Serbs enter Albanian territory and bomb homes ON PAGE 2

100 thousand dollars from the missing UÇK fund for TV Arbëria ON PAGE 3

Those arriving from Kosovo risk being left without assistance ON PAGE 5

The resolution continuing the political line of Crete and Lisbon is adopted ON PAGE 3 Tirana honors Tribune Azem Hajdari and those who fell in Kosovo

By Edi PALOKA The position of the Albanian communists and Kosovo’s Marxists toward President Rugova has not changed. Through its advisers or spokespersons, the Albanian presidency continues, together with Kosovo’s Marxists, to call Rugova a traitor. That these positions have only one aim—to divide the Kosovo factor—has been clear from the beginning, but at the time the communists sought to justify themselves by saying that Rugova was still a hostage of Millosheviç. The communists’ first attacks on Rugova began after the elections, on the day the Thaçi government was formed in Tirana—a day that, strangely, coincided with Millosheviç putting Rugova on screen. After that, when the West stood by Rugova, calling him a hostage of the Serbian dictator, there was a degree of retreat by the attackers inside Albania as well. They were forced to accept that Rugova might have been a hostage and that his meeting with Millosheviç had been imposed, but this did not change their characterizations of Kosovo’s Albanian President. Rugova’s release, as a result of international pressure (diplomatic pressure, but also bombings), put the Albanian communists and Kosovo’s Marxists in a difficult position. They openly expressed their dissatisfaction with Rugova’s release because they knew that Rugova would now speak and they would be left with no arguments for their attacks. That is what happened. Rugova commented on all his positions, especially those for which he had been attacked. Rugova’s positions are now public, both regarding NATO’s bombings and Kosovo’s independence. He declared that he had never spoken out against NATO’s bombings, and also stressed that he was fighting for Kosovo’s independence. From that moment on, there could no longer be any reason for Rugova to be attacked by those who had constantly attacked him, taking the Serbian television’s statements about Rugova at face value (because it suited them). But that did not happen. The communists, confused and troubled by the West’s support for Rugova, moved on to other absurd accusations. Finding themselves in a difficult position because of the stance they had taken, they now do not know what to do and are resisting, even at the risk of breaking relations with Albania’s Western allies at this time. These positions have been clearly expressed in statements by Meidani’s advisers, as well as in several resolutions prepared in the Albanian parliament, where anti-Western tendencies are plainly visible. The issue is no longer simply Rugova; it has gone further, starting from that point. Rugova has supported the elections proposed by the West, while the Albanian communists have now gone so far as to attack not only Rugova, but also the West’s proposed elections, simply because Rugova supports them. Nevertheless, this issue is not so simple, since their attacks on Rugova are not connected to whether they like or dislike his positions or other people. The aim is clear: to divide Kosovo’s political and military forces, in the hope that one day Kosovo will fall into the hands of the Marxists. By now there can be no doubt about this, since, as mentioned above, there are no longer any of the previous arguments to attack Rugova or his positions.

Local authorities in Tropojë ask the President of the Republic for heavy weapons to repel the Serbian aggression “State institutions want to turn Tropojë into a scene of terrible massacres by the Serbian army,” declared the Chairman of the District Council, Xhevdet Hoxha ON PAGE 3

Following the president’s attacks, the chairman of the Supreme Court speaks to the press The power-holders’ struggle to seize control of the Supreme Court as well is, he says, an expression of their Marxist-Leninist concept of the unity of powers. In other words, placing every institution under political control and dismissing the members and chairmen of these courts for political reasons ON PAGE 3

Rugova speaks to some of the West’s most important newspapers: “I have never spoken out against NATO’s bombings; that was Serbian propaganda and, unfortunately, Albanian propaganda too” Rugova: How will we shape Kosovo? Self-administration or “self-government,” because I do not like the word autonomy. Then, after a three-year period, the international community should decide on a referendum or some form of consultation. But I say it even today: the best solution will be independence. We thought that during these three years we would create political, economic and cultural structures for everyone in Kosovo ON PAGE 3

The former chairman of the Constitutional Court denounces constitutional violations in the dismissal of the chairman of the Supreme Court ON PAGE 4

Commemorative meeting on the eighth month since the execution of the December Leader ON PAGE 2

Today, 243 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 successors in the crime that shook the entire Albanian world. The government of the former communists, which leaves Fatos Nano and his successors implicated governments of the former communists, which leave free and unpunished the criminals who took the life of the December Leader, show Albanians that they have been and remain on the side of the murderers, who have names and surnames but are untouchable 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 national road in Gjirokastër remains blocked Yesterday, a meeting was held between representatives of the local authorities of Lazarat and the prime minister’s adviser. The representatives of Lazarat called for the implementation of the five points in the petition submitted to the government ON PAGE 4

If you wish to contribute funds for the exhausted children of Kosovo, you may deposit your contribution into account number 34220/00/0376 at “Dardania Bank,” in the name of the association: “Children of Kosovo, our children.”