U.S. Congress gives the green light to troops in Kosovo. The carrot is being brought closer to Milošević

P. 5

Begeja: Meidani is to blame for corruption in the Justice system.

P. 3

Hashim Thaçi returns to Kosovo. Rugova: Don’t play with Kosovo’s fate

P. 5

Malaj puts Braho in charge of the fuel depots. Majko’s back pays Nano’s bills

P. 4

Helsinki protects criminals

The President returns to politics

. The President of the Republic seeks to challenge political initiatives, describing them as “charlatan” and “manipulated”. Speaking to students about the death penalty, the President accused political representatives of being people who place political-party gains above national interests and the problems of democratic development. Our indignant President calls all the recent initiatives against crime “emotional outbursts”. As can now be seen, our President has decided to engage in politics, even though in the recently published Annual Report of the U.S. State Department, the Presidency in Albania was described as a “ceremonial institution”. Where does the President find the moral strength to act against constitutional provisions? This chivalrous heroism, this “altruism” towards crime, “for the sake of the general interest”, is leading us towards the extinction of the state. The militant grandeur of “presidential Bolshevism” is leading us towards a new world, where dictatorship is equated with mobilization. By selecting the state’s point of view that presuppo... Continued on page 3

Tirana: We cannot get the corrupt out of the Justice system

The death penalty instills a psychology of fear in criminals, Albanian chief investigator Agim Tirana said in an interview with “Republika.” The interview answers questions such as: Has Tirana met Zani Çaushi? Is it true that he proposed a compromise to the Legality Movement leader, Spahia? When will the trial for September 14 begin, and what will the trial procedures be? These and other questions are answered in the exclusive interview Tirana gave to “Republika.” Page 10

Zani, licensed to carry a firearm

Lawyer: Zani has never been convicted by the Albanian Justice system and has never been under criminal investigation. Zani rose up to defend the people of Vlora at their own request. As soon as he returned from Greece at the beginning of March, together with Luciano, his close friend, he began helping the people of Vlora with bread and food, which he obtained from Vlora’s traders and from his friends in Greece. Page 6

96 murders in 70 days A. Vissani ’99

Candidates in caricature: “CRIME”, “CORRUP...” [?]

Should there be the death penalty?

“In just two months, 306 crimes against persons have been recorded, of which 96 are murders alone. Of these, only 35 crimes involving murder have been solved. The number of people who committed these murders is 53, of whom 21 have been arrested, while the other 32 have fled to an unknown destination. The crime of murder is increasing because conflicts are not being resolved through the state’s laws, but through vigilantism, due to a lack of trust in state institutions, especially the Courts.” Page 2

Inside:

• Gjinushi and Brokaj at the prosecution’s disposal Page 2 • PD and PSD accept the invitation DPSH [?]

PD and PSD accept DBSH’s invitation

Page 2 • PD and PSD accept DBSH’s invitation Page 3 • PD commemorates Hajdari and calls for new elections Page 4 • LM taken hostage in Vorë Page 8