HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH : Albanian Glasnost?

In the last 72 hours, besieged Albanian authorities flip-flopped more than once on whether to grant passports to citizens wishing to leave their Communist homeland.

The centerpiece of reform, a law allowing any adult to apply for a passport, took effect on Tuesday. By Thursday authorities had second thoughts, as Albanians stormed embassies in Tirana in search of asylum or visas.

Party leader Ramiz Alia’s clearly embarrassed regime denounced the asylum-seekers as criminals and vagabonds and sent its secret police to try to halt the rush to the exits.

But then the Albanian Foreign Ministry promised to issue passports and appeared to deny reports that Albanians won’t be able to apply for visas to travel.

The European Community, whose goodwill impoverished Albania urgently needs, has demanded that those who took refuge in Western embassies be allowed to leave Albania, with no reprisals taken against their families. The EC has further condemned Albania’s continuing contempt for human rights. Alia knows that Albania is doomed to be left ever further behind unless he can induce foreign help by showing a willingness to reform. But even that first hesitant step toward relaxation produced an explosion of popular frustration that panicked the Tirana regime.

Looks like the EC is getting its wish. Its firm position represents the kind of pressure that could force real change in Europe’s most isolated and backward country.