Usurer Malaj finds a “solution” for the committees’ tax By transferring Albanian customs officers to Greek soil, let us hope that one day Malaj will not also transfer the Finance Minister’s armchair ON PAGE 2

Another explosion shakes the stone city Twenty days ago, in the same place and with the same amount of TNT, unknown persons attempted to destroy the bridge. The residents have been shaken once again... ON PAGE 2

The Socialists remove the stigma from the leader of Balli. At the headquarters of Balli Kombëtar, these gentlemen have decided that Abaz Ermenji, Dashamir Shehi, Petrit Kalakula and the old man Godo will run with joint candidates ON PAGE 3

. Former Chancellor Vranicki left Albania yesterday, pointing the finger at those who want to block the June 29 elections, while on the same day the Socialists announced the resumption of the armed rebellion and the advance of their armed wing toward Tirana. Despite the usual diplomatic language on such occasions, Mr. Vranicki left the Rogner Hotel building with an echoing warning about the disaster that the irresponsibility of the Socialists and their allies could once again bring upon the Albanians. Vranicki said clearly several times that the Albanian parliament had passed a law that met all the criteria and recommendations, which, in his view, was expected to satisfy all parties, but unfortunately this had not been an argument that could achieve pre-election consensus. An hour before the former Austrian Chancellor declared that the law was in the spirit of the political contract, Socialist leader Fatos Nano had declared that his party and its allies would boycott the elections if the electoral law were not changed again, even though it included all of Vranicki’s recommendations, as well as many amendments proposed by Prime Minister Fino. This rigid political stance of the Socialists and their vassals is, in fact, clear proof of the prejudice they had shown from the outset toward the process that would pave the way for the June elections. It seems that Nano and his friends were determined to block the law’s passage at all costs: the previous day they had pretended to defend minor principles, but the next day, after all the demands favoring the smaller parties had been met, the leftists remained steadfast in their boycott of the electoral process. This explanation is reinforced by the fact that, at the very moment Nano and Ceka were shouting about boycotting the elections, their men Eduard Alushi and Gjergj Zefi had gathered the committees in Vlora to decide whether they should march on Tirana or wait for a national assembly of the committees together with the parties they support. It was no coincidence that Nano had reminded Vranicki of his name, suggesting he could become the next Prince Wied, while the previous day he had refused to speak to journalists because “Vranicki had to be awaited.” Nano’s threat to Vranicki now takes on very serious implications, considering that his envoy in Vlora had advocated starting an armed uprising. After this, Vranicki must overturn his entire report on the OSCE’s determined government, because the arguments that demolish the Socialists’ case for rejecting the electoral law passed by parliament are nothing compared with what the Socialists decided at the meeting with the Vlora committees. Vranicki’s warning to Albanians to beware of the irresponsible police now carries the weight of a specialist’s judgment of double significance, since the Socialists are threatening a return to the very beginning, to the general conditions of chaos that engulfed the country because they refused to accept defeat at the ballot box. Europe now knows much more clearly what those seeking to block the elections will demand, ahead of June 16 and the next rebellions. Vranicki shakes Berisha’s hand: “For those who want elections, the way is open...”

Yesterday, the President’s decree: Elections on June 29. Berisha clears the way for the electoral process

The legal framework for the election campaign is completed President Berisha decreed yesterday that parliamentary elections be held on June 29, thus clearing the way for the electoral process and a fair and free campaign to elect the new Parliament. A few hours earlier, the President had promulgated the law on amendments to the electoral law, which includes amendments submitted by the President and the OSCE, as well as a considerable number submitted by the Government. As part of establishing a legal basis acceptable to everyone, the President has also promulgated amendments to the law “On genocide and crimes against humanity committed in Albania during communist rule, concerning the dismissal of officials and other persons associated with the defense of the democratic state.” The entire necessary legal framework has now been established, incorporating all the previous observations made by various political parties and international organizations. There is no longer any legal obstacle preventing Albanians from going to the ballot boxes and making a free and fair choice. Meanwhile, yesterday afternoon President Berisha decreed the dissolution of the People’s Assembly before the end of its term, on the basis of the March 9 agreement and the parliament’s declaration of May 13 on its self-dissolution. [text interrupted]

The next Parliament will have a broad base of representation for the Albanian electorate Berisha meets again with the OSCE envoy President Berisha expressed his satisfaction and assured former Chancellor Vranicki that the electoral law approved by Parliament last night after lengthy discussions includes all the suggestions made in Mr. Vranicki’s statement yesterday, as well as many articles from the draft submitted by the government, making it a law that favors small parties, allows full competition among the main parties, ensures a broader pluralist spectrum in Parliament, and necessitates coalitions. Thus, the approved law places the two leading parties on largely equal footing and favors all the other, smaller parties. The threshold for small parties to enter Parliament was set at a minimum of 2 percent. Three quarters of the 40 proportional-representation seats are reserved exclusively for small parties. All votes cast for entities that do not reach the 2 percent threshold are distributed only among the small parties. Thus, the next Parliament will have the broadest base and the fullest representation of the Albanian electorate compared with all previous parliaments, and will also comprise at least 4–5 parliamentary groups. Last night, Parliament Speaker Arbnori, although this was outside Parliament’s procedure, also placed Mr. Fino’s electoral law on the agenda. With the suggestions of Parliament’s Committee on Laws, many amendments from that law were taken into consideration. These also include all of yesterday’s OSCE recommendations. I think, President Berisha stressed, that this law fully complies with the political agreement of May 9, with my decision and your request, as well as with the PS’s request—which I hope was also reiterated at your meeting—to favor the small parties. President Berisha stressed that we remain fully committed to holding free and fair elections as the only way to bring Albania out of the crisis. Those who are dissatisfied with this law today criticized the previous law at their meeting with you, claiming that it did not take small parties into account. Now that it favors them, they are demanding non-participation in the elections. President Berisha believes that those who oppose a law that fully complies with the political agreement must bear full responsibility before the Albanians and the entire international community for blocking these elections. President Berisha confirmed his full commitment to working closely with the Government of National Reconciliation and Prime Minister Fino for a successful electoral process and free and fair elections. Former Chancellor Vranicki also stressed the necessity of holding elections to bring Albania out of the crisis, and said it was important to proceed to the next phase of this process.

PD press release The final electoral law incorporates all the views, additions, and requests of Albanian political forces and the mediators from international organizations, who are committed to ensuring a free, fair, and equal electoral process, concludes the PDSH announcement, according to a press release from the Democratic Party. On May 15, 1997, the Albanian Parliament convened in plenary session to reconsider the election law, approved on May 13, 1997, the same announcement from the PDSH Press and Information Directorate states. The President of the Republic returned the law to create greater opportunities for small parties to be represented in the next Parliament. The plenary session’s agenda also included consideration of the electoral law submitted by the Prime Minister, as well as the recommendations of the OSCE envoy, Dr. Vranicki, following consultations with the President, the Prime Minister, and all the parties participating in the roundtable. The Committee on Laws, the announcement continues, examined the law submitted by the Prime Minister and found that most of its articles were included in the law that had been approved; it also incorporated into the law more than 20 articles concerning the organization of the campaign, the composition of committees, the publication of voting results, the use of the mass media, etc. Parliament reflected the suggestions of the President of the Republic in the electoral law, adopted as amendments the articles jointly added from the Prime Minister’s law, and incorporated into the law all the recommendations of the OSCE Special Envoy, Dr. Vranicki, the press release concludes.

Eduard Alushi of the PS and Gjergj Zefi of the PAD were deeply involved in the debate over whether the armed uprising should begin immediately or whether they should wait for a National Assembly of the rescue committees and the parties directing them Vlorë. Leftists at the meeting of the southern committees The armed committees of the south and their political chiefs warned yesterday that they are ready to resume the rebellion, advancing toward Tirana until the Socialists seize power. As expected, representatives and the armed rescue committees gathered in Vlorë, together with several representatives of the parties and their political leadership. Eduard Alushi of the PS and Gjergj Zefi of the Democratic Alliance Party became embroiled in a debate over whether the uprising should begin immediately or whether they should wait a little longer, until a National Assembly of the Committees and the political parties directing them could meet. According to accounts given in Vlorë, many of those attending the meeting believed that the attack should begin as soon as possible, since the idea had been floated that Berisha was managing to persuade the West and gaining considerable support among the Albanian electorate. Meanwhile, what has somewhat deterred the committee members from making the criminal decision is their fear of a strong response from the state structures, and especially from the population in the towns through which the rebels would have to pass. It also emerged at the meeting that they need a credible pretext and should seize on some incident involving fines or provocations by the police or SHIK, in order to justify the armed rebellion at least partially. “They have left us out in the open, with our heads in blood,” the Kalashnikov men insisted, but then they were forced to admit that it was becoming increasingly difficult in Vlorë and everywhere to rally people around them. The reports from Vlorë are more than alarming: they are irrefutable evidence of the Socialists’ and their allies’ complicity in the rebellion, undertaken in the name of responsibility. The Albanians are witnesses, and they have no other means left to defeat their political opponents except weapons. THE ARMED COMMITTEES OF THE SOUTH AND THE PS for a National Assembly of the rescue committees and the parties directing them. defeat their political opponents except weapons.

T. L. ON PAGE 4

Vranicki shakes Berisha’s hand: “For those who want elections, the way is open...”