DEBATE/ Who criticizes the Government? Aleksandër Meksi The extraordinary and all-encompassing crisis Albania is going through seems to have no immediate way out, since there is no real opposition in Albania. We mean an opposition that stands in direct contrast to the left-wing alliance, determined to remove it from power and equipped with a clear programme for emerging from the crisis and getting onto the path of reform. Opposition is not made with words—let alone anything more—or by flirting with those in power after their private advice. The crisis has been declared by the state. Today we live in a time when, as Dritëro Agolli says, a leek costs as much as a gold bar, and something must be done. Meanwhile, nothing is happening; on the contrary. If those in power feel at ease, not at all disturbed by the worsening economic situation and the rising crime, such a thing is not permissible for the opposition. So this should have been a time for action, not speeches. Speeches in which everything and everyone is blamed. Such a thing is useful only to those in power, who are interested in the opposition remaining as it is today. One thing must to remove it from power and with a clear program for emerging from the crisis and embarking on the path of reform. Opposition is not made with words, let alone insults, nor by flirting with those in power behind the castles of the same coach. The crisis has been under way for some time, since power was taken undemocratically. But its real phase is being felt now, when, after endless declarations of success and support, the government’s inability to govern became evident in the almost grotesque events of recent days. The marked deterioration in the main economic indicators of the Albanian economy as a whole, and of the state budget in particular; the failure to establish order and security on the roads; and the flourishing of smuggling—the mafia installed in power, according to Frrrok Çupi, under the government’s eyes and with its blessing. Every connection to it must be investigated and halted, as must its contribution to bringing to power those whose duty it is to stop it. The spectrum of parties that have declared themselves opposed to the regime is now very broad and fragmented. With such an opposition structure, nothing can be achieved in a short period of time, and for this reason the opposition feels at ease and unaccountable for the country’s fate and for solving its many problems, foremost among them the economic ones. Governments have a duty to alleviate poverty, not to be servile in the face of the runaway rise in prices and inflation—something that cannot be demanded of action, not speeches. Speeches in which everything and everyone appears. Such a thing benefits only calm today. One thing must be clear to those who aspire to democracy, the rule of law and a free-market economy on the Western model. Reform can be carried out only by political groupings that have the support of the majority of Albanians, expressed through free and fair elections, for a program that aims at and provides assurance of bringing about this kind of reform of Albanian society. The opposition that seeks to challenge the left-wing government must have a program developed publicly, clearly defining for the Albanian electorate its aims, the actions it intends to take to achieve them, and the time frames. Even the “100-day” promise makes them look ridiculous and discredited, since the people do not want false promises. I do not believe there is an infinite number of solutions, much less solutions that are clearly distinguishable from one another. The solutions that opposition parties offer the Albanian electorate are certainly not all clear and detailed; and whether they like it or not, they cannot do everything differently from what was done over the past five years. They will correct only the mistakes, not [??] “fix” everything—[break down] everything, and

Milloshi: Firing squad for Alia, too TIRANA - The Communists are calling for Nexhmije, and Ramiz Alia as well. “They betrayed Enver; if we came to power, a firing squad would be the least they deserved.” Other members of the Central Committee are also under accusation for betraying the communist ideal and supporting the counterrevolution that brought about the liquidation of the Party of Labour. At the same time, Hysni Milloshi responded to Enver’s widow and to the statements she gave in “Gazeta Shqiptare” just two days earlier, in which she dismissed his successor comrades. “I don’t know these new communists,” Zonia Hoxha declared. And Milloshi did not hesitate to answer Nexhmije. “In our view, we don’t know her either.” Milloshi called Nexhmije Hoxha’s distancing herself from the PK “a disgrace.” “She is no longer a communist, but only an antifascist. She betrayed Enver even before ’90, when the ideas of the counterrevolution were being proclaimed in ‘Zëri i Popullit’,” he declared. On page 4

Alarm in Has; the spy who was informing Belgrade is captured Ten foreign special forces soldiers were spotted by a child Secret session of Teta and Hajdaraga. Three villages on the border bombed TIRANA - Serbian commandos are crossing the border. A group of them entered the village of Pogaj in Has, a few metres from the border line. Pretending to be KLA soldiers, the Serbs knocked on the door of one of the village families to ask for water. Their poor Albanian raised the suspicions of the villager, who secretly raised the alarm in the village. Armed to the teeth, the commandos sought information about KLA members and bases. Those sheltering the Albanian “terrorists,” the places where they train, and other information about them were the focus of the uninvited guests’ attention. The alarm raised in the village and the arrival of the blue-uniformed officers were unable to stop their departure Serbian police officer in Deçan beside the car in which three Albanians were killed (Photo: ANSA) On page 2

More sweeping replacements are imminent TIRANA - Nano’s purge threatens the ministries. The second and third tiers of the ministries are also in the firing line. TIRANA - Nano’s purge threatens the m i n i s t r i e s. Changes at other levels of the ministries will reach as far as deputies of central officeholders, department directors, and their subordinates. “Changes will also be made in ministries where the officeholders have not been replaced,” a government official declared, widening the scope of the reform in the central administration. On page 3 The new government cabinet (Photo: ATSH)

For March Investigations have begun against Adem Çopani. The former Chief of the General Staff must answer for several documents bearing his signature, concerning the events of last March. On page 3

The first attack by the municipalities against illegal constructions, planned for yesterday, has failed. A decision by the Tirana court has suspended the demolition of a building in the center of the capital, which the Police and the Municipality had considered illegal. At a time when there has been much talk in recent weeks about demolishing illegal constructions, and a plan had even been drawn up to tear them down, yesterday’s case is the first response that convinced everyone that the so-called “anti-illegal-construction avalanche against abusive buildings” will not have an easy time bringing them down. On page 5

GAZETA of Shkodër SHKODËR - “Free border zone”—this is the news most widely circulated among the citizens of Shkodër. The deputy minister at the Ministry of Labour, Gjergj Leka, promised at Sunday’s meeting that preparations would soon begin to integrate the cities located near the border strip, with the more remote areas to follow later. The second conference of the PBDNJ also served to present rapid-action projects that will help Shkodër recover. On page 6

GAZETA of Vlorë VLORË - The OSCE, together with 25 delegations, “takes over” Vlorë today. But it is an arrival that the people of Vlorë have dreamed of for a long time. Numerous meetings will be held with local authorities and businesspeople, and this may be a real opportunity for the city. They will stay for the first part of the day and then leave for Tirana. On page 7

GAZETA of Durrës DURRËS - The two famous convalescent homes are still in ruins. Summer is approaching, and no repairs have been made to the rooms of the two huge camps. They belong to two ministries: the Ministry of Public Order and the Ministry of Defence, but neither has managed to make any investment for its holidaymakers. Their economist says there had been hope that they would be consolidated and that “Albia” would repair them, but that did not happen. On page 8

Serbian police officer in Deçan beside the car in which three Albanians were killed

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