He announced his attendance only ten minutes before the meeting; afterward, nobody knew anything about him Page 3

BY FRROK ÇUPI Paradoxes are happening between us and ourselves. A chaotic movement, perhaps centuries old, that gnaws away at us because they could not get it started, was given the name “Albanians against themselves.” The same thing is happening: 1. The chairman of the PD, former President, “responsible for the constitution,” now, on the verge of achieving it, comes out and calls: “Albanians, not the Constitution!” To a man who is thirsty, one cries “No life”; what comes after that?! 2. In the northern highlands, thousands of men and children are confined to their homes “because of blood feuds,” because thousands of others, their own people, are demanding their lives. Everywhere in the country, “reconciliation commissions” are roaming about, more often unsuccessful than successful, trying to reconcile us against ourselves. The millstone of life grinds down and casts aside our energies against our own energies. 3. People in power bring criminals and mafiosi “from their own clan” into the state administration. These, naturally, turn like an axe against relations between the individual and the state, and drag everything down to zero. 4. Yesterday in Kosovo, the KLA, that is, the army of the Albanians, executed two Albanians and arrested two politicians from the LDK—the Albanian party that exercises the highest authority in Kosovo. Centuries ago, people began saying that Albanians are a people who cannot build a state, because they lack the ability to reach agreements among themselves. There you have it: what is happening even now. In fact, the old phenomenon of “Us against ourselves” now has a new face: The first face: Our evil against ourselves has become so excessive that now the deep human quality of collective protection is resisting, that is, the balance in favor of what is good. If it is lost this time, everything is lost. The second face: Because of the escalation of the conflict in this region, the Western world has focused on our phenomenon, isolating the waterways, terrorists and traffickers. The fact is, concessions are being made day by day, and we hope. The third face: Locals and foreigners alike are saying: “What a beautiful country, but why is it so poor?!” Meanwhile, emigrated Albanians are bringing their money here and building their own “houses.” Love for the country is resisting in the face of hatred for ourselves.

The President and Prime Minister yesterday in Pashaliman Photo M.XHUFKA The President and Prime Minister yesterday in Pashaliman. Photo M.XHUFKA

Prosecutor’s Office: Nobody knows in which country they are registered, who owns them, or who uses them What the mafia does: ships change their names and owners “Ships with Albanian crews, Greek ownership, and a Panamanian flag. Ships with Albanian ownership, Albanian-Macedonian crews, and a Greek flag. A Russian ship rented by Albanians and operated by them.” The fleet of ships listed by the anti-smuggling branch of the General Prosecutor’s Office as involved in illegal activities appears to be a tangled web that will take quite a bit of effort to unravel. A typically mafia-like operation and mindset. Page 10

Juventus, the queen of draws Bayern win, Dynamo Kyiv thrash Arsenal Page 21

40 foreign ministers in favor of the constitution The process must be finalized in Albania’s interest Page 4

Pay: police officers’ great disappointment Government gives negative response to changes in the payroll Page 2

Berisha: National anti-mafia committee “The opposition should lead it; when I’m in power, I’ll do it myself” Page 7

The chairman of the ruling party is absent from yesterday’s meeting of the party leadership / Responsibilities for the referendum were to be discussed

CROSSWORD — 100 THOUSAND LEKË (new) CROSSWORD 100 THOUSAND LEKË (new) Whoever solves 26 consecutive crosswords wins the large prize PAGE 31