An unknown German attempts a major reconciliation between the two Alia will also be at the table that brings the rivals together Behind the scenes of the secret negotiations. The DP leader: I’m not opposed Will Berisha meet with Meidani? It seems that a mysterious man has come forward to mediate a meeting between the head of state and his predecessor, now the chairman of the opposition DP. Rudolf Dekker, a former German CDU parliamentarian, met with Berisha and Meidani a few days ago, where he appears to have advanced the idea of reconciliation, more specifically of the DP leader with Albania’s state institutions. At least, this is what people close to Dekker have said in the Albanian capital, which he has visited several times over the years. The man from Germany seems to have taken on the role of mediator to arrange such a meeting between Meidani and Berisha; he has strong ties with American politicians and politicians from the international community. Alia seems more likely to be in the background of this meeting.

Aleksandër Meksi When a country cannot be governed, or is governed unsuccessfully (read: unsuccessfully), there are two ways out: the democratic one and the violent one. Albanians have tried the second way several times. Besides destruction and human casualties, it carries within it the violence of violent people, and for this reason democracy could not be built. People and methods must change for such a thing to happen. And when we speak of democracy, people leave by democratic means and methods, or of their own accord, which is rare among Albanians. A year ago, a government that could only be unsuccessful was imposed on Albanians by force. This example is enough to find other paths, and Albanians themselves must find and accept them. “They say” that foreigners found the first one for us; their failure was publicly disavowed when this was being done to them, and you know very well that they did it. The results achieved, as well as the successes and difficulties, are known to everyone, and I think they will not easily be forgotten for many years. If, as we have been hearing all too often, everything in our country has been done wrongly, that means that back then they taught and helped us badly, and only now will they help us properly. Whatever the case, they should tell us this. I think it is in Albania’s interest and in the interest of its stability for foreigners to tell us officially that their experts worked wrongly yesterday and that, for this reason, their taxpayers’ money went to waste (and that back then “we were right” to destroy what they had done), or that they worked well and correctly, meaning that we too worked well and should continue along the same path in the future, of course doing even better. We should be told the same about the dozens and dozens of Albanian experts who worked with them for Albania and were trained by them for Albania. The overwhelming majority of them are now outside their state offices, leaving a gap whose filling will require time and financial resources that are scarce. These two aspects are of the utmost and urgent importance, so that we do not end up once again in fire and ashes. When we speak of consensus, we mean broad-based consensus (not “popular” consensus, as the red-covered books taught us), since the extremes will always be opposed. The government has called for consensus in drafting the Constitution; I have heard this several times from those who play the role of political referee, but to do it, you also need to make an attempt. The People’s Assembly should suspend and repeal from the outset the constitutional laws approved in this session, improve them and approve them by consensus. After all, a Parliament elected under an almost majoritarian law cannot change the Constitution. Foreigners taught us this well after May 26, and it certainly applies today too. Only then can the opposition sit down to co-draft the Constitution and open the way as soon as possible for new elections to the Assembly and all the constitutional institutions, in accordance with the new Constitution, finally approved by referendum. This would be the only democratic solution. In the meantime, those who took power can “govern,” and the people will see the fruits of the methods and means they use, their abilities and commitment to the people’s cause or to the party’s. If they cannot govern, that is their business; the people, together with the opposition, should act for as long as they can bear it. Violence was imposed on the Albanians, along with a form of government that could only fail. This example is sufficient accept them. It is “said” that foreigners found the first one for us; its failure is theirs too, so there is no reason for us to listen to them again. Let us speak plainly (as the people say: “Stand crooked and speak straight”). Today, a large part of the Albanian people—and, in my opinion, the more justified part—oppose the elections of June 29 and their fabricated result, that is, today’s Parliament. Something must be done. Albanians need help, and the economic and social situation is getting worse and worse. Albania cannot be set right with the mentality of 1989, with bloody crackdowns (the case of the Constitution), austerity campaigns, insults and lies, or gagging opponents. Something else is needed. The experience of the 1991 Parliament, when the validity of the representation of the various political parties was also disputed, shows that there is only one way to ensure at least temporary stability: consensus among the parties represented in Parliament to carry out political changes and actions fully in keeping with a state governed by the rule of law and a free-market economy based on the Western model, which must not be confused with co-governance, something that has always proved unsuccessful in Albania. If they agree—not on speeches, but on actions—then putting Albania and reform on the right path will be easy; otherwise, the unending squabbling of these past months will continue. People continue to speak and act with political infantilism, intent on smashing everything so they can start again and then reach paradise. Everything that has been done is supposedly wrong. The comprehensive reform carried out in Albania (laws or decrees) was done with guidance, approval, and support from Western countries and institutions, which had the “kindness” to say so

Photographs of the two politicians.

Durrës Gazette Durrës residents risk losing their pensions DURRËS - Durrës residents risk losing their pensions in old age. Millions of lekë in debt are owed to INSIG by state enterprises as well as private ones, and have gone unpaid for years. For the first time, the latter has made public the staggering figures and the enterprises that have failed to pay; among them are some of the largest as well as the smallest. On page 8

Shkodër Gazette “How I escaped the clutches of death” SHKODËR - Just one week ago, he faced death. Perhaps luck, perhaps his strong physique, helped him survive the collision of two speedboats. The serious incident in neutral waters caused three deaths and six injuries, while 47-year-old Zef Haxhari managed to return to his home in the village of Barbullush. On page 6

VLORE - The counting of voters in Vlore has begun. The Municipality has set up the commission that is working to draw up the lists. Registration is being carried out with the help of the OSCE office, which had in fact promised to carry out all the registrations. Meanwhile, the candidates who will compete for the post of Mayor remain a mystery.

“More taxes for more services” The Ministry of Health has the law ready to increase contributions TIRANA - To safeguard our health, we will have to pay more. According to the draft health insurance law. The final contribution figures have not yet been set, but sources at the Ministry say they will increase “... economic level of the population,” said yesterday Sokrat Proko, deputy director of the Health Care Insurance Institute. According to him, under the existing law the amounts, paid to cover expenses in the event of illness, range from 3.4 percent of salary to 7 percent of salary. In the dra-

TIRANA - To safeguard our health, we will have to pay more. TIRANA - According to a draft law being prepared by the Ministry of Health, an increase in the amount of contributions for health insurance is envisaged. sources at the Ministry say they will increase. “Everything depends on the director of the Health Care Insurance Institute. Under the existing law, the amounts citizens must pay 3.4 percent of salary to 7 percent of salary. The new draft law provides for these contributions to be reduced to increase.

INTERVIEW/ The head of the foreign mission monitoring customs speaks Cea: “I have been threatened with death” INTERVIEW/ The head of the foreign mission monitoring customs speaks “How the Smuggling Dossier Came About” Cea: “I have been threatened with death” TIRANA - “I have to tell you something straight away: In the dossier on cigarette smuggling that I handed to Minister Malaj in January, there is no politician’s name, whether from the governing majority or the opposition.” Naltalina Cea, head of the European Union Mission, DG XXI, wants to clarify something about the contents of the much-discussed dossier, at the end of yet another day full of controversy. “I would also like to add something else: neither I nor my colleagues conduct anti-smuggling investigations. We provide assistance.” She receives us in her offices, a villa in Tirana’s former Block, surrounded by barbed wire, which seems to have become the fortress of the fight against smuggling in Albania.

VLORA - Hajdari, Pollo, Topalli... are to appear in Vlora. - Hajdari, Pollo, Topalli... are to appear in Vlora. Berisha’s followers will be seeking the city for the first time, the city that for months has rejected them. But the situation in Vlora appears tense. Dozens of petitions bearing the seals of the Oranto Association, the Veterans, and the Committee for the Defense of Popular Interests have arrived at the prefecture and are calling for the rally at the Palace of Sports to be banned. The latter has also been requested by the veterans, who want to celebrate “May 9,” victory over fascism. Prefect Tare Hamo is asking that the arrival of the DP representatives be postponed. Photograph of a crowd of people with a flag.

BELGRADE - Yugoslavia’s first soldier has been killed. Yesterday, in an exchange of fire between Albanians and Serbs, a soldier of Hungarian origin was killed. According to information from “Tanjug,” an Albanian also lost his life and others were wounded. Meanwhile, the deadline of the ultimatum issued to Yugoslavia by the Contact Group at its most recent meeting in Rome expires tomorrow. Today the G-8 will meet in London to discuss Kosovo as well as the new measures to be taken if Millosheviç has not changed his behavior during this period.