Mejdani Secretary. Meta loses and resigns From Bënça, the imprisoned leader decides everything. Tension and clashes once again in the hall of the Steering Committee From Bënça, the decision: “None of the deputy chairmen may run for the post of Secretary-General. Every appointment must receive the ‘chairman’s approval’.” Nearly 20 members refuse the posts proposed by Nano. TIRANA - Nano once again decides everything. Structural changes and new names who are to lead the party will go through Bënça. Tension and clashes again in the hall with the members of the new Steering Committee. “The party’s deputy chairmen must not run for the post of Secretary-General.” There are further clashes, and Meta is pitted against Mejdani. He loses by 3 votes and then announces his resignation from all leadership positions in the Socialist Party: “I remain only a member of the Steering Committee,” he declared. His action was followed by nearly 20 others who refused their chairman’s proposal. The names of figures who have led the Socialists in recent years have brought the Socialist Party’s leadership pyramid to failure. The first meeting of the General Steering Committee began yesterday at ten o’clock, opening the “arena” of decisive developments for the future of socialist politics. Brokaj read out three proposals from Nano. Most of the 92 members present at the meeting did not accept Nano’s latest provision that, if there are new proposals, they must first be submitted for his review. But this did not prevent them, after the withdrawal of a group of well-known socialist politicians, from choosing Dokle for the post of organizational secretary—even though it is still unknown whether he will accept—and Majko for public secretary, with Maqo Lakrori taking the position of secretary for international relations. On page 3 [The beginning of the text is missing] normal conduct of the October 20 elections.” According to them, none of the opposition parties’ documents submitted to the Council of Europe showed that even if the opposition’s proposals were implemented, there would be an electoral boycott of the local government elections. On page 3 EU to the Socialist Party: Boycott the elections? Think carefully! The Council of Europe sets conditions for the Socialists: “Either take part in the local elections, or you will not have the support of the European socialist parliamentary group.” At a press conference held yesterday, officials of the Parliamentary Assembly warned the Socialist Party about its participation in the local elections. According to them, participation in these elections will be an important test for what comes next. There were five proposals which, according to the Council of Europe parliamentarians, “should contribute to the normal conduct of the 20 October elections.” According to them, none of the opposition parties’ documents submitted to the Council of Europe suggests that, even if the opposition’s proposals are implemented, there will be an electoral boycott of the local-government elections. On page 3

THEATER Danton: this great loser. TIRANA - Work will resume on “The Death of Danton.” After “two weeks of preparations, the performance is expected. Milçin. On page 4

The perverts lure them over near the traffic lights where they beg The Italian police reveal the shocking fact: “They are the most at risk” A mother abandons

FROM THE WORLD. In Corfu: Kosovo, the problem of the Balkans. CORFU - Political analysts discussed the violence in Kosovo during the Conference on the Balkans. Ministry of Foreign Affairs. On page 2

KRUJË - She was admitted to hospital with her sick baby, but after a few days she abandoned the child. A mother, around 30 years old, secretly left the Krujë maternity hospital where she had been registered without leaving a trace. Should she be sought by means of merit? The medical staff are convinced that she was admitted to their wards under a false name, and that attempts to find her seem futile. The abandoned child is also suffering from an illness, but these days the doctors and nurses will be there for him. On page 5

they beg. TIRANA - Albanian children are under threat from pedophiles. Having arrived in Italy clandestinely, they are now at key spots in major cities, where they are the favorite “prey” of sexual perverts. The chilling discovery was made by the Italian police, who are investigating Albanian organizations that exploit minors. “During our investigations, out of a thousand identified, it emerged that many of them had been approached by pedophiles.” Just two days ago in Milan, police caught a sexual pervert who had had sex with an Albanian child. He had approached him while the 15-year-old was near a traffic light begging, and after buying him dinner and driving him in his car, offered him 50,000 lire in exchange for satisfying his sexual urges. On page 5

Muslims: “We need devotion, not words” THEOLOGY. Renewal touches religion: believers in conflict. Muslims: “We need devotion, not words.” KAVAJË — A dispute among believers in Kavajë. A theoretical discussion ended with accusations against the theologians who had held positions at a time when the dictatorship kept religion imprisoned. “This is no time for words, but for devotion,” several participants retorted to the gray-haired theologians and professors. The suppression of Islam’s survival has brought together a community of theologians and believers to speak and hear about what is happening with the spread of the Islamic faith across Europe. Theologians such as Bylyku and Zeka have been described as a cause of the weakening of this faith, as supporters of lands being taken from Muslim families, people who should have places of worship built for Christ, the adoption of Western names, changes to schooling and prayer customs, etc. These matters were also discussed with interest at this meeting, organized by the Association of Muslim Intellectuals and the Islamic current in Albania. But when discussions that had become heated began, many participants challenged the theologians and intellectuals over the positions they had held in the past. In their view, religion requires people with devout commitment, not merely people who pray. “Everything has been organized in a dispute in the service of defending the Islamic faith,” says the secretary of the Islamic Youth, Hasan Shkreli. But, according to [the source text is unclear here], the “clash” erupted over the force of an idea organized by people who do not accept the evolution of the new. The dispute that broke out at that meeting gave rise to differing opinions among believers in Kavajë. Nevertheless, the number of those who sleep in the mosque every day is growing, indicating that Islam in Kavajë is experiencing a period of flourishing. The old mosque of Albanian Muslims. ge.ca.

“Our homes are heading for the precipice” . “Our homes are heading for the precipice.” Alarm among villagers in Kukës: homes are at risk of collapsing into the ravine. Excavations in search of uranium, erosion, heavy rainfall, and two landslides beside the road have brought the village of Nimçen, 20 km from Kukës, to the brink of disaster. On page 5

THE ALBANIAN CUP. Olimpik are the first quarter-finalists. TIRANË — Today and tomorrow, the final matches of the second round of the Albanian Cup in football. Olimpiku qualified first. Besa are very close to qualifying, while the matches will decide the fate of the other six teams. In Tirana, today’s biggest match is Tirana - Lushnja. The Tirana coach’s appeal: “No violence, just football.” Flamurtari in chaos. Kushta has also left for Cyprus. The reasons were disagreements with the club’s management. Meanwhile, Leonidha Çuri has been appointed to the bench. Partizani have a good chance in Sunday’s match against Sh... der Shqiponjës; nevertheless, Stabova has promised qualification at any cost. But there are also many absences, especially Shulku’s, which will undoubtedly affect his plans. An Albanian children’s team, Al-Mer, takes third place in the youth tournament in England. They score 25 goals. Tyson is in exceptional form for the September 7 match against Selan. “Muslimani” has presented the match down to the smallest detail. The Italians are having difficulty selecting the team, with the league’s “old hands” among those left out and playing. On page 7 Olimpiku celebrates the qualifying goal

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