2 million dollars for Ilir Meta 8 million to buy AMC Page 3

For crying and laughing EDITORIAL By Neritan ALIBALI The Albanian Parliament, with complete unanimity, decided to grant the children of current members of parliament diplomatic status. Meanwhile, 250 sick children face death every day because of a lack of blood in hospitals. Faced with the Parliament’s comedy and the children’s tragedy, you have to keep your mouth shut. And pray. Because you can do nothing more. For example, the comedy of the sale of AMC is nearing its end. The end of a fighting cock reduced to a morsel. They say a lot of money has been put up for the “cock.” And Albanians, as always, are curious to know who took it. And who took the money? Because nobody’s reputation is recognized in Albania. Indeed, not even a thorn pricks their foot. Because the only thing Albanians enjoy doing is talking about one another. Those in power, too. And they do nothing more. And it doesn’t make much of an impression on them either The sick are threatened with you can do nothing more. But even if you shout, you get nowhere. Because nobody has time to listen to you. Albanian society is deaf, while the state is busy, playing out its own comedies every day. The end. The end of a rooster was spent on the “rooster.” it. And who took the money? The Prime Minister, the minister, or the director? Albanian citizens have to rack their brains and work out the unknown for themselves. But even if they don’t figure it out, so what! In fact, it makes no difference even if they do figure it out. Not a thorn pricks anyone’s foot. Because the only thing they know how to do to all Albanians is talk about one another behind their backs. The people in power, too. And they do nothing more. And they are not particularly troubled by the fact that 250 children are suffering for a drop of blood. Much less would they donate even a gram of their own blood. May God forgive the Albanians and the doctors! They don’t know what they’re doing!

After AMC, Cosmote wants to buy Albtelekom After AMC, Cosmote wants to buy Albtelekom Page 3

Albanian mafia, trafficking babies in Germany The British newspaper “The Times” publishes in yesterday’s issue an article entitled “Albanian mafia sells children in Germany.” “German police, cooperating with the Italian police on the basis of joint investigations, have uncovered a mafia network involving Albanians and engaged in prostitution trafficking, in which the children born to the prostitutes were sold to wealthy Western couples for a price of 30,000 dollars each. So far, 30 newborn babies have been sold by this trafficking network. The traffickers force the prostitutes to become pregnant and then send them to several clinics in Munich to give birth.

Robert Çeku comments on WTO membership “China has been seeking membership in the World Trade Organization for more than three years and has not been admitted, whereas Albania won this right after only one year of efforts.” With this fact, Robert Çeku, Secretary for Foreign Relations and Head of the Economic Policy Department of the Republican Party, highlighted the formality of Albania’s admission to the WTO. China, according to him, is a country that genuinely has a considerable expansion of goods.

Chaotic capitalism leads to market anarchy People don’t want to know what the budget deficit is, what inflation is, and such general topics. They don’t have money to live on, roads to walk on, or electricity for lighting. These are the everyday problems that do not appear in macroeconomic indicators. You can’t see the trees for the forest of macroeconomic figures. Page 4

Thalassemics . There’s no blood! Ministers refuse to donate. Page 13

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Albania ranks first in Europe for accidents . The roads fill with memorial monuments. Page 6

The Albanian Prosecutor’s Office withdraws from the investigation . Visa mafia, case file in Italy. Page 8

The Gjirokastër Folklore Festival needs additional funding . The Ministry raises the Festival’s cost. Page 21