Born in December 1990 according to the principles of Freedom, Democracy, Tolerance, and the European and Progressive Principles of Albanians, the Democratic Party has consistently adhered to this political philosophy in its activity, both in opposition and later in government. The recent events in Albania have shown precisely that the Democratic Party, although in power, is a party whose activity is based not on conflict but on tolerance, not on violence but on dialogue. Although Albania once again paid the price for 50 years of communist rule, as the fundamental principles of the state were seriously undermined, it can freely be said that people have now finally understood the great difference between Albania’s political parties—a difference that has been clearly visible ever since the pyramid-scheme crisis began. Time will soon prove what happened in Albania and who the real perpetrators were, but what can be said now is that the desperate manipulation of the people who lost money in the pyramid-scheme crisis was only the beginning of the open display of a scenario to seize power by force. The Leninist theory of seizing power by force in Albania in 1997, after seven years of political pluralism, has now been acknowledged even by those who wanted to believe in the supposed renewal of Albania’s former communists. Everyone now understands clearly that Albanian democracy and the political pluralism won after 50 years of communist dictatorship were extremely fragile and seriously threatened by former communists under a new name. The Democratic Party has continually emphasized this fact, not to gain popularity or avoid its responsibilities, but to remind Albanians that political pluralism, democracy, the country’s progress, and even national integrity and sovereignty remain at risk for as long as Albania’s former communists, organized into parties or other groupings, do not abandon their nostalgia for and Stalinist theories of political struggle. Time has proved this truth ever since Albanian communists organized in 1941 and, in 1945, after the regressive clan seized power, turned against the interests of freedom, independence, and democracy for which Albanians had fought during the Second World War. The Democratic Party, its members, and its supporters have never shied away from the truth or sought to shift responsibility onto others, because shouldering responsibility, not evading it, is at the heart of their activity. It was precisely the Democratic Party that took on the historic burden of bringing down Communism in 1990; the Democratic Party took upon itself the heavy and difficult task of transforming Albanian society into a European civil society and building a free-market economy. The grave events that took place could have been even worse, but it was precisely the Democratic Party that averted the worst that could have happened to Albanians. It prevented civil war and the storm—the very outcome planned in 1990–1991 and again in 1997. President Berisha announced a platform for national reconciliation in response to the sinister scenarios that had resurfaced from the former Central Committee of the Albanian Party of Labour’s basements and aimed to bring about a St. Bartholomew’s Night in Albania. DP members and supporters are experiencing the current situation just like all Albanians, but they must meanwhile explain to ordinary people that the worst is over, that the scenario of civil conflicts predicted by Albania’s former communists has failed, and that this grave and difficult situation will not last long. Every democrat has something to say, because the Democratic Party not only averted the catastrophe of a civil war, but over the past four years of governing laid the strong foundations of a democratic state and a market economy. And if the Stalinist scenarios failed in Albania, one of the factors was the barrier posed to them by the Albanian private economy and the country’s new capitalists. As a party of great ideals and of the Right, the PD has never felt, and will never feel, in crisis, because its name, program, and principles are not tied so closely to matters of personal interest, individuals, people who became known only under the name of the Democratic Party, or other petty, mean concerns. The PD, as a party fully integrated into European structures and the EUCD and EDU, is the most reliable political force and the surest guarantor of the integration of the entire country into Europe. The Democratic Party has had, and will continue to have, the ideals of the Right as its credo, because they are not merely efforts to change the communist system, but the ideals of democracy and of all Albanians—to be a natural part of the society of Western Europe, to which we belong; they are the ideals of a democracy that does not stop.

Press release On 5.4.1997, the Presidency of the Albanian Democratic Party met and analyzed the country’s political situation. The PDSH Presidency discussed the problems and concerns, ways out of the current situation, as well as the need to strengthen and activate all PDSH structures. The PDSH Presidency decided that a meeting of the PD National Council would be held shortly to address this matter. The PDSH Presidency issued two statements. One expresses its position regarding those MPs who have announced that they are leaving the Presidency of the PDSH Parliamentary Group, while the other expresses the PDSH’s support for the President of the Republic’s initiative to provide Albania with a new constitution. The PDSH Presidency decided to release Mr. Bashkim Kopliku from his position as Head of the PD Economic Department, a position he had held for several years, because he had not committed himself to carrying out this duty. Statement by the Presidency of the Democratic Party The Democratic Party is founded on democratic principles of the European model The Presidency of the Democratic Party of the Republic have been financial relations and Secretary of State in the

On 9 April, at 12:00: The Press and Information Office of the President of the Republic announces that the President of the Republic, Sali Berisha, has invited the political forces represented in the 9 March agreement to discuss the issue of the Constitution on Wednesday, 9 April, at 12:00.

Adopting a Western Constitution helps the process of National Reconciliation

The Presidency of the Democratic Party, which met on 5 April 1997, analyzed the general situation and other issues concerning the crisis in the country and ways to overcome it, and also analyzed the appeal and statement of a group of Democratic Party MPs. The Presidency of the Democratic Party examined the issues raised in the MPs’ statement and expressed its position, which accords with and supports the position taken by the party leader several days ago. Throughout its existence, the Democratic Party has been entirely founded on democratic principles as a party of the European model, a member of the European Democratic Union and the Christian Democratic Union. It has always acted on the basis of its statute, internal democracy, and its structures. The PD parliamentary group is a group whose decisions have contributed to Albania’s democratic developments. In this group, all MPs have freely expressed their opinions and cast their votes. Relations between the parliamentary group and the President of the Republic have been relations, as we know them, based on mutual respect. We wish to recall here that this parliamentary group has several times returned or substantially amended presidential decrees. Diversity of opinion has been respected within the group. Regarding the assumption of responsibility, we note that a large number of the MPs who signed their statement have held senior party and executive state positions. On this occasion, the Presidency recalls that among the MPs who signed the statement are Arjana Nati, former Deputy Minister of Finance; Alfred Serreqi, former Minister of Foreign Affairs; Maksim Konomi, former Chairman of the Committee for Science and Technology; Arlinda Ymeraj, former Minister of Labour, Emigration and Social Support; Dashamir Shehi, former Deputy Prime Minister, former Minister of Public Order and Tourism; Feim Godo, former Deputy Minister; Zafer Ypi, former director of the port in Durrës; Gëzim Zile, mayor of Vlora; Dylber Vrioni, former Deputy Prime Minister, former Minister of Finance, former Governor of the Bank, former Minister of Privatization; Robert Çeku, former Deputy Minister of Finance and State Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism; Edmond Lule, former Minister of Education; Koço Bode, former Deputy Minister of Education; Bashkim Kopliku, former Minister of Public Order, Deputy Prime Minister for the Economy, Head of the PD Economic Department; Tomorr Malasi, former Deputy Speaker of the People’s Assembly; Iliaz Vrioni, former prefect; Shpëtim Mezini, former diplomat; etc. The PDSH Presidency emphasizes that, for any democratic party in the world, the departure and separation of various groups of MPs or other people is not at all a tragedy. This is a democratic concept under which everyone has the right to stay in or leave a political force. The PD is conducting its own review, and this review will soon be broadened, but it believes that a large part of the responsibility for the crisis lies with many of the signatories of the statement in question. The PD will carry out its full review not because of the appeal by a group of MPs, but on the basis of its democratic principles and concepts.

Mr. Pjetër Arbnori writes to Mrs. Leni Fisher Drafting a Western constitution is a major contribution by the political forces of the Albanian Parliament Page 3

Interview with the Minister of Education and Sports, Mr. Luan Skuqi The value of the damage to pre-university education is nearly 400 million dollars Page 2

The adoption of a Western-style the Albanian Democratic Party, at its meeting of 5.4.1997, declares that it supports President of the Republic Sali Berisha’s initiative to adopt a complete, Western-style constitution for Albania before the general elections. It considers this initiative a very important element for the development, strengthening, and deepening of Albanian democracy, as well as for the process of national reconciliation, in the process of responding to the new elections, and supports it without reservation, considering it of great political importance for the present and future of the country. The ADP calls on all Albanian political forces as well as the Albanian parliament to support this initiative, while at the same time mobilizing all together so that, with broad consensus, we can give the country a truly Western-style constitution, in keeping with the aspirations of the Albanian people.

On Sunday, 13.04.1997, at 11:00, a meeting of the National Council of the PDSH will be held in the meeting hall of the Palace of Congresses, to analyze the situation in the country and the measures that need to be taken.

Turkey is closely following developments in Albania, which it considers a key country in the Balkans, and whose stability is linked to peace in the region Page 3

The Albanians went to New York with a clear platform Page 4