Ngjela comments on the Socialists' petition to the Constitutional Court ON PAGE 2

Consumers risk their taste buds ON PAGE 5

Citizens remain under the terror of the committee's gangs ON PAGE 2

Fatos Nano returns empty-handed from Italy, further underscoring the indifference with which Europe and the international community in general are treating the efforts of the Albanian Socialists to return to power. The door was shut in the face of the SP chairman by D'Alema, who has a particularly influential voice regarding the Albanian Socialists, sending a strong message to Nano and his party. In his meetings in Rome, Nano was told that taking part in the elections was the only condition on which the West would not compromise regarding Albania. With virtually no exceptions, Italian politicians reminded Nano that a boycott and refusal to accept the elections, the Socialists' only ways of avoiding defeat, would be intolerable. Nano returned to Tirana with his head bowed, making it plain that his visit to Italy had been a complete failure and had done nothing to improve the SP's standing in its relations with the West. In an interview with the foreign press at the end of his meetings in Rome, Nano showed that there he had been made to forget even his accusations and threats against the OSCE and Chancellor Vranicki. Speaking to the BBC, Nano said that he saw the OSCE as having an enormous responsibility for the elections in Albania, whereas just a few days earlier he had stressed that the organization's position would force the Socialists to repeat the Albanian crisis in other editions. The Socialist leader's abandonment of his usual language of ultimatums and threats is clear proof that he was taken to task at all the meetings in Rome's government circles. Nevertheless, it is striking that the Socialist leader does not answer the question of whether he will accept the election results, the most delicate issue in the entire 29 June electoral process. Nano sidesteps the question, once again leaving a shadow of doubt about a possible boycott, while the Socialists have still not officially confirmed their participation in the elections, even though they have begun their campaign. It seems the Socialists find it extremely difficult to give up their old weapon, the boycott, under the pretext of which they sounded the call to begin the rebellion. Although Italian politicians have put the Socialist leader with his back to the wall, he once again left open the possibility of rejecting the elections, which would be a political crime far greater than boycotting the 26 May elections. This is, in fact, the greatest alarm raised in Western circles by the Albanian Socialists' ambivalence and obstructionist efforts regarding the 29 June elections. A few days before Nano, PD Chairman Tritan Shehu received strong messages of support for the Albanian Democrats from Italian politicians. In all his meetings in Rome, it was made clear to him that Italy opposes acts of rebellion and those who promote it, just as it supports people who will lead the country toward peace and stability. The results of Shehu's meetings in Italy, together with the support reaffirmed by the Commissioner and reinforced by Prime Minister Prodi's visit to Tirana, in fact represent the strongest backing for the Democrats' campaign toward victory. All this demonstrates the great contrast between the PD's and the Socialists' relations with the international community, now that they have entered the election month. It seems no one any longer doubts what is steering Albania at this time, as armed gangs terrorize its cities. This contrast will also shape the history of democracy, alongside the Socialists' inevitable defeat on 29 June. Astrit PATOZI

Left-wing extremists plant a bomb in central Tirana; 19 injured. President Berisha and the PD condemn the terrorist act: “The perpetrators will receive the response they deserve.” Italian Prime Minister tests Albanian politics in the month of the elections

Socialists in Korçë: We want Pëllumbi, not Fatos Nano - Socialist leader walks out of the leadership meeting and even misses the courtesy luncheon Socialists in Korçë: We want Pëllumbi, not Fatos Nano Nano opens election campaign with machine guns - Socialist leader walks out of the leadership meeting and even misses the courtesy luncheon Nano armored with mach-

— The socialist leader walks out of the party leadership meeting and even skips the courtesy lunch Nano, in an armored vehicle, terrifies the residents of Korçë and shows all too clearly that the PS will know how to take the votes of power with the already enacted scenario of armed rebellion. Meanwhile, Miss Arta Dade, with the window open, reached her hand out among the Kalashnikovs and machine guns sticking out of the car windows to “greet” residents fleeing in terror, mistaking Nano’s escort for some local PS gang in this city, where it appears systematically ON PAGE 4

Meetings of PD Chairman Tritan Shehu with residents of Fushëkuqe and Mamuras, Laç, and Hadhisht and Sallmone, Shijak Mistakes are human; no one can be exempt from making mistakes. A mistake can be corrected, provided you recognize and acknowledge it. Crime is anti-human; it is illegal, punishable and subject to penalties. ON PAGE 4

The PD National Council will meet this week Candidates for parliament will also be selected and approved ON PAGE 4

The Association for Democratic Culture finds violations of electoral law at TVSH The Socialist Party has the lion’s share of the airtime devoted to coverage of the election campaign during the last five days of May. It accounts for 57% of this airtime, while the Democratic Party accounts for 10%. Chart showing coverage of the election campaign in TVSH’s 8:00 p.m. news. This chart was compiled by SHKD. PLD 1.5% PK 12% PD 10% PBK 13% PR 6% PS 57% ON PAGE 4

After the newspaper was blocked by PS committees On Saturday evening, supporters of the gunmen struck the RD newspaper building from the rear. The bullets penetrated as far as the newspaper’s offices, breaking the windows and piercing the office doors. Fortunately, the armed attack on the RD newspaper did not harm the journalists or the newspaper’s staff, because it took place after work at the newspaper had ended. But this is an act that follows a series of repeated threats against newspapers and direct threats against journalists, as well as the blocking of the newspaper on several roads in the country by gangs belonging to the PS committees. The RD newspapers have been threatened by several anonymous phone calls speaking of placing bombs in the newsroom and settling scores. The systematic terror being inflicted on the newspaper, from the initial period through the present days under the control of the committees, the continual threats and pressure, and finally Saturday’s armed attack, constitute a serious threat to press freedom in Albania and to the democratic processes under way. The staff of the RD newspaper appeals to the Government of Fatos Nano and other institutions, in Albania and abroad, to use their authority to intervene and protect the newspaper and its work. One of the newsroom windows through which the bullets passed

The Italian Prime Minister, Romano Prodi, and a detachment of the armed PS committees