The following information was obtained at the request of the Research Directorate by a Migration Integrity Officer (MIO) of the Canadian Embassy in Rome from the Chairman of the Tirana branch of the Democratic Party of Albania (PD) in interviews conducted in early February 2004 (Canada 20 Feb. 2003).

PD Documents

With respect to PD membership booklets issued before 1993, the Chairman described the booklet as a "simple two-page blue and red booklet signed by a party official named Yeli Vejiu" (ibid.).

Regarding signatures on PD documents, the Chairman "confirmed that he always signs with the same fountain pen ... [b]ut he conceded that given the number of documents he signs in the course of his work, he may have used a different pen in error on a few occasions" (ibid.).

The Migration Integrity Officer reported the following as being the PD Chairman's comments concerning the verification or Vertetim documents:

The Democratic Party of Albania (DP) issues two different verification letters (VERTETIM). ... The new version contains the telephone/fax number, has a hyphen between DEGA and TIRANE, lacks the umlaut throughout the text, is single spaced, and is signed by "Dr. Vili Minarolli." The old version does not contain the telephone/fax number, does not have a hyphen between DEGA and TIRANE, uses the umlaut, has 1.5 spacing, and is signed by "Vili Minarolli."

Both versions of the verification letter are still issued. The new version is for active members. The old version is for non-active members, i.e. members who used to belong to the party but have failed to obtain the new membership booklet, which came into circulation in the year 2000. ... Both versions of the verification letters are normally issued on the basis of a personal declaration from an official of a sub-branch ... (ibid.).

Democratic Party Youth Forum (DPYF)

On the issue of the Democratic Party Youth Forum (DPYF), the MIO observed that the PD Chairman was hesitant to talk about it since the party is separate from the PD (ibid.). The Chairman did comment that the DPYF has its own membership card and PD members can participate in both parties at the same time (ibid.).

This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.

Canada. 20 February 2004. Correspondence from the Migration Integrity Officer of the Canadian Embassy in Rome.