Thousands of citizens of Fier witnessed yesterday the attempts by left-wing extremists to use terrorism to block the electoral campaign of President Berisha and the Democratic Party. At a heated and enthusiastic rally, Berisha told the people of Fier and all Albanians that terrorism is the last weapon of the defeated, and that Democrats will not be stopped by terrorism. The President’s good spirits and the enthusiasm of the people of Fier, just one day after the grave events in Elbasan, are the best response Albanians can give to the attempts by left-wing terrorists to bloody the campaign and plunge the country into an uncontrollable situation. Albanians are showing that they are determined to go to the June 29 elections, despite the high price they are paying at the hands of terrorists who have never accepted, and still do not accept, defeat at the ballot box. Yesterday’s rally in this city became a challenge by President Berisha and the Democratic Party’s leading figures to the left-wing terrorism that has heightened tensions in Albania as election day approaches. But as political crime’s pressure on the DP campaign increases, evidence is mounting that the true trail of terrorism leads to Albania’s former communists. The emerging details of the Elbasan incident point to an organized terrorist attack against President Berisha’s and the Democratic Party’s rally. One of the perpetrators of the sinister plot that bloodied the city of Elbasan has been established as a Socialist Party associate known as a thug and criminal. Roland Xhepaxhiu is widely said to have served as an escort for Namik Dokle, the Socialist Party’s organizational secretary. Although we have no legal evidence that Dokle directly told the terrorist to kill DP supporters while the President of the Republic was on the stage, we can say with certainty that Namik’s party once again sided with the terrorists, as it did in the great massacre in Cërrik, where six guardsmen lost their lives. The Democratic Party continues to stand up to terrorism, even though the monster of rebellion has become more ferocious than ever in this country’s history. Yesterday’s assassination attempt against President Berisha at Shkalla e Durrësit, the bloodshed at the Elbasan rally, the bombing of the DP branch headquarters in the same city, and the armed and violent attacks against them are the clearest evidence of this. Many DP candidates are being prevented from entering electoral areas in villages, including their own areas where terror reigns under the armed gangs of the committees. The signatories of the May 28 declaration with the language committees have not even formally declared their support for their opponents’ freedom of movement; on the contrary, they have gone further, inciting the gangs of Gjoleka, Zani and Shyti to block and threaten DP candidates during the campaign. Fatos Nano will go down in world political history as the first leader of a party claiming power who does not allow opposing candidates to move freely during an election campaign. In this important campaign, terrorism’s latest upheaval is its most severe yet; despite the fury it unleashed earlier, it is becoming increasingly isolated, as is the policy that fabricated it. Yesterday’s example in Fier was the best rebuttal, made by Albanians with their own hands, to those who want to seize power by killing, burning and terrorizing innocent people.

The DP’s victory will bring law and order, the restoration of institutions, the defeat of the rebellion, security of property, freedom and integration into Europe More than 20,000 people from Fier at President Berisha’s and the DP’s rally

A view of the Democratic Party rally in Fier; President Berisha is on the podium.

Witness accounts and investigations uncover the terrorists’ operation The perpetrators of this criminal plot belong to an armed gang from Cërrik, commanded by Roland Xhepaxhiu, a criminal known as the escort of PS organizational secretary Namik Dokle ON PAGE 3

An attempt to plunge the country into an uncontrollable situation Socialist leaders will be held responsible for all the terrorist acts they are inciting or organizing

DP Chairman Tritan Shehu reports on the success of his visit to Athens In these talks I clearly explained the DP’s position during this period, its determination to hold elections in Albania, its determination to create the calmest possible electoral atmosphere, and to oppose terrorist and bandit-like acts by those who want to disrupt the campaign and undermine the elections. ON PAGE 3

Rome meeting. Presidency spokesperson: all claims by the left-wing press are false The Government representatives’ blocking of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund proposals to ensure transparency regarding the pyramid firms has become publicly known. Nevertheless, for several days the left-wing press has continued to speculate about this meeting in order to conceal the obstruction by representatives of the Ministry of Finance and the Council of Ministers of the draft decree proposed by the international institutions.

The Verification Commission cleans up the candidate lists The list of those excluded is headed by PAD, followed by Gjinishi’s Social Democrats and the Socialists. Some “figures” have been identified for the second time as former collaborators of the State Security. The Commission for the Verification of Figures has announced the political names it has identified and stigmatized as ineligible to stand in the June 29 elections. The list of those excluded and stamped as tainted is headed by the Democratic Alliance Party. As for the minority parties, the commission has stigmatized some of their candidates, including two candidates put forward by it, among them the two exposed names, one of whom is the former principal secretary of PAD; [part of the text illegible]. For all these “figures,” being stigmatized is nothing new, since the commission had done the same to others in last year’s elections: Mr. Zogaj and Peshkëpia, who were twice declared to have such ties as collaborators of the State Security. They stated that they would turn to the courts to seek their rights and would not be silenced before being rehabilitated. The Social Democratic Party is the closest follower of the Alliance. Among those whose candidacies have been stigmatized are Gjinushi’s candidates. But the Socialist camp is trying to make the “dark stains” less visible. “Those eliminated are not leading figures,” was the reaction of the PSD Socialists in Tirana. For the Socialist Party, the Verification Commission has put their careers at risk, and among them the name of former minister Shyti stands out. ON PAGE 3

/ANSA/ – The leader of the committee of Vlorë’s rebels will be a candidate in the upcoming Albanian elections on June 29. This is what Albert Shyti has decided, having become directly involved in political life, despite having previously been part of a committee whose actions were anti-[text unclear]. Shyti is standing in the elections with the Socialist Party.

At the invitation of the Democratic Party A delegation of the European Democratic Union (EDU), led by parliamentarians from the Austrian People’s Party, Wolfgang Grollschuk, will come to Tirana at the invitation of the DP on June 16–17, 1997. The delegation’s schedule includes meetings with DP Chairman Tritan Shehu and Secretary General Genc Pollo. The EDU delegation will also meet with the political bloc Union for Democracy, the Christian Democratic Party, the Albanian Democratic Union, the Social Democratic Union Party, and others. The delegation will meet with the OSCE ambassador in Tirana, Grumbadzer, and with the leaders of the PS, PSD, PR, BK, PBDNJ and PAD. The EDU delegation will also meet with the President of the Republic, Sali Berisha.

The economic wonder—the socialist melody of state capitalism ON PAGE 5

“ALBA” faces gangs in Gjirokastër and Vlorë ON PAGE 4

Saint Anthony’s Friday in mourning. The saint’s way responds Saint Anthony’s Friday in mourning. The saint’s way responds Church appeal: “Lay down your weapons” ON PAGE 4

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