Holbrooke-Milošević talks fail. The Americans and Europe decide to punish Belgrade. State of emergency in the former Yugoslavia ON PAGE 2 Clinton: Kosovo is part of vital American interests. Primakov turns his plane around, canceling his trip to the United States

By Bardhyl LONDO The socialist government has almost reached the halfway point of its term. Albanians can now easily draw conclusions about this government, not only on the basis of today’s Albanian reality, which needs no comment, but also by leafing through or recalling the bombastic promises made during the election campaign by the Socialist campaign headquarters, and especially by their leader, who is now on the verge of political retirement for life. From this end, long forecast by the opposition and also sensed by all unbiased people, neither his acclaim within the SP—which is nevertheless extremely powerful—nor the thousands of unfortunate militants who know only how to applaud without thinking for long, nor the whole echelon of self-proclaimed “independent” journalists can now escape. They almost lamented in their television conversations and commentaries on private TV stations when their leaders announced their departure, which was later converted into a self-suspension; it is not known what name it will be given before the Socialists’ next burial. Indeed, this corps of journalists is the first to have begun turning its back on its former idol in search of a new one. But, in a few words, what is the verdict that can be passed on the socialist government? In these two years it has turned the country into a pyramid scheme, whose collapse has already been declared in most areas, while in some others it is still expected to be declared, thereby mercilessly undermining the present and especially the future of Albanians. That is why the time has come for Albanians to think seriously about their present and future. Indifference or, worse still, accepting and becoming accustomed to the evil will have incalculable consequences for them. The opposition undoubtedly has a special and irreplaceable role in this situation; at every step it must be convincing and offer clear alternatives. That part of the opposition which has so far maintained an in-between, neither-fish-nor-fowl position must also now call loudly for the necessary political changes; otherwise, it will bear responsibility for the government’s fatal failure. Political changes in Albania must be made not merely to switch the governing parties or coalitions, but, first and foremost, to replace a failed alternative with another one, and to replace a governing team corrupt to the core with a new team that will pull the country out of the mire into which socialist rule has plunged it. Above all, changes must be made to turn Albania from a pyramid scheme, into which the left-wing coalition has reduced it, into the real Albania, the Albania that Albanians deserve. If the opposition has been too tolerant up to now, especially for the sake of the national cause, it must now, unanimously and united, demand new elections and use every possible democratic means to achieve this. The opposition’s unity—not its merger into a single party—to coordinate tactics on the main issues is dictated not simply by the desire to take power, but by the need to save Albania from its present, all-encompassing agony. But what pyramid scheme did socialist rule build? Albanians were promised the return of the money they had lost in pyramid schemes, and the remaining savings they still had were taken from them too. They were promised 250,000 jobs, and Albania was turned into an asylum for the hungry. The order so desired and dreamed of by Albanians remained “a forbidden fruit.” Instead of security and peace, Albanians saw masked criminals multiply, merchants abducted, innocent people murdered, bandits declared heroes and—most painful and shocking of all—even during the apocalyptic turmoil of March ’97, opposition MPs were shot at in Parliament and killed. The Albanian’s very life, security and peace were turned into a failed pyramid scheme. But the disappointment is greatest where the socialist government thought its strongest point lay: foreign policy. Crete, Lisbon, irresponsible statements and positions without any criteria on the national question, the prioritization of Greece in most cases, and the intolerable underestimation of major European partners, including Italy, ultimately created serious reservations among the Western community as well. But what finally shattered the confidence of Western friends in the foreign policy of the socialist government was its fraternal talk with the Russians and its attempts by every possible means to place the triumphant liberation of the people of Kosovo under the dictates of Marxist-Leninist leaders—a move that would have meant its discrediting and isolation from the world and the United States. The last two actions in particular showed that the issue of restoring communism, or its vestiges, in Albania is by no means a propagandistic alarm. At least the former prime minister and the current foreign minister showed that they have not freed themselves from their old nostalgia. Now the question most often raised is: what will the replacement of the communists change? Despite the opposition’s sincere desire and support, the result is almost zero. And perhaps this is not due so much to the prime minister’s lack of desire and will as to the weakness and total lack of help and support from the leadership to which the prime minister belongs.

How the bank accounts of the usury firms shrank from January 1997 onward. Xhaferri and Vejsiu denounce the theft Xhaferri: The DP has so far named well-known socialist officials in its denunciations, but once the government and Parliament have made their final statements on transparency, it will publish the list of names of those who took 120 million dollars from the usury firms ON PAGE 5 The Democratic Party condemns Zani’s release by the state mafia and its sections within the Prosecution Office The DP Parliamentary Group met The elections to

The Democratic Party condemns Zani’s release by the state mafia and its factions in the prosecution service The release of the Vlora bandit was orchestrated by parliamentary speaker Gjinushi (whose mother declared at the first court hearing that “As long as we have Gjinushi, they can’t do anything to Zani”), chief prosecutor Rakipi, and chief Klosi ON PAGE 3

The PD Parliamentary Group met The Parliamentary Group of the Democratic Party met this morning as well to discuss the situation in the country and the situation in Kosovo. The Parliamentary Group of the Democratic Party expressed its full solidarity with the people of Kosovo in the face of the massacres and barbarities of the Serbian war machine, as well as its support for our brothers in Kosovo. The parliamentary group stated that NATO air strikes are indispensable, and that the deployment of Alliance troops is likewise necessary to ensure the implementation of Rambouillet. The Parliamentary Group expressed its solidarity... ON PAGE 3

Records of the bank accounts containing the pyramid-scheme money 21 February ’97 120 million dollars 30 April ’97 77 million USD 30 June ’97 5.0 billion lekë 30 July ’97 3.0 billion lekë ON PAGE 5

Today, 192 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 government of the former Communists, which leaves free and unpunished the criminals who took the life of the December Leader, shows Albanians that they have been and remain on the side of the killers, whose identities are known, but who are untouched by those in power. Democrats and all Albanians who loved and honored Azem Hajdari can under no circumstances tolerate this. The government must either capture the criminals and bring them to justice, or publicly declare that it itself carried out the murder of Azem Hajdari.

The PD Secretary for Public Relations explains the opposition’s call for early elections “Governance in Albania today resembles the doll games little girls play .. ON PAGE 4

The Deputy Speaker of the People’s Assembly denounces the fabricated political trials against the opposition Topalli: “To accuse the journalists who defended RTV when there wasn’t a single foot visible there...” ON PAGE 4

“Fight smuggling and corruption if you want to receive money” In their closed-door meetings with the Albanian government, the IMF mission members have put forward further conditions before providing funds... ON PAGE 5

The government reports to parliament on the worsening situation in Kosovo and in the north of the country ON PAGE 3

NATO troops ready to attack

Italy’s deputy anti-mafia chief voices reservations about the Albanian Prosecution Office ON PAGE 7

The departure of Judge Sofie Zhilla, the beginning of a political purge ON PAGE 7

Protest by 1,000 employees of the Cigarette Factory outside the prefecture ON PAGE 5

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