- A draft constitution arrives in Parliament from a technical group without passing through the Assembly’s special committee. - Compulsory propriety, or a ploy to gain time? Only recently, a draft of the New Constitution was distributed in Parliament. The technical committee established for this purpose sent its draft to the central Constitution Commission, with separate articles in some places and two alternatives. The chairman of the Central Commission gave instructions for 1,400 copies to be photocopied for the members of Parliament, so that they would have them in hand before June 16, the final deadline set by Parliament. As is known, the Social Democratic group has announced its position that it will not take part in Parliament until the constitution arrives. The chairman of the special committee rightly appraised this declaration. The general view is that the committee chairman’s experience in government as Prime Minister, in relations with the independent trade unions, came to his aid. As we have observed, conflicts between the government and the unions have not been rare, and the latter have to some extent rescued the “authority” of their leaders in these dealings with the government. Thus, the Social Democratic group overcomes the difficulty and will continue to come to support the work of the government itself, so that it does not have problems in its activities. DP deputy Mr. Vasjari said that the creation of this Committee before it came to Parliament—even though this draft, as it stands, does not come from the Commission, but simply from a working group—[?] In the explanations to be given on June 16, it will surely be said that the commission needs to study the draft itself. The members of Parliament should study it as well. Since this is not a simple law but a constitution, perhaps there should be preliminary and broader discussion. So when will the Constitution be approved? Let us wait to see what autumn brings. THE OBSERVER

The day before yesterday, in one of the halls of the People’s Assembly, Namik Dokle, Chairman of the Socialist Party Parliamentary Group, and Bashkim Zeneli, Deputy Chairman of the People’s Assembly Foreign Policy Commission, met and held a constructive discussion with Mr. Max van der Stoel, CSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities. Responding to Mr. Max van der Stoel’s questions, Namik Dokle expressed the positions of the Socialist Party and its parliamentary group on the position of the Greek minority in Albania, and on the situation of Albanians in Kosovo, Macedonia and other parts of the former Yugoslavia. Within the framework of the rights it enjoys on the basis of international standards and laws approved in Parliament, the Greek minority in Albania enjoys and will continue to enjoy all the legal, human, political, economic and financial rights that enable its members freely to express, preserve and develop their ethnic, cultural and religious identity and their language, and to learn and be taught in their mother tongue, etc. This is also an important factor serving as a bridge of friendship between the Albanian and Greek peoples. Speaking about the situation of Albanians in Kosovo, Namik Dokle said that it is now well known to everyone that it is extremely grave. This is the result of the brutal policy of oppression, terror and ethnic cleansing carried out by Milosheviç’s clique. But we believe that the European Community has also not been sufficiently engaged in resolving the situation; indeed, it has been late and failed to sense in time the danger that the conflict might spread to Kosovo as well. In Europe, Kosovo is judged mostly within the framework of the protection of human rights. We utterly disagree, and have made our position known through a Party Declaration, with the decision adopted at the May 22 meeting of the USA, Russia, France, Britain and Spain, which does not recognize Kosovo’s autonomy. No one has the right to violate the recognized scope of the people’s right to self-determination. And this implies changing borders by force. The Albanian people in Kosovo, as well as in Macedonia and other parts of the former Yugoslavia, have shown restraint, which has been appreciated by the International Community, but this must not be allowed to be abused. The Albanian population in Macedonia is also in a discriminatory situation. Our government has recognized the Republic of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, and we do not prejudge this recognition, but we also do not accept being among the first to carry out this act. I say this because in Macedonia the green light has not yet been given for the legitimate rights of Albanians. No guarantees are being provided for this; on the contrary, discrimination continues openly, at a time when Albanians should be a state-forming element. The CSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities, Max van der Stoel, appreciated for their realism and objectivity in presenting the situation and the solutions required, on the basis of recognized international principles. Press and Information Office of the Socialist Party

Yesterday at the People’s Assembly - A ministry for the persecuted without the status of politically persecuted is like a general without an army. - Deputy Dokle, on behalf of the Socialist group, proposes to create- came to pa-

Attempt to murder the chairman of the Kullalia commune in Berat, Xhevahir Hatia On June 11, at around 9:30, three men from the Çala clan, from the Rerez clan of the Kullalia commune, beat the commune chairman, Xhevahir Hatia, nearly to death. This is what happened: A meeting to elect the village elder of Rerez village was being held in the commune chairman’s office. People from the Çala clan were pressuring the meeting to elect their man as head of the village elders. In a secret ballot, the Çala clan’s candidate did not win; another candidate did. Dissatisfied, and also incited by the Ballists of Rerez village, three young men from the Çala clan, in the commune chairman’s office, treacherously struck commune chairman Xhevahir Hata several times with a wooden club, inflicting serious wounds to his head and body and breaking both his wrists. And, as if nothing had happened, the three men, who are nephews of Luftar Çala, police commander in Ura Vajgurore, left for an unknown destination. The honest people of Kullalia are outraged and are demanding the killers... The village council and the commune council have appealed to the President of the Republic and the Minister of Public Order. Let us see whether they catch the killers. The attempt to murder the chairman of the Kullalia commune, Xhevahir Hatia, is nothing other than the latest version of “The Bloody Land”: the killers beat the commune chairman nearly to death and ride around on horseback (meaning in cars). Correspondent of “Zëri i popullit”

Around Tirana

- A Ministry for the Persecutees without a status for the persecutees is like a general without an army. - MP Dokle, on behalf of the Socialist group, proposes that a Ministry of Emigration also be established; The state Ministry of Employment, Emigration, Social Support and Former Political Persecutees gave birth yesterday before noon. Its offspring will henceforth be called the Committee of Former Political Prisoners. This body will have the attributes of a ministry, with the same status as the Committee for Science and Technology. Minister Shehi, who defended the draft law before the Assembly, said that this measure was being taken to create a more efficient structure serving former political prisoners. Our ministry, he said, is heavily burdened. Within the existing structure, the Directorate for the Persecutees cannot solve all the financial, housing, education, etc. problems that political persecutees face today. The parliamentary groups of the parties expressed agreement with this change but also made several remarks. Namik Dokle and Teodor Laco stated that, given the short time this Committee is expected to operate and the limited scope of its work, it should not be raised to the rank of a ministry. Fërhmi Abdiu requested that the government undertake to bring a basic law on the organization and powers of the government’s structure before the Assembly. According to him, this would be in the government’s own interest, so that it would not encounter problems in its activities. PD MP Mr. Vasjari said that creating this Committee before the status of political persecutee has been established is just like having a general without an army. Creating this ministry before the status has been established certainly gives one pause. The status of political persecutees has long been requested and awaited in parliament. Socialist MPs also called for it before the latest law on innocence was approved. It seems that today’s rulers and their long-named ministry, unable to resolve the troubles of former political convicts, aim, by means of a Committee at ministerial level, to give them the spiritual satisfaction they have been unable to provide materially. It is not only former convicts who have not received this satisfaction. Today in Albania there are 400 thousand unemployed; thousands are waiting to find work through emigration, according to the promises made to them by the Democratic Party. On behalf of the Socialist group, Dokle proposed that, to ease the government’s workload, a separate Ministry of Emigration also be created. This request was supported by Minister Shehi but went unnoticed by the parliamentary majority.

Around 11:00 on June 14, the residents of the village of Drizar in Mallakastër experienced a shocking event. A group of young people from the Kovaç neighborhood started firing automatic weapons and pistols, without regard for the innocent people in front of them. The smell of gunpowder entered every window, terrifying men, women and children. The incident is connected with the circumstances surrounding the village’s vehicles, which, according to the information available so far, had relevant details. After the gunshots, the villagers were alarmed. The gunfire did not stop. Rubber batons came down on innocent people, creating real panic. In this clash between villagers and police officers, a boy was wounded with a pistol. After that, the villagers seized firearms, axes and clubs, with which the situation and the place confronted the law-enforcement officers. According to the information we received, the police left the village of Drizar in disgrace. I asked the villagers, “Where are we going like this?” They also replied with two letters of protest addressed to the Minister of Public Order, Mr. Musaraj, and Prime Minister Meksi. The villagers of Drizar are waiting for an answer.

Socialist Youth for the European Community (ECOSY). Democratic Youth organizations of the 12 countries, representatives of Austrian Social Democratic Youth and Albanian Eurosocialist Youth also took part in this meeting. Eurosocialist Youth Invited to the Bureau Meeting of the Socialist Youth International for the 12 This meeting took place on the eve of the meeting of the Council of Ministers of the European Community, which will be held in Copenhagen in a month. It discussed the situation in the former Yugoslavia, emphasizing the prevention of the spread of the conflict, particularly in Kosovo, which could provoke a much broader conflict that would endanger the prospects for peace in the region. The meeting also discussed unemployment in the European Community and preparations for the forthcoming 1994 elections to the European Parliament, in order to better coordinate ECOSY’s work for the Party of European Socialists so that the Socialist group can once again secure a majority in the forthcoming European Parliament elections. At the end, two resolutions were approved, on the situation in the former Yugoslavia and on youth unemployment in the European Community. At the beginning of the first session, ECOSY president H. Larsen, while introducing the chair of Albanian Eurosocialist Youth, Ilir Meta, also spoke in his honor. Ilir Meta presented a report on the economic and political situation in Albania and the position of Eurosocialist Youth in this context. Afterwards, the participants asked many questions. Likewise, the Nekeyroant I of Eurosocialist Youth, Ilir Meta, held separate talks with the leaders of Spanish Socialist Youth, German Social Democratic Youth, French Socialist Youth, Belgian Socialist Youth, British and Dutch Labour Youth, etc. FRESSH spokesperson From June 11 to 13, a meeting of the Bureau of the Socialist Youth International for the European Committee (ECOSY) was held in Roskilde, Denmark. In addition to the leaders of the Socialist and Social Democratic Youth organizations of the 12 countries, representatives of the Austrian Social Democratic Youth and the Albanian Eurosocialist Youth also took part in the meeting.

Around Tirana The old Bloc members have been exposed. The new Bloc members are surpassing them in many respects. A specific incident that took place in the capital illustrates this. The son of a member of the PD Political Bureau (the Balli faction), Mr. Petrit Kalakula—that is, Kalakula the Second—according to three sources who do not wish to be identified, was beaten up by boys his own age at the school he attends. The reasons for the start of the fight are unknown. Some claim it happened over career prospects; others speculate about political motives. In any case, it is said that Kalakula the Second was taken under the protection of the law-enforcement forces, who arrested two of the students involved in the fight. They were immediately taken to the police and placed under arrest. The same sources say that only after a strike, or a threat of a strike, involving the entire school, were the two students released. After this incident, the bootlickers and investigators are seriously considering creating, following the new Bloc, special schools where the sons of the new caste can gather, in accordance with the experience of the old Bloc members. Until this “democratic” school system is organized, we call on the law-enforcement agencies to ensure that this case is dealt with, so that the people may learn that they may tolerate thieves, those who ride bicycles and cars like madmen and cause casualties, and may even tolerate quarrels that lead to beatings, rape of the wretched and murder, but they will not tolerate even a single instance in which the new Bloc members, their interests and their privileges are harmed. SIGU - SHIKU

Following Up on the Issue In the television news report of June 14 and in the newspaper “RD” of June 15, which discuss the acquisition of land in Tepelenë, mention was made of funds allocated by the government for housing the population in Tepelenë. The report says that the local authorities in Tepelenë have obstructed the use of these funds for building homes because they have not approved the construction projects. The television report mentioned the allocation of five million lek in funds set aside by the government for housing in this district, while the newspaper “RD” gives the figure as five hundred million. As for the discrepancy in the millions. Since the issue raised by Mr. Selami is truly concerning, and the figures for government funds for housing in Tepelenë are missing and contradictory, yesterday we contacted the Ministry of Construction, Housing and Territorial Planning. We approached three departments of the ministry, specifically Housing, the Directorate of Economics and the National Housing Enterprise; we were unable to obtain any accurate information about these funds for housing in Tepelenë. That is why, regarding this issue, we put the following questions to the relevant minister, Mr. R. Manushe: 1. Does your Ministry provide funds for housing investments in the region? 2. Has a fund been allocated to the district of Tepelenë for the construction of new homes? If so, how much is it? When was it approved by the relevant department? 3. Has it been allocated or invested? Which enterprises in the district of Tepelenë have been given it? Mr. Ilir Manushi promised to answer these questions within two days, but as of today we still have no response, while the newspaper itself is seeking information from the local authorities in Tepelenë as well.

From June 11 to 13, a meeting of the Bureau of the Socialist Youth International for the European Committee (ECOSY) was held in Roskilde, Denmark.

- The meeting of the Bosnian Collective Presidency resumes in Geneva, with no progress being made. - Koli promises Quen and Shtoltenberg his full support. - Margaret Theçer condemns the UN’s “failure” in the face of “Serbian aggression.” - Serbo-Croatian agreement in Bosnia on the transfer of population—ethnic cleansing by agreement. - Karaxhiç talks with the Russian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs. - Bangladesh decides to send a battalion of “helmalkat­rish” to Bosnia. - The first elements of the American forces will arrive in Macedonia soon. - Massacre at a hospital in Bosnia. - Kozi­revi in Athens: - Canada ends its peacekeeping role in Cyprus. (ATSH)

“Joint Declaration of the Socialist Party of Albania (PSSH) and the Panhellenic Socialist Movement PASOK” THIS DECLARATION WILL BE PUBLISHED SIMULTANEOUSLY IN TIRANA AND ATHENS