Report by the secret service of the Order. Prostitution of Eastern girls in Albania, police involvement and a secret rehabilitation center Traffickers openly shelter them in villas inside the Capital page 8

BY MARTIN LEKA The local elections that are officially getting underway seem to be bringing a new development, one that politicians did not take very seriously when it began to be promoted. A long time ago, when Socialist leader Fatos Nano spoke about affirming civil society within political-administrative structures, it seemed like an idea with no future, or one that undermined party political structures. In other words, it would undermine political militancy, on the basis of which parties strive to retain or regain power. We can now say that civil society in politics is becoming consolidated. The affirmation of civil society’s potential gave creative impetus to the Nano-Majko-Meta coalition governments. It now seems that the traditional militancy of political parties is losing ground to the pragmatism and potential offered by people who do not have a party membership card, do not know how to shout from politicians’ platforms, and do not applaud every time the leaders speak. When Edi Rama was nominated for the post of mayor of Tirana, many thought he would soon be brought down by the party structures. But the opposite happened; even the “caps,” identified with the most conservative wing, called the candidate who did not come from the PS structures “their worthy successor.” Yesterday, the Social Democrats supported independent MP Vladimir Fejzo as their candidate for mayor of Vlora. The Democrats in Tirana did the same a few days ago, while awaiting independent MP Lesi’s answer. In keeping with the same idea, the Democrats also seem to be pressing for this approach in these elections. Their leader Berisha himself, addressing the opposition’s competition in the city of Vlora, called for the entire opposition spectrum to unite around a single candidate, implying that it mattered little which right-wing party he might belong to. Meanwhile, the very fact that the main opposition party has put forward candidates such as Musafjat or Topi shows that civil society and professionals in politics are clearly moving toward replacing militancy and old-style politics by challenging the established order through the involvement of representatives with no party affiliation. Gradually, the voices of those who cite as their merits the elbows they bruised at protests, their stints in police stations, or the hosannas they sang in praise of their leaders are fading. This shift in mentality goes so far that the two main forces, renowned for their strong militant outlook or the brutal nature of their party loyalty, are now readily competing with one another by putting forward the most qualified people from outside their membership.

Independent daily · founded 1.11.1991 · Ninth year of publication · 199 (2144) · Price: 50 lekë, Greece 400 drachmas, Germany 3 DM, Italy 1,500 lire, USA 2 USD

Page 9