THE TREASURE The “massacre” of Albanian gold began in 1989 How the man who knew the Code was killed in Italy Page 5

The new list of names of people who have obtained the right to work in Italy Page 15 He had been wanted for 4 months Rapist shot dead with a bullet to the head The victim, together with two others, had sexually assaulted a woman Page 6

EDITORIAL By Gençi ÇOBANI We returned from Brussels almost empty-handed; in Skopje we came away shorn and shaven; in Zagreb they would not even accept us as “company” when they rejected the association agreement; in Sarajevo... A long chain of endless failures and their consequences. Poverty, darkness, lack of prospects, a desire transformed into an unrestrained passion to abandon this hopeless country as soon as possible. Worse still, a prime minister who talks about success and calls anyone who cannot see it blind; a majority that blames the opposition in unison for every failure; and a whole chorus of pro-government heralds who, when needed, are ready to fight even with investors, politicians, foreign governments, and entire continents over the “betrayals” and “disappointments” they cause the country’s leaders, who, among other things, also have the “merit” of feeding the chorus’s soloists with home loans. What is happening to this country? Even if the word misfortune were used as an answer to this tormenting question for every Albanian (including those who curse the politicians yet have remained “loyal” voters of their family’s traditional party), it would be an understatement. For misfortune itself would feel unfortunate in the face of the chaos that has engulfed us, even in the face of our inability to beg money from the world. Yugoslavia, whose “democratization” is still hard to believe, nevertheless received 500 million dollars for energy, although, like Macedonia, which received no less than 200 million, it was not suffering from Albania’s darkness. Perhaps tomorrow we will once again cry out about disappointments, even though in Brussels, as in Sarajevo, Skopje, Zagreb, and everywhere else, we went without projects, without a strategy, without a professional vision of what we should do. Meanwhile, the administration continues to draw salaries and, what is more, has even received three salaries’ worth of bonuses for the New Year(?)!... Page 5

The former prime minister’s associates oppose the head of the SP “Majko, part of the dialogue, but not responsible for it” Nano-Meta want to make Majko the loser Pandeli Majko will not extend a hand to the Opposition on the basis of an unclear political mandate, even though his party’s leadership may ask him to do so. Associates of former Prime Minister Majko have opposed SP leader Nano’s idea of delegating to him responsibility for dialogue with the Opposition.

The “Avdiu” case, the crime that shook public order The two new lines of inquiry into the murder Police are investigating revenge and settling scores Page 7

In one year Special report, pages 12, 13

Academy of Arts Meta, at the trial of artists and students Page 20

Donors/Albanians, in Brussels without projects Money for Albania, but with conditions Macedonia and Yugoslavia received as much as they asked for The much-anticipated Brussels conference has concluded its work, but Yugoslavia and Macedonia emerged as the biggest beneficiaries. The amount made available to Yugoslavia is USD 487 million. Macedonia also benefited. Page 11

Socialists: Commissioners can do whatever they want SP, no solution on the CEC For the second time, the Socialists have backed away from their position on the Central Election Commission. While a few days ago Luan Rama publicly announced a decision by the SP leadership calling for all seven members of the CEC to resign, yesterday Gramoz Ruçi dismissed any such decision as nonexistent. But this sudden change by the Socialist Party itself has deepened the crisis. Page 2