Another scandal involving the Privatization Minister in Elbasan ON PAGE 6

Human Rights Watch publishes its report on human rights around the world in 1998. Serious accusations against the Tirana government ON PAGE 3 The report begins with the murder of December Leader Azem Hajdari and continues with other abuses against the opposition by the police. The section on the press includes the beating of “RD” journalist Rexhep Polisi by the Elbasan police. The report also includes cases of government pressure on the “Enter” news agency and “Kontakt” radio.

A heartbreaking letter to Meidani, Koçi and Kondi from the victim’s family The 36-year-old Bardhyl Balliu, a resident of Kavajë, had been arrested by police on Thursday, December 24 of last year, because he was suspected of a murder that had taken place in June of that year in Kavajë. Not even 24 hours after his arrest, Balliu was found dead on Friday at around 08:00 in the detention room of Police Station No. 4 in Tirana, where he had been taken the previous night. ON PAGE 4

By Artur KOPANI The Socialist Party risks falling into the hands of Interior Minister Petro Koçi, one of the government’s most exposed figures, with strong ties to crime in Albania, both in the past and today. Fatos Nano’s deputy in the smuggling businesses has recently been showing clear ambitions to take control of the largest party in power, which has been without a leader for more than three months. The press close to the SP confirmed Koçi’s political ambitions; at the beginning of the month he also appeared as a “mediator” at a “missed” meeting between Nano and Majko. It is no coincidence that Petro Koçi is seeking the leadership of the SP, having been Interior Minister for more than three months and consequently the most powerful figure in smuggling, which remains at the same levels as under Nano’s two governments. Aware of his position in the government, the former leader of the Socialists in Fier now also wants to head the party, whose factions are known chiefly for the power they display in controlling trafficking and smuggling, which have turned Albania into Europe’s “Colombia.” Having headed the police for three months, Koçi has by now learned all the necessary details about the routes and people in his party who run the trafficking and massive smuggling in Albania. Faced with the possibility of dismantling these networks established by the regional mafia, Koçi chose compromise in the first days of his tenure as minister. And this agreement, which undoubtedly brings him millions, has also whetted Koçi’s appetite to reach the top of the pyramid in the Socialist Party. While all the former left-wing officials who were dismissed as heads of smuggling operations are turned away at the Interior Minister’s office, and only people appointed as police-station chiefs and senior police officials are welcomed, Koçi finds it very easy to seek the post of SP leader. With the votes of the “wolves” of smuggling and the extremists who have made him a symbol, having seen him in 1997 taking over Fier institutions with weapons, Koçi feels secure in a contest in which a small, reformed section of the party will try to make him a participant. If Interior Minister Petro Koçi really seeks to take the helm of the SP, this would mean the consolidation of the old spirit within the party. Koçi, brought into the Socialist Party leadership two years ago as one of its most fanatical figures, would, in another event within the party, mean another death knell for hope of reforming the Albanian left. At the Socialists’ last congress, Koçi, aligned with Majko, Islami and Brokaj, and with the Socialists of Fier and Vlorë, encouraged the party’s conservatives to block any reform of the left and led the gathering of votes to preserve the chairmanship of the Socialist Party for the imprisoned Nano. Meanwhile, Koçi’s election as leader of the Socialist Party would amount to a political takeover by the mafia clans that have engulfed the Socialist Party for a long time. Since Majko, it seems, maintains close ties with his old associate Petro Koçi, it is easy to prove that the prime minister has been unable to stop the advance of the provincial who came to the capital with a Kalashnikov and a weapon in hand. Whether or not Majko approves, at any hour of the day one can find in Koçi’s office Nano’s people—Islami, Fino, Malaj and others—who have been identified as heads of smuggling in Albania. In practice, Majko has been left with a chair, but in no way with power, which apparently he will be left to exercise at school inaugurations or at ceremonial meetings of NGOs and “Soros.” Majko, who appeared extremely “muscular” when Nano was removed, seems powerless to prevent Koçi’s planned rise to the party leadership. The SP is the property and hostage of the strongest smuggling figures, and in three months Majko has shown neither the will nor the hope that he can touch them.

The policeman began? The political zone is logical

Another attack against local government . The Fushë-Krujë Municipality building was severely damaged on Friday evening by the explosion of dynamite placed on its premises. The news that dynamite had been planted in the Fushë-Krujë Municipality building was also confirmed by official sources. The explosion took place in the evening, outside official working hours. The dynamite attack on the Municipality building is the most serious act... ON PAGE 2

The current OSCE Chairman continues his visit to Tirana. Albania should influence the KLA The current OSCE Chairman, Knut Vollebek, told the press yesterday that a long-term solution for Kosovo is the only solution that can bring stability to the region. During a press conference held in Tirana, the OSCE Chairman said that the Albanian government shou-

ON PAGE 3

A political solution saves the country from the grave crisis The only way to bring the country out of the deep economic and political crisis is dialogue and a political solution. The Democratic Party is open and welcomes alliances, but only when they are constructive and have no ulterior motives. ON PAGE 2

conference held in Tirana, the OSCE Chairman said that Serbia Albania should intervene with the KLA to secure the release of the hostages. According to Vollebek, the ultimatum deadline has now passed, but talks to secure the release of the Serbian hostages are still continuing. Vollebek said he had requested intervention from all Albanian institutions; meanwhile, he has met with the President... ON PAGE 2

Gjinushi gets the lion’s share in speedboats ON PAGE 2

Today, 124 days since the murder of the December Leader Every 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 the crime that shook the entire Albanian world. The governments of the former communists, which leave free and untroubled the criminals who took the life of the December Leader, show Albanians that they have been and remain on the side of the murderers, who have names and identities but are untouched by those in power. Democrats and all Albanians who loved and honored Azem Hajdari cannot tolerate this fact under any circumstances. The government must either capture the criminals and bring them to justice, or publicly declare that it itself committed the murder of Azem Hajdari.

Republican Robert Çeku speaks: The economy is suffering from sclerosis “If this government does not fall from power, the green light will never be given to the Albanian economy” ON PAGE 7

The deputy leader of the National Alliance, Adolfo Urso, discusses the results of the visit to Albania by the Italian parliamentary delegation “We are aware that a large number of opposition representatives, including former ministers and the Chairman of PLL, are being held in prison. Such a thing is intolerable in the West. We remain outraged by the murder of one of the leading figures of the DP, Azem Hajdari, while his killers continue to be free. I think the most important issue remains the Albanian parliament’s decision to lift the immunity of the Chairman of the DP, Berisha. Mr. Berisha is a symbol of the Albanian opposition and of all the democratic developments in this country, and no one should play with the symbol.” ON PAGE 3

Italian MPs from the Pole of Freedom pay tribute in front of the Azem Hajdari memorial.

A magnificent rally on Tuesday in “Skënderbej” Square On 12.01.1999 at 12:00 in “Skënderbej” Square in Tirana, a magnificent rally will be held to commemorate the passing months since the murder of the hero of democracy, the tribune of Albanian nationalism, Azem Hajdari. Democrats of Tirana and all of Albania! Let us all gather in “Skënderbej” Square to protest the murder of the immortal hero, Azem Hajdari; against the government's silence, which protects Azem’s killers; against the extrajudicial killings of dozens and hundreds of other Democrats; and against the violence and arrests continuing against the opposition. Everyone to the square to stop the hand of the neo-dictatorship! Everyone to the square against crime and misery! Everyone to the square for Azem Hajdari! Everyone with Azem—everyone for Azem!