Deputy Rakipi: It’s all staged; I won’t get my hands dirty with this business Chief Prosecutor responds: Dizdari is either talking nonsense or has carried out an order Resignations imminent. Controversy erupts at the heart of the Justice system. Opposing opinions among politicians TIRANË - “The case against everyone is a process that has been badly put together from a legal standpoint.” Deputy General Prosecutor Gani Dizdari yesterday accused, in a public statement, the institution he serves and the court of deliberately committing violations in the procedures followed against former Democratic Party officials. According to him, the Prime Minister, through third parties, asked him to resign and withdraw from the investigation. However, Rakipi’s line of concern is different. The head of the Prosecutor’s Office stated that his deputy’s words had been distorted and that he had only carried out an order. “Dizdari has not seen any document or procedural action, because for months he has been shirking his duty. What is astonishing is his audacity in speaking about things he knows nothing about,” Rakipi replied. Dizdari told the newspaper that it was still too early to talk about his possible resignation, leaving that to time. On page 4

Politicians and parties continue to quarrel among themselves, refusing to carry out the reconciliation plan that the whole country is in such profound need of. There is no dialogue, neither on small issues nor on major ones. Today “Koha Jonë” and “Gazeta Shqiptare” are trying to set a small example of civil coexistence. Although they are newspapers competing with one another, today they are exchanging the editorials of their respective directors. A signal of peace, dialogue and democracy. Each contributes in their own way. NIKOLLË LESI Publisher of the newspaper “Koha Jonë” While turmoil continues in Tiranë, caused by the opposition and by the ruling side itself, and while the country’s stability and the life of the Government are heading toward the end of their calm, the Prime Minister is at one of Portugal’s best hotels, at the “Exp.98” fair, representing Albania, which is on the brink of this second … At present, Nano’s Government is at the peak of the attack from … … General Prosecutor of the Republic, Arben Rakipi, who faces either glory or, at the very least, resignation. If politics later saves Nano, the law awaits the Chief Prosecutor: if Berisha remains untouched, as he has always been so far, the investigating team will face a subsequent trial if it fails to prove the accusation. I think the Socialist leader was wrong with the formula of “freezing the process,” just as the General Prosecutor was wrong about the political timing when he made the arrests— ...towards the end of calm, the Prime Minister is staying at one of Portugal’s finest hotels for of a second chaos. At present, Nano’s Government is at the height of attacks from everyone, friends and opponents alike, not to mention organised crime, which is increasingly becoming the country’s real “prime minister”; the outlook therefore seems somewhat bleak if action is not taken quickly and decisively. Otherwise, the Government will fall and the country will head towards early elections, or towards a democratic dictatorship, or towards total chaos. The first two are more acceptable than choosing chaos. But leader Berisha still refuses to compromise, since, according to him, victory in bringing down Nano is very close, although it may also not be far off. The silence of the ruling camp, the estrangement of politics from justice and the interference of politics in the work of the judiciary have created chaos in this branch of power too, which must prove its strength in the face of mediocre Albanian politics. The “deadlock” Nano is seeking has frozen Berisha, who, even without Nano’s formula, is increasingly fired up about power. Faced with the two leaders, the Prosecutor’s Office has been caught in a deadlock, left at the mercy of the politics of the moment and forgetting that an independent branch of power, whose purpose is to act, must be defended by everyone—a defence that would in any case be sought continually from the international community. This means that the Prime Minister’s “deadlock” policy has also “deadlocked” the prosecutor from applying the law: if Berisha remains untouchable, as he has so far, the investigating team and the subsequent trial await him, if they cannot prove the charge. I think the socialist leader was wrong with his “freezing of the process” formula, just as the Prosecutor General was wrong to make the arrests at this political moment. Arben Rakipi should at the same time have sought the lifting of immunity for Arben Imami, Kastriot Islami and Sabit Brokaj as well. The Prime Minister should have cleared the way instead of calling for a “freeze”. A “freeze” brings only cold, whereas we need a little more transparency to heal the wounds of body and soul. The socialist Prime Minister may have been thinking beyond the day’s politics, but he forgets that he is in Albania, where politics shifts and betrays you within the hour, because everyone here is involved in politics and it has become a big business game—so much so that these days only the smugglers and drug dealers are benefiting. Justice is cold to the one who suffers its consequences, but it warms and cleanses society; therefore, Chief Prosecutor Rakipi must not accept any “freeze”, but must fill the case file with evidence. If there is no evidence, then he should exchange places with the sixth person on the PD list. That is justice. The alternative is the “justice of the political mafia”; in such a situation, justice must not be influenced at all by the politics of “freezing” and “compromises.”

Kaçi... Don’t think we’ve become friends On page 3 Yesterday the Socialist Party tried to reconcile Nano’s two deputies. Kaçi... Don’t think we’ve become friends. On page 3

TIRANË - “The case against everyone is a process that has been badly put together from a legal standpoint.”

Yesterday the police drafted the complaint against the head of VEVË Grup On page 4

“This cabinet does not deserve the support of the Socialists” Yesterday, strong anti-Nano calls at “Skënderbeu” Mitungu PD: Wins permit

“This cabinet has not justified the socialists’ support” TIRANA - Ilir Meta attacks some of the sections of the Government he is part of. “We are obliged to normalise political life in the country, security, and to fight smuggling at any cost, including by making changes,” the State Secretary for Euro-Atlantic Integration told Gazeta yesterday. Regarding the Finance Minister’s request for the PS to give the Government political support, Meta says: “The Government has always had the full political support of the majority, but it has not justified this trust.” Asked about reports published in the press that he would become Deputy Prime Minister in place of Fatos Nano, he says he has no knowledge of any such plan. “Nothing of the sort has been discussed with me,” Meta says. Although he is a member of the Government cabinet, Meta does not hesitate to attack those parts of the Government responsible for destabilising public order and smuggling.

Amendments to the Competition Law . Parliament says stop to newspapers sold below cost. On page 2. Fino falls, ... rises

Two strong anti-Nano calls at “Skënderbeu” TIRANA - The police have finally decided to grant the Democratic Party permission to protest in the centre of Tirana, while the number of participants at the rally seems to have fallen. Democrats apparently have grown accustomed to going to rallies after receiving a call from the Tirana police the day before, warning them that no permit has been granted and that they should not go to the square because there might be terrorist acts. This time, however, the police did no such thing, trusting the Democrats, who have felt their audience dwindling. Yesterday’s rally was peaceful, apart from a few minor isolated incidents, when hard objects were thrown in the direction of the police. Meanwhile, the Democrats have decided to hold their next rally in Kavajë, where, after the rally, they blocked the national road for about 1 hour and 30 minutes. On page 2.

. Solis changes his mind: No to the privatisation of Proforma. On page 5. GAZETA of Durrës. Kiosks overwhelm the centre; 48 businesses added. On page 7. GAZETA of Shkodër. Police: The Prosecutor’s Office is abusing the captured criminals. On page 6.