Otranto 2: investigators record a shocking conversation Italians tapped the traffickers’ mobile phones during the hours of the Adriatic tragedy Joint Italian-Albanian investigations begin. The two surviving girls are arrested TIRANA - A chilling discovery by Italian police: a telephone conversation between two Albanian traffickers was intercepted after the tragedy of 21 November in Otranto. Even more shocking were their words: “We don’t care about the drowned child, but did those prostitutes survive?” They are two of the heads of the Albanian criminal organization, Armando Viro and Naim Elizi, who were discussing with each other how to solve the problem that had “landed on their heads.” Their greatest concern was also the speedboat, which, according to them, “made us 200 million, but we have to buy a new one.” Meanwhile, the General Prosecutor’s Office is calling on all the relatives of the “Otranto 2” tragedy to come forward and testify about the drowned victims; there is not much information about the betëc[?]. Meanwhile, Italy is preparing a repatriation program for more than 4,000 Albanian refugees who have remained there since March. The Italian government will grant regular residence permits to the relatives of the victims of the “Kateri Rades.” On page 5

THE CHAMPION’S ALARM Kreshnik Tartari* I found it most appropriate to communicate through the press with all Albanian sports fans, with this appeal that I make to all of you, wherever you may be. It is a matter of honor for me as an athlete whom you have honored for so many years, as an educator of a generation of successful Albanian athletes whose public has loved and applauded them throughout the country, as a parent and as a person, to address our sports fans, who, despite having endured great stress, still retain their love of sport and follow the teams closest to their hearts, TE ME KURTOJ[?] NE in this heartfelt, Albanian appeal of mine. Sports fields, stadiums, sports halls and all the places where our teams compete must never be turned into gladiatorial arenas or scenes of hooliganism! From the heights of the Olympic Games, where legends bring the message of peace and understanding, the reason behind all these major competitions has been the challenge of civilized people before the gods! To experience kingdom after kingdom, the most distinguished representatives of the Balkan nations competed against one another. The chronicles of those times echo into our own day as an imperative of the age. The players competed against each other, and the noble-minded audience, with sportsmanship, determined the winners. This great example of ancient civilization, in the service of life, has ample room for every one of us. All the more so when sporting competitions and matches take place on our soil, on our fields, among our people, for our pleasure. Anyone who displays signs of violence or insults athletes, the team or the “opposing” fans should be punished; it is the vice, not the stars, that should be condemned. The support of all those others, for an Albania whose spirit should be respected, as has traditionally been enshrined in our rich customs. It would be wrong[?] and should be punished if someone disrupts a match on the field or storms into the stands of that chorus. Regions are not competing! Cities are not competing! They are not competing by throwing stones or by one cousin against another! Teams compete against teams, with a purpose! They compete with whoever is the most worthy, the strongest, the most dedicated and prepared, and the coolest-headed! The continuing motto of the Flamurtari Sports Club: the result of the match must never be conceded! Take it as it comes! Win what you deserve! The match of the heart should not be predetermined, because for me and for sports fans, the athletes are what matter. Their fans are involved and exhausted as they support their team, everywhere and throughout the sport; when they sound alarms about violence in the stands and display acts[?] of violence, nothing is more important than showing respect… The heavy responsibility falls on the referees of these matches, where violence damages the image of referees, peace and understanding. How can these little men, powerful before the public, set one team against another, one against the other, face to face! Sports fans, with culture and civic dignity, must rise above those who insult human adversaries and human bonds, and not spoil the joy or sorrow of people who cheer, compete and celebrate! Sport is tough; boxing, described in the past as “free and noble,” ends with moving, humane embraces between the two opponents. And don’t forget, it can be done with punches, not goals or baskets. This ritual, as ancient as it is moving, appeals to us all; it is unparalleled in its emotion and brings more kindness than malice to matches and what follows them. Try it! Remember the saying, “The greatness of revenge lies in the greatness of forgiveness,” which has become a guiding light for our ancient people. The joy of victory or the sorrow of defeat must never be dealt with through violence. Losing one’s reason has its “reason.” When one loses one’s humanity, no one has the right to vent all their violence from the heart. If the match does not speak for itself, which once again brings you back to the moment, then we enter a spiritual state of unease. Our fields, our stadiums, our sports grounds are places for collective exertion and relaxation. A reason to demonstrate violence and respect for the team, to rejoice then and to thank one another! It is not the police, the federation or the organizations that will solve this situation; there is an obvious limit, because, ultimately, people are people everywhere. I THINK and BELIEVE that all athletes and sports fans must be guided by one spirit. Or not?! Where are we heading? Should we welcome and encourage the efforts of a person who stands out from others through talent and ability, or throw stones of hatred at one another?! You sports fans who follow us everywhere, for many and many kilometres behind us, in the cold and the heat, for our sake, for the sake of our children, for the sake of civilized Albanian sport, which at least Europe recognizes as exemplary in every respect, do not allow violence to violate our bodies[?] and our opponents! * Merited Coach

Enver Hoxha and Kim Ir Sen in the 1960s (shown in footage for the first time)

FIER / Top-secret operation FIER - Two wanted men fall into police hands. A major operation by local police and special forces brought in especially from Tirana. One hundred officers, accompanied by armored vehicles, secretly surround the village of Libofshë and, in the morning, manage to catch two brothers accused of three murders. Local police, having judged them extremely dangerous, had requested help from the special forces, who were sent from the capital to surround them. The plan, drawn up days earlier, was carried out using information from operatives in the area. The police operation began in the early hours of the morning. Police sources confirm that the operation was highly secret. Following accurate information from the criminal police (only the senior officers and those involved knew the details of the operation), the chief[?] set off toward the village of Libofshë. On page 6

MEPs go on the offensive: Where are you going? TIRANA - “Enough of you, we no longer have time to deal with the Albanian political class.” This was the essence of the position taken by the team of members of the European Parliament at the end of their mission on Saturday. Two days earlier, it had been the members of the Council of Europe who had made such a [statement?]. But the people from Brussels seem harsher in their judgments and reservations. “We cannot come every month to bring the government and opposition to the negotiating table,” said the head of Svodoba, the second-ranking member of the European team. According to him, the PD should urgently take the lead in Parliament, and the government side should be more tolerant toward it. The European envoy’s warning went further when he also cautioned that there could be a civil-war situation if the political class failed to find what is otherwise called a common ground for dialogue. Doris Pack

Football Champions Cup: Bayern already qualified for the quarter-finals. After losing in Rotterdam, Juventus risk elimination On pages 7-8

ECONOMY On page 2

TIRANA On page 6

CUSTOMS On page 6

EIGHT PEOPLE COME DOWN TO RRAJCË AND SET OFF FOR TIRANA Kurds at the Vlora Police Station POGRADEC - Kurds are caught by Albanian police and extradited to Macedonia, but then cross the mountains and return to Albania, where two people await them, having arranged the “papers” to send them toward Vlora. They were called from the land, but came this way over the mountains. It all began on Tuesday afternoon near Pogradec. A bus coming from Tetova was stopped by border police at the Qafë Thanë customs post. Those found travelling on it were stopped and, after it was established that they lacked documentation, were forced to return to Macedonian territory. Despite the intervention of their Albanian escorts, the police did not allow it. But that evening, sources who do not wish to be identified say that the Kurds returned to Albania, this time over the mountain. They descended into the village of Rrajcë, where two armed Albanian escorts were waiting for them. They asked a taxi driver to help take them to Tirana, but he refused; meanwhile, another driver, after receiving payment, set off with the nine Kurds toward the capital. One of the two armed men of twenty[?], later, revealed their direction in Tirana. One of the two armed men[?]—the Kurds had arrived[?] and were moving through Albanian territory with the intention of taking them toward Vlora. On page 2