— Fatos Nano is being kept in prison in an effort to sustain an alternative for development, progress, and understanding among Albanians — July 30, 1993 – July 30, 1995

Two years ago, the Chairman of the PSSH, Fatos Nano, was declared a dangerous opponent of the political regime, and revenge prevailed. The Socialist electorate reacted forcefully and peacefully, but everything had been predetermined. Albanian democracy and its institutions were severely crippled. The strategists behind this revenge exploited all the political and moral characteristics of the political class that had taken charge of the state. Just as political revenge is a primitive atavism, so too was the propaganda accompanying Fatos Nano’s arrest and sentencing primitive. The card of the thief was widely played, a charge held in such contempt by Albanians. This aspect of the Albanian character—which is virtuous and can never accept the vice of theft—was exploited deliberately. It was done so that the executors of the revenge would not be left alone, and so that the revenge would appear as convincing as possible. There were people in the branches of judicial power who refused to do what the politics of revenge had decided. Political chieftainism prevailed over the aspirations and hopes of Albanians for a truly democratic society. A worthless din of slander was unleashed, a veritable campaign of abuse that covered not only newspaper pages, especially those of RD, but also the walls and facades of buildings. This is not a phenomenon of Albanians. It is a phenomenon of those who imitate and carry out political revenge, who have neither their own voice nor their own mind. It is a phenomenon of all political revanchists, regardless of nationality, culture, or race. The remnants of this primitivism can still be found, two years later, on building facades and in the attacks and slanders of the newspaper RD, as a grave accusation against all those who committed the shameful act of political revenge; who fell prey to implementing policies of turning Albanians against Albanians; who keep their heads turned backwards or keep others’ heads turned backwards. Democracy is not an activity for a few without… (Continued on page 2)

(READ ON P. 2) Mr. DRAGOSHI! DO YOUR DUTY! Reprint of the letter FATOS NANO sent to the Prosecutor General Rexhina Nano writes to the President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the CoE

— Dr. Servet Pëllumbi, Deputy Chairman of the PSSH, declares: “We call on PSSH members and supporters, and on Albania’s democratic citizens, to raise their voices of protest forcefully and publicly, through democratic forms and means, so that the machinations to keep Chairman Fatos Nano unjustly in prison any longer may be brought to an end.” — The KD of the PS of Tirana City calls on the voters of the capital to take part and protest forcefully on Wednesday, August 2, 1995, from 19:00 to 20:00 at the “Asllan Rusi” Sports Palace (Partizani), against the violation of the freedoms and rights of people and of the opposition. An expanded meeting of the Socialists of the capital was convened and held. Dr. Servet Pëllumbi, Deputy Chairman of the PSSH, also attended the meeting and spoke. The agenda included an analysis of the work carried out to successfully tackle corruption in the recently concluded party election campaign, as well as recent political developments, which have worsened and heightened tensions in the country’s political climate. In the report he presented on behalf of the leadership of the KD of the PS of Tirana City, Chairman Musa Ulqini, speaking about recent political developments, emphasized: “The two legal amendments urgently brought before Parliament are a grave provocation by Berisha against the entire Socialist electorate, as he thinks he has found the most suitable moment—the conditions of unbearably hot weather—to paralyze the mass popular protest of the Socialist electorate. This is not the first time Berisha has seriously provoked us during the scorching days at the end of July and beginning of August, but he again …” The report analyzed in detail the work carried out by the KD of the PS of Tirana City during the party election campaign held in May–June, which further consolidated the organizational structures of the capital’s Socialists. Today, the organizational structure of the PS of Tirana is as follows: — There are 300 organizations active in the city, with more than 7,200 members distributed across 24 party zones. Since July 1 of last year, 800 new members have been admitted, 500 of them under the age of 35. Over the course of one year, 31 new party organizations were established. Today in Tirana, 25 PS organizations function solely on a territorial basis, with Eurosocialists, and the Socialist Women’s Forum is organized in most party zones. M. Ulqini then presented the positive progress of the work carried out by the commissions established under the leadership of the PS of Tirana City, where 150 well-known intellectuals and specialists are directly engaged in developing alternatives for the capital. A large part of the presentation focused on the work done to consolidate the Eurosocialist Youth Forum in all units of the capital, which was also reflected in the new quality it brought to the leadership levels of FRESSH at the Conference …

— in August… Speaking on behalf of the thousands of Socialists of the capital from this hall, we strongly protest the recent positions taken by the official Albanian political authorities and warn them that we will organize forcefully, using democratic means, to show Berisha and anyone else that the rights of Socialists must not only be heard, but respected as well.” of the PS of Tirana is as follows:

Although the Committee of Veterans of the National Liberation War in Vlorë is the leading organization in terms of both numbers and authority, the Ministry of Defense and the local authorities are trying to discriminate against it. In the district commission on veterans’ status, three people have been nominated by the United Organization of Veterans, while not a single person has been appointed from the Committee of War Veterans, which has 3,000 members. There is also no member on the commission from the Association of War Invalids. In this way, Article 4 of the law on veterans’ status has been flagrantly violated. According to the law, district commissions are formed by the Ministry of Defense, and in drawing up the commission list, the Ministry of Defense relies on proposals from the local authorities in the district and from veterans’ organizations. Meanwhile, the Committee of Veterans of the National Liberation War and the Association of War Invalids have authorized specific people to be included on the list, but they are not being accepted. Why are the laws of the state being violated? Why do the local authorities of Vlorë and the Ministry of Defense fail to respect the rights of the district’s largest veterans’ organization? This organization’s request shows that, despite our proposal, we are still far from having a genuine rule-of-law state. G. TUSHI

It is not true that the State Inspectorate intervened The Port of Durrës, our country’s largest communication hub with the world, could also become a major center of smuggling if the laws and regulations of the state are not properly enforced. With this aim in mind—that the Port of Durrës, under conditions of increased export-import activity, should be an example of rigorous enforcement of the rules—on July 13 of this year the article “The State Inspectorate Orders the Smuggling Scandal Closed” was published in the newspaper «Zëri i Popullit». The article was prompted by the fact that, as stated in it, a 25-ton truck loaded with goods arrived at the Port of Durrës by ferry from Italy. According to the documents presented, a considerable quantity of carbonated water was to be unloaded from this truck in Albania. But during an inspection by the customs police, it turned out that instead of the goods declared in the proper “documents,” a large number of suitcases containing cover- This incident was entirely true, as was the fact that the Durrës Customs Office, as noted in the article, ordered “its immediate seizure.” The day after this report, also on the front page of the newspaper «Zëri i Popullit», the notice from the General Directorate of Customs concerning this matter was published under the headline “Smuggled Goods Seized.” It states that “on 23.06.1995, the Durrës Customs Branch, pursuant to Article 33 of the Customs Code, impounded the vehicle and the smuggled goods and reported the case to the Durrës Prosecutor’s Office as a smuggling incident.” From June 23, when this smuggling case was discovered, until July 28, when the article in question was published, there had been rumors in Durrës that efforts were being made to have the case unblocked. Confirming these rumors, the article in question also mentioned the head of the State Inspectorate, Mr. Blerim Cela, who, as the newspapers wrote, “insisted persistently that this case of corruption be closed,” adding that “by a firm order from the State Inspectorate and its head, the Customs Police of the Port of Durrës decides to close this case...” This part of the article is not true, and for this the newspaper apologizes. In connection with this matter, the newspaper «Zëri të Popullit» received a denial from the spokesperson for the State Inspectorate, at the end of which it says: “It is in the interest and prestige of this newspaper to issue a correction of the aforementioned article and apologize both to its readers and to the State Inspectorate...” Recognizing that we respect the requirements of the Press Law and acknowledging that the newspaper has made a mistake, as a newspaper of the city ... we will inform you and provide clarification ... We believe this will serve both the opinion of readers and the proper conduct of the newspaper’s work. MIRELA NDINI

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The authorities are holding FATOS NANO hostage Dear Sir, Allow me, through this letter, to express my high regard for you and for your work in your capacity as President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. I have followed your interest over these years as our country, Albania, has sought to become a full member of the Council of Europe. I have learned of and properly understood your messages. On this occasion, allow me to say that I value the confidence you show in my country and my people, and that I share that confidence with you. Having also properly understood the concerns you have expressed recently, I take the liberty of writing to you to denounce the positions and actions of the Albanian state regarding the resolution of the Nano case. During these days of court proceedings involving my husband, when a legal vindication of his innocence was expected, based on ev- (Continued on page 2)