A Parliament elected with stolen votes seeks to establish a parliamentary commission to “investigate” the stealing of votes The US State Department has called for an international investigation into what happened in the 26 May elections in Albania Through TV and the press, an announcement was made that Parliament had decided to establish a temporary commission to examine violations of the election law on 26 May 1996 and complaints about the use of violence against politicians and citizens after the elections... ...The Opposition does not lack the ability and maturity to understand what lies behind this commission. The “diversion” game works to the detriment of those who organize it. The attempt to create the impression that something is being done has the opposite effect to the one intended. Ultimately, establishing this parliamentary commission is a defiant challenge to the recommendations of the EC and the USA. The Socialist Party and the Opposition as a whole seek to institutionalize dialogue as a way out of the crisis. The US State Department has called for an international investigation into what happened in the 26 May elections in Albania. The so-called Parliamentary Commission to investigate the 26 May elections and the beating of politicians on 28 May—which the OSCE, the Council of Europe, the State Department and many international organizations have rightly condemned as a violation of the free vote and democracy—cannot absolve Berisha or his regime from the stigma of shame. Pages 4–5 [?] that is intended. Ultimately, the result of this parliamentary commission is a snub institutionalize dialogue on finding a way out of the general political crisis into which Berisha’s regime plunged the country through the theft and barbaric violence of May 26 and 28—not Berisha-style games with sham commissions.

The authorities in Tirana should know that Mr. Van Den Bruk is coming to Albania after the very clear positions taken by the OSCE, the EU, the Council of Europe, the USA, etc., regarding the violation of the free vote and the police violence inflicted on the Opposition. Therefore, instead of words, they should publicly accept the findings adopted for this purpose.

Albania is expected to ratify the European Convention on Human Rights Page 3

Following the experts’ meeting, the high-level SP–DP meeting will take place on Wednesday, 31 July 1996 Page 2

At the Court of Appeal Life imprisonment for Zylfytar Ramizi, 25 years in prison for Aranit Çela and Rrapi Mino, while Haxhi Lleshi and Manush Myftiu return home sentenced to 5 years in prison each, with cond... [incomplete in source] Page 7

Berisha’s new parliament

The “Meksi 2” Government’s Program Page 6

“The Naked Horseman” Page 11