In parliament: Zhulali and Teta ask for their immunity to be lifted. PD paradox: Zhulali is applauded by those who voted to dismiss him. Teta: I have a duty to repay Zhulali in kind. Zhulali and Teta ask for their immunity to be lifted. PD paradox: Zhulali is applauded by those who voted to dismiss him. Teta: I have a duty to repay Zhulali in kind. The interpellation with the chairman of KSHSH, Mr. Çela, continued yesterday during the morning session as well. Once again, his answers were confused and had no concrete focus. No names, no senior officials, no ministry were mentioned by him, on the general grounds that corruption is present and must be fought. But yesterday’s interpellation also revealed Mr. Çela’s tendency to localize corruption at the level of local government. And this was not without a clear purpose, which he himself expressed several times, repeatedly saying that socialists dominate half of local government. His answers sought to create a new image in the public’s mind: that corruption is now a present-day phenomenon with which socialist-elected representatives in local government have also had to contend. With statements like these, Mr. Çela once again showed that not only is he powerless to fight it in the state administration, where this corruption is rampant, but that he also wants to conceal it, once again showing himself to be merely a loyal party man. In his answers, he said only that corruption must be fought, but offered nothing concrete about how this fight would be carried out. He said inspections had been conducted of mines, stoves, and “Iveko” vehicles, but not a word about the organized smuggling of fuel and cigarettes, or the activities of the “Shqiponja” and “Meiko” companies, etc. Replying to deputy Bufi, Mr. Çela said that the national wealth was not subject to such oversight, and that we wanted effective measures to combat this phenomenon. Deputy Cani then took the floor, saying that Mr. Çela had tried to tell the truth, but had thrown out a sack when there was still a whole bag left. Corruption, he continued, is a disease, but unfortunately it has affected only the PD, because it is in power. We socialists hope that we will come to power and are confident that we will be rid of this disease. Turning to the state of the banking system, he said that it was now rotten and could no longer fulfill the tasks required of it in a market economy. “Are judges being paid?” was one of the questions put to him, to which he replied: “If you read the last line in the first paragraph on page 30, you will…” Such an answer needs little comment, but it shows how seriously the fight against corruption is being taken in these bodies. Deputy Paloka replied to this by saying: “The judiciary is completely corrupt, but unfortunately no one has been punished,” a statement with which Mr. Çela fully agreed, openly demonstrating once again his inability to speak out or denounce anyone of that kind. Regarding questions about investments in customs, and his statement that no inspections had been carried out, deputy Dokle said: “Mr. Çela is not so naïve, but he is a fool; he needs to polish up the Meksi government, which cannot cover up the dirty cloak of corruption draped over it. Mr. Çela mentioned former ministers,” Dokle continued, “but where are the ministers, and how much do they help him in his work? Does he know what the problem is with the metal boxes installed at points of sale and how their tender was organized? Does he know who owns the kiosks in the little gardens in the center and in front of the Art Gallery? The people do not want talk and propaganda,” he concluded, “but effective measures to fight it.” With his latest interpellation before the deputies, Çela once again crossed the river, hoping that the smoke he had raised would conceal the truth. Unfortunately, however, he convinced people even more that corruption cannot be fought when its cover-up starts at the top of the pyramid. After Çela’s speech, without a smile, with a sliding gait and a cigarette in his hand, the much-talked-about Minister of Defense, Safet Zhulali, took his place at the podium. With a pensive expression, emphasized even more by his hair falling over his forehead, and with a low, slow voice, he seemed not only deeply concerned but also as if he were about to say something very important. And indeed, that proved to be the case: “I am very concerned,” he began, “because secret material is being published in the press and interpretations are being made that aim to destroy the state.” And as if the state had been reduced to nothing but [The article continues beyond the edge of the image.]

From the press conference of the President of the Republic — A lesson on Marxism at the Presidency of the Republic — From the press conference of the President of the Republic Only the sovereign can cure Berisha of party fever — A lesson on Marxism at the Presidency of the Republic — BERISHA: — Communism died, but neocommunism is alive — The Socialists have repeatedly given their consent to Albania’s admission to the EC — If the people give the Socialists their vote, I will respect their verdict — I will leave the PD if it forms an alliance with the PS For more than an hour, journalists had the opportunity to listen to a lecture on Marxism delivered to them by the President of the Republic. All the answers to questions concerning aspects of the country’s domestic politics were permeated by the specter of Marxism. In this way, the President of the Republic appeared before journalists and the public yesterday with no presidential decorum, but simply as a fanatical party man. The President’s appearance in the open role of a sick party partisan has its reasons. The President came to this press conference a few days after the Extraordinary Conference of the PD, where his party was left without a chairman. And so Berisha is compelled to lead and defend his own party directly and openly. This does not honor the standing of the President of the Republic, who legally represents the unity of the people. But this is no longer a problem for Berisha. But what did the party man Berisha say at the press conference? He openly attacked the Socialist Party, or, as he put it, the socialist leadership, because according to him ordinary left-wing socialists are different from their leadership. This is a well-known tactic after its failure during the campaign for the constitutional referendum, a tactic now anathematized even by Berisha’s own supporters. Berisha’s attacks on the Socialists were numerous and harsh. He accused the Socialists of not approving the constitution, of being against reforms and privatization, and of the fact that an alliance with them would be a failure for the country, etc. According to Berisha, the socialist alternative is “the embryo of a great misfortune for the future.” All this, he says, is because the Socialists base their program on Marxism. The prolonged forms of indoctrination during Berisha’s 25 years as a member of the PPSH have done their work! Berisha has never before launched such an open attack on the Socialists from the podium of the President of the Republic. The reasons for this anti-socialist situation can easily be explained by the deep crisis that the PD is experiencing today, a crisis felt most acutely by its de facto leader, Mr. Berisha. Faced with the ever-growing authority and prestige of the Socialists, both at home and abroad, Berisha has no choice but to hurl Zeus’s thunderbolts at them. But these “thunderbolts” proved ineffective on 6 November last year. Berisha cannot forget that. That is why he is forced to acknowledge certain truths, perhaps truths connected to (Continued on page 3)

Dissatisfaction following 6 November is evident 66 percent of Albanians are dissatisfied with the way democracy is being established The Representative of the European Community in Tirana, Mr. Elio Germano, makes the Eurobarometer figures public Yesterday, at the office of the European Community’s representation in Tirana, its representative, Mr. Elio Germano, made public the indicators compiled by the “Xhekson” Institute but commissioned by the European Community. “I am here with two…,” Mr. Germano began, “where the representatives of the press, radio, television and ATSH have gathered, to make the Eurobarometer indicators public, just as my colleagues are doing at the same time in all the countries of Eastern and Central Europe. The survey organized by the European institute took into account the opinions of 18,000 people in Eastern and Central Europe, of whom 1,034 were Albanian. They were interviewed from 7 to 16 November 1994, a period that coincides spontaneously with the moment when the constitution was rejected in the referendum in Albania, which was interpreted as an expression of the Albanian electorate’s dissatisfaction with the country’s governance, and which has also left its mark on the Eurobarometer indicators. “The purpose of this test (Continued on page 3) A. ASHIKU

BULQIZË No loans for the Socialists Authoritative sources inside the Bulqizë Commercial Bank confirm what is being said openly throughout the town: loans for urgent employment and living needs in Bulqizë are granted only on the PD’s instructions. Among the documents required to obtain a loan, the word of the PD leaders is of primary importance. Without their approval, no one in Bulqizë has so far obtained a bank loan. During the past year, the Commercial Bank granted loans in this town to more than 30 people, all on the PD’s instructions. No member or sympathizer of the PS was given a loan. The same internal bank sources report that more than 13 million lekë remain overdue and unpaid. The bank’s demands for repayment of loans have often met with the response: “What’s it to you? The Party gave me the loans!” A. ASHIKU

— The compromises of the Independent Trade Union are leaving workers high and dry — The textile combine in Berat is now showing the final signs of bankruptcy. This is also being demonstrated by the spontaneous strike movement of recent days here, in this workers’ center, one of the largest in the country. Until 1992, this combine had over 10,000 employees. For many years it had high production figures and never once operated at a loss. But the famous reform had to be carried out, putting 7,000 employees out of work, especially those at the combine. The reform was signed by the Independent Trade Union and the Combine Directorate, leaving about 3,000 employees at work. But the reform of the PD, the government and the independent union is strange, because the “woodcutter’s axe” also fell on the 3,000 workers who remained. This created discontent and a spontaneous revolt. Another Independent Trade Union tried to exploit this revolt for its own particular interests. Before a one-day strike, a demonstration was held from the Combine to (Continued on page 3)

The newspaper RD, on 7 March 1995, under the headline “The DPSh has kept its word, has fulfilled the contract with the electorate...” published the report and the main materials from the discussions at the extraordinary conference of the DP, held on 5 March 1995. I read them all carefully. “Indeed,” it had kept its word. 1. National reconciliation and unity It was “implemented” because the call for a national assembly was systematically sabotaged, precisely by the DPSh. Now we are experiencing the greatest division in our history. Even at the conference, thunderous divisive statements were made. Meanwhile, the Albanian issue, which had been loudly trumpeted as something that would be resolved, was compromised even further. Never until now has a common option been reached. Today there are five Albanian policies on the Albanian issue. The DP has often taken on the role of dividing Albanian parties beyond the borders, while, on the other hand, it has sabotaged the creation of a round table of Albanian political forces on both sides of the border to develop the optimal option for resolving the Albanian issue. 2. It was promised that the values of the National Liberation War would be appreciated and protected In fact, they were condemned, and the condemnation continues. The heroes of that war were exhumed like thieves, they were re-educated, imprisoned, and what was done to them is plain to see. All the historical museums of that war were destroyed or closed. All the sites commemorating it, including the martyrs’ cemeteries, were demolished or damaged. On the other hand, under the mask of “reconciliation,” the heroes and mercenaries of fascism were elevated—the savage occupiers of the homeland, from whom it had taken the spilling of the blood of 1 2? thousand Albanians to liberate it—were exhumed and reburied with great pomp, decorated, placed at the head of the country, and given command, while they savagely plundered the people’s wealth and enriched themselves with the people’s sweat and blood. 3. Paradise was promised to the electorate Unemployment and poverty were sown for the vast majority of the people. You, DP, sowed misery, insecurity, institutional crime, drugs, AIDS, cholera—what did you not sow? You turned Albania into a country of the international mafia, smuggling, arms trafficking, fuel trafficking, and even discrimination. You turned it into a center for trafficking clandestine migrants [?] from almost the whole world. You brought the anxiety of unemployment, insecurity, and anxiety about the children’s future. What other disaster will you bring? You destroyed everything positive. You set fire to everything, with the uneducated and the ignorant. Is this what fulfilling the contract with the electorate means? Even at the extraordinary conference, instead of delivering messages of understanding and tolerance, you delivered anti-democratic messages and let loose thunderbolts. Slander and accusations were made, and others were accused of being monstrous. You have nothing to do, so you beat the donkey and hit the saddle! And you have the nerve to boast about an assembly such as the extraordinary conference of a party in power, yet you do not have the courage to tell the electorate where the real roots of poverty lie? DYTËRIMI HASANI In the party press, Berisha the socialist leadership, because the socialists themselves, according to him, are different from their leadership. This is a familiar tactic, denounced during the campaign for the constitutional referendum and now condemned even by Berisha’s own supporters. Berisha’s attacks.

The Second Congress of the Party of European Socialists held its proceedings in Barcelona from 6 to 8 March Ilir Meta, vice-chairman of the PSSH, also attended this congress. During his stay in Barcelona, he held meetings with leaders of the Socialist Party and social-democratic parties in Europe, and with the Socialist Group in the European Parliament and in the Council of Europe. Press and Information Office of the PSSH