President Berisha received the Ad Hoc Commission of the Chairs of Political Groups and the Rapporteur of the Political Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe Europe considers Albania part of itself, President Berisha declares; it has invested and is investing in the consolidation of stability, democracy, development and prosperity there. The PS’s action is with rebel aims! Albania with a living past! The state has passed. And to [?[?]] the political solution of this party blocks the political solution of the country. The country. The President made this known during the meeting with the high representatives of the Council of Europe, who once again confirmed that the rescue committees must be dissolved and that power must be returned to democracy. In the statements made after the meeting it was stressed that legitimate institutions must function and that the crisis must be resolved through the political process and elections. The President said this is the only way to guarantee order and avoid an escalation of the conflict. He said that Albania cannot be held hostage by armed groups and by unlawful structures. During the meeting it was underlined that the European community supports stability, territorial integrity and the democratic process in the country. The discussion also covered efforts to normalize public life, reactivate institutions and create the conditions for acceptable elections. President Berisha declared that the opposition must renounce violence and any project based on armed rebellion. The meeting was assessed as important for the progress of political dialogue and for reaffirming the positions of the Council of Europe regarding developments in Albania.

The PD toward another future Last Saturday in Skopje and it lasted. It is not a routine event. In this extraordinary situation, with troubled, violent elections, with criminal rebellion, with rescue committees and foreign interference, Albania needs a calm majority. For the first time in many months, many citizens have publicly come out in support of order and the state. They are feeling more and more responsible for speaking out. This silent majority, tired of chaos and propaganda, is awakening. It is calling for peace, legality and free elections. In a context where extremists are trying to impose a false reality by force, the voice of ordinary citizens is taking on special weight. That is why every peaceful gathering, every civic statement and every sign of a return to normality is an important development. Albania cannot be held hostage by fear. The silent majority is awakening, and that is the country’s greatest hope.

Albania is determined, within its possibilities, at present to contribute so that the initiation of political engagement and the acceptance by the left of Albanian social responsibilities can begin. Italian television reported that during a telephone conversation between President Berisha and Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi, the situation in Albania and efforts to find a political solution were discussed. According to the report, the Italian side stressed the need for a greater commitment to stabilize the country and restore the institutions. The conversation also addressed the issue of elections, public order and cooperation with international actors. Both interlocutors expressed concern about the situation and underlined that the solution cannot come through violence. President Berisha praised the role of Italy and Prime Minister Prodi in efforts to encourage political dialogue. For his part, Prodi expressed the readiness of the Italian government to help overcome the crisis and create the conditions for an acceptable political process.

Even in the meeting with the delegation of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Fatos Nano[?], insisted on not dissolving the so-called rescue committees. By taking a clear political stance in their favor, he has once again shown that the left opposition has not distanced itself from the rebel structures that usurped order in the south of the country. The statements made after the meeting say that representatives of the left asked for the committees to be considered part of the political solution, something that goes against the repeated demands of the international community for their dissolution. This political line is presented as an obstacle to the restoration of the rule of law and to the normalization of life in the country. Fino’s stance is presented as open support for the groups that have taken local power by force, while responsibility for the consequences of the crisis is attributed to left-wing politics. According to the article, without the dissolution of the committees there can be no order, security or free elections.

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The head[?] for finance, [?[?]], present, stated plainly that their separation from arms? comrades and now arms? [?[?]]. According to the statement made by the chairman of the PS parliamentary group, support for the committees and the failure to condemn their actions clearly show that this political force has not renounced the use of rebel instruments. The published text argues that yesterday’s meeting confirmed the continuation of political ties between the PS and the armed committees. This is presented as proof that the left refuses to distance itself from violence and seeks to profit politically from it. The article also stresses that the international community has repeatedly called for the committees to be disbanded and for the unlawful groups to be disarmed. In this context, the PS’s stance is seen as an obstacle to dialogue and to resolving the crisis.