WE WILL WIN, FATOS NANO WILL SOON BE FREE! Speech by the Deputy Chairman of the Socialist Party, Dr. SERVET PËLLUMBI WE WILL WIN, FATOS NANO WILL SOON BE FREE! Speech by the Deputy Chairman of the Socialist Party, Dr. SERVET PËLLUMBI Members and sympathizers of the Socialist Party, Honourable citizens of Tirana, The arrival of foreign journalists in Albania to follow this rally shows their interest not only in the elections of 4 June, but also in the course of democratic processes in Albania. They have come to get a better understanding of today’s political and social atmosphere in Albania, and also to learn more about the views of the united left opposition on the situation and the ways out of it. This time they will hear not only the opinion of the main leaders of the Socialist Party and of the other left-wing and democratic parties, but also your voice, the voice of the citizens of Tirana. Today we are here together in this square, in the name of freedom and true democracy. This is because freedom and democracy in Albania are being violated today. This is because human rights and freedoms are being brutally trampled. This is because the elections of 26 May and 4 June were scandalously manipulated and the people’s vote was publicly stolen. This is because our leader, Fatos Nano, was unjustly arrested and is today being held in prison as a political prisoner. Honourable citizens, These days we are following with anxiety the show trial against the chairman of the Socialist Party, Fatos Nano. Along with us, foreign commentators, journalists and jurists, representatives of international organizations, are also following this trial with concern, becoming more and more convinced every day of how contrived this case is and how unjust this process is. They are seeing with their own eyes how witnesses are withdrawn, how the charges collapse, how the prosecutor confuses the facts, and how the court continues to act under political diktat. We did not come here to exert pressure on justice, because we stand for an independent and honest justice. But we have come to say loudly that justice cannot be a tool of power and that no one can be punished for their political beliefs. Fatos Nano is innocent. He is being held in prison because he is the leader of the opposition, because he is the symbol of hope for change, because power fears the truth and the free will of the people. Today Albania needs reconciliation, calm, free and fair elections, democratic institutions and a state governed by law. We socialists have a great responsibility to serve this ideal. We must be united, determined and clear in our goals. No provocation should lead us away from our peaceful and democratic path. Let us express today before the whole world our determination not to submit to injustice. Let us demand, with the force of reason and solidarity, the immediate release of Fatos Nano. Let us tell all Albanians that the future is not built through political imprisonment, vote manipulation and violence, but through dialogue, understanding and respect for the law. We will win, because justice is on our side. Fatos Nano will soon be free. (continued on page 11)

They held 18 dead and 6,000 soldiers under arrest. According to reliable sources, it is reported that the head of the Serb paramilitary forces in Bosnia, Ratko Mladić, has sent an order to mobilize all men aged 18 to 65 living in Serb-controlled areas around Sarajevo. According to the same sources, the order is related to the expectation of a possible attack by Bosnian government forces. At the same time, it is reported that there is movement of troops and artillery at several strategic points. Another report speaks of the serious humanitarian situation in the besieged enclaves. The civilian population continues to suffer from a lack of food, medicine and drinking water. International aid organizations have called for the creation of safe corridors for the delivery of aid. Other sources say that diplomatic talks are continuing, but still without concrete results. (continued on page 11)

The world tells Berisha: Fatos Nano is a political hostage NAMIK DOKLE At last, the long list of the world’s best-known human rights organization, Amnesty International, has also arrived, and in an official statement it called Fatos Nano a “prisoner of conscience.” Through this well-known organization, the international community is sending a clear message to the authorities in Tirana that the imprisonment of the chairman of the Albanian opposition is not an ordinary criminal matter, but an act motivated by political reasons. This assessment is a heavy blow to the official propaganda that has tried to present the Nano case as a corruption case. But the further the trial develops, the clearer it becomes that the evidence is lacking, that the accusations are contradictory, and that the only real reason for keeping him in prison is his political role. Under these conditions, domestic and international public opinion are becoming more and more aware every day that Fatos Nano is a political hostage. The government must understand that with staged trials and pressure on opponents it cannot build either democracy or a stable order. (continued on page 3)

Let us raise our voice so that democracy does not move backward like a crayfish DRITERO AGOLLI Dear comrades, Democracy is not just a beautiful word that we use in speeches. It is spirit, conduct, civic culture and respect for others. When the vote is violated, when the opponent is silenced, when the state is used against the citizen, then democracy does not move forward, but backward, like a crayfish. We cannot accept our country being turned back in time, onto paths that we have already tried and that have brought us only harm. We want an Albania where a person feels free, where the law is equal for everyone and where power is not afraid of different thinking. Today more than ever we must raise our voices, not for hatred, but for civility; not for division, but for unity; not for revenge, but for justice. Only then will democracy move forward. (continued on page 6)

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One month to try the Chinese woman, two months to give the verdict! One month to try the Chinese woman, two months to give the verdict! (continued on page 8)

FATOS NANO is a prisoner of conscience... The world’s largest human rights organization, Amnesty International, has sent President Sali Berisha a letter calling for the immediate release of Fatos Nano. FATOS NANO is a prisoner of conscience... - The world’s largest human rights organization, AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL, has sent the President of Albania, Sali Berisha, a letter calling for the immediate release of Fatos Nano. In the letter, Amnesty International expresses concern that Nano’s detention may be politically motivated and that he is being held because of his political beliefs rather than for any proven criminal offense. The organization calls on the Albanian authorities to respect international standards for a fair and transparent trial. It underlines that people arrested for political motives should be released without delay. (continued on page 7)