FBI experts in Tirana

After appealing to the Socialists to go to Parliament: The illegitimacy of Berisha’s appointed parliament after the violent elections of May 26 continues to be an open wound in his regime, one that has seriously infected Albania’s fragile democracy. Six years ago, the wave of popular protests would compel the Labour Party caste to accept its defeat and open the way to political pluralism, the new stage in Albania’s integration into civilized society. But the Albanian dream, which aspired to touch the “forbidden apple” surrounded by barbed wire, would grow and grow from time to time, only to suffer a heavy blow on May 26 and 28. In no other country were parliamentary elections violated in this way. The state and its various segments opposed the people’s verdict, giving Albania a parliament filled with puppet deputies produced by stolen votes. This means that Albania has an illegitimate legislative power and, consequently, an illegitimate executive power too, since it derives from a parliament elected with stolen votes. (Continued on page 2)

At one of the money collection points of the “Xhaferri” Foundation The “Xhaferri” Foundation adds four more branches

From the visit of the SP of Albania delegation to the USA Washington—The SP of Albania delegation is continuing its scheduled meetings with senior officials and American politicians. On Wednesday, 11.12.1996, Secretary General Rexhep Meidani, Secretary for Foreign Relations Maqo Llakori, and the other members of the SP of Albania delegation met at the State Department with Under Secretary of State for Global Affairs Timothey Wirth and the Director for Central and Southern Europe, James W.Swigert. Representatives of the SP of Albania and senior American officials discussed further steps for the recovery and normalization of democratic processes in Albania. Also attending the meeting were James Bigus, a representative of the Office of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, and Eric K.Lundberg, Head of the Albania Desk at the State Department. Spokesperson of the SP of Albania Meeting at the State Department

Milot The locomotive derails Low speed prevented a catastrophe Page 5

“Albanian-American relations are currently at their lowest point since diplomatic relations between the two countries were restored in 1990” Interview with PSD Deputy Chairman Paskal Milo Page 4

The number of infected people reaches 400 Page 8

In the DP’s strategic plan for holding on to power for a long time, two points stand out as among the most important: First, the imprisonment of Socialist Party chairman Fatos Nano, in the hope of weakening the opposition’s political struggle as much as possible, and of weakening, splitting, and, if possible, eliminating the Socialist Party. Second, all-round subversion directed against the opposition, and especially the Socialist Party, with the aim of making it focus more on itself. Revitalizing Party life, the first condition for being an opposition Page 2