By Agim BAÇI After nine years mired in a politics of passions, Albanian politics is offering no hope at all for the entry into public life of that part of Albanian society that sees politics as an art and a duty, a way to demonstrate its abilities for the benefit of the country's progress. Pandeli Majko, although himself a product of the December student generation, seems, as soon as he took on the task of leading the government, only to have competed with Sali Berisha in political clichés by calling on the generation of the 1990s to return to that country—and his appeal remained merely a statement for the newspapers. No real effort was seen from him, or from his deputy in government, Ilir Meta, to genuinely invite that generation, which is still gripped by the fervour of idealism, to serve the homeland. Left as nothing but victims of their initial enthusiasm, and with no foresight about the vise of the “old guard”, Majko and Meta soon entered the rut of a politics in which people are seen only with love or only with hatred, causing their government to be judged as a political opponent or sympathizer, while no one noticed what a government should actually do for all its citizens. This was also thanks to the closeness between Nano and Berisha in putting such viewpoints about “the two youngsters” on the market. Thus Albanian politics, left in the hands of people who were unknown before the 1990s and who, consequently, continue to be easily stirred by the challenges they take upon themselves, appear ponderous in the face of those who want their own state, and loud-mouthed and inferior in the face of ... Continued on page 3

P. 9 [Satirical illustration with the labels: “THE BRAVE ONE”, “Smuggling”, “Corruption”] g. Vukani

RP: We do not form a coalition with the left In yesterday’s issue, under the headline “Majko’s great compromise” on page 3, you also published the list of the possible “Majko 2” government. Despite our regard for your newspaper and its reliable sources of information, we are obliged to clarify that: 1- We do not belong to that part of the Albanian political spectrum that is pleased with the composition of this hypothetical government. P. 3 • Who helped the former Saranda police commissioner escape from Albania? P. 3 • “FRIENDS”: You are corrupt “Albania has finally acknowledged the existence of corruption problems,” said OSCE ambassador Daan Everts, who is also head of the “Friends of Albania” group, at a meeting held yesterday with government representatives at the Hotel Tirana P. 9 • Here are the behind-the-scenes details of the organizers of the Cërrik massacre P. 6