A night of hell for traffickers in Durrës: 20 trucks carrying contraband seized. 15 trucks break through the gates of the Bllatë customs post. Dozens of roadblocks throughout the country. Anti-smuggling cyclone in Albania. Usury, the scandal to return to the Prosecutor’s Office. Arbnori, Deputy Speaker of Parliament. 60 kiosks owned by officials. Page 7

While Berisha is occupied with regrouping the forces in his party, of all the parties in power, only the Socialists have recently made the necessary moves to fill the vacuum that has been created. At the head of the party, they carried out a reshuffle, moving the principal leaders into government and state functions. Thus, judging by political developments in the country, the PSD and PAD give the impression that they have abandoned this policy. Since the new government began work, the two main allies of the PS are not known to have held any activities. As a result, everything concerning the future of the PSD and PAD is shrouded in even greater mystery. It is not known what will happen to the posts held by Gjinushi, Milo and Apostoli, as well as those belonging to Ceka, Imami and Teto: will these parties also follow the example of the PS, or will the aforementioned figures continue to perform important state duties and party duties at the same time? In any case, these two parties are very likely to pay the price for concentrating their work in the hands of a small group of people. The leaders of these parties may indeed enjoy being in power, but it is unclear whether they realize they may lose their parties. By the simplest logic, it was thought that coming to power would also serve the leaders of the parties in government as a means of strengthening their parties, so that in future electoral battles they could finally break away from the modest figures that kept them around the 2 and 3 percent marks. One example in this regard was set by the Republican leader, Godo, who used his party’s participation in a governing coalition with the PD in 1992 precisely to consolidate the party, at least financially. Certainly, now that the leaders of these two parties allied with the PS are busy and engaged with the difficult problems dictated by the realities of governing, it may not even occur to them that the parties they continue to lead have had no press organs for nearly a year. The newspapers are no longer their parties’ press organs. Newspapers are perhaps no longer lacking even for parties that do not participate in government. By failing to make clear use of their position in power, these two parties risk losing the chance to surpass 2 percent in the future without other people’s money. Taking this problem from an even broader perspective, by allowing their parties to “fade away,” the leaders of the PSD and PAD may also cause considerable harm to Albanian political life in general. Added to the apathy that has enveloped right-wing parties, where Berisha’s emissaries are still active, is the bleak outlook for the PS’s allied parties, at least judging by what is apparent so far. Albania will therefore continue to be dominated in the future by two-party politics. Ultimately, Albanians will always be forced to choose between the red and the blue of the PD.

. Page 7 PS, yesterday, [unclear: ndërmiri i brezave]. Mejdani leaves, Majko rises. Photo: A. BABANI

The trial concerning corruption in the privatization . The Fleet’s “inner circle” charged: criminal prosecution sought. Page 11

Prosecutor’s Office to the police: Find Zogu . “The monarchists’ rally, a sinister plan.” Page 9

. Last night at “Qemal Stafa,” under the projectors’ dim lighting, Tirana turned out to watch a football match between politicians and journalists. After a better start by the journalists, who went ahead with two goals by Sinalmat and Tufa, the politicians managed to reduce the gap with a goal by Kateshi. In the second half, another goal by the Peqini footballer and one by the deputy prime minister Fino (both from suspiciously offside positions) gave the politicians a 5–2 victory. There was a well-known singer and an artistic show during the match. At the end, there was also no shortage of Met Bega’s humor.

Sunday, 10 August 1997