The year that has passed left the young with a whole host of political question marks. Particularly its final days, with public accusations against a number of former ministers and deputies, loaded the situation with new tensions that fuel speculation and people’s curiosity, already oversaturated with the allure of politics. Because the year-end holiday lasts only two days, and life then returns to its usual course—abnormal, that is, when it comes to Albanian politics. Two former ministers facing criminal proceedings, two deputies, also former ministers, with a request to have their immunity lifted. The President of the Court of Cassation under accusation? What is happening in Albania? A genuine broad-front battle against corruption, or a spectacular show for particular political purposes? Why all this three days before the holiday, and could it not have been done earlier or later? The full answers to these questions will come in the days ahead. But the material we have in hand allows us to draw some conclusions and make predictions even now. The first interpretation of the events at the end of the year would be that the senior leadership of the party in power has decided to begin a real fight against corruption. A number of factors lead to this conclusion. President Berisha himself and the leaders of the PD publicly acknowledged that the “No” vote on November 6 was, among other things, a protest vote against the much-discussed corruption. But this (forced) admission of theirs had a sting in its tail: people logically asked the question: if there is corruption, then who are the corrupt ones? Some statements attributing corruption to a municipal mayor or a customs officer did not quell people’s anger; and there were plenty of angry people within the ranks of the PD itself. Between the lines of the speeches, it was also said that it should be edited? This is the first version of what is to come. draw some conclusions and make predictions even now. As for its activists in the districts, it is not difficult to read their nervousness when the word “corrup-tion” is mentioned. The leaders’ nervousness stemmed from the ground shifting beneath their feet, and one day it would erupt somewhere. If we also take into account the struggle between groups and clans within the PD itself, seeking someone to blame for the referendum defeat, it is reasonable to believe that the time has finally come to confront corruption in the party in power. This is the first, and most desirable, interpretation of the events at the end of the past year. After all, whoever has violated the law must answer for it, and “a terrible end” would be better than “terror without end” in the Democrats’ camp. But there are also facts that make one believe in other, opposite versions. HAMDI JUPE (Continued on page 2)

The first “gift” from the Meksi-3 Government for 1995 From the first days of the new year, passengers on urban and interurban buses were confronted with demands by ticket sellers for higher urban and interurban fares. At first, people thought they were dealing with abuses by the ticket sellers. But yesterday it became clear that this was not the case. By a decision dated ... January, fuel prices have been raised considerably and, consequently, so have passenger fares. Thus, on urban routes, fares have risen to 7 lekë from 5 lekë, an increase of 40 percent. The increase in fares on interurban routes has not yet been determined, owing to the confusion this has created between vehicle owners and passengers. This is also because no official announcement has been made about the increase in fares that is to follow the 30 percent rise in fuel prices, which will bring about a chain increase in prices throughout the entire pyramid of the Albanian economy. Correspondent of “Zëri i Popullit” urban and interurban buses were faced with conductors demanding higher fares for urban and interurban tickets. At first, people thought the conductors were taking advantage of them. case. By a decision of the Democratic Government, as of [cut-off text] January, fuel prices have risen sharply ticket prices however, has not yet been specified because of the confusion caused by this. Correspondent of «Zëri i Popullit» [Unclear phrase] was then being announced to made regarding the increase in ticket prices resulting from the rise in fuel prices, by an average of 30 percent, which will bring about a chain reaction of price increases throughout the pyramid of the Albanian economy.

Press conference by the Minister of the Interior 9508 or 7423 crimes? 265 murders, or one murder every 33 hours; an attempted murder every 16 hours. - 9508 or 7423 crimes? 265 murders, or one murder every 33 hours; an attempted murder every 16 hours - Police violence against citizens on the rise. Musaraj: NO! 10,000 or 17,700 police officers? 1 police officer per 300 residents or 1 per 169 residents? “The year that passed was a year of achievements and satisfactory results; the police have proved highly capable in enforcing the law”—these are two of the findings made at midday before journalists by Mr. Agron Musaraj, the former Minister of Public Order, recently appointed Minister of the Interior, about the work of the department he heads. “Accurate” in his carefully chosen phrasing, accompanied by an explanatory report, Mr. Musaraj also made public the year’s crime chronicle for Albanians, describing the work of the police—the work that might somewhat brighten this chronicle—as satisfactory. The Minister draws this assessment ... But how accurate is Mr. Musaraj’s assessment? At the start of this year, has he been confronted with the multitude of reports published in the independent and opposition media about murders, kidnappings, trafficking in clandestine migrants, fuel trafficking, and, more importantly, with reports by specialized international organizations that place Albania at the center of drug trafficking as well as violations of ... The Minister of the Interior presented figures: 1967—crimes against the person; 265—intentional murders; 287—attempted murders; 4048—crimes against property; 2290—thefts of another person’s property; 214—robberies of another person’s property; 46—cultivation of narcotic plants and drug trafficking. These figures appeared in the explanatory report presented by Mr. Musaraj. The figures are significant, as is the comparison with 1993, according to which crime has fallen. But one can still ask how accurate this is. Without knowing what criteria were used in compiling the table, or whether the figures include or encompass other things, a simple mathematical calculation shows that there were 9503 crimes in total, not 7423 as the Minister says; consequently, the crime-clearance rate is not 85 percent but 74 percent. In any case, we hope that our police will move forward and stand alongside the police forces of the advanced ... (Continued on page 2)

- To all deputies of the People’s Assembly, press organizations, and mass media, I, Bardha Selenica, a judge of the Court of Cassation, declare that the Greek citizen Kostandinos Kallavas came before this court accused of the criminal offense of possession and sale of narcotic substances, as provided for by Article 134/2 of the Criminal Code. The ruling of the court of first instance and of the Court of Appeal, which sentenced him to four years’ imprisonment, was based on this provision. It is evident from the materials in the case file that ...

Interview with Dr. Angjstaz Angjeli, Deputy of the People’s Assembly, given to journalist S. Rrahmani — Continuation of economic reforms to achieve: Change - Development - Justice - Security. — Fiscal policy to encourage and protect domestic production, and liberalization and facilitation for foreign investors. Question: What message does the PSSH convey through its Program to its supporters and to the entire Albanian people? Answer: Taking this opportunity, first of all, I would like to wish the editorial staff of the newspaper “Zëri i Popullit” and all its readers a successful year of work. The presentation of the PSSH Program, which is now widely known, was a necessity not only in the political life of the Socialist Party but undoubtedly also in the political life of the whole country. It is a clear political expression of the PS, of its European vision, and of the responsibility the PS assumes for the fate of the country, political pluralism, democracy, and the continuation of market-economy reforms, with the aim of achieving: CHANGE - DEVELOPMENT - JUSTICE - SECURITY. The PSSH Program is also an appropriation, reflection, and expression of progressive national and international heritage: of the experience of political and economic reforms in the countries of Eastern Europe and of the Albanian experience following the overthrow of the communist dictatorship. In this way, it provides an answer to Albanian political opinion and beyond on the question of what is happening with the PS. The Program is also clear proof that the Socialist Party guarantees the continuation of democratic reforms and the market economy, which ensures that Albania will not turn back. Question: The program gives significant attention to resolving the PS’s economic alternative. How is it conceived, and what is being done to implement it in practice? Answer: Undoubtedly, the presentation of the PS’s economic alternative occupies an important place in the Program. This alternative—the social market economy alternative—has been conceived in the Program on the basis of the theoretical and practical experience of the social market economies of Western and Eastern countries that have embarked on transformation, the continuation of economic reforms in our country, and specific studies of the actual state of the Albanian economy at its present stage. All this has convinced us that this alternative, this model, is the most suitable for developing economic reforms in Albania. In pursuing the establishment of a social market economy, the PS bases this model on a mixed market economy, supported by three distinct forms of ownership: public, private, and collective, with the aim of making private ownership predominant, while all three forms of ownership are equal before the law and compete freely under market conditions. In this way, we believe we can at the same time transform the economy and production structures more effectively while managing the crisis better. This will create the conditions for the Albanian economy to change from a market economy without production, which consumes only what it imports, into a market economy that invests, produces, provides employment, imports and exports, and consumes according to the rules of the market game. That is why all the theses put forward in the PSSH Fundamental Program, and especially those concerning the economic alternative, have for some time been undergoing debate among a broad group of economists and specialists, on the basis of specific studies, from which the PS electoral program is being prepared. This program aims in detail to achieve several objectives, which I believe may also include: (Continued on page 3)

The city’s hospital complex, consisting mainly of old buildings, has been renovated and damaged from time to time. Given the current condition of the hospitals and the sudden growth in the population (around 120 thousand inhabitants), there is a need to build a new hospital. About 10.5 million dollars were invested, mainly by the Islamic Bank of the International Fund for Development, to build a general hospital; of this amount, 5 million dollars were financed by the OPEC Fund, 4.5 million dollars by the Islamic Bank, and 1 million dollars by the state budget. The agreement for this purpose stipulates that 2 percent of the investment will be used to repay the loan, which will have a term of 17 years, with no payments of any kind due during the first 5 years. According to the agreement, the new hospital in the city of Durrës is to be built within a period of 4 years, with a capacity of 170 beds and the ability to serve around 400 patients a day, including highly specialized departments, surgery, cardiology, and a modern laboratory. But there is still no sign of construction work, even though several months have passed since this aid was granted. Meanwhile, the need for this hospital is very great. MIRELA NDINI to the new hospital in the city of Durrës will be built within a four-year period, surgery, cardiology, and a modern laboratory. But construction work on it is still nowhere to be seen, although several months have passed since this assistance great. MIRELA NDINI

1994 IS OVER. THE LAW AND DECISION HAVE BEEN DELAYED That is how it is: the 27 former cooperatives in the Gjirokastër district, now administratively incorporated into 11 communes, have long since submitted their liquidation documents to the bank. The laws, bylaws and decisions stated that everything had to be completed by the end of 1994. The year ended, but the accounts of the former cooperatives did not. Many commissions have been set up to deal with property (re-privatization, privatization, joint ownership, etc.). They delve deeply into the matter over time, establishing valid property rights [unclear text] and dividing up new assets as well. Their work has not been obstructed. As for the assets of the former cooperatives and former cooperative members, these long-suffering collective partners, the documents for which have still not been clarified, the work proceeds slowly and with delays. Ordinary state officials say nothing, and those who have spent their whole lives [unclear text] or have become farmers apparently have no need for that little money or those few goods! Correspondent of «Zëri i Popullit»

ELBASAN The electricity network was unstable on New Year's Eve, precisely because of the heavy load. In several apartment blocks in the city, electricity was out for hours; meanwhile, where there were partial faults, residents did not wait for the electricians to arrive to get the lights on, but intervened in the network themselves. These interventions resulted in many household electrical appliances burning out. In the «11 Nëntori» neighborhood, in just one apartment building, number 579-1, 9 televisions, 2 video players, and a refrigerator stopped working, as well as several radios and tape recorders. Several other families in different neighborhoods of the city suffered the same fate because of the arrival of excessively high voltage. For them, the New Year really did come at a very high cost. SEJDIN CEKANI

KAKAVIE This year, hundreds of thousands of people working in Greece found it easy to come home and enjoy Christmas and New Year, even though they do not have valid residence visas. This followed an initiative by the leaders of the Omonia organization at high levels of the Greek state and ministry, allowing border crossings during the period from December 15 to January 15 with a document obtained from the police offices there. Their return to the places where they are employed was normal and trouble-free during these first days of the New Year. THANAS DYNO

Letter from the President of the Court of Cassation, Zef Brozi, addressed to: The President of the People’s Assembly The Parliamentary Groups of the PD, PS, PSD, and the Deputies of the PR, PAD, PDD. Honorable deputies, Thanking you for your position of 29.12.1994, I wish to explain to you the request by the Prosecutor General to have my immunity lifted. I regret that the President of Parliament, Mr. Pjetër Arbnori, sent me the letter dated 30.12.1994 at 8:57, one day after the matter had been discussed in Parliament. Why are such secret and intriguing things being done against the President of the Court of Cassation? I assure you that I have kept my word to Parliament that “in this office I will be guided only by the Constitution and the law, and not by the instructions, orders, or wishes of anyone whatsoever,” and this is the only position I will maintain in the future as well. I will remain determined in my struggle for an independent judiciary and in our common fight against corruption. I believe Parliament will no longer allow diktats. The President

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