Vranicki asks the PS to remove the gangs. The Socialists are holding aid hostage. Conditions imposed by EU countries. Albanian government officials lack political and moral credibility Rome Conference: nothing concrete on aid. 11 conditions from the International Community The irreplaceable role of the PD in Albania’s integration into Europe. The anniversary of Berisha’s and the Democratic Party’s irreplaceable role in the process of Albania’s integration into Europe and in all international forums. The head... of the Parliamentary Assembly of ... Europe, Leni Fisher, in a ... of hers, stressed that the role and position of ... has been ... Albania in the Council of Europe, which is also one of the ... greatest achievements of Albanian foreign policy. Mrs. Fisher praises ... Albanian ... for ... and ... the unwavering belief that he will ... bring the country ... while ... playing an important role in the leadership of the ... Democratic. Fisher’s message to Berisha ... to the Albanians ... reminds Albanians who it was that ... most importantly led the Albanian train toward Europe, for the benefit of our flag’s integration into Europe, as one of the most notable days in Albania’s history. From the early days of democracy, with the anti-communist parties, the Albanian Democratic Party put forward to the Albanians the slogan “Let’s make Albania like Europe,” which has been its motto from its founding to this day. Albanian Democrats, as early as 1991, when they were in opposition, sought ties and the first openings to the West, thus paving the way for Albania’s excellent relations with Europe and all the other Euro-Atlantic structures. While hundreds of thousands of Albanians chanted the Democratic Party’s sacred slogan, throughout all these years those who have now come to power with the help of armed gangs have been on the other side of the barricade, stealing Albanian citizens’ votes for nearly 50 years in a row. Albania’s relations with Europe were sidelined and became less significant in every respect, despite the efforts of Albanians to crown their journey out of dictatorship with integration into Europe, alongside the communists in Eastern Europe. Today, more than ever, is the time to understand that while the newly arrived Democrats in power were paving the road to Europe, the opposition of that time was placing obstacles in the way of these efforts, abusing Albanians’ rights to Europe, the United States, the Council of Europe and NATO. The Albanian flag was raised in Strasbourg after a long struggle against the communist opposition, which sought to block this destination of Albania’s progress toward Europe. The Socialist Party declared at the time that it would “stand firm for the country” in order to prevent Albania’s long-awaited integration into the Council of Europe. This caused great astonishment in Western chancelleries, since it was the first time that the opposition of a country had called for its own state to be denied admission to the Council of Europe. But just as such instances appeared, the same thing is being overcome from European communism and was reflected in the Albanian phase of lustration, with the standard phase of specific conditions for the communist dictatorship in Albania and interventions from all the other countries of Western Europe. But beyond Albania’s achievement of joining the Council of Europe and direct cooperation in the Parliamentary Assembly for Peace, Albania’s relations with Euro-Atlantic democracies developed excellently during the Democratic Party’s five years in government. Those who, on the day Albania was presented and entered for a meeting in Rome, distanced themselves from this, made it happen only with difficulty and will leave the relations of that time intact, while they cannot ... prepare this crowning achievement of Berisha and the PD for Albania’s integration. Those who spent 30 years in their newspaper are now in opposition to Europe, only because they were against its ... and the Albanian ailment. Europe did not turn its gaze away from the Parliamentary Council, which has been an organizer for assessing its democratic achievements, and it will have this country.

Fisher writes to Berisha that your commitment and steadfastness have been vital to Albania’s admission to the Council of Europe. She commends Mr. Berisha’s efforts over the past few months to overcome the crisis in Albania Message from Fisher, Chairwoman of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, to PD leader Sali Berisha The leader of the Democratic Party, Sali Berisha, received a message yesterday from the Chairwoman of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Ms. Leni Fisher, in which, after thanking Mr. Berisha for the fruitful cooperation they had throughout the President of the Republic’s term, she writes, among other things, that your commitment and steadfastness have been vital to Albania’s admission to the Council of Europe. She commends Mr. Berisha’s efforts over the past few months to overcome the crisis in Albania. Ms. Fisher says that she is fully convinced that you will continue to serve your country and will play an important role in leading your party. She also says that she is confident cooperation will continue on Albania’s full integration into the family of European nations.

Avni Shehu, President of the Court of Cassation: The independence of the courts is being undermined Closing the courts is an unlawful and unconstitutional act The order issued by the Minister of Justice to close the courts for an indefinite period is an unlawful and unconstitutional act. It seriously undermines the independence of our courts, which must obey only the law. The institution I head will issue a separate statement, in which you will also find further details on the opinion of the judges of the Court of Cassation. ON PAGE 3

PD: The Minister of Justice’s order is a flagrant intervention by the executive branch in the judiciary Replacing judges who worked with dedication and integrity in applying the law and its rulings with loyal members of the PS, implicated in genocide against the Albanian people, is a warning of the Communists’ revanche. ON PAGE 3

Hundreds of missing referendum ballot papers The Constitutional Court examines the scandal surrounding the Referendum. Several hundred ballot papers from the June 29 referendum on the form of government were found yesterday buried on the outskirts of Tirana; they belonged to electoral zone number 45. Residents of this area, located in Qyteti Studenti near buildings 25, 26 and 27, were astonished by the large number of ballot papers scattered across almost the entire territory of this small town and notified the CEC late Wednesday evening. ON PAGE 2

Ballot papers from the June 29 elections, dumped in a rubbish pit in Qyteti Studenti, Tirana

Massive looting of ammunition in Sarandë and Gjirokastër ON PAGE 4

Brokaj announces the mobilization of Albanians under 27 ON PAGE 4

Two killed and five wounded by Slavic weapons ON PAGE 4

1. The communist revanche must end 2. Respect for freedoms and human rights 3. Expansion of the space available to the opposition 4. Restoration of law and order 5. Severing ties with the gangs and committees 6. Guaranteeing freedom of the press and media 7. Meeting the IMF’s conditions 8. Placing customs under full control 9. A constructive regional position 10. Sustained cooperation with the OSCE 11. Full independence of the judicial system