President Berisha recently received a letter from the President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Ms. Leni Fisher, in which she assures the President that his proposal to give Albania a constitution has been received with great interest and expresses her full willingness to provide all the necessary assistance in this regard. In this letter, Ms. Leni Fisher, assures the President that the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe will help Albania by every means to overcome the current crisis.

Statement by the Chairman of the PDSH, Mr. Tritan Shehu After learning of the statement by PS chairman F. Nano, in which he compares Albania to Bosnia and Palestine, PDSH Chairman Mr. Tritan Shehu declares: Mr. Nano’s statement is completely irresponsible and dangerous for Albania’s present and future. In that statement, Nano compares Albania to Bosnia, a country of interethnic and religious conflicts; he compares Albania to Palestine, which has not yet been fully institutionalized as a state and is a place of national conflicts. With this statement, Mr. Nano casts a shadow of doubt not only over Albania’s present but also over its future; he casts doubt over its territorial stability and also over Albania’s territorial integrity, and over its social, national, and religious situation. Albania can never be compared with any of these countries, and any such comparison carries conceptual risks in itself and runs counter to the country’s national interests. The standards applied, and to be applied, in Albania are and must be the democratic European standards and those of other developed countries. These are the standards that reflect this nation’s age-old aspirations, its present aspirations, and its future ones. Therefore, Mr. Nano’s statements run counter to these aspirations. The Chairman of the PDSH, Tritan Shehu, received the delegation of compatriots from the diaspora Full support for President Berisha and the PD Yesterday morning, PDSH Chairman Mr. Tritan Shehu met with a delegation of our compatriots residing in Croatia and Slovenia, led by Prof. Dr. Tom Berisha. Mr. Shehu welcomed them and informed them about the latest developments in the country and the great, sincere efforts being made by the PD to overcome the crisis. The delegation members expressed their full support for President Berisha, the PD, and the Government of National Reconciliation, and also conveyed the readiness of the Albanian communities they represent to provide all-round assistance to overcome the difficulties that have arisen as soon as possible. They discussed the needs and possible solutions through European integration, and in particular Albania’s political and economic developments.

Interview with PDSH Chairman Tritan Shehu The majoritarian electoral law presents voters not only with the platforms of the various political forces, but also with the people who will put those platforms into practice. The majoritarian electoral law enables people not only to choose the best platforms, but also the best candidates. Under this law, the link between candidate and electorate is very strong, something that is lacking under the proportional system. With the majoritarian law, political forces engage directly with people before the electorate, which does not happen under the proportional system. Thus, a political force that prefers to compete under the majoritarian law demonstrates its strength both in terms of its platform and its human potential and as a political force, but it was undoubtedly essential for this mission to be as neutral as possible and to have legitimate Albanian authorities at the center and locally as its interlocutors. This is one of our objections, which we have made public and openly, and with Vranicki we have found full understanding on this point, because this mission can succeed only with such an approach, because this mission can succeed only with prejudge this matter; any law, whether majoritarian or proportional, is democratic, but I am of the opinion that a majoritarian law is preferable, based on the idea that in this way Albania can have stable governance for fixed legal terms, precisely to ensure the country’s stability without plunging it into unnecessary political crises. “RD”: What preparations is the PD making for the new elections? —The Democratic Party is working on organizational matters, on selecting candidates, and on public relations; it is working on relations with as well as with citizens of this area of Albania. How do you view the upcoming solutions for these areas? —I will say what President Berisha has also emphasized: a significant number of people are under psychological and physical terror and cannot express themselves. But I am convinced that they will speak out. And that is the goal: we want precisely to dismantle those myths that keep them under terror, and to create the conditions for the people to express their thoughts and ideals through a free vote. I am convinced that these views support democracy, development, and the path begun four to achieve stability in the country without plunging it into unnecessary political crises. “RD” — A large part of Albania, having broken free from the dark communist forces, needs rapid reconstruction. Do you think the advantages of the PD’s program will favor this development more? — Not all Albanians will build Albania. Albania will be built by all those who believe in democratic ideals, human values, the values of integration, and the values of the market economy. All those who believe in the values of freedom, and those who believe in Albania, will vote. Undoubtedly, I think the best program will be the PD’s program, which, as it has been throughout this entire period, has been a good program, notwithstanding its shortcomings, and despite some negative aspects in its implementation, particularly those related to consolidating institutions during this four-year period. I am once again convinced that the PD’s program will be the best: the program of the future, the program of hope for Albania and the Albanians. “RD” — Many Albanian businesspeople around the world have expressed their willingness to help the country emerge from its economic trauma. What is your comment? — It is entirely normal and very important for this to be done before the election campaign, so that no one can exploit the phenomenon of pyramid schemes in a manipulative and untruthful way in order to attack someone else. It is essential that full transparency about this phenomenon be ensured during this period. I, too, support and consider this request entirely justified; it is also being made to the international institutions, asking them to contribute to the greatest possible transparency regarding the problem of pyramid schemes in Albania. “RD” — How districts, such as in Shkodër, etc.? [?] Albania needs everyone, including businesspeople from the diaspora; it needs all those who want Albania to develop in the future along the path it embarked on during the past four years, the path of the market economy. I call on everyone to contribute with their financial, moral, and intellectual support, precisely in order to help Albania emerge from the difficult situation it is in and set it on the long road to European development.

After learning about today’s proceedings of the Council of Ministers, the PD declares that the conclusion reached regarding the Deputy Minister of the Interior is completely outside the framework signed on 9 March by President Berisha and the country’s political forces. This matter was also discussed at this round table and rejected. We consider this conclusion a provocation against the 9 March agreement, a decision outside the program of the Government of National Reconciliation, which was approved by the Albanian Parliament. The PD calls on the Government to make decisions only in accordance with the agreement reached on 9 March 1997 and its legal powers. Because the latest decision concerning the Deputy Minister of the Interior runs counter not only to the 9 March platform, but also to Law No. 7978, dated 26 July 1995, on the Armed Forces of the Republic of Albania, Article 32 of which states: “Active officers holding general ranks are appointed to positions, promoted, or transferred by decree of the President of the Republic, upon the proposal of the Chairman of the Council of Ministers.” Therefore, considering the decision in question to be outside the powers of the Council of Ministers and also outside the 9 March platform, the PD calls on its ministers to take legal steps to correct this mistake. Tirana, 19 April 1997

—I would like to emphasize that the Democratic Party is preparing intensively to hold the elections within the deadline set by the political parties’ agreement of 9 March. The Democratic Party is working with its structures in every area. It is therefore ready to face the election campaign, win the upcoming elections, put forward better candidates, and be better organized organizationally and in its public relations. We have therefore taken this seriously and are working intensively in this direction. We are determined to respect the deadlines and agreements signed with the political parties. On the other hand, I would like to say that the Democratic Party considers it essential to have a completely democratic and free environment during the elections and the election campaign, because only in this way will stability be created in the future; only in this way will we achieve the very stability Albania needs and the democratic developments of these years require. I would say that there are two most important elements that I can identify for this period to ensure democratic elections: first, the free movement of people; second, free activity guaranteed for all political forces throughout the country. If we were to assess the situation today, we would see that since 9 March only limited improvements have been made in this regard. This is connected with the domination of certain committees in some cities, which completely obstruct the free activity of political parties. In those cities, this makes it possible for only the far-left political forces to operate. This seriously undermines the democratic principle of an election campaign and elections, and the creation of equal conditions for all political forces during the campaign and up to the elections. This is essential; it is a fundamental condition. —These seem entirely normal to me for any democratic political force and any international institution: normal conditions for holding free and democratic elections. “RD”—The cancellation of Vrancaki’s visit to Vlora was widely discussed. Do you have any comment on this? —At our meetings with Vrancik, we made clear to him that we considered it essential to support his OSCE mission in Albania. We are deeply committed to the success of this mission. “RD”—What Democratic Party is working on organization, candidate selection, and public relations; it is working to consolidate itself, mobilize and invigorate its organization, and establish contacts with people; it is preparing its election program and ideas for reform, and, in particular, plans for the country’s development, urgent needs in the medium and long term, and a long-term program for Albania. “RD”—How do you assess the support that European conservatives are giving the Democratic Party, as well as its activists in the districts, such as in Shkodër and elsewhere? The Democratic Party has very good relations with the European Christian Democratic Union and the European Democratic Union. In Brastislavë, we received a very positive message for the Democratic Party, an expression of support that is extremely important morally, and especially for Albania, because these parties are governing parties and are very important in many European Union countries. We are also in constant contact with the European Democratic Union. A high-level delegation from the European Democratic Union, led by the heads of this Union, will arrive soon to discuss and coordinate with the Democratic Party, examine the situation in the country, draw conclusions, and support democratic developments and the Democratic Party as a full member of this Union. I consider this very important support that these two unions of European center and right-wing forces are giving the Democratic Party at this difficult moment for Albania. They themselves understand clearly that there is a great difference between a firefighter and an arsonist. Everyone now knows and it is clear that the arsonists in Albania are someone else, while the Democratic Party has not managed to put out the fire completely and in time, and that is precisely its responsibility. But there is a great difference between some cities wanting to set Albania on fire and this; and I remind all European forces of this every day, including European political circles. This is very important not only for the Democratic Party but also for Albania. “RD”—What do you think of the electoral law, given that the PS is describing it as an obstacle to the PD’s approach? —I do not see the electoral law as a technical obstacle. I believe the electoral law is very democratic, especially with the improvements made to the local elections following recommendations from the OSCE, ODIHR, and the EC. In general, then, it is a democratic law that ensures free and democratic elections and respects people’s free vote. That is what matters in an electoral law. As for the other aspect, majoritarian or proportional, nobody can say that one is democratic because it is majoritarian or proportional. No one should be prejudiced about this. It is connected with broader concepts, the political situation in the country, and so on. The majoritarian law is the law that those platforms into practice. The majoritarian but also the best candidates. With this kind of system, that I consider lacking in in terms of its platform and its human potential. In particular, two considerations must be made regarding the need for stable governance based on political elections. As we all know, the majoritarian law gives the winner the opportunity to govern, thereby providing stable government so that there is no need to hold elections every few months. There are examples of this in European countries and neighboring countries; for example, Italy is working to adopt a majoritarian law in order to ensure stable government, as are other countries. Nevertheless, I do not

confident of victory The Democratic Party of Albania is fully prepared to enter the elections within the stipulated timeframe—Dr. Vili Minarolli, PDSH Secretary for Public Relations, declared to the press yesterday. Page 3

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