All the venues where young people have fun and take drugs will be demolished Owners gather: Protests by the rich begin All the venues where young people have fun and take drugs will be demolished “Farewell” to “Parku Rinia” High-rises in place of kiosks Owners gather: Protests by the rich begin pages 16–17

These days, the Minister of Public Order, Spartak Poçi, has undertaken a series of changes among police chiefs at headquarters and at the local level. Given that public order has been the “Achilles’ heel” of all the left-wing coalition governments that have been in power for two years, such changes are entirely normal. In fact, Poçi’s predecessors also “cut off heads” after taking the minister’s seat, but no noticeable improvement in the situation was observed. This seems to have been the result of two factors. First, the ministers of Public Order seem to have underestimated the mafia within the ranks of the blue uniforms. From time to time, cases have come to light in which law-enforcement officers collaborated with criminals, or in which “tenders” were held for police appointments, with posts sold to whoever paid the most. This had led, in some cases, to the removal from office of dedicated people who had proven themselves in defending the state. Second, Poçi’s predecessors, while dismissing some on grounds related to incompetence or corruption, brought in friends, relatives, or people recommended by the party or “from above.” From that moment on, success in the fight against crime was compromised. The state of public order remained the same, and after a few months the minister was forced to make way for someone else, for reasons more or less similar to those he had once used to dismiss his subordinates. However, what is encouraging in Minister Poçi’s case is that he made the decisions to change the leadership structures responsible for public order after a series of visits to police stations, where he became acquainted with the reality on the ground. This makes one think that Mr Poçi’s selections may be more considered than those of his predecessors. At least, judging by the way he has handled appointments to important police posts, it seems he has heeded neither recommendations from the party leadership nor those from friends. Indeed, some of the heads “cut off” by Poçi were known as capable people, and some of them had political connections. Taking all this into account, there is every reason to believe that the changes made by Poçi are well judged. And that this is where the long-awaited positive change in the state of public order may begin. If Minister Poçi also fails, then the situation will not improve in that blue institution, where violence, politics and crime are mixed together.

ROGNER TIRANA Hotel Europapark English Foreign Minister Cook and Albanian Deputy Prime Minister Meta during yesterday’s press conference photo L. FILOPATI English Foreign Minister Cook and Albanian Deputy Prime Minister Meta during yesterday’s press conference. photo L. FILOPATI

Albanian police “discover” Europe’s Colombia at a seminar The “bombshell” drops on International Day Against Drugs page 7