- Meeting between representatives of the SP parliamentary group and the delegation of legal experts from the International Helsinki Federation - A parliamentary group of the Socialist Party, headed by Namik Dokle, chairman of the parliamentary group, and including Kastriot Islami, member of the Inter-Parliamentary Bureau of the Union, and Zeneli, deputy chairman of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the People’s Assembly, met the day before yesterday in the People’s Assembly chamber with a group of legal experts from the International Helsinki Federation, headed by the Federation’s secretary general, Mr. Gerald Nagler. After thanking the representative of the International Helsinki Federation, Mr. Dokle responded to their questions about the establishment of democracy in Albania, its institutionalization, freedoms and human rights, etc. The representative of the SP parliamentary group said that Albania’s current political forces had not found common ground on the aforementioned issues. The socialist parliamentarians, for their part, believe that democracy can be established in Albania through laws and, more importantly, through their implementation. The Socialist Group is determined to play a constructive role in parliament and to state its positions openly on institutionalizing democracy, establishing a sound democratic legislative foundation, etc. But it is concerned that no such healthy spirit exists among the majority. From the very first day parliament began its work until today, no room has been left for consensus; instead, the force of the vote has been used. The majority group is imposing its will on the minority, outside all democratic rules—even on constitutional laws—by means of its voting cards. To illustrate the ideas mentioned above, the Socialist Party representatives cited laws recently approved by the majority, such as the amendment to the Labour Law, on which the parliamentary group and the Socialist Party have (Continued on page 4)

(Notes) Sotira lies where our state border ends. It has always been a beautiful village, coveted by those who know it and have heard of it. But its present reality is even more unusual, almost unbelievable. Its families have organized themselves into a village community. A cooperative, at a time when all of Albania has dismantled them? Strange? Yet such things do exist. And this is a village that, when the whole country was organized into cooperatives, could not become a cooperative of its own because it had no land. Back then it wanted a cooperative but couldn’t form one; now it has become a cooperative without anyone remaining in one! Things are getting tangled in an unbelievable way during this period of transition in our country. But let us examine the matter analytically. The village today has 250 residents here and 120 emigrants in Greece. The old united cooperative was divided last February, and here there are 1 bulet? During the liquidation. Fifty-two people, with equal capital, decided to establish a joint-stock community, a kind of cooperative with shares. They called it «Artel Sotira - Impeks AS». They joined with equal shares to affirm our modest equality, as well as the psychology of forming a community, in the climate of collective life and collectivized work. We set out to reform the old cooperative, freeing it from its former restrictions. They chose the joint-stock cooperative model to face consumer society, the capitalism we are entering. What work does it do; what activities does this community carry out? Its assets, its four employment opportunities, are: processing and trading construction materials for the domestic market and export, at liberalized prices; fir-tree essences and medicinal plants; tourism activities in the village; tourism activities, with a club and other facilities, making use of the village’s beauty. It trades with private individuals and state enterprises, for cash or by payment into an account. It also trades abroad, aiming to reach Italy and even America, New York, for the exchange with which they are connected through the village’s long-standing emigration, since Sotira, perhaps uniquely, has also had women emigrating for work abroad, something unheard of. In the distribution of property, the villagers who did not join the community were given cash, with the right to join later if they wished. What does the community provide its shareholders? Social security: the 19 percent contribution is paid regularly, as are maternity benefits and compensation in case of accidents. How are wages paid? The basic rate is one lek, with the club’s supplementary activity also taken into account. And how much is the wage? 40 thousand (old lekë) per month for men, 20 thousand for women, who are now making firewood for the lime kiln. Old lekë, of course, but this is the highest wage paid in Albania today. How does this community function? The Arte- (Continued on page 2)

Lately, requests from various people to join the ranks of the Socialist Party have also been increasing in Durrës. This means that people are increasingly understanding this party’s alternative as a sound path benefiting underprivileged groups, democracy, and the homeland. Although the Socialist Party did not win the March 22 elections, after a temporary orientation period many people have begun applying to be admitted to its ranks. Specifically, recently 35 people from various enterprises and several schools were admitted to the party in the city of Durrës. In addition, 10 admissions have also been made in the city of Shijak. Around 30 more young men and women who have submitted applications to the party’s grassroots organizations are also preparing to join the SP soon. S. Ç.

In Korçë, the opening of files continues. The information service of the Democratic Party district branch is diligently putting political opponents in the red circle. The opening of files continues in Korçë. The information service of the Democratic Party district branch is diligently putting political opponents in the red circle. Even those members of the DP who have shown the DP even a passing sympathy for the SP will not escape this. The first, «milder» measure: demotion. This draft decision by the monist executive committee of the Korçë district, presented at the May 25 meeting, makes this clear: «Ninela Bellani, history teacher, teaching at the “Themistokli Gërmenji” high school. During the election campaign she breached school discipline—at a venue where party propaganda is not allowed—by allowing a young Eurosocialist to campaign for Fatos Nanon and Enver Hoxha. To be moved down to the lower cycle. Proposed as a history-geography teacher at the “Asdreni” eight-year school.» No comment is needed. The law on agitation and propaganda was removed from the constitution, but not from the DP’s activities.

Dear Sirs, After the elections of March 22, 1992, the Socialist Party of Albania, accepting without any prejudice the verdict of the people, which brought the Democratic Party to power, seriously undertook to fulfill with dignity its role as a constructive opposition. Dear Sirs, After the elections of March 22, 1992, the Socialist Party of Albania, accepting without any prejudice the verdict of the people, which brought the Democratic Party to power, seriously undertook to fulfill with dignity its role as a constructive opposition. It called on its members and supporters to view the political changes as a characteristic phenomenon of pluralist society, as a deepening of democracy, and to contribute effectively to establishing the rule of law, restoring peace and order, and reviving work, etc. With contemporary democratic thinking, the Socialist Party actively welcomed the start of the work of the People’s Assembly, elected by the president, the formation of the Government, and the first steps being taken to implement economic reform. The Socialist Party sincerely believed that the many government meetings and discussions held with international organizations and prominent figures arriving from Europe and around the world would positively influence the future of democracy in Albania, and it welcomed those announcements. But the political actions of those in power are imposing ever greater disillusionment on us. The Democratic Party and the Government formed by it, breaking their electoral promises of broad and deep democracy and a state with a human dimension, and continually ignoring the democratic experience of the countries of Europe and the world, have, at every step they take and under their circumstances, passed over all these signals and entered into a... [section cut off] The Presidium of the Socialist Party of Albania, continuing the practices it had begun, decided to immediately inform: 1. The Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE) 2. The European Parliament 3. The Council of Europe 4. The Council of Ministers of the European Community, as well as European and international forums and organizations, about certain decisions, actions, and acts of the Government and Parliament that violate democracy and human rights in Albania. Below we publish the full text of this notice. …national. Here are some of the facts that compel us to reach this conclusion: 1. After the formation of the government, Mr. Meksi immediately issued instructions for the organization of local government, that is, pluralist executive committees. Unfortunately, the proper law that existed for this purpose was not taken into consideration at all by the Democratic Party branches at the grassroots level, nor by the government’s delegate. The unrestrained thirst of the extremist wing of the Democratic Party to seize... [section cut off] …thousand; arrogating the right to itself, it seized all power and denied the Socialist Party and any other party even what was due to them in proportion to their electorate: it also discarded the fundamental condition for establishing this government, the consensus of all political forces. Everything was decided arbitrarily. Neither Mr. Meksi nor his representative put a stop to this phenomenon. Faced with the legitimate and repeated protests of the district executive committees of the Socialist Party, Mr. Meksi chose silence. As a result, in thousands [of places] pluralist executive committees have still not been organized, while in some others no changes have been made, and in only a few districts... [section cut off] 2. The reorganization of ministries, which falls within the competence of the government in power, instead of serving to create an administration that is as capable and efficient as possible, is in fact being used as a «casus belli» to drive out Socialist Party members and supporters, as well as specialists who do not dare to think differently. In only three ministries, including the Ministry of Finance... [section cut off] (Continued on page 4)

THE DP WILL DECIDE WHEN THE LOCAL ELECTIONS WILL BE HELD! - According to «RD» - In its May 27 issue, on the front page, the newspaper «RD» published a dispatch entitled: «Democratic Party Activist». At the end it says: «The National Council of the DP will also meet soon, and it will decide when elections for local government bodies will be held». Take note: the DP will decide when the elections will be held! Readers know that in our (non-)legal state, the date of elections is set by a special decree of the President of the Republic. Now it turns out that the Central Committee of the DP will decide this. Even the Central Committee of the PPSH didn’t pull «jokes» like that. Has the DP decided to take over the President’s powers? As long as we live, we’ll hear things! The Observer

To Doctor Ibrahim Rugova, President of the Republic of Kosovo To Doctor Ibrahim Rugova President of the Republic of Kosovo PRISHTINË On behalf of the Presidium of the first Committee of this Republic, the Committee of Veterans and Invalids of the Anti-Fascist National Liberation War of the Albanian People, and all members of our Organization, I send you, and through you all our Kosovar brothers, our warmest congratulations on the historic victory in the May 24 elections for the first Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo and on your election as President. These elections, which concluded with great success and without bloodshed, are a vivid expression of the heroic efforts of the brotherly Kosovar people for self-determination and a constant demonstration to the world of their just policy and struggle against the chauvinist regime of the Serbian occupiers. For us, the Veterans and Invalids of the Anti-Fascist National Liberation War, this victory has national significance and will serve our common cause. We wholeheartedly wish you and the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo success in further consolidating the victories you have achieved. PIRRO DODBIBA Chairman of the National War of the Albanian People.

- Protest by the Committee of Veterans of the city and district of Vlorë addressed to the President of the Republic, Mr. Sali Berisha; the Presidium of the People’s Assembly, Mr. Pjetër Arbnori; the Council of Ministers of the Republic, Mr. Aleksandër Meksi; the newspaper «Zëri i Popullit»; the National Committee of Veterans and Invalids of the Anti-Fascist War of the Albanian People; and Albanian Radio and Television. Below we publish an excerpt from this protest: The government did not give the veterans their weapons. They seized those weapons in battle from the fascist hordes and their collaborators. The discussion and decision to take the veterans’ weapons away was a pretext, because the real aim lies elsewhere: to attack and disparage the National Liberation War and its honored veterans. And the drive behind this low campaign against the National Liberation War and its veterans has been undertaken by some of the successors? of those whom the people fought because of their crimes of treason. Addressing you, on behalf of the veterans of the district of Vlorë, we protest and demand that you honor your declarations, Mr. President, that the National Liberation War will be honored and that there will be governance with a «Human Dimension». Anti-communism, as a critical struggle against a system that led to despair, disillusionment, and class warfare, must not be taken so far as to deny the National Liberation War of the Albanian people. We therefore ask you to distance yourselves from these anti-national actions and to state your position publicly.

READ ON PAGE 4: PRESS CENSORSHIP JEOPARDIZES ALBANIA’S ACCEPTANCE INTO THE COUNCI...

The «Shqipëria» Club Enterprise will hold a competition on Monday, June 1, at 17:00, to hire a secretary for this Enterprise. The candidate for this position must be a young woman and: 1 - Be proficient in two foreign languages: English and French, or English and German. 2 - Know how to use a typewriter. 3 - Submit a brief biography with a statement concerning her qualifications. 4 - The candidate must be presentable and cultured. After being selected, the candidate will be enrolled in further professional training in Switzerland. Application address: Diskoklub «Shqipëria», «Bajram Curri» Street. «Shqipëria» Club Enterprise

- Protest by the veterans and disabled of the National Liberation Anti-Fascist War of the Lushnjë district, addressed to the Chairman of the Presidium of the People’s Assembly - We were very sorry to hear some Democratic Party deputies utter insulting and untrue words about the veterans, who made their contribution to the liberation of Albania... A particular problem, tragic and very worrying for our country, was discussed in the People’s Assembly. Veterans who fought and shed their blood have also been affected by this problem, while many of them have been dismissed, even without... [section cut off] by those who made all kinds of derisive remarks, without respect; their expressions are so embarrassing that we are ashamed to recall them in this protest. These weapons are kept by the veterans as mementos of the war, as symbols, not to boast, kill, or threaten the lives of the people. These weapons were taken from the enemy in hand-to-hand combat. As such, these weapons are a memory for the veteran, both a proud and a painful one. We veterans neither want nor ask for privileges. But we deserve respect for the contribution we have made. We ask you, Mr. Chairman of the Presidium of the People’s Assembly, not to let these words be spoken before the deputies.