Press statement by Monika Kryemadhi, in response to Berisha’s attacks “I, Monika Kryemadhi, have a completely different history from that of the Enverist Sali Berisha and the fascist Sali Berisha—or the utter piece of trash, the drug-addicted criminal Sali Berisha” page 3

With just under two months remaining until the local elections on 1 October, the election campaign has flared up quite unexpectedly. And this is happening even though the largest opposition party has not yet made public the names of those who will face the Socialist candidates, who were announced only a few days ago. After the Democratic leader’s long series of accusations of corruption and theft by Socialist government officials and their allies, in recent days the initiative in this regard has passed entirely to the Socialists, who have made serious accusations, in some cases also unexpected ones, against PD leader Sali Berisha. Thus, just two days ago, the Minister of Local Government, Bashkim Fino, made public an open letter addressed to Berisha, in which, after listing the violations and abuses committed by PD local officials over these four years, he invited Berisha to make public the accusations he had been making against him left and right. After this, Socialist Secretary for Public Relations Luan Rama accused former President Sali Berisha of having, three years ago, a considerable number of criminals in his network who had been provided with service and diplomatic passports and then Yugoslav passports, enabling them to travel to the West so as not to fall into the hands of justice. But the opposition leader has also had to face an attack from Monika Kryemadhi, one of FRESH’s leading figures, an attack that is perhaps the harshest ever directed at Berisha since he entered Albanian politics. Kryemadhi, who has distinguished herself for her modern approach to politics, has this time been forced, because of the campaign’s viciousness, to make a firm statement in order to protect herself from the mudslinging that politics brings. Meanwhile, the exchange of barbs has not been absent from the Blue Headquarters either. The Democratic camp says that the Democrats have documented evidence of corruption by senior Socialist officials; indeed, Berisha himself is said to have invited Local Government Minister Fino to face him in a televised debate, where, it is said, he will produce documented facts and evidence of Fino’s corrupt dealings. Given that this is only the beginning and that the campaign machinery has not yet been fully set in motion, the election campaign for the 1 October elections is expected to be among the fiercest of recent years. The unfortunate thing is that, despite opponents’ right to expose one another’s “deeds” and “dirty laundry,” the platforms expected to be offered to voters may well remain secondary. This, however, brings with it the risk of an increase in the number of abstainers among an electorate that has paid more dearly than anyone for the consequences of political battles’ harshness.

page 24 Ana Kurnikova, the sweetness of tennis

The man from Shkodër pays 5,000 lekë Gaspër Koka had parked his car in a no-parking area and went into the meeting page 8

Poçi writes to Berisha: May we repay you in similar circumstances pages 30–31