Ismet Haxhia, Izeta’s second brother, testifies about the great murder After Isamedin’s account, another member of the Haxhia family accuses the leader of the DP pages 2–4

DIPLOMATICUS On the eve of the European Union summit, held in Helsinki on 10–11 December, Bulgaria’s Prime Minister, Ivan Kostov, met with the leader of the opposition Bulgarian Socialist Party, Georgi Pervanov. The meeting between the head of government and the opposition leader took place out of a need to jointly draw up a strategy for Bulgaria’s accession to the European Union, and Prime Minister Kostov said after the talks that they had had a successful meeting. On the same day, Government leader Meta repeated in parliament his offer to the Democratic Party to take part in the anti-corruption commissions, and on that same day in parliament DP leader Sali Berisha repeated his rejection of the offer. It would take time to list the record of disagreements and growing distance between the government and the opposition in Albanian politics. But what draws attention is why Albanian politics does not try to take an example from the politics of Balkan countries, with which it is so similar in character. The post-Second World War German model and the post-Franco Spanish model have been suggested. Albanian politicians from both the left and the right have been invited to Germany and Spain to learn lessons in compromise and consensus. Albanian politicians from the left and the right have returned from seminars and workshops with only memories of the historical sites they visited, and as soon as they have returned to Tirana, they have carried on as they did in 1943. Before Albanian politics and the nation stands the Stability Pact for South-Eastern Europe, which came about because of Kosovo and the Albanians, yet Albanian politics has presented the world with two proposals for the pact: one by the government, which was voted on in parliament, and the other by the opposition, whose destination is unknown. Kostov and Pervanov, too, belong to rival parties vying for power in Bulgaria, but they understand that it is more important for the country to join the European Union than for them to keep fighting each other and prevent Bulgaria from becoming an EU member. President Clinton has sent politicians from all Albanian political camps the message that the fight against corruption is Albania’s most urgent challenge, but in Tirana they have not yet grasped that message. While the government announces its anti-corruption program, the DP refuses to take part in it. The European Union regards political consensus as one of the basic criteria for candidate countries seeking membership. Albanian politics knows this criterion, so it should follow the Bulgarian example and not bear responsibility for obstructing Albania’s integration into Europe.

(Ismet Haxhia, brother of Izeta and Isamedin, and his letter to “KJ”) Inflation of the white flesh; the trafficking business is no longer lucrative Prostitutes work in Vlora They were supposed to go to Italy from the shores of Vlora, but apparently their time has not yet come. So that the days do not go to waste, their “owners” exploit them on Albania’s shores until departure time. Thus, in the bars and motels along the Vlora seafront, the “menu” has been enriched with women, while prostitution is still not permitted by law in Albania. And while the existence of brothels may seem interesting, trafficking in white flesh appears to have reached uncontrollable proportions, not only in Albania, but throughout the Balkans and the East. Here, at the final port of the trafficking route, by the sea, they no longer have names. But now they also work for Albanians who have enough money to buy sex as well. page 11

Prime Minister Meta’s economic adviser, Gramoz Pashko, said yesterday that information he had given to a daily newspaper had been misheard over the telephone line. According to him, the misunderstanding is that he spoke about reducing the high customs duty from 20% to 18%, and not to 15%, as the journalist understood.

19 December 1999 * 100 Mini-Bingos of 10,000 new lekë each * 5 Tele-Bingos of 1,000,000 new lekë each * 1 Magic-Bingo worth 500,000 new lekë * 1 Star-Bingo worth 150,000 new lekë