THE SOCIALIST PARTY IN OPPOSITION: AN ORGANIZED AND CONSTRUCTIVE POLITICAL FORCE, A GUARANTEE OF PLURALISM AND TRUE DEMOCRACY, A DEFENDER OF NATIONAL IDEALS AND HUMAN FREEDOMS AND RIGHTS LET DEMOCRACY WIN! The elections of 22 March, so long awaited, have been held. The people have given their verdict. We now have a new political landscape in the country. The Democratic Party faces the test of fulfilling the great hopes and realizing the as the second parliamentary party, has moved into opposition with the mission of constituting a force that is capable, constructive, realistic and vital to the development of true democracy in Albania. The people’s vote cannot be prejudged. The Socialist Party, accepting the election result as a legitimate decision of the people, has a full sense of responsibility and the ability to understand this change in its position as a party committed to genuine pluralist and European democracy. It conducted an honest and sincere, calm and realistic election campaign, without manipulation and without making promises that cannot be fulfilled. The opposition’s main allies were the people’s poverty and the destabilization of this country and of public order, for which everyone unfairly placed the blame solely on the Socialist Party, at a time when de facto it could bear no more responsibility than the other political forces, particularly the principal ones that took part in the coalition government. The people, disillusioned, tired and impoverished, entered the elections with the attitude, “Let these ones have a try too,” and with the dignity of the Albanian people of an Albanian state. Although all these ideas and aspirations of the Socialist Party have not yet become the property of the majority of the people, we believe that the future belongs to the European left-wing alternative. The people have always been and remain left-wing and, despite temporary electoral changes, will orient themselves toward this alternative. The rural population, young people and intellectuals have begun to understand, and will understand even better in the future, that under the market economy that has only just begun, the Socialist Party will guarantee the protection of their social and economic rights. The Socialist Party, now in opposition, will remain a force At the rally in the capital organized yesterday to celebrate the DP’s victory in the 22 March elections, it was said, among other things, that the long night of communism had ended. We Albanian socialists have no nostalgia for it. We emphasize today, and will always emphasize, that the Socialist Party has no shared ideology with the model and ideology of totalitarian socialism practiced in Albania for almost half a century. Anyone who denies this fact and this historical reality is engaging in malicious abuse, with the aim of paralyzing the political activity of the Socialist Party, which, whether anyone likes it or not, whoever they may be, is a large, organized, united and capable political force; it is a party wholly committed to the fate of democracy in Albania. If it entered the campaign of the In the oppressive climate directed at the Socialist Party. If it is sincerely declared that we, as Albanians and former members of the PPSH, are jointly responsible for the present situation in Albania and all its wounds and those of its people, then sincerity must be carried through to the end. Honesty must be carried through to the end, and the Socialist Party’s past must no longer be toyed with or abused. We do not plead for this, but appeal to the Albanian people, to the true democrat, that we conduct debate and political struggle in such a way as to bring goodness and prosperity to Albania. If the opposition won, even by a single vote through this unjust political speculation, we regret it. As for the defeat, we do not regret it at all, because the PS has been cleansed of power-retaining mentalities. accepts It understand this change in its position in the life of the country both as a challenge and as an ordinary feature of contemporary pluralist society. We have no reason to hang our heads or despair over the present defeat. A genuinely pluralist society means the periodic alternation of political forces in leadership and government. Meanwhile, even before the final official results of these elections have been determined, we cannot help but express regret that once again it has not been possible to overcome either the polarization of the electorate or the extremes within this bipolarity. The causes and factors that produced these results are numerous and complex. It is precisely because the programme was to enter a European-style democratic society that the elections were affected by so many flagrant violations of electoral law, among the most serious Albania has ever seen. The Socialist Party entered these elections alone, facing a coordinated attack by the entire opposition. All the opposition press was turned against it; there were unrelenting psychological pressures, physical terror, and even threats that “if the Socialist Party wins, there will be civil war.” In the days before the vote, for political reasons, Xhemal Selimi, secretary of the PS organization in the “Kongresi i Përmetit” neighborhood, was murdered in Shkodër. Representatives of our party, candidates for deputy, were in many cases threatened and prevented from holding all their meetings with the people normally. The Socialist Party, as The Socialist Party at a time when it de facto did not exist and could not [do so]; they conditions of the market economy, which has not yet started, the Socialist Party will be the guarantor of Party, now in opposition, will remain an organized, constructive political force, vital to the fate of democracy in Albania. With its maturity, ability and great intellectual strength, it will support, through both its daily activity and its parliamentary group, every program and action that serves Albania, democracy and Albanians wherever they may be, and it will oppose, by proper and democratic means, every action that runs counter to the freedom and independence of the homeland, human freedoms and rights, and contemporary democratic processes. We will always speak openly, candidly and honestly to the people. We will never put their interests up for bargaining in the domestic or foreign political marketplace, and we will make every effort to ensure that no other political force does so either. The Socialist Party’s support comes from ordinary people, from its honest members and supporters, from those who trust them and trust us. Our powerful support comes from the young Eurosocialists. The future belongs to their alternative. They are the Socialist Party on the road to the future, the hope and guarantee of a humane and developed society. The elections are over, but life and work continue. All the country’s political forces face a great test, the test of democracy. The people voted today, but let the people judge us tomorrow as well. For the Socialist Party, a new life begins after the verdict of the March 22 elections. A party of the European left, essentially new, with nothing in common in its program, positions or actions with a totalitarian or communist party, the Socialist Party has freed itself from the ideas and mentality of the party-state and will strive to fight against every form of monism. It has freed itself from former power-holders, former Bloc members, careerists, political chameleons, sycophants and cowards, and will strive to prevent new power-holders and Bloc members from riding roughshod over anyone, let alone burdening an entire people. The Socialist Party has a completely new program. It is determined to contribute to implementing a market economy, but with humane provisions and social guarantees for the underprivileged sections of the people. It stands for social peace, for calm and security in people’s lives, for respect for the individual’s fundamental rights, and for democratic pluralism guaranteed by democratic institutions. It stands for the functioning of a rule-of-law state on the basis of democratic laws. We support the urgent resolution of the national question and the defense of freedom— this historical reality, better than [q…] acting maliciously with the aim of [so that it] [pa…] politics, we should act to Albania. We are sorry that the opposition won, even if it was by a single vote, through this unfair political manipulation. As for the defeat, we are not sorry at all, because the PS has freed itself from the mentality of holding on to power and is fully clear about the meaning of pluralism and free democratic elections. Among other things, we do not feel pain at this transition into opposition, because we are deeply committed to serving the will of the people, and because we have unshakable confidence in the vitality of the alternative of democratic socialism, which, as in Western Europe, will also be Albania’s future. We are not saddened because we have complete confidence that the workers and peasants, Albanians, the youth and intellectuals, and all the underprivileged strata of our society will soon embrace the Socialist Party’s alternative and become its ardent bearers, advocates and defenders. As the saying goes: we have lost a battle, but not the war. Time is working for the left, working for the broad interests of the people. PËRPARIM XXXXHA

. Yesterday at noon, at the press center in the Palace of Congresses in Tirana, the chairman of the Central Election Commission, Candidate of Sciences Nikolla Nosi, held a press conference for Albanian and foreign journalists who had come to our country to assist with and observe the 22 March elections for deputies to the People’s Assembly. Mr. Nikolla Nosi, after thanking them for their mission to prepare accurate information, spoke to the journalists about the progress of the elections and presented an overview of the results available so far. Among other things, he said that according to operational data received by telephone from the electoral commissions of 60 constituencies up to 1 p.m., the situation was as follows: the Democratic Party had won 65.64 percent of the votes, the Christian Democratic Party 0.41 percent, the Communist Party 0.32 percent, the Republican Party 2.76 percent, the Social Democratic Party 4.36 percent, the Socialist Party 22.6 percent, and independent candidates 0.35 percent, while the voting results for the Ecological Party, the Popular Alliance Party and the Universal Party were negligible. The director of the Institute of Informatics and Applied Mathematics, Doctor of Sciences Kristian Bukuroshi, after emphasizing the commitment of the computer group attached to the Central Election Commission to process and produce the results as effectively as possible, said that 60 deputies had so far been declared elected in 66 constituencies. The PS, PSD and PBDN had each won one seat, while the Democratic Party had won 57 seats. (According to ATSH)

We lost in the elections of 22 March this year. And it must be admitted, it was no small defeat. But this does not mean that the Socialist Party has come to an end. The victory of an electorate for any party is part of pluralism. Its participation in elections and its representation in the People’s Assembly create a pluralist force and a new reality; they cannot rule out defeat. In every basic organization, the members… … taken? Curious. Even though we are in opposition, there is no reason to lose our composure. We are not afraid of pluralism or its rules. On the contrary, we accept and strongly support it. We are not afraid of controversy and open, constructive debate with anyone, whether in the party or outside it. This is and will remain the Socialist Party’s approach. The basic organizations must struggle in this spirit and with a sense of responsibility. Reconciliation with individuals, with the sluggish and the fearful; let us be “moral” for pluralist democracy. By defending unity around social ideas and the exercise of reason and tolerance, every socialist has a duty to work with honest like-minded people to revive and strengthen lost trust, and to rekindle hope in the future. And it is known: the future belongs to the European left, to democratic socialism. But, of course, we cannot move forward using outdated methods. Our working methods must be adapted to the needs and development of society and to the current situation in which our Party is beginning its work. (Continued on page 2)

Yesterday, many meetings, conversations and press conferences were held with representatives who had come from different countries, as well as with our journalist colleagues. Regarding the organization and conduct of the elections and the prospects of the political forces, we received the following views: Sir John Stokes, chairman of the Parliamentary Assembly group of the Council of Europe: During our stay in Albania, my colleagues and I have been deeply moved by the attitude of your people. They deserve a much better future. Question: As observers, did you see or notice any irregularities in the election process? Mr. Sting Gustavsson (Sweden): The group I was with visited about 25 polling stations in Tirana, Durrës, various villages, etc. We did not notice any major irregularities. Naturally, there were minor problems, such as people sometimes not going into the secret booth, the lack of identity cards, and so on. Regarding the latter, the civil registry offices in the places visited and the measures taken told us that they would serve the people. Albania has opened its doors to Europe. And just as Mr. Stokes said, Europe too will open its doors to Albania. We believe Albania is very much in need of help. What the Council of Europe can do is send experts to assist with drafting laws and other matters of this kind. That is how we, as the Council of Europe, can help you. I would also like to add something. I think the elections were free and democratic. As for aid, I can tell you that Europe is making this concrete in this respect. We will be there to help you as much as possible, just as we have helped you now. Some of their attention was focused on the rights of minorities in these elections. Question: Do you think, Mr. Chairman, that Great Britain will help Albania in these difficult circumstances? Mr. Stokes: Of course. And we will strongly recommend it, at a time when Albania has the status of a powerful [state]. Under these circumstances, you will take part in the Council’s activities, and we hope the Council will help you in this regard. There is no doubt that you will become a full member of Europe. Mr. Stokes: We think we can take a further step. As you know, Italy has also granted loans and aid to the country, and so have the United States. The country has also made available, for aid to the people of Albania, two million pounds sterling through the bank. And I am sure that further aid will come from various countries and organizations to help develop Albania, particularly to assist industry and foreign investors; this will provide a guarantee for investing in something. (Continued on page 2)

Young Eurosocialists! The future belongs to your alternative. You are the Socialist Party in perpetual renewal, hope and a guarantee for a just, humane and developed society.

mentalities.