Interview with Gani Allushi, candidate for head of the commune in Zall-Herr - Regardless of what the state bodies have declared, and regardless of what the PD has declared about the election results in Zall-Herr, what is your opinion: did you lose or did you win? I consider myself the winner; the PS won in the commune of Zall-Herr. The villagers of that area, certainly those who voted for the PS, feel insulted by the statements of the party in power. It is an indisputable fact that in both instances—that is, in both rounds—the people of Zall-Herr voted for me. But what can you do! The greed to hold on to power went so far that, against my reputation and authority, which I say modestly, the party-state deployed Zhulali’s army. So how can I consider myself defeated when in this duel the people voted for me, while the army voted for those who gave it its orders? - What are people saying in Zall-Herr? What is the villagers’ opinion of the PD and the pressure exerted to win control of the commune? - They say all sorts of things. But everything they say is true. They did not use only the army against the PS, but another army as well, which was deployed for days to exert psychological pressure on the villagers. Especially on intellectuals. In the village of Qinam, for example, a teacher was dismissed because his socialist convictions were deemed unacceptable; in Priskë, a female teacher was fired because she had voted, naturally, for the PS. Three others were transferred to remote areas. Many people voted for the PD in the runoff only because of the pressure put on them concerning their children’s bread. The villagers of the Zall-Herr area are very angry and indignant after learning that, although most of them voted for the FS candidate, victory was declared for the PD candidate. Nevertheless, they understand perfectly well, and are quite clear about, the true face of today’s authorities. The villagers call this party and these authorities shameless and mad! They are truly disoriented, and I cannot predict how things will proceed in the commune of Zall-Herr. - Your family lives near the military barracks. What are the soldiers doing? Surely they are still training. I understand that you are asking the question pointedly. Although my home is near the barracks and I can see what is happening there, I wish to inform the public that, as of Monday, convoys of vehicles had set off for the place they had come from. You feel sorry for those soldiers who shouldered their packs and set off through the woods, in the darkness of night, toward Nafa e Lopës, to reach the veterinary training institute where the vehicles were waiting for them. But they did not leave secretly, just as they had not arrived secretly, under the eyes of the villagers, on whose land they left their tracks, who ... - Today we heard that arrests have been made at the military barracks in Zall-Herr. Do you know anything about this? The arrest of several people is true. In fact, it began on Sunday, when several officers were confined so they could not vote, because the authorities had put them on a blacklist as socialists. Naturally, they did not vote; but the problem is that two days later, on Tuesday, the military police immediately came to detain them on the pretext that they had violated military regulations. Two of these non-commissioned officers are my relatives. The perpetrators of these dangers are Lieutenant Colonel Hysen Arapi and Ba shkimi Alia, who, it seems to me, had been assigned by the party to identify the socialists. To give a full account, I wish to say that four officers have been arrested so far. I do not know what will happen next. What would you like to say to the residents of Zall-Herr in this situation? I respect them. They are my fellow villagers, my brothers, with whom I share good times and bad, and I am grateful because they were able to withstand the PD’s pressure during a night of manipulation. And, finally, I admire them for ... Interviewed by: B. KOÇI

We highlight: Albanians have reason to be concerned about the continued blocking of part of the 35 million ECU—this being the second tranche of European Union assistance for Albania’s balance of payments. This also happened on 16 May and 6 June 1994 at meetings of the EU Council of Finance Ministers, and Greece has repeatedly expressed reservations about the deterioration of the human rights situation and the situation of the Greek minority in Albania. Meanwhile, the authorities in Tirana are not responding to calls to respect European standards of the rule of law or to address the authoritarian privileges of Berisha’s “regime,” which are also highlighted by the latest European Parliament Resolution on relations between the European Union and Albania. In EU practice and legislation, and in the West as a whole, it is well established that a beneficiary country’s commitment to respect contemporary democratic standards is linked, even made a condition, to its treatment in terms of aid and assistance from the European community. Meanwhile, official Tirana, which for three years now has been known to have its umbilical cord tied to the EU, continues, through its spokesman Selami, to display signs of an abnormal way of thinking: its stomach is in Europe, while its brain is elsewhere. As RTSH reported in its afternoon broadcasts on 8 June, while the EU ambassador in Tirana, Ehlo Germano (though translated by the “aged journalist,” Miss Kolaçi), explained that this was not a matter of a “Greek veto” but of “reservations expressed at the EU Council of Finance Ministers,” whose decisions are taken by consensus, Eduart Selami, already known as the “enfant prodige” (child prodigy) of Albanian politics, called for nothing less than “the rest of the European Community” to take a stand against the Greek government, dismissing the “Greek veto” as irresponsible! Comment is superfluous, although the “Enverist” ideologues of the PD have now taken it upon themselves to “renovate the institutions of ‘old Europe,’” since, as before, they continue to portray Albania as the most advanced country in Europe... THE OBSERVER

The Albanian government delegation, headed by Minister of Agriculture Hasan Halili, refused to sign the agreement on bilateral cooperation after a visit to the country lasting several days, the BBC reported yesterday. According to the same radio station, Minister Halili acted because the Albanian side refused to sign a document bearing the name Republic of Macedonia instead of the name “Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.” The Albanian minister’s action was consistent with the official position of the Albanian state regarding the name of the aforementioned former Yugoslav republic—a position also maintained by the United Nations and its member states. Minister Halili’s action should therefore be welcomed. Nevertheless, the action of the Macedonian authorities cannot but be considered an open provocation against ... A name that is accepted by no one in the world today. This provocation is one of a series of provocations and other distinctly unfriendly positions taken by the Macedonian authorities toward the Albanians and the state. But more troubling is the answer to the question: where do the Macedonian authorities find the courage to take such actions against our country? We cannot ... say that we have ... The following is the account of the action ... political ... form of the former Yugoslav republic ... In the above-mentioned Yugoslav [republic] ... the position maintained toward it by the Organization of ... remain united and by the countries ... of it. As such, Minister Halili’s action should be repeated. Nevertheless, the actions provocation against the Albanian state, an attempt to present it with the fait accompli of recognizing the name Republic of Macedonia in official documents. Republic of Macedonia. Meanwhile, while the head of the Albanian state declares regarding this “mujan e maltit” that the neighboring republic across the border sends friendly messages: Will the Albanian side continue to play the role of a party with unlimited tolerance toward such actions? Perhaps Minister Halili’s action will be a sign of the beginning of a realistic assessment of relations between the two countries. H. JUPE

Once again, eight of the ten former senior party and state officials appeared before the trial panel at 16:00 on Wednesday. Accepting the request of the defendant Zylfytar Ramizi, the trial panel had decided to summon them to testify. It was decided that the former deputy head of the State Security Abazi should be summoned. In his testimony, the State Security officer reiterated that the activities of State Security were based on constitutional principles. Witness Abazi emphasized that they were considered to derive their authority from Article 28 of the Constitution. The Council of Ministers, in the case of the normative act concerning the activities of State Security as a state administration directorate. Further actions would follow. The operational work platform for the agencies had been approved by the Political Bureau and was called that at the time. Before the investigator, by the lawyer ... I remember two cases, one in Vlorë and one in Elbasan. Every month they reported. They were convicted for distorting the truth; one of them had even been convicted by Zëri i Popullit. The witnesses summoned to testify in the courtroom had not appeared. The chairman of the trial panel, Mr. Çela, noted that some of them were in poor health and some lived abroad. Then the prosecutor intervened, saying: “I looked into this matter and tried to get them to come here and have their depositions read. At this point, lawyer Koçi asked that they be compelled to answer under the law. The lawyers responded, intervening with the question: ‘Why were the investigators brought before the other courts?’ Thus, the lawyers for the accused Haxhiu stated that among the witnesses, Haxhiu, Fritan appears on television ... and before and in court ... In any case, in a decision made head to head, so that it would be clear to ... the head, which begins beforehand ... and the statements before the investigators. In this way ... the lawyer ... ... implying to the trial panel that these witnesses should be compelled to appear in the courtroom. I do not agree with the testimony of Haxhidin Fratari, said the defendant Zylfytar Rmizi. He was a collaborator of State Security and got out of prison earlier, adding, without any ... a flower’s name, “Zambaku.” When the testimony of Rexhep Kolli, former deputy minister of the interior, was read, it was requested that Ramiz Alla be summoned to testify at the hearing. Addressing the trial panel, he asked the prosecutor to read out the investigators’ names as well. The lawyer for the defendant Çela requested that witness Kolli appear at the hearing, emphasizing: “This man ... has directed morality ...” A. M.

Protest For days, throughout the district of Krujë, party and youth organizations, Eurosocialists, the women’s forum, councillors, numerous citizens and intellectuals have been discussing the elections of 29 May 1994. People have also spoken out ... about the fascist methods used in the commune of Libofshë. This once again shows the weakness of those in power and their efforts to use propaganda methods. Therefore, the PS in the district of Krujë, the Eurosocialist Forum, the Socialist Women’s Forum, and Socialist councillors from the communes up to the district level support the statement of the Socialist parliamentary group that the elections in the commune of Libofshë should not be recognized and that ... democratic elections should be strengthened. Our electorate does not accept Viktor Margilaj as prefect of the district of Krujë. In conclusion, the criminal case against Mr. ... We support the parliamentary group ... undertaking political actions in defense ... The Presidium of The Socialist Women’s Forum The Socialist Councillors

YESTERDAY IN PARLIAMENT: Two interpellations with ministers of the Meksi Government BELORTAJA, for correctness and courtesy before the deputies Yesterday at 10 o’clock, the Albanian Parliament continued its proceedings with two interpellations involving two ministers of the Meksi Government. They were Rexhep Uka, Minister of Local Government, and Selim Belortaja, Minister of Trade, who responded to the request for an interpellation by deputy Skënder Gjinuishi concerning problems of local government, and by No-vruz Çela concerning certain contradictions in the Albanian-Korean joint venture IB Elektronik of Durrës. Rexhep Uka, a minister without a ministry since the helicopter: “Local government is not blocked” The first to appear before the deputies was the Minister of Local Government, Rexhep Uka, called to an interpellation by PSD deputy Mr. Skënder Gjinuishi on problems of local government. “Local government is not blocked,” Mr. Uka stated categorically at the outset of his speech. Mr. Uk. went on to say that, in general, the elected local-government bodies justify themselves despite their lack of experience, the legislation that is being hastily prepared, and the funds. Only the Government [text unclear] before them, especially in the northeastern areas, particularly in Kukës and Koplik. Despite all this, cases of corruption have been observed in [text unclear], in the allocation of land and elsewhere; each [text unclear] ... from the dependence of local-government bodies ... He also vetoes that the Government [text unclear] before them ... (Continued on page 3)

Takim i Forumit Rinor Agrar

How much was the Italian emergency aid for ALBANIA, GRANTED IN 1991? 20 billion, 23 billion, or 30 billion? Our newspaper is reopening the Nano File in its pages in order to clarify once again the complete innocence of the Socialist Party Chairman and MP Fatos Nano in connection with the accusations concerning Italian aid. The Nano File will be reopened in the newspaper in an accessible format, so that even “the excellence of the underdeveloped brain” can understand it. It will be covered in several articles, according to the issues raised in the file. The column will present all the materials that have been published concerning it. Today we begin with the topic: in 1991?” Read on page 2.

Today and tomorrow, the novella “PARLAMENTARI,” written by Neshat Tozaj, is being published in the supplement to “Zëri i Popullit.” This novella is taken from the collection “PERVERT,” which the author ... publication at the beginning of ... describes. “Perverts” are ... of the sentence ... money ...