The Speaker of Parliament seeks to distort the agreement on the independent investigative group The Speaker has in mind for the Verification Commission, on the Hajdari case, to be made up entirely of MPSA, and thinks the matter depends on Dokle and the Parliament’s fanatical Communists

Agents commanded from Tirana continue replacing those dismissed ON PAGE 5

Customs officers commanded from Tirana continue replacing those dismissed ON PAGE 4

[?] Iron smuggling stops the owner[?] ON PAGE 5

By Sami PATOZI Even so, it was insufficient, not accompanied by more concrete actions and still dependent on the government’s will to carry out such a concession. Indeed, what was seen as a first attempt to yield to the opposition on responsibilities directly linked to the killing of Azem Hajdari proved counterproductive. The opposition left it at that and proposed a simple formula to this majority: reinstating those dismissed to the posts they had held and replacing them through competition. Thus, for example, the government’s failure to find a solution for the chief of police of Tirana, Ahmet Prençi, showed that it was not serious about opening the way to the climate of trust that had accompanied the Berisha-Majko meeting. When an Albanian minister finds it difficult to implement the government’s decision to return a high-ranking police official to his former post, it is easy to understand that the prime minister does not really control the situation. Perhaps they are afraid of the aggressive segment of the Socialist Party, which has almost entirely won this battle, although not officially. What seemed like a second victory for the opposition after the constitution of the parliamentary commission on the Hajdari case is turning into a defeat, because it is consciously forgetting, or ignoring, the first formula of compromise. Meanwhile, the government’s position regarding the independent investigative group for the tragedy of 12 September remains unclear. The Speaker of Parliament, Skënder Gjinushi, has gone too far in taking on the executive’s obligations. His statement yesterday that the investigative group he was negotiating with the opposition would consist only of judicial police officers was enough to expose the prime minister. He may have thought he was helping to move the agreement forward, but he did the opposite. Because with that statement he killed, while remaining faithful to his old convictions, the possibility of building a mechanism that would be credible for the opposition and public opinion. There can be no independent investigative group if it is made up only of judicial police officers, since it is under the direct authority of the government. That alone was enough to rule out the idea of a truly impartial and professional group. On the contrary, the opposition has demanded that independent experts, jurists and undisputed figures also be included, precisely so that the truth does not become a victim of political interest. Gjinushi’s statements served more to camouflage the majority’s real aim than to uncover the truth. In this way, the Berisha-Majko meeting remains hostage to the government. ON PAGE 7, CONTINUES

In an appearance before the opposition media, he argues against the actions of the Prosecutor’s Office leadership [?] ON PAGE 4

The U.S. undersecretary of state urges the government and the opposition to defuse the serious situation Mali praised the coalition government, but considers it important to “address some very important issues for the country’s future.” The opposition yesterday praised the undersecretary’s stance, saying that she had effectively rejected the idea of an exodus toward a class unfit for the new process. This statement by the high-ranking American official represents clear support for exerting the proper pressure on the government so that it fulfills the obligations arising from the agreement with the opposition. The U.S. undersecretary of state, Strobe Talbott[?]/Mali[?], stressed that the United States supports the democratic process in Albania and that particular events or incidents must not be allowed to disrupt its progress. She underlined the importance of dialogue and respect for the commitments undertaken by the parties. ON PAGE 2 In the photo with Mr. Gjondromin S.[?] and Ambassador Males[?], it concludes together with her guests.

From “Mali”: Berisha to Majko’s “commitment” ON PAGE 3

Shkëlqimi Ismaili[?]: Jadare[?] Përfshina-Majko[?]: The Albanian issue is moving closer to a good outcome, despite setbacks[?] ON PAGE 3

ON PAGE 4

ON PAGE 2

ON PAGE 2

The trend is for the winter price of produce to be no less than 100 lek per kilogram ON PAGE 6