The government bankrupts the “Mjeshtri” company ON PAGE 5

The Appeals Court endorses decisions made by the political prosecutor’s office ON PAGE 4

Businesspeople will take over Parliament in March ON PAGE 5

Berisha: Demaçi should support the Albanian representatives. Albania must formulate its own clear and precise positions on Kosovo ON PAGE 3

By Mero BAZE After the three-week freeze in the major international effort for Kosovo, the prospects for peace in Kosovo and the success of the agreement can be undone unless the main problems are guaranteed solutions, such as maintaining the maximum American commitment at the end of the first phase and the authority of the Albanian side in Kosovo. First, the shadow cast by the concrete form of the American commitment at the beginning of the Conference must be dispelled. The first appearance at the Conference by US Secretary of State Madlen Albright should be presented by everyone as the American driving force at this Conference in its second phase, where the main American efforts and NATO’s power in Kosovo will, in fact, be discussed. Regardless of the communication etiquette displayed by the Contact Group ministers at the last press conference, some European chanceries in fact sought assurances, having managed to “guarantee” the Americans that Yugoslavia’s sovereignty would be preserved indefinitely and unconditionally. In other words, the conspicuous American activism at the end of the first phase, accompanied by threats of military intervention, is being viewed by Western analysts as evidence of Secretary Albright’s uncertainty, as her ambitious commitment to Kosovo. This entire argument has a credible basis when faced with the fact that the threats of intervention did not come to fruition. But the Albanian side should not be swayed by the way the role of American actors is being interpreted; it should stay grounded and focus on the main American interest in this whole affair, which is bringing NATO into Kosovo. The Albanians’ political concessions will not be put to use on the ground if, during the Conference’s concluding phase, the US does not maintain the momentum with which it guided the end of the first phase. Their task is now easier, since the Albanian delegation is no longer a party with which one can negotiate, but a party exerting pressure on the negotiators to change NATO’s role in relation to the Serbs. The second problem is preserving the authority of the current delegation in Kosovo and creating an atmosphere of mutual trust among Albanians, in order to choose the most important step at this moment: keeping the process open and bringing into it the best military budget or consultation under all circumstances. [The source text is unclear here.] NATO’s power in Kosovo automatically strips Serbia of sovereignty over Kosovo, although it does not give Kosovo sovereignty of its own. But as a beginning, this is a giant step that surpasses all the others. Of course, we could unanimously and with greater certainty argue for Kosovo without NATO’s power, but that would not be apparent from the fact that the Albanians, too, should enter the process. [The source text is unclear here.] The important thing is for the Conference’s second phase to maintain the momentum of American commitment and the authority of the Albanian negotiating side. The other elements of the Conference’s success are then a matter of time, and there is no reason for Albanians not to consider and support the international community’s movement toward independence. The three weeks—from the call for a military base to its symbolic establishment—are in favor of [unclear]. The problems have been demonstrated to all of Europe and will lead toward models of the diplomacy of force. Therefore, it is best that the Albanian side not waste its energy on government lists and commanders’ ranks, but on maintaining pressure and strengthening courage among their allies and the allies of the Albanians. The physical vacuum created by the three-week interruption must be eliminated by the Albanian delegation, which “has done its job.” On 15 March, things must continue as if it were 24 February.

After the release of the six, the Prosecutor General leaves privately for the neighboring country Rakipi makes private visits to Italy and deceives public opinion by claiming that he is investigating the mafia network in the neighboring country. A similar act was carried out some time ago by a group of prosecutors, who misled the public by claiming they had brought back a mountain of case files from Italy, but the following day they exposed themselves in the press ON PAGE 2

The Socialists rejected the anti-crime pact, declaring that they themselves would maintain public order, but the latest facts show the opposite Dozens killed and wounded, a tritol explosion and masked robberies in just a few days ON PAGE 3

The situation in the border areas is worsening The Serbs continue to provoke along the state border. The concentration of troops and heavy weapons at the border and the repeated provocations throughout this period were compounded on Tuesday by the violation of Albanian waters by a Serbian vessel. At around 11:00 on Tuesday, a Yugoslav speedboat carrying five armed soldiers and an anti-aircraft machine gun... ON PAGE 2

Insecurity and terror in the northern city Two murders, two people wounded, a tritol explosion and an escape from the courtroom during a hearing: this is the tally of the last two days in Shkodra ON PAGE 2

Yesterday, 150 employees of the Elbasan Prefecture Telecom held a one-hour warning strike. The employees have submitted their demands; failure to meet them will lead them to hold a one-day strike and, if they are not taken into consideration, an indefinite strike... ON PAGE 2

Today, 166 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 complicity of Fatos Nano’s government and provides further evidence of a crime committed by a broad group in Albanian society. The government of the former communists, whose members are free and untroubled despite having criminally taken the life of the December Leader, shows 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. ON PAGE 2

DP: The release of the six fulfills only the first point of the petition “There may be political prisoners in Burma, in Indonesia, but it is unforgivable for there to be any in the only country in Europe that has them, Albania”

“The existence of democratic debate” is the perfume masking the foul smell of the struggle of interests within the PS The usurpation and gangster-like exploitation of economic power by one clan is the arena of the struggle that has erupted within the PS. The Congress is the gong that will determine whether the present evil is recycled or a new evil wins... ON PAGE 7

Sarandë: the fund for the poor is cut by 40% Meanwhile, the Ksamil municipality had requested an increase in the amount of aid ON PAGE 5

The government calls for a review of the law under which parties are “fed” by the state Yesterday Parliament decided, through a law, to halt all economic activity by political parties. Under this law, parties are privileged institutions that cannot be allowed to engage in economic activity, since this would lead to abuses of economic power. In a law passed several years ago concerning... ON PAGE 3

Democrats support the statement on Kosovo’s representation in Rambouillet. The conference is assessed as an important development. The next international conference will be held on 15 March.