The chairman of the DP, Prof. Dr. Sali Berisha, and other DP leaders visited the camps in Shëngjin and at the Mat Coast, and also took part in the DP district meeting ON PAGE 2

Lit candles and prayers for the soul of Azem Hajdari, on the ninth month since his murder ON PAGE 2

By Astrit PATOZI A battalion of Russian soldiers arrived in Prishtina on Friday night, in an attempt to spoil the celebration marking the beginning of a new era for Kosovo, following the arrival of NATO's victorious troops there. The unexpected Russian landing in Kosovo's capital, a few hours before the allied forces set out to take control of Kosovo, should be seen less as an open challenge by Moscow to the West than as a symbolic gesture by Russia to show, in a moment of desperation, that it is still standing. Russian treachery should not be taken as a “misunderstanding,” as Italian Foreign Minister Lamberto Dini says—he finds it difficult to say anything harsh against the Slavs—nor simply as the generals' revenge against the West, as someone else says. At the same time, however, its impact need not be exaggerated to such an extent that it causes surprise and concern throughout the world. Regardless of Ivanov's negative reaction and Chernomyrdin's shrug, which may be feigned or sincere—it makes little difference—the midnight landing in Kosovo's capital was a gesture by the official policy of Moscow. The same is true of the generals, who may have had their own grievances over the resolution of the Balkan conflict; whatever the case, the other creatures of the “Russian empire” here merely carried out orders from the Kremlin. President Yeltsin proved this immediately when he promoted General Zavar in an apparent effort to show publicly where the orders for the “occupation” of Prishtina had come from. Russia, which was the great outsider in the NATO conflict with Serbia, despite the diplomatic language of endearment used toward it at the highest level and the importance assigned to it in this process, found its own way to take revenge on the West: it raised its flag in Prishtina without waiting for the victors to arrive there. This treachery, which recalls the familiar history of the tsars and Slavic leaders of the Middle Ages, is in any case an inadequate trophy for restoring Russia's “lost honor.” And although what happened was a signal that the challenges of lasting peace in Kosovo will be far from easy, the landing of 200 Russian men, who had abandoned the “front” in Bosnia to be the first in Prishtina, cannot spoil the great celebration—which is not only that of the Kosovars—that began yesterday with the deployment of the first contingents of the allies on Albanian soil. The contrast between the stealthy arrival of 200 Russian men in Prishtina and the energetic start of NATO forces' deployment in Kosovo makes the roles of both sides in the Balkan conflict clearer, as well as each side's specific place in global politics. Seeking to raise their own flags in Kosovo's capital, the 200 Russians who had slipped away from their service in Bosnia allowed themselves to be escorted to Prishtina by victorious Serbian troops that have carried out massacres from ...

Albanians cheer the arrival of the victorious allies. The British enter Prishtina, the French reach Gjilan. Today, the Germans in Prizren Russians enter Prishtina treacherously. Moscow's dangerous game at the expense of peace in the Balkans. USA: All troops in Kosovo under our command Albanians cheer the arrival of the victorious allies. The British enter Prishtina, the French reach Gjilan. Today, the Germans in Prizren NATO begins the liberation of Kosovo Russians enter Prishtina treacherously. Moscow's dangerous game at the expense of peace in the Balkans. USA: All troops in Kosovo under our command [opening text unclear/cut off] support [cut-off part] who had abandoned the “front” in Bosnia in order to be first to witness the triumph of a swift peace—a great celebration that belongs not only to the Kosovars—which the allies on Albanian soil. The contrast between the hasty arrival of 200 Russian men in Pristina and the energetic start of the landing of NATO forces in Kosovo makes clearer not only the role of the parties in the Balkan conflict, but also the specific weight of each in global politics. Wanting to raise their flag over the capital of Kosovo, in Bosnia allowed themselves to be escorted to Pristina by American troops [text unclear: “serbe”], who have carried out some of the most brutal massacres in Kosovo. Standing alongside them and cheered only by Kosovo’s Serb minority, the Russian “peacekeepers” failed as a party alongside the defeated in a war that has already ended. Meanwhile, applauded only by the few Serbs who live in Kosovo and are hostile to Albanians, victims of Milošević’s therapy, the Kremlin’s “doves” will show that their mission is to protect just one side in a country where peace is being sought at any cost. On the other hand, NATO is demonstrating extraordinary determination to be the first to prevent any conflict between ethnic groups in Kosovo. Despite the very serious crimes committed by the Serb majority—for which not only the Serbs of Belgrade are responsible, but also thousands of police officers, soldiers and paramilitaries who perpetrated genocide on the ground—and despite the fact that NATO itself was at war with all the Serbian military only two days ago, the allies are demonstrating that they are going to Kosovo solely to establish peace. In a special message to the Albanians of Kosovo, US President Bill Clinton urged them not to seek revenge, but to avoid any retaliation against Serbs for the massacres of Albanians. The contrast between NATO’s great mission, which God must [text unclear], and the deeply rooted challenge, driven both by the remnants of other Slavic Orthodox fundamentalisms and by the insignificant role entrusted to Moscow in global politics, is enough to bring out all the effects of fraternity [text unclear] among the Russians at Pristina airport. The sense of it is another half-measure, given that in this case too the Russians showed that they mourn for the Serbs, although the victims had borne the greatest part of the evil and of this entire tragedy. It is also a flag of mourning for Russia itself, which in the end tried to join the losers, whom it had no chance of helping to win. Moscow’s haste to spoil the celebration and create confusion at the first steps in the implementation of the peace process in Kosovo—which is motivated more by Russia’s domestic political problems than by any disruption of the balance in the international arena—should in fact be seen as the final reaction of a great state that finds it difficult to accept that it is no longer a superpower. Taking on a role that seems [text unclear], and seizing the moment when no one is looking at it anymore, the Kremlin seems to have wanted to caress the national pride of weary Russians and show Westerners that Moscow has not lost all its teeth, even though to move its jaws it must eat bread obtained on credit from Europe and the United States of America. It is paradoxical that the Russians rushed to be first in Kosovo, given Moscow’s difficulties; it will surely have to seek another loan or credit from the West to keep its soldiers there. And if the Russian whim were to continue, with the soldiers presumably reinforced by a battalion that had abandoned its tents in Bosnia, then Europe and the United States would make things harder for a mess they had paid for themselves. Albanians celebrate the arrival of NATO troops in Pristina

Opposition leader confirms visit across the Atlantic ON PAGE 3

Socialist MPs come to the defense of those who led the 1997 rebellion

Socialist MPs come to the defense of those who led the 1997 rebellion ON PAGE 4

A dispute in the PSD: Gjinushi appoints Apostoli vice-chairman ON PAGE 3

“One must taste the bitter to understand how sweet sugar is” By Aleksandër MEKSI ON PAGE 6

The accident occurred due to a malfunction during the flight ON PAGE 4

The Democratic Party calls for the immediate withdrawal of Russian troops from Kosovo The Democratic Party has acknowledged the role of Mr. Çërnomërdin and his distancing himself from Millosheviçi, as well as the engagement of Russian diplomacy solely in achieving the G8 agreement on Kosovo, although, to be truthful, it must be said that it had sided with Belgrade. The Democratic Party declares that the unmandated incursions of Russian armored units into Prishtina, in violation of the UN Security Council resolution, are a reprehensible and dangerous act, with unforeseeable consequences. The Albanian citizens terrorized in Prishtina, who were waiting impatiently and praying in the streets of the city for the gurkas-ndi and the other NATO troops, were rightly shocked when Russian troops arrived there; they celebrated en masse together with Serbian soldiers and paramilitaries in the streets of martyred Prishtina. The Democratic Party notes that this act once again demonstrates that, while the United States and the West are committed to protecting the values of democracy in Kosovo, Russia is seeking to oppose them by defending its old interests. The Russian incursion and violation of Kosovo’s territory in this manner, in breach of the UN Security Council resolution, become even more dangerous in the context of the Serbian parliament’s vote and declaration, just a few weeks earlier, on the union of Yugoslavia with Russia and Belarus. The Democratic Party demands the immediate withdrawal of Russian troops from Kosovo and their exclusion from KFOR, since their presence in Kosovo poses a danger of unpredictable developments.

Today, 276 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 power in the crime that shook and brought Albanians to their knees. The government of the former Communists, who are free and undisturbed, must show Albanians that they have been and remain on the side of the killers who took the life of the December Leader—killers who have names, but are protected by those in power. Democrats and all Albanians who loved and honored Azem Hajdari can under no circumstances allow this. The government must either bring the killers to justice, or publicly declare that it itself committed the murder of Azem Hajdari.

Albanians celebrate the arrival of NATO troops in Pristina