Mass surveillance of the opposition, the press and Western embassies is ordered Former State Security agents Agron Ismailati and Anastas Konomi, reinstated in SHIK, are directing the operation Nanos’s secret service has begun mass surveillance of the telephones of the opposition, the press and Western embassies. Thus the Albanian Watergate has erupted, proving the return of State Security methods to SHIK, which has been taken over by people from hell. The Democratic Party has received reports of pressure and of an operation targeting the telephone connections of opposition leader Sali Berisha, the DP headquarters, former Prime Minister Meksi, former Parliament Speaker Pjetër Arbnori, DP Secretary General Genc Pollo, December Movement leader Azem Hajdari, as well as several independent newspapers and prominent Tirana intellectuals. The operation was directed by two former State Security officials, Agron Ismailati and Anastas Konomi, who have returned to SHIK. On Wednesday morning, several employees of the Tirana Telecommunications company refused to start work without an order from the prosecutor’s office authorizing the diversion of telephone lines. According to the threatened Telecommunications employees, several Western embassies in Tirana have also been placed under surveillance, in addition to the opposition and the press. The Democratic Party has denounced former State Security agents Ismailati and Konomi as the protagonists of this scandal. One of them is known to have dragged the bodies of people killed at the border in Sarandë in 1991. It is no coincidence that many newspapers in Tirana have complained about “faults” in their telephone lines in recent days. Our newspaper, too, has had major telephone problems, while third parties have often clearly interfered with its lines. The testimony of Telecommunications employees fully proves that the “faults” were caused by orders from the former security agents to spy on the opposition, the press and the embassies.

The circumstances and consequences of the crime in Parliament against MP Hajdari must be examined. A constitution by consensus with the opposition. Justice and local government must not be undermined. Press freedoms must be guaranteed Alarm bells are ringing at the Council of Europe over the government installed by Fatos Nano. No area of government has been spared severe criticism from Europe’s important institutions. Representatives of the various countries at the Council of Europe have all spoken harshly about the decline of democracy in Tirana, the persecution of the opposition, and the killings and violence against the free press. The Council of Europe has strongly condemned the wounding of DP MP Azem Hajdari by a Socialist MP and has insistently called for a serious investigation into the circumstances of the crime and its consequences. The Council of Europe has focused above all on the communist revanchists who have placed the installed Socialist government in control of the Albanian administration and replaced its personnel with Socialist Party loyalists. Nano’s “meritocracy” has been regarded as a formula used to justify administrative purges across all the country’s institutions. The Council of Europe has also taken a strong position against the current authorities’ subordination of the judiciary by bringing it under the state umbrella. One element of this position is the call for a law on the High Council of Justice, which will later also be submitted to the Venice Commission. The Council of Europe has found that the Nano government has still made no serious effort to restore public order, which will lead to delays in aid or its cancellation. The causes of the impending economic collapse will be precisely the present government’s collusion with crime and its encouragement of crime in a new form, such as smuggling, and so on. The resolution adopted yesterday by the Council of Europe calls for guarantees that the National Reconciliation process will continue, while emphasizing the ways in which the current government has most damaged a process essential to the country’s emergence from the deep crisis following the communist rebellion. The Council of Europe resolution also views the process of strengthening the Albanian constitution as part of National Reconciliation. It calls for broad participation in drafting it, putting everyone’s interests before the establishment of the country’s power in the hands of one side alone. The Council of Europe resolution also focuses on freedom of the press and freedom of speech. It calls on the Nano government to guarantee these rights and to end discrimination against the press through the social pressure exerted by advertising and sponsorship, which favors the press that supports the government or is close to it. These demands are also enshrined in the country’s constitution, but restrictions have emerged in the application of the law, as well as attempts to silence journalists. The Council of Europe’s message is a major assurance for democratic forces that, after their victory in government, they will be supported against communists who are damaging a democratic country such as ours and have been installed in power by Nano’s people. It is a reminder of the rights of a civilized society not to punish free speech, and also a responsibility toward the entire community, which is the legacy of democracy, beyond the intrigues and every kind of benefit-taking in Parliament.

A copy of the book about Gensher presented to the DP leader Kinkel writes to Berisha At a meeting yesterday with DP leader Berisha, German Ambassador Disdom handed him the latest book by Federal Foreign Minister Klaus Kinkel, as well as a copy of the book about the opposition leader, marking the 70th anniversary of the distinguished German and European statesman, former Vice-Chancellor and Foreign Minister of the Federal Republic of Germany, Hans Ditrih Gensher. The book contains the recollections and assessments of dozens of prominent figures from around the world about Hans Ditrih Gensher, including Helmut Kohl and Mihail Gorbaçov, Henry Kissinger and Felipe Gonzales, Richard Vajçker and Gyla Horn, Nelson Mandela and Brutos Butros Ghali, James Baker and Roland Dumas. Rithasymut and Theo Vajgel, Zhah Delor and Havier Solana. The leader of the Democratic Party, Prof. Dr. Sali Berisha, wrote a ten-page chapter in the book, on pages 299–303, in which he recounts his meetings with Germany and the distinguished German statesman Hans Ditrih Gensher. Berisha remembers and regards him as a world-class figure and one of the greatest friends of Albania, who helped the democratic process in Albania and the country’s integration into Euro-Atlantic institutions. In his letter, Federal Foreign Minister Klaus Kinkel, the book’s publisher, warmly thanks Mr. Berisha for his contribution and sends him a copy of the book.

State pressure on peaceful protests continues Protesters arrested Tirana Police Station No. 1 arrested Erti Dhale, Shkëlqim Xhaja, Aranit Hoxha, Arjan Zeneli, Alfred Hoxha, Hamit Katorre and Arben Dymisha in Tirana on Tuesday evening. Tirana — Police violence and repression are being institutionalized against members and supporters of the Democratic Party. Throughout the days of protests against violence and political crime, the Tirana police and the Ministry of the Interior have systematically organized serious attacks on the protests. The Tirana police have blocked the appearance of every protester, from DP protesters to the arrest of three FRPD members at police station no. 3. In addition, the regime’s police militants have called people from Fatos Klosi’s home and threatened them, demanding that they stop taking part in protests. On Tuesday, police also arrested seven Democratic Party protesters, detaining all of them solely because they had taken part in peaceful demonstrations. Shkëlqim Xhaja, Aranit Hoxha, Arjan Zeneli, Alfred Hoxha, Hamit Katorre and Arben Dymisha, among others. Alidov Hoxha, Hamit Katorre and Arben Dymisha. The police gave no reason for the detentions, saying that the individuals had been taken to the station and processed according to law. Klosha’s police law is often turned into “cooperation in sabotaging DP demonstrations against crime, police violence and the imposition of dictatorship.” But Nano’s political police have gone too far. Fatos Nano should not forget that neither police violence, nor unlawful detentions, nor any kind of pressure will stop people from publicly expressing their views about the installed clique’s government, protesting against violence and demanding its resignation. S. META

Berisha meets the German ambassador The new authorities have completely replaced reconciliation with fierce communist revanchism, DP leader Sali Berisha said yesterday during a meeting with the Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany, Hans Peter Disdom. Berisha said that what happened in Parliament was a continuation of the policy of physically eliminating political opponents, a policy applied in Albania only during periods when Nano was prime minister. The new rulers’ revanchism continues with Stalinist purges of the state administration and changes to the legal foundations of institutions. Mass purges in state institutions, the army, diplomacy, finance, customs, education and many other sectors, in open violation of the civil service law, and the replacement of staff according to no criterion other than loyalty to the Socialist Party, make it impossible to continue reforms in Albania, Berisha stressed. Ambassador Disdom expressed the view that dialogue between political forces and respect for the law are essential for the country’s stability. At the meeting, Ambassador Disdom expressed his deep concern over the recent incident in Parliament and condemned the act of Socialist MP Mazreku.

Four opposition parties support the concerns of VEFA creditors If all the companies go bankrupt, the entire debt will fall to the Socialist Party, because its chairman promised the Albanians during the election campaign that they would get their money back. Yesterday, four opposition parties called on Prime Minister Nano to take a serious position on the investment companies and reconsider his statement about closing VEFA and other well-known companies. The leaders of the political parties belonging to the “Centre Right” parliamentary group—PLL, PDK, PBDH and PBSD—Durrani, Bushati, Ndreka and Laco—discussed Nano’s statement in Hong Kong, in which he announced government intervention to shut down Albania’s largest investment companies, according to a press release issued yesterday. The political party leaders expressed concern about Prime Minister Nano’s attack. Before the transparency process and judicial proceedings have been completed, he is threatening and ordering the immediate closure of “VEFA,” where tens of thousands of Albanian families have placed their savings and hopes. The parties remind Prime Minister Nano that he is the only Albanian politician who declared before the people of Vlora on 9 June 1997: “The Socialist Party will secure special funds to return and compensate money lost in companies declared bankrupt, and the Socialist Party will support all borrowing companies that are not pyramid schemes and have not engaged in illegal activities.” We ask Mr. Nano and Mr. Malaj which borrowing companies they have supported and will continue to support, and from which bankrupt companies they will begin returning the money. Perhaps they will bankrupt the borrowing companies that also have investments in one another; how large will the Socialist Party’s debt to Albanian citizens become, and how will it repay them? These are the main questions from the four opposition parties that the prime minister must answer. The party leaders are concerned that the agreement of 27–28 March with Deputy Prime Minister Fino (the former prime minister) is not being respected. Excluding the parties at the round table from the transparency process concerning the borrowing companies increases suspicions about the fairness of this forum. The party leaders decided to contact, on behalf of the “Centre Right” parliamentary group, the president of “VEFA” and the presidents of other well-known companies to clarify the situation further and prevent the looming danger. The statement was signed by the leaders of the Legality Movement Party, the Christian Democratic Party, the Democratic Union Party and the Social Democratic Union.

For several minutes Euronews shows the DP protests Euronews brings the Democratic Party’s protests to Albanian viewers. For several minutes, this private television channel, watched by millions, has broadcast the protests against political crime that have continued for a week in Tirana and other parts of Albania. A taboo for Albanian television, they have been given impressive airtime on European television channels. Albanian viewers have been condemned not to see what is happening in the country’s main news stories, even as foreign television channels show it without the censorship imposed by Albanian communists or servants of the Mazi type.

Strasbourg adopts resolution on Albania. Europe: “No reconciliation, no aid”