Fifty Berisha "NANO CASE" - A HANGOVER FOR ALBANIAN POLITICS After the letter Amnesty International sent to President Berisha "After examining the verdict issued by the Tirana Court and other documents related to the case, Amnesty International reaches the conclusion that the accusations brought against Mr. Nano were politically motivated and that the evidence and testimony presented in court are not sufficient to convict him of personal benefit from Italian aid funds." (From the letter Amnesty International sent to President Berisha) Public opinion is becoming increasingly clear that the scandal of the "Nano" file is deepening day by day. Public opinion has now become acquainted with all the behind-the-scenes aspects of the judicial procedure that led to the imprisonment of the chairman of the Socialist Party and of the Albanian opposition, Fatos Nano. The public has also become familiar with the contents of the letter from the international organization "Amnesty International" addressed to President Berisha, through which serious doubts are raised about the political motivation of this case. This letter points out that, after examining the Tirana Court’s decision and other materials, Mr. Nano’s guilt for personal gain from Italian funds has not been proven. This means that the issue is not merely legal, but deeply political. For a long time, official propaganda has tried to present the case as an ordinary criminal trial. But recent developments show that it was used as a political weapon. Berisha, by keeping the Nano case hostage, has also kept Albanian political life hostage. This scandal is made even more serious by the fact that inconsistencies, falsifications, and dubious interpretations continue to come to light in the procedural materials. This makes a full and impartial review of the case essential. If justice functioned independently of politics, then the Nano case would not have become a symbol of the crisis of the rule of law in Albania. What is now before public opinion is a grim picture of political interference in the justice system. For this reason, the Amnesty International letter is of special importance not only for Mr. Nano’s personal fate, but also for Albanian democracy as a whole.

The Socialists’ alleged legislative initiative against Nano was fabricated. There is nothing in the protocol. What is this prosecutor’s? The prosecutor of the Ministry still [?] is in question. FRASHËRI: I ask the prosecutors the question that is part of the program In connection with the questions of the chairman of the parliamentary group of the Socialists, Mr. Kastriot Islami, addressed in writing to the People’s Assembly and to the President of the Republic, by which the accusation is raised that the government has made falsifications in the procedural acts of the "Nano" case, the Minister of Justice, Hektor Frashëri, explained to the media, also making public the minutes transcribed from the cassette of the meeting of the Cassation Court’s collegiate panel, where on 30 June 1994 the decision was taken to send the case back for retrial. Below we give the Minister of Justice’s explanation on this issue. This is not the first time that Mr. Kastriot Islami has asked questions of this kind. For a long time he seems to have considered it his mission to stir up a storm in a teacup, but apparently he cannot find either a director or a scriptwriter for it. These questions are part of the opposition’s conduct of portraying power as criminalized and as having manipulated files. Personally, I am convinced that Mr. Kastriot Islami knows very well that this is a matter of deliberate manipulation of public opinion. As for the case in question, I must reiterate that the 30 June 1994 decision of the Criminal Panel of the Cassation Court was recorded and preserved in accordance with procedural rules. The magnetic tape, according to the law, served to transcribe the decision into the minutes. The claim that this transcript was tampered with is false. It is enough to look at the documentation preserved in the ministry and in the court. If such an act had taken place, there should have been material traces, but there is nothing. For this reason I ask the prosecutors the question I have also asked publicly: where is the evidence? I want to say that the opposition cannot raise accusations based only on political speculation. In a state under the rule of law, an accusation requires evidence. If evidence is lacking, then we are dealing with political slander and with an attempt to compromise institutions. As far as the Ministry of Justice is concerned, it has carried out all necessary verifications. There is nothing in the protocol that supports the claims made. This is the documentary truth.

Dr. Tritan Shehu’s position regarding the "Amnesty International" magazine is unfounded in arguments and unsupported by facts. Through a statement he has tried to relativize the contents of this organization’s letter and minimize the political and legal significance it contains. Instead of addressing the substance of the problem, Dr. Shehu has chosen to attack the source of the criticism. Such behavior does not help clarify public opinion; on the contrary, it obscures it. Amnesty International is an organization with international authority and its assessments cannot be dismissed with propagandistic statements. The Nano case, which is being discussed, cannot be resolved with political nervousness. It requires transparency, seriousness, and respect for the standards of justice. Dr. Shehu’s statements only strengthen the conviction that the government is trying to defend a politically motivated process. (To be continued on page 4)

From 31 July to 2 August, a delegation of the Socialist Party of Albania, made up of the deputies Ethem Ruka and Vangjel Tavo, carried out a working visit to Italy. The delegation met with representatives of Italian political forces and with leaders of institutions, with whom issues of bilateral cooperation, political developments in Albania, and the situation in the region were discussed. During this visit, the Socialist deputies presented the opposition’s concerns regarding the state of democracy and the rule of law in Albania. They pointed to the need for free elections, respect for human rights, and the normal functioning of institutions. The talks took place in an atmosphere of understanding and mutual appreciation. The Italian side expressed interest in developments in Albania and emphasized the importance of political dialogue. (To be continued on page 3)

On Thursday in Krujë A large peaceful gathering of socialists Statement by the Presidency of the Socialist Party - The imposition of violence over reason and freedom does not guarantee the calm of our country. On 6 August in Tirana a large civic gathering is planned, but according to the government’s decision it must not take place. This ban is unjust and runs counter to the democratic spirit. - The Presidency of the Socialist Party calls on all members, sympathizers, and citizens to show calm, restraint, and determination to defend the constitutional right to peaceful assembly. - We express the conviction that only through dialogue and respect for political rights can democratic order be preserved and unnecessary clashes avoided. (To be continued on page 2)

The Presidency of the Socialist Party in the Kukës district strongly condemns the attempts to suppress freedom of assembly and political expression. According to this declaration, such actions worsen the political climate and increase tension in the country. The Committee calls on local structures and citizens to maintain calm, but at the same time not to renounce the exercise of democratic rights. (To be continued on page 2)

Statement by the Presidency of the Socialist Party The Presidency of the Socialist Party of Albania considers that Amnesty International’s decision to regard Fatos Nano as a political prisoner is a development of particular importance for the country’s political life. This assessment constitutes a strong argument against the government’s efforts to present the case as an ordinary criminal trial. On the contrary, it confirms the conviction of the opposition and of a broad part of public opinion that we are dealing with a political conviction. The Socialist Party calls on all citizens, socialists, and honest democrats to support the demand for the immediate release of Fatos Nano and for the restoration of democratic standards in the country. (To be continued on page 4)

On Monday, 8 August at 8:00 p.m. in the premises of the publishing house “8 Nëntori”, the presidency of the association “Friends of America” is organizing a commemorative evening on the occasion of the fifth anniversary of the death of its first chairman, Dr. Isuf Luzaj. Friends of Isuf and all those who knew him and value him as a distinguished Albanian son and a great philosopher and humanist should attend. We publish this notice in place of an invitation. Written by: Kastriot Tarelli, secretary.