The opposition invites the delegation: on Tuesday the assemblies at the state, PD, Xhuveli? Kambëthim does not wait for the council. Ceka: It is not called by 3 people named Berisha Page 3

Politically, it erupted from the spark: BY PREÇ CUPI Berisha calls Fino: Become prime minister Instead of leaving, as he was thought to do, Fatos Nano raised the accusations. Meanwhile, on his side, Fatos Nano, apart from the daily measures he continued to take, managed to influence a much stronger point? Not even driven by the people. On the streets, where demonstrations were at their peak, they gathered in the square with the aftermath of 29 June and prepared the new government. As the word spread, the government with Bashkim Fino as prime minister increasingly appeared as a government that represented neither the committees of destruction nor the rural state. The emergence of this truth weakened the Socialist position. He, on his way out, did not succeed in appearing as the head of the opposition, with the confidence of the deputies. With this political situation, Berisha pushed every day for a stronger prime minister. Thus the fact was amplified that Bashkim Fino, even after Berisha had gone on his side, continued to receive people and requests, as if he were important from the center. In this political climate, Berisha finally managed to play one of the biggest cards of the new Albanian state order. On Saturday morning, the official press spokesman announced that at 19:00 there would be a meeting between the leader of the Democratic Party and Prime Minister Fino. The United Opposition immediately said that this meeting was a private conversation to find a solution through compromise. According to the information available so far, the United Opposition does not consider it an official meeting with Fino. Emissaries of Fatos Nano said the meeting had a completely different character. Berisha summoned Prime Minister Fino with the idea that he should continue to be prime minister of the new government as well, in a cabinet where the socialists would remain a minority. It is also stated that Berisha would allow Fino to lead the new cabinet until the formation of the parliament arising from the elections of 29 June. The initial opposition agreement would not sideline the head of the largest party in the opposition coalition, Fatos Nano. However, in all likelihood, this is the first direct offer made to a Socialist prime minister to lead an administrative right-wing government. It is still not known how the prime minister assessed such proposals, but reactions suggest that the first signals are ambiguous. Throughout this initiative, Berisha appears ready to disregard the Socialist leader in order to resolve the crisis directly with Prime Minister Fino. Thus Berisha put on the table the option of a government in which Fino, in the post of prime minister, would be preferred only if he gave up his closeness to Fatos Nano. Berisha said in the official press release that he would meet Mr. Fino at 19:30 for consultations on the political situation. The meeting was to be held at the Presidency. Berisha’s spokespeople gave different interpretations. According to one of them, “The meeting is being sought in the context of talks to set the day for the convening of the new parliament,” while according to another it was a consultation about the new government. Both versions were released without explaining whether the meeting would be open to the press and whether Mr. Fino would go to the Presidency. Since Berisha’s chief spokesman was not in Tirana, after the publication of this announcement, the news about the meeting was transmitted as a joint dispatch by two press journalists from the official presidency. During the evening hours it was learned that the meeting planned at the Presidency would not take place. Prime Minister Fino announced that he was going to Elbasan, where, as he said, a mass rally had been organized in 39 centers. The government announced that, because of the prime minister’s agenda, the meeting with Berisha had been canceled. Other versions said that earlier the opposition had debated at length whether to accept a meeting with Berisha or not. The move was seen as an attempt by the President to rise above the heavy defeat and not let the opposition have a monopoly on the initiative. Also, some analysts pointed out that behind this there was the idea of gaining time. Before the full content of the proposal had even been made public, it was said that Berisha aimed to bypass Nano and create an agreement with Fino. This would change the new political balances and prolong the institutional transition. By the end of the day, the meeting did not take place, but the Presidency’s announcement was enough to stir up the political scene.

Berisha calls Fino: Become prime minister The Bosnian war criminal Karaxhiç refuses arrest Photo KNEJTËS

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