Serb soldiers rain bullets on Has ON PAGE 7

The “Koha Jonë” journalist writes to “RD” ON PAGE 3

People who save lives on the road to self-sacrifice ON PAGE 5

Socialists acknowledge the great deception in Flag Square. The promise of money had a political motive. Gramoz Ruçi urgently summons to Tirana the head of the Vlora socialists and the heads of the Municipality. Dredha: Creditors are demanding 100 percent of their money Farudin Arapi accuses parliament: Deputies seized the creditors’ money ON PAGE 3

New political elections, hope for everyone “Bashkimi për Demokraci” invites you to a rally for peaceful protest and hope for everyone, on Monday, 22 March, at 17:00, in “Skënderbej” Square. After two years of government by the Alliance for the State (Pocket), you who feel you have been deceived by the electoral promises to create 200,000 new jobs, to double pensions and low wages, to return 100% of the money, to increase prosperity, and to ensure public order and calm within 100 days. JOIN OUR PROTEST - Against a government that, through violence and electoral fraud, is establishing in Albania the power of clans and the state mafia (as they themselves have admitted), which through smuggling cigarettes, oil, coffee, heroin, and all the other trafficking operations it controls, has appropriated over 680 million dollars in two years—3.5 times more than the cost of all the roads built over the same two years combined. - Against a government that has established the rule of masked clans and gangs. During these two years, because of the complete lack of order and security in Albania, more Albanians have been killed than in Kosovo; 90% of foreign entrepreneurs have been imprisoned, and hundreds and hundreds of young Albanians leave every day. - Against a government that in two years has created half a million unemployed, doubled the prices of food and all other goods, thus reducing, impoverishing and squandering wealth; it has doubled taxes on citizens and businesspeople and the salaries of government officials. Today, one person in every household is unemployed; today every employed person, given the way things are, buys half of what they bought two years ago. - Against the government of the clans, which not only failed to return 100% of the money it had promised to the depositors, but also seized over 120 million dollars held in bank accounts and is buying up all the assets of the pyramid firms for next to nothing. - Against a government that executed the Hero of Albanian Pluralism, Azem Hajdari, and protects his killers; that releases killers and criminals and has turned Albania into a protectorate of crime, into a haven for speedboats. Let us protest together to give the country new political elections, the only way to restore hope, calm and security, and to lift people out of poverty.

By Astrit PATOZI The clans of the Socialist Party have launched a battle for the party chairmanship, at the heart of the deepening crisis in the country and growing dissatisfaction with their government. The former chairman, who resigned, Fatos Nano, and the current prime minister, Pandeli Majko, are radicalizing their attacks on each other, at a time when protests are growing in Vlora over the return of money lost in the pyramid schemes, and amid general distrust in Albania about the left-wing coalition in power being able to establish order. The brawl at the “Labëria” cultural palace in Vlora, although it left no one dead or injured, is in fact an alarm bell that is not ringing only for Fatos Nano. Although the “K” Party journalist, Zenepe Luka, has been portrayed by the angry creditors as Fatos Nano’s darling, the anger in the city of the 1997 protests is not directed only at the former Socialist leader. What happened in Vlora signals the deep distress of those Albanians who believed, some more and some less, in the grand promise made in Flag Square to return their money. But if it really was Fatos Nano who promised the people of Vlora and all the Albanians cheated by the pyramid companies that they would get their money back, the socialists—and Albanian society in general—are just as responsible as their former idol for the tragedy inflicted on the country in less than two years of their rule. Those who voted for the left in June 1997 had in mind not only Fatos Nano, as he expressed it in his own words, but also the Socialist Party and its allies, as a political force undertaking to achieve the impossible. No one can hide behind Fatos Nano today when it comes to the grossly fraudulent promise of the election campaign that brought the socialists to power. The revolt of the citizens of Vlora is not directed against one man, regardless of his prominent position, but against an electoral alternative that began with promises that were never kept. Everyone who stood beside him and supported Fatos Nano at rallies, arm in arm and among the people, bears great responsibility in this case. Before the 1997 elections, the Socialist Party was headed by the socialist Pandeli Majko, while Gramoz Ruçi held the post of prime minister. Today they are just as exposed as they try to conceal what they had done about returning the money promised during the campaign. At the head of the Socialist Party were Skënder Gjinushi, Neritan Ceka, and even those ministers who today have eagerly turned into party spokespeople for whichever party they belong to. They are implicated in the dark affair of the fraudulent promise. It is now clear that all this political collapse, brought about by irresponsible government, has concentrated the citizens’ great anger on the pyramid of power. There is no fundamental change in the government. Alongside Xhaferri, Bashkim Dema and Hysen Dema have most recently been [unclear], as have others. They have not been [unclear] in prison, or have been declared wanted. If Fatos Nano and Pandeli Majko are expending so much energy slinging mud at one another, this is connected to concerns about bringing more of the truth to light—a process that is damaging to the socialists’ government. It matters little who is whiter between the two; what matters is that the PS is [unclear], while all the deputies, as they say, Pandeli Majko and all the party candidates are [unclear], at a time when socialist government has repeatedly failed. If Majko were at the head of the PS, [the following passage is repeated and garbled in the source: “who is [unclear] … all the deputies, as they say, Pandeli Majko and all the party candidates are [unclear], at a time when socialist government has repeatedly failed”]. If Majko were at the head of the PS, [the same garbled passage is repeated]. If Majko were at the head of the PS, [the same garbled passage is repeated]. If Majko were at the head of the PS, [the same garbled passage is repeated]. This is what leads to the denial of politics, instead of asking the head of the PS why [the same garbled passage follows]. If Majko has made all these mistakes, there may also be another way to evade his responsibility.

Creditors in Tirana appeal to creditors in Vlora ON PAGE 3

Arbnori calls the creditors’ protests in Vlora belated ON PAGE 3

Berisha received Domenik Scalione, Chairman of the “Albanian-American Enterprise Fund” The chairman of the Democratic Party, Prof. Dr. Sali Berisha, received Mr. Domenik Scalione, Chairman of the “Albanian-American Enterprise Fund,” with its headquarters in Washington, yesterday morning at the Democratic Party headquarters. Yesterday morning, the chairman of the Democratic Party, Prof. Dr. Sali Berisha, received Mr. Domenik Scalione, Chairman of the “Albanian-American Enterprise Fund,” with its headquarters in Washington, at the Democratic Party headquarters. [The following sentence is corrupted in the source:] “Known … the first American bank in Albania.” During the meeting, Mr. Scalione, after expressing his gratitude for the vision and support Mr. Berisha had given to the American financial initiative in Albania, which culminated in the opening of the “American Bank,” discussed the current difficult situation. Mr. Berisha discussed the causes of the crisis, its consequences and its dimensions. He stressed the need to establish a political balance, free of crime, corruption, electoral fraud, lack of political will, and inability to govern stably. Mr. Scalione praised Berisha’s analysis and stressed that privatization, the stock exchange, the financial market, etc., are in fact processes [under way/at issue] in Albania. For their [unclear] and consequently for American firms and companies, Mr. Scalione considered it very important to establish a suitable political climate and general stability. He assured Mr. Berisha that American interests in Albania remain serious and that he and his team are examining the best opportunities to enter the Albanian banking market with a stronger presence, expertise and security. To carry out this project, Mr. Scalione praised the contribution of the Democratic Party and its policies as a very important factor in Albania’s political life.

Today, 187 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 the government of Fatos Nano and his successor in this crime that shook the entire Albanian world. The government of the former communists, which [unclear] keeps [them] free and untouchable, [and] has [unclear] the criminals who took the life of the December Leader, shows Albanians that it has been and remains on the side of the killers, who have names and identities but are not touched 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. Portrait of Azem Hajdari

After the Albanians’ signature, diplomatic and military pressure shifts onto the Serbian side The Contact Group has now put [the Serbs] on one side as the party with which it negotiates, while NATO is increasing its threats of military intervention against the Serbian side. Washington and Bonn are making a maximum commitment to lead the military pressure. By Mero BAZE Paris, 15 March ON PAGE 2

The trial against the opposition begins soon The criminal case file regards the following as the most dangerous insurgents: the director of “Kontakt” radio, Alfons Zeneli; the former director of ATSH, Ilir Zhilla; the former deputy director-general of Radio-Television, Antoneta Malja; and the head of the Legalists, Erem Spahiu. ON PAGE 7

The Independent Student Union protests against provocations by police forces The political police are provoking students. A statement by the Student Union says, among other things, that…… ON PAGE 4

The death penalty finds no political support ON PAGE 4

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