— Tritan Shehu wants to scare the people with the “bogeyman” of agricultural cooperatives(!) — In its feverish efforts to defend by any means and at any cost the Draft Constitution on which people will vote on November 6, refusing any serious discussion of it, much less allowing even a single letter of it to be touched, the Democratic Party has launched an all-out attack whose essence, in the absence of arguments, is once again the specter of anti-communism. In this style and using this method, with the huge rallies in the background, the Democratic Party won the March 22, 1992 elections. But after more than two and a half years in power, its leaders still have not understood that the situation in Albania is not what it was then; that the DP, which presented itself as the “savior of the homeland” and the “authentic bearer of the ideals of democracy,” is now reaping the failures of its policies. In a sense, the November 6 referendum will also be a reckoning before the people for its serious failures in the economy, foreign policy, the accumulation of social problems, and so on. In this context, for the second time in a few days, the DP’s secretary-general, Tritan Shehu, appeared on television. In opposing the idea of an alternative draft constitution, raised by N. Dokle in a televised debate, he did not fail to speak of a phantom of communism supposedly roaming Albania, of “Central Committees” and “Albanian Leninists,” of agricultural cooperatives and other “open” matters. Seven draft constitutions have been put forward in Poland, from the president as well as from individual political forces. On the basis of these seven draft constitutions, a single one will be produced and submitted to parliament for approval. Asked by journalists during … the Polish ambassador in Tirana declared at a press conference the day before yesterday. It just slipped out, then, about the danger of turning back. The question arises: Why is the DP afraid of an alternative viewpoint, in this case another draft constitution that would compete with the draft constitution submitted for the November 6 referendum? The answer to this question lies in the very draft Constitution that has been presented—a draft with fundamental flaws and substantial deviations from the constitutions of countries whose form of government is a parliamentary republic. There are two fundamental flaws: first, the president’s expanded powers, under which, in nearly 40 instances according to the draft in question, he plays first fiddle in the state’s major affairs; and second, the subordination to the President, explicitly set out in this draft, of the judicial bodies, which weakens the principle of the independence of the three branches of government, a basic principle of every democratic constitution. It is interesting to see the position the DP has taken. The President and, foremost among those in power, his militants are defending the draft constitution. In essence, they say that the draft meets the highest European standards, belongs to a constitution that will stand the test of time, is

The Constitutional Court now has before it the requests of two parliamentary groups to declare President Berisha’s referendum unconstitutional. The distinguished judges are considering the matter, and we would never prejudge them, but… once it has delivered its judgment, we too have the right to offer our reasoning. It is well known that there was much debate about President Berisha’s idea concerning the appointed Assembly. Lists were even drawn up by the presidential personnel chiefs. The cult reached its peak with Eduard Selami’s statement: “Whoever is against President Berisha’s idea for the Assembly is against Albania!” But… it turned out like the barber story. The barber shaves everyone who does not shave themselves. But who shaves the barber? In mathematics, this phenomenon is called “Russell’s Paradox.” What about in politics? Mr. President shaved himself when he shifted from the Assembly to a referendum. Why did he do that? They say the Socialists told a group of experts from the staff of the American Congress three sentences. Regarding Mr. Berisha’s idea of an appointed Assembly, say the Socialists, we have only three sentences. If even a single letter of them is wrong, we will change course; indeed, we will even apologize to the President. First sentence: The Constitution is the fundamental law. Second sentence: Laws are made by legislators. Third sentence: Legislators are elected by the people. “That is so,” said the American specialists; not a single letter can be removed. How did Mr. Berisha find this out and move on to his second idea, bringing out the “neo-cad” not only in Selami’s statement but also in the entire DP parliamentary group (exactly 63 deputies, whose names were recorded in the Ervendit Popullor computer when they cast the unconstitutional vote). But there are once again three sentences concerning Berisha’s second idea, which, since there is no way to tell them to the others, we are telling the Constitutional Court: First sentence: Article 16/2 gives parliament the right to approve the Constitution. Second sentence: Article 16/7 gives parliament the right to decide on a referendum. Third sentence: Constitutional provisions may under no circumstances

IMPRESSIONS FROM KAVAJA Sali Berisha tells the people: Vote for the Constitution! Vote to enshrine the present situation, in which only Sali Berisha is to have the right to hold gatherings and rallies and the right to appear on television

To the President of the Republic, Mr. Sali Berisha To the Central Commission for the Referendum Vote, To the Chairman of the Council of Ministers, Mr. Aleksandër Meksi To the Minister of Public Order, Mr. Arbnor Musaraj Tirana In full compliance with the law adopted by parliament on the conduct of election campaigns, the Socialist Party has planned its work to hold meetings with its members and supporters. However, from the very beginning of the referendum campaign on the vote on the Constitution, we have been observing serious violations intended to block the lawful activities of the Socialist Party. According to information available to the Socialist Party, the authorities responsible for public order have responded negatively to the lawful and repeated request of the Gjirokastër Socialist Party Steering Committee to hold activities with the electorate. A Socialist meeting in the city of Gjirokastër has been refused, and the authorities have unlawfully obstructed a rally scheduled well in advance in the city of Libohovë. In a flagrant and wholly unlawful manner, by order of the Gjirokastër police station, all meetings between Socialist Party deputies and residents of the areas and villages of this district have been banned. This unconstitutional obstruction by the public order authorities of the activities of the Socialist Party in the city of Gjirokastër is being carried out under a pretext that has been used before. Thus, the response of the Gjirokastër police station to the request of the city’s Socialist Party states: “Given the current circumstances and the heavy workload of the police station, especially following the deterioration of relations with the neighboring state, and given the number and size of the participants and the venues where you are requesting to hold this gathering, we have no real means of ensuring order and peace during its conduct.” The police have also prevented deputy Theodhori Bej from holding meetings with the people in the villages of the Greek minority in the Gjirokastër district. This unlawful and arbitrary obstruction of the activities of the Socialist Party of Albania is in complete contradiction with the election law and the President’s decree on holding the referendum. These actions and attitudes point to the implementation of a strategy of tension, violence and terror, aimed at frightening people and creating conditions for unlawful actions and manipulation. The Socialist Party protests against this strategy of heightening tensions and calls for urgent measures to guarantee all the conditions needed for the normal conduct of the campaign for the referendum vote on the Constitution; for the immediate lifting of the obstruction of the lawful activities of the Socialist Party in Gjirokastër; and for the Socialist Party of Albania’s election campaign to proceed normally and without tension. Deputy Chairman of the Socialist Party of Albania SERVET PËLLUMBI

Recently, in one of the many speeches the president has given in various districts of the country, it was stressed that this draft constitution being presented to the people today would be embraced by everyone. This itself ensures that the president is often seen at the most critical moments for himself and for the PD. It is precisely during election campaigns that Berisha strikes the pose of a popular leader who burns day and night and strives for this people. But while he, together with those in power and the leaders of the PD, continues competing over who can speak and pose more beautifully on television, ordinary people, who make up the majority of the electorate, are thinking about how to get through one more day of poverty. There are thousands of workers in the city of Durrës wandering the streets without work, cast aside by those very people who today have, remarkably, woken from their lethargic sleep, with the people’s happiness as their number-one concern (?) You have heard the same words about the people just a few days before the referendum. (Continued on page 3)

the right of Parliament to decide on the referendum The third word: Constitutional provisions can under no circumstances exclude one another Conclusion: The referendum (Article 16/7) can take place only after the Constitution has been approved by Parliament (Article 16/2). Why is the Constitutional Court hesitating to suspend the holding of the Referendum?! We have an unconstitutional procedure for making the Constitution... Will we also have an unconstitutional ruling from a Constitutional Court? NAMIK DOKLE deputy

According to the newspaper «Koha Jonë», Albanian President Sali Berisha has put a new condition into circulation in response to the NATO Secretary General’s question about Albania’s placement in NATO—once the presidency of the president from Vlora, Disha, ends, Albania should have the post of Minister of Foreign Affairs. And so Kastriot i Jankut? Berisha was replying to the prime minister that Berisha was in the prime minister’s seat, because there was one of the journalists. [partly illegible] Such confusion, it is said, is something exceptional in the world’s diplomatic newspapers: he is being called inexperienced. This incident shows Berisha very well how close his inner-circle advisers are to him; but perhaps this is not the only case. In this confusion, the matter may also be that it is sufficient to consult the referendum that was discussed and approved in Parliament. Still, it would be good for a good newspaper to [illegible] verify the dictator’s silence well in advance of the ratification of the constitution.

Whoever watched the television news the night before last, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the liberation of the city of Lushnjë from the fascist occupiers and their collaborators, also saw Tritani of the Party, with more than 15 ministers—of the Party. When I listened to Tritani’s speech, I said to myself: he is finished. Day after day, he is trying, and his career has also been given by the Party and for the Party. On the 18th, in the same vein as he spoke on TV a few days ago about the draft con- [Continued on page 4] ...stitution, he spoke the same way in Lushnjë. The Socialist Party and its lackeys, who do not want the constitution, Tritani said, want the return of cooperatives, want collectivization, want..., (here I did not understand what he meant), that is, they want the struggle against bourgeois-revisionist ideology. More or less, that is what he said. According to Tritani, the 16 parties that have lined up to boycott or to

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claims to appear on television. Doesn’t this campaign alone show why this draft constitution should not be voted for?

For some time, there have been attempts to fabricate a «split among the socialists» in the columns of certain so-called newspapers. As soon as someone changes jobs for entirely normal reasons, the word «split» is immediately invoked. As soon as an RD journalist asks whether the PS will split up and who will create the new party, the Socialist Alliance, other journalists ruled by ideas of diversion rather than respect for accurate information invent unprecedented alibis. The same thing was done yesterday by a journalist whose name includes the word «Information» but who often spreads disinformation. This time he outdid even RD by inventing such slander. «RD suggests that it be done, and also a clear, accurate and open comparison»

[continued] At the press conference, the PS deputy chairman Servet Pëllumbi was observed in «deshku» in a duel with the eurosocialists. Is it of his own making, or has «AS» or someone whispered to him that the PD sees dreams even during the day of splitting the socialists? Is it of his own making, or has someone whispered to him that the PD’s greater choice is motivated by concern for him, and that even the leader of the Democratic Youth Forum, Mr. Lika, denounced the eurosocialist boys, Majko, Legjisti and thousands of others like them as smugglers? They make up the living force that safeguards the PS. The beauty of their reasoning frightens the PD. So—we say to him that when he writes about «division», he creates another one, only a «division»