ESPIONAGE Meta tasked the Secret Service with tracking the Minister SHIR levels serious accusations against Spartak Poçi: “He maintained secret ties with Sali Lusha” Page 7

EDITORIAL By Alban PREVEZA “Tirana is like a beautiful woman...”; “This time the Albanians showed that they are not distinguished eagles...” ; “dear, the relationship between you and me will remain what it is...” “the non-specialist audience should keep quiet...” These phrases were taken from the press statements made by candidate Edi Rama after the first election figures were published. Anyone who followed his first public statements a few hours after the initial results were released had an easy opportunity to observe these qualities of Edi Rama. On what may be called the “first day” of governing, Rama displayed illogical self-satisfaction, motley frivolity and insulting arrogance. On a private television station, with an irresponsible look, government?! Later, with the same look, only a little paler, he appeared at a press conference, where, drawing on his memories of his “time as an emigrant,” he came out with a typical phrase of self-important snobs. “This time the Albanians showed that they were not distinguished eagles,” Rama said, implying that if they had not voted for the PS, Albanians, in his eyes, would have remained so. Just as lightly, for several minutes he ... traded remarks with a female journalist, using the cryptic words “secret lovers.” …me and others, will remain what they are…”, “the non-specialist audience should keep calm…”. These phrases are taken from the press statements made after the publication of the first election figures by the Socialist candidate, Edi Rama. Overbearing, arrogant, frivolous. This is what the future head of Tirana Municipality will be like, to the misfortune of those who voted for him and those who are forced to accept the will of the majo- …is called “the first day of governance,” Rama has shown television channel, with an irresponsible expression, he compared Tirana to a “woman…” who “doesn’t eat two spoonfuls of beans, but buys lipstick…”. Good grief! If the capital is a “woman” to its mayor, then what does that make this man who is going to…

A teenage romance ends in blood The boyfriend shoots the girl’s parents with a gun. After an argument between them and the young man, the latter, in an agitated state, took an automatic rifle and wounded the girl’s mother. The incident took place on Monday evening on “Ali Demi” Street, when the girl and her 21-year-old boyfriend, F. Mamurrasi, returned from an outing, like any other. According to the 15-year-old girl’s account, the two young people had been in love for a long time and had spent the whole day together. But 11 p.m. was much too late for the girl’s parents to accept, especially her father, who began shouting in front of her and the 21-year-old accompanying her. Page 8

Emigration . Page 11

Today at 10:30, at the “Rogner Europapark” Hotel, the Chairman of the Republican Party, Mr Fatmir Mediu, will hold a press conference. PRSH Spokesperson

Elections/The lek is shaken, money changers celebrate The lek is [??] and [??] on the eve of the elections, while the dollar is gaining confidence and strengthening. Traders are doing everything possible to avoid holding lek in their hands for fear of a sudden devaluation, converting the sums they earn into the world’s most stable currency. Those in power at various levels have done the same, vertically, from the center to the grassroots. By the time Albanians had finished exchanging lek for dollars, the exchange rate between them had normalized. Page 13

The chairman of the Republican Party, Fatmir Mediu, decided to convene the PRSH National Assembly on Wednesday, 18.10.2000.

On Thursday, 5.10.2000, at 11:00, all PR candidates from administrative units who have advanced to a runoff, as well as the chairmen of the respective district branches, are to report to the Central Headquarters in Tirana.

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