Grand rally in Skënderbej Square on Tuesday On 12 January 1999 at 12:00, a grand rally will be held in Skënderbej Square in Tirana in remembrance of this month’s anniversary of the murder of the hero of democracy, tribune of Albanian nationalism, Azem Hajdari. Democrats of Tirana and all Albania! Let us all gather in Skënderbej Square to protest the murder of the immortal hero, Azem Hajdari; the government’s silence, which protects Azem’s killers; the extrajudicial killings of dozens and hundreds of other Democrats; and the violence and arrests that continue to be directed at the opposition. Everyone to the square to stand up to the neo-dictatorship! Everyone to the square against crime and misery! Everyone to the square for Azem Hajdari! Everyone with Azem — everyone for Azem!

Goga extends the preliminary investigation deadline for Shamata ON PAGE 3

Serbs violate Albanian airspace. Flights from Prizren to villages in Kukës and Has ON PAGE 2 Official sources have not said whether the aircraft fired on Albanian territory, or whether there was any response from the Albanian army, which has reinforced its presence on the northern border following the outbreak of fighting in Kosovo

Another massacre in the coastal city. Two young men and a young woman under a hail of Kalashnikov bullets. Only the fourth survives The 27-year-olds Afrim Muçalaj and Blerim Meshani, both from Vora, and a 22-year-old Romanian woman identified by the name Daniela were found dead after a hail of bullets. Meanwhile, 25-year-old Miranda Muçalaj, also from Vora, was wounded and is in serious condition at Durrës Hospital ON PAGE 4

By Edi PALOKA The close of ’98 seemed to bring hope not only for politics, but for all Albanians. The dialogue begun between the government and the opposition seemed likely to smooth out at least the political problems in Albania, thus also offering a guarantee for

A political solution in everyone’s interest

More than 2,300 Italian investors have been forced to leave over the past two years Urso: “Businesspeople told us that criminal clans within the Tirana authorities, in collaboration with mafia clans, have systematically targeted Italian investors over the past two years, forcing them to leave Albania” ON PAGE 3

By Edi PALOKA The end Albania’s political problems, thus also offering a guarantee for resolving the other problems. But the beginning of ’99 was not the same as the end of ’98. The new year began with political arrests, instead of beginning with the release of those political prisoners whom ’98 had found in prison. What does this mean? There may be many answers to the question above, but first the corresponding questions must also be asked. Who ordered the political arrests at the very beginning of this year? Is this an action by those who do not want dialogue, by those whose strategy was disrupted by dialogue, or were the officials who conducted the dialogue also aware of it? These two things must be separated, and quickly. The beginning of dialogue between the government and the opposition, as is now well known, created many opponents on both sides. There were opponents in the ranks of the opposition too, in that part of the opposition that could not trust the officials and, with good reason given the facts to date, believes that with these officials there is only one way to reach an understanding, and it is certainly not dialogue. Nevertheless, these opponents within the opposition confined themselves to verbal objections. Meanwhile, among the officials, the opponents of dialogue were not content with words. Our newspaper has warned that some officials are trying, not merely with words, to sabotage what is expected to follow the dialogue. The arrests carried out at the beginning of this year are nothing other than mines planted in the dialogue that has begun; the question is whether these are simply the actions of the officials mentioned above, or whether Majko also had a hand in this action? Among the officials who did not want dialogue are ministers, senior government officials, senior officials of parties in the governing coalition, and officials of the law-enforcement and judicial bodies. The reasons why these people are against dialogue were also clarified in the previous article entitled “RD”. Of course, people like Nano and Metaqino, or like the criminals who have been convicted within the law-enforcement and judicial bodies, had no interest in dialogue, because their aims are entirely opposed to carrying things forward in Albania. Those who are linked to the anti-Albanian policy of certain political circles, the hostility of left-wing extremists toward Democrats, careerist interests within the governing coalition, and the mafia interests of various groups are all part of this effort to carry things forward. None of these groups among the people in power have any interest in the development of dialogue. Therefore, it must be clarified whether the latest actions—the new arrests among the Democrats—are actions by these groups seeking to wreck the dialogue, or whether these actions also have Majko’s approval. If it is the former, Majko must clarify these matters as soon as possible; if he is implicated in these actions, that would mean not only the end of what was achieved through dialogue, but also the end of any hope that problems in Albania can be resolved without war and within the framework of the existing system of power. (Continued on page 3)

One year after the murder of the Torch of Democracy Many flowers and tears over the grave of Abdyl Matoshi at a memorial ceremony held yesterday on the first anniversary of the murder of the “Torch of Democracy”. In addition to visits and condolences at the home of Abdyl Matoshi, a visit to the cemetery was also organized, and wreaths of flowers were laid... ON PAGE 2

Today, 123 days since the murder of the December Leader Each day that passes since the murder of Azem Hajdari, the symbol of democracy and pluralism, proves the involvement of Fatos Nano’s government and his successor in last year’s grave crime. The government of the former communists, which leaves free and unpunished the criminals who took the life of the December Leader, shows Albanians that they have been and remain biased and murderous, only they have individual names, but are untouched by those in power. Democrats and all Albanians who loved and dreamed of Azem Hajdari can in no way tolerate this fact. The government must either arrest the criminals and bring them to justice, or publicly prove that it itself committed the murder of Azem Hajdari.

Italian parliamentarians ask Majko to stop the trafficking of clandestine migrants ON PAGE 3

Special prosecutors expand the geography of political arrests to all districts of the country ON PAGE 4

Beyond the façade of the dismissal of the brewery director What lies behind Minister Bufi’s recent statements — from the rigged auction to the ultimate aim of the factory being bought by government officials at the cheapest possible price ON PAGE 5

Telekom supplies phone cards to the “bosses” of the phone booths While every Telekom and Post Office counter displays the notice “No cards available”, in the booths. ON PAGE 5

“Albanian American Civic league” meets with American congressmen Gilman said that Albanians have strong support in Congress and that his commitment to the Kosovo issue will not be lacking either ON PAGE 7

Wave of police repression against the opposition intensifies Petro Koçi takes revenge on the Democrats who stopped him from burning down Fier in 1997 ON PAGE 2

PD Deputy Chairman Genc Pollo with Italian MPs

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