Democratic leader Berisha visits those holding out Pages 4–5

BY SOTIRAQ HRONI It is not difficult to understand that strike movements, whether student-led or otherwise, particularly in Albania, unfold against an original political backdrop, while also being a normal part of the opposition’s political struggle. However, all this must be viewed in the specific circumstances the country is going through and against the background of Albanian political life. No government would want a confrontation with representatives of a sensitive age group, which for many reasons can exploit advantages arising from the objective non-fulfillment of the strikers’ demands. The situation becomes all the more serious when part of the youth leadership is “clearly at the forefront” in its objectives of taking advantage of the situation and drawing parallels between Decembers that fall within an eight-year span. This is a politics readable in the pages of party newspapers, intended for emotional and populist consumption at home and entirely lacking credibility in the offices of international chanceries. There is no doubt, for any analyst, that our country has definitively embarked on the path toward building a new Western democracy, despite the many hardships that were initially attributed to communist isolation, but today are attributed only to the backwardness of politics. If we focus only on the essential elements of the situation that has arisen—that is, on the political aspect of the problem—it is certain that we are dealing with a failed political struggle, one that can at most bring the opposition partial successes by unsettling the government or forcing it into strained moves. But in relation to broader developments, it will only intensify the social agony in every corner of the country, while also setting international actors in motion to pursue new objectives for influencing our political life. After the Constitution was adopted, every opportunity arose for a more optimistic perception of political life in the country, if the DP and SP, respectively, were to begin and continue sending signals of balance to one another. (Continued on page 9)

Presidency: They don’t want foreigners; Prime Minister’s Office: Our file is more serious Page 3 Everything that happened yesterday concerning the Klosi issue looks like a spy story. Secret meetings (perhaps monitored by SHIK) and meaningless letters moved from the Prime Minister’s Office to the Presidency and back. But after the whole strange affair, as so often happens in espionage operations, nothing became clear, except that the President has not decreed Klosi’s dismissal from office and has not sent a negative response.

Rama: Visas will be liberalized very soon Page 32

Politicians inspire ordinary criminal gangs Page 2

The documents and company signatures were fake Page 13

Deputy Shuli gives the reason for his expulsion page 15

Minister of Education Et’hem Ruka during a parliamentary session Photo A.RAMA Minister of Education Et’hem Ruka during a parliamentary session. Photo A.RAMA