The deputy prime minister began holding meetings. Meidani is preparing Dokle and Koci Page 3 Nano–Majko relegated to the background Now, as the Socialists’ long-awaited congress draws near, recent developments in the PS are showing that the du-

Now, as the Socialists’ long-awaited congress draws near, recent developments in the PS are showing that the Nano–Majko duel for the post of party leader is gradually being pushed into the background. [Partially cut off] the Nano–Majko duel for the post of party leader is gradually being pushed into the background. Specifically, following signals that Deputy Prime Minister Meta might also be included on the list of candidates, there is a strong possibility that the contest for the leadership will also be open to other well-known figures in the party, backed by various factions, who may not feel secure with Nano, Majko, or Meta. Thus, for example, in such a situation, it is hard to imagine that the lobby of the so-called “presidentialists” would fail to put its own candidate into the fray; the figure seen as having the greatest “potential” is Kastriot Islami. Indeed, it would not be surprising if Majko and Nano, somewhat “worn down” as a result of the duel that began months ago, felt too exhausted to withstand attacks from new candidates; nor can the possibility be ruled out that a name not included in the many scenarios considered by their campaign teams might emerge. Meta’s somewhat unexpected entry at this moment is more or less connected with this “wearing down” of the leading contenders. Given that whoever controls the leadership of the largest party in the coalition also controls the government—not to mention various interests, primarily economic ones—there is no doubt that the battle for the PS leadership will be fierce, perhaps even disregarding the party statutes or other rules of the game. In this way, Nano’s campaign, Majko’s use of the advantages of power, and Meta’s mini-campaign, which began only recently, may all constitute the prelude to a fierce battle. However, the consequences of a conflict on this scale will weigh on the PS’s various structures, especially its grassroots, where a schism cannot be ruled out. This is because the intensifying struggle between the “bosses” will also spread to the ranks where decisions are made about punishing or rewarding one side or the other. Only a few months ago, former Finance Minister Malaj, one of the main supporters of former leader Nano, openly stated: “If they do not include our group, we will leave the party.” More importantly, consumed by the fever of victory in such a battle, many Socialist figures holding positions in state institutions will divert their attention from solving the problems facing the country, and so a worsening of economic problems cannot be ruled out. Such a situation is unlikely to go unexploited by the opposition in its efforts to achieve its aims.

The high-profile Morina incident, in which 18 trucks carrying smuggled flour were trying to cross the border without paying the fiscal duties owed to the Albanian state, took a turn yesterday. The day before yesterday, customs officers and anti-smuggling staff, police officers, and smugglers were arrested. Yesterday, however, the smugglers and police officers who had arranged the smuggling operation were released from the cells of the Kukës police station, while two customs officers and an anti-smuggling officer from the General Directorate of Customs remained under arrest. According to confidential information from the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Public Order, and the Office of the Prosecutor General (continued on page 2)