The chief of police in Has behind bars for abuse of office and misappropriation of another person’s property Ali Peci is accused of trafficking stolen Kosovar cars The chief of police in Has behind bars for abuse of office and misappropriation of another person’s property Police arrest police station chief Ali Peci is accused of trafficking stolen Kosovar cars page 12

It seems that heated debates and controversies will accompany the Central Election Commission perhaps until election day, and why not, even after it. Following the controversies over the way its members were selected, and the case of its secretary, without the contrivances used to appoint opposition representatives there, the opening of files has now become a subject of discussion concerning the CEC. Besides Bezhani, the man who puts administration officials through the “sieve,” the demand to learn more about the past of those who will oversee the electoral process is being strongly supported by opposition representatives as well. Indeed, it is the opposition that sounded the alarm that one of the CEC members had been an informer for the notorious State Security service. But the Presidency, from which the request to make the CEC members’ pasts public should come, is showing signs of reluctance, hesitating to ask for the procedures to begin in this regard. Perhaps the President and his associates justify themselves with the fact that “the law does not provide for such a thing.” However, such a stance in the face of pressure that will continue to mount from the opposition could be yet another factor making the situation even more heated on the eve of the elections. On the other hand, Meidani’s hesitation to give the green light to vetting the backgrounds of CEC members makes the shadows of doubt surrounding the way it was formed even denser, all the more so by lending credibility to the opposition’s longstanding accusations. But is an examination of the “cleanliness” of the members of the Central Election Commission really necessary? The law does not, in fact, make vetting the backgrounds of CEC members compulsory, but given that this is an extremely important institution responsible for elections, checking their backgrounds becomes a necessity. How can the counting of votes be entrusted to an individual burdened by “sins” from the past? Such a CEC member could therefore remain hostage to this “sin,” something that someone who knows about it could exploit. In this regard, the opposition has the right to suspect that appointments to the CEC may have been premeditated, involving individuals who could fall prey to pressure by having the secrets of their past recalled to them. If, for example, a department head is subject to vetting, then, by the simplest logic, given the close connection between elections and the future, public opinion itself should be able to learn about a CEC member’s past. It is no surprise that reluctance to make the backgrounds of CEC members transparent could compromise the electoral process itself.

Bahri Tafili, 58, killed by police on 2 August. Genci Tafili, 21, arrested on 2 August Bahri Tafili, 58, killed by police on 2 August. Genci Tafili, 21, arrested on 2 August

The airline owned by Tirana businessman Marsel Skëndo is suffering a blow to its prestige after abruptly suspending the Tirana–Skopje route, leaving the way open for the company’s other air routes. A technical fault or financial problems?! Concerned for the journalist colleagues at the media company he co-finances, we asked Mr. Skëndo for clarification. He said: “It is true that we have closed the Tirana–Skopje route, but it is not related to any financial bankruptcy.” Tirana International Airport (Rinas) reports that passenger numbers have fallen on “Ada air” routes, although its owner, Skëndo, is an honest businessman. Meanwhile, the flights of another airline, “Albanian Airlines,” are full of passengers, who have greater confidence in the safety of their lives on this route. Nevertheless, “Ada air” remains a reliable company, despite its rivals’ claims that travelling on that type of aircraft is a real adventure, since it looks like an “air cart.”

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