The successful Nano-Meta duo enrages Servet Pëllumbi, Legisi, Sherif, Majko, Islami and Ulqini Clash yesterday at the Socialists’ meeting. Officials should leave their high party posts. Namik Dokle sets the example first, preparing to resign as deputy speaker of parliament page 3

By GAVROSH LEVONJA - The challenges that Albania must face in the framework of the Stability Pact, without neglecting the now long-standing objectives related to our country’s integration into Euro-Atlantic structures, are forcing Albanian foreign policy to undergo fundamental qualitative changes. The fact that so far Albania is in last place on all the lists of candidate countries aspiring to join the above-mentioned organizations cannot be encouraging. It is not known how responsible the leaders of Albania’s foreign policy department feel about the paradox that an eight-year-old state such as Macedonia is a more preferred client than Albania for European or Western chancelleries in general. The objectives set out in the government program require more imagination, initiative and coherence regarding developments on the international arena, especially in the region. On the other hand, the experience so far, which cannot be considered successful, imposes changes in the people working in the structures of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in order to cleanse them of individuals who have joined for motives that have nothing to do with foreign policy and diplomacy. Thus, for example, it becomes a paradox that in Montenegro a party leader steps on diplomats for the first time. However, the place where Prime Minister Meta and his assistants must act urgently is the Albanian diplomatic missions in various countries. If one looks a little more closely at the people currently heading Albanian embassies, without much effort one will discover family, friendly or even economic ties between them and high-ranking state officials, including leaders in the Presidency or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. At present, Albanian ambassadors, as far as state work is concerned, can be said to be nothing more than ordinary postmen who receive and send messages from Albania to the institutions of the countries where they are located and vice versa, without being able to take any initiative to contribute to the success of Albanian foreign policy. The indifference of Albanian diplomatic missions toward Albanian emigrants in foreign countries is one of many examples of the lack of responsibility on the part of our ambassadors. With few exceptions, Albanian ambassadors and most of the staff of our missions around the world have devoted themselves to their private businesses as well as ordinary speculation to make illegal profits. The fact is that with changes of government, most Albanian ambassadors turn into simple refugees in those countries where they had previously been under Albania’s highest authority. Under these conditions, Prime Minister Meta risks failing to achieve the objectives in foreign policy if he does not urgently undertake a large-scale cleansing operation in the Albanian diplomatic missions.

Page 29 The Libohova Sisters yesterday before receiving the award Photo P.llo

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The comedians Agron Llakaj and Filip Çakuli will give their opinion on the main events of the year, the century and the millennium. When does the millennium end and when does the new one begin? Only LLAKAJ and ÇAKULI can answer that. You will learn the truth today at 20:30 on TV KOHA.

One day remains to correct the insult you made to 62 Albanian tourists. Your irony about celebrating the birth of Christ in February at the time of Buddha’s birth and the arrival of the millennium at the time of the Chinese New Year, let it be the last irony that a representative of a country like Italy makes to Albanians. ATHS

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