How much it costs in Albania to become a minister ON PAGE 5

A call from the Union for Democracy. Protests until democracy is restored A call from the Union for Democracy. Protests until democracy is restored On Thursday, once again in “Skënderbej” Square Citizens of Tirana, all of you who call yourselves Albanian, all of you who want freedom and democracy and aspire to a secure future, well-being and prosperity, come out to the protest rally on Thursday, 29 October 1998, at 16:30 in “Skënderbej” Square. This protest rally has the noble purpose of compelling the state to bring to justice all the organizers and violators of the legend of Albanian identity, Azem Hajdari, to release the political prisoners, reinstate those who were dismissed from their jobs for taking part in Azem Hajdari’s funeral, and force the holding of early elections, so that democracy and national security may return to Albania. Everyone to “Skënderbej” Square on Thursday, 29.10.1998, at 16:30, against the government of continuity of crime, smuggling and anti-Albanianism!

The government is responsible for the Otranto tragedy. Italy’s Ministry of the Interior arrives in Tirana today with an ultimatum: Stop the illegal trafficking! Who can Mrs. Jervolino complain to? Her Albanian counterpart, Petro Koçi, set fire to his town hall with gasoline and has made sure that the smuggling routes for clandestine migrants in Vlora and elsewhere remain untouched

By Bardhyl Londo The Otranto Channel has now become the most infamous and most inhumane sea in the world. By every reckoning on earth, this is where human life is worth less than anywhere else, while the speedboat operators no longer have human faces like other speedboat operators, but have turned into criminals. Their cannibalism has now become one of the sea routes that separates Albania from Italy. And while opposition MPs and activists are being killed in the middle of Tirana, while the prosecution fills out arrest warrants for the ideological opponents of the present state, not one of the speedboat operators has yet appeared before Albanian justice. As long as they are free to throw women and children into the sea, as long as no one has thought to stop this heartless evil, everyone reaches the conclusion that these cannibals at the end of the 20th century are partners of the state, are its people, are the ones who gave today’s rulers their seats. Tirana’s parties boast of the speedboat operators and spare themselves; these are the rewards with which the state is paying off its obligations to them. And while fifteen human lives have been lost, the largest party in power may dismiss a few dead, because with these cannibals it can stage a sensational campaign stunt for the 29 June elections: the return of the money lost “by various routes and means.” Anyone can see that it is not at all difficult to stop or block the speedboats heading for Italy, so that they do not go out into the sea and collide with other people. So who is responsible for this situation? The question arises: is there a police force in Albania? What are we waiting for—the police chiefs not only to be dismissed, but for people to be sent before the firing squad? What are we waiting for before the new Minister of the Interior is held criminally responsible? All this happened while the responsible people were being protected, and no one has bothered to convene Parliament over this unprecedented tragedy. While an interpellation is being sought over this overturned tragedy, while the Otranto disaster took place when there was practically no state, no [unclear], no [unclear], and so on, and yet the events in Otranto are repeated when the dictatorship and [unclear] keep repeating and the police order is [unclear]? Jervolino and others are left helpless. Apparently, this is the present government’s idea of restoring order! Unsurprisingly, there is no shortage of unearned praise: “lawyers” and “governors” who find a solution for Milošević—and for whom? Why don’t they go and look in their own country? Milošević? “Shouldn’t the people leave him in the square?” But you cannot blame Milošević for the cannibalism of Albanian speedboat operators, because they do not set off from [unclear], from Ulcinj, nor do they leave from the Turkish coast, from where they could reach the rocks much faster. As for Italy, everyone now knows that the police are turning into a two-bit force, that tourists and investments are all leaving because of the “attacks” by Albanian speedboats. These end-of-the-20th-century crossings, besides countless innocent deaths, are also taking dozens of lives and causing profound human suffering: racism on the other side, revenge, standing in the eyes of the young man who has lost everything, including his children? The “losses” caused by the speedboat operators should bring even more suffering to the families and workers in the bay who have lost their livelihoods, as well as to business and investment in Albania. In the absence of an independent tribunal, the Albanian people’s [unclear] of the channel has appeared as “[unclear]”; responsibility for the Otranto speedboat disaster, at the meeting over the 36 deaths, has [unclear]... [the rest is illegible in the image]

Deputy Chairman of the CEC, Pëllumb Çela, meets Ambassador Everts Everts has expressed support for the ’94 version of the referendum law, considering it a more representative form of voting ON PAGE 2

The court kneels before crime If judges and prosecutors do not act in the name of the people and the law, but in the name of fear or money, then the rule of law that government officials make so much noise about will never be established in Albania ON PAGE 4

Paris insists on “conditionality” for aid to Albania ON PAGE 3

The tragedy near Sazan Island reignites controversy in Italy. The Tirana government is responsible for the trafficking of clandestine migrants ON PAGE 3

Topalli meets the Pope in Rome ON PAGE 3

PD activities held in several districts of the country ON PAGE 2

Today, 46 days since the murder of the December leader Every day that passes since the murder of Azem Hajdari, the symbol of democracy and pluralism, proves the involvement of Fatos Nano’s government and its successor in the crime that shook the entire Albanian world. The former communists’ governments, which have allowed the criminals who took the life of the December Leader to go free and unpunished, show Albanians that they were and are on the side of the killers, who have names and identities but are untouched by those in power. Democrats and all Albanians who loved and honored Azem Hajdari can in no way tolerate this fact. The government must either capture the criminals and bring them to justice, or publicly declare that it itself committed the murder of Azem Hajdari. ON PAGE 2

PD Chairman Sali Berisha pays his respects at the BSPSH headquarters ON PAGE 4

Lazarat honors the historic leader of Albanian pluralism ON PAGE 2

Construction of the New Terminal at Rinas has been delayed by the Ministry of Transport for about a year and a half ON PAGE 2

The talks behind closed doors will divert attention from the problem of revenue shortfalls, as well as from smuggling and corruption, which are among the highest in Europe ON PAGE 2

All members of the National Council of FRPDSH are hereby notified that the meeting of the National Council of FRPDSH will be held on Wednesday, 28.10.1998, at 11:00. The Presidium of FRPDSH

The National Council of the Democratic Party will meet on Thursday, 29 October, at 11:00. The meeting will be held at the PD central headquarters. The PD parliamentary group is also invited to attend.