Serious accusations against Thaçi and his friends also in the “Herald Tribune” KLA Leaders Said to Have Killed Rivals Accusations Focus on Men Who Are Partners With NATO in Rebuilding Kosovo ON PAGE 4

Albania’s air gateway closes indefinitely. The country cuts off its links with the world ON PAGE 5

By Edi PALOKA Two years ago, on 29 June ‘97, Albania was marking one of the darkest days in its history. Two years ago, the power of the mafia, the power of gangs and criminals, was institutionalized in Albania. Two years ago, men with Kalashnikovs became members of parliament; criminals, thieves and swindlers became ministers, prime ministers, parliamentary speakers and presidents. But what was most appalling was that Albania fell into the hands of anti-Albanians. Two years ago, the scenarios prepared in the offices of the secret services of the most anti-Albanian circles were put into action; they were placed in the hands of their servants in Albania, along with the millions spent to carry them out. Today, after many facts have come to light and the course of events has been examined, there is no longer any doubt that the pyramid schemes, the incitement of protests under the Serbian three-finger symbol, and even the armed rebellion that destroyed the Albanian state, were all part of these scenarios. They were scenarios that returned the Communist-mafia gangs to power. Of course, all this would have consequences, consequences that Albanians are still suffering to this day. Two years ago, knowing that the rule of Kalashnikovs would not be enough, the leaders of the rebellion made many promises to desperate Albanians. Restoring “order within six months,” fully returning the lost money, creating 200,000 new jobs, consolidating private property, raising wages and pensions, increasing investment, and so on, were the grand promises the current rulers made to Albanians by exploiting their desperation. Today, two years later, there is no Albanian who has not understood what happened; there is no Albanian who has not felt the deception and insult to the bone. Albania continues to be ruled by gangs, but by now they have become a veritable mafia controlled by those at the top of power. Crime ... of power. Crime has come out into the open; murders, robberies, kidnappings, rapes and other serious crimes continue to set new records month after month. Every Albanian citizen today is a potential victim of crime, while criminals are protected by the state. Today in Albania, a poet like Halit Shamata is being held in custody for crimes against humanity; people who risked their lives to protect citizens’ order and security, such as Sali Shehu, are in prison, while notorious criminals like Zani Caushi are acquitted. Many other criminals, who have publicly admitted their crimes and are known to everyone as criminals, are now part of the rulers’ gangs, serve as their bodyguards, run illegal trafficking on their behalf, and continue to kill and terrorize, often even wearing the uniforms of the security forces. Today they are all-powerful because they are not only protected but also directed by rulers who are no less criminal than they are. Let us not forget that in the Parliament elected on 29 June ’97 there are people who have drunk human blood (not figuratively), who have cut off heads with an axe, and who have even tried to commit crimes inside the parliamentary chamber, firing weapons at opposition MPs. Can such order and security be expected? How can one expect order to be established by a government that runs the trafficking of weapons, drugs and people, as well as smuggling, etc.? This is today’s reality; this is the order these rulers promise Albanians on 29 June. Albania is effectively ruled by the mafia today. And yet, although order is one of the main problems, it is not the only problem facing Albania, nor the only issue on which the rulers lied two years ago. The vast sums of money in the pyramid schemes were used as a pretext to start the Communist rebellion. It was the rulers’ promise that all their money would be returned today that was used to win the votes of desperate Albanians. (continued on page 3)

Crime is drowning Albania. Three brothers and two others are executed in a café in the city centre

The National Council of the Democratic Party decides to convene the Special Assembly BERISHA: Now we must convince Albanians how, with our alternative, we will restore order in Albania, fight organized crime and ensure security; convince Albanians how we will resolve the vital issue of property ownership, a vital issue for stabilizing the market economy; convince Albanians what we will do to join NATO and what we will do about the national question ON PAGE 3

Bologna falls too, the myth of the left in Italy D’Alema: The results are extremely worrying for us Bologna falls too, the myth of the left in Italy Historic victory for the right D’Alema: The results are extremely worrying for us The Italian right’s victory in the local elections follows its triumph in the European Parliament elections. The defeat of the left—which until now has barely held on thanks to political combinations and dramatic regional circumstances, often with the opposition’s support—is the clearest warning of the outcome of Italy’s next elections and of a return of the right to power. ON PAGE 3

The Prime Minister admits failure in Argentina. The Socialist International did not accept the socialists’ full membership

did not accept the socialists’ full membership Majko: The Socialist Party is a party of quarrels Prime Minister Majko was unable to say anything about Albania’s future development plans, implicitly acknowledging that he and his government are on the verge of leaving office ON PAGE 3 The Prime Minister admits failure in Argentina. The Socialist International did not accept the socialists’ full membership

3,000 club employees in Parku Rinia protest in front of the Prime Minister’s Office the Prime Minister’s Office We want our properties back This was the refrain of the thousands of people who protested yesterday in front of the Prime Minister’s Office, which had just got some respite from the slogan “We want our money back,” when another property dispute landed on its desk to resolve ON PAGE 5

“Work will resume when wages are raised” Oil workers have announced the start of an indefinite strike in protest against the failure to meet their financial demands, which include a 50 percent wage increase and a doubling of the daily allowance ON PAGE 5

Meidani and Kondi continue the political purges in the courts At the latest meeting of the KLD, Meidani and Kondi dismissed four more judges for political reasons, while leaving open the way to dismissing all nine judges of the Tirana Court of First Instance, Martin Deda ON PAGE 3

Finance chief makes statements against the institutions he heads “Corrupt people work in customs, and they are interested only in their personal gain at the state’s expense” ON PAGE 5

Today, 287 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 crime that shook this Albanian world. The government of the former communists, which leaves free and undisturbed the criminals who took the life of the December leader, shows Albanians that they have been and remain on the side of the killers, who have names and surnames but are 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.

The President praises parliament’s role regarding the resolutions on division ON PAGE 3