WE EMPHASIZE THE TROUBLE DOES NOT LIE ONLY WITH QELESHI AND GJOKUTAJ... – The current crisis in the prosecution service is the crisis of the Democratic Party itself, the crisis of its governance, the crisis of Berisha’s failed and vindictive politics. There has been a great deal of fuss lately about fines and changes in the Tirana Prosecutor’s Office, and among those mentioned are Qeleshi and Gjokutaj. But for Albania it is not very important whether they are hyenas or not, because the problem does not lie only with these two people. Of course, Arben Qeleshi as chief prosecutor and Gjokutaj as his deputy have not only administered the service, but, more importantly, in their capacity as such they have taken part in the special proceedings of the Berishian state and bear responsibility because they have placed themselves entirely at the service of the vindictive policy aimed at eliminating political opponents. In short, no more and no less, they have become implicated along with Berisha, who asked for them precisely for this purpose when others refused, and appointed them to those posts. But will the prosecution service be saved if an Arben Qeleshi or a Genc Gjokutaj is removed from there? Will it become independent after that? Will people be saved from the persecution of «BRISKUT»? And will those arrested be saved from endless investigations?... It is rather difficult to believe so. Because the person removing Qeleshi has already thought about the replacement. In his place he will appoint another Qeleshi, and one even more obedient. The struggle to establish the independence of the justice and prosecution bodies as institutions is decisive for the very fate of democracy. That is why the Socialist Party and the other opposition political forces insist so strongly on this, in a struggle with the Democratic Party, which seeks to keep them in complete servitude. the crisis of Berisha’s failed and vindictive politics. That is where the problem lies, and that is where change must be made.

Just a few days ago, as soon as rumors spread that a new earthquake would this time affect the prosecution bodies, especially the Tirana District Prosecutor’s Office, the official authorities hurried to issue the necessary denials. The opposite has now been confirmed. It is not only Qeleshi and Gjokutaj, but also a string of their colleagues, who are «accused» of numerous shortcomings and breaches of duty. What is striking after the tense meeting at the General Prosecutor’s Office is that those targeted are opponents of the regime. The latest attack on the prosecution service shows how far we are from establishing the rule of law, and how dependent these branches of the third power in Albania are on the politics of the day. When the Tirana Prosecutor’s Office is attacked, one’s thoughts first turn to the case of Qeleshi and Gjokutaj, who have become «ghost children», especially with the «Nano Case», and then to the delays they have caused in the Arsidi case, with its repeated openings and closures and so on. They have targeted the regime’s opponents in the most extreme manner, creating an image of servile and extremist officials while encouraging unjust proceedings against the political opponents of the party in power. The measures being taken at the Tirana Prosecutor’s Office are also closely connected with the atmosphere of scandalous abuse of office by these representatives of the law, about whom it has long been rumored that they now even have their own special establishment where they make deals with clients—a year in prison reduced for a crime crown, especially the Tirana District Prosecutor’s Office, the official bodies been proven. Not only Qeleshi and Gjokutaj, but also a number of their colleagues Office concerning these criticisms is that the attack is directed against professional jurists, even those with little work experience, while trainees from Durrës Beach are allowed to call the tune in this prosecutor’s office. The action now being taken against the Prosecutor’s Office appears in both light and shadow. The whip lashes the Prosecutor’s Office as an institution, at a time when, alongside the police, it has demonstrated the greatest devotion to implementing state and party orders. Through its servile stance toward the party, in its shoddy construction, it has trampled on the laws and the interests of citizens; in the public eye it remains a blind instrument of violence, a sharp weapon for ... ... who have become «famous» above all for the «Nano Case», and then to the discredit they have brought upon the process through Arsidi’s opening and closing of files on a series of scandals involving government officials. They have shown that, since 29 July 1993, when Qeleshi agreed to take the chair that is now wobbling beneath him, they have been the PD state’s «strong arm» against the opposition in general and the PS in particular. Today Qeleshi and Gjokutaj are in a spin. The same stance will be taken toward them as toward Bendo, the judge in the «Nano Case», who left the headship of the Tirana Court some time ago, to be put in reserve for other difficult days. These Bendos and Qeleshis are the most squeezed, who, to tell the truth, are not thrown in the bin but moved off the facade, because they have ... ... tied to politics. Much more [is said] about these representatives of the law, for whom it has long been established that they now even have their own special premises where they make deals with clients — a one-year reduction in a criminal’s prison sentence ... ... this spirit of concessions to crime is also evident in the chief official charged by law with combating criminality, which has made public opinion acutely aware of the serious shortcomings in its freedom and security. The measures against Tirana’s prosecutors are meant to somewhat soften the entrenched impression in people’s minds of this lawless, thoroughly anti-legal liberalism of the institution. Correspondent of «Zëri i popullit»

The first legal step—the obligation of the President of the Republic to fulfil and respect the obligations arising from Article 28/1 of Law 7491—was the subject of an unusual hearing yesterday at the Constitutional Court. The chairman of the PSD, Mr. Skënder Gjinushi, who is also a member of parliament and chairman of this party’s parliamentary group, requested an end to the manipulation of the State Security files. Immediately after the panel of judges read the complaint, Mr. Gjinushi stated that no one is immune from being held accountable for any legal violation, and that even the President cannot be exempted from this basic rule of the rule of law. The case we have denounced, Gjinushi said, constitutes one of the most egregious violations of personal dignity and is not a spontaneous or involuntary act, but part of a specific state policy aimed at denigrating various people, mainly representatives of the opposition. As a flagrant example, Mr. Gjinushi cited the article in the newspaper «RD» dated 31.5.1995, in which the social democrats’ chairman was accused of being a former agent. This case is also the reason why the subject of Gjinushi’s complaint included: «The declaration of the unconstitutionality of 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 through their inaction and silence, an activity which is contrary to Article 15 of Law 7692. When «RD», as the newspaper of the party in power and spokesperson for the current state, denigrates members of parliament through its manipulation of files—files held only by the state—while the responsible authorities, SHIK and the President, remain silent, then, Gjinushi said, it is clear that the newspaper’s activity implicates and represents the policy of the current state itself. He once again stressed that the President of the Republic is not only aware of the unlawful opening of files, but also openly threatens with them, thereby encouraging such conduct. He therefore asked the Constitutional Court for a just ruling that would increase confidence and hope that Albania can build and consolidate the rule of law. Such a ruling, Mr. Gjinushi said at the end of his statement, would strengthen the authority of this Court and help the President and the party in power understand that the law on human rights and freedoms exists to protect the individual from the state, and that every official who violates it must answer and be held accountable. After several questions to Gjinushi, the panel of judges withdrew to reach a decision and said it would announce it when it deemed appropriate.

Yesterday, Malaysia’s prime minister, Mohatir Mohamed, arrived in Tirana for an official visit. This is his second visit to Tirana. Yesterday he was received by President Berisha and Prime Minister Meksi. According to official announcements, the talks focused on the main issues: bilateral relations and the expansion of exchanges in the economic field, as well as the situation in the region and the crisis in Bosnia. As is known, Malaysia has a particular interest in this issue because it has troops there. He was accompanied by a United Nations delegation. In talks with Berisha, both sides said that the very good political relations between the two countries should be matched by fruitful cooperation in all fields. Cooperation in tourism, industry, mining, banking and textiles was discussed. Berisha thanked his Malaysian guest for the construction loan, noting that now they have already ... because it has troops there. Accompanied by a United Nations delegation. The Malaysian minister expressed his determination to strengthen cooperation with Albania. Regarding the situation in the region and the conflict in Bosnia, President Berisha said that the latest developments involving the international community in Bosnia had made the conflict more dangerous and Karaxhiç’s Serbs more irresponsible and aggressive. [Gje…] (Continued on page 4)

General, confusing and without a clear central theme—this is how one could characterize the joint press conference given by PD leaders Shehu, Spahia and Anagnosti after a working visit to Athens at the invitation of the New Democracy party. In the statement distributed to the press, as well as in Mr. Shehu’s remarks, most of the attention was devoted to comments and discussions about the meetings they held this time with senior PASOK officials. According to Shehu, the meetings with the Greek Foreign Minister, Mr. Karolos Papulias, and PASOK Secretary General, Mr. Xoaxopulos, emphasized that relations between the two countries are now better, and both sides expressed support for concrete and uninterrupted cooperation between the two parties. Shehu also said that Xoaxopulos emphasized the importance of cooperation between PDSH and PASOK, as well as the contribution the two parties should make while in government. Asked how he viewed the PD’s positions, which had called the joint PS–PASOK declaration anti-national and anti-Albanian, now that meetings had taken place in Athens with senior PASOK leaders, he answered evasively. He said that they supported good relations on an equal footing and according to the principle of reciprocity. Shehu once again «blessed» the joint declaration, which had been formulated in exactly that way. Asked whether the solution to the Kosovo issue had been discussed at these meetings, Mr. Spahia replied that the Balkan crisis had been discussed in general, but that they had not focused specifically on the situation in Kosovo. This showed the scale of their commitment and seriousness about resolving the problems in Kosovo, at a time when President Berisha himself sees the normalization of relations with Greece as one more step toward sitting down at the negotiating table on this issue. Asked about emigration, he replied that no concrete solution had been set out; he said the Çam issue had been touched upon when the problem of minority rights was discussed.

Ballçizë In Bulqizë there is nowhere to use privatization bonds. Everything has been privatized, except the mine and the facilities that have not been privatized. All the NFP facilities have been sold, as have the facilities of other sectors that operated in Bulqizë. They have been sold hand over fist by privatization boards, without [anand?]. In Bulqizë, privatization bonds face a total lack of state-owned properties for sale. The state has nothing left to sell in Bulqizë. Faced with this fact, and with privatization having reached 10 percent of ... , the pensioners of Bulqizë have boycotted their ... . We met some pensioners in Bulqizë. One of them began working in 1948, alongside the first 30 miners who opened Albania’s chrome galleries; he has 43 years of work in the mine, in mine construction, and so on. He calls the privatization bonds a mockery by the current authorities of their labor and blood. With a pension of 29 thousand old lekë and with the «sheet» of old lekë that the Meksi government gives us, he stresses, opening the large bond certificate, the sweat and blood we have shed cannot be paid for. A. ASHIKU

At the exchange point in the city of Elbasan, on Thursday, one lek was exchanged for 20,000 lekë in bonds, that is, 25–30 percent ... Privatization securities, the value of the privatization bonds ...

- Government officials are fueling disputes between employees and former political prisoners - A letter signed by the chairman of the National Privatization Agency, Mr. Niko Gliozheni, which was delivered by hand to the management of the «Rozafa» Tourism Hotel, has prompted an even stronger reaction from the hotel’s 100 employees in their opposition to allowing others to become its owners. The letter now categorically confirms that the government has decided that 40 former political prisoners will become the owners of «Rozafa». Representatives of the hotel’s trade union said yesterday that we are determined to oppose this decision to the very end, since it takes no account whatsoever of our hard work and sweat, and will throw us out onto the street. They maintain that the government is manipulating papers with lists of former political prisoners, since the list of 40 people it has planned includes, at least in the case of «Rozafa», the names of local government officials and directors in Shkodër. They added that they had met with some of the religious authorities whose names are said to be on the list of 40, but those authorities confirmed: “We know nothing about this list, and we have no intention of benefiting in this way.” Strong reactions have also come from the board of the district association of former political prisoners. Sources within the association say that the Shkodër association was not consulted at all in drawing up this list. Those who drew up this list have left the workers without a job. We will not allow our association’s name to be exploited by government officials of any rank. MUSA KURTULAJ

Last week, the deputy chairman of the Socialist Party and chairman of its parliamentary group, Namik Dokle, accompanied by MPs Lush Përpali and Ndre Legisi, held a series of meetings with the people of the communes of Shalë and Shosh in the Dukagjin area, and also took part in the Party assembly held in the commune of Pult. Party assembly held in the commune of Pult. An area beset by hardship and extremely troubling problems to this day, with no prospect of a solution from the authorities in power. Around one fifth of the population is unemployed, and 90 percent of families live on economic assistance, which they can barely obtain even at the 50-percent level. Nothing is produced for the market. Everything sold comes from Shkodër, at a considerable price difference. The commune has no economic budget of any kind. Education, health care, transport and communications have been reduced to a very dire state. Only about 20 percent of pupils attend school. Of the area’s three eight-year schools, not even 20 pupils complete the eighth grade. There is no health center, no doctor and no pharmacist. Communications are in the same state. Telegrams arrive after one or two months, while newspaper subscriptions are out of the question. Only crime and blood feuds are on the rise. Around 12 families are in conflict with one another. Despite the grand promises President Berisha made during the referendum, nothing has changed in this area, apart from some wor—(Continued on page 3)

On Tuesday, 27 June 1995, at 10:00, a meeting of the General Steering Committee of the PSSH will be held at the PSSH headquarters in Tirana, with the following agenda: «Finalizing the PSSH agreements, the fundamental duties of its commissions». Members of the KDP and MPs of the P-SH are notified to attend the meeting. The Presidium of the P SSH.