Political contract—a successful step by Vranicki in Albania After stalling without reason, Tritan Shehu is forced to sign the contract Political contract—a successful step by Vranicki in Albania Elections before the end of June After stalling without reason, Tritan Shehu is forced to sign the contract Here is what was agreed in the contract signed by the ten political parties with Vranicki: 1. Parliamentary elections are to be held before the end of June 1997. 2. We accept as the basis for administering these elections a law under which members of parliament will be elected using a mixed electoral system. 3. The parties consider that the elections must be administered in a credible manner and must enjoy the confidence of the participating parties and the electorate. 4. We also agree that all parties shall make every effort to ensure free movement and access for the electoral campaigning of all parties and individuals throughout the country. 5. We agree that Article 3 of the Anti-Genocide Law should be reformulated in such a way that, without changing its essence, the restriction on the right to stand as a candidate shall be specified for members of the Political Bureau, collaborators of the State Security Service, and all persons convicted by a court ruling of crimes against humanity. 6. We welcome the presence of domestic and international observers who can enhance the integrity of the electoral process. Page 3

OSCE Vranicki at the press conference on the anti-genocide law: “Amending the anti-genocide law is a particular compromise being made in Albania, because according to the principles of the Council of Europe, this law should not exist at all.” Vranicki at the press conference on the anti-genocide law: “Amending the anti-genocide law is a particular compromise being made in Albania, because according to the principles of the Council of Europe, this law should not exist at all.”

The political contract proposed by Vranicki and defended by him personally at the table of the leaders of the parties participating in the Government is a realistic and suitable agreement for securing consensus among all sides. It brings together, in a very judicious political formula, the differing positions put forward so far between the nine parties on one side and the PDS on the other. The clearest aspect of this contract is the merging of the two positions—the pure majority system and the pure proportional system—regarding the electoral system, into an idea for a mixed law. The formula the document provides for the electoral system is the contested 1992 electoral system, because it is a reformed proportional system at the national level, meaning the possibility of recovering proportional votes from across the country and not in a limited number of constituencies.

The Chairman of the Socialist Party, Fatos Nano, and the Secretary for Foreign Relations, Maqo Lakrori, received at the PSSH headquarters the World Bank Representative in Albania, Karlos Elbirt, and the Project Operations Manager, Xavier De Victor. Also present at the meeting were PSSH Knesset member Ylli Bufi and PSSH KPD members Sherif Bundo and Shkëlqim Cani. The PSSH leaders and the World Bank representatives exchanged views on the economic situation in the country and its prospects, in the context of concrete possibilities for overcoming the current crisis and setting Albania on the path to normalization and development. The meeting was held in a constructive spirit. PSSH Spokesperson

Yesterday at the PSSH headquarters, Chairman Fatos Nano, Secretary General Rexhep Mejdani, and PS secretaries Maqo Lakrori and Pandeli Majko received and held talks with a delegation from the Movement for Democracy Party, which included Messrs. Leka Toto and Genc Ruli. The main topic of the discussion was the current situation in Albania and the efforts needed to break the deadlock. In this context, they discussed the electoral law, the genocide law, the date of the elections, etc.

Special police forces sent from Tirana provoke the people. The result: Around 100 police officers are disarmed and flee in panic, leaving behind not only their weapons and vehicles but also their bulletproof vests, uniforms, and everything else. On the afternoon of 8 May, around 100 armed men, members of special police units in Tirana, arrived in Gramsh with orders to disarm the armed people. However, everything fell apart before it even began. The operation was attempted mainly against people opposed to the DP and Berisha, rather than against the real criminals, armed on the orders of the DP. As a result, conflict broke out immediately, and the entire town of Gramsh became involved against Minister Çelo’s special forces. And it all ended in disgrace. The special forces fled in panic toward Korçë, even though the road back to Tirana goes through Elbasan, leaving behind not only their weapons but also their bulletproof vests, vehicles, and everything else. Meanwhile, the enraged crowd of protesters stormed the police station, setting it on fire together with the SHIK offices. Sources in Gramsh report that a member of the special forces was wounded. (Continued on page 3) The result: Around 100 police officers were disarmed and fled in panic, leaving behind not only their weapons and vehicles but also their bulletproof vests, uniforms, and everything else. The police station was burned down together with the SHIK offices.

СОБ, EU, among others, including their parliamentary bodies. We invite the international community to appoint a co-ordinator, who should be a political figure of international stature. He/she will make the final report, which we will not contest. Tirana, 05 May 1997 For the Democratic Party For the Socialist Party For the Christian Democratic Party For the Democratic Alliance Party For the Republican Party For the National Front Party For the Social Democratic Party For the Alliance of Human Rights Party For the Social Democratic Union Party For the Legality Movement Party Facsimile of the signatures to the political contract of 9 May