Minarolli: We will commemorate Hajdari only with flowers and candles Following the recent events in Tropojë, Tepelenë, Roskovec and Burrel, the Democratic leader declares that he will seek authorization from the Poç police for everything

The international community’s criticisms regarding the situation in Albania, where the emphasis has been placed on the lack of law and order and corruption on a scandalous scale within the ranks of the state administration, seem to have served to bring the above phenomena back onto the agenda once again. [Partially cut off] where the emphasis has been placed on the lack of law and order and corruption on a scandalous scale within the ranks of the state administration, seem to have served to bring the above phenomena back onto the agenda once again. Thus, every day senior officials can be seen making observations about smuggling and the worrying existence of corruption at every level of the state structures, accompanied by speeches on the need to fight these phenomena. These are accompanied by seminars, conferences and symposiums on the theme of “smuggling, corruption and the fight against them,” where lengthy discussions have not been lacking about the people in power who hold all the strings of the smuggling taking place in Albania. But public opinion, perhaps immunized by such campaigns, cannot help viewing their effects with skepticism. In fact, state-run smuggling, corruption and corrupt officials have been talked about for years, but the truth is that to date no concrete charge has been brought, not even against the most frequently mentioned names in this regard. It is not known whether courage has been lacking or whether other factors have played a part, such as some dubious connection, leaving the corruption accusations perpetually orphaned in files locked away in some official’s drawers. About a week ago, Shkodër police officers protested against the justice system by “occupying” the city courthouse. But it would have been good if the outraged officers had, above all, also published a list of the names of those responsible for pushing them to such an act. Likewise, a few days ago, while details and evidence were presented showing that smuggling was being run by people at the highest levels of the state pyramid, the prosecutors who revealed this did not mention even a single name of any such official who, under the law, deserves to be put in handcuffs. On the other hand, it has emerged that the prosecution sent a list of senior police officers accused of corruption and smuggling to the Presidency and the Prime Minister’s Office. If the people in the prosecution were truly interested in eliminating corruption and smuggling, given the lack of action by the above institutions in this regard, it would have been good for them to make such names known to the public as well. In this way, in addition to having greater chances of success, the Presidency or the Government would also be held accountable for failing to engage in the fight against corruption and smuggling.

The international community’s criticisms regarding the situation in Albania, where the emphasis has been placed on the absence of law and order—

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Campaign ahead of the congresses A woman at the helm of the PS and PD, the best solution for the times page 5

Tropojë massacre Victims buried. RENEA takes control of the terror-stricken town page 2

Corruption A list of police officers suspected of wrongdoing on the desks of Majko and Meidani page 9