The latest reports from the Council of Europe say that another full member, Latvia, has joined this European organization. The two other Baltic countries, Lithuania and Estonia, were admitted two years ago, while the Council of Europe made it a condition for Latvia that it improve its legislation concerning the status of the Russian population in the republic. Last July the Latvian parliament revised the law in question in accordance with international standards and, as a result, the Council of Europe admitted Latvia as its 34th member. On hearing the announcement of Latvia’s admission as a full member of the Council of Europe, every Albanian immediately turns their thoughts to their own country, which has continued for about three years to remain under the special status of observer. Here one begins to wonder: What are the reasons, and who is responsible, for preventing Albania from becoming a full member of the Council of Europe? From the time Albania was admitted with observer status, its official representatives have been clearly informed on several occasions of the basic criteria for admission. Numerous delegations from the Council of Europe have come to observe political developments in Albania, the actual observance of human rights as one of the basic conditions for admission, the drafting and adoption of a new constitution, etc. They have reached the now familiar conclusion that Albania is on the threshold of admission. Yet year after year it has failed to cross that threshold because the PD and its officials have not put the necessary admission criteria into practice. Thus, for example, in September 1993 the head of the Council of Europe delegation, Dejvit Atkinson, presented the adoption of a new democratic constitution as one of the basic criteria for membership in this European organization; it would also be examined by a special committee of the Council. At the end, Atkison concluded that «The ball remains in the Albanian side’s court». And, as is known, even after Atkinson’s visit (September 1993), the Albanian side did not manage to meet this criterion. It is now well known where responsibility lies for failing to meet this criterion: the adoption of a democratic constitution. Unfortunately, the PD drafted a constitution only for itself, to which the Albanians firmly said «NO» on 6 November. Over the last two or three years, PD propaganda has tried to shift the blame for Albania’s non-admission to the Council of Europe away from itself and place it on the opposition, principally the PS. Here too, the Council of Europe itself has made matters entirely clear. Dejvid Atkison stated at his press conference in Tirana: «No one from the Socialist Party of Albania has asked for Albania not to be admitted to the Council of Europe». It could not be said more clearly or directly. All opposition parties, including the PS, have clearly declared their support for Albania’s admission to the Council of Europe. What is preventing this admission is the policy pursued by the PD in power: its failure to respect a democratic constitution. The PD and its leaders did not heed even one of the opposition parties’ observations calling for a constitution for everyone living in Albania, regardless of political convictions, rather than one designed to be adopted by their minority in the People’s Assembly and then ratified by the people themselves in a referendum. The course of events is now well known. Three months have passed since the 6 November referendum, and the PD is obstructing… Human rights recognized in Albania and politically motivated trials. This is not simply a propaganda claim. A number of international mechanisms have recorded these violations and adopted relevant resolutions. We recall that the European Parliament adopted such a resolution. The Council of Europe itself has pointed out numerous such violations. At the Palace of Congresses in Tirana, Dunryer, a representative of the Council of Europe delegation, declared that the arrest of Fatos Nano was a political and legal problem. Likewise, the Council of the Inter-Parliamentary Union adopted a resolution on the «Nano Case». A mission from this body that visited Albania a short time ago called for the Nano case to be reconsidered because of the numerous violations. A recent preliminary report from the US State Department lists numerous human-rights violations, such as the arrests of journalists, beatings by the police, the Nano case, etc. Amnesty International, in its report on Albania, as well as the International Helsinki Federation, has also condemned human-rights violations in Albania. Without needing much comment, it is clear from the facts presented and many others in this area that the sole obstacle keeping Albania outside the doors of the Council of Europe to this day is the PD and its policy of failing in practice to respect human rights (regardless of the fact that a Human Rights Law has been adopted). It is the policy of the green-cardboard ballot that has obstructed the creation of a constitution acceptable to everyone living in Albania, regardless of their political beliefs. …all those who live in Albania, regardless of their political aspirations, so that it could be approved by their representatives in the People’s Assembly and since the November 6 referendum, and the PD is obstructing the consensus needed for the commission and the work on a new constitution. Such an action could once again keep «Albania» among the countries first in line to be accepted—a membership that is postponed year after year. Likewise, another reason why Albania continues to remain outside the doors of the Council of Europe is the systematic violation of all human rights (despite the Law on Human Rights having been adopted); it is the policy of the «lëshil» card that has hindered Albania, regardless of their political beliefs. Once again, it is this very «lëshil» card! The PD majority is obstructing, one way or another, the drafting of a constitution for everyone! If these criteria established by the Council of Europe are not respected, it is no wonder that this admission will once again be delayed, and that once again nothing will change for Albanians. LULZIM ÇOTA

The accusations against the Ministry of Defense are continuing and growing more serious. Figures of hundreds of thousands of dollars, already made public, have now been replaced by sums reaching millions of dollars. For yet another time, the mysterious firm «Mejko» has reappeared in connection with the Ministry of Defense. This time the firm’s hand is moving through the offices and corridors of the Ministry of Defense, the National Bank and the Council of Ministers. The matter concerns a loan of 1 million dollars taken out by this firm, but it is still not known where the responsibility lies for what ultimately happened to it. A full year ago, this issue became the subject of debate between the Ministry of Defense and the National Bank, which, under the rules in force, does not allow loans to be granted to institutions that are not budget-funded. For this purpose, the main buildings of the Ministry of Defense were mortgaged, including the Military Hotel, the National Army Center, the Wind Orchestra building and the Army Ensemble building. Does a commercial firm have the right to mortgage buildings that it does not administer? All three owners, at one point… and its commercial activity is operating at a loss, and it is unable to repay the loan it received, On the basis of this information published in the daily press, we first approached the Bank’s deputy governor, Mr. Lulzim Çili, who said that the Central Bank does not deal with loans at all, because granting them falls under the authority of other banks, which are recognized as having that right, such as the National Commercial Agricultural Bank, etc. Continuing our inquiries, the director of the National Commercial Bank, Mr. Ypi, said: «I am rarely in the office and have not yet had contact with such a matter. I cannot tell you anything definite right now», he concluded. After them, naturally, it was the turn of the director of the firm «Mejko», the successor to Mr. Kuci, Andrea Opari. We found him in his office, in conversation face to face with a senior military officer from the Ministry of Defense, leafing through a weapons catalogue whose pages clearly showed various weapon models. «I don’t have time to answer you,» he told me briefly. «I’m busy with work». A. M.

PETITION by 200 trade workers We, the employees of the 75 units of the Bread Sales Trading Enterprise, currently have the Privatization Agency’s documentation for 53 units; the others are ready, but are being blocked by the Municipality. We are seeing our units being sold under the table, without going before the board at all—worse still, some are being sold to people who are not even the real owners. When the bakery was privatized, its land was also paid for. Now we are forced to intensify our trade-union struggle, even to the point of a hunger strike. This is also because many of the administrative employees… …there is not the slightest willingness to help the workers, as is also shown by the fact that even those units that have been left to the owners are being considered for transfer to the persecuted, at a time when they have securities with which they can buy large and medium-sized properties, and there is no reason for them to spend securities on a unit worth no more than 1.5 million. There are about 200 of us employees who, throughout our lives, have earned no more than 350–390 lekë a month. We are the ones who faced and made great sacrifices during this period of transition as well, since we turned our shops into the most active centers of the struggle for democracy. But it seems that the broom is being wielded against us too. After a two-year struggle, unfortunately, as we see it, we are not winning; those plundering the national property are. We are convinced that one day they will have to answer for it. Finding no other solution, we have decided to begin a hunger strike on 13. 2. 1995. Once again, we call on you to come to your senses, because you are playing with the fate of 200 workers.

The price of meat, rice, health care, and urban and interurban transport has risen. Air travel has become cheaper. Run to it, just like the government officials! If the price index for January 1995, or for the following months, were compared with 1990, 1991 or even 1992, the differences would be extremely large. But even though the comparison is now being made with 1993, the increase is still considerable. This is no discovery, since people experience it every day. The problem is that prices are not rising at the same pace as wages, which are moving slowly. Indeed, there is not even an official figure for this, leaving people to judge for themselves on the basis of their budgets. But how does the price-increase index stand for food products and services? Here it is, according to the Institute of Statistics, the only official Albanian source. Groups | December 93 | December 94 | January 95 | Change January 95 / December 94 | Change January 95 / January 94 Food, beverages and tobacco | 100.00 | 107.25 | 109.77 | 2.4 | 7.4 Clothing and footwear | 100.00 | 104.90 | 104.75 | 0.1 | 4.6 Rent, water, energy, fuel | 100.00 | 222.09 | 222.15 | 0.0 | 121.2 Medical care | 100.00 | 148.17 | 150.51 | 1.6 | 43.8 Household goods and maintenance | 100.00 | 98.72 | 98.52 | 0.2 | 1.9 Transport and communications | 100.00 | 144.73 | 148.53 | 2.6 | 42.2 Education, cultural activities | 100.00 | 97.95 | 98.05 | 0.1 | 3.3 Personal care | 100.00 | 107.48 | 107.83 | 0.3 | 6.3 Total | 100.00 | 115.82 | 117.85 | 1.8 | 15.5 Thus, as the January 1995 indicators show, the consumer price index reached 117.85 percent compared with December 1993, recording an increase of 1.8 percent compared with the previous month and an increase of 15.5 percent compared with January 1994. Having drawn attention to the fact that price increases have intensified… [lower part partly illegible] …in industry or agriculture. Because of the economic policies being pursued, domestic production has still not recovered, which would create an abundance in the market. On the contrary, the market is full of imported goods, on whose purchase price in the market additional foreign [costs?] are imposed, and even more taxes and fees weigh on them, burd… [lower part cut off] It is also observed that, across all groups, the greatest price increases, according to the price increases reported by the Institute of Statistics, have been in food products, beverages and tobacco. Bread and cereals, meat and milk, oil by 3.5 percent, and rice by 4.6 percent have risen in price. By comparison, the «Meat and fish» sub-group registered an increase of 1.6 percent. (Continued on page 2)

— Blerim Çela reports …the conclusions of the inspection in Vlorë— Amid extraordinary public interest, and in the presence of dozens of officials, the council and the municipality, the district and mun… of the municipality, as well as participating journalists and attendees, the conclusions of the state inspection were read out. The work and activity of the team… The presentation in all the materials… [text cut off at the bottom] (Continued on page 2)

THE STATE AUDIT IS A JOKE An extraordinary number of frauds: administrative employees are concealing the conclusions of the state audit team, which completed its work a few days ago in Vlora. Employees of the district, municipality, communes, police, finance office, customs, tax branch and enterprises are under accusation. So far, none of the state audit’s measures has been put into practice. People rightly ask: does the state audit really exist, or is it a joke? G. TUSHE

MIGEL ANGEL MARTINEZ, President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe «Our requirements are connected with the key elements relating to respect for the law, human rights and democracy». DEJVID ATKINSON Observer for Albania on the Council of Europe Committee for non-member countries. «Albania cannot be admitted to the Council of Europe without adopting the constitution. Once the constitution is adopted, a special committee of the Council of Europe will come to examine whether it is in accordance with the parameters of European democracy». «The arrest of Fatos Nano is a political and legal problem».

The problems of the persecuted are not solved with a few shacks We who are writing are citizens, employed by the Tirana Municipal Lighting and Heating Enterprise. For several days, the enterprise management has informed us that the kerosene kiosks we operate are to be sold through the privatization board at the municipality, in the museum area, because the right to buy these shops belongs primarily to the landowners, then to the persecuted, and finally to us, the vendors. This surprises us. We think that we should be entitled to them. We are the ones who have worked in difficult conditions… As for the landowners, we agree that they should be compensated according to the law, but not at our expense. These owners cannot be accommodated by returning 10–20 square meters when they are entitled to hectares. All the retail outlets, right up to the large shops, are sold to the vendors. Can around 20 kerosene shacks really resolve the problems of the persecuted and the property owners? Why is it not taken into account that some of these units were equipped by the vendors themselves, from the electric stoves to the sewing machines, from the electric pumps to the shoe-repair equipment…? This issue has been brought to the attention of the enterprise management, which has kept us hopeful, saying that we would get the shops, but that as a rule they must go through the board. For these reasons, we ask that we be entitled to the shops, like all the other vendors across the country. A group of kerosene vendors, Tirana