All together for peace, against the killers of life

Visit by Defense Minister Shaqir Vukaj to Vlora Albanians have never, in their history, killed one another over religion, political parties, or differing convictions Despite the crime that killed all of Vlora and set Albania ablaze, among those good people the spirit of the good Vlora native, their patriotism and characteristic courage—which stand as a monument to pride—has not been killed and will never be killed. The people of Vlora proved this in all their meetings with Defense Minister Shaqir Vukaj, who conveyed to Vlora’s families the condolences of the Albanian Government, Prime Minister Fino, the Italian Government and Prime Minister Prodi for all those innocent people who lost their lives in the Otranto Channel, and for all the others, victims of the monstrous massacre, instigated by those who portray Vlora as a city of terrorists or as the armed wing of the Socialist Party. Page 2

Chronicle of a day in the capital, under a state of emergency Page 3

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Preç Zogaj speaks to “Zëri i popullit” For a long time, he has defended the view that the direction of the decisions debated in the PS is toward moderation and responsibility. There are people there who rise above petty matters and see the whole picture, the perspective. Page 4

From Thessaloniki, the chairman of the PSSH will travel to Strasbourg, invited to take part in the plenary session of the European Parliament As part of intensive efforts to affirm and present the socialist alternative for resolving the crisis in Albania, these days, at the invitation of the Party of European Socialists, a delegation of the Socialist Party of Albania led by its chairman, Fatos Nano, took part in the Conference on the Balkans held by the EU in Thessaloniki, Greece. In addition to actively participating in the conference’s forums, the PS chairman, comrade Fatos Nano, held numerous meetings and discussions with senior PSE figures, including Mr. Kostas Simitis, Prime Minister of Greece and also chairman of PASOK, and the PSE Secretary General, Mr. Fransua Valen. Immediately after Thessaloniki, PS chairman Fatos Nano will travel to Strasbourg. He has been invited to take part in the plenary session of the European Parliament, which will be held there on 8 April. Participation in this high-level European body will be followed by meetings planned between PS chairman Fatos Nano and various groups and committees of the European Parliament. Fatos Nano will also hold meetings at the Council of Ministers of the European Union. B.S.

We have countered the philosophy of exclusion with the philosophy of coexistence and cooperation, for the good of the country, without erasing the identities of political forces under pluralism. We have countered Berisha’s alternative—of cultivating, through politics and institutions, constant enmity between political forces and the personalities who represent them, so as to create tensions that suffocate every alternative and every rational judgment, and any normal functioning of institutions—with the alternative of defining and upholding fair rules of political and electoral competition.