Nationwide interest and concern over the draft law on former properties What nearly all the parties have accepted is forgotten: that we must set out toward a market economy from an equal starting point

Yesterday, President of the Republic of Turkey Turgut Ozal arrived in Tirana at the head of a large delegation. Yesterday, Tirana at the head of a large delegation. At Rinas Airport, he was welcomed by the President of the Republic of Albania, Sali Berisha, and officials from Parliament, the government, etc. Yesterday he also held a working meeting with Prime Minister Aleksandër Meksi and President Berisha. The meetings continued until late.

Turgut Ozal, the eighth President of Turkey, was born in Malatia in 1927. He graduated from Istanbul Technical University in 1950 as an electrical engineer. In 1952 he went to the United States of America, where he took part in a preparatory course in engineering economics. After returning to Turkey, he became deputy director general of the Study Bureau of the Electrical Plants, where he worked on project preparation and studies for Turkey’s electrification plan, as well as for Turkey’s major hydroelectric plants at the dams of Birfanlisë, Kemerit and Demirko-prysë. During his military service from 1960 to 1961, he was assigned to work at the Scientific Advisory Council of the Ministry of National Defense, contributing to the establishment of the State Planning Organization. At the same time, he lectured at the Middle East Technical University. Turgut Ozal played an important role in the preparatory work and financing of the Keban Dam and Hydroelectric Plant project. He also worked on the Bosphorus Bridge project and the Black Sea Copper Complex; (To be continued on page 4)

Interview with Namik Dokle, Chairman of the Parliamentary Group of the Socialist Party Question: Parliament submitted to you for review the draft law “On the return and compensation of property to former owners.” During the morning session of February 17, you requested that a meeting with the President of the Republic be organized to discuss this issue. Why? Answer: The problem this draft law seeks to resolve is one of the most acute. It affects almost all Albanians in one way or another. Every party has its own program on this, but the problem is such that it takes on a non-partisan character. If one injustice is remedied with a new injustice, then we have done nothing for the benefit of the people and democracy. We support legally establishing everyone’s ownership, without dispossessing anyone, so that the history of expropriations is not repeated in cycles. Answer: Yes, it took place yesterday, at 11 in the morning. Question: Were only representatives of the Socialist parliamentary group present? Answer: No, representatives of three parliamentary groups were present. When this issue was discussed by the Presidium of the People’s Assembly, the Social Democratic Party group also expressed the request. Representatives of the Democratic Party parliamentary group also attended the meeting. Question: Can you tell us what was discussed at this meeting? Answer: Our positions were presented by the party chairman, Fatos Nano. He stressed that, being one of the most acute problems, this issue calls for great responsibility, a political solution and carefully considered, concrete measures. This must be done in order to avoid causing social conflicts, to pre- cross-party in character. If one injustice is resolved making everyone a property owner, not repeated cyclically. Given its sensitivity, the submitted draft law has constitutional significance and even warrants a decision by referendum. Therefore, such a law cannot be discussed and approved on the basis of a 45-line government report that says nothing about the economic and social situation it may cause. We requested a meeting not only with the president, but also consultations and explanations from government representatives, if possible from the Prime Minister. Question: Did the meeting with the president take place? Nano. He emphasized in essence that this problem, being one of the most acute, requires great responsibility, a political solution, and carefully studied, concrete measures. This must be done without fail to avoid causing social conflicts and to accelerate reform along the most rational path—that is, to resolve old problems without opening new wounds. The Government has no accurate studies of the socioeconomic situations that may arise. This draft law conflicts with other laws, especially the “Law on Land,” both in the methods of resolution it proposes and in the principles it offers, even in concrete terms. We believe it will create risk factors for destabilization and will (Continued on page 4) Answer: The Government and parliament are determined to move forward and to bring back the oppressed classes and the merchants of the pre-45 era. The Government must lay its cards on the table if it intends to see the matter through to the end. Are all of them supposed to (Continued on page 4) do it?! God alone knows how a person might act when what should not be touched is touched, when the knife is driven into their bones. It is not difficult to find opinions. This is the greatest concern of citizens—shopkeepers and shopkeeper-property owners. Here. Agim Sokoli; The Government betrayed us. We did not give it our vote As far as they are concerned, a market economy has begun to be built in Albania and the privatization of the economy is proceeding well. But the draft law on property world: that protects the interests of the majority. The rest is nonsense. Apparently, this Government wants to pit people against one another, to stir up a quarrel whose consequences are unknown... Përtej Daja: The Democratic Party, given what it is doing and the momentum it has gained, should take a good look at itself. Today it has shown its feet; it has shown its true face. You ask us what it will...

President Berisha trumpeted that he had received five votes—70 percent of the Albanian electorate—but does not deign to ask even this electorate about the law he is preparing. The government is exploiting the votes of this poor people, who brought it into the warm seats of power. Albanian traders, from those in small kiosks to those in fully equipped industrial and food-service units, were the first to enter the market economy. It was precisely the work of these traders that enabled our state, and even the president himself, to declare before the world at international forums, hand on heart and in order to win its trust, that the market economy had begun to be built in Albania and that the privatization of the economy was proceeding successfully. But the draft property law that the government has prepared to present to Parliament shows what has been said a hundred times everywhere in the world: that a state representing right-wing political forces is not a state that protects

— A conversation about the draft law on the return of property with residents on «Siri Kodra» Street, Tirana. Rustem Cenkollari: — I received the plot of land on the basis of a decision by the authorities. What are these laws that the Democratic Party, with its majority in Parliament, is trying to pass? I am completely disappointed. Where am I supposed to find the money? How will I meet the demands that the former owners of the land may make of me? This really is utter chaos! A citizen (who does not wish to be identified): I will not pay any more money. I don’t know whether the plot I received means that we have to pay a former owner. I have paid the money. And I gave that money to Sali Berisha’s government. I no longer have the ability to pay. Even what I owed the state under the decision I received, I earned through hard labor, with blood and sweat, as a refugee in Greece. It seems this government wants to set people against one another, to stir up a fight which, to tell the truth

In the labyrinths of the banking scandal: — He has been placed under house arrest — Yesterday at midday, former Prime Minister V. Ahmeti was notified by prosecutor Shkëlqim Kokona and investigator Beqir Kokoshi that criminal proceedings were being brought against him as a defendant. At 14:30 he was confined to his home under the watch of 10 police officers. Thus the case of the banking scandal involving 1 million 600 thousand dollars, whose whereabouts and recipients are unknown, becomes even more complicated. — The Governor General of the Bank of the Albanian State, Mr. Ilir Hoti, whose signature appears on dozens of documents, has not even been summoned by the prosecution as a witness?!... — The threads of mafia-style corruption reach the very top of the blue dome, to the government of Prime Minister Meksi. — Documents bear the signatures of Democratic Party officials — — We will inform you about all this in upcoming issues, where we will publish documents received from France.

The time for discussing the property law is approaching. People have been talking about property for a long time; it has been debated during election campaigns, at rallies, in conversations and in newspapers. Everything in the country comes and goes, but in the end everything is connected to property. When it comes to property, there are no words. There is no problem with being ranked according to one’s property. The ranks are distinguished by the property people own. The time for discussing the matter has been approaching for some time. When will the property issue be discussed? VATOS NANO (PS) - The property issue is a cardinal, cross-party problem. - Placing the property law on the agenda in the form submitted by the government is a premature action. - A meeting with the electorate must be held. NAMIK DOKLE (PS) - The property law is an extraordinary law, with constitutional significance. - Discussing the law calls for comprehensive responsibility; therefore, our group requests: - A meeting with the president - Consultations with the minister responsible for drafting the Law and with the Prime Minister. TEODOR LAÇO (PSD) - We need time to consult the Party leadership. - We will ask for the discussion of the law in parliament to be broadcast on television. ARBEN IMAMI (PAD) - The property law is a fundamental law that must be made known to the public transparently. We lack transparency. - Countries with established democracies, such as Italy, hold referendums even on much less important issues. ALI SPAHIA (PD) - Our parliament is very transparent. - Public opinion on the property law is clear; the problems are known and have been set out in programs. ISMET FERIZAJ (PD) - Parliament is able to discuss this law within three days. We have our own program. - We will pass this law because almost all the Albanian people have called for it. JEMIN GJANA (PD) - We must take into account that, in addition to discussion in parliamentary groups, the draft law needs time to pass through committees as well. There are at least three committees. When and how will this law be discussed?! Prepared by: BEQIR SKRELI

And the whole forest fell silent. All the animals and birds, wherever they were, hid their heads, stopped their talk and quarrels, and cowered. Silence. The lion, the king of the forest, was passing by. He walked, shaking his mane; as he walked, from time to time he let out a roar of boredom. He was full and content. He walked without turning his head, neither back nor to the left or right. Everyone knew he was the LION, king of them all. He was the most capable, the strongest, the proudest. Everyone knew it, everyone respected him, and everyone feared him. Suddenly, a few puppies appeared on the road where the lion was walking and began circling him and barking: - Woof, woof! Woof, woof! The lion continued on his way or right. Only his mane ruffled in a light breeze. The puppies... one... two... three... four—there were so many puppies barking and circling the lion: - Woof, woof! Woof, woof! Woof, woof! The lion raised his tail and swatted a fly. It bothered him more. The puppies kept barking furiously: - Woof, woof! Grr, grr! Woof, woof! The lion walked on. Someone appeared on the road, a wildcat or something of the sort, and the puppies backed off and stopped yelping. - And why did you make yourselves hoarse for nothing? someone spoke from a tree. - Couldn’t you see that the lion wasn’t listening to you at all? That he didn’t notice you, that you weren’t bothering him... Another jumped in and said: History will record it: The puppies were not afraid of the lion! The puppies barked at the lion! The puppies stood up to the lion!... And the forest laughed.

The draft law that has been presented is nostalgia for feudalism. It creates tension and turmoil and drives away foreign investors, The draft law that has been presented is nostalgia for feudalism. It creates tension and turmoil and drives away foreign investors,

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