- The comments of Socialist and Social Democratic MPs are not taken into account - Interview with MP Femi Abdiu, member of the Commission for drafting the Draft Constitution, given to editor Hamdi Jupe Mr. Fehmi, you were at the meeting of the Commission for approving the Draft Constitution, which took place on 29 November. What information can you give the public about this meeting? For many new developments from the meeting of the Draft Constitution Commission—many successes. The Constitutional Draft Commission, finally, ... concentrated, put into effect ... of the Democratic Party, as it once declared, with a concentrated blow, for opening the canals, for ... the trees, etc. The Commission worked late into the night to approve the final draft of the Constitution. Contrary to what had been decided, after the Commission had tasked ... specialists to ... the Commission with a solution for the Constitution, according to a ... accepted by all Commission members, and the final draft of the Constitution was submitted; and at the audible insistence of the majority ... of Mr. Tritan Shehu ... of the Party with the authors... titled as a whole the final draft of the Constitution. So, contrary to what was expected, while we were waiting to discuss the Constitutional Court definitively, it was announced that the specialists had completed the final draft and that, of necessity, discussion and approval of it had to be completed at that meeting. As for the issue of the Constitutional Court, in the draft that was said to have been approved in summary form, what became of the treatment of the Constitutional Court? Many “discoveries” have been made in this draft. It does not reflect the most important points on which we, the Socialist Party MPs and the Social Democratic Party MPs who are members of the Commission, had comments, and which, at our insistence, were reflected in two alternatives. Whereas in the draft discussed earlier these five issues were presented in two alternatives, in the one reviewed without restraint not a single issue existed in two alternatives. Apparently, one of these alternatives had been put in Mr. Tritan Shehu’s pocket, and the other was in the pocket of the chairman of the Democratic Party, who will soon take the draft around the world. In the end, the option for the Constitutional Court has remained neither fish nor fowl. While it has been decided that there will be a Constitutional Court (unlike what was once contemplated, a Constitutional Council), at the same time it has been decided that the issues and powers of the Constitutional Court will be resolved by the Court of Cassation. This is precisely the issue that earlier caused the major dispute between the heads of the Constitutional Court and the Court of Cassation, who are also members of the Draft Constitution Commission. This issue was left in a haze. In fact, even the comments made at the last meeting by representatives of the aforementioned courts were not taken into account. What mattered was only that, at 10 p.m. that night, the Commission majority’s insistence, viewed “in passing,” should get the draft through and have it deemed approved, without voting on any provision. For this reason, Socialist MPs who are members of the Draft Constitution Commission and PSD MPs protested several times. They insisted that their comments and proposals be drafted, as had previously been decided, and that many issues be put to a vote in light of the latest comments and suggestions. But it was no use. The SOS flag had been raised, and the Leadership was waiting at 10 p.m. for the work to conclude. After that hour, they say, the signal was given that the Draft had been approved. How do you assess this rush to approve the Draft, when the Constitution has been under discussion for about three years? We also stated our view at the last meeting that no parliamentary or non-parliamentary political force opposes speeding up the approval of the Constitution. Precisely for this reason, considering it a very urgent matter, we proposed that the Commission suspend any other state, parliamentary, etc. work and work continuously, starting that very day, solely to complete the draft. But the DP leaders who were Commission members, including the chairman of the parliamentary group ... (Continued on page 2)

- Hearing cancelled by the prosecutor - The odyssey of the trial over the Libofshë incidents began in Fier According to a letter dated [date not specified], the trial was to take place yesterday, Friday, 29 September 1994, and signed by the chairman of the Fier court, Mr. Piro Sota; it was announced that the trial of the people responsible for the Libofshë crime would take place on 30 September. The case concerns the trial of Behar Plaka; Dhimitraq K... (Continued on page 4)

Fier Agron Braçe, Fier police chief, transferred to Ballsh - His clan and that of Behar Plaka, implicated in Libofshë through their actions and inactions, remain untouched in the Fier Public Order Department. - Mr. Agron Braçe, chief of police in Fier, has been transferred to the same post at the Ballsh district police station as part of a personnel reshuffle. Well-informed sources in the city of Fier reported that the transfer took place on the eve of the socialist season [unclear in source]. Regarding Prime Minister Meksi and the grave incident in Libofshë, Agron Braçe was accused by Socialist MPs of having participated, at the head of Fier’s public-order forces, in the beating of Socialist Party MPs and activists who were observing the 29 Ma Ft elections in Libofshë, where the voters’ free will was severely violated in every respect. But he did not appear on the list of people indicted in the trial that began yesterday in Fier concerning the Libofshë case. The source said that although Agron Braçe had left the Fier Public Order Department, his clan and that of the commune chairman Kuman Behar Plaka—implicated in Libofshë and a defendant in the trial—had undergone no changes and still felt powerful. Perhaps the trial, if justice is carried out and a just verdict delivered, will strike this clan implicated in Libofshë. ENCO DUKA

Mr. Konstantopoulos, chairman of the Coalition Party of the Left and Progress Alliance of Greece, said this at a press conference. said Mr. Konstantopoulos, chairman of the Coalition Party of the Left and Progress Alliance of Greece, at a press conference. As has been reported, a delegation of Greece was in Albania. As the head of the delegation and chairman of the party, Nicos Konstantopoulos, stated at a press conference yesterday morning, they had met with all Albanian political parties, had also held meetings in the minority area, and had met Archbishop Janullatos. In his opening remarks, Mr. Konstantopoulos stressed that they had decided to come to Albania with the aim of contributing to the normalization of relations between the two countries and creating a climate of dialogue. In his view, tension is in the interest neither of Albania nor of Greece, nor of the future of relations between the two countries. “First, respect for the existing borders in accordance with the principles of Helsinki and the CSCE. Second, implementation in practice and advancement by Albania of the decisions and recommendations of the CSCE and its commissioner for a fair solution to minority issues and for human freedoms and rights. Third, fair regulation of the work and movement of Albanian emigrants in Greece, in accordance with the CSCE convention.” And fourth, foreign policy in both countries should not be influenced by extreme views in Greece and Albania. He then emphasized that the Greek minority in Albania and Albanian emigrants in Greece should not be used as political cards. He expressed the hope that this would be the last winter in relations ... between the two countries. Later, responding to journalists’ questions, he stressed that these four points had been presented in Tirana and Athens by their party leadership. He praised the position of the leaders of the Greek minority and said that this minority should ... (Continued from page 2) of the minority and Archbishop Janu-l(l)otos. the creation of a climate of dialogue. In his view, heightened tensions are in the interest of neither Albania nor Greece, nor of the future of relations between them. He said that all the Albanian political parties had expressed the same view regarding the need for dialogue between Tirana and Athens, and that this party wanted all these statements not to remain merely statements. According to this party, dialogue could begin on the basis of four pil-

From Parliament Ibrahim Baçi, MP There are some laws passed by Parliament for which the people’s saying “measure seven times and cut once” is highly pertinent. The speed with which these laws are passed cannot be justified either by the pace of legislative work or by the mindset and practice of “better a bad law today than no law at all.” I consider the law “On taxation of property in the Republic of ...” to be one of these. Subjectivist, automatic and voluntarist action in drafting and approving a law is difficult to remedy later and has consequences for the people, the state, political parties, the balance between those in power, the minority and the opposition. ... concerning the land tax some time ago. This is also borne out by the President of the Republic’s decree today, which makes some attempts to correct the errors we made when approving that law. I do not wish to dwell here on reiterating that, when we discussed this law, the Socialist Party parliamentary group stated that the land tax was premature and that it could have been approved if it were to come into force in 1995. We still hold this view. But, out of respect for the rule of law and democratic rules, ... we cannot remain silent today about the President’s decree either. We regret to note that this decree merely attempts to make some corrections to the land-tax law and does not escape subjectivism, amateurism and voluntarism. In our opinion, this places responsibility on the President’s staff as well. The Socialist Party is aware of the necessity of a land tax. This is because the state budget is in a difficult situation and needs to be replenished, including through contributions from private farmers. This is because it knows that the peasantry needs many investments from local or central government. It needs drinking water, roads, irrigation, road repairs, telephone service, improvements to the healthcare service network, etc., etc. Funds for these investments will ... (Continued on page 2) (Continued on page 2)

Durrës

From various sources, including infectious-disease services, the water utility, and different citizens, we have been informed that a considerable number of patients infected with the typhoid virus have been admitted to the infectious-diseases ward of Durrës hospital; the hospital directorate also confirmed this news. The severe state of poor hygiene—the mixing of drinking water with sewage in many neighborhoods of the city of Durrës, despite the “alarm” raised by local government bodies and the hygiene directorate—is what has made the city of Durrës face the risk of a typhoid epidemic following the cholera outbreak in several districts of the country. In the face of this situation, silence or minimizing the epidemic risk does not help resolve the issue. Intervention and urgent measures are needed to prevent the further spread of the epidemic; the Achilles’ heel is funding. Does the government and the health service have the funds? On this point, too, they must be transparent. Correspondent of “Zëri i popullit”

. On the occasion of the 45th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, at 18:00 on September 30, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the PRC of China in Albania, Mr. TAO Miaofa, hosted a reception attended by representatives of the Presidency and Government; party officials, politicians and representatives of various associations; friends and well-wishers of the Chinese people; representatives of the diplomatic corps accredited in Tirana, etc. The reception took place in a warm and friendly atmosphere. “Correspondent of ‘Zëri i popullit’”

. First typhoid patients. Residents of neighborhood 5 in this city brought this concern to the newspaper yesterday. According to them, the cause of this epidemic, which followed the cholera outbreak in Albania, is that for more than a week the residents of this neighborhood have been drinking water mixed with ... sewage channels. In the last two days, the first patients began to be counted; fortunately, adults and not children have been affected. GJIROKASTËR. Of the 360 residential apartments requested by the city municipality for 1994, the Ministry of Construction, Housing and General Territorial Planning and the National Housing Entity have finally taken ... to make available to residents ... and projects to be built. KUKËS. The cultural association “Pjetri Box,” founded recently by intellectuals and creators from the Kukës district, ... through its activity and ...

. New Zealand, with a healthy economy, is suffering from the spread of the cancer of juvenile crime, while its victims are often, in most cases, young people who are innocent or vulnerable. The facts are shocking. Violent crime rose by 28% through June. BOGOTA. The war on drugs has shifted to the water, after Colombian security forces claimed yesterday that they had seized a mine ... equipped with radar and nearby, used to smuggle tons of narcotics by sea. DELHI. Two people died of pneumonic plague in Delhi, the first deaths from the disease in India’s capital, hospital officials said yesterday. Both victims, one 18 years old and a 6-year-old boy, died at the Pandian Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) from a form of ...

Beyond the official statistics . The country’s egg “Larmunirë.” ... Albania’s poultry production ... eggs, began the season of ... preparation and sorting ... Without stopping to get specific ... for privatization ... others. ... all 87 eggs in the country ... increase more than those ... the hens are seen forced to ... And these fall ... to ... “Durrësi” ... imports ... more ... Until ... the increase of ... ... “Formula” ...

Tiranë . The customs scandal reaches court. Before the judicial panel chaired by Bendo on October 12, Nabil Siblin and Besi Bliolli, directors of customs, as well as 8 other customs officers, will appear. At 9:00 on October 12, 8 people accused ... organized ... by the prosecution ... will appear before the Tirana court ... Nabil Siblin ... director ... of customs ... He said ... Bliolli ... customs officers ... 8K Hani, Th. Dilo, V. Labani ... accused of ... For this ... the Tirana court ... Nabil Siblin ... is ... Bendo ... in ... The customs officers ... .

ALBANIANS ARE CONVINCED WHEN THEY ARE TOLD WHAT HAS BEEN PRODUCED WITH LEPER [unclear in source] . The official 8 percent increase in the country’s output ... remains like the true figures ... ordinary people. Many of them, after ... their parents, meanwhile expect that in 1994 they will eat 8 percent more, dress 5 percent better, be helped 8 percent more... be deceived 8 percent less...

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