Instead of the Greek Parliament convening to repeal the state of war with Albania, it convenes to ruin relations On 2 March 1444, Skanderbeg’s League against the Turks; on 15 October 2000, the second league against the Greeks, who wanted to occupy the Albanian area of Himara page 3

BY MARTIN LEKA Now that the local elections are over and the political landscape has taken its final shape, the judgment on everything that happened seems clear. Without embarking on an in-depth analysis, the runoff focused “in extremis” on the election for mayor of Himara. It was a case in which, unjustly, politicians tried to interfere with the sanctity of voters’ free choice, turning an ordinary voting process into a “referendum” on nationalism. This entire ordinary process was accompanied by politicians, especially those from Greece, often using the language of hatred and falling into patterns hardly suitable for liberal politics. It is also abundantly clear that this was not about taking a position, but about something more than that. Otherwise, the attention of Melo’s party or the Greek right-wing MPs would have been focused just as much on Vuno and Delijë as on Himara, where the PBDNJ candidate won. Why didn’t the Greek MPs and their entourage of media and companions come right here?! Today, it seems more than absurd that on Sunday Himara became the epicenter of politics, the press and public opinion in general, both here and in Greece. Today, too, now that emotions have subsided and the language of hatred has faded, not only analysts and politicians but public opinion in general have become convinced that the “Himara precedent” was simply a provocation. (Continued on page 3)

The Greek Ambassador in Tirana, Malias, who is having his farewell dinner tonight, where PS leader Nano is expected to give him a painting of Himara as a gift PBDNJ Chairman Melo The Greek Ambassador in Tirana, Malias, who is having his farewell dinner tonight, where PS leader Nano is expected to give him a painting of Himara as a gift. PBDNJ Chairman Melo

The OSCE Ambassador opposes the Greek game over Himara Yesterday ODIHR openly played a pro-Greek game when it issued two statements on the second round of elections, one in English, almost acceptable, and another in Albanian, which was entirely at odds with the proper logic of fair elections. At yesterday’s press conference, ODIHR appeared alone, without the presence of the OSCE Ambassador, Mr Ahrens. We recall that during the first round, the OSCE Ambassador appeared at a joint press conference with representatives of ODIHR and the EC, but this time, it seems, there was a difference of opinion about the second round. (Continued on page 2)