SHIK chief: “No comment until I speak with the Prime Minister” — Page 5 SHIK chief: “No comment until I speak with the Prime Minister” Page 5

BY ENTON ABILEKAJ The Socialists’ attempt to separate the powers seemed to be the biggest move in governing politics. When the offices were taken over by the State’s new leaders, everything seemed to be going as it would in a centuries-old democracy. A non-partisan President, a parliamentary speaker who was not a soldier of the main party in power, and a Prime Minister who could not control everything. This was precisely the great move that had been sought since 1990 and had been presented as democracy’s golden balance. In reality, no important decision by the three main centers of power has gone through without upsetting the balance. The change of government in April this year by Prime Minister Nano upset the balance within the PS and the coalition. And, surprisingly, the Presidency as well. Albania was effectively left without a government for ten days. Nostalgia for the strong hand was revived, with its advantage of clear decisions and their implementation. Although the government was changed by the Presidency, it faced no obstacle apart from the minority. It has now been more than two weeks since Prime Minister Majko asked the President to remove the head of SHIK, Fatos Klosi. And the President, perhaps in order to keep the new government officials’ exercise of power in check, does not agree. This is the moral aspect of the affair, which has turned into a war between institutions. The moral aspect favors the President, especially given that, before making his request official, Majko had asked Meidani verbally, and he had refused. But apart from that, there is the legal aspect. The head of the executive could not work with this SHIK chief imposed on him by the head of State. Without clearly setting out the law’s limits, Majko began working with SHIK’s deputy head until he remembered to sign Klosi’s dismissal. This suspension, whose legality is uncertain, could be annulled by Meidani’s intervention, and Majko would once again be forced to work with a SHIK chief he does not want. After this, nostalgia for the strong hand returns. If that were the case, everything would happen without a fuss. But perhaps this is another possibility for the country, instead of the strong hand or a clash between institutions. Majko can justify Klosi’s dismissal both in the request he sent to Meidani and in the one he sent to Klosi. But instead of this norm of separation of powers, there is only a war that is destroying the State. And those who seem to be building it are the ones doing this.

Toll: One seriously wounded and another who escapes Yesterday, from 17:30 to 23:00, fighting took place in Sarandë between police and a gang of 15 Yesterday, on the outskirts of the city of Sarandë, a gang used violence against passers-by and vehicles, robbing them. As soon as the police were notified, they surrounded the gang, but the masked robbers fired at the police forces, who immediately returned fire. In the fighting, which began at 17:30 and continued until 19:00, one member of the gang was seriously wounded. He was captured by the police and is in Sarandë city hospital, while another wounded man managed to escape the police along with the rest of the gang, taking shelter in a parking lot. At 20:30, special forces from Tirana, Berat, Vlora and Gjirokastër arrived in Sarandë and, together with the Sarandë police, surrounded them. The exchange of fire between both sides continued until 23:00 (we have no information after that). According to the police operation’s commander, the surrounded gang is firing a light machine gun at the police, who apparently are holding back so they can attack with all their forces at daybreak. Fatmir Hakani, Director of Criminal Police at the Ministry of Public Order, told “Ko”: “We have given a strict order to fire until they are physically eliminated. There is only one response to criminals who disobey the police: a bullet.” That was Hakani’s statement; let us wait until today to see how the fighting developed during the night. It is also learned that the Minister of Public Order, Mr. Petro Koçi, has ordered: “Fire without warning on gangs that rob and kill.” A.N.

Two of the five children born to Mirela yesterday at the maternity hospital in Tirana Photo: ARMANDO BABANI Two of the five children born to Mirela yesterday at the maternity hospital in Tirana. Photo: ARMANDO BABANI