The ineffectiveness of the measures envisaged by the Contact Group became apparent without delay. Just one day after the Rome meeting, Serbian forces launched fierce attacks on villages in Drenica, killing four Albanians and burning and looting around 30 houses. The Serbian army has now also brought artillery into the conflict, as if waging a frontal war. The Contact Group’s strategy has made Millosheviq even more enthusiastic. The economic embargo appears to have no value whatsoever for the Serbian regime. The only language this regime has historically understood is the language of force. After the failure of Euro-diplomacy, the only hope left is the US tendency to pursue a policy based on a hard line toward the Serbs. Kosovo has begun to be described as a strategic concern of the USA, but obstacles to the use of force still remain. Apart from Tirana Further on page 3

Tirana: War structures ready. Turkish generals: We are with you. SHIK and UDB clash at the border Police open VEFA’s safe. The bluff about the lists is exposed. Vehbi Alimuçaj holds the decryption code hostage

Mobilization of the population is established. Government: Paid reservists Page 4

RP: The Albanian government, one step behind Europe. The break with the Serbs is final. Institutional coexistence is out of the question Page 3 Serbian operations resume. Drenica: Terror spares no one Page 16 Blushi refuses transfer Page 4 Meksi enriches Agolli’s vocabulary Page 9 — Page 9 Fatal error in the investigations into Ura Vajgurore. The killer’s double is arrested. Blood [?] on May 1 in Shkodër — Page 7 Sunday literary supplement: Hemingway, Fables, Poetry, etc. — Pages 11–14

Last night, Albanian Television, in a shameful manner, completely distorted my words on the issue of the referendum on the form of government in its news report covering the PRSH press conference. Instead of serving the truth, it served the interests of those currently in power; the report stated that “Mr. Mediu said that, as far as the issue of the referendum is concerned, let the constitutional experts decide,” which is not true at all. I did not say anything of the sort; rather, I said that “the Republicans are not in favor of the monarchy. Nevertheless, we believe there is nothing wrong with holding a referendum if a certain number of citizens request one,” describing this phenomenon as a normal process in a democratic country.