Vlorë. More than 10 killed and wounded ON PAGE 4

The Greek army is deployed on the border with Albania ON PAGE 4

PS government, a chronicle of a foretold criminalization The winner of the 29 June elections was promising to bring to the head of government the most criminalized cabinet in all of Albania’s history, this time repeating one of Enver Hoxha’s Communist crimes as well. If among the communists of 1945 there were still many idealist leaders who were gradually being imposed upon by the dictator, the new Socialist government bears entirely the face of the chairman of the PS, Fatos Nano. Although he is barred by Albanian law, because of his criminal record and conviction for corruption and abuse of office, Fatos Nano insists on being number one in the executive, disregarding every legal and moral force that forbids him from doing so. Sentenced by the Albanian courts to 12 years in prison for abusing his position by stealing bread from hungry Albanians in 1991, when he was Ramiz Alia’s prime minister, the PS chairman demands to occupy the same post at all costs, challenging the great efforts of Albanians to tear Communist dictatorship down to its foundations. Having already shown that he knows how to steal and abuse high state office, Nano’s chairman is a disgrace to all Albanians, who now know that, besides still belonging in a cell, he also owes the state 7 million dollars. With direct responsibility for inciting and organizing terror and violence before the elections and on voting day, and as a protagonist in the great massacre in Vlorë over the stealing of money, Nano is ready to assemble a Parliament of the Socialist Party’s governing Kalashnikovs. But what is even worse is that Nano’s right-hand man is the judicial rogue Bashkim Fino, who has made terror and people being cut down continue in Albania, because the chairman and his party ordered the Socialist commissioners of the CEC to block the announcement of the election results. With a long history of smuggling, including from his time as mayor of Gjirokastër, Bashkim Fino will be blamed by Albanians merely for his frequent television appearances and for the humour caused by his statements when he was forced to speak live on air. Along with Nano, he is one of the champion Socialist deputies who received votes in areas where armed gangs had made campaigning by candidates from the opposing political parties impossible. Everyone is frightened by the prospect of being chosen on this day to save the mafia, having met all the criteria to remain “indispensable” to Fatos Nano. Starting with Sabi Brokaj, who invokes Enver Hoxha and is the government’s figurehead for the Democrats, and the head of the drug and arms trafficking operation in Vlorë, and ending with the political sawyer Ilir Kola, the entire Albanian government team bears grave responsibility for the Socialist Party’s rule from now on. Arben Malaj, one of the operators and important participants in Albania’s fraudulent pyramid companies, is the [unclear] who drove a tank and climbed aboard it to march toward Tirana, in the time of the “generals” of the South; while Kastriot Islami, who remained [unclear] in 1991, merely completes the picture of a gangster government made up of criminals from Çep. Meanwhile, besides the biographical details that will be reconstructed in the coming days, all the [unclear] facing the world and the rebuilding of a barbaric government also include everything that points to a considerable number. One [unclear] speaks of a time when there is nothing else; it was also a government with a large number [unclear], characterized by wealth, and faithfully [unclear] the government of a leader’s tenure. Fatos Nano, the dictator’s Fatos from history, is bringing this [unclear] film to life and transferring it into a government for all of Albania.

Fatos Nano orders Fatos Klosi to sign the minutes REPUBLIC OF ALBANIA CENTRAL ELECTION COMMISSION First name: Fatos Surname: Klosi Position: DEPUTY CHAIRMAN

Thimio Kondi, a seal thief. The editorial office will file a complaint for insulting the newspaper Among other things, in court we will try to remind Thimio of some of the trials and sentences he handed down when he was a judge in the Communist “era”, until Thimio gets wet The secretary of the Central Election Commission, Thimio Kondi, threatened the “RD” newspaper yesterday, saying he would sue it and imprison its journalists. Kondi said he would make the journalists of Rilindja Demokratike “regret it”. Kondi’s outburst was prompted by an article in our newspaper stating that “the PS had stolen the CEC seal”, referring to the ugly act by Kondi and Klosi, who in a statement of theirs addressed to President Berisha purported to speak in the name of all CEC members. We did not see any of our signatures, and we are convinced that the way these Socialist thugs acted truly constitutes an act of theft. Meanwhile, we will report the CEC secretary’s threat to the court, and [unclear] our family is also in this [unclear]. This is not the first time that journalists from our newspaper have been threatened with imprisonment, and these threats come from individuals implicated in the Communist dictatorship. Thimio Kondi, who is on Nano’s list to become Minister of Justice, is no exception to this category of people. We will also try, among other things, to remind Thimio in court of some of the trials and sentences he handed down when he was a judge in the Communist “era”, until Thimio gets wet.

Forgers of the CEC seal risk prison The documents stamped illegally by Kondi and Klosi constitute key evidence in a charge of abuse of office for which they must answer before the courts. Discussions in the CEC on the announcement of the proportional-representation list, in which the PS representatives had also agreed that President Berisha be included ON PAGE 3

...Secretary Kondi: I do not agree Bello of the PSD: Once he becomes a deputy, he will no longer be President. The law also has meaning in terms of time. Chairman Kume: Mr Berisha is on the list as a member of the PD leadership, and approval of this list should be carried out as requested by the PD. Deputy Chairman Klosi: I propose that we make the announcement today so that we can make way for other activities... ON PAGE 3 View of the commission meeting

Socialists vote against once again Late-breaking news After three days of deadlock, the Central Election Commission finally manages to announce the final results of the 29 June elections. The Socialist representatives in the CEC had blocked the announcement of the election results for three days because, according to them, the President of the Republic had appointed representatives presiding over various functions as deputies in the People’s Assembly. During yesterday’s debate, [unclear] withdrew from the process and left a Socialist member [unclear] the deputies who would be part of the next parliament. These decisions were taken on the basis of Articles 36 and 38 of the Electoral Law. The Commission’s decision, adopted by majority vote, was also signed by the Commission’s deputy chairman, Fatos Klosi, the PS representative. The PS representative on the Commission, Taulant Dedja, voted against the approval of this decision. The Commission’s secretary, Thimio Kondi, also voted against. The Commission’s deputy chairman, Fatos Klosi, asked only for reasons to be stated in the decision, stressing that, without objections, the decision had been taken to resolve the deadlock and pave the way for the prompt submission of the matter to the Parliamentary Committee for the Verification of Mandates. This request was not taken into account in the final decision. Thus, the CEC cleared the way for the next meeting of the new parliament. Rafael FLOQI

Report of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe at the American Congress on the elections in Albania If the PD had won the June elections, it is not at all clear whether the numerous irregularities that took place would have allowed the elections to be judged acceptable. ON PAGE 2

Very latest news According to reliable sources close to Nano’s chief for forming the new government and administration, all those television journalists who played football with Prime Minister Fino will not be moved from their positions, despite the threats of the Minister of Reforms. Arjan Tepelena will also keep his post, because although this team was Fino’s opponent, it gave the latter the opportunity to score three goals. It is expected that when the prime minister rolls Fino over, he will roll Arjan over too. In fact, one time when Fino’s shorts fell down, Arjan was removed as well, in solidarity. It is not known whether the guarantee of keeping his job will also apply to Dypa, the Minister of Privatization, who was extremely upset that he blocked a ball from Fino with his chest, and a goal was scored, even though he was the goalkeeper. The Government’s Voters Vladimir PRELA

NATIONAL LIBRARY TIRANA On Sunday, 20.07.1997, at 11:00, the National Council of the PDSH will meet in the meeting hall of the Palace of Congresses. The chairpersons of the PDSH in the districts and the deputies elected in the last legislature will attend. 1. Analysis of the situation before and after the elections. 2. The next political steps to be undertaken by the PDSH.

The Socialist commissioners had withdrawn at the last moment from signing the result