Why does Fatos Nano continue to be accused? - Gavrosh Pogaçe confirms the regularity of the procedures and the full involvement of state bodies in the aid. - Reiz Malile: Levante Co was appointed to handle the aid when Fatos Nano was not prime minister, on the instructions of President Ramiz Alia. - The tri[?] continues amid the roaring of fighter aircraft flying low over Tirana Yesterday’s hearing in the trial concerning the Italian aid continued with the questioning of nine other witnesses. The new development that day was that, precisely at nine o’clock, the scheduled start of the hearing, military aircraft and helicopters flew low over the courtroom, roaring. As yet, it is not known [?] ...cialiste Fatos Nano said in one of his interventions at the trial: «I take the liberty of observing that your conduct of the hearing is an expression of force on a par with the force of Mr Zhulali’s old Russian and Chinese aircraft, which this morning were making bi[?] over the court». ... he explained that appointing Levante Co, «Pelikan» or some other firm to handle emergency aid was a matter of principle. They thought one way, we thought [differently]. So it was a matter of principle and politics, for which the people gave us [their votes?]. I believe, Pashko said, that this is not a political trial; otherwise... Muhamet Kapllani does not remember ... Yesterday’s court hearing on Italian aid continued with the questioning of nine more nine o’clock, when the hearing was due to begin, The purpose of this unprecedented demonstration in Albania is still not clear. But it is evident that, to “secure” the trial of Fatos Nano, an armored police vehicle on the ground was not enough; the military air fleet also had to be put into operation. Referring to this display of air power, Socialist Party chairman Fatos Nano said during one of his interventions in court: “I dare to state that the way you are conducting aircraft, which this morning were making passes over the courthouse.” Nevertheless, the roar of the aircraft did not prevent the testimony of the nine witnesses from refuting, with arguments, the charges against Socialist Party chairman Fatos Nano. It is worth noting that until yesterday many of these witnesses had been used by the prosecution to supposedly prove Mr. Nano’s guilt.

The day before yesterday afternoon, the United States ambassador to Tirana, Mr William Rayerson, received at the embassy and held an open conversation with the deputy chairman of the Socialist Party of Albania, Luan Hajdaraga, and its organizational secretary, Bashkim Zeneli, members of the People’s Assembly. Mr Hajdaraga informed Mr Rayerson of the Socialist Party of Albania’s views on a number of current political issues in the country and on the situation in the region, particularly in Kosovo. As an opposition political force, we have welcomed, and will work constructively and by legal means to establish genuinely democratic institutions in the country, the democracy for which our people fought three years ago. Naturally, achievements during the transition period are evident in many fields, and no one denies them. We recognize the unavoidable difficulties of this period, but comparisons should not be made with the past. Comparisons should be made with advanced European standards. The past will not return ... No Albanian aspires to it, let alone a political forc[e?]. But, Luan Hajdaraga continued, we are particularly concerned by certain artificial aspects of the political situation; we are concerned by the ruling party’s lack of tolerance. We have emphasized, and repeat, that Albania needs understanding among political forces, needs dialogue, needs a spirit of cooperation and messages of solidarity among Albanians. But those who seek to wield power are not responding to this repeated appeal of ours. This is a primitive concept for today’s society. We have repeatedly asked the President to take initiatives to bring things together, but he has hesitated. Worse still, every proposal we make as the opposition, every objec[tion?], is immediately labelled destructive, etc., by the leaders of the DP. No single political force that holds power today can have a monopoly on building a democratic society, nor can it accomplish this alone. By acting as they have until now, they are in practice acting according to the same communist and totalitarian mindset. The Socialist Party of Albania, Luan Hajdaraga continued, has clearly expressed its European position. We are in Europe, Europe is our place, and we must earn our natural integration into civilized Europe. The accusations—now failed and stale—that we supposedly oppose Albania’s admission to the Council of Europe are speculative. We must earn our membership by meeting Europe’s requirements and standards. This means integration for everyone. But this does not mean that Europe is our only position. We have valued, and continue to value, Albania’s relations with the United States of America, a country renowned for progress and democracy. The various speculations directed against us on this matter are outdated, sterile, and have no basis whatsoever. We appreciate the aid and assistance the USA has given and continues to give Albania in various fields, and we would like it to be even greater. Albanians today are convinced that the United States of America, by understanding and realistically assessing the situation in Albania with clear-eyed observation, supports the progress of democratic processes, not one side or the other. (Continued on page 2)

Press conference of Professional Journalists Recent events, and especially the intensification of street violence and state pressure on the independent and opposition Albanian press, were the subject of yesterday’s press conference held by Albania’s Professional Journalists in the press conference hall of the Palace of Congresses in Tirana. At the beginning of the conference, the statement by Albania’s Professional Journalists was read; its text is being published in today’s issue. Then the floor was given to the chairman of the Association, publicist Preç Zogaj. In his remarks, he stressed that state pressure on the independent and opposition press has increased markedly in recent times. The most direct and flagrant example was the arrest, pre-trial detention and sentencing of journalists from the newspaper “Koha Jonë”, Martin Leka and Aleksandër Frangaj. He went on to discuss at length the legal violations by the prosecution service whose members had carried out this arrest without a complaint, in violation of every law, and solely on the signature of prosecutor Arben Qeleshi. Mr Zogaj then spoke about the measures the Association of Professional Journalists had taken to protect its members and defend a free press in Albania. The Albanian press, he stressed, can no longer be silenced. You can close down one newspaper, but you cannot silence the press as a whole. The journalists present then asked questions, and members of the Board of Professional Journalists gave the corresponding answers. Correspondent of «The People’s Voice»

But let us leave the floor to the witnesses’ own words. The first to appear as a witness was Gramoz Pashko, former Deputy Prime Minister in the Government of Stability. At the outset, he expressed surprise at being summoned as a witness in this case, since, as he said, he himself had not been questioned about the aid during the period June 1991–December 1991, and not about the matters contained in the indictment. He then explained the procedures followed for disbursing Italian aid when he was Deputy Prime Minister, through the “Pelikan” operation. In response to prosecutor Qeleshi’s question, he explained that, in his capacity as Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers, on 2.9.1991 he had sent a letter to the Italian ambassador in Tirana, Torkueto Kardini, to urge the Italian government to send aid to Albania. “My status as Deputy Prime Minister allowed me, as a courtesy, Pashko said, to ask the Italian government to act, and to issue orders or make decisions, because even today there is no organic law setting out the duties and powers of government members, much less those of the Deputy Prime Minister and the Prime Minister.” Mr Pashko went on to emphasize that Levante Company had been appointed by previous governments. I believe, he said, that Nano’s trial, …“

Witness Muhamet Kapllani, former deputy minister and later minister of foreign affairs. At the beginning of his testimony, he said he had not dealt with the Italian aid and knew nothing about it. The political events the country went through in January and February 1991 made it necessary to engage in obtaining aid from Italy, Greece, etc., Kapllani said. This intensive period coincided with my efforts to go to America, so I was away from involvement with the aid. Although I met Xhanj De Mikelis several times, as well as Andreotin, Skotin and other senior Italian political figures, I never discussed with them either emergency aid or investment aid. I discussed nothing about Levante KO either. At this point the prosecutors intervened and asked for fuller clarification of what he had stated during the investigation. Even after this intervention, Muhamet Kapllani said: I dealt with aid only as a general concept. Neither I nor the department I was responsible for dealt with its specific issues. Kapllani also denied receiving instructions to continue working on the aid when he took over as foreign minister from Reiz Malile. This led to an exchange of remarks between the defendant Sokrat Plaka and Muhamet Kapllani. Sokrat Plaka confronted his former colleague Kapllani with facts about the aid-related matters. Here are some of the exchanges between the two former diplomats: Sokrat Plaka: The aid issue was a government issue. As a member of the government, how were you made aware of it, and what concrete work did you do with the Italian government to carry it out? Muhamet Kapllani: I was not informed about it and did not deal with it. Sokrat Plaka: On 27 and 28 February (1991), when credentials were presented, what was discussed about this issue? Muhamet Kapllani: Nothing. Sokrat Plaka: On 6 March 1991, Flamino Pikoli came to Tirana regarding the aid. What exactly was discussed after your meeting? (Continued on page 5)

Interview with Dr. Servet Pëllumbi, deputy chairman of the PSSH, given to our editor The country’s political situation has become extremely tense in recent days. The Socialist Party has expressed its assessment of this situation. Nevertheless, we would also like to hear your opinion about what has been happening in Albania in recent days. Nothing is worse than the situation of a political force which, when it finds itself in circumstances where it needs to govern, does not try to find real paths for political dialogue. We know that the local elections have concluded and we have made our assessments; we see the political situation becoming tense and believe that political tension is now high… [partly illegible] The court prevents the chairman of the Socialist Party [partly illegible]. The PD is trying to exploit recent events for its own benefit, talking about “the exercise of socialism” and “the distancing of honest socialists” from the “extremist leadership”, etc. How would you respond to this propaganda? In short, I would respond to such propaganda: let us have more of this “distancing” and “distancing” in the future too! Lately, the leaders of the PS have been addressing the people not from the big cities, which they consider their monopolies, but from the outskirts, especially from the villages. How do you explain this strategy of the PD leaders in a period… Every political force should be free to address people wherever they are: in large, medium-sized and small cities, or in villages and remote mountain areas. Wherever it sees fit. So I would not call the scenes we are seeing on television news “achievements.” Nor is it very wrong for the leaders of the party in power to be accompanied by four or five ministers to show people in remote areas that they are the ones who still hold power. Besides, if they persuaded people a few days ago (if they did persuade them, of course) that Albania ranks first in Europe in the growth of production and living standards, when out of 8,000 families 4,800 receive minimum economic assistance, while around 6,000 people are unemployed and on assistance… At your last press conference you were not facing the journalists, but among them. This was commented on (Continued on page 2)