The government, the cover for smuggling

Smuggling files have been in Malaj’s and the Prosecutor’s offices for four months ON PAGE 5

Vlora welcomes the Democrats today

The Democratic Party will demonstrate today in Vlora its vitality and resurgence, with the morale and strength of the country’s most important political force. Vlora will welcome the Democrats today at a meeting, the largest since last year, which has been awaited with extraordinary interest for more than a week, not only in the city but also in the surrounding areas. Some of the Democratic Party’s leading figures will travel to Vlora today to talk with the Democrats of Vlora. Genc Pollo, Jozefina Topalli, Leonard Demi, Azem Hajdari, Ylli Vejsiu are among the Democratic Party leaders who will speak tomorrow before the people of Vlora about the political crisis gripping the country and ways to resolve it. The meeting, which is expected to begin at 11:00, will be held at the city’s Palace of Sports. The rally’s organizing group has distributed around 3,000 invitations to residents, while many others—Democrats from neighboring districts—are also expected to take part in this demonstration of the Democratic Party’s strength. Meanwhile, many Democratic Party leaders and activists, from Shkodra to Korçë, have expressed a desire to greet Vlora and announced that they will arrive there. The highly enthusiastic atmosphere of recent days promises a model rally in terms of its organization, attendance, and quality. Vlora has long shown that it has nothing in common with communism and that it will remain forever a symbol of patriotism for all Albanians, wherever they may be. Along with Vlora today will be not only the leaders of the Democratic Party, whose speeches are awaited with extraordinary interest, but also Democrats from all over Albania. Vlora has decided to turn the gathering and rally of Democrats in the city of the flag and national patriotism into a true celebration. The people of Vlora will welcome today

Released military personnel: Bread and status [Sign on the placard:] RELEASED MILITARY PERSONNEL ARE NOT ASKING FOR PRIVILEGES OR CHARITY, BUT FOR JUSTICE [Writing on placards, partly visible:] ... MOSH ... JUSTICE ... TARAKËT ... STATUS

Fino lets 12 trucks through

Major smuggling at the Kakavijë customs point Major smuggling through Kakavijë Customs. Twelve trucks loaded with smuggled goods, escorted by Fino’s men, passed through customs without completing any customs-clearance procedures. This was reported by citizens from Gjirokastër, who were able to recognize the people escorting them. Sources from Kakavijë said that none of them paid customs duties, while they travelled undisturbed along the national highway. The 12 trucks encountered no police checkpoints, while public figures in Gjirokastër denounced this theft to the press. The chief of the Gjirokastër police station, Dida, said that he had seen nothing, and later made the same statement politically. Deputy Prime Minister Fino has been repeatedly accused by the press and media of being one of the country’s smuggling bosses. Yet, despite such accusations, Nano appointed him to head the government’s anti-smuggling commission as well. In this way, smuggling has acquired considerable state power, while international institutions in Tirana themselves regard it as one of the most serious wounds afflicting the already ruined Albanian economy. Within a short time, several police station chiefs have been appointed in Gjirokastër; it is understood that all the government leaders have sent in a person of their own.

Serbs bomb up to 2 km from the border

The Minister of Defense inspects the northern border ON PAGE 4

Arbnori: The diaspora is freezing investments

The U.S. administration is concerned about Albania in the aftermath of the rebellion. Albanians in the U.S. are waiting for the former communists to leave power “The U.S. has a strong predisposition toward resolving the Kosovo issue through peaceful means”

Klod Heg: Full independence for local government

The President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe is concerned about the Council of Europe’s lack of presence in Albania of the Council of Europe is concerned about the Council of Europe’s lack of presence in Albania Klod Heg: Full independence for local government The Council of Europe will monitor the partial local elections ON PAGE 2

Yesterday, the protest by discharged military personnel in “Skënderbej” Square

The scenario for Shehu’s dismissal is being prepared

The state seeks the final dismantling of the judicial branch of government ON PAGE 4

The Republic seeks prison for the monarch

King Leka I’s case file arrives at the Court ON PAGE 4

Government, the money or your resignation

The VEFA creditors’ association, Tirana branch, writes ON PAGE 5 DELOITTE & TOUCHE AWAY FROM VEFA

Explosives blow up the “Klajbin” Bar-Restaurant

ON PAGE 4

Fehmi Abdiu’s resignation is demanded

The first petitions arrive for the head of the Constitutional Court: He violated Hoxha’s laws when he sentenced Havzi Nela to hanging in 1988 ON PAGE 3

Meidani: I postponed the elections

The President publicly acknowledges the opposition’s accusations President Meidani publicly accepted yesterday responsibility for postponing the early local elections. During a meeting with the president of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities... ON PAGE 3

Minarolli: Monitoring should be written into law

Soon, Parliament will legalize licenses for private television stations The DP’s Public Relations Secretary expresses reservations about the Ulcinj project ON PAGE 3

Socialist MP threatens Luka

Government officials demand the dismissal of the head of Orenjë commune The head of Thekëludin Luka Koka commune in Ndërthurje has become the choice in this commune; the DP wins again, with votes also going to the Socialist candidates ON PAGE 2

The opposition has been left out of the process

Bushati: Gjinushi, Majko and Godo are holding up the drafting of the constitution ON PAGE 3

NATO, not on the Albania–Kosovo border

Call by the North Atlantic Organization in Albania ON PAGE 2