Dispute in the Ministry of Public Order over the appointment of the deputy minister ON PAGE 4

Electricity for only three or four hours a day ON PAGE 4

Scandals erupt at the Geological Research Institute ON PAGE 5

The DP Deputy Chairman comments on the Prime Minister’s visit to Washington: Clinton–Majko talks on Kosovo were positive The DP Deputy Chairman recalled the State Department announcement, in which Ms. Ollbrajt reminded Majko of the problems of public order, political arrests, corruption and smuggling, just as with the previous government. A political solution is essential ON PAGE 3

. Yesterday the Serbs tried to strike at the Rambouillet meeting from afar. For at least several hours, the KLA delegation was prevented by the Serbian authorities from boarding a French plane at Pristina airport, while the rest of the delegation declared that it would not go to Paris if KLA representatives were not allowed to go there. The first act of sabotage of this meeting by the Serbian side is only part of the expected scenario of the Serbian delegation at this meeting, the most important for peace in Kosovo. So far, Belgrade has expressed its willingness to take part in the meeting, but Serbian attempts to exclude the KLA from the talks demonstrate the Serbs’ lack of willingness to move toward a peaceful solution. At a meeting of this level and importance, it is always possible to find an opportunity to disrupt it or render it ineffective. While the Albanian side has promised both effective talks and a willingness to engage in them with its full political capacity, the Serbs declared yesterday that they were unwilling to sponsor a political process for Kosovo instead of the corpses and war that have already engulfed it. The repeated Serbian declaration that “we cannot talk to terrorists,” referring to the KLA, expresses their concept of the future of the Kosovo problem. By investing in the continuation of the war and massacres of Albanians, the Serbs are at the end of the road to removing from the egg what Europe in fact gave them most unjustly: the status of the Balkans’ privileged people. The KLA has never been, nor can it become, a terrorist organization as long as it is compelled to defend Albanians as best it can against the Serbian military machine. In a place where all the houses are burned, where massacres and mass killings take place, where children are shot, as are women and the elderly, no one and no act of resistance against the Serbian military machine can be considered terrorist, as long as it faces gangs such as those of Millosheviç. Belgrade is not the one who can judge others. It lost that right long ago, just as it has definitively lost the ability to keep the Albanians of Kosovo under apartheid. Yesterday, an essential difference between the Albanian and Serbian political classes became evident, while a French plane was at Pristina airport, which immediately began operating with all its capabilities. Despite the fact that the KLA, [masked in foreign and other press], has chosen the path of talks to achieve its rights. Meanwhile, the Serbs used their forces in Kosovo—their soldiers—to surround the airport and block the Kosovo delegation. This act of blocking is to the Serbs’ advantage, as it uses the few factors and means still in the hands of the occupiers, which have now been left in the hands of the occupiers of Kosovo. In this way, the politicians of the Kosovo delegation, who made their decision in Belgrade, demonstrate that they are determined to sabotage peace in Kosovo to the very end. It has no intention of communicating with the massacred Serbs, nor with the West. In any case, alongside the French plane there seems to be nothing else at Pristina airport; with a delegation of Albanians on board, it will be an Albanian delegation, it will bring the Albanian delegation, and it will leave Pristina airport deliberately closed even if hundreds of other planes arrive later. This time, however, it will be the first and strongest appeal for peace, but one that will bring peace by force.

Tirana takes to the square for Kosovo

Belgrade blocks the Albanian delegation from going to Rambouillet Gabriel Keller, French Deputy Secretary of the OSCE Verification Mission: “In special situations like these, problems with documents should not constitute a problem” ON PAGE 6

Businesses of former pyramid-scheme operators are put on the market for next to nothing Creditors accuse the Mihajkova group, which oversees transparency, of abusing its management of the enterprises—

ON PAGE 3

Restructuring the sections according to the new plan is producing the first results ON PAGE 2

Today, 147 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 Albanian criminals who took the life of the December Leader at liberty and in power, show Albanians that they have been and remain on the side of the killers, who have names and faces but are untouched by those in power. Democrats and all Albanians who loved and honored Azem Hajdari cannot tolerate the corruption of this guilt. The government must either capture the criminals and bring them to justice, or publicly declare that it itself carried out Azem Hajdari’s murder.

Statement by Mr. Genc Pollo, Deputy Chairman of the PDSH I welcome the statement by US President Bill Clinton in support of the struggle of the “People of Kosovo must themselves control their own fate.” Alongside the leadership role played by American diplomacy in the Kosovo issue and the Pentagon’s commitment to send up to 4,000 US troops to the NATO forces that will be deployed in Kosovo, President Clinton’s latest statement constitutes a historic act which, following the easing of the presentation of American Wilson’s position at the beginning of this century on the right of peoples to self-determination, turns the Rambouillet conference into a great opportunity for Kosovo and for the process of realizing its historic right.

Private banks in Tirana: We are afraid. It is risky to lend The Greek loan of 5 billion drachmas for businesses and the EBRD loan of 10 million dollars, both approved a year ago, have still not been disbursed ON PAGE 5

Protest against the decision by the Minister of Anti-Culture to dismiss 40 specialists from AIBA-filmstudios. Support for the petition of the institution’s Trade Union Council, which considers this decision unlawful ON PAGE 7

Creditors accuse the Supervisory Group, which oversees transparency, of abusing its management of the enterprises belonging to former pyramid-scheme companies, mismanaging them and putting them on the market as bankrupt businesses to be sold at their minimum value Creditors accuse the Supervisory enterprises belonging to former pyramid-scheme companies, mismanaging them and putting them on the market as bankrupt businesses to be sold at their minimum value The properties of former pyramid-scheme companies that have not yet been put up for sale are heading for bankruptcy because of the Supervisory Group’s poor management of them. This is the accusation made by the creditors’ representatives, with Gëzim Hoxha, Chairman of the Tirana Creditors’ Association, directing it at the Supervisory Group. There are still many businesses that are currently... ON PAGE 5

One person killed and four people injured in the city of Shkodër. The incident took place on Thursday evening, when several unidentified people shot and killed the driver J. Danushi, 38, in Mjedë. The perpetrators fled in an unknown direction. Also on Thursday evening, at around 17:30, Gëzim Muja, 26, and two companions, Bici, 27, were injured by gunfire. The incident took place in the “Partizani” neighborhood, when several people fired a burst of automatic gunfire and fled in an unknown direction. The injured were rushed to hospital and are in serious condition. Meanwhile, yesterday at around 13:45, two other people were injured in the city center, at the place known as “Kafja e Madhe.” Several people traveling in a car unknown direction, eluding the police. Two people were injured as a result and were taken to hospital. In recent days, criminal acts have increased markedly in the northern city of Shkodër. B. KASTRATI

Die, rally in “Skënderbej” Square

Members of Parliament of the Democratic Party are hereby notified that on Tuesday, February 9, 1999, the Parliamentary Group of the Democratic Party will meet in the meeting hall at the DP headquarters. Please make the necessary arrangements to ensure your attendance.