For Albanian socialists, the most important thing is their ongoing social-democratic orientation. It was Fatos Nano who formulated this advanced democratic stance long ago. He has declared his very modern political motto: “Neither with communism, nor with anti-communism.” Page 2

“Regarding the press and mass media noise over the so-called ‘erasure’ of Marx’s philosophy, mentioned in the introduction to the PS program, alongside such directions as Enlightenment philosophy, humanist philosophy, etc., I addressed the deputy secretary of the PS, Dr. Servet Pëllumbi, who declared to “Zëri i Popullit”: Nothing of the sort happened at the last meeting of the PS Presidency. Therefore, what is being presented as truth is a dream of Berisha and the other easalinj who supposedly saw it together somewhere. But dreams remain dreams even when seen with open eyes. The fate of the PS is decided neither in Berisha’s cabinet nor in audiences, where protocol is never forgotten. Even less can its fate be determined by the games of the press and the state RTV.”

The Democratic Party has no allies among the political forces Today our newspaper publishes a joint statement by all the political forces of Gjirokastra, which strongly denounce organized crime in this sensitive area of Southern Albania. These days, a petition from the councils of all the political forces in the Fier district, calling for the release of Fatos Nano, was also published in “Zëri”. Only later did a request from several major Albanian opposition parties reach the editorial office, denouncing the police violence carried out against the President of the Court of Cassation and his staff. Yesterday, a representative of the forces grouped in the Right League was added to this group. What do all these facts tell us? They express a great truth: that naturally, without being noticed, but through the logic of life and the need for understanding and dialogue, all Albanians, and especially all political forces, are interested in reaching an agreement. And they are finding the way toward this noble goal. The situation in the country demands it; the least painful possible overcoming of the difficulties brought by the transition demands it. This shows that the democratic potential is on the side of the opposition, because democracy means, first and foremost, reaching agreement. The only political force excluded from this spirit of understanding, tolerance and necessary dialogue is the Democratic Party. This is a paradoxical situation at first glance. But in the logic of life, in the logic of pluralism and the laws it imposes, it is natural that the PD should now find itself in a day of great loneliness. It finds no ally in the Albanian political spectrum. Everyone opposes it, everyone has become its enemy, it intrigues everyone, and everyone expects an ambush from it. So it is itself to blame for the situation created in Albanian political life. “What is happening to the PD, to the ‘party of great hopes,’ which today seeks to put Berisha in the middle to raise his morale, because he has hit rock bottom?” The Democratic Party was an anti-communist force that never managed to become a genuine political party with a program, statute, electorate, aims, or seriousness. It remained in the hands of clans that, especially after March 22, sought to subjugate the poor branches of Albania, while counting their gains with satisfaction: a post, a tender, a bribe, a trip abroad, a scholarship. True democrats left the Democratic Party, not without pain, because it disappointed them in their dreams of a better life, of a democratic Albania, where the laws of democracy are not toyed with or manipulated. They are sacred. Meanwhile, while the Democratic Party tries to twist things by reminding everyone of barracks discipline and demanding membership in this party from every person employed by the state, it is entirely logical and necessary that the other political forces should seek, within the political alternatives they represent, what they have in common, and what they should do to oppose the manifestations that undermine the democratic aspirations they represent. The Socialists have united, from the extremes of the program, the President, for non-coalitions that would suit Albania in this difficult period of transition. Albania needs only one proper coalition: to establish democracy, to allow the homeland to breathe, to enrich people and their spirit.

Socialists and social democrats are asking Meksi to explain himself before Parliament The attack by the executive power on the judiciary has also transferred the crisis to Parliament this afternoon. Although it had been announced that Parliament would begin work yesterday in the autumn session, that did not happen. Everything was shut down before it even opened, at 10:00 a.m., and the deputies left the chamber and the internal and external areas of the Albanian Parliament headquarters. For more than two hours, the Presidium of Parliament discussed the agenda and what would be submitted to Parliament for approval. The two afternoon hours had been preceded by about two hours of meetings in the morning. And after four hours of debate, Parliament was unable to open at all. The crisis was clearly fueled by the latest event—considered a military attack on the Court of Cassation— which occurred on Wednesday morning inside the premises of the highest court in Albania. Yesterday morning, the representatives in Parliament of the PSD and the PS—members of a group of opposition parties—asked the Presidium of Parliament to open parliamentary work with an emergency question session for Prime Minister Meksi regarding the police siege of the Cassation. But nothing was achieved in the morning, and nothing was achieved in the afternoon. The Socialists and Social Democrats did not move from their demand, while the Democrats, represented by S[h]apia, Arb[n]ori and others, did not move from their position: nothing had happened at Cassation, they are certainly there. The three-to-three result blocked everything. Thus Parliament began the session in crisis. Its most serious crisis yet. But this will resume tomorrow when the Presidium will meet at noon and at 6:00 p.m. it is again said that Parliament will open. It will open..!! ERION BRAÇE

The President of the Socialist Youth International, Mr. Roger Hallhag, today in Tirana Today the President of the Socialist Youth International, Mr. Roger Hallhag, arrives in Tirana at the invitation of FRESSH. Undoubtedly, the movement of a historic delegation for the entire democratic left movement in Albania will have historic importance. After the visits of members of the delegations of the Socialist and Social Democratic Youth of Western Europe to the Socialist Youth International itself, today’s visit by President Hollhag demonstrates that the curve of political trust enjoyed by FRESSH among young European socialists is always on the rise. The significance of this working visit is truly multifaceted. The President of IUSY, one of our political friends in Albania, is coming to the youth movement at a time when, only a few months from now, Albanians will go to the polls, at a time when FRESSH, through its chairman, is sounding an SOS to its peers: return to Albanian political life to defend your vital interests from further abuse by those in power. The message of the visit is clear: FRESSH makes up the largest part of that wonderful, idealistic youth generation that is fully capable of reviving the nation, that is capable of defending the ideals of the life of the 1990s, that is capable of fighting corruption of the “Albanian type.” The visit of the President of IUSY takes place only a few days before the Congress of the Socialist Youth International in the city, and its significance is great. Starting from the current relations that IUSY has with FRESSH, and especially from the trust we have in the success of Mr. Hollhag’s visit to Albania, we have the right to hope that the FRESSH delegation to this important congress will secure even greater political support from the European social democrats, winning what truly belongs to it also in international politics. This will perhaps be “ratified” immediately after the IUSY Congress by the visit that the Vice President of IUSY, the Norwegian Rita Ottervik, will make to Albania. The political cooperation program between IUSY and FRESH is being implemented at the highest level! We once again wish Mr. Hollhag success in his visit to Albania. GJERGJI KOJA International Secretary of FRESH On Saturday at 11:00 a.m. at the PS Headquarters, ROGER HALLHAG and ILIR META will hold a Press Conference