The way is open for the Nano government. PD National Council: Berisha returns to 1992. CEC, millions are allocated for election commissioners The President decrees the opening of Parliament. Berisha halts consultations on the Government. Resignation today or tomorrow Page 3

By Frrok Çupi Yesterday the Fallen President decreed the convening of the new Parliament, where he will hand over the President’s “passport” and the champagne file, emptied on 9 April 1992, and put himself at the head of the Democratic Party. This was Berisha’s final move; he took a step back and hid behind his finger. Last night, once again, this politically finished man lit a glimmer of hope. First, there is the hope that he can hide behind his finger. Sali Berisha, the man who will be remembered in Albania’s history as the arsonist and destroyer responsible for the tragedy of the killing of thousands of ordinary Albanians in the period from February to July 1997, has now returned to where he began his sinister act against the country. He is only an MP and leader of the PD. He is back where he issued his first call to the militants: “Burn everything, they are communists, we’ll build it all from scratch.” Although for the infamous little pump, returning to the starting point might be called a misfortune, for today’s Berisha this is considered a victory. He thinks that, as a “little” MP in one of the front rows of Parliament, he will begin to chew through the leash loosened by the victors and their government. Surely, he will not speak in Parliament’s first sessions, but as soon as the lights he left stolen are cut off, he will rise and shout like a man who is concerned for the people. With his small MP’s mandate, he will conceal the crime of devastation committed against the country and its people. But has Sali Berisha made his calculations correctly? For better or worse, this is the best option left to him. All the more so because he knows that his opponents are far more civilized; he remembers that they had previously declared that they would not act like Berisha, who imprisoned his predecessor. Though that declaration was made when Berisha had not yet lit the fuse to destroy the country. Tomorrow will show how much his finger will protect Berisha. Second, there is the trick of the “milk queue.” Yesterday Berisha put himself at the head of the Democratic Party, thus securing another bottle in the queue behind him. On Wednesday he leaves the queue as President, taking just one step back to remain close to the “second bottle.” By installing himself as leader of the PD, he is sure he has secured the position from which he can return tomorrow to the place he is now leaving. Especially since there is still something left to burn. Knowing very well how many troubles he left weighing on a discriminated political sphere, a robbed and destroyed economy, and citizens killed for a quarrel, Berisha hopes that as things pile up he will smile at the new government’s difficulties and throw his arms around it. In this way, Berisha thinks he will refill the champagne bottle tonight and in 1992. But two things are missing, and another factor has been added. The year 1992 and the doctor of that year are missing, and the people’s boundless hatred of Berisha has been added. Now he can only be elected President of Hatred.

Page 3 Berisha: stop at the head of state, tomorrow out on the street. Photo A.BABANI

Rally today in Flag Square Page 5

“Albania’s fate is important for Europe” Page 6

Armored vehicles and troops on the other side of the border Page 9

22/8/98