Selami vets the plan with the Americans. Berisha seeks a lawyer’s license

Court ready to drop criminal proceedings against Driza. Three banks confirm the money is missing . The court is ready to drop the criminal proceedings against Driza. Three banks confirm that the money is missing.

. The game is rigged. The CEC dismisses Berisha. This is a play on words that seems apt for the Albanian politics of the day. After a huge fuss over private papers bearing seals and presidential statements, it seems that everything has been smoothed over. Yesterday the CEC announced the list of future majoritarian MPs and the parties’ proportional-representation list. Despite the mutual statements and displays of hostility between the CEC and the headquarters where Berisha survived by his fingernails last year, yesterday it was formally established, with stamp and signature, that the President of this country, Sali Ramë Berisha, is number 1 on the DP proportional list, and therefore an MP in the new Albanian Parliament. The Socialist CEC members have finally backed down, showing tolerance toward the President of the Republic and waiting for him to submit the much-discussed resignation. Berisha, for his part, has kicked the ball away. The CEC delivered its final decision to his doorstep, leaving him without a protagonist and completely alone. The current President perhaps did not expect this day to come so soon, but according to his press conference, the day on which Parliament meets must be decreed. This event is expected to take place on Tuesday this week. On that occasion, this Parliament must first convene the Mandates Committee, which will decide Berisha’s future as President, MP, or... In a way, it seems the parliamentary crisis has been resolved, though it could turn into a political crisis if Berisha does not meet the Socialists’ demand that he leave the presidential post as soon as possible. Yesterday’s CEC press release stated that the DP proportional list would also include MPs from other political colours: PDK, PBSD and BD. These left-wing and right-wing MPs in the same government are no guarantee for the DP and its group. The DP’s proportional list was not changed, further shrinking the party and leaving no room for its old loyalists, such as Ali Spahia. DBSH has a real opportunity to form a parliamentary group. Its people in Parliament, if they do not get bogged down in pointless technical disputes, will be able to give the true dimension of the right, which was compromised by Berisha’s election in this election. DBSH, the only genuinely right-wing formation in Parliament, with a strong policy, can win votes from those disillusioned by Berisha’s authoritarian politics and the PS’s obscurantism. Perhaps things can be discussed differently in this Parliament, although the chances are slim. The Socialists have a majority. They can play without an opponent; the DP, with its small allies, can only make noise. The small satellite parties can only make noise. The real right-wing observers—well, the majority will absorb them. Unfortunately, the real Right, DBSH, has only a minimal number of MPs, but that does not mean they will not contribute in this Parliament. That is what they are working toward. They have invested in tomorrow.

. NANO REPLACES MINISTERS Maksim Haxhia returns as head of the prosecutor’s office. A replacement is found for Prel Martini. Black-masked men rob the Egyptian diplomat. Bomb at the home of a senior official.

Gumeni: Tritani is Berisha’s disciplined unit. Page 14

Egyptian diplomat. Bomb at the ho- me of a senior official Page 2 Special forces leave Berat; in Elbasan, thieves melt down the metallurgical plant; in Lushnje, doctors leave the hospital; in Dur- rës, the military unit is attacked; in Vlorë, 6 victims; cholera in Peshkopi; the mayor distributes aid among his clan Pages 5–7

Tirana: The police are to demolish the kiosks Page 10