DICK MARTY REPORT ON THAÇI AND ALBANIA IS RELEASED, TOPALLI: IT CONCERNS THE AUTHOR’S EXPERTISE Italian writer: Do you want to open a factory in Tirana? If you apply on your own there is bureaucracy; with the mafia, the way is opened in 3 weeks Italian writer: Do you want to open a factory in Tirana? If you apply on your own there is bureaucracy, with the mafia, the way is opened in 3 weeks The well-known writer Roberto Saviano stated in an interview with “Euronews” that the Italian mafia has extended its tentacles into Eastern Europe. “In these countries, on the one hand we have the fear of honest businessmen. Where should they invest? The risk of losing everything is very high. On the other hand, there is the fear of the former communist nomenklatura of losing power. In this way, an alliance is immediately created. The mafia arrives and brings money, directly protects some politicians and intervenes with entrepreneurs. So if you connect with them, everything becomes faster. Do you want to open... Continues on pages 2-3 (In the photo:) Italian writer Roberto Saviano (right) Facsimile of Dick Marty’s report against Hashim Thaçi and Albania

Opinion of the Day By EDUARD ZALOSHNJA Since the 15th century, history has not recorded such a massive exodus of Albanians as the one that began in 1990 and is still ongoing today.... The second exodus Continues on page 29

COMMENT By AHMET SHQARRI On page 29

The smuggling operation of the former boss of the state-owned enterprise with the man on the US ‘blacklist’ in 2006 New documents, Albania a transit point for trafficking from Serbia The state arms import-export directorate, MEICO, has in the past signed sales contracts with one of the main arms smugglers in the Balkans, Slobodan Tesic. This Serbian citizen is on the US “blacklist” as a person involved in illegal arms trade. Albania appears to have been involved in this arms trafficking route that ran from Serbia to Yemen. According to data published by Wikileaks, this was an arms trafficking operation led by Slobodan Tesic, whose name is on the “blacklist” of the United States of America. But his name also seems to be known to the Albanian authorities, since the Serbian citizen had a partnership with the company MEICO, also signing contracts with the Albanian government... Former MEICO director, Ylli Pinari, and facsimile of the cartridges contracts On page 7

TRANSITION PHOTO / BERISHA IN TROPOJË On pages 12-13

Yesterday in “Wall Street Journal” By JIM SANDERS Richard Holbrooke, who died this week at the age of 69, loved epigraphs. They are scattered through almost all of his books. One from Herman Melville. Holbrooke, a Kennedy Democrat Continues on page 28

THE PERSECUTED: ON STRIKE On pages 4-6

YLLI KELMENDI Testimony: Mirin e Xhikes was not killed by Lavdërim Tufa On page 11

SECOND ROUND IN JANUARY Medicine, additional quota for specializations, the competition is postponed On page 18

THE CONFERENCE BEGINS The Albanian language, the debate begins: Where intellectuals go wrong On pages 24-26