Tenders, a source of profit for the foreign company. Deal-making with the assets of borrowing companies ON PAGE 5

The Prosecutor’s Office closes the file on the mysterious murder of Kosovo’s Minister of Defense ON PAGE 4

The court sets killers and criminals free ON PAGE 4

The leader of the Italian opposition reiterates Italy’s and Europe’s warnings to the Albanian government: Fight the mafia, or you will be left without aid. Accept the opposition’s pact for public order ON PAGE 3 Berisha: “The fight against trafficking can be brought to an end when Albanian parliament deputies and government officials are no longer aboard speedboats. It is up to the leaders of this government to choose whether they will stand with those politicians who pull the strings of the mafia, or with those political forces that seek to fight trafficking.”

By Shemsi PEPOSHI The policy of the Italian right yesterday called on the government to support and endorse the pact proposed by the opposition to restore public order in the country and fight organized crime. The visit to Tirana by the representative of the Pole of Freedom, the chairman of the National Alliance, Fini, was not only an expression of support for the DP, but also an important international signal to the government about the steps it should take to address the country’s fundamental problems[?]. In meetings with government representatives, Fini expressed the concern not only of Italian politicians and public opinion, but also of a broader European public, about what Albania is going through today as a result of the lack of public order, the rule of trafficking, and the threatening presence of organized crime, all of which have also caused problems in the neighboring country. At the press conference, Fini publicly called on the government authorities to support the pact proposed by Berisha as a real opportunity to overcome the situation and restore normality in the country. The signal from European politicians is a clear expression of the opposition’s well-known position: Europeans will not come to catch and fight crime and criminality; above all, it is the duty of Albanians and their state institutions to work for calm, peace, and security in their country. Meanwhile, at the very time Fini was meeting with the authorities and expressing his position on the situation in the country and the possibilities for overcoming the crisis, the socialist Parliament, dominated by supporters of crime and advocates of chaos, in an open challenge issued curses and anathemas against Italian right-wing politics and the Italian press, calling them manipulated by the DP for their reporting on and assessment of Albanian problems. Nertian Ceka, one of the most prominent caricatures of that Parliament, led the anti-Italian defiance, claiming that the reality in Albania is entirely different and that neither organized crime nor the mafia nor the traffics and [???] that take people’s lives every day hold sway. “Our reality is not what the Italian right-wing press portrays; it is darkening it at the instigation and manipulation of the Albanian opposition,” Ceka said, reminding us of statements made three years ago when he accused the president of the EC of being corrupted by Berisha’s government! The problem does not lie in the Parliament’s statements, which condemn all positions that do not suit it, just as Saddam’s Parliament did. The problem is more complicated and concerns the challenge Albanians must face when defenders of chaos, organized crime, trafficking, and the mafia dominate institutions such as Parliament and others. It is precisely these groups that have attacked the dialogue initiated between the opposition and the government, contested the blockade of speedboats, calling it an action that should not be taken, defended corruption and smuggling, vigorously opposed a National Anti-Crime Pact, and have now begun attacks on the Flag and Parliament against the president and the opposition[?]. At the same time as the Minister of Public Order calls for the use of coercive force to establish public order, that same minister and his Parliament reject action and defy Western political opinion by calling reports and positions on the situation in Albania tendentious. In fact, this is the moment when demagoguery no longer works. Those who failed to provide public order, security, and calm, and who want chaos and the criminalization of society because they have concrete interests, are the very groups that were defended in Parliament and from time to time make statements saying, “We are here too; the mafia is legitimate.” Nertian Ceka, Shkëndër Gjushi, and others of this ilk, publicly displaying the misery they find themselves in because of their imminent departure from politics, are trying through their actions to prevent [others] from being able to save themselves[?]. But their star, if it ever shone, is fading, and neither the mafia nor crime can save them, even with its support[?].

The Albanian left attacks the Italian press and politics. The leader of the National Alliance is greeted with thunderbolts from the leaders of the governing coalition Socialists approve Ceka’s proposal for a protest stance against Italian newspapers that have written reports in recent days about the trafficking of undocumented migrants from Vlora, the involvement of left-wing officials in this traffic, and the state’s control by the government mafia ON PAGE 3

Prices push Albanian families’ budgets into deficit Food prices in January ’99 are 50 percent higher than in January ’95, making life more expensive for an ordinary family getting through the month on wages earned in the public sector . ON PAGE 5

The Municipality of Tirana supports the Democratic Party’s initiative to fight crime I consider the DP’s initiative to establish a pact for public order very useful. This was stated yesterday by the Mayor of Tirana, Mr. Albert Brojka. The main problem facing Albania today is public order, since it is precisely the destabilization of the country and the failure of public order that have driven away foreign investors and led to major social problems such as unemployment, rising prices, etc., Brojka says. He stated that he fully supports the DP’s initiative to contribute to public order... ON PAGE 2

Irresponsible individuals have threatened and mistreated one of the judges According to sources within this court, those who should be upholding the law also acted as instigators of the irresponsible individuals who attacked Judge S. Serjani . ON PAGE 4

Durrës — 800 workers placed on ordinary leave ON PAGE 5

Gjirokastër’s DP welcomes the Pact proposed by Berisha Yesterday, the Gjirokastër branch of the DP supported the anti-crime Pact proposed by DP Chairman Sali Berisha and also called for a local pact in the country’s southern city... ON PAGE 2

Today marks 139 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 its successor in the crime that shook the entire Albanian world. The governments of the former communists, which leave unpunished the criminals who took the life of the December Leader, show Albanians that they have been and remain on the side of the killers, 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 apprehend the criminals and bring them to justice, or publicly declare that it itself committed the murder of Azem Hajdari.

Under the pretext of “strengthening public order,” an offensive in the duel between the gangs in power is being justified ON PAGE 4

The Prosecutor’s Office accuses KESH of breaching its contract with citizens and abuse of office ON PAGE 5

Berisha and Fini yesterday at a press conference in Tirana

Urgent notice from KESH The Electrical Energy Corporation announces that, because of the importance of the water levels at Fierzë, the transformer breakdown, and the blowing up of the electric stairs, there will be restrictions on electricity, and Albanians will not be able to watch “E diela debat”. The Electrical Energy Corporation has taken measures to import electricity next week, and “E diela debat” will be back with us. Therefore, the Corporation urges Albanian citizens to remain calm and exercise self-restraint, making use of every signal after the advice, until next Sunday. Electrical Energy Corporation Approved by meeting VIII Baj, under agenda item no. 3/6