Hour by hour, reports from the “Republika” newspaper’s correspondents Kukës out of control Police station set on fire, 30 police officers held hostage Pages 2, 3

EDITORIAL By Enkel DEMI The Government swears... 30 police officers held hostage. This is the latest gift the “boys” of Kukës gave the Minister of Public Order. According to the Government, other elements, but “criminals,” have also exploited state institutions. The Government’s statement says that the latter will show no mercy toward smuggling, enforcing the Customs Code to the letter. Meanwhile, the situation is under control. From Kukës comes news that the vehicle of the police rapid-response unit has been burned. Half of the Police Commissariat has been burned, while nobody has been arrested. Nevertheless, on this occasion the Government again forcefully emphasizes that it is determined to rigorously enforce the laws of the state and tolerate nothing that contravenes them. The question is, are there laws in Kukës? What kind of tomato traders burn down a Police Commissariat? What kind of boot sellers, mash dallin më të fortë se një shtet, ndërsa f... [?] s’get gumëzhinjë nga betimet. At Arben Zylfutllari’s grave, the men of the State swore an oath. War on crime until death. Before Çampi we swore an oath against smuggling. And not many weeks later, a father is killed along with his son, and his nephew is wounded. The victim was 8 years old, the wounded boy 9. The oath fell. In Vlora, the speedboats are operating. The oath fell. In Kukës, everything has gone to rack and ruin. The oath fell. Why do these people swear oaths? What is Kukës? A wasteland? Who are these people who control a city? Questions that explain the incompetence of a state, which is knocked “out” by some traders in meat, cheese, eggs, and parsley. Some angry traders from Kukës. This state swears oaths. The Minister is pathetic, while yesterday the citizens of Kukës spent the evening amid gunshots. There is no state there. A Minister, yes! Government spokespeople who also swear oaths. The state has gone cold. Now we wait. For the revolt of the rabble in Tirana, Durrës, Vlora, Kukës and, naturally, for the Minister’s oath.

400 residents from the town and surrounding villages have blocked the Kukës–Morinë national road and attacked the Police Commissariat Photo: A. Basha

The story of the 17-year-old who set off for Italy out of necessity To put food in the bellies of her two hungry little brothers, she decides to become a prostitute in Italy. This is the latest tragedy in the harrowing story of Albanian girls, which has befallen a 17-year-old from the neighborhoods on the eastern outskirts of Elbasan. Since last Friday, the teenager has set off for the shores of the Apennine Peninsula of her own accord, solely to relieve her family’s poverty. Orphaned, the girl and her two brothers, aged 9 and 12, have lived thanks to assistance and support provided by the Elbasan “National Association of Biological and Social Orphaned Children.”

The Prosecutor’s Office steps up accusations against the police The Prosecutor’s Office is stepping up its accusations against the Police. But this time, not only the Police have been accused; another, more specialized branch of it has also been implicated, which, regardless of its mission and work, is known by the name INTERPOL. The accusations against the aforementioned bodies are based on trials held thus far in absentia, with former bosses failing to end up behind bars because of a lack of professionalism. Page 7

They came from Albania, worked for Milošević Page 4

CEC/Darkness frightens election organizers The upcoming local elections will require more than 3 billion old lekë. This is the fund the Central Election Commission has prepared to carry out the entire process, which will take place on October 1, for the local government elections. All this money will be used to prepare the voting materials, the most specific of which are the ballot papers. Page 6

Health Page 12

To the PR branches in the districts On Thursday, 17.08.2000, at 11:00, all chairpersons of the PR branches in the districts are to report to the Central Headquarters to present, at the meeting of the Presidium, the preparations made so far for the campaign. Participants must bring all the required documentation. The Presidium