Three police ambushes of Shaban Memisha on the Durrës–Tirana road. Illegal search of the MP’s luggage and then the abduction of all his personal belongings Numerous forces brought in from Tirana used force and then seized everything they found in the car ON PAGE 2

The South’s committees against the North Nano has not given up his attack against the North. Prepared back when Neritan Ceka was Minister of the Interior, the attack against the North has only expanded following the testimony from Shkodra. The former interior minister had publicly stated several times that a plan was being prepared “against crime” in the North of the country. Even then, the opposition denounced this plan as one with political aims, linked to the resistance of the North’s residents to the communist government. In fact, the government made several attempts to create a situation favorable to intervention in the North. One such attempt was the attack prepared against Azem Hajdari in Milot, and later in Tropojë. However, the most flagrant case, which fully exposed the government’s aims, was the Shkodra incident. Havar’s dispatch, the provocation he subjected the people of Shkodra to, the arrest of Gjeorgji Deda, and then the staging of the attack on the police station after the police had left—all of it had been planned. The aim was to set Shkodra on fire, since it had not burned during the rebellion, and then accuse the opposition of doing so. And, in fact, that is what happened. Dozens of young men from Shkodra were arrested for no reason at all, simply because they were Democrats, or because they were among the most committed Democrats. Those arrested were precisely the most determined Democrats, the very people these rulers had feared even in ’90. They arrested those who toppled Stalin’s statue, people whom Nano’s clique has always feared. By arresting them, Nano thought he had carried out part of the plan and that afterwards he would make them behave themselves. But the North did not react that way; on the contrary, the situation was getting ready to turn against him. The protests and denunciations that Democrats made everywhere over these arrests forced Nano to release the young men from Shkodra very quickly. But why has Nano returned once again to attacking the North? The new stance of the Albanian opposition, a stance involving resistance to this criminal power, has frightened Nano again, and he feels that once more the firm confrontation by Democrats and the democratic resistance in Shkodra—the city in which Nano has not a single good memory—are shaking the prime minister’s chair. It was precisely for this reason that Nano decided to resume the attack against the North. Two days ago Nano convened the Security Committee, which should more accurately be called the Southern Committee, and ordered the attack on the North. Having no confidence in Teta’s police, Nano assigned the command of the operation to the turncoat Kastriot Islami. Thus Kaqi will now have the opportunity to finally fulfill his desire to break the Democrats’ ranks. The attack has supposedly been justified as a fight against crime, smuggling, drug trafficking and the trafficking of illegal migrants, but even the most recent Albanian knows very well that 90% of these activities do not take place in the North but in the South of Albania. Albanians know very well that boats bound for Italy cannot set off from Valbona or the Buna. It is also clear that nobody could reach Valbona, while because of the climate not a single gram of cannabis can grow in the plots of the people of Tropojë. All this happens only in the home territory of the committees, while it is directed by the committees themselves, which are in the government, the police, the army and SHIK. So it is quite clear what kind of fight this is and who it is against. Nano wants to spread terror in order to make the Democrats’ resistance easier to crush. It seems that the killings and punishments so far have not been enough for the gangster prime minister, or have not had the effect he expected. But although this should have made him reflect, Nano has not managed to learn the proper lesson. He should have understood that violence not only does not frighten Democrats, but on the contrary unites them and makes them more determined. Thus Nano should know that if he dares to provoke the Democrats in the north of the country again by sending them his committees’ thugs and other people, he risks setting off reactions with extremely serious consequences for him and the other people in power. There is another aspect from which Nano’s order should be viewed. It is well known that the North has opened its doors to its brothers from Kosovo. Northern Albania is the only place where they find shelter and protection from Serbian massacres. By sending SHIK and the police against the North, Nano is also sending them against the Albanians of Kosovo. It would be good if Nano really sent forces to the North to fight the Serbs, but he is sending them to fight the Democrats. In any case, if Nano dares to carry out what he has declared, he will soon understand that he has made his final mistake. In practice, this is an extreme action, and its consequences will be extreme. Nevertheless, perhaps the time has come for this government to finally get what it deserves. Nano is seeking his own downfall.

The government clique continues violence and political killings against the opposition ON PAGE 3

Hopes of getting the money back are fading. From 100 percent to 1 percent Hopes of getting the money back are fading. From 100 percent to 1 percent Creditors return to street protests ON PAGE 5

The chief customs officer and smuggler demands prison for the female journalists of “RD” and “Albania” ON PAGE 7

Thousands of Tirana citizens honor those killed by Fatos Nano’s dictatorial regime. The protesters march along “Dëshmorët e Kombit” Boulevard

“Union for Democracy” warns government officials not to touch the property of the companies Tenders for government purchases of the assets of pyramid-scheme companies are turning into laundromats for cleaning dirty money, smuggling proceeds and other government-run trafficking ON PAGE 3

PD deputy chairman Genc Pollo invites the left-wing coalition to reflect positively on the constitutional roundtable The deputy chairman of PD, Genc Pollo, invites the left-wing coalition to reflect positively on the constitutional roundtable PD awaits an official response from PS Failure to reach an agreement cannot guarantee a secure foundation for the constitution ON PAGE 3

The opposition welcomes news of the formation of a new government in Kosovo Political unity in Kosovo shows that the efforts by Millosheviç and his supporters to divide the Albanian factor and the KLA are failing ON PAGE 3

The Association of Former Political Prisoners warns the communist government Osman Kazazi undertakes to lead and unite all former political prisoners throughout the country ON PAGE 4

Government insiders dissatisfied with PS ON PAGE 3

The neodictatorship targets the writer, journalist and former political prisoner under the Hoxha regime SHIK mistreated Bedri Myftarin The platform of physical attacks and state terror against journalists and press freedom constitutes one of the ugliest features of Albania’s neocommunist dictatorship ON PAGE 3

The capital’s protesters placing the bust on the steps of the Prime Minister’s Office Photos: Albes FUSHA The capital’s protesters placing the bust on the steps of the Prime Minister’s Office. Photos: Albes FUSHA

On 01.07.1998, Saturday, at 11:00, the meeting of the Tirana branch will be held. The meeting will take place in the Dea Hall, at the Palace of Culture.