The Tirana Court announces the date for the start of the trial against the Chairman of the Socialist Party and MP FATO[S?] NANO: Which path will it choose: The honor of being justice, or the shame of carrying out party orders? The Nano case file in the hands of Agim Bendo . Which path will it choose: the honor of being justice, or the shame of carrying out party orders? The Nano case file in the hands of Agim Bendo. = Will he turn a blind eye to all those flagrant violations of criminal procedure? - Will the Chairman of the Tirana Court sign the first act of independence of the judiciary from party orders and instructions, or will he become a co-perpetrator of the flagrant violations published from time to time and recorded in the case-file minutes?... “Berisha lost the opportunity he was given...” This is what Fatos Nano declared at the close of the court session on 7 October 1993, when he had rightfully requested a change to the detention measure imposed against him by the Tirana Prosecutor’s Office on 30 July 1993, while policemen dragged him away in handcuffs to return him to [text cut off]. risha once again chose defeat, when it would have been easier for him to do the opposite. For his part, even from his cell Fatos Nano knew how to show that he is a citizen and a politician of European standing; he knew how to show that he is a man whose reason is not clouded by the dark cell where they have [text cut off]. On the other hand, the Socialist Party, as the largest, most serious and best-organized force of the democratic and constructive opposition in Albania, not only did not split, as had been imagined in the Palace of Dreams, but grew stronger and consolidated itself in order to denounce the state of violence, imprisonment and revenge. And, on the other hand, the same imprisonment, when it would have been easier a citizen and a politician of European rank; they have locked him up, which elevated him even more in the eyes of the people. The seven months of his detention did not turn out as the architects and executors of an absurd, medieval and entirely unlawful decision had predicted. Fatos Nano was not frightened, did not retreat, did not grovel. On the contrary, at the head of the Socialist Party he fought with greater deter- «Berisha missed the chance that history gave him...! the court hearing on 7 October 1993, when he had sought the right to change the arrest 30 July 1993, while the policemen dragged him away with handcuffs on his hands to return him to cell 47 of Tirana prison. But that was not the last chance. The leader of the Albanian opposition gave Berisha many more chances. And he lost them all. Meanwhile, Europe entered the “game.” It, too, offered Berisha opportunities. Indeed, it even showed him the ways out of the vicious circle into which he and his party had entered on 30 July. And Be- risha once again chose to lose, the opposite. opposition in Albania, not only did not split, as they fantasize in the Palace of Dreams, but grew stronger, became more consolidated, and grew more conscious of the path it had embarked on and of its serious, responsible commitment to the fate of the country and democracy. While the party in power is content

As we also announced, a PSSH delegation, headed by its Deputy Secretary, Dr. Servet Pëllumbi, is in Greece at the invitation of PASOK. During these days, the PSSH delegation has held a series of important political meetings with leaders of PASOK, parliamentary groups, several political parties, MEPs, etc. The delegation was received at a special meeting by PASOK Secretary General Agis Xoxakoupollos. During this meeting, the delegations of the two parties exchanged views on further strengthening cooperation between PASOK and PSSH; on the tense situation in the region; on the need to strengthen good-neighbourly relations between the two countries; and on preventing conflicts in the region, etc. A special place at this meeting was given to the Nano issue, which, as was noted in the discussion, has by now taken on an international dimension because of its nature. The delegation also held a special meeting with Kristos Papulis, chairman of the group of Greek MPs in the European Parliament, and Panajotis Krithos, Deputy Speaker of the Greek Parliament. The PSSH delegation also met with members of the Political Secretariat of the Party of the Left Alliance and Progress, several MEPs, etc. Press and Information Office of the Socialist Party

This is not the first time that Mr. Pjetër Arbnori has sent “exhaustive” letters to international organizations, such as the Inter-Parliamentary Union, the Council of Europe and the European Parliament, etc., to provide them with explanations concerning violations of fundamental human rights and freedoms in Albania in general, and the Nano case in particular. Moreover, whenever the opportunity has arisen during his visits to the parliaments of various European countries, the Speaker of the Albanian Parliament, sometimes in confidence and sometimes openly, after pointing out that he is one of those who spent 28 years in prison under the Hoxha regime, has also given his personal and his party’s opinions concerning the Albanian opposition and its leader, Fatos Nano. Nevertheless, it should be noted that Europe, its institutions and the most prominent figures who lead them do not, apparently, find these “explanations” by Mr. Pjetër and others convincing. This is shown by the fact that they, beginning with Martinez, Langeri, Klepschi, etc., have expressed in their public statements, alongside positive assessments, doubts about political developments in Albanian democracy in general and about political motives in the handling of the Nano case. The resolution adopted two weeks ago by the European Parliament put the seal on these doubts. But apparently our parliamentarians, some of the parliamentary parties, and those who themselves lead the Albanian parliament and state did not take this resolution seriously. By remaining silent for a long time, their political vision and foresight almost made this resolution seem like a European joke! One can hardly think otherwise after carefully observing the recent statements by PD leaders and those in power concerning the resolution of the 268 MEPs. - Selami declared in Berat that “the Socialists manipulated the European Parliament”! - Serreqi said that “the Greek MPs misinformed the European Parliament”! - Brzçi declared that “the European Parliament is interfering in the work of the judiciary in Albania, and if they are interested in defending crime, we will not ask them”! - Meanwhile, Pjetër Arbnori recently responded on his own initiative with a letter that is not only written in a vulgar style of the “We’ll eat grass, we won’t surrender” kind, but is also full of inaccuracies. More specifically, I would dwell on two of these untruths with which Mr. Pjetër “explains” matters to the President of the European Parliament, Mr. Egon Klepsch. Thus, in point three of the letter, Mr. Pjetër writes, relying solely on his own imagination, that “the Tirana District Court ...” in decision no. 670 dated 26.10.1993, returning the case for investigation of more serious crimes, upheld the detention measure imposed by the prosecution. In fact, the Court’s final decision does not say this at all; the text of the decision states: “The Court, pursuant to Articles 129 and 130-3, decided to return the case for further completion of the investigation, while the prosecutor at the hearing and the lawyers respectively requested that the case be tried on the basis of the charge presented, and that it be returned for further investigation.” Thus, as can be seen, the above court decision makes no mention either of “returning the case to investigate more serious crimes” or of upholding the detention measure, as Mr. Pjetër “explains.” First, because procedurally the court (without a request from the prosecutor) cannot formulate a more serious charge, since under the law “on the organization of the judiciary” the court is a body that administers justice solely on the basis of charges brought by the prosecutor and is not permitted to formulate more serious charges. In a very dis- (Continued on page 2) devotion to denouncing the state of violence, imprisonment, and revenge. And it won, assessments, reservations the policy pursued in handling the Nano case. Officially, And it won, assessments, reservations the policy pursued in handling the Nano case. Officially

Taxes, duties, surcharges, excise duties ... all imposed on the ordinary consumer Prices for coffee, tobacco, alcoholic beverages, cigarettes, cigarette paper, petroleum by-products, etc. will rise even further. We sometimes say, wrongly, that parliament does not work. It does work—and, indeed, it works a lot. Parliament imposes taxes and duties. It has been doing this for some time, including yesterday morning. It decided to increase the excise duties on a large number of imported and domestic goods. It is planned that this year 67 billion new lekë will be collected for the budget from excise duties (a kind of additional tax). As in all other cases, yesterday the government’s main argument was the need to fill the state budget. In her speech, MP Ermelinda Meksi opposed this practice and the government’s concept of viewing taxes as the only way to fill the budget. The more effective ways to increase budget revenues, she continued, are increasing production and cutting non-productive expenditure. MP Rakaj said that the reasoning (Continued on page 3)

Why was Ilirjan Zhupa, Deputy Chairman of the Albanian Helsinki Committee, summoned to the prosecutor’s office? – What will happen to the editors of the newspaper «Populli Po»? – And why is the Albanian Helsinki Committee silent? These are some of the questions many readers are asking following what has been published about the proceedings opened against the independent newspaper «Populli Po». More than the names of the specific people summoned to the prosecutor’s office—namely Ilirjan Zhupa, the newspaper’s director, who is also known as a fine poet and publicist, and Arben Doçi, editor-in-chief of «Populli Po». Of the three questions posed at the beginning of these lines, we will answer only one. That is: Committee and director of the newspaper ‘Populli Po’, summoned to the prosecutor’s office?” SHIK has filed a complaint against him in connection with Ana Anxiani’s article “Where are the State Security collaborators today?” To give readers a clearer idea, we are reprinting the article below. In the mean- We will answer only one. That is: are reprinting the article below. Meanw-ll at the beginning of these lines we will answer! Fo! He cannot answer the other two questions. What will happen to the editors of «Populli Po» is for the court to decide. As for the question of why the Albanian Helsinki Committee is silent, its leaders should answer that themselves. So, “where are the State Security collaborators today?” (Read on page 2)

Yesterday morning, as the presidency’s spokesperson announced, President Berisha signed the agreement with NATO, “Partnership and Peace,” which means a further institutional and political commitment by Albania to the North Atlantic Alliance. President Berisha also met with NATO Secretary General Manfred Werner and held a brief meeting with him, after which he reaffirmed Albania’s position on this cooperation, the state of the crisis in the region and the war in Bosnia—where region and war in Bosnia—reaffirming the Albanian position that a solution to the crisis based on the plan to partition Bosnia is unsuccessful. He also reiterated the well-known position regarding the grave situation of Albanians in Kosovo, condemning the removal of autonomy by Serbia and calling for the resolution of the rights of the Albanians of Kosovo.

At 14:30 on Tuesday, near the «Safet Spahiu» dormitory in the city of Shkodër, a person stabbed police officer Gjovalin Briza and wounded him. The officer in question responded with his pistol, wounding the other person as well. The police officer was admitted to the hospital in Shkodër, while the other person, whose name we were unable to learn, was taken to the hospital in Tirana because his injury has left him in serious condition. The motives for this crime are not yet known. If police officers say that the situation for the few police officers in this city is becoming more and more unsafe. Ordinary citizens expect to be protected from crime, but they should know that we police officers are the first to be put at risk by crime. Therefore, the state must protect us more forcefully, police officers, so that we can be secure and determined in guaranteeing the safety of ordinary citizens. We are also threatened with revenge because of our public duties; when I cannot guarantee my own safety, how can I guarantee the citizens’ safety? Whoever attacks a police officer because he is trying to enforce the law is attacking the state. So why does the state not react firmly? Wahugjesi

A notice posted at Clinic of Hospital No. 2 by the Hospital BSP announces a two-hour strike by employees in this sector, a strike that may continue further. The cause of this strike is the wage law, which has affected the interests of these employees. Removing the hardship allowance from their wages and failing to raise them significantly means their wages remain at their current levels, a fact that even conflicts with what Mr. Shehi declared on this issue. Healthcare is the only sector that has not stopped work for a single day, even during the most difficult moments the country has gone through since the time of change; nevertheless, the conditions are extremely difficult at present; it is discriminated against in terms of pay. A high standard of quality and a good working condition among healthcare personnel can be expected only when these employees no longer have to look expectantly into “the patients’ pockets,” but are compensated by their own state. The strike is expected to take place on Thursday, and if their demands are not met, this strike will continue again with a complete work stoppage, which would be fatal for patients and emergency cases arriving at the hospital. Almost all employees support the strike. The proofreader of «Zëri i popullit»