On Wednesday, 14 April 1993, at 9:30 a.m., the Albanian Parliament held a plenary session to discuss the law “On the return and compensation of the property of former owners,” brought before Parliament with the signature of Pe- të Arbënorit. An extraordinary law, an extraordinary schedule, an extraordinary procedure. It is unheard of for any law, even one concerning the life of forest squirrels, to be sent to Parliament without an explanatory report from the Government. This is the only law presented in this way. The law’s originality is proudly acknowledged by (Continued on page 4)

— Speech on behalf of the PS parliamentary group, delivered by Dr. Servet Pëllumbi. — Honorable deputies, We consider today’s session of this Parliament to discuss the draft law “On the return and compensation of property to former owners” one of the most important, one that will leave a deep mark and take deep root throughout the future history of democratic Albania. Honorable deputies, We consider today’s session of this Parliament to discuss the draft law “On the return and compensation of property to former owners” one of the most important, one that will leave a deep mark and take deep root throughout the future history of democratic Albania. Therefore, we feel it is our duty to set out before this Parliament, with the utmost responsibility, our principled position on this problem, which is both acute and vital. Let us state from the outset that the PS, also on the basis of its program, acknowledges that former owners were treated unjustly by the previous system and that this injustice must be corrected. But we are categorically opposed to the logic and practice of resolving the injustices of the past by creating a new injustice. We believe that the expropriation carried out in its entirety by the previous system was done wholesale, encompassing all categories of owners without taking into account their individual contributions and the honest efforts through which they created their property. Alongside the confiscation and nationalization rightly applied to the assets of former quisling collaborators and collaborators of fascism, and of those who made illegal profits from the war, small and medium-sized former owners were also struck, although they had built up their property through hard work and sweat within the legal framework of the time. As far as this is concerned, we are ready and express our goodwill to rectify these injustices, which were compounded by the nearly 50-year period of the previous system. It is a fact that during this period the elements of property were affected; as a result, former private property became intermingled with state property on such a scale and at such levels that today the boundaries of individual former private properties have become blurred to such an extent that some of them have even disappeared. If we add to this phenomenon the population’s major demographic increases and movements, the restitution of former properties becomes even more difficult, bearing in mind that the documentary and statistical records of former properties have not even been made public and transparent. In these circumstances, we consider this draft law to be highly consequential and to demand great political responsibility. Our unwavering position is that this law must provide a solution that minimizes social conflicts as much as possible. We do not want a solution that sets Albanians against Albanians, leading them to confront each other violently— middle, who had acquired their property through effort and hard work within the legal framework of the time. We reiterate that injustices, which were further compounded by the nearly 50-year period of the former system. It is a fact that during this period not only were private property assets nationalized or confiscated, but those created during that time were also used entirely for public purposes. For the Socialists; 3. By impeding certain processes already under way toward a market economy, especially those involving new traders, this draft law will have a negative impact on privatization and the reform itself; 4. In presenting this draft law, the Council of Ministers has submitted no study to Parliament on the economic and social circumstances it may bring about, so that Parliament can judge the political and practical responsibilities it must bear; 5. This draft law contains contradictions between the solutions it offers and other laws concerning privatization or ownership, as well as numerous provisions of the Civil Code; moreover, many of its provisions contradict one another. 6. By failing to take European experience in this field into account and consequently offering solutions that are questionable and open to challenge by other groups of people, this draft law does not attract foreign investors; on the contrary, it drives them away. These are our economic and social arguments, which we would like the majority to hear, in order to find the greatest possible common ground, not for our benefit but for everyone’s. For these reasons, our group will not take part in the clause-by-clause debate. And as for being ready, we express our goodwill to rectify these group will not take part in the clause-by-clause debate.

To learn the Socialist Party’s position on recognition of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, our correspondent approached PS spokesperson Bashkim Zeneli, who said: Macedonia was admitted in recent days as a member of the United Nations, under the name “The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.” Naturally, this is an opportunity for it to avoid total isolation and open up possibilities for easier communication with the international community. It also paves the way for all the obligations arising from membership in the UN. We do not prejudge the need to recognize the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia as an independent entity. We hope its admission to the United Nations will serve, and be in the interests of, stability in the Balkans and beyond. The Socialist Party and its parliamentary group have clearly stated their position on this issue. We have demanded, and continue to demand, that the Albanians in Macedonia be recognized as having national rights and as a state-forming element; this remains our position today. In Parliament, during the government program presented by Mr. Meksi, where the wording was not clearly expressed, we set out our position that the Albanian state’s recognition of Macedonia is linked to recognition of the right of the Albanian population in that country to be a state-forming entity, and to all the rights contained in the CSCE documents. We expressed the same position in the two interpellations with the Minister of Foreign Affairs. Likewise, the Minister of Foreign Affairs was asked to take such a position in the annual program of his ministry’s activities, discussed in the Committee on Foreign Policy and International Relations. Similarly, Albanian political forces in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia have, since the multiparty elections in 1990, consistently demanded recognition of Albanians as a state-forming element, but to date this has received no support whatsoever. The question arises: What response have these legitimate demands received from the Macedonian side? Nothing has been done, nor has anything been set in motion. The approximately 800,000 Albanians living there are treated just as they were before. Albanian members of Parliament in Macedonia submitted a text entitled “Declaration on the Equal Status of Albanians in Macedonia.” It was rejected for inclusion on Parliament’s agenda as far back as 1991. Today, Albanians in Macedonia are not treated as equals at all. The Albanian language does not enjoy official-language status in regions where Albanians are the majority. Today there is only one Albanian-language secondary school. Albanian representation at the University is merely symbolic, while higher education in the Albanian language is out of the question. Even that secondary school is maintained with assistance from Albanians abroad, since the state does not fund it. In the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, even in areas where Albanians are the only population, an Albanian shop owner is not allowed to have a sign written in Albanian. Albanian representation in the police, army, public institutions, administration, and state bodies is wholly negligible. In this republic of 2 million inhabitants, where Albanians number around 800,000, there are 4–5 Albanian judges and 15–17 police officers. The police incidents in Lazar-dhe, a criminal case, in June of last year, and the most recent one in Bit-Pazar in Skopje, along with 6 killings at the border, are even more telling indicators of discrimination against Albanians. These matters have long been left to gather dust in the drawers of the Macedonian Parliament instead of being put on its agenda. In his speech at the UN, the President of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia stated, among other things, that “Macedonia today belongs also to the Macedonian people, the Albanians, Turks, Serbs, Roma, Vlachs, and representatives of other nationalities.” (Flaka e Vëllazërimit, 11 April 1993, p. 2). So only the Macedonians are called a people! Meanwhile, the Speaker of the Parliament of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, at the press conference (Continued on page 4)

The great hemorrhage of emigration continues to flow and grow without letup. A year ago, when those in charge of the country took over for 4–5 months, hope appeared that it might be brought to an end, but it faded faster than it had arisen.

Tirana Well-informed sources report that a theft from the account cashbox of the capital’s Municipality was discovered on the morning of 13 April. Along with the amount of money that was there, the thief (or thieves; it is not yet known—[?] of the Ministry of Public Order and guarded by quite a number of police officers. Several Savings Bank cashboxes in the capital have also been targets of theft. As is known, not long ago, in broad daylight and in the middle of

faster than it had arisen. Thus, half an hour ago, the bus with license plate 33 KO 632 was packed full with nothing but refugees heading toward Kapshticë. If things continue this way, the Municipality of Tirana’s cashbox is about 50 meters away. Well-informed sources report that on the morning of 13 April a theft was discovered from the account cashbox of the capital’s Municipality. Along with the amount of money there, several documents were also stolen, such as [?] (or thieves; it is not yet known who committed this act); several documents were also taken. This theft follows the one at the Municipality of the city of Durrës, but differs in that the Municipality of Tirana’s cashbox is about 50 meters from the Ministry of Public Order and is Bank cashboxes have also become targets of theft and attacks in the capital. As is known, not long ago more than 300 thousand dollars were stolen in broad daylight in the middle of “Dëshmorët e Kombit” Boulevard, and to this day the perpetrators have not been found. Correspondent of “Zëri i popullit”

Unofficial sources report that the day before yesterday Mr. Fatmir Mema was relieved of his post as Deputy Minister of Defense. The former lecturer at the Faculty of Economics, about 32 years old, who took up the post of deputy minister a year ago and was responsible for economic affairs, returned to the lecture halls and to his students at the faculty. The aforementioned sources provide no explanation for his dismissal. However, some observers link it to the uproar over the weapons found on the Croatian ship about a month ago. At the time, Mr. Mema, then deputy minister, appeared before Albanian Television’s cameras to read the explanatory statement on behalf of the Ministry of Defense. When we tried to obtain official confirmation from Mr. Mema, the phone in his office was answered by the newly appointed Deputy Minister of Defense, Mr. Bashkim Shehu, who confirmed the changes mentioned above. Correspondent of “Zëri i popullit”

THIS MATERIAL WAS NOT READ IN PARLIAMENT BECAUSE THE SOCIALISTS WERE NOT GIVEN THE FLOOR. The Socialist Party parliamentary group: - Considering to Former Owners” to be one of the most important laws for the development of democracy; - Considering it a law that concerns not so much party programs as the present and future fate of every Albanian; - Considering it essential to resolve old problems without creating new ones, and to establish a premise shared by all Albanians without creating cyclical ownership, requested meetings and consultations at the highest state, party and parliamentary levels, with the aim of reaching the consensus so necessary in the circumstances we are going through. Recognizing without any equivocation every Albanian’s right to ownership, on the basis of which the privatization of the economy and the reform toward a market economy will proceed, we voted against the draft law presented, for the following reasons: 1. It does not guarantee ownership for all Albanians of the wealth created and the sacrifices made under the harsh conditions of the dictatorship; particularly those who acquired ownership in order to build various industrial works, such as hydroelectric plants, etc. 2. The draft law, as presented, despite some retouching, may revive destabilizing factors and create a breeding ground for conflicts between new and former owners, who had gathered in the hall of the “Internacional” Hotel, where the association’s meeting hall is also located, to discuss the new Former Owners.” In particular, Articles 12 and 16 [unclear]—two articles that deny us the right of ownership over plots of land and premises that we own under the legal rules governing purchases from the state from 1991 to the present. Seventy percent of these were privatized and transferred during the previous government. In view of the above, we strongly oppose the draft law prepared by the government and being discussed today in Parliament, denouncing it as an anti-democratic draft law that conflicts with the constitutional law “On Fundamental Human Rights and Freedoms,” which was adopted just a few days ago by that same Parliament, and we demand; (Continued on page 4)

– Immediate response to the law on the return of former properties – PROTEST People’s Assembly President of the Republic All press bodies; “Rilindja Demokratike” newspaper “Zëri i Popullit” newspaper “Koha Jonë” newspaper “Aleanca Demokratike” newspaper “Alternativa e D.” newspaper Albanian Radio and Television Albanian Telegraphic Agency Diplomatic Corps TIRANA Today, 14.4.1993, representatives of the Free Owners’ Association of Albania, association’s meeting hall is also located, discussed the new 4) (Continued on page 4)