The Socialist Party MP had a hand in the disappearance of SHIK files ON PAGE 3

PD denounces SHIK provocations against the KLA as a new terror campaign ON PAGE 3

Automatic gunfire, terror and panic among the citizens ON PAGE 4

By Shemsi PEPOSHI The Macedonian prime minister, Georgievski, and the Albanian prime minister, Pandeli Majko, announced yesterday that they recognize a military administration in Kosovo, one that has not been brought in by peacekeepers and that comes with the smell of gunpowder: the “Thaçi” administration. The conclusions reached by two of the prime ministers of the countries with the most problems in the region after Serbia, as regards democracy, human rights, economic development and democratic reforms, are a clear signal that these countries will continue to face numerous problems in the future as long as they are governed by people with such ideas. The end of NATO’s war with Serbia and its defeat, and the different future now knocking at Kosovo’s door, seem to be awakening neighboring countries’ interest in directly influencing its political future. Georgievski and Majko are the first to reveal their political preferences for Kosovo’s future government, even appointing its administration. Indeed, the prime minister of FYROM has gone much further, declaring, according to news agencies, that a KLA administration in Kosovo is in the interest of regional stability. The Macedonian government becomes the second international government, after the Tirana administration, to recognize “Thaçi” and his government; moreover, together with official Tirana, it makes its international diplomatic relations conditional on the recognition and acceptance of Thaçi’s administration in Kosovo. Any normal person understands that Tirana’s—and now Skopje’s—insistence on an administration in Kosovo of their choosing, one that has not been elected or established on the basis of an agreement accepted by all parties in Kosovo, is fundamentally motivated by other interests. It seems that, despite the changes taking place in the region—the greatest and most far-reaching in 50 years—a particular ruling clique is seeking to preserve those unsavory economic and business ties, and links to the regional mafia, whose head is in Moscow. This effort is a direct investment in preserving the mafia economic structures of Belgrade, which are controlled by Milošević’s clique. Some recent developments are truly strange, beginning with the transfer of the KLA fund accounts to Tirana and the recognition of Thaçi’s administration by Skopje, which have taken place almost in parallel. Furthermore, a democratic and Western future for Kosovo does not seem to be of direct interest to official Tirana or Skopje, because for both countries, their problems with democracy and democratic reforms, respect for human rights, and efforts to build a free-market economy beyond the control of the mafia and trafficking of every kind would then become the focus of political and diplomatic attention. The Skopje government and Tirana, which has appointed Kosovo’s civil administration, did not even observe the minimum diplomatic etiquette in such cases: respecting the decisive actors shaping Kosovo’s political future—the Albanians who live there and the international community, which made it possible, through war, to remove the Serbian administration precisely so that the Albanians’ will to choose their own administration would be respected. It is not excessive to say that, through their efforts to impose their political preferences on Kosovo, Skopje and Tirana are bringing the Belgrade regime back onto the stage—the regime that never allowed the Albanians of Kosovo the right to choose. In fact, just as Skopje stood alongside Milošević during the conflict, proving a worthy ally through its treatment of refugees, so too has Tirana made efforts to determine Kosovo’s political actors. Both governments remain deeply engaged in dishonest efforts concerning Kosovo’s future. The international community, which has taken responsibility for Kosovo’s security and liberated it from Serbian occupation, should establish its civil administration until elections and direct that administration as a direct commitment to a truly democratic and Western Kosovo. Otherwise, if the governments of Tirana and Skopje are left to it, it would not be surprising if they appointed Kosovo’s customs officers too.

The secrets of the Albanian President’s latest visit to Europe Rexhep Meidani, Namik Dokle and Sabri Godo, on their way to Germany, stop in Switzerland on business. Deals with the company Workshop ON PAGE 2 Tirana celebrates Kosovo’s liberation

Skopje and Tirana appoint the government in Kosovo In Tetovo, Majko urged Thaçi to install his government in Prishtina, disregarding the institutions

The Ministry of Health issues an order to ban imports ON PAGE 5

The majority, afraid of losing power, is promoting material privileges ON PAGE 3

PD welcomes and encourages stability in Albania’s relations with Macedonia All UÇK forces currently located in the territory of Albania should be treated equally and not attacked and forcibly disarmed, as happened the day before yesterday with a unit in Pukë, discriminating against it on the basis of a report alleging presumed political orientations. ON PAGE 3

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17 hostages have been taken in the capital during 1998 alone ON PAGE 4

Today, 280 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 successors in the grave crime that shook the entire Albanian world. The government of the former communists, who leave free the criminal officials who took the life of the December Leader, shows Albanians that they have been and remain on the side of the killers, whose names and surnames are known, but whom those in power do not touch. Democrats and all honest and conscientious Albanians cannot tolerate this fact concerning Azem Hajdari. The government must either capture the criminals and bring them to justice, or publicly declare that it itself committed the murder of Azem Hajdari.

The singer, Eleonora Jakupi, last night at the festive concert organized by "Bashkimi për Demokraci"