President Berisha pays tribute to the victims of the terrorist act and offers condolences to the families of the dead In the middle of yesterday, the President of the Republic, Mr. Sali Berisha, arrived at Rinas Airport, where the official ceremony of honor and farewell to the victims of Monday’s tragedy was held. President Berisha, accompanied by Prime Minister Aleksandër Meksi and Minister of Defense Safet Zhulali, laid wreaths and bowed in respect before the coffins of the six Italian servicemen and the seven Albanian victims. President Berisha then met with the families of the Albanian victims and expressed his sincerest condolences to them. “This tragic event,” he said, “was a terrorist act against the excellent relations between Albania and Italy. We will do everything so that black Monday will never happen again.” High-ranking representatives of the Albanian state, the diplomatic corps and the Italian army also took part in this ceremony. NDER GJINI

That kind of terrorist act, typical of the time, has taken on an endless and special form of action against the state and democracy, manifested through violent and criminal acts, with the aim of overthrowing the political order. For this purpose propaganda, organizational and terrorist means are used. This spirit of political action, observed especially after the loss of the elections, is also appearing in an organized way in Albania. In recent days, after the serious event in the north of the country, representatives of the left have begun trying to interpret the tragedy as a result of government policy, aiming to encourage destabilization. This strategy, based on aggressive rhetoric and slander, seeks to create a climate of mistrust toward institutions and to slow the country’s progress toward integration. The fight against this model of political behavior is not done only through moral condemnation. It requires strengthening the law, public support for constitutional order, and the public exposure of those who profit politically from violence. If this spirit is not stopped, the country risks going back into chaos and internal conflict. For this reason, a swift response from institutions and public opinion is essential.

Intensive investigations to identify the perpetrators who planted the car bomb As part of the investigation into the terrorist act, the police and the prosecutor’s office have taken several people in for further checks. Official sources report that the leads being investigated are related to the placement of the explosive and to the movements of the perpetrators before and after the explosion. So far, the names of those detained have not been made public, but investigators have stated that important material evidence has been collected. According to them, cooperation with the Italian structures is helping in the technical analysis of the event. The investigations are also expected to focus on the possibility of an organized network operating with political objectives.

The Italians are deeply saddened The President of the Council of Ministers of Italy, Lamberto Dini, has sent President Berisha a message of condolence for the victims of the Gjadër tragedy. The message says that the Italian people share the pain of the Albanian people and that the Italian authorities will cooperate closely to fully clarify the circumstances of this misfortune. Similar messages have also come from other high-ranking representatives of the Italian state, who appreciate the solidarity shown in Albania and the honors paid to the Italian servicemen killed in the line of duty.

The Holy See sends condolences to the families of the victims Cardinal Angelo Sodano, secretary of the Holy See, has sent President of the Republic Sali Berisha a message of condolence on the occasion of the killing of six Italian servicemen and seven other people in the crash of the Italian Air Force G-222 aircraft into the hills near Gjadër. In the telegram from Pope John Paul II it says: Dear Mr. President, I learned with sadness of the news of the serious air accident in Albania, which caused the death of 13 people, most of them Italian servicemen. The Holy Father John Paul II, deeply sharing the sorrow this news has brought to the Albanian and Italian nations, assures Your Excellency and the families of the victims of his spiritual closeness and prays to God to receive those who lost their lives in this accident into his peace. He also extends his blessing to all those who are suffering from this misfortune. Cardinal Angelo Sodano Secretary of State of the Vatican

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