The Second FRESSH Congress concluded successfully: - ILIR META: “From this hall, we express our strongest solidarity and support for the Chairman of the Socialist Party, Fatos Nano, once again firmly demanding his immediate release”

Yesterday at 10:00 a.m., the session on the second day of the congress of the Euro-Socialist Forum of Albania opened. The session’s agenda provided for the announcement of the voting results for the new chairman of the Forum of Albanian Eurosocialists and its executive committee, as well as approval of changes to the forum’s program and statute. First to speak was Gami Bizhga, chairman of the congress’s voting commission. Ilir Meta, with 311 votes in favor out of 458 valid ballots, is the chairman of the commission. After him came the current chairman of the Albanian Eurosocialists. These changes consist of creating broader Euro-socialist spaces and defining in the statute the regularity and functioning of this forum’s structures. There were no objections to these new changes, and thus the new FRESSH program and statute received the delegates’ vote of confidence at the congress. Amid applause, the new chairman of the Albanian Euro-Socialist Forum, Ilir Meta, said that this congress had advanced the work of further restructuring FRESH. Very soon, reviews will begin in the districts of the tasks and objectives set out and discussed at this congress. An important message brought by this congress, Meta went on to say, was the return of young people to politics, so as not to tolerate the disregard shown today for their interests. He thanked the Socialist Party and the Eurosocialists of Tirana, who prepared this congress and welcomed the delegates; the congress laid the foundations for further strengthening our youth political organization. Meta called for work to continue intensively on restructuring the forum in order to achieve the final objectives, [book?] in the 1986 elections. The correspondent of “Zëri i Popullit” … yesterday’s proceedings of the congress, the new chairman of FRESSH gave this opinion to «Zëri i Popullit». — Congress of FRESSH? successful, demonstrating the Eurosocialists’ determination and clearer vision to continue along the path they began three years ago, the path of European social democracy. The Congress clearly highlighted FRESSH’s achievements in the political field, both at home and abroad. One

- Interview with FRESSH Chairman Ilir Meta - - ILIR META, 26, a graduate in economics from the University of Tirana, was elected yesterday, by an overwhelming majority, Chairman of the Albanian Eurosocialist Forum. Immediately after yesterday’s congress proceedings concluded, the new FRESSH chairman gave this opinion to “Zëri i Popullit.” - How does the newly elected chairman of the Albanian Eurosocialist Forum assess the two days of proceedings of the Second FRESSH Congress? Ilir Meta: I think the proceedings of this Congress were successful and also demonstrated a special place; at this congress, particular attention was paid to the Forum’s relations with the Socialist Party of Albania. From this perspective, the space created within the Socialist Party for increasing the forum’s role within it should be appreciated. I think the most important thing is that FRESSH will be a constructive opposition within the Socialist Party, while seeking to further define its profile as a democratic force of the European left. - From today onward, what will FRESSH’s work aim to do in the future? Ilir Meta: I think FRESSH’s work will

(Statement by the Albanian Helsinki Committee) On 5 July, citizen Idriz Pasha from Burrel appeared before the Helsinki Committee. He complained that police officers in that town had used violence against his son Ardian Pasha and his son-in-law Halit Dede. Immediately afterward, a group from the A.H.C. went to the site to investigate. The investigation found that, in a billiards hall, the aforementioned men had quarrelled with the plainclothes police officer Astrit Doçi, and there they had struck one another. The police officer suffered a cut to his eyebrow. According to the medical report, this was considered a minor injury. Fearing the police, the aforementioned Ardian and Halit left for an unknown destination. Four days later, they were found sheltering in a villager’s home. In a conversation our group had with representatives of the law-enforcement authorities, they admitted that violence had been used, even against the owner of the house, who is hospitalized. It was also admitted that violence had been used against Ardian and Halit because, they said, they “insulted and resisted.” Immediately after being apprehended, they were detained and later arrested. At another meeting with Assistant Prosecutor Arben Dollapi, it was confirmed that the persons apprehended at the villager’s home were tied up and escorted to the Department, but that both on the way and at the Department’s premises they were brutally beaten. The prosecutor went to meet them in the isolation room but was not allowed in. The doctor was also prevented from examining the beaten men. Later, prosecutor Arben Dollapi was able to meet with the detainees and observed quite serious blows and wounds. One of them complained that he was urinating blood. A representative of the General Prosecutor’s Office had also been sent to the scene concerning this matter. The Albanian Helsinki Committee draws attention to the use of violence by law-enforcement forces, cases of which have often been repeated before. Given the seriousness of this case, the A.H.C. calls on the competent authorities to conduct a special on-site investigation in order to determine responsibility. Albanian Helsinki Committee. Tirana, 7.07.1995.

The public is already familiar with the hunger strike by 40 families in the village of Laknas, Tirana. It is also familiar with the incident that occurred between the hunger strikers and two officials, who were held hostage solely to force the government to intervene and resolve the problem once and for all. For a short time after this event, the course of the hunger strikers’ protest took a different turn. The police arrested 13 hunger strikers, 6 of whom are still in prison. Thus, to protect the interests of its own individuals and officials, the state deployed the police and the prison, while doing nothing at all to resolve the farmers’ problems. Although government officials, including the Minister of Agriculture, Mr Hasan Halili, agree with and support the farmers’ demand for the correct implementation of the law on land allocation, their intervention is nowhere to be seen. “It is the Municipality’s responsibility,” they say. And that is all. In this situation (as in many others), the state has proved powerless to act in accordance with the law. But should it remain powerless in the face of the demands of the wives and children of the 6 prisoners, who are incarcerated solely for the sake of the proper implementation of the law passed by the Albanian Parliament? A. Ç … by the police in Gjirovastër, some of whom are still in prison. The state, then, in order to protect the feelings and dignity of its own staff, put the police and prison to use, while doing nothing to resolve the farmers’ problems in the villages. Regardless of whether the state- A. Ç.

I wish to express the solidarity of all European socialist youth organizations. I greet you on behalf of the Euro-Socialist Youth of Belgium and on behalf of the Youth Organization of the European Union. It has not even been ten months since we welcomed representatives of FRE-SSHit to the Second Congress of the Youth of the European Union. Welcome to us, because you too are now members of EKOSY. Because we are all Europeans. All the youth organizations of the countries of the European Union are members of EKOSY. But its members also include all the youth organizations of those countries that see their future in the European Union. This means that EKOSY is open to everyone. This is a multi-faceted organization. First of all, it is an or- (Continued on page 2)

The voting commission for the FRESSH Executive Committee at its second congress, consisting of: Gazmir Bizhga, Aurel Duka, Bahri Shabani, Monika Kryemadhi, Luan Përkola, Euland Papa, Maksi Gega, Alban Zyzi, Edl Spahiu, Shpëtim Muca, also announced the voting results for the new executive committee of the Albanian Eurosocialist Forum. The commission chairman, Eurosocialist Gazmir Dizhga, describing the voting as highly proper, free and democratic, announced the following figures and the names of the Eurosocialists elected as members of the new FRESSH Executive Committee: Ilir Meta 323 votes, Erion Brace 310 votes, Ardian Myslymi 284 votes, Ilir Zela 253 votes, Blendi Marika 240 votes, Artan Hoxha 237 votes, Pandeli Majko 237 votes, Adi Shanku 236 votes, Dritan Hoxha 235 votes, Brulina Sejmini 231 votes, Ejana Xhixha 231 votes, Gjergji Koja 230 votes, Klementin Sinani 221 votes, Etleva Bisha 221 votes, Jetmir Shpuza 214 votes, Bekim Murati 209 votes, Roland Zisi 200 votes, Ilaz Labi 208 votes, Bektash Zeneli 206 votes, Erion Meshini 204 votes, Alfred Trebicka 203 votes, Ferdinant Mullat 203 votes, Etleva Meçe 200 votes, Fatmir Nuha 197 votes, Gjin Shqalis 196 votes, Partizan Muftari 188 votes, Artan Çela 186 votes, Jonida Sejmi 186 votes, Pjetër Lala 180 votes, Astrit Lalaj 179 votes, Artan Arapi 178 votes, Marsela Arapi 176 votes, Vladimir Goxhi 175 votes. Commission chairman Gazmir Bizhga explains to Zëri i Popullit that this list, voted on directly by the delegates at the congress on Friday, is supplemented in the new FRESSH Executive Committee by the 37 chairmen of the forum’s branches across the republic. Bizhga wishes the new executive committee success in achieving the objectives set by this congress.

From the Congress of Italy’s PDS — We want to offer Italy a reformist left, and the centre-left is the natural protagonist on this stage. «If we can govern the national government» For adults and with the Democratic Party of the Left in Italy held its congress in Rome. The congress of the Italian left demonstrated the importance of all Italian political circles, of the Italians, of European political circles. In order to find… the moment when this congress was held and, in connection with it, the public’s opinion, European politics … in a left that is competent and has credible values.» (D’ALEMA) … that this congress will present. As is known, Italy is on the eve of a new electoral campaign for the national parliament. The right-wing government that emerged from the v-l elections … is the leading favourite for the next national elections. Also, during the local elections in the regions, the PDS managed to build successful alliances that led to victories for the centre-left candidates. These two factors give … national and international value… (Continued on page 4)

The weekend that has just passed was a warning to travellers to be careful when travelling and to think before taking to the roads. During this summer season, 3 dead and 7 injured in two days is no small toll for Albania’s population and road network. This is how began the report in a news item broadcast by the BBC about one of the biggest accidents during this summer period in our country. The report then provided information about all the accidents that occurred over the weekend in the areas of Gjirokastër, Tirana, Berat, Korçë, etc., calling the past week the bloodiest week for car accidents. If there had been a decrease—or, better still, a «stop»—in accidents, the work done by the relevant authorities would have deserved praise. But during the week now drawing to a close, the number of victims, dead and injured in accidents not only did not fall, but instead increased even more (rising- (Continued on page 2) Citizens, take care of yourselves:

What happened a few days ago in Kakavie looked like a kind of oath. One evening, Television praised its work at the customs-free crossing: smuggled cigarettes, packed in the inspection article, were intercepted, and this was called a miracle (!) The miracle—or disaster—is something else at this crossing point, which brings Gjirokastër plenty of problems, trying to «Kakavize» it. Many mysteries are still hidden there, at the junction that the state holds tightly in its fist. Local government bodies seem powerless in dealing with it, except for the private connections of certain officials, who benefit from … opinions, but have not been denounced by anyone. Staff changes there are frequent and never explained. Many of their movements are coordinated with those taking place in the district police. Frequent visits by vehicles with state license plates are occasionally followed by people sitting cross-legged. That is how this crossing point, through which several cartons of cigarettes pass every day, has been caught in the clutches of the state’s heavy machinery. And they seem to swear that yesterday not even a bird could pass there without permission, so today tobacco smoke will not pass. But that is not for the traders, customs officers and policemen who smoke to decide, even if they enjoy a blend. That is in the hands of those who puff on pipes. TH. DINO