- For the eighth consecutive time, since August 1993, the holding of a peaceful assembly has been prevented. The Presidency of the District Committee of the Socialist Party of the Capital and the group of Socialist Party municipal councillors are requesting the holding of a peaceful assembly Based on Law No. 7692 dated 31.3.1993, the association “Human rights and fundamental freedoms”, Article 21 — The right to assembly — and on Decree No. 7408 dated 31.7.1990 “On meetings, gatherings and manifestations of citizens in public places”, the Presidency of the District Committee of the Socialist Party of the Capital and the group of Socialist Party municipal councillors, in letter No. 44 dated 6.1.1994, informed Police Commissariat No. 1 that they would organize a peaceful assembly in “Italia” Square on 21 January 1994 from 15:30 to 16:30. The purpose of this assembly will be to request the competent relevant authorities to guarantee fundamental human rights and freedoms, particularly those of the opposition. Once again, the public demand of the approximately 700,000 Albanian voters for the lifting of the arrest measure against the general responsible for the law, the Chairman of the PPSH and Member of the People's Assembly, Mr. Fatos Nano, will also be expressed. Without the assembly, around 15,000 people. The request also specifies the slogans that will be displayed and carried at this peaceful assembly. Likewise, a variant for holding this assembly in the square in front of the University of Tirana or in “Skënderbej” Square has been presented, which the police authorities have allowed for other political forces. In addition to the above, we have information that, by unidentified individuals or groups, efforts are being made by persons who will attempt to prevent this assembly from taking place as normally announced. Emergency meeting of the Presidency and the group of Socialist Party municipal councillors of the Capital After becoming acquainted with this response, the Presidency and the group of municipal councillors met urgently; they described it as formal, standard, and unsatisfactory, and it remains unknown from which institution such a decision was taken. For all the reasons stated above, we request that the announced assembly be held as planned and without obstruction. In view of the above, the Presidency and the group of councillors, on behalf of the members and supporters of the Socialist Party as well as the voters and representatives in district 46 dated 12.1.1994, express their protest against the police authorities for blocking and failing to respect fundamental human rights and freedoms. At the same time, we request that all preventive and organizational measures be taken by these authorities so that this peaceful assembly may take place normally in “Italia” Square on 21 January 1994. Reply of Police Commissariat No. 1. “Due to certain objective reasons of the Commissariat, these elements being necessary to ensure order and calm in an activity with such a large number of citizens participating, we do not grant permission for the holding of this [?]” The Ministry of Public Order is also informed By letter No. 47 dated 12.1.1994 to the Ministry of Public Order, reiterating that “these violations of the law ‘Human rights and fundamental freedoms’ by Police Commissariat No. 1 have been brought to the attention of the whole request, as well as asking that the appropriate measures be taken against them.” Correspondent of «Zëri i popullit»

TO: Mr. SALI BERISHA, PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC, CHAIRMAN OF THE HIGH COUNCIL OF JUSTICE Mr. PJETËR ARBNORI, CHAIRMAN OF THE PRESIDENCY OF THE PEOPLE'S ASSEMBLY Mr. ALUSH DRAGOSHI, PROSECUTOR GENERAL TO: Mr. SALI BERISHA, PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC, CHAIRMAN OF THE HIGH COUNCIL OF JUSTICE Mr. PJETËR ARBNORI, CHAIRMAN OF THE PRESIDENCY OF THE PEOPLE'S ASSEMBLY Mr. ALUSH DRAGOSHI, PROSECUTOR GENERAL Distinguished sirs! Considering the “Nano” case as a political and legal problem of present-day Albanian post-communist developments. Wishing to express confidence and respect in the highest legal institutions of the Albanian state. Fighting for the establishment of satisfactory balances in people's valued social and spiritual relations. Wishing to become positive actors in the efforts of Albanian society to free itself from the monist and dictatorial mindsets of the communist past. Insisting on encouraging initiatives that speed up Albania's entry into contemporary Europe. Wishing to make a joint contribution with you to the realization of the values of true freedom Never being executioners for the support and approval of the past that condemned the people in the real cases[^?] of this request — since the judge for the procedures of the phenomenon that “imprisoned” Mr. Fatos Nano — has formally materialized the popular request of the respected electorate that elected and supported us — We request: The immediate release from prison of Mr. Fatos Nano. Member of the People's Assembly and Chairman of the PPSH, and that he be prosecuted while at liberty. Robert Bitri, Chairman of the District Council, Fier. Maksim Cuma, Deputy Chairman of the District Council, Fier Bafjar Zeqo, Rrapi Kuçi; Mayors of the municipalities of Patos, Roskovec, Tomorr Delimi, Harrilla Mila, Xhevat G. Vladimír Semmi, Baki Mulla, Kapllan Duraj, Vilson Llambro, Ismail Gllava, Fatmir Xhind, Islam Lalaj, mayors of the communes of Portëz, Qendër, Zharrëz, Seman, Ruzhdie, Frakull, Cakran, Strum, Kurjan and Libofshë. And also: Basha, Xhemil Hoxha, Fejzi Hoxha, Besnik Bregu, Kujtim Jaupi, Ferrik Avdiaj, Flamur Hamzaj, Hyqmet Sakaj, Axhem Zyka, Stavri Cuni, chairmen of the councils of the communes and municipalities of Portëz, Patos, Qendër, Roskovec, Ruzhdie, Cakran, Frakull, Strum, Kurjan and Libofshë.

In Sunday’s issue, the newspaper «Populli Po» publishes the editorial article “What will Mr. Langer's report contain.” Considering it interesting, we reproduce its full content below: Soon the annual report of Mr. Aleksandër Langer, MEP and chairman of the commission on Albania, the Balkans and Romania, will be presented in the European Parliament. Langer's position toward the European institution and the views of this tendency have been clear for some time. In one of his recent interviews, Mr. Aleksandër Langer defined the priorities of the press bodies as follows, for which... In an interview with the Albanian press last month, he expanded on his view and called the commission he heads a kind of “chief council”. For the following month, Langer had an open and rather interesting conversation with the participation of Italian political figures, where he made clear what his annual report on the situation in Albania, as in the present stage, would contain. According to Langer, according to the statement of the participants in the discussion, the list is highly critical. Among other things, he expressed the view that Albania has not taken steps forward in democracy since the elections of 22 March; indeed, in some areas it has moved backward. Mr. Langer declared that, as chairman of the relevant commission and a close observer of the situation, he will be able to help Albania with the European international democratic institutions. He stated that the institutions will realize these structures only after the necessary proofs have been provided. According to an unofficial announcement, the Albanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has strongly protested with a note of protest in the past few days and has clearly presented to Mr. Langer that they are false and tendentious.

At the Albanian Embassy in Athens, it is said that there are many such cases; report says Kyriako Cakalli, father of a missing Albanian, Dritan Cakalli, 17 years old. Dritan Cakalli, 17 years old, from Plluhorë, is another person whose name has been added to the list of missing Albanians, which remains open every afternoon, and about whom the Albanian Embassy in Athens says there are many. According to October 1993, for Mjed, (which has now been noted), a person was not Albanian and [...] 84 [...] in a group that was born at 21:00 in Sajdhë and Gumenicë by the police. Afterwards (that same night) he was escorted by a Greek soldier. From hour to hour at a border crossing near Dhërmi, and that is all, because afterward no trace. For two months his relatives have been searching for him, but in vain. At the Albanian Embassy in Athens, and at the Foreign Ministry of the Greek state, they are hearing about the endless efforts in Athens which, when referred to the “Albanian Interpol”, do not give any hope that anything will be recorded or that the missing-file list will be updated. So, how many Albanians went missing while trying to cross into Greece? What is their fate? Is there an Albanian state to take responsibility, to care for its own citizens? ENCO DUKA

Some time ago, the well-known lawyer Kristaq Traja was assigned the duty of chairman of the court in the district of Laç. Mr. Traja had stated to several newspapers that he had “never felt more honored” and that the broom was gradually being brought to bear on him. These days he decisively decided to categorically refuse this duty. In his place, Mrs. Rexhina Gjoni was appointed, who works in the district [?]. B. Z.

(Interview with Bashkim Zeneli, member of the Socialist Party presidency and Member of the People's Assembly) On the morning of 11 January I met the Chairman of the Socialist Party and MP Fatos Nano in Tirana prison. How did you manage to make this meeting happen, at a time when the prison rules had been tightened, especially since you had already failed once in your attempts to meet the imprisoned chairman? — Prison rules have indeed been tightened, and in a rather paradoxical way at that; I do not know what regulations govern meetings with detainees in different years. I was not the only one requesting to meet Fatos Nano. Written requests had also been submitted to other Socialist deputies, already five months earlier. I insisted that this audience should finally take place, so that I would be able to meet him without further obstruction. This was also absolutely what my colleagues wanted. There had also been requests to meet Fatos from other journalists, as well as from many citizens, including foreigners. After the first meeting was arranged, on 29 December I asked Prosecutor General Alush Dragoshi for explanations. I wanted to know what authorization there was and from which office it came. There were some formalities, but they had not finished that prison closure, with instructions or acting on their own. If that was the case, then the Prosecutor General himself should have reviewed it, within the competence he has for assessments of the implementation of rules, so as not to allow arbitrariness. That is what happened. And he carried out his duty correctly. Nevertheless, I want to add that once again, by the prison authorities, I was obstructed, and I had to speak in the presence of Fatos's family. I did not accept this legally, because I did not think the family had the right to meet him only once every two weeks. Another meeting was also arranged with the mediation of Prosecutor Qeleshi. So I managed to meet Fatos. Is this act by the prosecutor an indication that something is changing, that something is softening in relation to his treatment in prison? I find it hard to conclude that there has been any easing. I would like and hope that there is. I cannot say what the prosecutor's thinking is today, in order to soften or to strengthen the isolation measures. Perhaps it is also a positive reaction, based on some awareness of the legal absurdity of such paradoxes. Perhaps they are sensing that a social initiative is being 'stirred up'. The fact that Fatos Nano is not in such a serious condition that his health can now be endangered by meeting relatives. Perhaps they judged that in the future meetings should also be allowed, in the presence of police officers, as I was allowed. But perhaps all this also depends on the guarantees that President Berisha gave in his meeting with representatives of our Party, that he would be in prison, to improve it, for the earlier one. “Alive” is a kind of continuity with these expressions and also with the official pages of Albania. It is difficult to describe. A difficult subject, because besides the great longing, with a kind of quiet joy, there is the desire to ask him, but also to understand him; the desire and care to speak as much as possible, but also to keep the conversation going; to ask many questions, but also not to ask useless ones. Because I did not meet Fatos simply with the longing of a friend, but also as Chairman of the Socialist Party, so social aspects and the official aspect of the conversation were intertwined. A narrow space, yet a broad one, and narrow again! In any case, I do not know how much of this blended into one meeting, but it does not matter. Fatos Nano was in excellent physical condition and above all in excellent moral and psychological condition. One can hardly find such a strong character in those prison conditions. He was extremely optimistic, witty, very calm, confident, and composed. Naturally he speaks according to the passing hours, days, and months in the cell, but he behaved in a truly admirable way. When I visited Professor Faruk Ibrahimi after his release from prison and later in the prison in Burrel, and then in the harsher and more severe prison, Fatos Nano was still not broken? He still had strength in him. And here I truly saw him in prison. Did he speak to you about prison conditions? Although unwillingly, he spoke, naturally, spontaneously after no (Continued on page 4)

This is a condition for guaranteeing the functioning of all democratic institutions and the mechanisms of the rule of law, as well as for Albania's integration into the Council of Europe and other international bodies. We consider it necessary for the Constitution to be submitted to the judgment and approval of the people. Therefore, during the general elections, the people should be given the opportunity to vote also on the Constitution of Albania.