The defendant admitted to killing Azem Page 3

EDITORIAL By Neritan ALIBALI KFOR troops stopped PD chairman Sali Berisha at the Morini border crossing from making an ordinary visit to Kosovo. Politicians on the other side of the barricade immediately opened bottles of champagne to joyfully celebrate this “success”, as if KFOR uniforms had been worn by their supporters and not by German soldiers. Regardless of the reasons that led Mr Kushner to take such a step, the current rulers interpreted the obstruction of Berisha’s attempt to ... enter Kosovo as support that the International Community was giving to them... But they forgot, or pretended to forget... that even their great leader, Fatos Nano, had been stopped a short time ago from crossing the Kosovo border. The logic of political antagonism in Albania excessively exceeds the bounds of absurdity. So-called statesmen rejoice like children at the obstacles others place in the way of their political opponents. Emotional burdens, swiftly transformed into political hatred, have turned them into people who ... claim to be the first citizens of this country in cynical attempts to restrict their opponents’ freedom of movement, without understanding that in this way they restrict their own space as well. And what space?! Those roads along which hundreds of other citizens travel every hour and minute, carrying onions, potatoes and apples. The amplification of this event, which became a commotion, showed once again that Albanian politics continues to swim in its usual absurdity.

EDITORIAL entered So-called statesmen,

EDITORIAL potatoes and apples. The amplification of this…

Tension flares in northern Albania “The situation is completely under control, although the presence of RENEA special forces is making the calm even greater.” This is what official sources at the Ministry of Public Order say, adding that murders such as the latest one are motivated by blood feuds, leaving no grounds for further comment. Yesterday, reports from Tropojë spoke of a slight rise in tension, while special forces had begun searching the area in the early hours of the morning. Yesterday, various sources at the Ministry of Public Order also said that “caution must be exercised in the northern city.” Page 2

300 police officers search the Korçë plain More than 300 officers led by their chief, Çela, managed to arrest late last night the man, Artur Gora, who killed Criminal Police officer Adrian Halimi and wounded two other Public Order Police inspectors. Since Tuesday night, just minutes after the serious incident occurred, hundreds of police officers had surrounded the Korçë plain in the village of Pojan with the aim of catching the killer. After 24 hours of searching, the killer was caught last night by Çela himself, the director of the Korçë Police. According to sources from the Korçë Police, the killer, Artur Gora, against whom an arrest warrant had been issued, had hidden in a haystack. Page 5

Photo: Armando Babani

How Albanian women are being poisoned

The Tirana Municipality continues its denunciations Page 16

The memorandum in the hands of the Americans Page 2

Tax evasion involving excise goods Page 9