The Albanian prime minister finds [them] in Brussels ON PAGE 4

73 Albanian refugees return from Italy ON PAGE 4

The recovery of those drowned in Otranto continues ON PAGE 4

Nano is given the same conditions again in Brussels. Three times less is pledged than the Democratic government had secured in the spring of the previous year Nano fails in Brussels. The installed prime minister secures funds only to cover the payroll. The pledged amount is 30% of what the Democratic government had secured . Yesterday’s Brussels Conference also clearly showed that the International Community is reluctant to invest in a country governed by a government that lacks the moral standing to govern. Yesterday the Albanian prime minister managed to obtain only an amount of money comparable to what was given to Ramiz Alia in 1991. The 100 million dollars announced for the Albanian state are not enough to cover more than the salaries of the state administration, while the rest of the population will bear the full weight of the permanent crisis. Unlike in Rome, this time the representatives of various countries also had before them a statement from the USA, reminding all participants that they were dealing with an Albanian government that should not be trusted too much. In these circumstances, the prime minister had to call upon all the projects carried out by the Democratic government, reminding participants that the funds he is seeking have been negotiated and are backed by projects. Those funds were blocked with the beginning of the communist rebellion in the country, and the coming to power of the former communists certainly increased them further. As early as the spring of the previous year, the former government had announced that it had secured 1.2 billion dollars from international donors for a four-year term of government, an amount that would naturally increase gradually over those years. Each sum was backed by projects, and the respective donor had also been made public, placing the country in a genuine capitalist and investment environment that would support progressive development. The communist rebellion meant that once again the Albanian authorities had to start from zero, but this time, unfortunately, those who carried out the rebellion are the ones appearing before the International Community. Yesterday he did not ask for at least the funds for the blocked programmes to be given to him, but even that did not happen. For a period of—unfortunately, or outside the quarterly period—he received only 100 million dollars, three times less than he had requested and announced at Rinas Airport, when he appeared before a large number [of people] with a medium-term programme covering a four-year period or more. He was pledged 700 million dollars, but this came with political conditions that Nano is unable to fulfil, since he violated them from the very first day he came to power. The continual violation of these conditions forces our prime minister to say things that have not happened in Albania, such as that order has been fully restored or that all the weapons have been collected. Less than two weeks have passed since a disarmament conference was held in Tirana, where it was stated that only 25,000 weapons had been collected in total, while 600,000 of them are still in people’s hands. Likewise, it is still possible to be killed, wounded, robbed and raped on the streets of Albania. Such conditions are not only known throughout society, but also diminish the dignity of Albanians. All in all, it seems that the International Community’s willingness to help Albania is greater than the level of the government leading the Albanians. They are ready to send money to Albania, but the right leadership is needed—and the prime minister who even disparages his own nation’s citizens cannot be that leader. Sami HEZA

ON PAGE 3

Members of the National Council also include all the chairpersons of the PD branches in the districts, as well as the Chair of the FRPD and the Chairwoman of the LDG Berisha, Pollo, Grosruck, at a press conference yesterday

EDU representative Volfgang Grosruck considers the political situation in Albania distressing How does EDU assess the re-election of Sali Berisha as head of the Democrats? Personally, just like EDU, I had no doubts whatsoever that President Berisha would be elected head of the Democratic Party if he ran. He is a powerful personality with the right charisma, and I am convinced that he will lead the PD to victory. In Albania, following the elections of 29 June, a series of political attacks against opposition figures have taken place, culminating in the attack on MP Hajdari.... This is a frightening situation. I was informed about the Hajdari incident by Hajdari himself, who also showed me where the bullets had struck his body. What has happened here in relation to the values of democracy is sad. In other words, it is absolutely unacceptable to tolerate the isolation of Democratic Party supporters, let alone violence against them or their arrest. ON PAGE 3

European Commission on Albania: We do the calculations differently Dird Buda: “Money for the programs we consider appropriate” ON PAGE 2 Nano: Albania has no political culture ON PAGE 3

To what extent was the economic balance violated, and what is the moral, social and national cost of this year’s March revolution? The draft “On Certain Amendments to the ‘Bank of Albania Law’” includes an amendment permitting the free transfer of capital abroad. In other words, given the current state of the financial infrastructure and the supervision of financial institutions, this amendment legalizes transactions involving unsuitable or dirty money, without any longer needing to present it in the outdated form of a “sudë”. “Xha-ferri”. Is this once again an irresponsible move? Or a bridge of continuity for the bloody activities left behind by the “pyramid firms”? A leadership structure for Nano’s aid and the “Seqdia”, “Levante Co” types, etc.? By Albina Karamitro ON PAGE 5

Protests continue in “Skënderbej” Square ON PAGE 3

President Meidani suffered a serious snub during his visit to Rome. At the airport, he was received by a junior protocol officer. It could hardly have been otherwise for a President who is shamefully ignored even in his own country, starting with the Prime Minister. Former President Berisha was received during his visit to Rome by the then Foreign Minister, Anjeli.

The level of representation at the Brussels Conference was also very low, just as at the Rome Conference. The level of representation of donors in Brussels was not what had been anticipated, but much lower. The donor countries and organizations were forced to lower the level of representation they had announced before the elections for the conference on Albania, because the Albanian Government had not fulfilled any of the conditions set at the first Rome Conference. The two subsequent conferences on Albania in Rome and yesterday’s conference in Brussels once again set out the now familiar conditions. The low level of representation by various donors at the Brussels Conference is another indication of how seriously foreign donors take Nano and his deceptions, despite their willingness and desire to help our country.