On 5 April, under the leadership of Comrade Fatos Nano, a meeting of the Steering Committee of the Socialist Party was held. Ten members of the Party’s district steering committees, MPs from the Socialist Party parliamentary group, and representatives of the Albanian Eurosocialist Youth Forum took part. The agenda included an analysis of the Party’s work during the 22 March election campaign and the tasks facing the Party under the new conditions of its transition to opposition. The report, “Strengthening the Party – a key link in revitalizing its pace and role in the country’s political life,” was delivered on behalf of the Presidium by its chairman, Comrade Fatos Nano. Participants asked many questions about the report and the Party’s work as a whole. They expressed members’ and sympathizers’ concern about the unsatisfactory election result, the factors that undermined the Party’s work during the election campaign, and the measures needed to raise the Party’s work to a new qualitative level, etc. After the Presidium comrades had answered, many participants took the floor and spoke with great concern about the state of the Party and its future. Make the alternative of democratic socialism understandable to everyone The results of the 22 March elections, Comrade Fatos Nano stressed in the report he delivered on behalf of the Presidium, make a profound reassessment necessary on the part of our Party and all its components. This political analysis is and will be of particular importance for the present and the future, because it will encourage and help us understand our weaknesses and shortcomings correctly, assess objectively the factors—both objective and subjective—that led to our defeat, and determine precisely what must be done. The 22 March elections were the first serious test for the Socialist Party in pluralist electoral competition. The unsatisfactory result achieved has made a profound shake-up and comprehensive restructuring of the Party necessary, including its outlook, working methods, and relations with people, and, above all, a fuller definition of the Party’s strategy and tactics in the new political situation in the country and following its transition to an opposition party. Under the circumstances created, the first and one of the most important tasks is to defend the Party above all else, as it is currently under attack from within and without. From within: from despair and a lack of confidence and prospects regarding the Party, reflected in organizations or among individual members and sympathizers. From outside: the main objective of the opposition forces is the organizational and political liquidation of the Socialist Party. They will exert pressure to obstruct its activities in every field, put pressure on Party members to win them over, and even create pretexts that cause mass tensions in order to blame the Socialist Party. Therefore, we must realistically and objectively, with arguments, identify and assign this responsibility to the Party’s bodies and people, and in this way set clear and concrete tasks from the center to the grassroots, to strengthen the Party and its role. It is important to identify the main causes of weaknesses in our work as a Party, in each area of its activity. As Comrade Fatos Nano went on to stress, the newly formed Party faced two extremely urgent tasks: defining and theoretically substantiating its identity as a party, and preparing to enter, as soon as possible and with dignity, the political struggle for power within the framework of pluralist democracy. Work on drafting and developing the two programs—the SPA’s Basic Program and Social Program—organized and carried out in cooperation with departments of the apparatus and specialists in various fields, was completed on time and to a high standard. Grassroots discussion and approval of these two documents at the National Conference in November 1991, together with the materials presented there, better defined the characteristics of our Party at that time as well. Good work was done to prepare for the election campaign, which had in fact begun by then. However, the same could not be said of efforts to publicize these materials so that people would genuinely become familiar with them. There was writing at the grassroots level for this purpose, but the methods generally used to publicize them were ineffective and outdated. Work was limited to theoretical generalities, explanations in response to questions, theoretical articles, or direct presentations to audiences; such work was rarely undertaken and was insufficient to give members and sympathizers a firm conviction about our Party’s program and true identity. The assistance of the commissions set up to draft and develop these basic Party materials was not sought and, consequently, was not used to publicize them. With few exceptions, the necessary measures were lacking in this effort. The main objectives for which the Socialist Party had committed itself and for which it was supposed to campaign during the election campaign and the 22 March elections were not translated into concrete terms by the Party ... The organization of the election campaign ... had begun on time. The Party’s electoral platform, it must be said, was well developed, and its political, economic, and social objectives were correctly and clearly defined. But, because of organizational weaknesses, it was not possible to print and distribute it in sufficient numbers. As a result, our Party’s platform either remained unknown or was known only in fragments through the press and meetings held by candidates with voters. Oral campaigning was generally conducted well. As for campaigning in the press, it should again be noted that the staff of the newspapers “Zëri i popullit,” “24 Orë,” etc., generally did good work, but the press did not manage to reach ... The Party’s Steering Committees in the countryside ... This important task was not fully understood ... Although Radio Television had become completely biased, our propaganda—above all on television—continued uninterrupted. In the service of communicating the Party’s objectives, ... One of the achievements of the Party’s activities and life, influencing ... speech ... 18 February ... For the 22 March elections ... around 47 people ... Juvë ... Democratic Party ... ... …our Socialist Party. As a result, among broad sections of the population, the image created by opposition propaganda—that the SP is the continuation of the PPSh—has remained unchanged. We are still not seen, either inside the country or abroad, as true socialists, as a party of the European left. There is much to do in this regard in the future. Distrust that led people to withhold their votes from us also arose from the lack of a distinct strategy and tactics for finding genuinely effective solutions to the complex and unprecedented situations that arose. We reacted late and without convincing arguments to the widespread view that the Socialist Party leadership did not want the SP to win the elections. In fact, few and spontaneous efforts were made to develop a more appropriate tactic to blunt the opposition’s fierce attacks. Our Party was on the defensive for most of the time, also because it was too preoccupied with itself, with distancing itself from the past, and failed to go on the offensive, as it was obliged to do at our Party’s First National Conference. Speaking about the Party’s internal life, Comrade Fatos Nano stressed, among other things: Party branches and grassroots organizations barely functioned; they did not meet, discuss, debate, or express opinions. The Party’s assessment was not carried out properly or at the right time. Steering Committees functioned mainly through the work of their chairmen, deputy chairmen, and the very small apparatus at their disposal. There was a lack of commitment in the work of district steering committees, which gradually became isolated from the membership and the electorate; they failed to lead the campaign at every stage and at every level. There was a great deal of amateurism at the center, including in arranging meetings and presenting the SP program. The steering committees failed to respond to the influx and departure of SP members and sympathizers. Visits by members of the Steering Committee and the leadership to the districts revealed that, for example in Korçë, Vlorë, Fier, and the villages of Tirana, Kukës, Kavajë, etc., the main district leaders had not visited or appeared in their own districts. This also happened because, in most districts, little effort had been made to renew the Steering Committees and bring in new, active people, untainted by the attitudes and privileges of the past. As a result, they found no strength to break free from the “burden” of the PP’s past; they shut themselves away in offices, losing initiative, close ties, and people’s trust. Serious shortcomings from the center to the grassroots were observed in establishing the Party’s links with social organizations, associations, and trade unions. Many district Steering Committees also failed to recognize and support adequately the creation of the Eurosocialist Forum, a major force for renewal. At the grassroots, the Party continued to operate with the mentality of a party-state, clinging to old, bureaucratic working methods, losing initiative and looking toward the government, without managing to organize its work properly, including the implementation of the election law. They were not even able to collect the minutes. The SP Steering Committee was generally involved in organizing the campaign, drafting the electoral program, and defining the Party’s correct positions. Nevertheless, some shortcomings were noted. The analysis of the 22 March election results, the speaker stressed, must help the Socialist Party fulfill its mission as a dignified political force, with an undisputed role in developing pluralist life and establishing full democracy in Albania. For this reason, every Party organization and forum must, in keeping with the circumstances, tasks, and specific concerns of the area in which it operates, draw the appropriate lessons responsibly and urgently. Based on the analysis so far, which should not be considered final, we believe that our most important tasks for the present and the future are as follows: On the organizational level: The SP’s transition to opposition will certainly also be accompanied by the departure of those who formally held onto their membership cards while waiting for the election results. Let them leave; this can only benefit the Party. The Party must ensure, however, that this does not happen on a wider scale. We should understand their disillusionment as natural and keep them close, so that they can gather their strength to continue the political struggle. Strengthen democracy within the Party as an essential factor in revitalizing its internal life and organizational functioning. Freedom of speech and thought, discussion, and objective assessment of the work and specific responsibilities of all bodies and members must serve to renew and strengthen the Party leadership, from the grassroots to the center. A democratic spirit must help develop new working methods in the Party’s new position as an opposition party, with its undisputed weight in the country’s political life. We are convinced that it will inevitably foster this spirit if it is understood and implemented in close connection with strengthening Party discipline. Democracy without discipline degenerates into anarchy; therefore, preserving and strengthening the Party requires adherence to the rules and principles without which the Party and its overall role, or the existence and activity of each individual organization, cannot be understood. After setting out the Party’s tasks under current conditions—expanding grassroots organizations, especially by recruiting new members into the SP and in major industrial centers; providing more effective support to the Eurosocialist Youth Forum as the Party’s secure future, bearer and promoter of the democratic-socialist alternative; and renewing district and central Steering Committees with specialists and workers who have distinguished themselves for ...—Comrade Fatos Nano concluded: The analysis of the election results that we are conducting, and which must remain constantly in mind, should serve to revitalize and strengthen the Party of power everywhere and bring as many people as possible closer to the Socialist Party’s alternative. Let us build close ties with people everywhere ... of the Socialist Party, to form ... and work on the basis ...

— From the remarks by the chairman of the SP parliamentary group, Comrade Namik Dokle — The 22 March elections, so long awaited, have been held. The people have delivered their verdict. We still have not climbed the steps of democracy very high, and perhaps it would have been good for some other political forces to be represented in parliament too. But above all stands the will of the voters. At the same time, we cannot refrain from expressing our reservations about the conduct of the campaign and the election process itself. By breaking away from the mentality of those in power and of power-holders, the Socialist Party genuinely contributed to a calm campaign conducted with democratic culture and in accordance with the electoral law, as recognized by both national and international institutions. We did not base our campaign on extravagant promises, loudly made before the campaign and disappointing afterward. We did not tell anyone, “If you don’t vote for us, we’ll burn down your house,” or, even worse, “there will be civil war.” Our activists and sympathizers never prevented candidates from other political forces from holding meetings and conducting a normal campaign in any part of Albania. On the contrary, representatives of our Party were threatened and prevented from holding meetings on many occasions. Numerous incidents took place in Tropojë, Kavajë, Kuçovë, Elbasan, and Lushnjë. Meanwhile, foreign citizens, openly violating Albanian electoral law, became, in words, supporters of ... Nevertheless, these elections also failed to overcome the bipolarization of the electorate and parliamentary life, the polarization of the electorate and the political makeup of parliament itself. It is true that the American experience, or some other international experience, in the normal development of parliamentary democracy also ... the megaphones of particular political forces. As early as 22 February, the Socialist Party protested these developments to the President of the Republic, the Chairman of the Council of Ministers, and the Co... (Continued on page 2)

— 12 new members in the ranks of the SP — Following the defeat it suffered in the 22 March elections, and recognizing the need to further strengthen its role as a strong and constructive opposition, the Steering Committee of the SP in the Korçë district and its apparatus are taking the organizational strengthening of the Party seriously. This is being assessed throughout the Party, in every village, workplace and production center, institution, and neighborhood. After reviewing their membership, grassroots organizations are consolidating their ranks immediately after the elections and exploring opportunities to recruit new members. Before the 22 March elections, around 100 new members were admitted to the SP; in recent days another 12 members—young men and women—from Bregasi, Hocshti, and the city of Korçë have also been admitted. A number of additional admissions are being prepared in Braçanj, Hocshtë, Rrëmbeç, and especially Bitinckë, where around 20 young men and women have asked to join the SP. These facts show that, in the pluralist era in which we live, the Eurosocialists have known how to avoid becoming dispirited and to overcome the problems facing their alternative, an alternative supported by ordinary and unprivileged people: workers, peasants, intellectuals, and young people. The transition to opposition has led the SP grassroots organizations to view it with...

In Dibër, at two locations, the Albanian-Macedonian border was opened for the free passage of Albanian citizens for the first time in 50 years. More than 20,000 citizens from Peshkopia and the surrounding areas met their brothers and sisters on the other side of the border. A joint rally was held in the square in front of the primary school in Dibër under the slogan “Together in Europe,” without borders. All the shops in Dibër were open, and the streets were filled with bright lights. Never before had so many people gathered in this town. The reunions were moving, because for the first time people saw their relatives face to face, relatives whom the communist regime had forbidden for several decades even to think about crossing the border.

Under the circumstances created after the elections of 22 March, the fundamental and vital task for all members and sympathizers of the SPA, and for all leadership forums at the center and at the grassroots, is to strengthen the Party above all else. Debate is vitality; diversity of opinion is a way forward that paves the way for unity in our ranks, so that the SPA can fully establish itself as a single, organized force belonging entirely to the European left.