Interview with Mr. NAMIK DOKLE, Deputy Chairman of the Socialist Party Question: In an interview in the newspaper «Koha Jonë», Lisien Bashkurti, Albania’s representative to the Council of Europe, said that the «Nano issue» at the Council of Europe has continually been declining, etc., etc. Have you read it? Answer: Yes, I have read it. Question: What is your opinion of this statement? Answer: I would say something more broadly about this interview; about the assertion that Albania is not accepted into the Council of Europe without a Constitution. It is a bitter but accurate assertion. When I say this, they call me destructive; when Lord Finsberg says it, they say, «Why is he imposing special conditions on us?»; when the Speaker of the German parliament says it, our president does not do him the honor of accompanying him to parliament, as he has done for all those who have spoken from this high state tribune. And when both the Chairman of the Committee of Ministers and the Secretary General of the Council of Europe come to Albania on this matter, all our politicians, of course, say: «Albania will have a new Constitution very soon!» If they had listened to the destructive opposition a year ago, we would now be able to face the Council of Europe with our heads held high. Question: And when Lisien says it? Answer: Do you mean to say that this is the reason Lisien was brought to Albania and replaced? I don’t think so. In any case, it is not Lisien’s fault that he failed to convince the Council of Europe to accept us without a Constitution. Question: And what about the «Nano issue»? Answer: I told you that Lisien has been transferred to Albania and has begun to lose sensitivity to developments in Strasbourg. For example, he was not there the last time the delegation met with Lord Finsberg’s committee. Three specific questions concerned the «Nano issue». One of them was even worded as follows: «Can Mr. Nano’s trial be reviewed if the New Penal Code is adopted?» The rapporteurs, dissatisfied with Mr. Meksi’s answer to this question, asked Mr. Selami for his opinion. He silenced the committee members when he said: «Our opinion is the government’s opinion, and therefore we have not given an answer.» And let me remind you that of the five members of the Special Committee for Albania, only one is left-wing. In Europe, the rights of people and parliamentarians do not have different standards for the right and the left.

What do the political parties say? EDUART SELAMI, Chairman of the Democratic Party: «THE DP WILL GIVE ALBANIA A CONSTITUTION» «The Constitution is the first point in the DP’s political program. The Democratic Party has been and remains committed to drafting and adopting the new Constitution. Because there can be no new democratic state without a new (democratic) Constitution. The DP made this commitment to the Albanian electorate, enshrined it in its program, and will carry it out; it will give Albania a Constitution. For the time being, we have a package of constitutional laws that best enable the rule-of-law state to function. The parliamentary opposition forces are seeking to force the postponement of the Constitution issue for narrow party interests. (Continued on page 2) SKËNDER GJINUSHI, Chairman of the Social Democratic Party: «A CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY IS A WASTE OF TIME» «A Constitution is a necessity; it is long overdue. The reasons are now known to everyone: a lack of consensus and an attempt to create a mechanical majority. Whether it concerns its introduction, the method of its adoption, or its content, all of this points to one common denominator: the only body with the constitutional (or, more precisely, legal, since we do not yet have a Constitution) authority to adopt the Constitution or to approve the method of its adoption is parliament alone. The parties are, of course, auxiliary, because parliament is made up of representatives— (Continued on page 2)»

«A CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY ELECTED BY THE PEOPLE» …perpetuate the rule of his clique. The DP lost its legitimate power within three months of taking office. The conditions for drafting and adopting a DP-style Constitution were destroyed. Political, intellectual and legal forces, as well as the Albanian people, are calling for a Constitution for Albania’s future. Taking such a Constitution to parliament for approval would mean the death of the «DP-style Constitution». The Albanian parliament, after July 26, 1992, is propped up on crutches. At present, it is like a leaf in autumn, broken off its branch but still stuck on with «Vinovil» glue. With the Constitution’s demise in parliament, this leaf will finally fall, since even the glue no longer holds. For the DP members, their seats are more sacred than the interests of the nation. Consequently, Albania’s entry into the Council of Europe was sacrificed a year ago, solely to avoid relinquishing power, since without a Constitution we cannot be admitted to this prestigious organization. If the Constitution, by autumn… (Continued on page 2)

The number of families receiving economic assistance through the municipality of the city of Peshkopi rose from 307 in July last year to 775 in July this year. The fund for economic assistance has increased accordingly. In July last year, 986 thousand lekë were allocated for 307 families, while in June this year, 2,058,700 lekë were allocated for all 775 families. The economic assistance received by all 775 families in a city of around 72 thousand inhabitants—assistance that represents the absolute minimum for living—is the clearest indicator of the poverty and insecurity of a city. The residents of Peshkopi, whose livelihood depended on the city’s production enterprises, particularly those in the food industry, whose industrial production was estimated to be worth half as much as the chrome minerals; on the enterprise producing assorted goods, the art crafts park, NB, NG, NN, SMT, the mechanical workshop, etc.—enterprises that have now either closed or are in the process of closing, leaving people to wander the streets—are turning in ever greater numbers to the economic assistance offices. Apart from the commercial activity of kiosks and some kind of private enterprise, no significant production activity has opened this year that could employ the mass of unemployed citizens who spend all day filling the city’s streets. It is completely incomprehensible that enterprises of such importance to the labor market during the summer, such as the fruit and vegetable canning factory and the alcoholic beverages factory, etc., have shut their doors and completely suspended production, thereby also halting the processing of fresh and other produce. They continue to exist as enterprises only through their administrations. There is no talk of privatizing these enterprises or restarting their production activities. A. ASHIKU

Tirana Twenty-four hours after the meeting of the DP National Council, where speakers called for a position to be taken on Mr. Hajdari’s recent actions, he seeks, in response, to once again become the focus of the debate. The political climate before and on the eve of the March 22 elections was in fact tense and worrying; there were also murders, whose perpetrators have still not been identified. The allusion made in his own article

. It is the Presidium of the National Committee of Veterans of the Antifascist National Liberation War, represented by its chairman, Pirro Dodbiba, which, through a request addressed to the President and the judicial authorities, is calling for the National Front Party and Legaliteti to be outlawed. This is an act of terror and purging against the forces of the antifascist resistance. These are the reasons for this request. This organization has also appealed to the Court of Cassation, seeking the denunciation and confirmation of collaboration with fascism, since serious violations have been established. According to them, in their request they point out that these two parties have departed from the programs originally submitted to the Ministry of Justice; through their activities and press, they have increasingly openly placed themselves in the service of their revanchist-fascist aims. Likewise, under the legal provisions of the Allies of 1946, «On the status of the Nuremberg War Criminals», not only direct collaborators but also treacherous organizations that took part in the war of destruction, still lingering in the past, were classified as war criminals. Under these laws, those whom the Court of Cassation finds to have collaborated with the occupiers are not granted acquittal, and Nazi-fascist collaborators are not entitled to the return of property taken during the occupation after liberation, according to the «Ilirvej gjyqit» of the Court of Cassation. In its newspaper, this organization has also exposed the names of Nazi-fascist collaborators sentenced by the special court of 1945, more than 58 people. A. BISHA

Kapshticë The return of refugees from Greece continues It is not only the Kapshticë customs point that is feeling the full, shocking impact of the closure between Albania and Greece. There is more-than-usual movement of people through the Korçë post office, with frequent and continued requests to communicate with various citizens in Greece. This is understandable if one considers that around 7,000–8,000 residents of the city of Korçë have for some time been working in various Greek cities, either on their own or together with their families. As soon as someone comes out of the telephone booth, dozens of others surround them and ask how things are there. And almost everyone’s answer is the same: bad, bad, bad. (Continued on page 4)

Shkodër Fuel-smuggling trial postponed for the second time After the trial of the six drivers and the deputy commander of the Muriqan border post, accused of fuel smuggling, was postponed on August 15, today was set as the date for the hearing in this trial. The accused were brought from the police station to the courtroom at 9 o’clock and waited until 11. At that hour, it was announced that the trial was being postponed again because the judge assigned to hear the case had not arrived. The reason for the judge’s absence was not made known. What drew attention in this case was the reaction of the defendants’ relatives, who had come to attend the trial. “We are being sent around for nothing,” they said. “We come from Elbasan and Fier, with all the expense of travelling to Shkodër, hoping that a way will be found for our people, who have now been under arrest for four months. But once again, delays; once again, being sent from place to place. Could it be that someone is thinking of making these people scapegoats?!” MUSA KËRTULAJ

In Bubës, Përmet, on 23.8.94, five children fell victim while playing with a bomb, a relic of the Italo-Greek War. Festim Xhanaj, 13, died instantly. Three others, aged 5–10, were taken to the hospital in Përmet, where two of them are in extremely serious condition. The fate of another seven-year-old who remained in Bubës is unknown. LLAZI PRILLO

Twenty-four hours after the meeting of the PD National Council, where speakers called for positions to be taken regarding Mr. Hajdari’s recent actions, he is seeking, in response, to remain at the centre of the debate. He has not backed down — Complaint PD National Council, where speakers called for positions to be taken regarding Mr. Hajdari’s recent actions, he is seeking, in response, to remain at the centre of the debate. “I am fully prepared to submit myself to justice at any time,” he told the Republic’s Prosecutor General, Mr. Alush Dragoj. The matter concerns an accusation made against MP Hajdari by the Democratic Party newspaper RD, which he calls a terrorist accusation. An unsigned article dated August 19 states: “MP Hajdari, mentioned by the press and by his own voice in connection with the problem of the murders The accusation is serious and must be examined comprehensively, without overlooking Mr. Hajdari’s activities, his close ties to the highest levels of the state, or his internal relations with some of the current leaders of the PD. 3c. The political climate across the country was tense, and murders also took place during that period, the perpetrators of which have still not been identified. The insinuation made in RD’s article is extremely malicious and serious: it not only implicates Azem, but also those with whom Mr. Hajdari cooperated and fought during that period of transition. Seeing that the official bodies have remained silent on the matter, MP Hajdari, who is also Chairman of the 1st Commission for Defence, Public Order and SHIK, requested the criminal prosecution of the article’s author. We made inquiries with the secretaries of the Tirana District Prosecutor’s Office and the Prosecutor General’s Office and learned that Mr. Hajdari has filed no criminal complaint. We can only wait to see whether Mr. Hajdari’s “anger” will go all the way, or whether he will turn back along the way... A. M.

Yesterday afternoon, the Secretary-General of the Western European Union (WEU), Van Eekelen, and the WEU Ambassador to Albania and Macedonia, Mr. Pallands, who are visiting our country, held a meeting with representatives of the press. “We have come at the invitation of the Albanian government and,” said the WEU Secretary-General, “we have met senior figures in your country and observed that Albania has played, and continues to play, an important role in the Balkans.” Speaking afterwards about the WEU as an institution, he stressed that it is one of the oldest in Europe, having been established as early as 1948. European integration began with economic cooperation; in the 1970s it expanded to include political issues, and today, in the 1990s, with the signing of the Maastricht Treaty, it aims for WEU countries also to have a common security policy. Our organization also has close cooperation with (Continued on page 4)

- Tens of thousands of Bosnian refugees have entered Croatian territory in recent days; they began leaving, bringing the number to around 40,000 people who have departed from Dihja, as they saw that his... *** - Macedonia’s Foreign Minister, Professor Vaso Gjorgjiev, complained to the authorities in Athens about a Greek aircraft violating Macedonian airspace, flying 500 metres and 7 kilometres into the territory of that country. *** - At the international symposium on choreography held in Poland on August 9–18, Ramazan Bogdani, representing our country, presented a paper entitled “Albanian Dances and Ritual Practices.” *** - Considered to have no prospects and no possibility of restructuring, the 25-year-old soda plant in Vlorë is therefore closing. *** - A fund of around 11 million dollars a year is being allocated to widening and paving Shijak’s main road, 1.8 km in length. *** - An alarm has been raised over pollution in the waters of the Osum in Berat; there are fears of an outbreak among those infected, some of whom have now ended up in hospital. *** - The new edition of “Dho...” has come off the press and is on sale in the Republic of Albania. *** - Albania’s “Albanian Trade Directory.” *** - A political victory for President Clinton: after ten years of failures, amid uncertainty and delays, the U.S. Congress passed the anti-crime bill he had introduced by 235 votes to 195. *** - The French contingent of the United Nations concentration force saw an Albanian bulldozer. *** - The urban transport fleet in Tirana has been expanded with 25 IVECO buses, brought in through the PHARE programme for passenger transport. *** - 100 Albanian illegal migrants, including 61 women and girls, were caught by the Carabinieri and repatriated from Otranto in recent days. *** - The crisis in Algeria continues. The fundamentalists set fire to 400 school buildings. *** - At last, dialogue is beginning between the government and five opposition parties. *** - Among those returning from Greece this week are 46 women described as “bar girls,” brought to Kakavijë by Greek police in a special bus. *** - For two weeks now, residents of the “Kodër” neighbourhood of Sarandë have been shut in.

Yesterday, at the offices of the newspaper «Voice of the People», a modest ceremony commemorated August 25, 1942, the day the first issue of this newspaper was published. At the ceremony it was emphasized that «Voice of the People», as the voice of the National Liberation antifascist war, played a primary role in the struggle against the foreign Nazi-fascist occupiers and the traitors of the country, and in raising the people’s national sentiments. «Voice of the People» is part of the national tradition and is the only Albanian newspaper whose journalists, press distributors and technical workers have fallen as martyrs for the homeland. Today, continuing its finest traditions, «Voice of the People» presents the alternative of a strong, independent Albania, for national dignity and human rights. Therefore, «Voice of the People» has more readers than all the others and is the largest newspaper in the country. In the evening, a reception was held for the ceremony’s participants. Correspondent of «Voice of the People»