The left will win in Albania too Dr. Servet Pëllumbi: "The Socialist Party offers a positive, left-wing alternative for taking the country out of crisis and putting it on the path of normal development"... Yesterday in Tirana, under the direction of the deputy chairman of the Socialist Party, Dr. Servet Pëllumbi, the meeting of the Party's Executive General Committee was held. The agenda included two issues: 1-Discussion of the draft electoral program of the Socialist Party, 2-Approval of the criteria for proposing candidates for deputy and for representatives of local government in the upcoming parliamentary and local elections. In his opening remarks, Dr. Servet Pëllumbi emphasized the importance of the Party's work in the current situation and especially the importance of the electoral program and the criteria for selecting candidates. The discussion then turned to the content of the material presented by the Party Presidency, which forms the backbone of the future electoral program. More than 15 members of the Executive General Committee took part in the discussion. The General Executive Committee decided: 23 March 1996 - The second Congress of the Socialist Party of Albania -The Congress will approve the electoral program and the candidates for deputy -By January, the Socialist Party conferences in the districts will be completed. -The committee for developing the electoral program is approved -For each electoral zone, 3 candidates will be proposed -The candidates for deputy will declare their wealth and its sources. Read on page 3 Dr. Servet Pëllumbi; The General Executive Committee decided: 23 March 1996 - The second Congress of the Socialist Party of Albania

The Albanian parliament has been turned into an additional arm of the administration and of the PD, which means that it has not simply been trampled underfoot but has been lost completely. By Neshat Tozaj Page 2

-Interview with Armand Sino, Chairman of the Social Democratic Youth Forum and the Chairman of the Agrarian Youth Forum and Deputy Chairman of the Agrarian Party, Edlir Petani Read on page 1

With the Minister of Culture in the government of Macedonia, Eshref Aliu Page 9

From today the presidency, government and local authorities are controlled by the left Kvasnievski The new president officially takes office today

To Mr. Franc Vranicki Chairman of the Social Democratic Party Vienna-Austria Dear Mr. Vranicki The convincing victory of the Austrian SPD in the parliamentary elections of 17 December this year has been welcomed and greeted by all members and supporters of the Socialist Party as well as all other progressive Albanian forces. This is further proof of the superiority and vitality of the Austrian social-democratic alternative, an integral and active part of the international socialist movement. At the same time, it constitutes a great encouragement for the other social-democratic and socialist forces in Central and Eastern Europe as well as for the Albanian Socialist Party. Allow me on this occasion, on behalf of the Presidency of the PSSH and of its imprisoned political chairman Fatos Nano, to extend to you and to all the leaders, members and supporters of the Austrian SPD my most sincere congratulations on this resounding victory. We take this opportunity to express our conviction that the relations of understanding, dialogue and mutual support which have been steadily strengthening between our two sister parties will rise to even higher levels, for the benefit of friendship and cooperation between our two friendly countries and peoples. Joint greeting DR. SERVET PËLLUMBI Deputy Chairman of the PSSH Tirana, 22 December 1995