Malaj, Ruli and Berberi convened the INSIG board: Bundo must leave ON PAGE 5

The government is staging judicial farces against the independent press ON PAGE 6

Fatos Nano takes an interest in gang boss Riston Lapa ON PAGE 6

The political court of Korçë: Prison for the Democrats of Kolonjë The farce of fabricated charges against members and supporters of the Democratic Party in Kolonjë moved yesterday to the Korçë Court. The Korçë district court imposed indefinite imprisonment as a security measure on all 10 people detained for political motives, as well as others declared wanted, arrested on Monday, 29 June. The charges and ruling of the political court of Korçë concern collaboration, according to lists drawn up by Socialist Party offices and at the direct insistence of the regime’s highest leaders, who have installed a communist regime. The family members of those arrested for political motives were extremely angry about the political detention of their relatives. Some of the political prisoners from Kolonjë have no connection whatsoever to the events of a year ago and were not present at all at the events of 30 June. ... ON PAGE 2

Following the Prishtina meeting, a statement by the former President of the Republic of Albania We must not forget that the unity of the main Albanian political and military forces is vital for Kosovo, and the countries of the Contact Group have the right to call on the Albanians there to achieve this unity. First, I would like to welcome yesterday’s meeting in Prishtina between President Rugova and the leaders of the other political forces in Kosovo. This meeting had long been expected to take place, and I believe it has been welcomed by all Albanians. I personally consider the meeting a successful step and take this opportunity to call on all leaders of Kosovo’s political forces to unite on the major and critical issues Kosovo is facing today, while preserving their diversity on other matters. Today, more than ever, Kosovo needs the unity of their judgment, courage and commitment in resolving its major problems. The absence of this unity would be an undeserved weakening of political negotiating strength and potential, and of the Albanian people’s overall efforts to achieve a just resolution of their cause. Albanian political and military forces is vital. There is no doubt that a National Council made up of the principal leaders of Kosovo’s political forces is more necessary today than ever; it ensures broad representation of the entire political spectrum and avoids unjustified exclusions from the vital process of resolving Kosovo’s major problems. Likewise, recognizing and respecting the mandate resulting from the 22 March elections is a moral and legal obligation for all those who accept the will of their people. This mandate expresses the will of the people of Kosovo to have their own legitimate representatives, and these representatives received recognition at the highest levels of Western chancelleries and leading institutions. Therefore, what is needed is not the deinstitutionalization of Kosovo, but recognition of President Rugova’s mandate and of the institutions arising from the vote of 22 March this year; cooperation between the UÇK and other forces with these institutions; and the inclusion of the UÇK at the negotiating table, are their would mean an unjustified diminishment of the power and political negotiating a just resolution of their issue. We must not forget that unity among the main Albanian political and military actors Group have the right to demand this unity from the Albanians in Kosovo. Differences over the formation of parliament or the National Council should not divide the political forces, while agreements are a serious concern and must be investigated independently.” Thus, the recognition of President Rugova’s mandate and the institutions established by the vote of March 22 this year; cooperation between the UÇK and other actors the negotiating table. These are of decisive importance for advancing a just resolution of the Kosovo problem and proving to the world that it is Millosheviçi who does not want a political solution, but wants a new Bosnia in Kosovo.

The socialist government has earned the accurate label it has been building since the very first day in office: a government of corruption and smuggling. What remains after this is the other dark side: crime and political execution directed against the opposition. The Troika implied as much in its statement, while in the eyes of Albanian citizens it has appeared this way all too often. Albanians now know all too clearly who is governing them. They are people of corruption, thugs, criminals, smugglers, thieves; people who are against the state and its institutions, against the nation and against democracy. The government’s criminal history began with the communist uprising that it organized and led, and continued in another guise of crime—that of the state. In the Albanian parliament, a plan to eliminate Democratic leaders was devised and carried out, while inside its premises Azem Hajdari was lured there to be killed. In January of this year, three important PD activists were executed in Tropojë by Fatos Nano’s gangs, one of them among the founders of the PD in ’90: Abdyli Matoshi, Gjin Kokuzaj and Gezim Dardari. Likewise, in a typically fascist attack, the Democrat Bujar Suli was executed in front of his family in the village of Levan, in Fier, while arrests, death threats and persecution continued against hundreds of other Democrats throughout Albania. In Gjirokastër, one of the city’s first Democrats, Fredi Shehu, was killed, while in Lushnje it was Bashkim Shukari, former head of SHIK and a well-known Democrat. During the protests in Shkodër, a large group of Democrats was targeted, among them former Interior Minister Ali Kazazi. The chairman of the Commune Council, Sadik Ymeraj, was wounded by bullets fired by socialist gangs. For months, Democrats from Shkodër were routinely abused and tortured in police cells on false charges, while Ali Kazela was imprisoned because of his political views. Just a few days ago, the police arrested more than 20 Democrats from the Kolonjë district because they were members of the opposition. This entire wave of persecution is the product of this government’s distinct criminal character: the criminalization of SHIK, Fatos Nano’s political police, the infiltration of gangs into the police and the entire current administration. The opposition press has not escaped government persecution and violence either. There have been more than three attempted murders of journalists and executives of “RD” and “Albania”, while more than half of “RD”’s journalists are facing court proceedings brought by government ministers. Journalist Mujo Buçpapaj was wounded by bullets fired from a police Tipo. One of the current government’s defining aims is the pursuit, persecution and elimination of the opposition and its activists. No other conclusion is possible than that a government which is part of the rational, smuggling and corrupt mafia is waging war against the opposition, even with weapons. The tally of government crimes against the opposition is very high. In just one year, the government has already revealed itself as a political gang that recognizes neither political nor democratic morality. Such a government must be dismissed as soon as possible, for Albania’s sake, for the sake of the country’s future and democracy. No government anywhere in the world could remain standing for even a single day with the record it has built for itself.

Berisha received the OSCE Ambassador to Tirana, Daan Everts. The opposition’s position on the constitutional issue is praised The chairman of the PD, Prof. Dr. Sali Berisha, received the OSCE Ambassador to Albania, Daan Everts, at the latter’s request. At the meeting, Berisha discussed with Ambassador Everts the visit to Tirana by the European Parliamentary Troika, the Constitution, the situation in Kosovo, and the violence and terror inflicted on the opposition. Mr Berisha thanked Mr Everts for OSCE’s contribution to the electoral process in Albania. He also praised the European Parliamentary Troika’s open denunciation, in its statement, of corruption and violent crime in Albania, as well as Ambassador Everts’s denunciation of corruption yesterday in Shkodër. Ambassador Everts stressed that this phenomenon is a very serious concern for the OSCE, as is the particular problem of the rule of law functioning. Regarding the Constitution, Mr Berisha said that replacing the blocking minority, as recommended by the Troika, was fully acceptable to us. If the governing coalition does not want to exclude the opposition from the constitutional process, it must accept the opposition deputies’ choice of the opposition’s co-chair of the constitutional commission; otherwise, we would be dealing with so-called “bureaucratic pluralism” of the kind known in some communist countries for decades under communist rule. Ambassador Everts praised the opposition’s position on the Constitution and suggested that it submit its proposals to parliament. Regarding Kosovo, the interlocutors agreed that NATO intervention and reaching an agreement are the quickest and surest way to prevent the conflict from spreading. The meeting included extensive discussion of the attacks and political killings of recent months, as well as the latest wave of arrests in Tirana and Kolonjë, which have placed the Albanian opposition in a situation of unprecedented violence and terror. Ambassador Everts stressed that the OSCE is very concerned about these killings and that independent investigations are essential to bring the truth to light. “We are aware,” he stressed, “that there are problems with the rule of law not functioning in Albania, while the cases you have raised are a serious concern and must be investigated independently.”

Doctors: Avoid walking from 10 in the morning until 6 in the evening ON PAGE 5

Breaking news — Great news from the World Bank After Nano’s fifth launch of the campaign against smuggling, the World Bank has delivered the great news: Albania takes first place. Mazi’s TV reporters, masters at producing sensations about Albania whenever it took first place in food, have also put out the sensational news that Nano’s government has made Albania number one in corruption. Albania had gone so far that it even surpassed Ukraine. This news has delighted all Albanians, who have said, “How lucky we are to have this government.” The World Bank, pleased with the results achieved, has declared that money will flow like a river to Albania. Meanwhile, Finance Minister Arben Malaj is expected to receive a gold bracelet from Prime Minister Nano at an official ceremony today, in recognition of the success achieved.

Solana in Tirana yesterday

Returns “The Black File” “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.

ON PAGE 3 Police: The Balli Kombëtar must be destroyed

- Alarm in the Brazilian camp over Fenomeni’s weight. Ronaldo has gained 7 kilos - “Brazil is not an unbeatable team.” Helveg, Denmark’s well-known midfielder, speaks - Interview with Italian coach Cesare Maldini: “Against France, everything” - What will happen today. (Analysis) SPECIAL SECTION ON PAGES 10–11