The tragic events that devastated Tepelena In today’s issue of “RD” you will read: - The rebels accounted for only 1.5 percent of the population. - The 100 main events of the months of rebellion. - After June 29, no government official in Tepelena. - The rebels’ letter, sent to Nano, Gjinushi, Malaj, Ruka. - Incriminated rebels are arrested, threaten to testify, and are released. SPECIAL REPORT ON PAGE 5

The Carabinieri: We could not arrest Peshkëpia because he was travelling on a diplomatic passport The Democratic Alliance mired in mafia trafficking. Ridvan Peshkëpia, head of the network in Albania. High-profile arrests in Italy

Peshkëpia among armed bandits in March of last year

One of the best-known figures in the Democratic Alliance is accused by ... One of the best-known figures in the Democratic Alliance is accused by the Italian justice system of heading a powerful mafia network in Albania. According to the Italian police and the Carabinieri, Ridvan Peshkëpia is the head of the drug and prostitution trafficking routes running from Albania to Western Europe. His involvement in mafia networks is a serious implication, not only for the Democratic Alliance, but for the entire governing coalition. Paskal Milo and Fatos Nano must now explain on what grounds they issued Peshkëpia with a diplomatic passport, since he is neither a member of parliament nor a diplomat. They must answer who else had an interest in his diplomatic immunity, allowing him to move freely around Milan and elsewhere in Italy, visiting one after another the bases for drug and prostitution trafficking. Because Ritvan Peshkëpia has appeared in the dark sewers of organized crime in Italy carrying a passport signed by Nano or Milo. This is an extremely compromising fact that could shift the attention of the Italian investigators, who must not view Peshkëpia only as an implicated individual, but also consider his political backing. The fact that he has been identified as the head of Tirana’s mafia network is a serious matter when it concerns someone from one of the parties governing Albania, who carries in his pocket a passport signed by the Albanian foreign minister or prime minister. The government officials from Nano’s administration must say why this favor and violation of the law were made for Ridvan Peshkëpia; they cannot easily distance themselves from the proceedings opened in Milan. Meanwhile, the fact that Ritvan Peshkëpia appears to be connected with trafficking and regional mafia clans comes as little surprise in Albania. Everyone remembers the day last March when he came from abroad to line up alongside the armed gangs in Sarandë and Gjirokastër. To this day, he remains accused of being one of the people who helped bring weapons into Albania from the south, shortly before the army depot exploded. For a long time, Peshkëpia and Imani stayed in the south alongside men with Kalashnikovs who killed, mutilated and robbed. The serious charges against him by the Italian justice system bring back the issue of his involvement in the scandal over the arrival of weapons in southern Albania, before the depots were opened. Perhaps the Italian justice system should investigate this lead too, regarding the secret routes linking this man to arms trafficking, which had been limited in March of last year. The photograph alongside this article captures just one moment in the terrorist activity of this “liberal democrat” during last year’s rebellion. The Milan scandal appears to go much deeper than the name of Ridvan Peshkëpia. But the Democratic Alliance is not the only one that must answer for this; so must those who gave a diplomatic passport to a mafioso involved in drugs, weapons and prostitution. In any other case, today’s government officials would confirm that Peshkëpia had been their representative in Milan and in all the dark corners of crime and the mafia in Italy, as indeed he must have been. Drug dealers, pimps, and women forced onto the streets in Italy should know that the man in a suit and tie was the special envoy of the Tirana government headed by Fatos Nano. The same goes for the Carabinieri and Italian police officers, who were unable to arrest a man who, although neither a member of parliament nor a diplomat, walked right under their noses protected by diplomatic immunity.

Albanians protest in Prishtina, Tirana, Shkup, Gjirokastër, Fier and various European capitals: NATO in Kosovo, not on Kosovo’s borders Hajdari: The UÇK and Kosovo’s leadership have Albania’s strong support. Kurt Kola and the Serbian chief are booed in “Skënderbej” Square ON PAGE 7 Photo: A.FUSHA

Yesterday, in “Skënderbej” Square Photo: A.FUSHA

Koço Dada challenged the government with aid in Tropojë, so they made him disappear without a trace PD Chairman Sali Berisha welcomes the positions of President Clinton, Chirac and British Prime Minister Blair on the Kosovo issue NATO force against the massacre ON PAGE 3

State violence and terror against innocent citizens continue In this campaign of violence in the town, the police were so frenzied that they did not even spare one another. Near the town agency, eyewitnesses said they had seen one of the policemen wound his colleague while firing a machine gun. ON PAGE 6

Koço Dada challenged the government with aid in Tropojë, so they made him disappear without a trace The chairman of the businesspeople’s association, Koço Dada, sent more aid than the government to the Kosovar brothers in Tropojë. they made him disappear without a trace The government kidnapped the head of the businesspeople’s association The chairman of the businesspeople’s association, Koço Dada, sent more aid than the government to the Kosovar brothers in Tropojë and called on all Albanian businesspeople to contribute, but anonymous phone calls immediately began coming his way, telling him to back off or else he would be physically disappeared. ON PAGE 6

German MPs learn about the positions of the Albanian opposition “Faced with an irresponsible Albanian government that is taking no measures whatsoever to protect them, I have proposed a Government of National Salvation,” Berisha said. ON PAGE 2

PD Chairman Sali Berisha received the Ambassador of Holland

Yesterday, Democratic Party Chairman Sali Berisha welcomed the statement by Italian Minister of Defense Andreata, which expressed Italy’s firm position on resolving the Kosovo issue. Commenting on the statement, Berisha said that it expressed Italy’s support for resolving the crisis in Kosovo and once again underscored the great Albanian-Italian friendship. By standing alongside the Albanians in this situation, Italy once again reaffirms the profound bonds of friendship between the two countries.

Distribution of companies’ assets, Parliament approves the criteria ON PAGE 4

Prosecutor’s Office: “Thousands of counterfeit dollars are circulating in our banks” ON PAGE 6

116 days since the imprisonment of the former Minister of the Interior The former Minister of the Interior in the Government of National Reconciliation, Ali Kazazi, continues to be held in prison on laughable charges. He was detained on 14 February 1998 at the Milot Bridge, following the police ambush set for the December Movement leader, Azem Hajdari, in an apparent attempt by the current state to incriminate the opposition. On 17 February, an open-ended detention order was issued against him. Kazazi comes from a family with well-known anti-communist traditions and is a member of the Democratic Party’s National Council.

Fier and Lushnje: life under serious threat ON PAGE 6

Ronaldo: “I want the World Cup” SPECIAL FEATURE ON PAGES 10–11 - The world champions: victories and luck - Five “stars” assess Zagalo’s team. “Brazil, you’re missing imagination and Romario.” Junior, Gerson, Falkao, Tostao and Rivelino speak. - Interview with Ronaldo, just a few hours before the match begins. - France fears its debut. The well-known midfielder Deshamps speaks: “We have problems” - Ravanelli leaves, the “headless hero” - Menem, the “jinxed” president of Argentina’s national team - Curiosities. Two million soft drinks in the stadiums... - Norway avoids an upset