Interview with the poet from Kosovo, Ali Podrimja ON PAGE 8

Instead of an offer to respond to the Minister of Culture By Mero BAZE Rama, who for years was the sole defender of anti-nationalist positions and the right-wing press, suddenly baffled everyone by launching into a patriotic tirade against the Macedonian ambassador in Tirana over Macedonian barbarity at the Bllaca camp. ON PAGE 2

By Bardhyl LONDO ON PAGE 8

By Asti PATOZI. The Albanian government has once again demonstrated its utmost incompetence and irresponsibility in carrying out its constitutional duty to protect the country’s integrity. Serbian military forces entered yesterday with astonishing ease, about one kilometre into Albanian territory in the Tropoja area, and withdrew only after setting fire to several houses in the village of Kamenicë. The Serbs’ aggressive attack caught the Albanian army’s defense structures completely unprepared, confirming the opposition’s longstanding accusations against the government in Tirana. The aggression against the villages of Tropoja showed that Albania’s borders are entirely undefended, precisely at a time when they should have been reinforced many times over. The government, which for several months has boasted that it has taken every measure to deal with any possible attack on the country’s territorial integrity, must answer where those measures were when the Serbs came and burned the villages of Tropoja. Instead of convening an urgent meeting of ministers, Prime Minister Meidani is in Albania and the Albanians are with him, but their minds are on the tendencies and mistakes of someone..., President Meidani and Prime Minister Majko must explain to their citizens why they need a state that is unable to respond in order to defend its borders. How is it possible that, at the height of NATO’s conflict with Serbia, when Albania is more at risk than ever of being drawn into war, not a single officer or soldier can be found in the most vulnerable areas along the Albanian-Yugoslav border, and everything has been left in the hands of four ineffective policemen? In a statement, the government said that reinforcements from the Tropoja police station went to assist the border police forces in Kamenicë and Padesh—as if this were an ordinary crime or a ... involving the destruction of the area, and not an armed aggression against the Republic of Albania. The fact that only the Tropoja police units have been deployed to deal with the dramatic situation means that this is all the country’s military structures have been able to do. They should not only have been there, but should have been on alert well before NATO began bombing Serbia. It is truly criminal to think that this grave incident took place in the area best known for border incidents, which has been the target of Yugoslav army provocations dozens of times. Even if the government bore no responsibility for this part of Albania’s territory—which would still be unforgivable—the repeated incidents alone should have been enough to prompt action to reinforce the border. In such a situation, an urgent meeting of the National Defense Council sounds as though they should have held someone accountable. Defense Council sounds like an NGO seminar, not only because it is chaired by President Meidani, but also because of its ridiculous decisions. They have the audacity to claim that they hold the fate of this country in their hands and to explain to Albanians what purpose the army serves, with the National Defense Council’s “request” that it open fire on any aggressor who violates Albania’s borders—when everyone knows this is the first constitutional obligation of every army in the world. It would seem that the generals and officers of Hajdaraga were waiting for the urgent meeting requested by Meidani before doing their duty and responding with weapons to any violation of the country’s territorial integrity. To whom is the National Defense Council addressing this “request,” when it is well known that armies are commanded by orders: to state officials who have moved away from the menacing grenades, or to the five border policemen left alone to face the Serbian pack? The political and military regimes’ theatrical response to the Serbian aggression against the villages of Tropoja is the culmination of the Tirana government’s inability to manage the critical situation the country has faced. The fact that the Serbian army enters Tropoja as if it were passing through villages in Vojvodina, because in Kosovo it has no foothold thanks to the KLA’s resistance, is dreadful news for all Albanians. More than dreadful news, the ease with which the Serbs enter and leave the Albanian border shows us all that this government cannot even manage to preserve the country’s defensive capacity. This means that we are completely undefended, not because Serbia lacks military capabilities, but because the government is irresponsible in mobilizing the country’s combat resources. It is unforgivable that instead of regular army forces on the border, we see border incidents with the Serbs, while the villagers have left their homes behind—their homes, which are dozens of times poorer than all the ministers’ homes—in order to protect them. All the more so when the attacks occur in territory where only a few forces are needed to defend it, thanks to the advantages offered by the rugged mountainous terrain. The responsibility of the Tirana government, which is under suspicion, could have been discharged by reinforcing Albania with a campaign to transform the Albanian armed forces into a powerful army, ready for possible contingencies, and by putting people on the border. The responsibility of the presidency’s senior “advisers” for the defense of the country is absent when the enemy is near; they seize every opportunity to leave Albania’s villages to their neglect. On another front, Albanian television keeps broadcasting propaganda footage every day showing KLA troops who are not in our country, portraying them in Shën Mëri in Kukës, or in their operations in Kosovo. The brave sons of Kosovo, whose operations are in Kosovo, the brave sons of Kosovo who are fighting for their freedom, do not need to be in our country with the KLA. One day, the government should call them to uphold the dignity of Albanian television and of the government. Now they must go to the front. The brave sons of the KLA, who are to join them with weapons and become one with the people of the West in the war in Kosovo, are not there for the communists, nor to join the ranks of the Kosovo government, nor to appear on television so that someone can claim their struggle. This Albania, with its government’s indifference, can support the Albanian war in Kosovo; besides being people shown every day on Albanian television, they are also people being killed, while the attacks on Albania are played down, as if Milošević and the KLA were responsible for the areas of operation and for the aggression, and as if the KLA should rush to the northern areas. Before pretending to support the KLA’s war, they should remember that all Albanians must ensure the defense of Albania’s borders, so as not to leave room for the borders of Albania to be expanded, and not to give further scope to Serbian oppression and occupation.

The Albanian army does not respond. Only the border forces and residents are fighting. The Serbs withdraw while Meidani and the government maintain their “composure” Milošević’s forces enter Albanian territory. Kamenica in flames. Padesh, Tropoja e Vjetër and Zogaj are bombarded. Villagers flee their homes ON PAGE 3

Attacks on Belgrade intensify. The US, Britain and other NATO countries increase their military presence in support of operations The US President will ask Congress for funds

The US President will ask Congress for additional emergency funds to continue the mission against Serbia ON PAGE 2

Oslo, Albright meets Ivanov ON PAGE 7

The Albanian opposition warns Milošević to halt his aggression against Albania Berisha: If Milošević thinks he can continue with war, he will find fire in every stone of Albanian soil, from Gjirokastra to Kaçanik ON PAGE 3

The DP’s Directorate of Economic Policies gathers data on foreign aid ON PAGE 5

People are dying because of hunger and filth, children are crying, and around 50 people have died in 13 days The helicopter drones at a certain time of day. Crowds of people move back and forth, trying to catch the piece of bread falling from the sky ON PAGE 5

The situation of those sheltered at the “Asllan Rusi” Sports Palace is worsening considerably ON PAGE 5

Here is what has been done in 13 days Meanwhile, around 269,000 arrivals have been left without aid ON PAGE 5

The camps at Mjekës and Labinot-Fushë are in dire straits ON PAGE 5

If you wish to contribute money for the abandoned children of Kosovo, you can send your donation to account number 34220/00376 at “Dardania Bank,” in the name of the association: “Children of Kosovo, Our Children.”

To assist those expelled from Kosovo, the newspaper “Rilindja Demokratike” is making its pages available free of charge for various notices, such as requests and offers for accommodation, messages from people who have arrived from Kosovo to other members of their families, etc. You are welcome to visit the editorial office or contact us by calling the numbers provided: 303 29 and 323 55. THE EDITORIAL OFFICE