How Erieta’s 10 million disappeared PAGE 5

EDITORIAL Yesterday, 30 members of parliament put an end to the process of signing the opposition’s Memorandum on the Electoral Code. Alongside the signatures of opposition MPs, the list of signatories also included the names of MPs from parties belonging to the parliamentary majority and participating in government, as well as independent MPs. Meidani’s test of whether he could change from a head of state who knew how to appear cheerful and “sweet” at football matches, cultural and artistic performances, meetings and activities of NGOs, into a man who also knew how to grit his teeth, even over the seven names on a commission, ended in disgrace. His resistance to the opposition’s demands, despite the stoicism with which Meidani himself believed he had taken his stand, did nothing but bring closer the foretold end of the battle. The opposition was forced to unite around its demands, faced with presidential absurdity and the majority’s stubbornness, disguised in democratic phrases and references—the majority that had mandated and supported the President in this process. The block signing of the Memorandum on the Electoral Code proved this, just as it proved that Meidani’s “softening,” through the convening of a roundtable of parliamentary parties on the CEC candidates, was nothing other than the epilogue of a foretold failure. It was not the generosity of the majority and its President that led to this decision, but the opposition’s ability, through its resistance, to block the process and the selection of the lawful part of the CEC before its unlawful part had first been immersed. On the other hand, the open joining of several majority MPs to the opposition’s Memorandum, as well as the voices raised against the electoral law, also from within the majority, showed that Meidani’s defeat and the defeat of his persistence are not a wish or dream of the opposition, but a tangible reality whose presence only Meidani and his party “fail” to see.

“We failed with the Pact!” The head of the “ad hoc” Commission admits defeat The Socialist leader insults Majko: “You’re a kid, childish, incapable” Page 3

from the opposition, the ruling majority and among independents join together Signing of the MEMORANDUM is completed The signing in Parliament of the Memorandum prepared by the opposition parties to be sent to the US Secretary of State, the Foreign Minister of the Portuguese Republic, the current President of the European Union, the Austrian Foreign Minister, the Chairperson of the OSCE, and the foreign ministers of the European Union member states has been completed. The result of this action, initiated by the Republican Party and supported by the parliamentary opposition parties in Albania, was the collection of signatures from 30 MPs, the overwhelming majority of whom belong to opposition parties, but also including MPs from parties incorporated into the governing coalition “Alliance for the State” and one independent MP. Page 2

Corruption involves ministers, MPs and municipal officials LOAN Page 9

73 million lekë for the wrongly accused Those acquitted seek compensation The high-profile arrests in 1991 and in 1998, 1999 and 2000 for “crimes against humanity” have all ended only in several court rulings obliging the Ministry of Finance to pay for the errors of the justice system. In 1999 alone, 32 people submitted claims to the Tirana District Court seeking compensation for wrongful conviction. All these people managed to receive the amount the state owed them for their unjust imprisonment. Page 7

AKP puts the Monastery of the Topiaj family up for auction Page 14