INTERVIEW/ CARICATURIST SPEAKS: RAMA AND BERISHA ARE MY FRIENDS, LET THEM GO HOME DIBRË ELECTIONS Bujar Kapexhiu: Why I campaign for PD “Doctors and artists have done us in; now it is the turn of economists and lawyers. Politicians get upset when I don’t draw their portrait in caricature. I don’t deal with seasonal newcomers” By VALENTINA MADANI Bujar Kapexhiu, who has painted with caricature for 50 years, is serious when he says that these days power should be given to economists and lawyers. According to him, the time of doctors and painters is over and it is the time of economists and lawyers. One of them is Sherefedin Shehu, whom Mr. Kapexhiu says the people of Dibër should trust with the post of mayor. For “Gazeta Shqiptare”, the well-known humorist says he has no political convictions and that his friends are many on both the left and the right. But he is convinced that leadership should be entrusted to economists... In Dibër he promoted the book “Kthesë”, on whose cover he has depicted precisely the two main protagonists of politics, Sali Berisha and Edi Rama. But during this cultural event in his native place, Bujar Kapexhiu found himself at the side of the right-wing politician and their candidate for the mayoralty of Peshkopi. Mr. Kapexhiu says Continues on page 3

Opinion of the Day By LAVDOSH AHMETAJ For more than a year, political life and the public atmosphere under media “bombardment” have been intensely inflated with the so-called “reform”.... Politics in amnesty, society in amnesia Continues on pages 21-22

Interview/ The prime minister’s adviser speaks: The publisher is fascinated (In the photo:) The prime minister’s adviser, Shkëlzen Maliqi. Edi Rama during the presentation of the book “Kurban” “In the negotiations with the Serbs, we did not benefit from Kadare’s name. They considered it not an ordinary text one would expect from a politician” By FATMIRA NIKOLLI Shkëlzen Maliqi, adviser for the region to Prime Minister Edi Rama, explains in an interview for “Gazeta Shqiptare” how the publication of “Kurban” was achieved On page 9

REPORT/ FOREIGN TOURISTS: THE SOUTH, A WONDER Lukova, the pearl abandoned by the state, residents: We are poor On pages 10-11

TARIFFS FOR AFORE IN 15 CITIES On pages 5-6

“HOW HASHISH IS EXCHANGED FOR HEROIN” On page 7

2 POLICE OFFICERS ARRESTED, JOURNALISTS FROM “NEWS 24” BEATEN Missing girls: Don’t look for us if you want. They surrender to the police after 17 hours On page 4

POLITICAL CAMP Meta with Veliaj and Rexhep Meidani: Strength comes from the unity of youth On page 2

290 VICTIMS Earthquake in Italy, tomorrow the body of Erjon Toro comes to Albania On page 7

PANAJOT BARKA “I will tell you whose it really is polyphony” Supplement