Socialist Leader Holds Hope For End To Crisis

In his first interview since breaking out of prison, Albania’s top opposition leader said Sunday that the country soon may overcome its crisis because leaders responsible for it are losing power.

Socialist Party leader Fatos Nano told The Associated Press he will do everything in his power to support a new coalition government.

Nano escaped Thursday after four years in prison. On Sunday, President Sali Berisha decreed amnesty for Nano and 50 other inmates.

Nano had been held in a high-security prison in Tepelena in southern Albania until violence broke out in the region two weeks ago. He was transferred to the central prison in Tirana, where he stayed until a mob freed him and about 600 other prisoners Thursday afternoon.

Nano said creation of a coalition government, headed by a prime minister from his party, would offer “a fragile but very positive chance … to normalize the situation and regain the confidence of the Albanian people and international institutions.”

Nano expressed optimism that Albanians can pull their country from the brink of disaster “because the factors (officials) that created this situation slowly but definitely are stepping aside.”