“The Government’s objectives will also become the party’s objectives” Page 3

BY ENTON ABILEKAJ It was clear, and it was confirmed, that the beginning of constitutional life would not bring changes to Albanian politics. Just a few days after the country got a constitution, a group of people, partly students and partly from the ranks of the PD’s caves, became the initiators of a hunger strike. They claimed they had no connection with politics, but some of them had been PD members since 1992. In any case, after a major struggle, the government, which had taken the students’ hunger strike so seriously, realized that it had been caught in a trap. And once again Berisha was the author of the move that was exposed a week late. Once again, Berisha is responsible for a constitutional violation by Prime Minister Majko. The PD chairman forced Majko to order the police not to use force to remove a man legally declared a defendant, named Sali Berisha. The head of the executive violated the constitution by interfering in the judicial system, but he would not have done this if Berisha had not been in the opposition. Not only because he would not have found himself facing a defendant, but also because he would have been very afraid of the opposition. But Majko made his mistake willingly, just as every current government official makes mistakes every day. Socialist governments have made so many mistakes that the Socialist Party’s ability to govern has been called into question, but Berisha’s presence has conditioned every misfortune resulting from governance. Nothing has changed after the constitution. Anxious about new elections, or a strong government. Disappointment with the Majko government is clear, but no greater than the fear of Berisha. And the real problem is getting the bogeyman out of politics, so that the time can come to aspire to govern. After the students’ hunger strike, no alibi remains for doubting whether Berisha is the factor destabilizing Albania. And there is no longer any doubt that by removing him from politics. The war in Iraq, which has somewhat diverted the world’s attention from Albania, may be the best moment for Justice to act without being influenced by political pressure, both external and internal. Then the future can begin, and Albanians will no longer be deprived of the right to …choose their government and vote for the one they want.

They fired toward the village of Zherkë for an hour Six servicemen entered the village . Serbs enter the interior of Albanian territory and open fire. Six Yugoslav soldiers, reinforced by around 30 other forces, managed to enter Albanian land—in fact, they encountered no resistance—and opened fire toward the nearest border village in Tropojë. The Albanian border authorities urgently requested a meeting with the Yugoslav side to clarify the border incident, but this did not take place. Page 10

Student strike Ridvan Bode visits the hunger strikers PD openly supports the students’ hunger strike Page 5

The killer, the perpetrator The court: The killer was a SHIK agent The defendant: I worked in the interests of the state Page 32

Investment Albania Foreign businessmen launder money Signals are coming from Europe: Verify our companies page 9

Drug arrest Drugs in schools, police catch the perpetrators A well-known group of three people are caught red-handed page 2

Berisha at one of the illegal rallies. Photo LEONARD FILOPATI

Publication of the Academy of Sciences of Albania