Three candidates to replace Nano. His resignation had been announced the previous day The soldier who neutralized the attacker “Gjuzi” is rewarded by the Command NATO moves toward Kosovo. Warships set sail for the Adriatic. P. 11

By Agim BAÇI Former Prime Minister Fatos Nano, who as of yesterday is also the former chairman of the SP, has refreshed his party by submitting a rather suspicious resignation. So suspicious that ... many of his opponents asked throughout the meeting of the KPD whether Fatos had resigned or not. Having withdrawn from the leadership of the SP “for lack of solidarity” and “for communication and discussion” with some leaders of his party and of the current government, the former Socialist leader seems set to undertake his political démarche to seek support from a broader section of Socialists. For the first time, Fatos Nano has spared no one in his party. But his resignation, tendered in a completely unexpected style at a meeting that has no authority to vote on such a matter, looks like a pure bluff. When he resigned as prime minister at the end of last September, he first convened the KPD, obtaining maximum consensus, and three days later submitted an irrevocable resignation to that same body. It seems that Nano, unaccustomed to being attacked so much by his colleagues, after Berisha had, during his four years in prison, made him—willingly or not—an idol of most of his party comrades, wants to take another look at himself as someone fervently sought by the broad mass of Socialists. And, by using resignation at a time when it cannot be voted on, it seems as if Nano has decided to—

P. 11

P. 5

The Council of Europe has just circulated a statement by its Secretary General, who says in an ultimatum-like manner that he expects Albania to block the death penalty. The comment of the Republican Party’s organizational secretary? To be honest, we Republicans had little hope that this delegation would unblock the death penalty. We are convinced that Albanian politics has not managed to speak in the language of the Albanians themselves. If this kind of special delegation were to address this problem on the basis of the arguments that we Republicans have been presenting for some time, and progressively on the basis of the common civic logic that calls for unblocking the death penalty in Albania, Europe would react differently. If this delegation, as I said, had spoken in the language of the Albanians, something would have been achieved. Meanwhile, Secretary General Daniel Tarschiz emphasizes that Albania itself had set the blocking of the death penalty as a litmus test for joining the Council of Europe. (Continued on page 3)

Nano’s departure. Yesterday Nano resigned from the KPD. Photo: P. Ilo

Four arrested in one day near the American Embassy Alimuçaj’s judicial adventure P. 2 Majko: “I’ll go to Lazarat” 44 murders, no death sentences A dog takes its owner to court P. 7 Berisha: “Nano, like Mao Zedong” Message from Abaz Ermenji: Let’s go to Kosovo P. 4–5 The Greek Embassy reveals the press’s “secrets” P. 10 The treasure of Aleksandër Moisiu stolen P. 13 1 billion dollars locked away in vaults P. 9 Burrel, one year out of the Cup The “Greek” thank-you eats the Albanian “ingrates” P. 15 Privatization, a game at the state’s expense P. 8 The PR Presidency informs the coordinators P. 3