Vlora—the city where innocent people are killed every day ON PAGE 4

The head of the crime unit in Malësia e Madhe is killed. ON PAGE 4

Villagers’ “Skoda” attacked. 4 injured ON PAGE 4

The Prime Minister of the installed Socialist government, Fatos Nano, presented yesterday the government’s demagogic and demagogic program, while announcing that within the week the Mussolinian era of his dictate over the Albanian state would begin. The chairman of his parliamentary group, Skënder Gjinushi, presented the agenda of the People’s Assembly for next week, in which an important place is given to changing constitutional provisions concerning the powers of the President of the Republic. After the government’s vote of confidence, which is merely a formality, within this week we will have a President who will hand his epaulettes to the Prime Minister, making him formally the most powerful man in Albania. Thus, Mejdan’s latest promises fall by the wayside. After strong accusations from the opposition and the outcry over the International Community’s decisions on the highly sensitive issue of constitutional changes, he had declared that his party would postpone the changes, but would pursue its aims through efforts to secure the rapid adoption of the constitution. In a few days Albania will wake up with a puppet president and an all-powerful Mussolinian prime minister, the clearest expression of the beginning of a fierce institutional and political revanchism in the Albanian state. Meanwhile, the honorary president who, willingly or unwillingly, hands over “Medani” will be remembered only as the man who decreed the most criminal and unbalanced government Albania has ever had. This would be the sole act performed by a president who was compromised from the very first day of his election, while he still had ordinary powers. Yesterday’s announcement of changes to the main constitutional provisions, beginning with the President’s powers, is an ominous signal of the intensification of the fierce revanchism being advanced by those who came to power with the help of armed gangs. For Albanians, it makes no difference at all that a typical representative of one of the most ruthless communist clans, such as Rexhep Mejdan(i), will have fewer powers in the future. For all the powers that Mejdan(i) is willingly or unwillingly relinquishing will be placed on Fatos Nano’s shoulders. But it is extremely important for the country that the laws currently serving as Albania’s constitution not be abused in any way, arrogantly and contemptuously, with warnings that power will be concentrated, both in reality and formally, in the hands of a man who has clearly shown himself to be compromised in both his distant and recent past. These people, who are beginning their rule by threatening political clans that spent their long time in opposition under free elections, have behaved treacherously toward all Albanians. The Albanian Socialists, who have already set a precedent for violating constitutional laws and are thus bent on the rule of one man, are warning that a parliament of Kalashnikovs may convene and vote to change any important law whenever the leader of their own people needs to be protected. With this arrogance, they are also building a wall of fear: they will prepare a constitution within the coming week, abuse presidential powers, carry out political purges at Radio-Television, and dismiss other administrators without needing to convene the parliament of Kalashnikovs. Some time ago and again later, along with Gjoni, the American ambassador, Marisa Lino, had stated that the PS should be very careful and should handle its relations with the opposition with care. Only after Nano took power has the party’s true character, including its attitude toward the US, become clear. The former communists’ revanchism against constitutional provisions and the state’s important institutions begins. The Council of Europe warns the Socialists: Don’t you dare touch the opposition!

The installed Socialist government threatens violence and terror against the PD

The Council of Europe warns Albania’s former communists not to persecute the opposition The refusal to recognize the mandates of the leaders of two opposition parties is an antidemocratic act of punishment for their cooperation with the PD and a serious violation of the rules of the democratic game The decision by the Kalashnikov Parliament to expel two opposition MPs, party leaders of the PD, from parliament has sparked strong reactions in Europe. Dr. Walter Schwimmer, chairman of the European People’s Party Parliamentary Group at the Council of Europe and an Austrian People’s Party MP, has strongly protested against the antidemocratic act of the former communist majority in the Albanian parliament. The head of the group of deputies from the people’s parties in the Council of Europe Assembly states in his protest that “during the violence in Parliament on July 23, the Secretary-General of the Democratic Party, Genc Pollo, was not allowed by the socialist presiding officials to make a statement on behalf of his party.” “We view with particular concern the new decisions by the former communists on the Credentials Committee of the Albanian parliament,” the statement says. With a two-thirds majority, the former communists have refused to recognize the mandates of two MPs: Democratic Party leader Zef Bushati and [text cut off/unclear]. [Small note/text in German:] Der Parlamentarische Versammlung der Opposition in Albanien … Walter Schwimmer …; [the rest of the German text is unclear]. [And] the leader of the Social Democratic Union Party, Teodor Laco, who is a former representative of the two on the Democratic Party’s proportional list. The joint list had been recognized by the Central Election Commission and registered by international observers. The refusal to recognize the mandates of the leaders of two opposition parties is an antidemocratic act of punishment for their cooperation with the PD, and a serious violation of the rules of the democratic game. Mr. Schwimmer announced that he would raise this issue with the Committee on the Honouring of Obligations and Commitments by Member States of the Council of Europe. The representation of the parliament, which is more former-communist than any other, in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe will depend on further developments and on respect for democratic principles, according to the response of a Council of Europe parliament.

Violence and terror against the PD At a time when the gangs that brought the socialist government to power in Albania are wreaking havoc, killing hundreds and thousands of innocent people, especially in southern Albania, Nano’s Hitler has turned the machinery of violence against the PD and its leaders. ON PAGE 3

Snipers positioned above “RD” to “protect” the Kalashnikov Parliament The pressure on the RD newspaper marks the start of Ceka making good on his long-standing promises; at almost every press conference he threatened to jail RD journalists. ON PAGE 2

Reception at the PD headquarters Yesterday morning, Democratic Party leader Sali Berisha received the Prime Minister of Kosovo, Bujar Bukoshi. They discussed the situation in Albania and the region and expressed the view that strengthening the Albanian factor, and cooperation on the basis of principles with this factor, are conditions for a lasting solution to the Albanian question, as well as for peace and stability in the region. ON PAGE 2

The first political purges begin ON PAGE 2

Cockfights in Parliament. The champion is losing his feathers Photo:Albes FUSHA Cockfights in Parliament. The champion is losing his feathers. Photo:Albes FUSHA

Yesterday, the Socialist government’s demagogic program. Within the week, Nano with Mussolinian powers