Finally, ALBANIA—a member of the Council of Europe As we are informed from Strasbourg, yesterday the Committee of Ministers voted in favor of accepting Albania as a full member of the Council of Europe. As we are informed from Strasbourg, yesterday the Committee of Ministers voted the Council of Europe. It has been announced that the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe voted unanimously on 29 June for Albania to be accepted as a full member of the Council of Europe. The final step of the vote has now also been completed: a vote considered formal, but which nonetheless has the significance of obtaining the final vote from the Committee of Ministers, the highest administrative body. What remains now is the ceremony marking Albania’s admission to the Council of Europe, which is scheduled to take place on 13 July in Strasbourg, the day the Albanian flag will take its rightful place among the flags of the European peoples. Correspondent of «Zëri i Popullit»

We underline Amid the joy sparked by Albania’s admission to the Council of Europe, a statement by the President of the Council of Europe, Mr. Martinez, has been somewhat overshadowed. He expressed his conviction that there is no turning back in Albania. Responding at a press conference to a question from the editor-in-chief of the newspaper RD about his views on democratic developments in our country, Mr. Martinez said: «You have reached the point which we believe is absolutely irreversible». RD published this fact, and we also followed it on television. It is a fact that makes one think seriously. Mr. Martinez, in his role as the most prominent representative of democratic Europe, has judged the democratic processes in Albania to be irreversible. It is precisely this assessment, not only his but also that of European institutions, that carried weight in Albania’s admission to the Council of Europe. Naturally, such a position is gratifying. It is gratifying because political Europe judges Albania to have definitively abandoned its «neither fish nor fowl» stance between East and West—a stance that in reality served neither the country’s progress nor the development of democracy and respect for human rights. When Europe says that Albania will not turn back, from an economic point of view this is a major guarantee that the investments so essential to our economy will henceforth be more substantial. But the position taken by Europe and Mr. Martinez is also an acknowledgment of the entire Albanian opposition, which they see as sufficiently mature not to seek a return to the past under any circumstances. This delivers a heavy blow to the unrelenting accusations of all those who have tried to portray the PS as a regressive force, a so-called «force that neither knows how nor wants to reform», which, according to certain town criers, would restore agricultural cooperatives and even concentration camps if it came to power. The scare campaign about the «return of communism» in Albania if the socialist opposition came to power has had its effects, unfortunately more than a few, among certain groups of people. This has happened because, through its measured positions and the alternatives it puts forward, the PS has expanded its electorate, becoming a force that convinces people it would know how to administer power better than the party that currently holds it. And now it seems that Europe, through Mr. Martinez, is also expressing this view of our political developments, in order to convince even «the unconvinced». Thank you, Europe! P. Z.

First the Eurosocialists gathered at their Second Congress, and then the wider public, became acquainted with the message from the chairman of the Socialist Party, Fatos Nano, addressed to the Congress of Eurosocialists. More than a message, more than a greeting, the ideas expressed in it became a subject of discussion among people. This is a good sign, because effective politics is only the kind of politics that arouses the interest and debate of those to whom it is addressed. The spirit of this message is the spirit of freedom and emancipation, which, despite difficulties, is steadily gaining more ground in our country. The message expresses the political commitment of the PS and its opposition stance: while criticizing and correcting the shortcomings of those in power, the PS has not hesitated to recognize every positive achievement on the path to democracy. Its parliamentary group has given its support to the adoption of a number of important laws concerning economic reform and the consolidation of the rule-of-law state. The PS has recognized and welcomed every positive achievement of those in power, such as the country’s results in the macroeconomic field, successful political and economic agreements with countries and international organizations, etc. It publicly welcomed President Sali Berisha’s position in respecting the people’s verdict of 6 November, the President’s planned official visit to the USA, the PD’s full membership in ECDU, etc. In keeping with this consistent, constructive approach is the greeting from PS chairman Fatos Nano to the President of the Republic and the political opposition as a whole for their contribution to Albania’s membership in the Council of Europe. The positive cooperation between the government and the opposition in this case is the clearest example that, in matters of great importance to the people and the nation, common ground can be found even between political forces that appear incompatible with one another. Fatos Nano’s appreciation of this act shows that the PS’s position on this issue has been firm, transparent, and free of party calculations. These constructive positions of the PS in the service of democracy have neither diminished nor will they diminish the opposition mission entrusted to it by the Albanian electorate on 22 March. It has denounced, and will continue forcefully to denounce, every action by those in power that runs counter to the principles of democracy and the interests of the country. In his latest message, too, Fatos Nano reminds Albanian institutions of the obligations that arise— spirit of freedom and emancipation which, despite difficulties, is finding ever more space the PS and Fatos Nano to devote themselves fully and tirelessly to this freedom and this emancipation. Although still shackled within the walls of his cell, Nano feels the spirit of freedom growing ever stronger. The people’s will, expressed in the 6 November Referendum, to protect fragile Albanian democracy from every kind of stain from the past, and Europe’s willingness to accept us into its fold, are guarantees of this. With the vision of a politician of his time, Fatos Nano challenges personal suffering and rises above it to the level of a realistic assessment of the situations we are living through. From the heights of this vision, the chairman of the Socialist Party finds the courage to salute all those Albanian and European democratic institutions that contributed to the development of Albanian democracy to the level we see today. From the heights of this pinnacle of democracy, he finds an opportunity to restate the Socialist Party’s well-known consistent positions regarding the dictatorial past, the troubled present and the dreamed-of future. The ideas in the latest message from the chairman of the Socialist Party express the consistent line of this party from its founding to the present day. Particularly during its last three years in opposition, the party has been characterized by constructive positions in its efforts to develop and consolidate democracy. Having as its main mission this year. Based on this fact, which makes it essential for three judges to be on the bench, Çeliku said that the first two hearings, on 15 June, at which Ardlan Xhyheri was to be questioned, would be held again, thereby reopening the judicial investigation. All five defendants, the judicial panel and the prosecutors agreed that, for the time being, the investigations from the previous hearings should be entered into the record. Meanwhile, Tartari requested that this procedure be followed for the entire trial. He was supported by Haxhia’s lawyer, who said that the procedure and the position of the two former deputy judges, now converted into judges, had changed. But Çeliku decided—

- The left-centre alliance is confirmed - We want to build a normal Italy This was the central slogan of the Congress of Italy’s Democratic Party of the Left, held on 6, 7 and 8 July in Rome. The report by the PDS General Secretary (PDS candidate for Prime Minister Massimo D’Alema), and the speeches by the main speakers, such as Romano Prodi (candidate for Prime Minister of the Left and Centre Alliance) and Walter Veltroni (one of the most popular leaders of the PDS), etc. , set out the political, economic and social alternatives for Italy after the elections, which are thought may be held at the end of the year. «We want to build a normal Italy,» D’Alema declared, «an Italy without political hostility, but with political “competition”.» Meanwhile, another PDS leader, Veltroni, responding directly to Berlusconi’s speech at the Congress (a speech that was respectfully received by the delegates), declared: «We are building a left-centre alliance, not to fight your alliance, not to fight Berlusconi, but to build Italy. We will fight and govern.» The Congress was characterized by a spirit of constructive debate, exemplary political culture, and confidence in victory for the alliance of the left and the centre. All Italian political forces took part in the Congress. ★ ★ ★ The Congress was important e- (Continued on page 4)

An article entitled «Statement of the Albanian Helsinki Committee against the Council of Europe» was published in the newspaper «Tribuna Demokratike» dated 7.7.1995. The article is signed by a correspondent who has remained anonymous. «Tribuna Demokratike» claims to present itself to the public as a source of information and political debate. In reality, it is emerging more as a platform for hysterical shouting, now joined by tasteless anecdotes and jokes. It would not be worth our while to reply to this hidden «correspondent», with his vulgar irony, through a nongovernmental organization such as the Albanian Helsinki Committee, which has by now earned prestige both inside the country and abroad. But, addressing the correspondent, who does not even know basic etiquette, we consider it appropriate to reiterate our clear, firm and consistent position in favor of our country’s admission to the Council of Europe. The public is familiar with our concrete commitment in favor of Albania’s admission. We also take this opportunity to define once again our position as an independent organization. Pressures of any kind will have no effect on the A.H.C. It has not accepted, and will never accept, becoming an instrument of this or that political force, whether in power or in opposition. The Albanian Helsinki Committee will continue to fulfill its independent role with regard to all those, whether public bodies or not, who infringe upon citizens’ freedoms and rights guaranteed by law. The Albanian Helsinki Committee will unwaveringly carry out its duty as an observer of respect for rights, fundamental freedoms, and the principles of the rule of law. Albanian Helsinki Committee Tirana, 10.7.1995

«Lost» money, Berisha’s DECORATION, and 71 years in prison for the bankers and the former prime minister... What will the Court decide? And what will the accused do: rot in prison or confess?... The Tirana District Prosecutor’s Office has finished its «work» on the Arsidi case. Judge Çeliku—wait, after listening for more than 7 hours, from 9:00 to 16:30, and dividing [the proceedings] between the two buildings of the Tirana Prosecutor’s Office—Arben Qelebeji and Genci Gjokutaj, to issue the final indictment together with proposals for the penalty. The wait was long, considering that only a few days earlier the court proceedings had been adjourned indefinitely precisely at the point when the prosecution’s closing arguments were to be presented. This happened when the inspection formula had reached the Tirana Prosecutor’s Office and Qelesh’s and Gjokutaj’s offices were at the center of speculation about dismissals. Meanwhile, the prosecutors did not finish their «work» on the case of ... to pave the way for the rumored dismissal. But just three days ago, the High Council of Justice did not affect the Tirana Prosecutor’s Office in its decisions. Therefore, there was insistence in the courtroom on reading the closing arguments—even though Agron Saliu, backed by Maks Haxhia and Artan Gjylbegiu, were seeking an adjournment of the hearing because Sansxhaj’s lawyer was absent. They would call continuing the hearing a violation of human rights. A few moments earlier, Judge Çeliku had let them know that, by decision of the High Council of Justice, the two former deputy heads of Tirana had been appointed judges. According to Çeliku, everything was in accordance with the law on the functioning of the justice institutions, which entered into force on 18 both internal, self-destructive pressure, and external pressure. But, as the new era and prospects are approaching—prospects that do not even offer us the basics—we position on presence—

20 police officers «heroically» fight against several women to return the market to the so-called owner, the director of a directorate at the Ministry of Justice, Ndricim Hysi PROTEST. We are the 15 workers of the «Sahati» market in Vlorë, beaten and mistreated in the most brutal way by the law-enforcement forces, and we are protesting to you. Our problem is now public knowledge. Our demand has always been for the market to be privatized in our favor, but this could not be achieved because those in power are insatiable in their greed. Faced with our right to live, the authorities use violence against 15 workers, most of them women. The law-enforcement forces, led by chief Sokol Mulhosmani, found an opportunity to carry out their aims, because once again they had acted at night just two days earlier, forcibly removing the goods from our premises at 3 in the morning. This is happening because the so-called owner (according to the corrupt decision of the A KP Vlorë) is the director of a directorate at the Ministry of Justice, Ndriçim Hysi. Using violence against women and mothers of children is the easiest thing to do, but to give them their due right is now a mat- even more difficult for the authorities in Vlorë, who have remained silent all along, deceived us and mocked our dignity. To call the mothers of children prostitutes because they demand the right to feed their children is even worse than a rubber baton blow. It is impossible to imagine what happened in Vlorë at midnight on 5 July to the exhausted bodies of 15 workers, who had already spent two days sleeping outside to protect goods that had been violated by the very forces of law and order. We protest to you against the violence committed by the forces of law and order. We ask for your support. We demand our rights. Respectfully, Marieta Çalaj, Pranvera Aliaj, Filloreta Birçe, Luiza Bejo, Teuta Bajrami Liljana Ferra, Qemal Hasani, Shqiponja Muho Qamile Brahimi. Beqir Pasaj, Astrit Nuredini. Esat Resuli, Myzejen Saliu, Foto Seriani, Florinda Nikolla.

The Patriotic Association for the Fallen of the Albanian Nation organized, on 10.7.95, a commemorative event in the hall of the National Historical Museum, dedicated to People’s Hero Çerçiz Topulli, on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of his death. Those who took part: families of martyrs, members and supporters of the association, members of the body, Hero’s family members, veterans, cultural figures and artists, representatives of political parties and associations, especially the People’s Assembly, etc. The meeting was opened by the chairman, I. Daus ... (Continued on page 3)

10 July commemorated Although other information media, Radio and TV, have omitted 10 July from their special reports on historical events—the day the General Staff of the National Liberation Army was formed—veterans from the Korçë district gathered to commemorate this glorious day. For more than half a century, 10 July has opened as a day of popular celebration, bringing the people the line and, in his speech, the chairman of the Veterans’ Committee, Shefqet Pojani, said that it would continue to be so in the future. And so it has been throughout the long wars of the homeland, which also left a legacy for the generations to come. The meeting highlighted the historical importance of 10 July 1943. It was precisely this event, he said, that gave further impetus and development to the national liberation movement in our country, and created the conditions for the growth of the fighting formations. These are events that were lived through, he said, and it is difficult to deny them. Veterans, participants in partisan formations, as well as members of the families of the martyrs of the national liberation war, took part in the meeting. On this occasion, visits were made to the graves of the martyrs and heroes of the national liberation war. Correspondent of the People’s Newspaper