In a statement dated November 9, [a situation] which continues for months at a time, and sometimes even lasts for years. In a statement dated November 9, [a situation] which continues for months at a time, and sometimes even lasts for years, the Albanian Helsinki Committee expressed its concern about conditions in Albanian prisons. It states that, despite some improvements having been made, old practices and regulations inherited from the past—which constitute serious violations of human-rights standards—are still often insisted upon. Thus, during the investigation period, the practice has continued of prohibiting prisoners from having contact with their family members, newspapers and radios (with the Bible and the Qur’an excluded), for months at a time and sometimes even for years. There is information that in Tirana prison, for example, prisoners become distressed, in particular circumstances, even over a single newspaper or book. This unjustified deprivation of detainees’ right to read and receive information constitutes a remnant of the past dictatorship and a violation of rights in a democracy. The same people may have investigated such a matter. All the more so in a political situation of this kind, where one should have experience and, since one is informed in this way, decisions do not seem to be forthcoming. The Albanian Helsinki Committee calls for measures to be taken as soon as possible to put an end to such unlawful methods.

By upholding the charges while releasing the four minority members who were in prison, the Court of Cassation delivered a decision that was as much juridical as diplomatic. The case of the OMONIA activists had long since become an issue in which diplomacy, interstate relations, national interests and the fate of Albanian emigrants in Greece were all intertwined. It seems that the Court of Cassation’s decision the day before yesterday resolved not only the fate of the four people serving sentences in prison and that of their families, but also many questions, predictions and hypotheses. In this case, Albania’s Court of Cassation rose above politics and gave it, in both countries, a message of political maturity. All sides seem satisfied, although there have still been no official reactions from either Tirana or Athens. Perhaps the governments are waiting and thinking before saying their first word. Perhaps that is much better. The state information and propaganda bodies, too, reported the release of the minority prisoners calmly and did not concoct special broadcasts in which opposition leaders would be accused of anti-national activity. The police also did not intervene against journalists and [unintelligible: “mbetare”], thereby at the same time sparing the feelings of two thirds of the Albanian electorate. Time has shown how right and natural the Socialist Party’s positions on relations with the neighbours were. Being genuinely aware of the great weight Albanians carry in the region, and as a party around which the majority is gathering, the Socialists have never resorted to unprincipled attacks on others and have never monopolized or exploited patriotism and love of country. The case of the five imprisoned minority members put Parliament, the government and Albanian diplomacy to a difficult test. But above all, it put the Albanian justice system and legislation to the test. Today is the time not only to reflect, but also to draw lessons for the days ahead. Lessons in particular. It is time to look realistically and directly at the level of Albanian diplomacy, which was embodied in Minister Serreqi’s speech in Parliament, where at first he said “that he is afraid,” then “of the second.” This is not simply a matter of muddling words, but of a complete lack of responsibility and seriousness. It is time to remind Minister Zhulali that Athens is not defended with oaths and televised protestations at a time when a crop-spraying aircraft can cripple our entire air-defence system. It is time to remind the government that the issue of religion in Albania is not solely a problem for the Orthodox archbishop, but concerns the training and support of clergy of all faiths, who today have no state support whatsoever. The unjust decision of the Court of Cassation was a message to politics and politicians. But it is certainly incomplete. If this decision will surely help reduce interstate tensions between Albania and Greece, there are still sharp issues in Albania that keep tensions high among Albanians themselves. Two Socialist Party chairmen and MP Fatos Nano are still in prison on fabricated charges and for purely political motives. It is time for Albanians to treat one another with [“mezençe” [?]], maturity[?] and tolerance as well. THOMA GELLÇI organs, did not invent special programs The police also did not intervene against the journalists and others who had gathered in front of Tirana Prison. Nothing of the sort happened. The arrest, investigation and trial of the OMONIA leaders took place amid heightened political relations and gave the entire process a distinctly political character. The accused became real hostages not only of the foreign policy of the two countries but also of their domestic politics. While in Athens Foreign Minister Papulias was summoning the consul together with the main Greek parties to discuss the positions to be adopted in Tirana, “a completely different policy was adopted. It was a policy shaped by the fever of a political war in principle, in which, to cover up failures and governing incompetence, the nationalist card was used against opposition forces. Not only individuals but major parties were accused of illegality, of being progressive, pro-Serb, etc. In the present case, national interests were Albanianized and, in fact, drawn into the framework of a state. Political concentration on their weight and influence in foreign policy is not justifiable...

IN PARLIAMENT: Socialists seek a motion of no confidence against Minister Zhulali During yesterday’s interpellation in the People’s Assembly, Defence Minister Safet Zhulali faced direct accusations from the Socialist Party parliamentary group over illegal actions during the campaign to approve the constitution in the referendum of November 6 last year. MP Adem Zyberi, deputy chairman of the parliamentary committee for defence, public order and SHIK, set out the legal case against Mr Zhulali. “You used the army’s personnel to campaign, Mr Defence Minister,” Mr Zyberi said, “calling on servicemen through officers to vote for the option chosen by the PD. You flew by helicopter from one garrison to another and asked conscripted soldiers to vote ‘yes’ to the draft constitution. Following your example, generals and senior officers campaigned, asking their subordinates to vote ‘yes’ in the referendum. It is well known that the army is a depoliticized institution and, as such, does not follow the politics of any party; consequently, no one has the right to propagandize political views within the army. Why was the law violated by forcing soldiers to attend rallies organized by the PD and its officials, Mr Minister? Why have you yourself, and senior army officers following your example, broken the law?” These were among the main questions addressed to the defence minister, who, as always, took an attitude befitting a militant of the party to which he belongs. — The Ministry of Defence is involved in other unlawful activities, such as trafficking in fuel, cigarettes, dollars, etc.; the justice authorities should take the necessary measures to clarify the issues being raised — For his part, he maintained a dismissive attitude. Zhulali stressed that he had not conducted any political campaign. “What I support,” he said, “is the constitutional order and the constitution drafted by a pluralist parliament.” The defence minister’s attempt to present himself to Parliament as depoliticized was a real bluff. “Depoliticizing the army does not mean that you cannot speak about democracy,” Zhulali explained. In this sense, he did not consider it a breach of the law to speak to soldiers about the country’s constitution. The arguments MP Zyberi presented on behalf of the PS parliamentary group were forceful. “You know that the government and the PD, not through parliamentary laws but through its own decisions, has privatized and continues to privatize national property, handing it over to its friends and associates, its militants. Apparently, you think the army is your private property too, and that you can use it to hold on to power at all costs by manipulating votes. In your party propaganda, you did not call for strengthening order and discipline or enforcing legality in the army; instead, you sought personal power for yourself and wanted the president to become commander-in-chief again, with unlimited powers.” MP Zyberi went on to tell him that the army was demanding that the defence minister answer the numerous accusations of illegal trafficking in weapons, fuel, cigarettes, etc., because these were the reasons servicemen voted against that draft. They were more informed and applied the law better than the minister, because they did not violate their military oath and served only their homeland and people with honour. The list of demands addressed to the defence minister grew more complete when he was reminded of the disastrous reform carried out in the army to date. The best officers and specialists in the various weapons and services branches had been thrown out of the army and onto the street solely because they held socialist convictions. They are also against the illegal privatization taking place in the army, where hundreds and thousands of military facilities have been turned into the private property of friends and associates, PD militants. “Military personnel are against corruption,” MP Zyberi told Minister Zhulali, “because they and officers of every rank (the whole people) have been subjected to difficult [conditions?], have been, Mr Minister, [unclear text]; you understand that they and the entire people have been [unclear text], soldiers are more honest and more impassioned.” In view of the serious legal violations committed by Defence Minister Safet Zhulali, and also taking into account the documented accusations that the Ministry of Defence is mired in corruption and unlawful activity, it was requested that the justice authorities take the necessary measures to clarify the issues raised. In view of the continuation and variety of the serious legal violations committed by the defence minister, the PS parliamentary group called for a motion of no confidence against him. As always, Mr Zhulali regarded the PS parliamentary group’s request as a direct attack on the army. “You want to lead Albania into regression and restore the past,” Zhulali said. Despite this, when [unclear text: “se zunulat Serbëve”], Përllumbi replied: “That is all you have left. Are you still at the bridge? Answer the accusations raised in the interpellation!” After these exchanges, Mr Zhulali began reciting verses that the great French writer V. Hugo had placed in the mouth of his character Gavroche. But Zhulali cannot be compared to Gavroche with the corruption involving weapons, cigarettes, dollars and [?] DRITAN PRISHTA ...or? violated the law? These were among the main questions put to the Minister of Defence, who, like everyone else, is a militant of the Party to which he belongs ... ...finished, and ... held on to power at all costs by manipulating the strengthening order and discipline or enforcing the law in the army, but for ... ...have been turned into private property belonging to friends and fellow PD militants. “Albanians and the officers ... ...of weapons and cigarettes, dollar[s?] and efj DRITAN PRISHTA

— Interpellation with Energy Minister Mr Avdyl Xhaja The continued deterioration in electricity supply over the past three years of PD rule prompted the Socialist parliamentary group to request an interpellation with the minister of energy resources, Mr Avdyl Xhaja. PS MP Alfred Paloka presented Parliament with the serious shortcomings observed in this sector, particularly the arbitrary power cuts that have left the populations of cities and villages in darkness for days and months at a time. The situation has become especially grave this winter. Why should the people have to experience such difficult situations through the fault of others? In this context, MP Paloka presented Minister Xhaja with arguments concerning the incompetence and negligence shown not only in maintaining the electricity network, but also in exploiting resources provided by the state or foreign investments. Have you analyzed the situation that has arisen, and what measures have been taken to overcome it? This was one of the questions addressed to Minister Xhaja, concerning electricity generation, its consumption by the population and industry, electricity exports, prices, thefts, and so on. It should be said that the minister appreciated the request and the concern of the Socialist MPs. He gave an overview of the present state of Albanian energy and of the problems that have arisen and need to be resolved. The difficult situations that have emerged in recent months (Continued on page 2)

— Vasil Gjika, PD MP: This is a serious threat. By December 1994, 4,500 unauthorized buildings had been erected in Tirana. — Dashamir Shehi, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Construction and Tourism: I do not deny this at all, and the responsibility lies with the Government. In a statement by PD MP Mr Vasil Gjika, speaking on behalf of the Committee on Industry, Construction and Transport about unauthorized construction, the problem was described as a serious, uncontrolled threat. Mr Gjika presented alarming figures to Parliament, which call for urgent preventive measures. In Tirana alone, 4,500 unauthorized buildings had been erected by December 1994, a situation that has placed a considerable strain on the capital’s water and electricity supplies, not to mention the sharp rise in crime figures. “We were unprepared to cope with the influx,” said the PD MP. According to him, even Council of Ministers Decision No. 69, dated 7.6.94, on the demolition of illegal buildings has not been implemented. In his view, the uncontrolled influx from ... different parts of the country, especially the northeastern region, can be dealt with by further completing the law and correctly implementing urban development plans. According to the information presented by MP Gjika, the situation is just as serious in the cities of Durrës, Korçë, Fier, etc. At the session, Mr Malasi gave the floor to Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Construction and Tourism Mr D. Shehi to provide the Government’s explanations. But before he had even reached the podium, attacks could be heard from PD MP Mr Kalakula, who was also waiting for answers to two questions he had previously asked about this situation. “I have many problems in my area,” Kalakula said, (Continued on page 2)

Interview with Dr. IDRIZ BASHA 1. How do you assess Europe’s gesture toward the Albanian Socialists? Do you think this also fills a political space for Albania in Europe? Of course, you know that, through free elections, the Socialists—whom some associate with people who were former communists—in Poland and Hungary, two countries with a Christian tradition, and in other countries as well, have won legislative elections. Today they are in power, with a coalition of ... [unclear passage] ... to address ... As for the orientation of the post-communists ... [unclear passage] 2. What personal contacts have you had with political circles in the European Parliament concerning these visits? Would you mind saying a few words about your colleague as well, so that the real Albanian political [representation?] may also be represented in Europe? More than a year ago, at my request, in the European Parliament, where I am a permanent guest, I met Mr Dury, a representative of the Socialist Group, who ... (Continued on page 3)

Albanian MPs in the Macedonian parliament protested against the action of the parliament’s Speaker, Andov, who did not allow MP Ramadani to speak in Albanian. The Albanian MPs demonstrated that this is permitted under four articles of the parliament’s rules of procedure. In connection with this, the parliament’s Deputy Speaker, Abdurrahman Haliti, submitted his irrevocable resignation. He described his action as an expression of his dissatisfaction with the way the parliament of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia operates, as it has no time for the most fundamental issues, such as interethnic relations.

Witnesses are absent again. Those who are to testify will be brought in by force. From the testimony heard at the Tirana Court: The trial of the defendants Arben Lika, Dashnor Shenaj, Hajredin Halili and Edmond Meçe, accused of the crime of “organized smuggling in cooperation and document forgery,” resumed yesterday at the Tirana Court, presided over by Vice-President Artan Zeneli. Once again, yesterday’s hearing focused on the testimony for the prosecution of the secretary and personal driver of Mr. Arben Lika, a former DP deputy and now chairman of the Albanian Youth Federation. In most cases, both witnesses gave accounts of the role they had played; the opposite happened with the third witness, Mr. Niko Deda, a witness at the Kakavijë customs post, who exchanged words with the defendant ... [illegible section] The proceedings resumed yesterday at the Tirana Court, as did the questioning by the defendants’ defense lawyers. Witness Deda explained that the consignment which arrived at the Kakavijë border crossing on September 17, 1994, had been provided with authentic documents and was treated as humanitarian aid for the movement of the mountain [unclear] in the region concerned, Mr. Dashamir Shenaj, and the driver, Manes Dervishi. Both had presented documents from the Government Aid Commission, signed by ... [cut off/unclear] (Continued on page 2)