500 Albanian emigrants return from Greece in the last 48 hours ON PAGE 4

Detention and mistreatment of political opponents continues ON PAGE 4

the Republic’s power of pardon Berisha pardoned the top bandit The controversy continues over the exercise of the President of the Republic’s power of pardon

. Prime Minister Nano’s official positions on eliminating the role of Albanian banks in the Albanian financial market are neither new, nor accidental, nor inevitable aspects of his economic policy. The political aim of bankrupting every achievement and consolidating political power through the continuous economic destruction of existing structures, and installing lobbies in politics and the economy, was part of the pre-government strategy that initiated the violent overthrow. How was this systematically pursued? On the tenth of March ’97, the use of criminal gangs’ capabilities against the financial system was as tragic for Albania and the Albanians as it was carefully planned and carried out by forces with a profound interest in doing so. The damage inflicted on the Albanian banking system amounts to 1.14 billion lekë. How is it explained that only Albanian banks were damaged, robbed and plundered? The Bank of Albania alone suffered damage of 855 million lekë! Nano and his clique led “crowds of people” (whom they tried to call the people) in search of the money! In fact, during this leadership, a considerable amount of money was simply stolen! Meanwhile, the Nano Government halted all funding and assistance to Albania’s state-owned banks, and efforts and projects for privatization were absolutely discontinued: the immediate closure of Albanian banks. The credit limit for Albanian banks is zero, while foreign banks have an authorized credit limit! Thus, Albanian state-owned banks become clients of the budget deficit. Managing the population’s savings has only one possible use: financing budget overspending. The payment system in Albania is being reduced to branches/services, and banking services are being reduced to government use! What are the players in Albania’s financial and banking market after the continued weakening of Albanian banks? How will banking, transfer, payment and credit services operate when our banks are either forced out of the game or left to die? The whole game with the banks is also unacceptable under the amendment to the banking law, which makes the Bank of Albania entirely dependent on the state. As far as banking is concerned, this government’s policy leads to confusion among ordinary people, who will soon no longer know where to find their savings. The government’s expansion into Albanian banks leads to the creation of monopolies over money by foreign banks, which are already greatly favored by the current government. The weakening and elimination of state-owned banks undertaken by the Nano Government is one of the anti-national elements already exposed in other areas of government as well. Left-wing party members created the pyramid schemes and manipulated them to serve their rise to power. The top government official is now eliminating elements of the structures that obstruct the power of the monopoly over the use and circulation of money, in order to remain in power in the state! The price is paid by the citizens’ savers.

The chairman of the Nationwide Association for the Recovery of Money Lost to Usury, Misret Sahiti, announces a general strike by creditors

After three months of failures, major changes in government are being prepared Nano has decided to make cabinet changes at the beginning of next year ON PAGE 3

The 56th anniversary of the party’s founding finds the Communists in power ON PAGE 3

PD at the conference of the European People’s Parties The chairman of the Democratic Party, Sali Berisha, left yesterday for a visit to France, where he will take part in the conference of the People’s Parties of the countries of the European Union, to be held in Toulouse. On this occasion, Berisha is expected to hold a series of meetings with senior political figures and leaders of People’s Parties in Western countries, with whom he will share his concerns about recent developments in Albania and seek support for the Democratic Party in its struggle to defend democracy. The Democratic Party is a full member of the groupings of European right-wing parties, EDU and ECDU. During its five years in government, and also during this month in opposition, it has found the ongoing support and encouragement of these forums.

The Crete summit under Pristina’s close scrutiny The renowned academic from Pristina was expected at least to measure up to Rugova, who, rather than pursue the accusations against Nano to their conclusion, retracted his description of Ramiz Alia as a “nationalist” ON PAGE 3

The state: “Medicines are expensive” The consumer association knocks on the doors of the Ministry of Health ON PAGE 5

“What has been achieved by Albania must not be degraded,” declared the Prime Minister of Kosovo Berisha meets with the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo The chairman of the Democratic Party of Albania, Prof. Dr. Sali Berisha, received yesterday morning at the party’s headquarters the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, Mr. Bujar Bukoshi. During the meeting, Mr. Bukoshi expressed his great gratitude to the PD and its position on the Kosovo issue. Prime Minister Bukoshi highly praised the achievements of democratic governance in internationalizing the Kosovo issue, from the 1992 Helsinki Document, the decision of the PD’s first Congress to recognize the Republic of Kosovo, the October 1991 initiative by the Democratic Party parliamentary group for the declaration recognizing the Republic of Kosovo, which was adopted by parliament, and the resolution on the Republic of Kosovo in the spring of 1992, initiated by a group of PD deputies led by Mr. Arbnori, etc. Prime Minister Bukoshi highly praised the results achieved for Kosovo by the UN, Council of Europe, OSCE, EU and USA, which internationalized its issue to a great extent. “We are aware of the situation in Albania and of the current state of the Albanian state, but we ask that what has been achieved not be degraded,” Bukoshi said during the meeting. Both sides believed that Kosovo could not be discussed without its legitimate authorities. Berisha praised the Kosovo Government’s declaration as an important historical document on the eve of the Nano-Millosheviç meeting. The meeting also reaffirmed that the Democratic Party would continue to coordinate its work with Kosovo’s political parties and leadership to resolve its issue. Asked by Bukoshi how he would assess the Crete meeting if he were Prime Minister of Kosovo, the PD chairman replied: “I would call it a national betrayal in any capacity—as a former President, as the chairman of a political force, or even if I were in your position. They talked about a minority, they talked about a community—things that no international document accepts. Kosovo has never been treated as it was in Crete. “I would consider the Crete meeting a failed act by two politicians who carry no weight in Kosovo.” Thus, although the meeting’s effect causes a certain sadness, it is entirely negligible, Berisha emphasized.

President Rugova at the meeting with the chairpersons of the LDK branches Rugova called on Albania’s leadership to be more careful in its wording and statements concerning the Kosovo issue. He reiterated that the Assembly of Albania has recognized the Republic of Kosovo. All politicians should bear this decision in mind and respect it, he said ON PAGE 2

The chairman of the Nationwide Association for the Recovery of Money Lost to Usury, Misret Sahiti, announces a general strike by creditors

On Monday at 5:00 p.m., “Union for Democracy” is organizing a protest rally to recover the lost money and demand transparency

in power Nano: In 100 days I didn’t do anything good Albania has returned to its worst days ON PAGE 3

Report from Delvina: The events of March, or the story that brought 100 dark days ON PAGE 5