By Astrit PATOZI The spokesman for the “Thaqi” government, Jakup Krasniqi, asked the government in Tirana to act as a “third party” in arranging a meeting to unify Kosovo’s political forces, thereby openly and clearly demonstrating distrust in its legitimate institutions alone. This statement by one of the “gramophones” in the so-called Thaqi provisional government, besides provoking laughter, shows the state of Kosovo’s political factor, for which responsibility is borne both by the self-proclaimed representatives claiming to represent the sublime sacrifices of the KLA and by the communists of Tirana, who are trying to revive their power in the lands of ethnic Albania. By making a third party a condition for uniting with Kosovo’s important political forces, Mr Krasniqi is expressing the great distance between the institutions elected by Albanians and the acceptance of unserious followers and creators such as the Thaqi provisional government, in whose name he speaks from a luxury hotel in Tirana. Tirana’s criminal bias The fact that the Thaqi government is seeking a mediator for talks is the clearest expression that the union of Kosovo’s political and military forces sought by the people of Kosovo has been broken unilaterally for extremist interests, with the position of prime minister being claimed, while President Rugova is being treated with the utmost disregard. At the same time, the government in Tirana is expressing support for the “KLA boys,” as it calls them, distinguishing them from the KLA, which is a much broader concept than the Thaqi group and others like it. Jakup Krasniqi and his colleagues are seeking a mediator as if they were talking to their enemies, who ought to be Milošević’s Serbs, and not to representatives of Kosovo’s Albanian political life. The contrast between the policies of Rugova and the KLA, on the one hand, and the provisional officials, on the other, is a synthesis of what has happened in relations between Kosovo’s political forces and the clearest explanation of what the representatives still fail to recognize. The fact that people who have been more than parties to politics are being sought as arbiters or mediators in the disagreements between the two separatists in Kosovo is as formulaic as it is laughable. Before setting a date and place for a meeting with Rugova and the others, Mr Krasniqi must explain something else: If this really was about punishing Milošević and his regime, why should all current cooperation in Kosovo—which would lead to resolving the political crisis—be conducted in this way, when it concerns relations among Kosovo’s political forces and offers the clearest explanation of what the representatives still fail to recognize? If it is true that one side is part of parliament, then seeking another party or mediators who have been more than parties to politics and the disagreements between the two separatists in Kosovo is as formulaic as it is laughable. Before setting a date and place for a meeting with Rugova and the others, Mr Krasniqi must explain something else: If this really was about punishing Milošević and his regime, why should all current cooperation in Kosovo—which would lead to resolving the political crisis—be conducted in this way, when it concerns relations among Kosovo’s political forces and offers the clearest explanation of what the representatives still fail to recognize? (Continued on page 3)

The British prime minister arrives in Tirana dressed in red and black, visits the camps for the displaced in Elbasan and NATO Headquarters in Durrës “I cannot find words to emphasize the extraordinary importance of cooperation and the unification of all the forces in Kosovo. Any disagreement among them would put NATO’s credibility itself at risk.” Prime Minister Toni Blair among the citizens of Tirana and foreigners — “Dëshmorët e Kombit”

The President of Kosovo is received at NATO Headquarters by the Alliance’s political and military leaders The President of Kosovo also met the current OSCE Chairman, Norwegian Foreign Minister Vollebek, and the Belgian foreign minister ON PAGE 2

The chairman of the DP receives a delegation from the “Vendlindja therret” foundation ON PAGE 2

Dario Rivolta, after meeting with the President of Kosovo, in the Italian Parliament ON PAGE 2

Serbian forces exhume bodies to conceal evidence of mass graves Serbian forces place the bodies of murdered civilians in places targeted by NATO aircraft, says Ambassador Dejvid Shfer ON PAGE 7

By Arben ÇEJKU ON PAGE 8

Foreign interest in those displaced from Kosovo, a challenge for governmental co-governance Elbasan, now at prefecture level, is dealing with figures of 24,000 people sheltered after being forcibly displaced from Kosovo ON PAGE 4

Albanians are threatened in all Kosovo municipalities by Serbian troops and their paramilitaries—in Mitrovicë, Lipjan, Obiliq and everywhere Brojë: “Since the government has made no effort to shed light on the many cases of violence against local authorities or bring those responsible to justice, we have reason to believe that the local authorities are regarded as political opponents rather than leaders elected by free vote.” ON PAGE 2

FRPD chairman Gent Stazimiri at the meeting of European conservatives We ask international actors to recognize as the sole interlocutors for Albania and Kosovo the representatives of Kosovo’s legitimate institutions, elected in free elections ON PAGE 8

Today, 249 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 former communist government, which leaves free and undisturbed the criminals who took the life of the December Leader, shows Albanians that it has been and remains on the side of the murderers, whose names are known but who are not touched by those in power. Democrats and all Albanians who loved and admired Azem Hajdari can in no way tolerate this fact. 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

The market is flooded with counterfeit goods Numerous manufacturing or trading companies have sprung up in these difficult economic times and are flooding the market with their products, which have not been subject to taxes ON PAGE 5

Residents of the border area repel an attack by Serbian forces in Has ON PAGE 4

An identity card costs more than an Albanian passport ON PAGE 5

Kučovë, strike over wages in the oil sector ON PAGE 5

If you wish to contribute money for the drugged children of Kosovo, you can send your donation to account number 34220/00/0376 at “Dardania Bank” in the name of the association: “Children of Kosovo, our children”.