Kosovo is still not ready for total independence Interview with BBC radio analyst Mish Gleni, given to “Voice of America” radio page 2 -

By Koço DANAJ The election campaign for the local elections is imminent. Although it has not begun with the intensity it should, through statements, interviews, and comments, it has started to become a central subject not only for the political parties, but for public opinion as a whole. Considered a pre-election period, the current period, taken as a whole, is perhaps the most important. Because it will determine what will be said, appear, and take concrete form during September 2000. Figuratively speaking, the period up to 31 August can be considered the preparation of the “dough.” The “bread” will appear during September. But then you will have no time to prepare other “bread”; you will be forced to “make do” with what you have prepared. Therefore, the period that some leaders consider “pre-election” is, in one sense, much more important than what is called the “election” period. Experience in opposition is not the same as experience in power It is true that during the years of pluralism, like every other political party, the structures of the PS and its leaders have gained experience in organizing election campaigns, which cannot be ignored. But the opinion expressed at meetings and in television interviews or the print media—that there is no need for analysis because we “have already gained experience; we know how to handle election campaigns”—sounds somewhat megalomaniacal and wholly euphoric. First, to state that you have gained positive experience is not the same as saying everything that needs to be said. There is positive experience, and there is negative experience. Second, there is experience organizing election campaigns in opposition when you are seeking to take power, but there is also experience organizing election campaigns when you are in power and seeking to keep it. The necessary analysis of the experience gained leads to the realistic judgment of what negative experience should not be used and what positive experience should be carried forward and supplemented with elements of the new political and social reality of society. But this analysis also leads you to consider that the experience of being in opposition and the experience of being in power involve problems, often fundamental ones, that belong to the political power held by the party. For example, when the PS was in opposition, it did not face the phenomenon of corruption and abuse, and therefore it currently lacks that experience from the years 1992–1997. Now that it is in power, however, it encounters the phenomenon of uncovering and abuse; this is a new experience that must and needs to be analyzed. The previous phenomena are such that coping with them cannot be achieved using the methods of the time when the PS was in opposition. (continued on page 6)

Page 7 Minister of Economic Cooperation and Trade, Ermelinda Meksi

Under pressure from unknown persons, prosecutor Agim Çekrezi also hands over the case file page 8

Open letter from the Minister of Finance addressed to Mr. Neritan Ceka page 5