After President Berisha’s round table with representatives of political parties

“We want to see concrete steps that will guarantee free and democratic elections”

Tell me a single case in which Mr. Berisha has settled any conflict, except those where he used violence, the rubber baton, such as against the strikers in Kukës, Burrel, and former political persecuted people everywhere in Albania?

Ilir Meta in Brussels Yesterday, the deputy chairman of the PSSH and chairman of FRESSH, Ilir Meta, left for Brussels, where he will take part in the Meeting of the Governing Council of the World Socialist International, held from 7 to 8 December 1995. Participation in this important meeting comes after a series of fruitful and constructive contacts between the PSSH and Western social-democratic forces, which have intensified recently. PSSH Press and Information Office

Statistics upside down Wages have increased by 10% — that is one of the president’s balloons. What irony, when in its latest report the International Labour Office (ILO) itself warns that Albanian wages are 50% below the living minimum or the real official poverty level! Another matter is that the Albanian government does not have the courage to say so. It is perhaps the only place in the world where there is no calculation of the basic economic indicators and where purely figurative economic growth is assessed. Exports over the 10-month period rose by 45%, while imports rose by only 11%. But what is the truth behind this indicator, when imports continue to be mostly nominal, because of the conjunctural rise in the price of chromium, which will make it easier for the rulers tomorrow when the opposite happens? Moreover, the President knows that the figure of 13% agricultural production growth has thus already recognized the decline that had begun, but why did he not say even a word about industrial production, or was he frightened by the big negative number? Since the concrete economic alternatives announced by the PS are in fact a “minefield” for our enemies, Berisha warned that diversion and pre-election manipulation would begin. According to him, the PS will raise taxes, while the PD is in favor of lowering them. In any case, Berisha did not dare to show who has so far driven taxes and levies sky-high, choking merchants and producers? Read on page 5

The family of Durim Çela addresses Parliament: This is the appeal made by the relatives of the former employee of Unit 88, who was killed on 4 August 1995 by his commander, officer Naim Ahmetaj The family of Durim Çela addresses Parliament: Do not let the problem fall into the path of self-justice This is the appeal made by the relatives of the former employee of Unit 88, who was killed on 4 August 1995 by his commander, officer Naim Ahmetaj Read on page 6

Shkodër: The trial for the 5 police officers began and was interrupted This refers to the trial of the 5 police officers accused of abuse of office in guarding the isolation rooms at the Internal Affairs Branch of Shkodër, from which on 9 September the 2 detainees Ndoc Lulati and Gëzim Tirana escaped Shkodër: The trial for the 5 police officers began and was interrupted - The main witnesses do not appear - This refers to the trial of the 5 police officers accused of abuse of office in guarding the isolation rooms at the Internal Affairs Branch of Shkodër, from which on 9 September the 2 detainees Ndoc Lulati and Gëzim Tirana escaped Did President Berisha know this fact when, answering a question at his latest press conference, he stated: “...people have not escaped from the courts, they have not been secretly escorted away, the killers have not been hidden, but have been brought before the law...” page 3

Incident in Liberia: Attempt to seize the “Shkodra”?[?] - Sailors fear “privatization through corruption” Incident in Liberia: Attempt to seize the “Shkodra”?[?] Boxing in the blue “ring”! - Sailors fear “privatization through corruption” “It was simply an argument between two sailors on the ship ‘Shkodra,’ in a port in Liberia a few days ago. Tonight it reaches the port of Casablanca in Morocco to be unloaded,” confirmed yesterday the director of the company “Albanian Merchant Fleet,” reduced to only 5 transoceanic ships. The information received by “Zëri i popullit” about an incident on the well-known ship — which is about to be privatized — also includes a representative of the Ministry of Transport, who naturally asked not to be identified and referred us to the Durres correspondent. In any case, in the statements of the two aforementioned people, there is a certain reluctance to provide details and caution, especially to minimize the sensational event. The boxing in the blue “ring,” in a port of the black state, has been carried entirely through the fleet’s radiosatellite waves. Sources from the operations branch also report that there were injured persons, but this has still not been confirmed by the people interviewed. These same voices also speak of attempts to seize the Shkodra, since there exists the hypothesis of “privatization through corruption” — a phrase frequently used by workers of this fleet — and the same has happened with other ships. The ships “Vlora,” “Tirana,” “Shkodra,” and “Durrësi” are in the waters of the suspected scandal, and complaints have been made about them in several[?] and in state inspections. Meanwhile it is learned that the fleet is in heavy debt[?], so much so that for 4-5 months the families of the sailors have not received wages, while the branch workers have not even received food allowances. Th.M.

Tomorrow you will read the full text of lawyer Sanxhaku’s letter addressed to President Berisha and the documents attached to it