But Teta objects: It’s excessive. The Prime Minister: That’s how order is maintained TIRANA - Nano proposes a parallel police force. For a month, the Prime Minister has been calling for the creation of Teta to create Albanians. The formation of a new, specialized and trained structure has been judged by the head of government to be the best solution for establishing order. But the latest proposal has met with the firm opposition of the Minister of Public Order. Foreign police experts have also sided with him, considering this structure unnecessary and potentially harmful. While publicly calling for reform of the blue uniforms and their removal from corruption and smuggling, Nano has made another, secret proposal. The Prime Minister’s two advisers on public order and defense have arrived at Teta’s office with the idea of forming a parallel police structure resembling the gendarmerie or the carabinieri. For Nano, this project is a sure weapon for reducing crime and increasing the police’s striking power. On page 4

PROFILE / Everywhere, useful Saimir Sherifi, 24, works as a waiter at one of the kiosks on Rruga e Barikadave and is interested neither in the press nor in politics. But when you ask him if he knows Daan Everts (the OSCE ambassador in Tirana), he replies without hesitation: “Yes, I know him. He’s the one who reconciles people.” A few days ago, Everts had spectacularly mediated between Minister Gaqo Apostoli and workers over the privatization of the Cement Factory in Vlora. Since the beginning of 1998, the OSCE’s initials and flag have begun to wave more prominently in the Albanian jungle, and its ambassador in Tirana, Daan Everts, is seen by ordinary citizens much like Zekëria Canaj, the blood-feud mediator in Kosovo. On page 11

Godo: Mediu the son Yesterday, fierce fighting in the hills of Peqin. There are also dead The championship, eight

Major police operation: Caught by helicopter A fierce battle in the hills of Peqin. There are also dead Major police operation: They are caught by helicopter The ‘Cartel’ gang has been smashed. A major police operation yesterday afternoon led to the arrest of Eduart Ymeri and Arjan Prençi, people who had been wanted for a long time and released several times by the courts. Two other gang members escaped, taking advantage of the darkness and the difficult terrain; there are also suspected fatalities. Everything is expected to be clarified by midday today. Senior officials of the Ministry of Public Order described yesterday’s operation as the most important of recent days. On page 4

New request for the arrest of opposition leaders TIRANA - “The Prosecutor’s Office will once again request the lifting of immunity for the 5 PD MPs.” This was stated yesterday by the head of investigations at the General Prosecutor’s Office, Agim Tirana, who also stressed that “the new request to lift immunity will be made individually for each of the MPs, but the charge is the same for all of them.” According to him, the list of MPs whose immunity will be sought includes Democratic Party leaders Vili Minarolli, Pjetër Arbnori, Shaban Memia, Jemin Gjana and Leonard Demi. The Prosecutor’s Office first requested the lifting of immunity for these people when Sali Berisha’s name was also included on the list, but Parliament considered only the request to lift Berisha’s immunity and asked the Prosecutor’s Office to submit its request concerning the other five MPs. A source close to the case stressed: “This time the Prosecutor’s Office’s request will be supported by evidence and facts concerning unconstitutional acts committed by them as organizers of the armed uprising.” The cited source stressed that “on Saturday, the testimony of a senior official in the Nano government was taken, but his name was not disclosed. He testified before investigators from 09:20 for about one hour and 35 minutes, and his testimony also contained important information not only about the events of September 14, but also about September 12 and 13.” The cited source concluded that “the Prosecutor’s Office has planned to take the testimony of up to [unclear in source] senior government officials per day, including heads of important institutions.”

Malaj: I found out in Singapore how to fight theft On page 9

On page 3

On page 2

On page 9

On page 4

On page 8

Today: games, entertainment and a super crossword On page 12

On pages 13–15

GAZETA of Durrës. The Municipality has no money for the city On page 7 GAZETA of Shkodër Traffic warden in charge: Pedestrian hit On page 6