Alarm in parliament, number of refugees approaching 10,000 Pages 3–4

The escalation of Serbian violence in Kosovo, the massacres of the Albanian population, and the destruction and burning of villages as if they were infected henhouses finally put an end to the idea that Albanians could live in a republic with Serbs. They threw the newly begun Rugova–Miloshevic talks into the trash and, at the same time, cast deep shadows of doubt over American mediation, following which the Albanians had entered negotiations making many concessions to the Serbian side. Following the increase in the influx of Kosovar refugees into Albania, the Albanian authorities find themselves in a very difficult and chaotic position. Everyone knows that Albania is not able to cope with a mass influx of more than 20,000 people, just as it is incapable of even contemplating a military adventure. But at the very least, state institutions have every opportunity to present Europe with unanimous demands, rather than the Presidency calling for military intervention in Kosovo while the Prime Minister’s Office calls for an international military presence on the Albanian-Serbian border. Nevertheless, it seems that it is not only the Albanian authorities who are in chaos. All the Western powers say they will not allow a second Bosnia, but at the same time no one is clear about how to act in the circumstances on the ground. NATO needs time and must go through several bureaucratic procedures before reaching a unanimous and effective decision. The US is not carrying out former President Bush’s threat to draw a red line over Kosovo; indeed, it changed its position in the Contact Group, becoming the driving force behind the removal of one of the most important sanctions against Belgrade: the ban on foreign investment. It is highly suspicious that, after the Rugova–Clinton meeting, Serbian violence grew even bolder. Is Miloshevic really so mad as to defy the entire international community, or has he received some kind of tacit, partial approval for what he is doing? Or perhaps 300 dead and around 10,000 Kosovar refugees in Albania do not meet the bureaucratic criteria for Western military intervention in Kosovo? Whatever the truth may be, amid all this fog, only the KLA is clear about what must be done. This force can no longer be called a terrorist organization. Even Albania’s SP has understood this, having “saluted the resistance of our Kosovar brothers” at a press conference. Bosnia No. 2 is becoming a reality. The Albanians of Kosovo feel this more keenly than the Europeans, and after all these massacres, they have found ample reason to fight for independence.

Children who arrived from Kosovo being transported to farmers’ homes in Tropojë. Photo REUTERS

Corruption and smuggling. “The rule of the thieves was not changed; there was a rotation of thieves in power” The chief prosecutor of the South launches accusations against government officials Extremely serious accusations against the socialist government. But whereas until yesterday everything had been written by the opposition’s “pen,” now it is a serving state official who is letting fly with criticism—criticism never before voiced so openly by anyone. The “wonder”—which, for him and some others, should not be put in quotation marks—is that the protagonist of this interview is the chief prosecutor of the South. P. 11

Debate at SP headquarters after Pëllumbi’s motion Socialist faction ready P. 2 Fear of terrorists: police turn back five Muslims Rinas, Moroccan illegal immigrants P. 7 Prosecutor’s Office begins investigation into arms trafficking Where did the 120 mortars disappear? P. 9 Changes at Kakavijë after refugees were let through Kurds, a storm over law and order P. 13 Burrel: chiefs dismissed after officers’ killing Police chiefs leave P. 9