THE CHAIRMAN OF THE PSDSh ADDRESSES THE CONSTITUTIONAL COURT OF ALBANIA - Gjinushi to the judges: A just ruling would pave the way for the implementation of Article 27-a of Law 7491, which gives Parliament the right to determine the President’s responsibility for this violation - THE CHAIRMAN OF THE PSDSh ADDRESSES THE CONSTITUTIONAL COURT OF ALBANIA The blackmail with the files by «RD» against Berisha and Gazidede is unconstitutional - Gjinushi to the judges: A just ruling would pave the way for the implementation of Article 27-a of Law 7491, which gives Parliament the right to determine the President’s responsibility for this violation - - Declaration that the manipulations and blackmail carried out by the newspaper «RD» using the files of the former State Security, and by the head of SHIK and the President of the Republic through their inaction and silence, are unconstitutional; this activity is in conflict with Article 5 of Law 7692; «The obligation of the President of the Republic to fulfil and respect the duties arising from Article 28.1 of Law 7491»—this is the subject of the petition with which the Chairman of the Social Democratic Party of Albania, Mr. Skënder Gjinushi, has addressed the Constitutional Court of Albania for adjudication. A harsh response from the leader of Albanian social democracy. It all came as a result of a sustained attack full of insults, slander and public humiliation that the pro-government newspaper «Rilindja Demokratike» has carried out continuously, and especially during the past week, against Mr. Gjinushi. The most violent accusation against him came precisely on Thursday, when, under the headline «The End of a Political Careerist», the newspaper «RD» described him, among other things, as a «collaborator» of the former State Security who spied on his friends when he was a student in Paris. Mr. Gjinushi responded during the past week in two interviews given to the independent newspapers «Populli Po» and «Dita Informacion», at the same time making public the fact that he would sue the President of the Republic and the Head of the Albanian Information Service. Meanwhile, just yesterday, he addressed the Constitutional Court of Albania. «In the absence of a law on opening the files of the former State Security, many institutions, press organs and public officials conduct investigations, apply pressure and even blackmail various politicians by accusing them of having been former agents of the State Security,» Mr. Gjinushi states in his submission to the Constitutional Court. Referring to Albanian legislation, Mr. Gjinushi regards all this activity as unconstitutional: «From the foregoing, it is clear that we are facing an illegal, unconstitutional, anti-democratic and pre-dictatorial situation; such actions seriously violate the dignity of the people targeted, thereby infringing one of the fundamental human rights guaranteed by Constitutional Law 7692, dated 31.3.1993, the first paragraph of Article 5, which states: “A person’s private life and dignity may not be violated,”» reasons the social democratic leader. But his reasoning goes further, implicating directly the number-one figure of the Albanian state, the President of the Republic, Mr. Sali Berisha. Referring to the legislation defining the powers of the President of the Republic and the Constitutional Law on Fundamental Human Rights and Freedoms, the PSD chairman says: «It is known that among the main powers of the President of the Republic is ensuring respect for the Constitution and Article 5 of Law 7692. This obligation is imposed by Article 28.1 of Law 7491, which states: “The President...” (Continued on page 3)

At the Tirana Court; - The judicial investigation against Luan M. Rama, deputy editor-in-chief of the newspaper «Zëri i Popullit», has concluded - - On Friday, June 9, the Prosecutor’s Office of the Prosecutor - At the Tirana Court; «The Press Law» — a sharp sword against journalists - The judicial investigation against Luan M. Rama, deputy editor-in-chief of the newspaper «Zëri i Popullit», has concluded - - On Friday, June 9, the Prosecutor’s Office of the Prosecutor - Popullit», appeared once again before the Tirana Court as a defendant. At 11 o’clock, the second judicial-investigation hearing opened, presided over by the session chairman, Mr. Petrit Kaja, and in the presence of the prosecuting attorney, Arison Puka, and defence lawyer Gazmend Zeneli. During the hearing, Luan M. Rama remained standing for almost two hours, giving detailed explanations about the newspaper’s practice for publishing articles, how they are checked and verified, and the specific procedures for publishing the article for which he is accused. At the outset, the session chairman, Petrit Kaja, made known the contents of the criminal-record certificates of the citizens mentioned in the article about which citizen Asqeri Boçi had filed a complaint. At the end of the hearing, these were entered as documentary evidence together with the relevant issue of «Zëri i Popullit» and Mr. Boçi’s complaint. Asked after the hearing, the deputy editor-in-chief of «Zëri i Popullit» told the newspapers: «I have no objection to the session chairman, nor to the prosecutor or the citizen who filed the lawsuit. But, meanwhile, I cannot say the same about the “Press Law”; it is a completely anti-democratic law, and so are those who wrote and approved this perverse law.» In any case, the trial continues. Luan M. Rama will appear before the Tirana Court again as a defendant to hear Prosecutor Puka’s closing argument on Friday, June 9, at 12 o’clock. The Press Law, which is nothing other than a sharp sword against journalists, exposes the deputy editor-in-chief of «Zëri i Popullit» to a fine of up to 800,000 new lekë or up to one year of imprisonment. What position will the prosecutor take? Will he ask for Luan M. Rama to be found guilty? ◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆

Some press reports are shocking. We list those that appeared in the past few days: - In the first days of June, two children were abducted in the middle of Tirana, in «Avni Rustemi» Square. After escaping their abductors, they described their painful experience. They were taken to a shack somewhere far away (apparently in the district of Fier), where they spent the night together with 20 other children, to have their identities checked. But even if one treats this with a degree of reserve, it is now clear that abductions are increasing and that this is becoming one of the most serious forms of rising criminality. An alarming warning came from Italy several weeks ago, when a group of children returned to their homeland after a hair-raising ordeal, begging in the streets of Italian cities. — taken to a shack somewhere far away (most likely with 20 other children who had also been abducted. Only someone who happened to pass nearby helped them regain their freedom («Koha Jonë», June 2, 1995). — Five underage girls from the village of Melcias in Lushnjë have disappeared without a trace («Dita Informacion», June 4, 1995). — A 13-year-old girl from Tepelena was abducted and taken to Vlorë, where she was locked in a hotel that may be a shelter for abducted underage girls, intended to be taken to Italy («Gazeta Shqiptare», June 4, 1995). Child abduction is becoming an increasingly common phenomenon. It is reaching extremely worrying proportions. This particularly inhumane crime must attract the special attention of our community. Are the reports appearing in the press entirely accurate? It is the duty of the competent authorities—who have been informed—to take the urgent measures required to address this extremely dangerous phenomenon, which threatens the lives and futures of children and the peace of families. In these circumstances, the Albanian Helsinki Committee considers it appropriate to appeal directly to the People’s Assembly to examine this matter itself and demand accountability for taking adequate measures to put an immediate stop to this criminal practice. The Albanian Helsinki Committee. Tirana, June 5, 1995.

- Following the PSSH, the PSDSH also calls, through a draft law, for Parliament to open the files of State Security collaborators - While he has addressed the Constitutional Court of Albania seeking a declaration that the manipulations and blackmail by the newspaper «RD» using the files of the former State Security, and by the Head of SHIK and the President of the Republic, are unconstitutional, the PSD chairman has also chosen to take on the Albanian Parliament. While he has addressed the Constitutional Court of Albania seeking a declaration that the manipulations and blackmail President of the Republic, are unconstitutional, the PSD chairman has also chosen to take on the Albanian Parliament. Yesterday he asked the Presidium of Parliament to place on the agenda a draft law «On the verification of the files of the former State Security concerning a group of state and party officials». The draft law consists of 6 articles, and Article 1 calls for «the establishment of a temporary commission to examine the files of the former State Security and determine and record whether the following persons were recruited as agents by the State Security: 1. Sali Berisha, President of the Republic, 2. Pjetër Arbnori, Speaker of the People’s Assembly, 3. Aleksandër Meksi, Chairman of the Council of Ministers, 4. Bashkim Gazidede, Head of SHIK, 5. Skënder Gjinushi, Chairman of the PSD Parliamentary Group, 6. Namik Dokle, Chairman of the PS Parliamentary Group, 7. Ali Spahia, Chairman of the PD Parliamentary Group, 8. Perikli Teta, Representative of PAD, 9. Teodor Laco, Representative of PSD.» According to the PSD chairman, Skënder Gjinushi—who signed the explanatory memorandum accompanying this draft law—the commission tasked with verifying the files should consist of 7 MPs, 1 representative from each of the parties PD, PS, PSD, AD, PR, PPD, PBSD, and three specialists proposed by the parliamentary groups of PD, PS, PSD and AD. This commission should be established within two days and report to Parliament in plenary session within 10 days on the above-mentioned persons. (Continued on page 2)

- Questions Mr. Berisha did not ask - As part of promoting the achievements of the democratic government, the President of the Republic, S. Berisha, made a lightning visit to the district of Krujë. As during the referendum campaign, the President gave the people a message. This was unclear in the official propaganda, on television and in the official newspaper of RD. Some achievements resulting from private initiative cannot be denied. The Nikla company cannot be denied, nor the company of Mr. Angelin Çeka, nor the Italian companies in Fushë Krujë and Krujë. In a manner of speaking, this is one side of the coin. The other side is the picture of the government’s failures, which cannot be concealed by the deafening official propaganda—also directed by the President. A number of enterprises, such as the Krujë carpentry workshop, the furniture factory, the deer complex, the food factory, etc., have shut their doors to their workers as a result of bad government. The Forage Institute, with 150 ha of land, is barely staying afloat. Today only 40 workers work there, for the ridiculous wage of 2,600 lekë a month. In Thumanë and Dugaçin of RF, poverty has settled in, inviting people to get their bread on credit. Deputy Golemi should have led the way there in challenging the «mess» created by the democratic government and should have taken a closer look at it. The businessman Angelin Çeka’s statement that «the poor owe me 17 million lekë» is not very credible, as a comment. But we are surprised that television broadcast this as an achievement of the democratic government, and that the President felt happy hearing how one person had become rich and how 17 million lekë had been lost to poverty. With regard to the Italian companies in Fushë Krujë and Krujë, one cannot help reacting to the President’s silence about workers’ wages, the legal aspects of employment, employers’ obligations to protect them from employers, etc. Did the President ask the workers about their wages? No. Everyone knows that a worker’s wage at these companies amounts to no more than a social-assistance payment. These «ladies», as President Berisha called them, have so far been paid only 3–4 thousand lekë a month. Abandoned by the government, the workers have accepted this discriminatory wage in their struggle to survive. Would it not have been normal for the President to ask these women workers whether they had signed collective labour agreements and were being remunerated for their hard work and sweat? BASHKIM MALOKU BEKTASH ZENELI

- 1,500 drivers and other transport workers on strike - Monday morning was unusual for the many citizens travelling through some of Albania’s largest cities, including its capital, Tirana. Shkodër, Durrës, Vlorë and Berat were also affected. They made their morning journeys to work, or elsewhere, on foot along the urban transport routes in these cities. The cause of this temporary urban paralysis was a one-hour strike by around 1,500 drivers and other employees in this sector, organized several days earlier. The urban transport routes in Tirana, as well as in Durrës, Shkodër, Berat and Vlorë, were interrupted, leaving people stranded at the stops amid the dissatisfaction that the employees had escalated into a strike against the state and the authorities. Yesterday morning, after the strike had ended, we met the striking drivers and other employees of this service in the capital, at the routes and service points of Tirana Urban Transport. In their conversations, they said— (Continued on page 2)

A Petition of Grief We, the students of the «B. D. Karbunara» secondary and general school in Berat, lived through one of the most tragic and painful days of our lives on May 24, 1995. A criminal hand took the innocent life of our friend and brother, Klodian Vladimir Mema, a 19-year-old senior and student in class 4B. With tears in our eyes and pain welling up from the depths of our young hearts—he did not deserve such grief at all—he was killed in the courtyard of his apartment building. This is not the first such murder to take place in our city. One by one, they have become part of our lives. With the loss of K. Mëra, we have lost not only a name but also a friend, a companion, a brother, so we beg you all: we do not want mourning, we do not want tears. Meanwhile, the unthinkable happens. The hands of murderers take innocent lives, and then they walk the streets of Berat, almost proud of what they have done. In the name of reason, and also of our grief, we want these murderers to receive the maximum and exemplary punishment, in the middle of the city. So please join us. Share the grief of the victims’ parents, and thus help ensure the future of families wherever their children study and live. Pay greater attention to maintaining public order and bringing these people to justice; there are a thousand ways to find them. «On the school desk, today there is a photograph and a handful of flowers. In the narrow shelter of his home, Kladji is missing, the only son. If not as officials, then at least as parents, work and judge so that no more such gangs appear in Albanian schools. This petition has also been sent to the editorial offices of the following newspapers: 1 - R. D. newspaper 2 - Z. P. newspaper 3 - Albania Demokratike newspaper. 4 - Alternativa S. D. newspaper. 5 - Republika newspaper. 6 - Koha Jonë newspaper. 7 - Dita Informacion newspaper. 8 - Popull Po newspaper. From the student body of the «B. D. Karbunara» secondary school, Berat. (Followed by 300 student signatures).

— In the first days of June, two children were abducted in the middle of Tirana, in «Avni Rustemi» Square. After escaping their abductors, they described their painful experience.