SHOULD HE LEAVE OR BE FIRED AS MINISTER? Skëteri The conflict between the state’s two main institutions has returned: the President and the Prime Minister’s Office are leveling harsh accusations at each other, this time not over the anti-smuggling campaign or for some other reason over which they have clashed before. As for Interior Minister Neritan Ceka, the “quarrel” between President-Berisha-Cerveti, which has so far remained behind the scenes, concerns recent political developments, the storm forecast on Saturday, and changes to Nano’s cabinet. One of the names being discussed most today in political circles, alongside others, is Ceka’s. The Interior Minister and President of PAD has not earned a bad reputation for doing good work in the law-enforcement agencies. But there has been talk of his possible replacement, confirmed up to a certain level within the coalition’s political ranks. And while Nano and his associates are considering changing the head of law enforcement, it seems such a move is not viewed favorably by the Presidency. Although the President does not seem convinced by the reasons, Meidani, as far as can be understood, values the work of the head of law enforcement more than others do. But that is not the fundamental reason—the assessment of his work in law enforcement, whether favorably or unfavorably, for which others would remove Ceka from the post of Interior Minister. Rather, it is a series of clashes and controversies that the Minister has already accumulated with several of the executive’s leading figures that are thought to lie at the root of the disputes over moving Ceka from the number-one seat in law enforcement. Thus, following the latest dispute—no later than last Thursday—between the Presidency and the Prime Minister’s Office, the executive’s leaders did not make much of Ceka’s attendance at the media meeting. Moreover, the head of the Anti-Smuggling Directorate, Deputy Prime Minister Fino, who has been tasked with dealing directly with the fight against this phenomenon, was absent. And it seems this was the final push for a decision, perhaps taken in a small circle, to remove Ceka from law enforcement. But the motives for this move seem to go further back. The struggle that began in January after the storm in law enforcement, followed by several other disagreements between Ceka and Fino that grew more frequent over time, has now brought the name of the Interior Ministry chief into play as one of the seats that will soon be vacated. So, even if one carefully considers the speech Nano gave at the latest government meeting, the Prime Minister did nothing but cite figures on anti-smuggling, implying that he had not looked favorably on Ceka’s relationship with Meidani, following Fino’s statements about significant changes among the ministers—including coalition ministers. Such as Ceka. Although coalition partners, especially the leaders of AD, say that “every name being considered for a change, every change or adjustment to the formula—in other words, ultimately, every proposal by the Prime Minister—will be discussed at the coalition parties’ table before being submitted to Parliament for approval.” PS politicians say this is how they will proceed even if Ceka’s name comes up for discussion. Meanwhile, Majko, as always, is trying to throw a little fuel on the coalition’s polemics. “We have not yet reached the names. We are only at the stage of proposing how to strike a balance, and when the moment for change comes...” He then adds that “the idea of names is just something invented by the press.”

KESH increasingly in crisis TIRANA - KESH continues to accumulate losses amounting to billions. If, by the end of April, the Albanian Power Corporation has not collected the 6.8 billion lekë owed to it by state, household, and private consumers, it risks bankruptcy. The most problematic are the non-budgetary state enterprises, which have accumulated a debt of 3.4 billion lekë. The 2.8 million household subscribers, meanwhile, owe KESH a full 2.7 billion lekë. Another enemy of electricity supplies this year is the drought. The Drin, along whose course there are hydroelectric plants, has had only 30–40 percent of the average flow of recent years, as it did last year. On page 9

The government’s response has sparked controversy among politicians Majko responds to harsh criticism within the PS “There are many things that are right. But what can we do in eight months of government?” The government’s response has sparked controversy among politicians “Agolli? He is a writer” Majko responds to harsh criticism within the PS “There are many things that are right. But what can we do in eight months of government?” TIRANA - Majko has revealed the tone of the internal debate in the PS: “We are on the same wavelength as Agolli. Soon we will make changes in the executive. But there must be patience, because the government cannot solve the problems of one million Albanians who voted for the PS in 8 or 9 months,” he told the Gazeta, responding to the socialist writer and MP. Two days earlier, Agolli had strongly criticized Nano and government officials in an article of his published on Sunday, for their indifference to the concerns of the socialist electorate and for their detachment from the grassroots, which became evident immediately after they settled into the state’s leadership seats and during the first period of left-wing rule.

KUKËS - Tension is high on the Albanian-Serbian border. The hot zone on Albania’s border with Kosovo seems poised to erupt at any moment. The first Serbian gunfire has killed, deep inside the territory of the Yugoslav state, a thirty-year-old teacher from the village of Tomaj in Has, five kilometers from the Albanian border. No meeting between the two sides to verify the incident has been possible, while both sides have strengthened their heavily guarded lines on either side of the border. Albanian border sources report that they have observed significant movements by the Serbian army. Yesterday, the leading members of the Albanian government were also present in Kukës. On page 2 Shkodër, police kill the attacker

SHKODËR / MAN WITH TWO HEADS FOUND

fire.” Coming from a firefighter, this sounds a little strange, considering that he—and nobody else—has taken responsibility for such a fire. Meanwhile, if you take a look at the pay slips they receive, you’ll immediately change your mind... On page 5

GAZETA e Durrësit Cigarettes Go on Strike DURRËS - Cigarette factory workers have begun an indefinite strike. They had given advance warning with a one-hour strike, and their main demand was the reinstatement of the director at the head of the factory. But the authorities’ failure to respond has led the workers to make their decision definitive: the factory will not operate until the director returns among us. On page 7

The Commission Continues without PD TIRANË - The Constitutional Commission has produced the first 21 articles of the Albanian Constitution. Yesterday, its secretariat finalized the basic outlines of the Constitution’s first chapter, which now appears set to be considered in a broad public discussion. The fundamental principles of the Albanian Constitution include the issues of the republic, the state, religion, the armed forces, as well as some of the basic guidelines of the country’s founding document. But yesterday, during the discussion of the issue of religion, Hysen Selfo once again left the table, declaring that he would not participate as long as his options for the head of the Albanian Orthodox Church were not fulfilled. Selfo demanded that the head of the Church be of Albanian origin and nationality. This does not appear to have been accepted by the other members of the Commission. On page 4

SHKODËR - A battle between the police and a criminal. Blue uniforms are stained with blood, but in the darkness the person who resisted with a gun has also been killed. In the darkness of night, surrounding a wanted man cost the latter his life, while two police officers taking part in the operation were seriously wounded. According to sources at the Ministry of the Interior, the operation to capture the much-wanted man began at dawn on Monday, at around 04:30 in the morning. After receiving information about the man’s whereabouts, a large police force surrounded the occupied house in the village of Bërdiçë e Madhe, leaving no escape route. On page 6

ELBASAN - Mines injure 3 officers in Krashtë. Explosives buried around the military unit have struck again. The incident happened yesterday morning, while the three specialist officers were repairing the damage. It is not yet known whether the explosion occurred after one of them stepped on a mine, or whether a stone fell at the site where they were carrying out the operation. Their quick maneuver severed the network and prevented a chain explosion. The officers were immediately taken to the surgical ward of Elbasan hospital and, according to the latest information from the doctors, they are out of danger and have no serious, life-threatening problems. On page 7

Kiosk owners are also joining the rush, but there are no guns for them Guns for the Rich of Vlorë Police grant permits to 90 merchants VLORE - Vlonjatë businesspeople are now armed. This is an initiative by the city police to allow those considered the wealthiest to carry guns. A list has therefore been drawn up with 90 names of people whose businesses have high cash turnovers. There has also been a large influx at the police station of small merchants asking to be armed as well, but the police have not accepted this. The initiative has been justified as a measure for the merchants’ self-defense. On page 7 Photo of a group of people near the police, for the article “Weapons for Vlora’s Rich.”

SHKODËR - Some children accidentally found a newborn baby who had two heads and four duplicated senses. Doctors say it may have died in its mother’s womb, but deliberate killing is also a possibility. It is currently in the city morgue. The children found it on Sunday afternoon, and one of them says he saw two men burying it. The hospital doctors are calling for tests to be carried out on the dead infant to determine the true cause of this birth, but they urgently need the mother’s identity, which remains a mystery so far. It is quite possible that she made the creature disappear, terrified by the monstrous sight before her eyes. On page 6

GAZETA of Tirana “Money makes you jump into the fire—”