeri. According to Mr. Kosorvasti, “The Local Government Secretariat has taken all the preparatory measures to ensure that these meetings are held in accordance with the law ‘On the Organization and Functioning of Local Government,’ and that they take place with the customary ceremonies for the swearing-in of the newly elected officials.” For this purpose, as early as October 30, Mr. Kosorvasti sent three circulars (to the prefectures and districts), which set out down to the smallest details continued on page 3

President Berisha decorates prominent figures of the Bektashi clergy At a ceremony that was both important and sacred, organized by the Commission for the Evaluation of Martyred Figures, the General Directorate for Former Political Persecutees and the Bektashi community, the decoration of several prominent figures of the Bektashi clergy brought together Bektashi believers, representatives of the three religious communities and other guests at the Palace of Congresses in Tirana. Speaking about the religious and patriotic activity of His Holiness Baba Rexhepi, MP Uran Butka said, among other things: This colossus of Bektashism and apostle of Albanianism, although now physically resting in the türbe of the Detroit tekke, remains spiritually alive and will continue to do so, because he devoted his entire life to his homeland and his faith. He went on to discuss Baba Rexhepi’s many-sided character, as a freedom fighter in the detachments opposing the fascist occupiers and as an opponent of communism and the civil war in Albania. Speaking about this distinguished figure of Bektashism, he emphasized that Baba Rexhepi founded the Detroit tekke in the USA, a center where all Albanians who had emigrated there could come together regardless of religion. Mr. Butka praised Baba Rexhepi as a scholar and philosopher, mentioning his mystical work on Bektashism, dedicated to the clergy of all religions in Albania, as well as his work in translation and poetry, and especially his contribution to resolving our national question. Mr. Butka also spoke about four other Bektashi missionaries, Haxhi Dede Reshat Bardhi, Baba Bajram Mahmutaj, Baba Ibrahim Hasnaj and Myhip Tomorr Aliko, who were decorated at this ceremony. After greetings from Messrs. Moisi Miraka and Hysen Selfo, the grandfather of the tekke, Baba Tahir Eminit, and others, Kolec Topalli, Secretary General of the Presidency, took the floor. “By honoring the distinguished Bektashi clerics,” he said, among other things, “we honor ourselves, our nation and our homeland, because they are not only clerics but also patriots who worked to revive our faith and our nation.” Then Mr. Topalli conveyed the warm greetings of the World Leader, Haxhi Dede Reshat Bardhi, and presented him with the Golden Order of the Nation, awarded to Baba Rexhepi by President of the Republic Sali Berisha, with the following citation: “Distinguished nationalist, respected cleric, founder of the esteemed Detroit tekke, philosopher and author of sacred books; through his name and work, he contributed to the cause of the entire nation.” The “Torch of Democracy” award was also bestowed on the Bektashi World Leader, (posthumously) and Myhip Tomor Aliko, Secretary General of the Supreme Bektashi Headquarters, by the President of the Republic, with citations stating that they remained steadfast in their faith in God and endured internment, imprisonment and the torture of the dictatorship for a free and democratic Albania. At the end, the Bektashi children’s choir greeted the participants.

President of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, Prof. Dr. Gerd Langguth, congratulated PDSH chairman Shehu “I have the particular pleasure and, at the same time, the honor of congratulating you on your well-deserved victory in the local government elections” is the message addressed by the to PDSH chairman Shehu. “I wish to assure you that the Konrad Adenauer Foundation will continue its comprehensive support for you.”

Interview with Prime Minister Meksi after returning from the NEQ meeting PAGE 3