A note from the OSCE offices was issued yesterday after the official statement by the PD The West demands written guarantees for respect of the European troika package: “The prime minister must speak out on parliament, the courts, the administrative revanche, and the return of former secret police agents” International commentary. The moves of the official head of the Albanian government, Fatos Nano, in the capital of Kosovo have seriously concerned not only diplomacy in Tirana and the international community in Pristina, but also Western chanceries, which are continuously monitoring this behavior. The strong-toned reaction did not take long to come from the European OSCE office, based in Copenhagen. Albania’s President Mejdani has also been informed about this, while a report has also been requested from our ambassador there. The director of the OSCE office for Central Europe, apparently appointed also to higher bodies than that one, informed the press office near the Albanian prime minister yesterday that for any meeting or statement with representatives from these regions or with international figures from other countries, this office must be officially notified. According to her, Nano’s pretext that the meeting with acting prime minister Bukoshi was a continuation of diplomatic tradition cannot be taken into account after the recent crises in the region. The request that arrived in the official language of the Scandinavian countries contains several elements that have made politicians in our country blush, but it has given the opposition, which has not been compromised by backroom negotiations and mediation, the right. According to this note, the Prime Minister of Albania must officially declare whether his government is capable of recognizing the current parliament, not usurping the courts and the prosecutor’s office, not interfering in the administration through political revenge, and clarifying once and for all how far former State Security employees have penetrated the administration and the police. Only after these steps is the normalization of relations with the opposition and with international actors considered possible. There is a strong possibility that this new diplomatic pressure emerged as a reaction to the statement by the Democratic Party, which informed public opinion and the diplomatic corps that the Nano government is deviating from the European troika package and is installing a new model of political revenge. This note, according to diplomatic sources in Tirana, has been interpreted as a clear signal to put an end to the prime minister’s personal adventures. As the Austrian embassy itself clarified a few days ago, Western chanceries expect a clear position from Nano on resolving the crisis and on relations with the opposition. Otherwise, his political isolation in the region and in Europe will increase even further.

The UÇK army in front of the OSCE headquarters in Tirana Berisha welcomed the mayor of Sari, Korrieri Kone-Stamou, with great ceremony

It comes as a direct reaction to the distortion made by the Tirana media after the American Voice interview on Voice of America on Thursday. Under a large headline “The USA gives ground to Berisha” and with a long editorial titled “Who will govern Kosovo,” yesterday’s daily “Zëri i Popullit” quoted several fragments of State Department spokesman James Rubin’s statement, completely obscuring its meaning. This also prompted a reaction from the American agency AP, which carried Mr. Rubin’s statement in full. The American ambassador in Tirana, Mr. Limpreht, also made a statement on this issue yesterday. According to him, the USA unequivocally support the legitimate opposition in Albania, denounce political violence, and have asked the government to uphold democratic standards. He added that any other interpretation is media manipulation. After this clarification, it is clear that the attempt to portray the opposition as isolated has failed. The media close to the government has been put in an awkward position, while the public awaits a full explanation of the distortion of important international statements.

The prime minister delays his statement on the advisory package of the European trio It is a valuable recommendation from the OSCE mission in Tirana, to be implemented in full, and it serves not only to calm the situation but also the country’s European perspective. Nano is expected to decide clearly whether he will accept this package or not, including respect for the opposition, the courts, and the end of selective punishment. It is a valuable recommendation from the OSCE mission in Tirana, to be implemented in full, and it serves not only to calm the situation but also the country’s European perspective. The press vice-president of the OSCE in Tirana, Nikolo de Liko OSE-[?], explained in a press statement why the need for such a mission arose and what path should be followed next. According to his statement, representatives of the opposition and the majority must act responsibly in order to avoid tension and guarantee the normal functioning of the institutions. De Liko stated that this document is not an imposition, but a platform of understanding to take the country out of the political deadlock. He said that the Albanian government must respond as quickly as possible and make its position public. According to him, Nano’s delay does not help the political climate. The article continues on page 6.

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