Rescue Committee: The Socialist Party promised us the money from the pyramid schemes ON PAGE 4

The Ministry of the Interior responds to the Sopik incident ON PAGE 4

Greek diplomacy in talks with Gjoleka’s gang ON PAGE 4

Once again, serious violations and irregularities throughout the country They boycott elections terrorized by PS gangs. Low turnout in the second round Most Albanians stayed away yesterday from the second round of the elections marred by violence on 29 June. Empty polling stations and low turnout figures in the runoff vote showed that Albanians generally boycotted the voting, compromised by the violence and terror of PS gangs, widespread manipulation and theft of votes, but also by the foreign observers’ disregard for the electoral process. Unfortunately, most Democrats once again stayed away from the ballot boxes, perhaps for compelling reasons, such as their refusal to accept the unrealistic figures from the first round, which were endorsed by the disoriented members of the International Community, who closed their eyes and ears so as not to see and hear how the so-called sacred principles of the free vote were being violated. Many of them did not go to vote yesterday also because of the increasingly extreme pressure exerted by the Socialist Party’s terrorists, who were reactivated on an unprecedented scale during the communist rebellion’s rampage throughout the country. Yesterday, too, the voting was marked by numerous incidents, some of which resulted in casualties, with Democrats on the receiving end of attacks by PS agrarian gangs. Most Albanians remained silent once again, perhaps largely because they were convinced that their vote would not change much about the dirty victory of Albania’s former communists. Despairing of an oppressive climate of pre-election terror and a first round dictated by the force of PS gangs’ weapons, many members of the Democratic Party, as well as members of other non-communist parties, deemed it unreasonable to participate in the second round of Albania’s early elections. Convinced that their votes had been violated and improperly counted in the first round, many Albanians did not choose to go to the ballot boxes, leaving many constituencies that had gone to a runoff after the first-round results virtually to the pro-Socialists. It is worth noting that many of the constituencies that went to a runoff had seen numerous irregularities to the detriment of the Democratic Party. Meanwhile, the Democrats’ silence and absence in the second round of the elections held on 29 June should be read as a strong protest by the new opposition against the vote violated by Albania’s former communists, who can now boast that they completed the Stalinist revolution, and also against those who tried to declare fair elections held under the gaze of Kalashnikovs. It is a protest by people who brought to this country models of seizing power after winning votes—victories their communist opponents never accepted—and who, just as 50 years ago, repeated the revolutionary history of taking power by force. Now before Albania’s Democrats lies the vast space of being in opposition, where they have the advantage of being untainted. Albanians stayed away from the ballot boxes yesterday because they saw the very same people appear before them whom they had left behind in their historic victory over Eastern Europe’s most brutal dictatorship. They saw people dressed as candidates and MPs who, 47 years ago, cursed Albanians at the shameful rally of July 1990 for seeking integration into Europe. They saw the same people back in power, with Fatos Nano as prime minister—the man who abused the Albanian people’s trust when he stole Italian aid six years ago. Gramoz Ruçi, chief of the State Security and responsible for the massacres of 2 April, now stands before Albania’s Democrats dressed as an MP, perhaps even as a high-ranking official. These are the same faces and the same tricks which, just as they helped prolong the life of Hoxha and Alia’s dictatorship, now seek victory in this country by overturning every promise of Albania’s reform toward democracy. Therefore, the mission before Albania’s Democrats is to return with a word as momentous and as valuable for Albania as 22 March was, all those years ago.

After the second round of parliamentary elections As chairman of the DP, I feel it is my duty today, now that the electoral process has ended, to submit my immediate resignation, thereby expressing the responsibility I feel for this defeat and my desire to make way for further and deeper changes within the DP itself. ON PAGE 3 As chairman of the DP, I feel it is my duty today, now that the electoral process has ended, to submit my immediate resignation, thereby expressing the responsibility I feel for this defeat and my desire to make way for further and deeper changes within the DP itself. ON PAGE 3

Lavish spending by Socialist leaders Every night, after curfew, PS leaders Nano and Fino dine at the Rogner Hotel, together with a bunch of hangers-on who hover around them. Every night the amount the head of the PS has to pay exceeds 1 million, but so far they have signed only bills.

Brokaj: “I will accept nothing less than prime minister” ON PAGE 3

The Observer Mission of the British Group of the Helsinki Human Rights Committee comments on the voting ON PAGE 3

Nano provokes the opposition. Invitation to government posts ON PAGE 3

President Berisha received Lalymier and Xhonson Berisha emphasized that the failure to recognize the results in the committee districts concerns not only their impact on the overall result, but above all the values upheld in these districts—the values on which free and fair elections in every democratic society are based. ON PAGE 3

Protests by the monarchists yesterday, on the sixth day Thousands of monarchists protested yesterday for the sixth consecutive day in Skënderbej Square in the capital, demanding recognition of the monarchy’s victory in the June 29 vote. The King warned all Albanians of a danger currently threatening Albania: the occupation of its southern borders by Greek military forces. He stated that Greek forces had continued to set foot on Albanian soil yesterday as well, and called on the government to take forceful action against what he called an attempt to occupy Albania. “I do not understand the government’s passive stance toward an attempt by Greece to occupy us,” the King told those attending yesterday’s rally, where support for the monarchy was several times greater than on previous days. He described the coming days as being of particular importance not only for the fate of the Monarchy, but also for Albania itself. “No one should dare set foot on Albanian soil,” the King warned those with territorial ambitions toward Albania. The Minister of the Royal Court, Mulosmani, accused PS leader Nano of being a pro-Greek who was serving Greece’s interests rather than those of his own country. He also called on the current prime minister to leave for Albania, rather than leave it during these difficult times. The monarchists declared that they would continue their protests in the final defense of the referendum results in favor of the Monarchy. Bledi KASMI

Scenes from the close monitoring of the elections by OSCE observers Photo: A.Fusha Scenes from the close monitoring of the elections by OSCE observers — Photo: A.Fusha