The chairman of the Socialist Party surprises the Eurosocialist leaders. Meta must comply with the new statute “Along with Poçi and Dokle, he should choose just one of the positions” The chairman of the Socialist Party surprises the Eurosocialist leaders. Meta must comply with the new statute Nano: Prime Minister Meta must step down as FRESSH chairman “Along with Poçi and Dokle, he should choose just one of the positions” Page 3

Prime Minister Meta’s firm stance toward the violations and conduct of ministers Zogaj and Preçi should be viewed positively and interpreted as an effort to establish the rule of law. In this regard, it is significant that the prime minister is even calling for one of them to be punished, demanding that the relevant authorities pursue his case criminally. In this way, bearing in mind that he has reacted in the same manner in other cases involving officials of lower rank, public opinion is becoming convinced that Prime Minister Meta “doesn’t let anyone off.” This is quite different from past practice, when those who broke the law got, at most, no more than dismissal from their posts. Specifically, some ministers who lost their positions for breaking the law and making illegal gains have received no punishment at all; in fact, they continue to enjoy privileges in some state institutions. However, without in any way diminishing the value of Meta’s determination to see the law enforced to the end against the two ministers he dismissed most recently, the effort would be incomplete if he did not call for the same yardstick to be applied to officials and ministers of previous governments whose abuses have been proven or may be proven in the future. If the public today views Meta’s insistence on legally “punishing” Preçi with a degree of suspicion, this is largely because some officials who have stolen with both hands have so far “crossed the river” without a scratch. The most blatant example in this regard is precisely the predecessor of the former minister, Zef Preçi: Ylli Bufi. Putting these two figures side by side, even the least perceptive person would be perplexed, wondering how Preçi could be headed for “trial” for just one unlawful signature, while Bufi spent two whole years squandering the national wealth, handing it over to his friends through privatizations at no cost, to companies for absurdly low rents, and through privatizations at no cost to companies for absurdly low rents, and through privatizations at no cost to companies for absurdly low rents, and? In other words, simply by considering that the damage Bufi caused to the state economy is incomparably greater than the damage caused by Preçi’s signature, one reaches the conclusion that we are facing an injustice. Worse still, suspicions arise that Bufi is being spared because he is connected to certain clans within the PS and its allies, whereas Zef Preçi was not known as a member of any clan. In such a case, Meta’s determination to fight corruption and other violations would be seriously compromised, thereby damaging the reputation of the government he leads as well.

Page 13 The beast of the Balkans gives explanations

Page 19

Tomorrow on TV KOHA, watch: The account of two former ministers: Preç Zogaj and Zef Preçi “Invitation to the Studio,” at 21:00