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EDITORIAL The Code, a failure foretold. The Electoral Code failed. The Government itself and the majority that adopted it three years ago acknowledged this. It failed and, for the first time in all these years, setting aside an exceptional major case such as the war in Kosovo, the government and opposition agreed. What distinguishes the political parties in this case is only the fact that while the opposition parties, through their persistence and their long, arduous struggle (unfortunately lost, thanks to the mechanism au- is not only the extension of the deadline for registration, or more precisely, for verifying the voter lists, by a few more days, but also the very jeopardizing of the elections being held within the legally required normal framework. Above all, what frightens you more than anything after this is that in Albania, the precedent of breaking the law continues to be the rule, just as hosën nga socialistët dhe aleatët e tyre servilë, po në atë kohë. In any case, time shows that the opposition was right and the Electoral Code failed. It failed at its most delicate point. Six years ago in Greece, when the right-wing opposition accused the socialist central government of irregularities in the 1994 local elections, the Minister of Local Government (in Greece the post is called the Minister of the Interior) resigned, although the accusations were not fully substantiated. What should this Government here in Tirana do, when the failure is evident from the outset, on the largest scale, and, moreover, is acknowledged by the Central Government itself?!... a mind. What distinguishes the political parties in this case is solely and their long, arduous struggle (in fact, a lost cause, thanks to the automatic mechanism of blind bloc voting in Parliament), during the discussions on the Electoral Code warned of it long ago, the current governing majority acknowledged it, albeit in sugary and self-satisfied tones, only 15 days before the elections. And the consequence of this the risk of the elections being conducted within the legally required bounds of normality. continues to be the rule, just as the arrogance of those in power toward the opposition’s equal voice in Rights, Opportunities and Competences in an electoral process continues to be the rule. These principles, although forcefully demanded by the opposition in March and April of this year, were denied and used

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“United Left” remains on paper The Socialist Party is preparing to oust Paskal Milo, the Social Democrat serving as Foreign Minister in the Meta cabinet. Sources from the SP told “Republika” that immediately after the October 1 elections, Gjinushi’s man, who heads Albanian diplomacy, will bid farewell to the post of Minister of Foreign Affairs. The conflict that began early between the head of the Executive and the head of Diplomacy was sparked by their opposing views on the state of war with Greece. Thus, while Meta had the courage to point out to his Greek counterpart that Greece still had the state of war with the Albanian state in force, thereby freezing bilateral relations, the Foreign Minister has left the Prime Minister with egg on his face.

Elections / CEC operates on an illegal basis The Socialists yesterday unanimously welcomed the extension of the deadlines for correcting the voter lists, even though this extension is in complete contradiction with the Electoral Code. In this case, the Socialists, who often declare themselves the founders of institutions and of the rule of law in Albania, are not only blatantly breaking the law, but are also openly acknowledging their failure to deliver an effective Electoral Code. As the entire opposition had previously declared, the Electoral Code has so far guaranteed no improvement.

Republicans mobilize from North to South Republicans are marching from the South to the North. The election campaign and meetings with their electorate have brought activity to the PR headquarters, while in the districts there is only news of Republican candidates winning in municipalities and communes. Senior PRSH officials have held intensive meetings in the northeastern districts of Albania.

Opera Page 21

Long queues at the Insurance counters Page 9

Public and state institutions are accused Page 7

Schoolbook packages cut in half Page 8