The Albanian right can win the parliamentary elections if the chairman of the DP gradually steps back from direct politics The PDK chairman: “Saliu should declare that he will accept no state office, and the right-wing opposition will come to power immediately in the next parliamentary elections” The Albanian right can win the parliamentary elections if the chairman of the DP gradually steps back from direct politics Bushati: The right will win if Berisha does not become prime minister The PDK chairman: “Saliu should declare that he will accept no state office, and the right-wing opposition will come to power immediately in the next parliamentary elections”

Ambassador Ahrens’s withdrawal after meeting with Berisha seemed completely unexpected. According to the DP, he said there would be no continuation of the party round table and that Albanian parties were free to organize round tables whenever they wished. This withdrawal by the third party from the main political problems still seems unbelievable. Nevertheless, the Democrats announced it with great delight. A delight that seemed to say they had forced the third party to withdraw too. A delight that seemed to announce that the DP itself would now take responsibility for resolving the crisis over electoral procedures; a delight very similar to that of the Communists when the American Embassy left Albania 55 years ago. This news would be very pleasing to all Albanians if it had been caused by an understanding among the Albanian parties, if it had been caused by an understanding among the Albanian parties. In that case, the third party would truly be out of the picture, and Ahrens and all his colleagues would have a role different from the one they have today. But the opposite is true. The third party is giving up on an attempt at understanding that failed. The third party has given up several times on attempts at understanding that failed, before the start of the electoral process, during it, and after it. Nothing but failures, and only one winner. It now seems that political round tables and the way they will end, that blind pressure will be called reasonable, and that representatives of the anti-state who seek to benefit from the absence of law will be called the opposition. Round tables and attempts to impose the law are called opposition. The round tables and attempts to do so over these three years have had only one protagonist: the demands of the opposition leader, who yesterday declared that the DP has neither asked, nor will ask, nor is asking anyone for anything. After this, it is said that his word must be heeded and his demands taken into account. In this endless game, representatives of the third party are forced to leave, replaced by others, and then by others still... Everyone changes except the chairman’s policy, in which Berisha rejoices and the dialogue does not take place; in which Berisha makes sure every day to bring out 50 kids with “sensible guardians”; in which every day he brings out 50 kids with a thirst for capital-city festivities to spoil the peace and the desire for capital-city festivities, and the days of all Albania, where citizens wake up with the anxiety of another 14 September, to justify it with an article by some “commentator.” Berisha continues to play with people’s lives, although everyone except his own people is convinced that only his departure can save the right and Albania.

Page 4 Berisha–Ahrens: no more round table

Differences within the socialist leadership and the showdowns Nano–Majko, Ruçi–Nano, Dokle–Nano and Nano–Poçi become public Yesterday at the KPD, the chairman of the PS called for the resignation of the KOZ members, challenging the socialists’ secretary-general, who has opposed the PS leadership’s attacks on them. Page 3

Page 5 They had been gathered in villages in the neighboring country and were to be sold in Tirana New Year brings smuggled calves from Macedonia Burrel police intercept two trucks carrying 30 animals and arrest the drivers Page 10

Customers and the saleswoman are terrified, but the professionals leave quietly Page 9