The events of March ’97 summon Fino, Imami and Peshkëpia ON PAGE 4

The bridges in Gjirokastër return to TNT ON PAGE 4

Creditors protest against the distribution scheme ON PAGE 5

ON PAGE 2 The Italian press sounds the alarm again: “Watch out, Italy. Albania is in catastrophe.” Even the leftists themselves are turning their backs on Fatos Nano’s government

Rugova is expected to meet Millosheviç in Belgrade today, perhaps in the first serious attempt to melt some of the iceberg between Albanians and Serbs. No miracle or historic result can be expected from this first meeting, but meanwhile Rugova’s journey to the centre of Serbian power has no compelling reason to be prejudged. The twice-elected leader of the Albanians of Kosovo sets out for Belgrade today, more encouraged, but in some cases also anathematized by Albanians themselves. Among the voices of opposition, that of Adem Demaçi stands out, but the latter’s arguments are too unclear to saddle Rugova with the stone of shame. Demaçi now champions his refusal to hold talks with Millosheviç, just as something has begun to change, citing the overused arguments that justice is on the Albanians’ side, since it has been on their side for more than the past 100 years. All the more so when those who have been political trenches against Rugova today do not have a single rifle of the UÇK fighters under their control. Meanwhile, Tirana has generally welcomed the news of the high-level Albanian-Serbian meeting, but it is mistaken to think this was done in unison. The government and the opposition have entirely different nuances when it comes to supporting Rugova. While the Democratic Party and the other smaller opposition parties are consistent in their pro-LDK and President Rugova positions, there is a [garbled passage] in Belgrade. Nano’s supporters are already experiencing premature, patient enthusiasm, seeing Rugova’s meeting with Millosheviç as a washing away of Nano’s Crete burden. The prime minister’s supporters have already begun to [garbled] Nano, calling him Rugova’s predecessor in the meeting with Millosheviç, thereby exposing the harsh criticism and accusations that have come at him from all sides of the Albanian world. But if the opposition treated the Crete meeting as treason, not a comma can be taken away from that assessment, because it can already be said that there can be no similarity between Nano’s meeting and Rugova’s meeting with Millosheviç. The accusations against Nano were not made because he met with Millosheviç, since that would have been normal, but because of the outcome of the meeting. Immediately after Crete, Nano attacked the parallel Albanian authorities, whereas today he is compelled to accept them as legitimate, even by Millosheviç himself. Nano spoke to him of a community of Kosovo Albanians (Kosovars, as he calls them), whereas today Serbs and Albanians will face each other as parties to negotiations. For all these reasons, whatever events unfold today and later, the burden of Crete will remain hanging around Nano’s neck. The Rugova–Millosheviç meeting has an American passport, and there is no longer any doubt about it, at least because of the lack of [garbled passage]. Looking towards Belgrade with the olive branch he has held in his hand throughout his life, Rugova is strongly motivated to show the US and the West once again the great constancy for which he has been called by Albanians not only “the butcher” of the Balkans. Millosheviç and Rugova will face each other in the “new Republic,” which will be the government where all Serbian and Albanian claims for the future will clash. Albanians no longer have [garbled passage] to sew up at the Belgrade meeting, nor [garbled passage] the evils said, for the most part, to have been inflicted by the Serbs. In the worst case, if the Serbs show some tolerance, Rugova can convince himself and the many Albanians who support him, as well as more foreigners, that a stable institutional policy of peaceful patience must be demonstrated. Astrit PATOZI the road to Belgrade, more encouraged, but in some cases also denounced by the Albanians themselves. Among the critical voices, that of Adem Demaci stands out, but the latter is far too unclear in his arguments to lay the stone of shame on Rugova’s shoulders. Demaci justifies his refusal to hold talks with Millosheviç precisely by citing the reasons why such a meeting is being held. The chairman of the Parliamentary Party of Kosovo says that there can be no meeting with the Serbian leader as long as the massacres by Millosheviç’s police and army continue in Kosovo. In reality, Millosheviç and Rugova have agreed to meet precisely because many Albanians and Serbs are being killed, although, numerically speaking, in this unequal war the Albanians are suffering the most. Last night, Rexhep Qosja was on the same side as Demaci, so their critics should understand that they are against any negotiations with the Serbs not because of what they invariably call “capitulation,” but because they themselves are not at the table with Millosheviç. Likewise, the so-called absence of a third party at the table could in no way be a reason for refusing the meeting. Rugova and Millosheviç have each made some concessions in order to begin a dialogue with one another, but it is not at all difficult to see that it is the Serbs who have lost more of their former positions. At today’s meeting with Rugova, Millosheviç is for the first time accepting the Kosovo Albanians as a party, whereas until yesterday they were recognized as their representatives only by those who agreed to call them citizens of his shaken Kosovo. Meanwhile, what Rugova is being criticized so severely for—the absence of a third party—is far less serious than Demaci’s patriotic-folkloric excuse. First, one cannot speak of an absence, given that the meeting is being attended by Western powers such as Clinton and Richard Holbrooke. If Rugova himself was not present at the first Albanian-Serb talks in Belgrade, his flag will not be represented at today’s meeting either, but the two parties will discuss this only later, “as a third party.” This does not mean that the Albanians are entirely on an equal footing with the Serbs, but at the very least, before the meeting there was little reason to believe they would appear with arrows drawn in a confrontation between Rugova’s side and Millosheviç. Meanwhile, the government has not ...

Pollo and Topalli meet with students of “Luigj Gurakuqi” University Pollo: The 1997 election practically showed that it had failed, because the Nano government, the product of this election, has failed both in the economy, with prices rising, and in establishing public order, with people being killed every day, as well as in all other areas. Pollo: The 1997 election practically showed that it had failed, because the Nano government, the product of this election, has failed both in the economy, with prices rising, and in establishing public order, with people being killed every day, as well as in all other areas ON PAGE 2

The Nano government, a government of terror 66 percent of them expressed support for the death penalty in the Constitution, and 27 percent are against the death penalty ON PAGE 3

Berisha meets with the Chairman of the Bundestag’s Committee on Internal Affairs, Uelhof The chairman of the DP, Sali Berisha, received yesterday at the party headquarters the chairman of the German Bundestag’s Committee on Internal Affairs, Mr. Uelhof. After thanking the German state and government and various German institutions for the great assistance they have given Albania and the Albanian people during the years of democracy, the chairman of the DPSh presented his German guest with a broad analysis of the domestic situation in Albania, focusing on the main and most important aspects of the crisis gripping the country under socialist rule. Berisha set out the deep institutional, financial, political and social crisis and the complete absence of public order, drawing attention to the most dangerous dynamic of instability in Albania today, where one of the basic factors is repression and violence against the democratic opposition, the intensification of smuggling and, in particular, the links between organized crime and important segments of the state. Berisha also expressed to his German guest the concern and efforts of the Democratic Party, as the largest opposition party, to help bring about realistic improvements in the situation in Albania. He mentioned the many concrete steps taken by the Democratic Party, including extending invitations to the government majority to cooperate on the most serious problems facing the country, such as the lack of public order, disarming the population, and the fight against organized crime, etc. The democratic opposition has offered cooperation to the government majority, but in response has received violence and political repression. The DP leader emphasized that we have offered our cooperation on the Constitution, asking that the opposition’s MPs choose the co-chair of the constitutional commission and that the Union for Democracy have 34% representation on this commission. These demands were also rejected by the governing coalition. For his part, Uelhof, pointed out that the opposition has the right to choose its own chairman on the commission, and that compromise is essential: the constitution must be the product of compromise, not of a single political force. He thanked Berisha for his extensive analysis of the situation in Albania and suggested that the Democratic Party should inform European countries, the Council of Europe and the relevant institutions about the acts of political violence committed against the DP. He noted that he himself would inform the Parliament and institutions in Germany about these problems and other issues observed in Albania. At the end of his remarks, addressing Berisha, Uelhof stressed that you have achieved a great deal in Germany; they follow your work with interest and appreciate your activities and those of your party.

The DP denounces Skënderi’s murder. Suspicious silence from senior officials and the Albanian media ON PAGE 3

Tirana Municipality: State funding is far too small ON PAGE 5

Without a tobacco law, Albania is losing more than 60,000 jobs Albanians are poor because of ignorance. The revenues that would be generated by normal operations are far greater than the losses caused by smuggling. Albanians are poor because of ignorance. The revenues that would be generated by normal operations are far greater than the losses caused by smuggling ON PAGE 5

Italian Prime Minister Prodi with former Prime Minister Fino during a press conference in Tirana, one year ago

Vice-Chairman of the Media Commission: The law must serve democracy and not certain political forces Members of the National Council of the PDSh, deputy chairmen and branch secretaries are hereby informed that on Sunday, 17 May 1998, at 11:00, a meeting of the National Council will be held in Tirana, with the following agenda: 1. The organizational functioning of the PDSh structures and the near-term program for improving and invigorating their political activity (Report by the Organizational Secretary, Mr. Fatos Beja, on behalf of the Presidium’s inspection group, followed by discussion) 2. Discussion and approval of the draft resolution concerning the situation created in the country following the unconstitutional decisions regarding the Constitutional Court. 3. Discussion and approval of the draft regulations governing the functioning of the Party’s central forums (Note: Copies of the materials to be discussed are available from the Organization Secretary.) ON PAGE 3