The polemics among the corruption clans of the PS are intensifying ON PAGE 5

Companies that sponsored the PS campaign in the local by-elections are rewarded ON PAGE 6

“Rilindja Demokratike” will soon resume publication of the Dossier of the Rebellion. In the pages of RD, everything that happened last year in Sarandë, Delvinë, Gjirokastër, Përmet, Berat, etc.

People close to President Meidani, who handle relations with parliament, or the heads of parliament, Gjinushi and Dokle, have been implicated in the operation to conceal those responsible for the smuggling Evidence demonstrating the involvement of senior state officials is being concealed in the smuggling file that has reached parliament ON PAGE 3

On orders from above, the investigation into Vlora’s chief bandit is suspended According to a source inside the prison walls, in recent days Zani has shown signs of agitation toward people in power, with whom he communicates every day by mobile phone, and has asked Skënder Gjinushi to “keep the promise he made, otherwise I will release the tapes of the rebellion” ON PAGE 6

Following publication of the World Bank report on corruption in Albania, in which our country ranked first with a healthy index of 100 percent state corruption, the major question arises: who will invest in Albania? This is perhaps the biggest problem today, burdening the country’s future with such enormous stains that Albania may be regarded as a “dispute.” A 100 percent corruption index leaves no one outside its reach—not the President of the Republic, not the Prime Minister, not the ministers, directors, customs officers, judges, junior officials, tender commissions and those who draw up the commissions’ lists, Albanian diplomats who, for cash, recommend investment sectors in Albania, and, ultimately, Albanian taxpayers who drag their feet all week when they have to pay the electricity tax. Over the past year and this year, which is not much different from the previous one, more than 4,000 businesses have closed, some of them foreign-owned. Although INSTAT has stated that the volume of trade is greater with Italy than with Greece, all the labels in Latin script have disappeared from Tirana today, replaced by a flood of labels in Greek letters. This is more a consequence of the influence of the big gang in the neighboring country than of genuine trade. Italian, French, German and other goods are on the verge of disappearing completely from the Albanian market, while investments from these countries have either been frozen, halted or withdrawn. As if crime and anarchy were not enough, smuggling and irresponsibility have increased at this point of death for business and investment in Albania—corruption, and not just a little, but with an index of 100 percent. Such a figure silences the Prime Minister, the President and the ministers when it comes to calling for investment. This phenomenon must have become so entrenched over the past two years that they did not hesitate to hold a major conference to state the worst thing that has happened to Albania, brought about by the worst government it has ever had. Despite this disgrace, people tucked away in offices, such as Kastrati Islami, say that corruption belongs to 1997, inherited from Berisha’s administration, and is not ours. In 1996 Albania had a corruption index of 50 percent, lower than Russia and all the other Eastern countries, with the exception of Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary. This index was trending downward until the revolution of the socialist roofers took place in Albania. Another leader of the same kind says that it is a great thing for Albanian society that corruption is being discussed so openly, without saying a word about corruption itself, which was not present in Albanian society on this scale just two years ago. Moreover, we observe that society is not directly proportional to the figures for corruption and their public discussion. This leader seemed to be saying: they created corruption so that we could discuss it openly and govern society. What corrupt logic! These two examples alone are enough to show that Everës is entirely right when he said more or less in Shkodër that no foreign investor would come to Albania, because with corruption like this they would lose everything. Albania is no longer being isolated by pre-’90 communist ideology, nor by closed borders. It is being isolated just as harshly by its own corrupt government officials, left-wing revolutionary ideologies, thieves and smugglers, and now, finally, the corrupt. Albania today, with 100 percent corruption, is a social-ist mess that no one will cure until socialism—or it—is spoken of.

The chairman of the PD, Prof. Dr. Sali Berisha, meets the US government's envoy for Kosovo, Kristofer Hill The chairman of the PDSH, Prof. Dr. Sali Berisha, met today with the US government's special envoy for Kosovo, Kristofer Hill. The two interlocutors spoke at length about developments in Kosovo in recent days and the most important elements of the Kosovo crisis; about the ideas and concrete options for resolving this issue put forward by the US, the Contact Group and the international community; and about the importance of a coordinated position among the Albanian political forces in Kosovo, etc. The chairman of the PDSH, Berisha, expressed his gratitude to the US government for its firm and effective commitment to efforts to resolve Kosovo's difficult problem. The chairman of the PDSH welcomed the US diplomatic service's meetings with the UÇK. Mr. Berisha emphasized his well-known position in favor of a political solution to the problem that would reconcile the principle of the right to self-determination with that of not changing borders by force. The chairman of the PDSH expressed to Ambassador Hill his deep conviction that the UÇK's recognition of the legitimate mandate of the leader of Kosovo's Albanians, Ibrahim Rugova, is in the interest of a just and swift resolution of the Kosovo crisis. While fully supporting the continued commitment of the US government and Ambassador Hill, Mr. Berisha pointed out that, in efforts to establish peace and resolve the Kosovo issue, it is essential to dispel any suspicion or mistrust concerning any Serbian idea or aim to partition Kosovo's territory—an outcome that would be a tragedy not only for Kosovo, but also a Balkan war. The hour-and-a-half-long meeting between the chairman of the PDSH, Prof. Dr. Sali Berisha, and the US government's special envoy for Kosovo, Kristofer Hill, was also attended by the US ambassador in Tirana, Mariza Lino.

PD proposes an institution to combat corruption ON PAGE 3

Another step by Parliament in violating the independence of the judiciary Through a law concerning the body of the Court of Cassation, Parliament has managed to place the Court of Cassation itself under the control of political power. The law concerning the Court of Cassation, passed by Parliament last night, comes just one day after the visit to Tirana by the European troika, which declared that it would not tolerate a violation of the independence of the Court of Cassation. ON PAGE 3

Nano cannot face Pollo The Prime Minister refuses the parliamentary interpellation Gjinushi continues to violate Parliament's rules of procedure Prime Minister Nano has refused to respond to an interpellation by Mr. Pollo concerning the implementation of the recommendations presented by the European Troika in January of this year. Instead, the Prime Minister has appointed Deputy Prime Minister Kastriot Islami to respond to the requested interpellation, thereby violating Parliament's rules of procedure, which do not allow an interpellation in Parliament to be delegated. Mr. Pollo has requested in writing that Prime Minister Nano, and no one else, answer this interpellation. The Speaker of Parliament, Skënder Gjinushi, has replied that this is not acceptable and that Pollo must repeat his request for an interpellation. Skënder Gjinushi continues to violate Parliament's rules of procedure at the expense of the Democratic Party. As always, he continues to be the driving force behind violations in Parliament, violations that also have repercussions in other state institutions. He is turning into an ardent defender of the Nano government, its corruption and criminality. Gjinushi, the Speaker of the Albanian Parliament, is using Parliament in a shameful and unlawful manner to protect the government's farce and defend a government that nobody wants.

Berisha accuses the head of SHIK of being a forger and a servant of anti-Albanian circles Former President Berisha yesterday sharply accused the head of SHIK, Fatos Klosi, of being a servant of Albania's anti-Albanian neighbors. Klosi's statements that SHIK's composition was based on regional criteria aim to foment national division, Berisha said. The former president described as fabrications the statements Klosi made in Parliament the previous day, claiming that SHIK, which replaced the State Security Service, had unconstitutional structures and activities. Yesterday Berisha highlighted Klosi's well-known record as a forger of official documents. During the June 29 elections, Klosi forged seals and signatures of the Central Election Commission in order to make statements in the interests of his party. Many analysts have viewed Klosi's appointment as head of SHIK as placing the service under the influence of countries known for their hostile positions toward Albania. Analysts have said that Klosi's family ties suggest that he has long been under the influence of foreign services working against the Albanian nation. His return of State Security personnel and the dictatorship-era service's practices to the justice ministry supports these views. Berisha said that none of Klosi's accusations hold water and stressed that Albanians should be proud of SHIK, which replaced the murderous weapon of the Party of Labour: the State Security Service. He called this institution a mistake, but said that overall SHIK was a service established according to Western and democratic standards.

Awaiting the big clashes - Vogts: “Kohler, you should have called him” - Morati: “Italy awaits its first star title” - Dunga, Brazil's captain or second coach - Hodeli: “Seven—one cremation for the English” - Cezar Sampajo, everything with the words of God SPECIAL FEATURE ON PAGES 10–11