ALARM OF ALBANIAN AND FOREIGN INVESTORS: THE STATE IS DRIVING US INTO BANKRUPTCY On page 8

EDITORIAL Carlo BOLLINO A camouflaged enemy is threatening Albania with death. It is not English, Italian, American, Greek or Serbian, but has all these nationalities at once. It is a vile enemy that has struck elsewhere in the world before, bringing down political superpowers such as Russia and economic superpowers such as Indonesia. It is an enemy that has also threatened Europe and is now turning its weapons against Albania. This is the International Monetary Fund, a many-headed dragon with no brain, a dragon with a very powerful body but no soul. It appears wearing the mask of a “savior,” presenting itself as a doctor who treats sick economies, but it uses only one medicine, administering it indiscriminately for every illness and to every patient, without adjusting the doses. And we know that cancer cannot be treated in the same way as the flu, and that you cannot give a child the same dose of medicine as a strong man who is at risk of dying. This deranged enemy came to Albania many years ago, caused a great deal of damage and has now decided to strike the country at its heart. The International Monetary Fund, which until 1997 assisted without saying anything about the colossal pyramid-scheme fraud, simply because inflation remained low in the meantime (and that was enough for it), dropped another terrible bomb last week, and Albania is once again forced to stand by helplessly as these delusional and deadly experiments are carried out. The International Monetary Fund’s latest weapon is the new income tax law, approved three days before New Year’s Day, when many MPs were on holiday. The ministers were distracted and people were thinking about how to organize the end-of-year celebrations, so no one noticed the law’s approval. But now this law has begun to… Continued on page 8

Secret talks with Clinton on the Internet On page 4

Account Pandeli MAJKO At the meetings with President Clinton, Secretary of State Albright, Secretary of Defense Cohen, Attorney General Reno, Secretary of Commerce Daley, CIA Director Tenet, Senators Dole, Gilman and Engel, and other senior members of the US administration, such as Malloy and Holbrooke, in their respective areas, we briefed our interlocutors on the problems and developments within the country, the progress of democratic institutions, the economic and financial situation, public order and the country’s defense, and the spirit of dialogue aimed at reducing artificial political tensions in the country, normalizing the work of lawful institutions and making progress in resolving the fundamental problems affecting the tangible interests of all Albanians. At all the meetings, we focused in particular on the issue of Kosovo. We set out the assessments and positions of the Albanian government, also in keeping with the relevant resolutions of the Assembly of Albania. We emphasized the need for the United States to remain directly engaged in resolving this major problem. As part of the process, we stressed the need for Serbian military forces to withdraw from Kosovo and for NATO forces to be present there, to ensure implementation of the anticipated Rambouillet agreement. Speaking about the policy of good-neighborly relations pursued by the Albanian government, we focused in particular on, and emphasized, the positive impact not only for Albania but also for the situation in the region of the very close relations we continue to develop with Italy and Greece, the strengthening of relations with the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, and the intensification of traditional friendly rela- Continued on page 4

THE TRAGEDY While playing, he accidentally killed his 11-year-old friend and then fired a shot from the pistol at his own head. This is how a macabre spectacle for two children came to an end in the “Isa Boletini” neighborhood of Vlora, in building 1423 in the area of the former orange groves of the NB Ullishtes… On page 19

AFTER THE MATCH I received your letter at lunchtime today and, wishing to give you the response you deserve, I de…cided to make it public and begin with a public apology on behalf of the Albanian Government for the shameful condition in which you found the “Qemal Stafa” stadium, a veritable muddy quagmire… On page 22

* The final draw for all newspapers sold since 2 February. * A prize for NEWSPAPER SELLERS too

1. Keep this copy of the newspaper with your competition number 2. The game numbers are published every Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. 3. On Monday, 22 February, the second draw will be held on TV Klan for a trip for 2 people to ITALY and 2 SCHENGEN visas. * More information on the inside pages of the newspaper. Gazeta Shqiptare gives you the ITALY

SERIES CD 49937