Kosovo in its first days for Serbs. The story of the transfer of power and the changing of symbols. What is happening now in Prishtina, Prizren, Ferizaj, Lipjan, etc. In Prizren, they also pay in lekë. Only one barber in the 16-storey press building in Prishtina. Greek businessmen have also left with the Serbs. By Sami NEZA ON PAGE 2

Albania risks losing the great post-war opportunities in Kosovo because of the lack of law and order and rampant corruption, the “historic merits” of the left-wing coalition government in power. “Friends of Albania” warn the government that as Kosovo turns westward, it will shut off all the taps of credit and aid for a country that has been controlled for more than two years by gangs, at a time when the rulers in Tirana are waiting open-mouthed for the implementation of a “Marshall” Plan—not for Albania, but for themselves. The serious statements by this country’s official “friends” contrast sharply with the utter lack of seriousness among Albanian government officials, who have become completely deaf to promises to restore law and order—not only to Albanian citizens, who do not need to hear about criminality and the president to go home early, but also to Westerners, who are patiently waiting for the Tirana government finally to fulfil the first duty of every government in the world: establishing its authority throughout the country. Two years after the gangs appeared in 1997 and helped bring the Socialists back to power, crime and insecurity in the country have reached the same scale as during the days when there was no state, while Albania is moving ever closer to being branded internationally as a country of mafia and terrorism. Meanwhile, the Socialists and their allies have broadly exhausted their governing capacity, having reshuffled the cabinet within just two years; it can therefore be said that these ministers have done little to improve the crisis of law and order. It is quite clear that President Majko cannot boast for long about having been prime minister for only a short time, nor can he claim that this was merely a brief period in the crisis of law and order. The new Albanian prime minister, Pandeli Majko, cannot boast for long that he had significant differences with his predecessor on the Kosovo issue, a stance rightly welcomed by the opposition. The war is now over and, if both sides took steps to help the country’s hundreds of thousands of people displaced from Kosovo, Majko must not forget that the greed with which his administration looted the humanitarian aid that poured into Albania from all over the world will also be difficult to erase. He bears the main responsibility for governing this country, and if virtually nothing has been done under his leadership to restore law and order, that is an inescapable burden for Pandeli Majko too. It matters little to the people of this country whether he is more sincere and less irresponsible in his governing than his predecessor, because nobody is moved by Pandi’s indistinguishable smiles on television or by his sentimental statements to foreigners, especially during the moving moment of the ambassadors’ departure. It is true that there is a great difference between Fatos Nano, who left power pursued by accusations of close ties to mafia networks and illicit trafficking, and Pandeli Majko, for whom, at least so far, there is no direct involvement with the criminal world. But if Fatos Nano left power without either the desire or the ability to strike at the gangs holding Albania hostage, because he was part of them, his successor Majko bears the same responsibility—even if he was willing to restore order but unable to do so. Albanian officials and foreigners considering investing money in Albania do not need to be told that the new Minister of Public Order appointed by Pandeli Majko does not have the same dubious CV as his predecessor Petro Koci, who only two years ago led the gangs of Fier as they set fire to municipal buildings and shops in their campaign of terror against Berisha and Kosovo. Attempts to belittle justice have not addressed this. If the gangs control many of Albania’s towns and roads, if in Tirana gangs are entrenched at the same time, and in Sarandë policemen shoot mercilessly at young people with Kalashnikovs because of their massive involvement in drug trafficking and smuggling, then the beginning with this minister of gangs is summed up in Tirana by the mocking phrase, “Koci is gone, Poci has arrived.” And so the refrain can continue: “Nano is gone, Majko has arrived,” followed by all the ministers and senior officials of the left-wing coalition who have burdened one another during these dark years. Everything that has happened in Albania over these past two years is expressed in the diplomatic language of the “friends” in several ways, including: “Apologies for crime are not enough; concrete action is needed.” This is an irreplaceable summary of the West’s message to the Tirana government. The “Friends of Albania” ultimatum—law and order, or not a single lek—is all the more serious given that it was voiced by Ambassador Everts, who is known for his fondness for Tirana’s government officials. Those who are now lamenting the possibility of a “Marshall” Plan for Albania have nobody to complain to during these hot and uncertain Albanian days, because the responsible people have names and they are in government. Even if Albanians were to forgive their government’s irresponsibility for the sake of aid for their country, they are the ones who will pay for the money missing from the government’s programme. But the terms for a “Marshall” Plan for Albania are harsher: first, they must establish law and security in government; they will understand this instead of ending up with organized crime controlling the country, and with so much damage caused by the failures of those in power. It is precisely the rulers in Tirana who are not only driving away the major projects for Tirana that pass through the most important offices in the United States, but also frightening off small private investors, domestic and foreign, since without a functioning and secure state, Albania has no future.

Announced plans for cabinet changes launch the prime minister’s campaign to take over the leadership of the Socialist Party ON PAGE 3

ON PAGE 3

A passerby is killed and another wounded in Velipojë. Police do not intervene to calm the situation The incident took place on the road at around 16:30, when two rival groups suddenly began arguing and then exchanged Kalashnikov fire near the police checkpoint in Velipojë. According to witnesses from Velipojë, the police did not intervene; only one member of the rival groups left. ON PAGE 4

An acute infection in his left leg, with a tendency to spread rapidly, which appeared on Sunday evening, has led the Chairman of the DP, Prof. Dr. Sali Berisha, to suspend all public activities and cancel scheduled meetings. Doctors assess that the infection is now under control with appropriate medication, and treatment is continuing at home. Press release

Lack of stability, inefficiency in the judiciary and banking problems put projects for Albania at risk Karlos Elbrit, before leaving Albania, says that if Albania had strong institutions, it would receive twice as much World Bank funding for various projects ON PAGE 5

Yesterday afternoon, the Deputy Chairman of the DP and Chairman of the Democratic Parliamentary Group, Genc Pollo, met with US Ambassador Robert Frowick at the latter’s request. In addition to bilateral relations and the situation in the region, they discussed the state of affairs in the country, the political climate in Albania and its prospects.

Police officers steal camping equipment at the beaches of Durrës and Sarandë Leaders of foreign associations have been forced to leave the campsite, now deserted by business operators, following threats. According to some residents near the campsite, the first thefts of camping equipment were committed by the police. ON PAGE 4

They are protesting against harsh working conditions and the minimum wage They have been working without a collective agreement for more than six months, and the harsh conditions and unregulated wages have led many of them to stop working and seek legal recourse, while the monthly wage is at the permitted minimum level. ON PAGE 5

Pollo and Demi speak with the Council of Europe Rapporteur Yesterday afternoon, the Deputy Chairman of the DP, Genc Pollo, and the Secretary for Foreign Relations, Leonard Demi, met with the Council of Europe rapporteurs and ambassadors Sole Tura, Smigrovski and Eorsi. They presented the DP’s political outlook regarding the current situation in the country and the region and the possibilities for its development. They stressed that the opposition would perform its duty loyally and constructively, denouncing in parliament the mistakes, incompetence and failures of the Socialist government, while recognising and supporting the issue of public order. The failure to combat organised crime and corruption properly poses serious dangers to the whole country, and the opposition is ready to contribute positively. Implementing the international documents concerning Albania, such as the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe resolution calling for the murder of Hajdari to be solved and the perpetrators brought to justice, the restoration of parliamentary immunity for opposition leaders, the release of imprisoned journalists, etc., would be the best support for democracy in Albania.

The government protects Azem Hajdari’s killers 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 government of the former communists, who hide the criminals of 1990 and let them live freely and undisturbed, is now showing the December Leader to the Albanian people and telling them they have been deceived and kept in the dark: if the perpetrators’ names are known, why does the government not reveal them? The people who believe in democracy and all the Albanians who loved and built it with Azem Hajdari cannot tolerate this under any circumstances. The government must either capture the criminals and bring them to justice, or publicly declare who is responsible for carrying out Azem Hajdari’s murder.

The former prime minister seeks acquittal through a disgusting trial ON PAGE 3

The leadership of the DP informs the delegates and guests of the Special Congress that, for technical reasons, the date of the Congress meeting is postponed to Sunday, 11 July 1999, at 10:00.