Serious incident in Laç. A group of people confronts law enforcement officers with guns page 2

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The Tirana-Besëlidhja match, which nearly turned into a major brawl because of the referee The match was also watched by the Secretary General of the Albanian Football Federation, Mr. Sulejman Starova, and the Mayor of Tirana, Mr. Edi Rama page 20

Yesterday, another Balkan democracy was born in Kosovo. For the first time, Albanian citizens voted freely for institutions elected by free vote, to govern freely and to prepare an even freer Kosovo and, above all, an independent one. Yesterday, in the Balkans, with the will of the UN, a democratic State was created; 2 million people experienced what their ancestors had never been able to achieve. These people who voted yesterday to begin the History of Kosovo showed that, although inexperienced, they can successfully meet the challenge of democracy and the State. Contrary to what almost everyone had predicted, yesterday’s elections were very calm, very free and very transparent. All these assessments deserved the attention that also led to the announcement of the election results. Yesterday, a country inhabited by Albanians decided not to lose a second in setting out toward development, toward integration while retaining its undeniable identity. Even those who prepared the great event were astonished by what happened. Albanians, eager for a democratic State, voted without caring who would win. Yesterday, everyone cared only that everyone take part in building this State. And after what happened, there is no other path. The losers, too, will all take part in building the newest State in the world, the State that until yesterday seemed like an office project, like a game played by the powerful that could never unfold on the difficult terrain of the Balkans. Yesterday, all the pessimistic predictions that everyone kept to themselves or voiced sadly came to an end. Yesterday, the History of Kosovo began. A new history: one of integration, of an existing and emancipated State, of responsible citizens and politicians who dare not toy with their own people or their State. From yesterday on, Kosovo will not need a “mother State”; it will be able to find its own direction and look after its own fate and that of its citizens. It is not yet known who will be the standard-bearer of what happened, but that does not matter. Everyone who played a part in yesterday’s event showed that they can be standard-bearers, without denying this right to anyone who wishes to contribute to the new History.

The broadcast from the Prizren studio (Kosovo) was made possible thanks to cooperation with the president of KTV, Mr. Lutfj Meçka, whom the RTV KOHA staff thanks for his help with the live broadcast from KTV’s studios.