Shocking episodes of violence in other towns across the country, too The monster who preyed on children is caught Four more little children in Lezhë, snatched from school 41-year-old in handcuffs: sexually abused 4 minors. Earlier, he had raped an 11-year-old The tears of little children and the madness of adults Fatos Baxhaku Pedophilia first drives you mad and [what?] leaves you empty; random attackers, anonymous abductors, irresponsible pullers, and finally children, who are forced to face a dangerous dance of violence coming at them from all sides. In short: irresponsible adults. Yesterday was one of those rare days that makes you stop and think. Today’s news is almost entirely filled with one subject: the psychology of children. What is going on? Are we really thinking about the generation that must keep tomorrow’s Albania on its feet, or have adults’ troubles blinded us so much that we are no longer troubled by the vilest violence that can exist, violence against minors? Violence, arrogance, the law of the strongest, the poor, the wounded, the heightened anxieties of this month: we have all been putting our children aside, while perhaps beginning to forget the most important thing in the world, children’s tears. For years, Shkodër has hosted the children’s festival of new songs for the little ones. This year’s winner is just as sad as one of the awards that “Dafina” was to present—that was the singer’s name. Dafina is one of the most [unclear] points of Oranto; her seat on the bench where she should have been sitting has remained empty, while her peers sing, with tears in their eyes, mournful songs. In Elbasan, Durrës, Tirana and everywhere else, children have been left with frozen smiles, while adults—and those who are in positions of responsibility but are irresponsible—[unclear]. Politicians dealing with the country’s serious problems, NGOs that have the means to help thanks to small amounts of funding from abroad, newspapers and other papers all occupied with adults’ troubles, parents who are [unclear] among the children and organizers: how good it would be if everyone joined together to raise a wave against the madness of adults who dare to abuse children, the most defenseless [part?] of this country. Let us not forget tomorrow’s adults, and our children, faced with all this, whom we must protect. Let us not grow up in a violent and fearful country. Hunger strike by the students of Gjirokastër

Prosecutors: There is a legal problem. The codes must provide for harsher penalties

In Korçë, the prefect raises the alarm: Fireworks threaten young children. They must be controlled...

ELBASAN - Pedophilia strikes again. Three children have been victims of sexual perversion on four occasions: two from Elbasan and one from Patos, who were exploited by a 41-year-old. The police have arrested Lulash Rama, from the town of Cerrik, who had been exploiting the children for some time, sexually [unclear] them, and also forcing them to beg in the streets and steal small items. Another act of pedophilia has been uncovered involving Rama. Three months ago he raped an 11-year-old from Skrapar, whom he kept “imprisoned” for a week. Pedophilia also struck in Durrës, but several months ago. Yesterday, a 33-year-old was sentenced to 12 years in prison. Children have also been targeted in Lezhë. Specifically, children from [unclear] school, deceived by a cousin from Puka. He had said he would take them to Greece. The parents raised the alarm with the police. The latter notified all police stations and border crossing points to Greece.

Our problems: destruction and wages! On page 2

Hunger strike by the students of Gjirokastër

YESTERDAY: THE LEADERSHIP Socialists dismiss district chiefs “New people are needed in leadership” On page 2

A TURNING POINT Democrats turn away from rallies in the squares Demonstrations only for major events On page 2

“We will not make any speeches” The Democrats appoint their team. They will also offer condolences TIRANA - The DP is sending Arbnori to Vlorë. At the head of a three-member delegation, the Democrats will attend the sorrowful funeral of the Oranto victims. A short meeting of the leadership decided on the team that will go to Vlorë, consisting of Bode, To-palli and Vesiu. The latter said that he would [unclear] this delegation, consisting of a prayer for the Oranto tragedy.

ARRIVES TODAY BRINDISI - Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi will arrive in Vlorë this morning. This has been confirmed to the Albanian Gazette by sources in the Italian Government, which report that Prodi will arrive in Vlorë by special aircraft. He will go to Tirana and then travel by helicopter to Vlorë. The funeral ceremony for the Oranto victims will begin at ten o’clock, when the final [unclear] of the bodies brought from Italy will take place.

TIRANA - The Albanian press raises the alarm: “We are being suffocated by taxes.” The heads of the daily newspapers met yesterday for a working meeting. The increase in printing-press fees, transport costs and VAT is, according to press leaders, suffocating the industry and pushing Albanian newspapers towards closure. A joint statement also called for an indefinite strike by the entire press until the problems are resolved. The noose around the Albanian press is tightening once again. The alarm bells have also been sounded by those who run the country’s main newspapers. Senior press executives stressed that VAT, increases in printing-press fees and [unclear] have been discussed with the Minister of Finance, but have also been met with negative responses from all the relevant institutions. In a joint statement yesterday, they declared an indefinite strike by the entire Albanian press until all the problems raised are resolved. Yesterday’s publishers’ meeting Transport costs have been [unclear] around the printed press for several years, but the noose is becoming unbearable. “Such a situation will lead to the bankruptcy of the entire press,” the editors-in-chief and newspaper publishers emphasized yesterday. Also taking into account the requests for ...

It all stems from the appointment of an officer at the municipality. Controversy between the bigwigs Bro[j]ka, Brokaj: He is exceeding his powers The chief [unclear] challenges the mayor TIRANA - Brojka is at odds with Brokaj. The two figures, with similar backing, were forced to set themselves against one another because, as always, there is some reason why two people—even with similar support—exchange letters, phone calls, orders and replies full of numbers, signatures, and laws allegedly violated or invoked. In particular, Tirana Mayor Brojka has angered the head of the Albanian army, a leader well known to Brokaj, who, according to Brojka, was clearly intruding on his powers. According to Mayor Brojka, army chief Brokaj improperly appointed someone to the M.C.R., infringing upon an officer’s position, at a time when all the authority to do this belongs to Brojka himself, the institution responsible for the M.C.R. This interference in the municipality’s jurisdiction has led to a series of exchanges and disputes between the two figures, and the matter has still not been resolved because, for various reasons, neither chief is backing down. Brojka, with his own appointment of military personnel, has taken powers from the Ministry of Defence, while Brojka, for his part, says the law does not allow this, at least as regards the M.C.R. And although neither will back down, this shows how two authorities—with very similar surnames, no less—can become the heroes of paragraphs. Brojka and Brojka, though supposedly representing two different political forces and belonging to two extremes that might otherwise be the last in the world to have anything to do with each other, have now found themselves at odds, despite the similarity of their surnames. Perhaps one of these parties will benefit from the effect of a new play on words. Brojka; Brokaj