The Socialists of Patos plunder humanitarian aid intended for arrivals from Kosovo ON PAGE 4

The decree’s ceremonial handover is a serious constitutional violation ON PAGE 4

Residents have submitted a petition to Meidani, Majko and Poçi ON PAGE 4

By Edi PALOKA Yesterday, several questions concerning the position of the Albanian government, Western officials, and political and military forces in Kosovo finally received answers. Madeleine Albright met yesterday in Germany with the President of the Republic of Kosovo, Ibrahim Rugova, and the political representative of the KLA, Hashim Thaçi. After the meeting, Rugova stated that his points and those of the US Secretary of State regarding a solution to the Kosovo issue were in agreement. Meanwhile, Thaçi acknowledged that the KLA would not create problems for the implementation of the agreement expected to be reached between the West and Serbia. Nevertheless, something else was clarified by this meeting, organized in Germany by Albright: Tirana’s officials have been definitively sidelined from the resolution of the Kosovo issue. Paskal Milo’s statement that he had been completely unaware of the meeting is the clearest proof of this. For some time, there had been discussion of a meeting among Kosovo’s political and military forces to bring about cooperation between them. This demand had been put forward by both the West and the Albanian opposition, while Tirana’s officials continued to fan division. Driven by narrow interests, but especially encouraged by the pro-Slavic cliques among Tirana’s rulers, some KLA representatives entered the game of division by attacking the President of Kosovo and all the leaders he represented. Such a stance naturally harmed, first and foremost, the cause of Kosovo and, consequently, the West’s efforts to resolve the issue. For this reason, not only the Albanian opposition but also the West’s allies demanded at all costs that cooperation be achieved between Kosovo’s political and military forces. It was the West that reprimanded Tirana’s rulers, forcing them to change their position toward Rugova and declare their support for unifying Kosovo’s factions. But although the Albanian rulers changed their position in their statements, in practice it remained the same. After that, while maintaining the same position but changing tactics, they tried to achieve their aim of keeping Kosovo’s factions apart. Thus, even as they declared that a meeting between Rugova and Thaçi was necessary, they did not stop directing attacks against the Kosovo President in various forms. This, along with many other reasons, led the West to move from “giving advice” to completely ignoring Tirana’s rulers. Regarding them as a negative force in this matter once and for all, the West is excluding Tirana’s officials entirely from everything. Realizing this, government figures such as Milo tried to recover their position: after bringing Thaçi to Tirana, they insisted that the Rugova–Thaçi meeting be organized specifically in Tirana. They hoped in this way to become players again; at the same time, believing they could achieve their aim fully, they also thought they could bring about a degree of unification. But they turned the meeting into a campaign against Rugova. That was only what they imagined, however, because all these plans proved to be yet another failure. Rugova refused to come to Tirana “at Milo’s orders” and believed that this decision would be made by Kosovo’s [unclear] at another meeting organized in France by Paskal Milo. This enraged Tirana’s rulers, who felt they had been ignored not only by Rugova but also by the West. This was definitively confirmed by yesterday’s meeting in Germany, organized by Albright. Rugova did not refuse to attend the meeting. Thus, while Tirana’s rulers, led by Milos, had called Thaçi and others to Tirana and claimed that the meeting in Tirana was Rugova’s last chance, he was forced to go to Germany. In Germany, Thaçi did not meet with the chairman of the LDK, as he had previously said he would, but with the President of Kosovo, and called for Kosovo’s independence. More significant still was Milo’s statement and the revelation of the moment’s [unclear]—or rather, a political failure once and for all. Milo has admitted that he was not invited at all to the meeting organized in Germany, and this fact needs no comment. That puts the lid on it.

Official Tirana defies American policy The US Secretary of State brings together Kosovo’s political and military forces. Meeting with Rugova, Thaçi and Qosja. Next time we will meet in Prishtina, not in Europe’s clubs and restaurants ON PAGE 2

PD: Kondi’s appointment as head of the Supreme Court is unconstitutional Former President Berisha accused the head of state, who “appointed his own man as chairman of the Supreme Court, without

Former President Berisha accused the head of state, who “appointed his own man as chairman of the Supreme Court, without any decision dismissing the lawful chairman of this court, whose term was due to end after five years” The time of Court, without any decision dismissing the lawful chairman of this court, whose term was due to end after five years” ON PAGE 3

Serbs are bombing 25 kilometers inside Albanian territory with heavy artillery ON PAGE 4

The President of Albania thanks the Greek government as he visits the camps of those expelled from Kosovo ON PAGE 3

Albright: “These representatives of Kosovo’s political leadership have told me, without any ambiguity, that they will fulfill the commitments made in Rambouillet” ON PAGE 2

Opposition accuses: Corruption has degenerated into economic crime The latest scandal involving the theft of documents concerning road-paving tenders from the Prime Minister’s Office once again demonstrates that corruption has spared no level of today’s state ON PAGE 4

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Trade unionists: “A pay increase is possible” ON PAGE 2

Expanded DP gathering in Skrapar, also attended by DP leaders Genc Pollo, Ferdinand Xhaferi and Antoneta Luli DP Deputy Chairman Genc Pollo stressed that victory is on the side of the Kosovars, since for the first time they have such a powerful force on their side, namely the Atlantic Alliance ON PAGE 2

Today, 271 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 successor in the crime that shook the entire Albanian world. The governments of the former communists, which were free and did not bring the criminals who took the life of the December Leader to justice, show Albanians that they have been and remain on the side of the killers, who have names and identities but are left untouched 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.

Yesterday, in Cologne, the meeting of the G8 foreign ministers