The President will not receive at the table the opposition parties that organized Monday’s events “No contact with the DP and its allies unless they condemn the Coup d’État” Page 3

BY FRROK ÇUPI The barbarians came, inflicted violence, threatened, looted and... left. Only their leader knows where they have gone, perhaps to show up again. The Coup d’État was prepared by people who know nothing about the state. All of this is over. Now we are here; what should we do? The greatest evil left in the wake of their onslaught is disorder. Not simply the disorder at the Prime Minister’s Office, on television, in Parliament and in the looted shops. The greatest evil may be the disorder on the hands of the clock, that is, in the rhythm of time. Our ability now, after the abuse that took place, is to begin ... the system of time, putting hour upon hour, minute upon minute. What does this mean? Since we now have many problems caused by people who attack the state, the patriotism and human kindness of the people demand that they be resolved as soon as possible. In seeking this good, there is a danger that matters will not be dealt with in order, and one will be put in place of another. That would waste even more time and cause us to lose our bearings. To be even clearer: everything is being discussed at once, while the suffering body of Albania needs the first treatment, then the second, the third… and so on. The government is being asked, “Why didn’t you restore order and collect the weapons?” Fine. But now is the time to secure human life in the middle of Tirana, to cut back even on our daily bread in order to pay the police better, to establish the law, to rally all patriots and well-intentioned people to save the state. The government is being asked, “Why did you leave the office?” at a time when hordes were coming with fire and weapons to kill and assault. This is Alenda’s academic discussion. This, too, has no place in today’s academicism. Naturally, the fact that the Coup d’État managed to enter freely among us shows that some mistakes were made up to that point. But today is not the time for them. Today it is time to eliminate the terrorism that threatens human peace. Now it is time to find the killers of the politician and MP Hajdari. It is time to give hope that neither terrorism nor terrorist leaders will again dictate the life of the state and the individual. Now it is time to clear the road, and then move forward. Now is not the time for petty quarrels among us, but to unite all that is good in the nation against the evil that has been created. Now is the time for a decision. Only tricksters could demand that the clock of the year 1500 or the clock of the year 2005 be brought into the present hour of today. Let us not waste time.

A DP supporter with the UÇK emblem on his chest, demonstrating in Tirana Photo: REUTERS Last night at 10:00 p.m., more than 100 criminals attacked Lezhë Lezhë Police Station Attacked One killed and three wounded by the bandits. It is not known whether any civilians were killed, since bullets pierced the surrounding apartment buildings. Nearly 100 armed people attacked the Lezhë police station last night at around 10:00 p.m. According to Zef Prendi, Director of the Lezhë Prefecture Police, the bandits attacked with a heavy arsenal of weapons, including grenades, and had with them vehicles stolen from police forces in Tirana. The forces at the Lezhë station resisted the heavy bandit attack, and for more than 50 minutes a fierce battle took place at the front and rear of the station. After more than 50 minutes of fighting, the bandits withdrew, taking with them at least one dead person and three wounded. No members of the security forces were injured, while as of midnight last night there was still no information about victims among the residents around the station. According to sources at the Ministry of Public Order and the Lezhë police, the bandits came from Shkodër, Laç and included several people from Lezhë. The police continued pursuing them, reinforced by special forces from Laç, Mirditë and Shkodër. Last night, Lezhë police were also ordered to shoot without warning at anyone who resists or fires at the police. Thanks to the police’s determination, the station did not fall into the hands of the criminals. The police director has formed a special force of plainclothes officers, who guard the area around the station and will immediately shoot anyone who attempts to attack the police. A.N. A DP supporter with the UÇK emblem on his chest, demonstrating in Tirana. Photo: REUTERS