Frightening messages at two schools in the capital: “We have planted a bomb for you.” Many children abandon their desks Tirana Police: “We will strike at crime without warning” Investigations begin into the terror in Tirana. Lush Përpali and “Albania” testify at the Prosecutor’s Office Frightening messages at two schools in the capital: “We have planted a bomb for you.” Many children abandon their desks Bombs: alarm spreads to schools Tirana Police: “We will strike at crime without warning” Investigations begin into the terror in Tirana. Lush Përpali and “Albania” testify at the Prosecutor’s Office The Monday-night attack is being clarified. Witnesses in hospital: “They planted explosives in the minibus travelling to Kombinat”

One of Monday’s wounded Andrea Stefani Is politics the art of governing the state in a way that protects the interests of all society, or simply a means of satisfying the diverse interests or desires of politicians? Or, put more briefly: should politicians serve society, or should society serve politicians? These are questions posed throughout the civilized world, but in a state of war, where bombs are exploding both indiscriminately and blindly, demolishing political kiosks and turning them into graves for honest citizens—and … our kiosk-politicians? We are not accusing anyone, but we think that now, on the eve of elections, more than ever, politicians must make their assets transparent. Because many politicians now have not only kiosks, but all kinds of palaces as well. How, and by what means, did you acquire them? The parliamentarians display caricatures of their wealth, but so far politicians have come out as salaried employees. So they have grown rich on state salaries while remaining pure in their honesty? A miracle that … like every miracle—is something one has to believe. In developed market economies, wealth often goes hand in hand with politics. Indeed, there are businesses whose owners put their business at the service of politics. Business is converted into politics. But in poor Albania, which still has no established market economy, this is not normal. Wealth cannot be politics’ twin. It is condemned to be the result of sacrifice. In a poor country like Albania, politics brings you wealth only if it is put at the service of personal businesses, at the people’s expense. And unfortunately, that seems to be what is happening. In just a few years of transition, politics was converted into a profitable mixed business for mafia politicians. But now those in power and the opposition, no longer as inactive as five years ago, are once again taking to the platforms and accusing each other of being enemies of the people, while proclaiming themselves its saviors. In fact, the first thing they should do is prove their honesty to the people from the platform. Those in power and the opposition must explain why, over the past five years, they chose to make peace with corruption rather than fight it. of society, or society in the service of politics? A question mark that erupts in party branches when politics is in a state of war, when bombs are exploding almost incessantly and, in particular, destroying politicians’ kiosks and turning them into graves for honest and innocent citizens. It is becoming increasingly evident that crime and terror in the country are fed by underground political roots. Shaken Albanian society understands this, but cannot uncover these roots, these links between crime and politics. It is a weakness that it will suffer for. The fatal moment is approaching frighteningly close, when Albania risks having no politics at all. The latter has begun to increasingly resort to the instruments of violence, turning—as Clausewitz said—into war. Real violence can be felt everywhere in the dusty season. The final act is now being played, its last chance. Will politicians be able to save it by avoiding war? Will they be able to save peace, and therefore themselves and Albanian politics? In the bankruptcy? The deep descent they are bringing about can perhaps be filled in only by the near future. But the present views the alternatives of tomorrow with considerable pessimism. A bomb has just exploded at the fortress of a senior politician. Is this the prologue to further explosions? But the treacherous blast brought to the surface a question to which Albanian public opinion, [dositet], and supporters have never received an answer. Where do

TIRANA - Rinia Park is being put under the police microscope. More than 300 armed police officers wearing bulletproof vests swiftly cordoned off the area and checked all the customers found in the venues at 7:30 p.m. Thus, just one day after the attacks in Tirana, the Ministry of the Interior ordered a new arrangement for the system protecting public places, including venues. By order of the Minister of the Interior, the police have also been placed on combat readiness, and inspection teams have been put on strict watch over venues, schools, and other public spaces. The first operation following this new arrangement took place yesterday evening. Hundreds of police officers swiftly cordoned off all the venues in Rinia Park, which had repeatedly been the subject of bomb threats, and checked all the customers inside at that time. The police blocked the boulevard and all the paths through the park. Thorough searches were carried out inside the venues, while the customers, almost all of them young people, were checked one by one.

One of the schools threatened yesterday in Tirana On pages 3–4

LEZHË - Once again, despair is driving people to entrust their fate to a dream; at least two thousand people are waiting in the area around Shëngjin to set off for Italy. “A ship will come from Ulcinj, Montenegro, and take you across the sea.” The news, whose source is unknown, has nevertheless been believed, the Enter news agency reports, and people from all over are once again looking toward the adventure in exchange for a better life. Whole families—many more adults have been marked [unclear in source]—are hoping for a miracle. No one knows when the ship will arrive or who the people are that have undertaken to deceive them and give it “sailing orders.” For a price that varies—emigrants pay less—anyone can board the ghost ship. It is thought that the vessel coming from Montenegro is very old and that its announced voyage will also be its last. The ship, which should normally be sold for scrap to be taken to a smelting plant, will thus be forced to perform one final service for the crowd of thousands of desperate people. The same thing happened at the beginning of May. Another Montenegrin ship—I rini—had taken hundreds of Albanian citizens to the Italian coast. It had set off from Velipoja, where it had been awaited for days, and after a voyage full of adventures it managed to dock in the port of Brindisi with all its “cargo” of desperate people. But very soon most of them were repatriated by the Italian authorities, even causing families to be split up: husbands from wives.

Confusion among foreign diplomats. Athens brings all sides together Pangallos: “It should be lifted.” Brussels: “It should remain.” Confusion among foreign diplomats. Athens brings all sides together The state of siege: Europe’s dilemma Pangallos: “It should be lifted.” Brussels: “It should remain.”

BERAT - Crime knows no bounds anymore. Two young men, taken hostage, were handed over to death in the most cruel way imaginable. They were tied with barbed wire and then dragged for hundreds of metres behind a car. In the midst of several apartment buildings, and in front of the few people who managed to witness the macabre scene, they were mistreated, mutilated and then doused with petrol and set on fire. On page 5

TIRANA - Controversy has once again erupted over whether or not to lift the state of emergency in Albania. This time, it is the Europeans themselves who disagree on the problem most debated among Albanians at present. While Greek chief diplomat Pangalos declared yesterday in Tirana that the state of siege should be lifted before the June 29 vote, the representative from Brussels stated that it should remain in force. Albanian political parties continue to ask Europe to help the strengthening of the law on the state of siege. Pangalos also said that he was ready to help to the fullest extent, but clarified that he had not come to Tirana as a mediator. “I am here only as a representative of my government and my people,” said the head of Greek diplomacy. On page 2

VLORE - A veritable curtain of fire, this time directed at a children’s nursery. The “battle” against the “temple of life” took place yesterday at midday in the city of Vlore. There was some damage, but fortunately no victims, since the nursery was empty at the time. This is the first time that an innocent nursery in the city of Vlore has been attacked with such a hail of bullets, following attacks on libraries, the theatre, the Palace of Culture and private establishments. On page 5

Leka spends the night in a refugee hotel DELVINE - “Your Highness! You cannot pass through the South without putting your life and those of your followers at risk.” Armed men brought the tour to claim the throne by Leka I to an abrupt halt, forcing him to turn back and remove from his agenda the meeting planned in the city of Saranda. Fate then had another bitter surprise in store for the claimant to the throne, who was forced to spend the night in a second-rate hotel in Libohovë, the birthplace of his father’s sworn enemy. Leka I did not have a peaceful night here either, because numerous shots were fired around the hotel throughout the night, making it clear, at the very least, that he too was an “unwelcome guest.” On Monday afternoon, the convoy of cars accompanying Leka I was stopped by several armed men immediately after he had finished a meeting with several dozen supporters in the city of Delvinë. On the way, he received the first warning: “There are 30 of us, armed, and we will shoot if you insist on going to Saranda.” Leka thought it wiser to comply, judging that any armed confrontation between his guards and the armed men would be dangerous. He turned back and decided to spend the night at the hotel in Libohovë, a hotel where emigrants who cross the border with Greece illegally usually stay. But in Libohovë, Leka I learned that Albanians find it difficult to forget. Suspicion that his father, Ahmet Zogu, had killed Avni Rustemi led the victim’s “successors” to disturb the night’s peace with continuous bursts of gunfire. Leka Zogu

TIRANA - The “Albafilm” studio has been raided again. During the night between Monday and Tuesday, its departments fell victim to a robbery. Two departments were hit hardest: the Sound and Editing departments. The theft was most extensive in these two departments. This is the second time that the Albanian state film studio has fallen victim to such an incident since the unrest broke out in the country. The situation at the premises of what was once called the “New Albania” Film Studio is now alarming. On the first day of the week, it endured hours of horrific looting. People whose identities are still unknown managed to break into the Sound and Editing departments, causing considerable damage. The consequences are said to be most severe in the Sound Department, considered one of the most modern facilities among the institutions. Inside sources told Gazeta Shqiptare that various pieces of equipment may also have been taken. The looting at the beginning of the first week of June has now made it difficult to produce contemporary Albanian films, a production that had already been very sluggish even before these events. “Albafilm” studio was first raided in March, shortly after the storm of state authority had temporarily subsided. The damage did not spare the most important institution for producing Albanian films. Projection equipment, speakers, various costumes… these were the items favoured by the people who laid hands on the “assets” of an institution that was already in financial difficulty even without them. The departments most affected by those robberies were Film Distribution, also known as Kinofikimi, and Props. The story has repeated itself two and a half months later, at the beginning of this week, when the state film studio was plundered for the second time. All this happened just one day after a large number of “Albafilm” employees were placed on assistance, having closed their “diary” at the institution on Friday, May 30. According to several informed sources, in the near future the state studio may retain only a small core of its staff. Genç Ymeraj

Pangalos

Four people died and two others were injured in the city on Monday Greek Foreign Minister: “We are ready to increase Vlorë Shots fired at a nursery