Nano: Berisha is using weapons, bombs, the release of criminals... Page 3 Prime Minister Nano delivers his third harsh speech on the tense situation in the country

BY EMIN BARÇI After the events in Shkodër, Kukës, Berat and Tirana, the West seems to have decided to apply the carrot-and-stick policy toward Albania. Yesterday, the European Commission granted the Albanian government aid of 5 million ECU (the carrot), stressing that there would be other funds too if Albania made progress with the economic and administrative reforms already under way (the stick). Also yesterday, German Foreign Minister Kinkel, after stressing that the events in Shkodër were not a picture of all Albania (the carrot), did not forget to remind Albanians that they themselves were to blame for what was happening in their country (the stick). The West's haste to support Prime Minister Nano's government is, on the one hand, deserved by the latter. On the other hand, the chancelleries are obliged to support stability in Albania, since a new crisis like that of March ’97 would once again create problems for the entire international community. Regarding the unrest in Shkodër, Italian Prime Minister Prodi said he was certain that the incident was localized and organized by only a few dozen people. But the 72 hours that followed completed the picture of the drama “spring ’97” reappearing in miniature. An explosive charge left at least 40,000 residents of Kukës without electricity. Bandits with Kalashnikovs carried out a massacre in the middle of Berat, forcing its 50,000 residents to lock themselves in their homes in broad daylight. Finally, in the capital, prisoners are attempting to escape, as they did a year ago. Although geographically the events are scattered, for four days in a row the minds of all Albanians have been filled again with the insecurity of life they experienced last spring. The confidence this government had begun to inspire in its citizens was badly shaken within four days. Concern for one's safety does not depend on whether the attack is organized by Serbia or by Sa-lliu. The citizens' peace of mind is not tied to the harshness of statements by security officials, or even by the Prime Minister himself, who last night described the PD as a cradle of crime, after the latter had raised its head to the point of causing fear. In the circumstances the country is experiencing, a visa to go abroad remains the party or solution most preferred by Albanians. While the West is condemning the moral and political instigators of the violence that has erupted in Albania in recent days and is supporting the coalition government without reservations, Albanians want to know how long this stance will continue. Assistance in words and statements may go on indefinitely, but Albania needs investment, loans, corridors, oil pipelines, jobs and money. Even if Western chancelleries were to invite their investors to rush to Albania, craters from explosives, Kalashnikov bullets and tongues of flame would frighten away even a dollar of investment. So the West's carrot and stick for Albania is very simple: “You are good, and obliged by us ourselves: ‘You are good, but our money in your country is at risk.’”

Page 2 Yesterday at Tirana prison, after the police forces intervened Photo REUTERS

Suspected of links to the Milot incident. In the car: 4 automatic weapons, 35 bombs and 2,000 bullets Kukës, three armed people arrested Police have arrested in Kukës a “rambo” from Montenegro. Two [unclear] and an Albanian citizen with Montenegrin nationality were arrested by police on Wednesday night after resisting a police check. Sources at the Kukës police say that on Wednesday evening at 20:00, a “Benz” car with registration plate MRRJ 7678, while travelling at speed, failed to respond to the police roadblock's signal to check the vehicle's documents. P. 7

Kinkel, Fasino, Andreata and the Council of Europe P. 3

Nano signs off on the man from Shkodër P. 2

Summonses arrive over the unrest in the North P. 7

The Court of Appeal rules on those detained in Milot P. 11

Shkodër, the nightmare of terror is over P. 9

Berat in mourning, perpetrators of the massacre identified P. 8

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