The Prosecutor’s Office halts the investigation; the government’s complaint has no legal evidence Tirana Chief Prosecutor: “We have no legal basis for investigating the company” Page 2 The Prosecutor’s Office halts the investigation; the government’s complaint has no legal evidence The VEFA case is closed Tirana Chief Prosecutor: “We have no legal basis for investigating the company” Page 2

As expected, Crete would not pass without consequences for relations between Tirana and Pristina. Almost all the protagonists of the political life of the Albanians of Kosovo expressed their disapproval of such an unprecedented step by the Albanian prime minister—to meet with the former protagonist of the removal of Kosovo’s autonomy. Kosovo Albanian politicians were certainly aware that Albania’s participation in the Balkan summit in Crete was not only something unavoidable, but in a certain sense also useful for breaking the current status quo in Kosovo. It is known that the only thing that angered them was the fact that, using the terminology of “Europeanization,” Prime Minister Nano, guided by principles such as not changing borders and respecting the territorial integrity of today’s Yugoslavia, had simultaneously accepted the fact that Kosovo is part of it. In this way, Mr Nano positioned himself against the idea of Kosovo’s independence, the basic factor that has motivated Kosovo politics for more than seven years, and the main means of winning the sympathies of Albanians there. Thus, not only support for the step taken by Nano, but even a lack of reaction, would lead to a decline in their prestige. Besides, it was natural that the “hawks,” representatives of the “hard line,” would exploit this to accuse the Albanian government as well as Rugova himself, who lately has been leaning toward dialogue. For even more sober reasons, he himself did not spare Crete his criticism, albeit in moderate tones. Nevertheless, by stating that “only its people decide for Kosovo,” he was in a way leaving Nano free to talk with Belgrade’s “boss.” Indeed, so as not to give political capital to his former friend Berisha, Rugova not coincidentally openly expressed his gratitude to Ramiz Alia as “the man who has done the most for Kosovo.” But what would arouse the greatest interest was the phone call from Bonn by the prime minister in exile, Bukoshi, to Nano, asking him for an urgent meeting. The speed with which the meeting took place, and the silence surrounding its content, inevitably raise suspicions about the purpose of the Nano-Bukoshi meeting. Given that Crete was a crisis “Made in USA,” there is a suspicion that perhaps someone outside the Balkans, by activating the “Bukoshi” card, is trying to put obstacles in the way of the process of normalization between Tirana and Belgrade. GAVROSH LEVONJA

Italian Prime Minister Prodi with Zani on his first visit to Vlora Photo ARMANDO BABANI Italian Prime Minister Prodi with Zani on his first visit to Vlora. Photo ARMANDO BABANI

The prime minister’s press conference on the cabinet’s first 100 days Servet Pëllumbi: “If Nano doesn’t deal with the pigeons, let him deal with the swamp owls.” The prime minister’s press conference on the cabinet’s first 100 days Nano counts his successes Servet Pëllumbi: “If Nano doesn’t deal with the pigeons, let him deal with the swamp owls.” Fatos Nano showed his opponents within the Socialist Party his mettle once again yesterday. Not only did he make no attempt to close the debate he had opened with former Socialist deputy chairman Servet Pëllumbi, but he showed that he was not afraid to continue it, even though he is taking considerable risks now, on the eve of the December National Conference. “I don’t argue with pigeons, because in Albania pigeons now fly among people, so I have no reason to return to the past, when pigeons were turned to glass.” P. 3

The Kosovo government arrives from Germany P. 3

The Kosovo Liberation Army claims responsibility for the armed action P. 4

The creditors in the pyramid schemes speak to journalists P. 21

Restaurant in the city center burns down P. 2

Police tally the past nine months P. 9

Valbona Çoba recounts her Greek adventure P. 16

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