Between dream and reality 1. The budget deficit for 1994 is projected at 28 billion lekë 2. Industrial production in 1996 has a growth rate 3. Exports are 5 times lower than imports 4. Per capita income, compared with 1990, has fallen by 50 percent 5. Foreign debt has exceeded 1 billion dollars 6. Unemployment is among the highest in the world: Bulgaria 15 percent - Albania 30 percent This is part of Albania’s economic reality. Set against it is President Berisha’s statement at the National Assembly of the DP that «the new pole in the economic sphere is represented by a series of economic indicators and norms which place the economy of Albania, the poorest country in Europe, ahead of many of the Continent’s wealthy economies». Almost all of the president’s speech at the National Assembly of the DP dealt with the economy. The economy, it seems, has now entered a form of crisis previously unimaginable for its political lobby. It has raised the temperature in the highest structures of the state. Amid all this pessimism, which is growing day by day, and in order to ease the heavy economic costs people are bearing, there was no mention at all of spreading optimism in the grand hall of the assembly, to multiply it in a more suitable way through television networks. But the optimism in the hall, where a little light seems to show, fades when hardship and misery parade alongside it. Two years after coming to power, today’s political leaders are trying to spread rosy propaganda to convince people that we now have economic indicators that even a developed European country would envy. But things continue to move within the contours of promises made in vain; even if the country is now to move from one place to another, it will not thereby become developed, but will instead resemble the request made by our state’s representative to the UN concerning Albania’s image in the Security Council as an elected member. He stressed that the point was never to cultivate pessimism, but rather that the issue is to keep our feet on the ground. We must remain within the logic of a clear-eyed economy: the difficulties are great, but they cannot be overcome with propaganda and dreams, however beautiful they may be. Faced with dreams, people also demand their daily bread. But Albania’s economic development is proceeding at a very slow pace. This is perhaps the greatest price this people continues to pay for putting politics first. The grave economic situation and the extremely high cost of living, which is 50 percent more expensive than in 1990, high unemployment and the paralysis of industry did not come about by chance. The monetarist policy our state has pursued in the fall and consolidation of foreign debts, in which everything is done with their approval, down to the lowering of economic indicators in the bank, does not reflect a country’s real economic situation. «Experiments should not be conducted with regard to anti-inflationary policies, since monetary policy is not an instrument for fighting unemployment. An expansionary monetary policy cannot be used to eliminate unemployment.» Had Albanian socialists made this argument—and it is not that they have not made it—they would have been branded, as they have been, anti-reformists. But the statement quoted above was made by a Western figure at the international economic forum in Davos, Switzerland, at the beginning of this year, by Bundesbank president Hans Tietmeyer. But reco- (Continued on page 2)

High levels of movements along with irregularities ... the electoral process - The Commission was unable to count them ... evening and the final vote result was not announced until ... 14:30. Meanwhile, before daybreak, the Communiqué ... the votes throughout ... and things were counted during the night. On Sunday, May 29, the report was issued; in the Fier area groups were seen ... people moving in vehicles, a white minibus and a ... silver Nissan Petrol ... state license plates, from one polling station to another in the Fier area. Some of them threatened members of the electoral Commission as well as SHKD observers. Moving on to the Zall ... area, the report notes that SHKD observers heard reports of a ... numerous sources that ... voters had been threatened with ... losing their jobs if they did not vote for a particular party. In the village of Cerkëzë it was reported that ... did not vote for one party and ... would be sent back to ... Kukës. In addition ... the report speaks of people ... voters ... 3,500 lire in exchange for ... voting for ... a particular [party]. Along with the intimidation, it is reported that SHKD observed a ... visible presence of police ... armed, as well as armed police teams ... observed at ... the polling station in the village of Agim ... various people told the team ... that a member from the PS had ... the polling station armed ... in violation of the law. They ... had heard that 6 MPs ... had been seen near ... the Fier region ... But despite ... this had not been confirmed. According to them, the seriousness of all the persistent testimonies and reports has raised questions that can only be answered by an independent investigation. Turning to procedural irregularities, SHKD notes that a number of soldiers transferred to Zall ... during the period May 10–25 took part in the voting, and according to them this constitutes a violation of the law, because they should have been assigned to another station before the elections. Some soldiers told SHKD observers on May 29 that they would leave the area on June 1. Contrary to the law, the report emphasizes, none of these soldiers had voted using photo identification. This practice continued in the June 5 elections, when 858 soldiers and 21 families were registered on the voter lists. SHKD notes that, contrary to Article 67, uniformed soldiers went with their officers from the training centers to the polling places. At some polling stations, the report continues, 3 members, a large number of observers had not voted; ... percent of the votes were invalid. Curiously, the number of invalid votes varies greatly from one polling station to another. SHKD had heard allegations that these votes had been declared invalid through fraudulent means. After this, the SHKD report concludes that many of the processes in the May 29 and June 5 elections were conducted professionally and properly. Nevertheless, a number of ... serious problems occurred, and the evidence suggests that these observers’ findings affected the election results. High levels of intimidation together with procedural irregularities undermine the electoral process, the SHKD report states. Prepared by: ENCO DUKA

... of the group ... Doka - ... the problem of the ... the commission dispersed ... had responded ... democratic. The Socialist Party ... PAD. ... a word when can ...? ... but, must ... democratic standard ... crossed the threshold ... by the president ... thanks to the four ... members of the EC. But ... and the issue of ... the constitution and ... anyone who is mistaken ... to be predicted ... respected ... European ... a critical sense ... genius, I would say ... the Council of Ev- ... «Leave every evil ... the road toward Eu- ... Europe. President Martínez ... ... and develop- ... in ... the majority ... has always been ... for developments in ... a friendly ... B... ’94 Closing the borders for extra-Community workers has cau- ... and much criticism. It has been strongly criticized by ... the country’s political ... and Minister J Jaei for a player who used ... called it selfish from an economic point of view. The Congress of ... a Diego stimulant, ... Sisi in Rome reports: In Italy, the EU Resolution providing for the closure of borders to extra-Community workers has caused a variety of reactions. Among the political forces, only the Northern League and the National Alliance (neo-fascists) applauded: «at last, it was exactly the right time for this decision». Meanwhile, Berlusconi’s Forza Italia has not expressed a position, with one exception embodied by Foreign Minister Mar-tino, who describes it as «selfish from a humanitarian point of view and wrong from an economic point of view». All the others, such as the Popular Party (Christian Democrats), the left and the Greens, strongly criticize this action and demand the establishment of an investigative commission. But the strongest reaction comes from the Church: «The resolution is ineffective, immoral and incites racism», says don Luigi Miegro, head of Caritas in Rome, emphasizing that this has not used the country’s policy and Minister J. Jaei for a player who used, to emigrate from Korea ... but it was not yet made humane and wrong from an economic point of view. Correspondent A. C. sends the stimulant, for...» [text of the columns partly damaged and illegible] (Continued on page 2)

The night before last, at 11 p.m., the home of the Shega family in the village of Grudë e Re was sprayed with automatic-gun fire for several minutes. Inside the house were the homeowner, Pashka Shega (her husband died a few years ago), together with her 26-year-old daughter and 13-year-old son. All of them were wounded. The two of us made inquiries at the Shkodër hospital, where we learned that the mother and daughter had sustained serious wounds, while

Damaged in broad daylight Milot’s PTT office It was midday when citizen Pjetër Koka, from the town of Milot, using heavy tools such as iron bars, etc., smashed all the windows of Milot’s PTT office and the telephone equipment, in the presence of the operator on duty, Silvana Sanxhaku. This action was carried out even though, as a result of this incident, it had been announced that the building stood on his former land. As Mr. Selman Fasani, secretary of the Milot commune, tells us, the police had been notified several times about Pjetër Koka’s claims and attempts, but took no preventive measures. Thus, this outrageous act was carried out in broad daylight, severely damaging the town’s PTT office. The law-enforcement forces intervened only after a delay, when everything had already been done. Correspondent of «Zëri i popullit»

Bulqizë The work of the party leadership is measured by results, not words Luan Hajdaraga: “The people’s party’s stance is a shower of blikupit.” The Party Conference of the Bulqizë district ... [damaged section] ... The analysis focuses ... from ... it emerged ... the Party of Labour ... [text illegible in several places]. (Continued on page 2)

Korçë Korçë’s electorate demands real and effective protection from the socialists during this difficult period of transition Maqo Lakrori: - Our party is a consolidated political force with strong intellectual potential, well organized and capable of solving the difficult problems of transition! A few days ago, the Socialist Party of the Korçë district held its second conference, which marked the successful conclusion of the campaign for the new elections. In addition to the delegates and guests, the conference was also attended by the member of the permanent steering committee, Dr. Maqo Lakrori. Both the main report delivered by the chairman of the SP for the Korçë district, Niko Pandeli, and the many discussions made evident the similar concern among Korçë’s socialists to highlight the difficult economic decline into which today’s rulers have plunged the country, and at the same time... [continued in illegible section] ... the primitive [approach], the privatization of all the wealth created through the toil and sweat of 50 years, according to the prescribed template, and perhaps the corruption of Korçë’s rulers as an accusation. The SP ... [text partly illegible]. (Continued on page 2)