“They ransacked my home and stole my money” ON PAGE 2

Çeka successfully leads the disarmament operation ON PAGE 2

Arrest of the murderer in Vlora. The arrested man accuses the police in court ON PAGE 2

Nano attacks Nikollë Lesi: “The government cannot pay off Nikollë’s personal debts”

Work has begun in the Socialist Party. And an independent newspaper has reported on a new parliamentary group that will break away from the current socialist group, depriving them of their majority. It involves around fifty MPs who will nevertheless remain on the left, but not in Fatos Nano’s camp. The prime minister, with a small number of other MPs, has also returned, along with two independents and perhaps a social democrat; he will find it difficult to govern without problems, even if it is a short-lived government, as appears likely. Meanwhile, it has emerged that opponents of the recent motions have grown considerably stronger, especially in districts where the rewards for victory are not particularly generous. A letter that arrived at the prime minister’s office a few days ago from Gjirokastra is enough to illustrate this: it speaks of great anger toward the government leaders because they had not appointed a single person from the Gjirokastra socialists to local government—whether or not someone else was preferred. The letter even contained explicit accusations of nepotism, a phenomenon well known in Tirana but which the socialists of Gjirokastra have learned about rather late. In any case, these are two facts that provide ample grounds for the view that many things are not going well within the Socialist Party, even after its victory. At first glance, it would seem logical that winning the election would also have narrowed the divisions between the different factions within the Socialist Party. In fact, Nano has tried to bring about such a rapprochement not only within the SP but also between his party and the other left-wing parties. But apparently such an equalization between factions is unacceptable. The reason, it is said, is their differing positions on the elections of 29 June. Supporters of the anti-Monçist faction see a clear opportunity to take over the party leadership and sideline the prime minister. The government’s poor start and the recognition of the flawed elections—as the policy is currently described, including by the international community—provide them with sufficient political grounds to demand accountability from Nano’s people, who are also known as the organizers of the communist rebellion. None of the anti-Nano faction in the SP intends to take responsibility for the armed uprising or to become an accomplice of Nano, Brokaj, Islami, or the gangs of Vlora, Saranda, Tepelena, Cërrik, etc. It may come to a point where they also distance themselves from the greatest political burden: the criminalization of the protests against the pyramid schemes and their transformation into an armed uprising that brought more than 2,000 deaths to Albania. There are very few people in the SP, apart from those who have recently received positions, who would be willing to get their hands dirty when they have received no spoils of war. Even the evidence concerning the pyramid schemes at the Nano center will, for the first time, be used against the anti-Monçists who are in the country. Besides their everyday jobs and work in enterprises, they also have a very active opposition on their side, which has opposed both sides: the governing wing of the SP as well as its other wing. It is not known whether Nano has taken note of these developments, but it is also known that his first group of supporters, if not all of them, will be challenged by the other socialist factions on his own field of confrontation with the motion—but now with addresses to the Community, no longer from Nano to Pollumbo or Meta, but from groups in both factions, and Macedonia has been with a Nano and NEZA

Democrats once again take to the square for Arbnori Albania on the brink of isolation

Democrats once again take to the square for Arbnori Democratic leader Sali Berisha has warned that Albania is on the brink of international isolation because Arbnori’s demands have not been resolved, and also because of the officeholders’ poor governance. Hundreds of Democrats gathered again last night in front of the Democratic Party headquarters to express their solidarity with MP Arbnor’s hunger strike, which enters its nineteenth day today. Democratic leader Sali Berisha thanked everyone present for showing solidarity with the Democratic MP’s strike, while expressing concern that one of Arbnor’s health conditions was at a critical point as a result of the indifference shown by the officeholders toward meeting his legitimate demands. Berisha warned that Albania is on the brink of international isolation because Arbnor’s demands have not been resolved, and also because of the current poor governance. He called on all Albanians to resist the officeholders’ revanchism as well as attempts to install a communist dictatorship in Albania. The leader of the Democrats recalled the latest international messages of support for Arbnor’s strike. Berisha criticized the majority MPs’ revanchist demands concerning the unjustified passage of laws affecting some of the state’s principal institutions. “We must work to withstand this revanchism and restore democracy to Albania,” said Democratic leader Sali Berisha, adding that protests in support of the “Mandela of Europe” strike would continue until his demands were met, including the restoration of democratic space for the opposition in the state-run mass media. Democratic protests in support of MP Arbnor’s strike have also spread to a number of other cities around the country. Thousands of people from Shkodra, like the Democrats in the capital, are expressing their solidarity every day with the Democratic MP’s hunger strike. While Arbnor’s health is deteriorating and the international community is increasing its messages of solidarity with his hunger strike, the Albanian government continues to remain silent about the demands Arbnor has raised. At last night’s rally, MP Azem Hajdari called for a minute of silence in honor of the work of the symbol of peace and kindness, Mother Teresa. He recalled that President Sali Berisha was the first to recognize Mother Teresa’s work and contribution by awarding her the “Honor of the Nation” decoration. The Democrats said they would further intensify peaceful protests not only in the capital and Shkodra but in every square in Albania until Pjetër Arbnori’s demands were met. B. KASMI

The prime minister’s daughter is a regular heroin user Edlira Nano is well known in the circles of “Sami Frashëri” school as a drug addict The prime minister’s daughter is a regular heroin user Police catch Nano’s daughter with drugs Edlira Nano is well known in the circles of “Sami Frashëri” school as a drug addict Prime Minister Nano’s daughter was detained by police on Monday after being caught in the act using drugs. Edlira Nano, a third-year secondary-school student, was detained by a patrol from Police Station No. 2 in the capital while taking heroin with a syringe. A police source said the officers intervened immediately, without realizing who the prime minister’s daughter was; one of them even slapped her and pulled her by the arms. But once they found out who they were dealing with, the police’s attitude immediately changed in the opposite direction. The police chief ordered them to escort her straight home, while the blue-uniformed officers who had made the arrest were warned that they would be fired if they did not keep the incident secret. This confirms reports that have been circulating in Tirana for some time that the prime minister’s daughter is a regular drug user. A student at “Sami Frashëri” school, she is known by everyone as a drug addict, while she herself will continue her secondary education in France. According to some sources, the prime minister’s daughter left for Paris just a few days after the incident with the police officers who caught her taking heroin. N.SH.

Unexpected developments in the majority camp The director of “Koha Jonë” is eclipsing SP parliamentary group chairman Pandeli Majko. The eyes of SP MPs are turning increasingly toward Lesi Unexpected developments in the majority camp Nikollë Lesi heading for the throne of the SP The director of “Koha Jonë” is eclipsing SP parliamentary group chairman Pandeli Majko. The eyes of SP MPs are turning increasingly toward Lesi ON PAGE 3

Berisha offers condolences at the home of the Sisters of Mother Teresa The leader of the Democratic Party, Prof. Dr. Sali Berisha, together with Mrs. Berisha, went yesterday afternoon to offer their condolences at the home of the Sisters of Mother Teresa in Tirana. In the memorial book, Mr. Berisha wrote: “Albanians and humanity have lost the living symbol of love, compassion, and human nobility; the symbol of the extraordinary power of human love for life, the living saint who won justice.” Afterwards, Mr. Berisha recalled, together with Monsignor Rrok Mirdita and the Sisters of Mother Teresa, the moments of her visits to Albania, such as the one in 1993, when she stayed at the “Paqës Gjon Pali II” archbishopric, and that of summer 1995, when she came especially to congratulate Albania on its membership in the Council of Europe. They also recalled the honor bestowed on the country’s daughter by the democratic Albanian state, which named one of its highest decorations after Mother Teresa; many distinguished figures from around the world have received it.

Skënder Gjinushi, spokesman for the gangs, has suspended Parliament’s work for a week so as not to be troubled by the law on RTSH that Meidani would return. On the pretext that he will be going abroad, Gjinushi is blocking the holding of Parliament’s plenary sessions for a week, while Arbnori’s health and life are at risk with every passing day. Perhaps Gjinushi wants Arbnori to hold out for another week, so that he can push back the date of those due to take place in autumn, but he must not forget that he remains ultimately responsible for Arbnori’s life, just as he and his Clique comrades were responsible for forcing Europe’s Mandela toward sacrifice.

Meidani’s National Reconciliation, a demagogy President Meidani has begun a National Reconciliation initiative in recent days. Just like Alia six years ago, who gathered a group of Marxists to bring about a reconciliation that was ultimately called “the unity of all Albanians” and was simply demagogy, Meidani today is also leading an initiative that has been opposed since ’91. Meidani’s National Reconciliation effort is no different from Alia’s in 1991. Even then, the National Reconciliation initiative was known as ungshe and called by him from the ideological world. Likewise, it was undertaken by a group without support, who could not make the Reconciliation initiative happen; moreover, the people who should have been asked for forgiveness were not asked. Meanwhile, today this initiative has not been launched by all sides, nor does it have the people’s support for such an initiative

Eurosocialists concerned about the greed and corruption of the new officeholders

In the RTSH news report on the death of the great associate, Mother Teresa, it was said that her last visit to Albania took place in 1994. This is a shameless lie initiated by the new censors appointed by Fatos Nano and Rexhep Meidani. Mother Teresa last came to Albania in 1995, to celebrate Albania’s admission to the Council of Europe. This is new proof that the new officeholders are trying to falsify history, just as they did during the dictatorship, sparing none of the greatest symbols of the Albanian world.