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“Still Life” in the Campaign We have run out of patience with the campaign that was supposed to be “more cultured” and exposed it for what it is, where the politics of the “big shots” feels most at home. After boasting for days that he was guaranteeing the most civilized campaign, 29–30-year-old Prime Minister Ilir Meta pulled the word “spurdhjak” from his vocabulary and hurled it at us. He directed it precisely at the leading figure whom the grenade thrower had once been a Democrat. For the same person, the DP published a document identifying him as a former State Security informant and SHIK collaborator. Thus, within 48 hours, Albanians saw the campaign’s “civilized niceties” bid farewell, and watched it lurch toward election day with the most unbelievable surprises. As a prelude to what may happen on Sunday, October 1, the “big shots” have scheduled a showdown in “Skënderbej” Square. (Naturally, both parties are expected to turn up in the square not to grant Spartak Poçi’s wish for a joint rally, but … to break the order together.) “Spurdhjak,” “I’ll stuff your pants,” “pants pulled down,” “head in a sack,” “prison,” “imprisonment again” ... At last, the “big shots” have taken the stage where we have long watched them get punished. Amid their dust, in the mire that follows them, they have once again laid out promises for the future, for tomorrow’s projects. The civic campaign is behind us. For the “big shots,” the slogan has returned: “To hell with civility, to hell with the international community and its observers, who want us to speak and communicate normally. All that matters is taking the Albanians’ votes!” …finds …zh of …only …tics …all over. After a speech in which he boasted to the world that he was guaranteeing the most civilized campaign, the 29–30-year-old prime minister Ilir Meta pulled the word “spurdhjak” out of his vocabulary. He directed it precisely at the central figure of his party’s electoral platform: 56-year-old Berisha. The latter went on with a rally compromised by a grenade launcher, which apparently had at the same time been the chairman of the PD and of the old-new SHIK. In the evening, the PS showed docu-

Poçi comments on clashes between rallies “With Berisha, you can’t predict anything, because he is a mind capable only of causing trouble, but the police will enforce the law and try to maintain order, despite this.” This is what the Minister of Public Order, Spartak Poçi, said yesterday in Elbasan, pre-emptively accusing the opposition of everything expected to happen during the final developments of the election campaign. Poçi hinted that bloodshed could be provoked in Tirana on September 29. He laid the blame for this possibility “at the door” of DP chairman Berisha, adding that Berisha intends to seriously compromise the electoral process and draw the attention of the International Community.

The “Hajdari” case / The truth is still a long way off The Norwegian prosecutor who came to Albania to investigate the murder of Azem Hajdari, Siri Friggaard, is leaving Albania. The news was reported by sources at the General Prosecutor’s Office, according to which another prosecutor, also from Norway, will take her place; her name is not being made public for now. Prosecutor Friggaard came to Albania a year ago, with the sole aim of “settling in” to our country for the investigation into the murder of Azem Hajdari. Page 6

Republicans hold an election rally in the city by the lake Amid a very enthusiastic and large electorate, who had filled the hall where the meeting was held to capacity, and hundreds more listening through a loudspeaker outside, the Republican Party yesterday introduced its candidate for the Municipality of Pogradec, the intellectual Sotiraq Ambo. Present were the chairman of PRSH, Fatmir Mediu, the Secretary for Foreign Relations, Robert Çeku, as well as members and supporters of PR. Page 2

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What did Edi Rama do with his Serbian counterpart at the “Divani Karavel” in Athens from March 28 to April 3, 2000? Page 5

Protect children from sexual abuse Page 7