The meat of cows and livestock spreads the infectious disease ON PAGE 5

The director of prisons, secure in his seat ON PAGE 4

The Court of Cassation clarifies matters for the Minister of Justice ON PAGE 4

NATO’s general staffs, as well as national general staffs in the United States, Britain or France, have apparently studied the various military responses they could make to the crisis in Kosovo

Chrome, the treasure that government officials have begun to plunder How the 15 thousand residents of Batrra survive, abandoned to their fate Chrome, the treasure that government officials have begun to plunder Miners treated like slaves How the 15 thousand residents of Batrra survive, abandoned to their fate The government...

“Union for Democracy” calls for Nano 4 to step down and for a government supported by all parties The Contact Group failed in Rome. The Nano 4 government is a closing of ranks among smuggling clans in the triangle of the prime minister – deputy prime minister and minister of Finance ON PAGE 3

Genc Pollo meets residents of Tirana’s No. 1 neighborhood

The conference of the LDG in the Vlora district was held

SPECIAL REPORT ON PAGE 7 Photo: Albes FUSHA A grocery vendor in Batër looking at the debtors’ list...

Genc Pollo meets residents of Tirana’s No. 1 neighborhood residents: The government of misery must go Many citizens complained that the police were terrorizing them for political reasons. “I am 70 years old,” said one of them, explaining how the police had taken him from his home in the middle of the night and beaten him. Other participants also recounted episodes of violence by the police. ON PAGE 2

The conference of the LDG in the Vlora district was held held Women of Vlora: “We want new elections” ON PAGE 2

If a serious reshuffle of his coalition government were to be made, as it should be, first, because the government has not kept its promise to return the money and has not kept its promise to create jobs; second, because the government is accused of smuggling and trafficking; and third, because the government has failed to restore order. The promise to return the money was made by the current prime minister, Fatos Nano, as was the promise to create a large number of new jobs, up to 200,000. And once again, it is Fatos Nano who is in charge. Thus, the man who devised this deception and used it as an electoral card in last year’s elections has not been removed by this government’s majority. In practice, Socialist power rests on a deception on which more than half of the votes that went to the Socialists on June 29 were counted. Likewise, the ministers who were dismissed—most of them, at least—were not accused of involvement in smuggling. The name of Dades was never mentioned as that of a smuggler, nor were the names of Vukajt, Llatroni or Perpali. The people involved in smuggling have remained in government: the deputy prime minister, the minister, the prime minister’s adviser, the finance minister, and another group of people close to Nano, who currently wield considerable power, including in the field of police companies or in positions of responsibility in the districts. Also not removed from this list is someone close to Nano who can sit very near him; in particular, his shadowy associate is involved in smuggling and trafficking at customs and in the smuggling of pirate [unclear] Albanian [unclear]. Meanwhile, the Minister of Public Order has been replaced, and the reason for his replacement has nothing to do with foreign policy; it is connected to the clan clashes within the Socialists. Çeka’s departure and Teta’s arrival are not expected to change much in the restoration of order, since nothing has changed in the approach to restoring order or collecting weapons. Teta himself has no authority to select the staff, since a draft law prepared for a Socialist ministry has left this power with the prime minister. The arrival of a new Minister of Defence might perhaps be a new development in this government’s poor record, if for no other reason than that Albanian officers and soldiers will no longer have at their head someone who, as soon as he starts work or service, reminds them of the person responsible for the Albanian army’s [unclear] last year—in other words, the infamous man of the cellphone. Moreover, Nano 4 begins its first day in office with, in addition to the fact that it has been approved by a Parliament considered acceptable for the moment, constitutional violations concerning the appointment of the prime minister, who is considered legitimate because his decree was renewed when the composition of the government structure changed. Meanwhile, the old government approved two days ago will not enjoy the support it had on June 29. The country has sunk into poverty and economic crisis, while no Western assistance for the collapsing economy has even been discussed. Thus, the moral support that the Socialist government had in its first months is missing, as are the other Socialists and the credibility of those who no longer act in the name of the government but in the name of a group in power. The Socialists have dropped their masks, and this has become clear to ordinary people as well as to the opposition, the judiciary, the administration, etc. For all these reasons, this government’s celebrations will be very short, perhaps as short as maternity leave was in Hoxha’s time.

Berisha received Tsasos, a renowned Greek constitutional scholar PD Chairman Berisha met yesterday with the renowned Greek constitutional scholar Dimitrios Tsasos, a member of the European Parliament, with whom he discussed issues concerning the constitutional process in Albania. Berisha briefed Prof. Tsasos on the latest political developments in Albania, as well as on the serious constitutional violations by the Albanian government and parliament against the judiciary and the Constitutional Court. At the meeting, they exchanged views on possible forms and ways of reaching a political compromise in the process of drafting the constitution. Berisha particularly focused on the proposals that “Union for Democracy” had made to the majority concerning the constitutional commission’s co-chairmanship by a person chosen by the opposition rather than appointed by the majority, as well as guaranteeing the opposition a blocking minority on the commission. Prof. Tsasos considered these demands just and reasonable.

A political court under Nano’s orders The roundabout route that part of the capital was made to endure yesterday, solely to impose an arrest measure—even against a citizen as controversial as Vehbi Alimuçaj—has left people with a truly bitter impression, one that will hardly be forgotten any time soon. ON PAGE 4

The government plans to draw more money from company coffers to cover the budget deficit After Nano’s deception, the government is preparing its next robbery of the Albanians ON PAGE 3

Breaking news In his speech in Parliament, Prime Minister Nano, speaking about the failings of his government, blamed the democratic opposition, which does not exert constant pressure on and oversight of the government to prevent it from falling into smuggling, corruption and organized crime as well. Prime Minister Nano went on: “The ministers we dismissed were not removed because they had worked badly or made mistakes. On the contrary, they worked conscientiously and with dedication, and their achievements in their sectors are evident. That is why we dismissed them too.”

Laço: In the local elections, with joint candidates The invitation to Balli Kombëtar and the Republican Party remains open ON PAGE 3

Tirana Court rules at 20:00 At 8 p.m. yesterday, the decisions on security measures for the President of VEFA Company and his associates were handed down at the Court of First Instance. The security measure imposed on Vehbi Alimuçaj by the Tirana Court was 15 days in prison. For his associates, the security measure imposed on Kujtim Dervishi was 5 days in prison, while Vangjelica Merkaj and Edmond Leskajna were ordered to report to this Court. All the decisions were handed down by Judge Altina Gjorqaj.

ë to hin per pla-rec-kur n rë e atje tëm fu-isë. rla-700 ren-ër-saj me: emi der alaj dy arrë në-tije sin-uk ti në pu-uk KA it h 1 e me ish-a tël-mi ne të bki