While the prime minister is sincere, his predecessor was not. Page 16 While the prime minister is sincere, his predecessor was not. Page 16

BY SOTIRAQ HRONI The diplomatic service, in support of foreign policy, is a priority area that should receive the special attention of the entire Albanian political class, strengthening this corps’ resistance to changes in political color. And it is precisely this national attention and stance that concerns two fundamental issues: First, regardless of political changes in the country, foreign policy can only be the foremost point of understanding and rapprochement between the government and opposition. Any other stance, any beating of one’s chest, merely wastes time by making each foreign partner turn a deaf ear. The diplomatic service, all the way up its hierarchy, can be successful—or at least not be open to challenge—only when it begins and grounds everything in national public opinion, not party politics, much less emotional-instinctive politics. Albanian diplomacy to date, with its ups and downs, has sidestepped this very important issue. This issue becomes all the more serious when the head of diplomacy manages to recognize, even on a purely personal level, a positive move by the country’s political leadership away from the cold, hopeless trenches of political warfare. In a normal country, he is precisely the person who should have been the first to encourage a meeting of understanding, or at least the first to welcome it. As in every field, Albania has no more time to lose, nor any more chances and opportunities. The bitter party-political experience of diplomacy during the period of the PD, when a small number of ambassadors were not trusted in the countries where they were accredited—not through any fault of their own, but because of the way politics was conducted—should not continue to burden the opportunities being offered to the country to develop. Second, and equally important and connected to the first issue (perhaps of more general significance), is the problem of diplomatic personnel (or the administration in general), who were in some way trained in recent years at Western schools or, unlike those of the former monist system, gained considerable experience of new forms of integration as the country opened up. Or, put more simply, specialists who came to know NATO not as a tool of imperialism, but as a guarantee of security and stability. In our circumstances, when the country’s progress, social problems, and so on depend on the scale of foreign investment attracted, it is more important to retain specialists who can attract investment and projects that will employ thousands of people than to dismiss and replace dozens of people every ten years on the basis of political militancy, without looking back to see the social or democratic population left behind.

A rare occurrence in these 8 years of government This is what happened yesterday in the waters of our country, which at last is beginning to feel that it is being governed with a firm hand. The naval forces of the Ministry of Defense stopped and escorted, under the authority of Albanian law, two Italian fishing boats that were fishing in Albanian waters. They are now in the port of Durrës, where they will be subject to Albanian legal regulations. The Italian captains refused to surrender, on the grounds that “we are Italians”! Following this, Defense Minister Luan Hajdaraga himself ordered that they be placed under the command of our war navy, since they had violated our country’s territorial waters and engaged in illegal activity. When the ships’ commanders again insisted, “we are Italians,” Defense Minister Hajdaraga replied, “whereas I am Albanian and I enforce the laws of my country.” That was enough for the friendly diplomatic interventions to fade away. In the port of Durrës, the Italians were compelled to submit to Albanian law, as well as international law governing such cases. This is the first time an Albanian defense minister has dared to reject friendly diplomatic interventions in order to uphold Albanian law, thereby making us Albanians feel at least a little like a state, and equal—even to our neighbors across the Adriatic. We have all seen Italian ships sometimes racing toward emigrants—that is, against people who are seeking a better life. So why should our neighbors be upset by our Defense Minister’s insistence on protecting the borders of the Fatherland?! The minister deserves congratulations, at least for this occasion.

Deputy Speaker of Parliament Namik Dokle dancing with singers Ledina Çela and Mira Bregu. Behind them, in the background, Minister of Information Musa Ulqini Photo GENT SHKULLAKU Deputy Speaker of Parliament Namik Dokle dancing with singers Ledina Çela and Mira Bregu. Behind them, in the background, Minister of Information Musa Ulqini. Photo GENT SHKULLAKU