Pages 4, 8 Lushnje whistles Berisha World Bank: We cannot help Albania; they are not asking us for help Impossible dialogue Albanian politics did not change course. The President of the Republic, Sali Berisha, together with the government cabinet and the SHIK leadership, went yesterday to the city of Lushnje. The talks and meetings could not escape the citizens’ question: What others did not do to us, has it now fallen on the government too? What others did not do to us, has it now fallen on the government too? The unprepared answers, the political proclamations, the usual evasions, and the completely smoke-filled, convergent statements from the government only increased the dissatisfaction of the inhabitants of Lushnje. Instead of calming things down, the atmosphere worsened. Albanians gathered, say their side. Berisha’s chiefs who clung to the words from the city stadium. There is no doubt that, in the ranking of despair caused by the economic collapse of the pyramid schemes, Lushnje perhaps holds first place. Such a thing is perfectly understandable and explainable, considering the political formulas that have prevailed. Heavy dictates and accusations would make matters even more problematic in Lushnje, although this is not the case in all the towns and villages of the country. This time the patience of the angry people reached its limit. The bread at the gates of Lushnje is not ready even for the last figurative weight. The head of government in the system that from its rise to power has offended the citizen and hundreds and hundreds of comic scenarios of part of the government. It is not an irreparable loss of the government’s reputation. The very tone of the President and the Prime Minister is to remain unmoved, nothing but a wall. So, in our confusion and bloodshed, let us be given those deserving parts that we may be able to expect from them. In the Lushnje stadium, the chairman of the PK did not say anything honestly to Berisha. The city municipality chose and organized the style in a clear direction, making the President of the Republic understand, and with hundreds and hundreds of expectations, that the recent protests had been spontaneous but not dispersed. People had come expecting to ask questions, not to hear answers for a staged theater of blame. People were cold and annoyed. But even more, they were distrustful. All the words shouted from the podiums could not cover the question: Where is the money? S. MINKHOZI Yesterday protesters in Vlorë

Yesterday protesters in Vlorë

Photo: Reuter After Albert Brojka’s evening visit to the editorial office of the newspaper “Koha Jonë” Brojka did not sign, but the PD of Tirana asked for the money The letter was signed by Sheh Demija and stamped by the deputy mayor Ekrem Kastrati The still official denial by the Tirana Municipality that Mayor Albert Brojka is not the signatory of the request through which representatives of the PD and Ekrem Kasuri(?) in P[?]D asked for the sum of 10 million dollars to buy the printing press of “Koha Jonë” falls apart in the face of an indisputable fact. The letter has been registered at the municipality and bears its stamp. This is the final proof that, at least until now, both PD and the opposition do not have a more complete denial than this. What was done yesterday on the part of the Municipality is a forced declaration meant to save the reputation of its chairman rather than the facts. Yesterday the reaction of this office came immediately after learning that the letter had been published by “Koha Jonë”. In a meeting with journalists, Mayor Albert Brojka temporarily ruled out any claim in this matter. But this position did not last long. Specialists responsible for relations with the press entered the mayor’s office. The city head cut the conversation short and opened the office doors to make a carefully prepared statement. In the absence of public arguments, he mentioned the fact that under the letter bearing the municipality’s initials there is also the signature of some(?) Sheh Demija and not that of Mr. Brojka. The newspaper “Koha Jonë” is publishing today the real document, where both the signature of Sheh Demija and the seal of the neighborhood and the resolution(?) removed(?) are visible. The truthfulness of the statement does not depend on whether the letter dated 17 February was signed by the chairman of the municipal council or not. Currently it is more important that the request to buy the instrument that produces the leading daily of the opposition is made by the relevant institution. That of the Tirana Municipality, that is, by the municipality actually governed by the opposition. (continues on page 5) Mr. Brojka’s signature officially to the PD, as well as Tirana Albert Brojka. DE - “Koha Jonë” also publishes these additional items that we are providing on the inside pages as available information in the PD, which claims that this newspaper was created under pressure from the PD and the government. That was absolutely not the case. More importantly, in the latest developments the possibility of the appropriation of this second newspaper, “Koha Jonë”, and of unlawfulness in all fields can be seen. We have doubts about this, just as we do about the chairman of the PD. These are questions, nothing more. The truth is in the hands of municipal officials and the courts. Not us. It is enough that Ekrem Kastrati, in requesting, left with his signature that “This request was formalized by a collegial decision of the council of specialists,” made the letter and requested the sum for the printing press. That is true. The rest are hypotheses. Albert BROJKA The signature of the deputy mayor Ekrem Kasurli(?) who rejects our request for the “purchase” of the newspaper Tranas Ahsen Brojka.