From the meeting of the General Steering Committee: The Socialist Party determined to take power

“Let us fight to dismantle the PD’s strategy of tensions, to recognize and burn Berisha’s сценарios.” “Let us fight to dismantle the PD’s strategy of tensions, to recognize and burn Berisha’s scenarios. The means: the final electoral offensive. The political action in defense of democracy, of human rights and freedoms, and of the opposition is “decisive.” The socialist elected officials - representatives of the majority of the Albanian electorate - came out yesterday with this message from their extraordinary meeting held at the Central Headquarters in Tirana. “From today we must consider ourselves in an electoral situation. All the efforts of Meksi and Berisha are directed toward the upcoming elections. The law “On genocide,” the law “On some changes in the budget,” and the new electoral law that is being prepared are precisely aimed at this purpose” - the deputy secretary of the PSSH, Professor Servet Pëllumbi, stated yesterday before the highest socialist forum and then proposed to it “the creation of a Central Electoral Commission,” which, among other things, will present the draft socialist electoral platform as well as the criteria for socialist candidates. Thus, from 13 October of this year - the day when the Steering Committee of the PSSH will decide on the proposals - the largest Albanian party will function as a single electoral organism with the sole aim of winning the upcoming elections. The many speakers yesterday spoke in function of this goal, defined not as an end in itself but as a mission to carry democratic processes forward in the country. “In such circumstances we are the main political force that can advance the democratic processes and save the country from the collapse into which Berisha’s PD has plunged it. Objectively, such a mission is placed upon us; the PD has lost the opportunity given to it by the electorate” - said the deputy secretary of the PSSH yesterday. To meet this mission, the socialist elected officials expressed yesterday the need to raise the Party’s work to the highest level. For this purpose, the highest socialist forum was presented yesterday with the proposal to convene the electoral Congress of the PSSH, which will approve the socialist electoral platform and the socialist candidates. Everything was sketched out yesterday and it seems that after two weeks a vote of confidence will be taken in a kind of special session. A vote of confidence in electoral victory. Meanwhile, the pre-election socialist tour will begin next week, on Monday, when the socialist activists of Durrës will gather for a rally at the Sports Palace. (continued on page 2)

Rallies and protests - a legal and democratic means to defend freedoms and constitutional rights

- Interview with Dr. Prof. Rexhep Mejdani given to BBC Radio - -On the political level, democracy and democratic space suffered a considerable blow in the personal struggle within the Democratic Party itself. The megalomania of the victor, the refusal to accept defeat, after the surprises in the local government elections was reflected in the expulsion from the party of the communist group, while after the failure of the Referendum, in the weakening and complete isolation of the Islamist wing. Another political blow to democracy was the imprisonment, through an accelerated procedure, of the socialist leader, which brought Albanian political life to a boiling point. Likewise, the ruthless attacks full of slander against other leaders of the opposition parties were part of this anti-democratic scenario. The ancient Roman thesis “divide and rule” finds its original form in the splitting into two of several parties and associations, and even of the Albanians on the other side in Macedonia. Page 3

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Press communiqué of the General Steering Committee of the Socialist Party The General Steering Committee of the Socialist Party held an extraordinary meeting on 29 September to examine the current political situation in the country. After discussing with a realistic spirit and with particular concern all the latest developments; After evaluating the political positions of the Presidency and the parliamentary group of the PS; After denouncing the anti-democratic actions of the Berisha regime against the independence of the judicial bodies and the direct aims against the chairman of the PS, Fatos Nano; After emphasizing that the confrontational and destabilizing policy, as well as the illegal actions of the state and the majority against the opposition, will be opposed with the people’s confidence in our alternative; The General Steering Committee of the PS decided: Within the next two weeks, broad meetings and consultations will be held with all structures and levels of the Party and its supporters, and on 13 October 1995 the General Committee will meet again to decide on the following issues: 1. The establishment of the Electoral Central Committee of the PS. 2. The convening of its pre-election Congress, at which the electoral platform and program and the PS candidacies for the upcoming elections will be discussed and approved. 3. The electoral map and the district and zone committees are to be defined. 4. Increasing the efficiency of the work of the leading structures and improving their organization. 5. Examining the political possibilities for pre-election and post-election alliances. 6. Identifying and more effectively organizing international support for the PS during the election campaign.

“Let us fight to dismantle the PD’s strategy of tensions, to recognize and burn Berisha’s scenarios” Read on pages 2 - 3

By SEJFULLA MALËSHOVA Page 13