— the constitution is not wanted by those in power, the PD does not want it, nor do its deputies, and that is why they drag it out to the Greek calends STATEMENT OF THE PARLIAMENTARY GROUP OF THE PS (Completed its work on 16 June 1993) The common stance of the majority and the opposition on drafting a new constitution is presented as a condition serving the process of democratization and the pluralist development of our country. The Socialist Party has tirelessly demanded this necessity with the responsibility of the opposition, but it has always encountered obstacles devised by those in power. At the end of 1992, on our initiative, a special parliamentary group was formed to draft a new constitutional project. Its work was arbitrarily interrupted by the leaders of the Assembly. From the outset, our parliamentary group and the Socialist Party have expressed serious reservations about the way this process was being carried out and about the attempt to turn the constitution into a party instrument. For us, the constitution must be the fundamental social contract, guaranteeing citizens’ freedoms and rights, the separation and balance of powers, the rule of law and democratic pluralism. The Assembly of Albania and other constitutional bodies cannot behave as the property of a party or of a single person. In this sense, we have opposed every tendency toward centralization of executive power and toward weakening parliamentary oversight. We have also denounced the selective use of the law, the exclusion of the opposition from decision-making, and attempts to impose on society a constitution without consensus. No democratic process can end successfully without the participation and understanding of the main political forces, without listening to the voices of social groups, specialists and the public. That is why we demand that the constitutional discussion be transparent, open and free from day-to-day pressures. Only in this way can a text be secured that will serve Albania for many years. The constitutional project must not be an act of propaganda, but a serious document of the state and its citizens. Any deliberate delay, any avoidance of genuine debate, any attempt to close this issue by political order is harmful to the country. The dragging out to the “Greek calends” is proof that those who govern today do not want a modern constitution, because such a constitution would place limits on their ambitions. Therefore, we say that the constitution is not wanted by those in power, the PD does not want it, nor do its deputies. Albanian citizens need a clear constitutional order, reliable institutions and rules of the game accepted by all. In this spirit, the Parliamentary Group of the Socialist Party reaffirms its will to contribute to a new Albanian constitution, democratic, pluralist and European.

This year it will be the most complicated of the EU parliamentarians

WHAT CAN BE SAID IN A PARLIAMENTARY SPEECH? Ali Spahia: “On 16 June 1993, Christians and Muslims, agnostics and atheists, for a single moment, set aside everything that distinguishes them and, in unison, make the oath [the swearing-in?] of the patriot.” Could our parliament be like that? Could representation’s morality be like that? Instead of 16 June serving as a day of reflection for the parliamentary institution, it has turned into an occasion to expose its emptiness, its lack of political weight and the distortions of public conduct. In the Albanian parliament many accusations have been heard, many promises have been made, but the responsible, calm and nation-worthy word has been heard less often. We have often seen the Assembly hall used as a platform for insults and demonization, not as a place where arguments are weighed and opponents are respected. If parliament is the heart of democracy, then its illness becomes the illness of the entire state. The lack of parliamentary ethics, the lack of a culture of debate and the excessive dependence on party orders have impoverished representation. A deputy cannot be merely a vote soldier; he must be the voice of the citizens and the critical conscience of governance. That is why 16 June calls for a balance sheet. Do we today have a parliament that defends the public interest? Do we have a majority that accepts oversight and an opposition that is heard? Or do we have only a stage where predetermined roles are recited? These questions remain fundamental to the quality of our democratic life. Only a parliament in which the critical word, the free word and the responsible word can be spoken can justify the citizens’ trust.

Looking with a cool eye and a clear mind at the urban developments of recent years, it becomes clear that Tirana needs more harmony, respect for its memory and projects that serve the citizen. Fan S. Noli square, as proposed, can be not only an architectural intervention, but also a symbol of the return of public identity. It should combine traffic, greenery, pedestrian space and respect for the figure whose name it bears. It is enough to avoid improvisations and quick fixes that only look good on paper. Tirana cannot be built by erasing its memory; it must grow by including it. A well-conceived square is also a way to educate civic taste and send a message that public space belongs to no one, but to everyone. If the project is implemented with professional honesty, then it can become a small model of the city we want.

Socialists suffer the leading grouping of the European Parliament

Mr. S[h?]koder Spahija? doctor? Pd. D[?]tor H[?] S[?]-50 wishes? Sur? that are not? sorted? bad? They return on Sunday NAVIK DOLLE deputy

On Sunday 16.6.1994 [?] [S?]hyn? organizes? [P?]er [S?]hume? [P?]r [M?] [R?]esor? [Q?]u? [F?] [P?]res?e? [S?]hqip? Steering Committee of the Socialist Party, Durrës