“Hello, it’s Zani. I’ll...”. The season of threats begins again ON PAGE 2

Those responsible once again: Sheshi i Flamurit. Terror and panic among citizens ON PAGE 4

The Socialists’ abuse of international aid continues ON PAGE 5

. “Friends of Albania,” in Brussels yesterday as well, described the current situation in Albania, the reforms, the law, public order, justice, corruption and crime, clandestine migration and organized crime, and their further prospects as critical. In a detailed analysis of the entire situation Albania is currently going through, the “Friends” identified a record number of problems arising from the grave situation and extending to the ministers’ inability to sell investments through concrete projects. The final comments of yesterday’s Brussels meeting, made public through a communiqué by the EU and the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, distributed by the OSCE, are very bleak not only regarding the current situation but also its prospects. The most serious warning included in the final statement, “that Albania must not fail,” in fact amounts to a rejection of what has happened up to now. In other words, according to the “Friends,” Albania has failed so far, and this is the international community’s first public declaration about what the Socialist government has done up to now. The international community’s dismissal of diplomacy, and now also the public disclosure of what the “Friends” think about Albania, follow continuing critical positions dating back to the first Rome meeting at the end of July 1997, when a series of conditions were put forward to be met if official Tirana wanted financial and technical assistance for the country’s recovery and reconstruction. Unfortunately, the minimum benchmarks for receiving financial and political assistance have never been met by Tirana, not even at the necessary minimum level. It is precisely for this reason that financial assistance never came to Albania, while political support for the Government of Tirana was due more to global considerations connected with the Kosovo crisis and the war that took place there. The Brussels meeting held yesterday is therefore very important, not because of its findings and analysis of Albania and its real condition, but because the international community is no longer making political support for official Tirana conditional on broader global considerations; instead, it is demanding concrete commitment and concrete work, as it does of every government. Above all, a very serious and very credible warning has been issued. There is no longer any value in exploiting or gaining political advantage from the commitment to and assistance for refugees, and this is no reason to support it... exploiting and gaining political advantage from involvement in the refugee crisis is no reason for it to be supported if it does not concretely meet those requirements that would lift Albania out of the mire into which it has sunk. Brussels’s findings and comments yesterday are already very familiar to the Albanian public. All the citizens of this country know that there is no public order, no rule of law, no independent justice system, no civil administration, and no investment. Everyone experiences insecurity on the streets, at home, and at work; they feel the heavy burden of crime, which is the police car. All citizens know, because it is no longer any secret, and the government officials keep no secrets in the name of transparency, that officials steal and that smuggling, corruption, and crime coexist with the government. Indeed, an Albanian citizen interviewed could provide details that even the “Friends,” who possess confidential, firsthand information on every issue, would envy. For the public, which experiences and lives every day with the countless difficulties and problems resulting from the failure to govern, or the government’s collaboration with evil, these findings no longer have any value. What would matter to the public now is the government’s response. But, unfortunately, it seems it will not be the expected one. Yesterday, the familiar style of attempts to evade the substance of what the “Friends” have suggested and identified for the umpteenth time was already apparent. In an official statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, published last night about the Brussels meeting and written in the government’s familiar propaganda style, the government’s “assessments” were summed up. The Friends’ diplomatic courtesy still seemed to matter to the government as well. The Friends’ diplomatic courtesy still seemed to remain part of official Tirana. Indeed, yesterday, a whole paragraph was inserted in official Tirana’s press release about the “Friends’” meeting concerning the Radio and Television Council and the opposition taking seats on that Council. The problem is not that this kind of propaganda is utterly shameful and stale, but rather the way it perceives what is being recommended as a condition for the country’s integration and development. Although the conclusions from Brussels are clear and leave no room for interpretation, and contain not a single evasive point, official Tirana nevertheless finds the courage to interpret them. It seemed that even after the Brussels meeting, it would be cosmetics, not work, that interested it.

“Friends of Albania” meet in Brussels. EU and OSCE: Nothing has been done; you could lose the money. This government is incompetent too Primary responsibility must rest with the Albanian Government to take more concrete and determined action on the unresolved problems. Albania must not fail to benefit from the advantages of this historic “window of opportunity” ON PAGE 3

The chairman of the DP parliamentary group, determined in the fight to separate the state from crime

The DP Presidency decides to convene a meeting of the National Council on Tuesday, July 27 At its meeting yesterday, the Presidency of the Democratic Party decided: 1. To convene a meeting of the DP National Council on Tuesday, July 27. 2. To propose to the National Council that the DP Assembly be convened on September 30.

The violation of parliamentary regulations and the infringement of the independence of the judicial branch were initiated by the current head of parliament; these actions have been condemned in statements by both the Council of Europe and the OSCE ON PAGE 3

The tense meeting saw the IMF President become irritated when the conversation turned to relations between the government and the opposition, and especially to the strenuous efforts made by parliamentary bodies to bring the Democratic Party back into parliament The tense conversation between the Speaker of Parliament and the President of the International Monetary Fund is revealed ON PAGE 3

The man accused of participating in Hajdari’s murder, sponsored in the press by public figures The daily newspaper “Albania” and the SP’s official newspaper, concerned about the dismissal of Fatmir Meta ON PAGE 2

The European People’s Party expresses support for the Democratic Party ON PAGE 3

Cars purchased in violation of the law, as well as $5,560 in falsified expenses for a trip to Turkey—these are the latest facts implicating director Vesho Procurement procedures continue to be violated ON PAGE 8

Today, 307 days since the murder of the Leader of the December Movement Every day that passes since the murder of Azem Hajdari, the symbol of democracy and pluralism, proves the involvement of the government of Fatos Nano and his successor in the crime that shook the entire Albanian world. The government of the former communists who were at the helm, and the powerful criminals, took the life of the Leader of the December Movement, the organizer of the Albanians who had been killed on the side of the murderers, who have specific names but are not being brought to justice. Democracy and all Albanians who loved and honored Azem Hajdari can in no way tolerate this fact. The government must either not tolerate Hajdari’s killers, or publicly declare that it itself carried out the murder of Azem Hajdari.

According to the statement, this should pave the way for new political elections, as the only salvation for the Albanian nation The parties of “Bashkimi për Demokraci” gather in Elbasan .

The Greek loan favors only small circles with money, who will receive the loan in cash Greek loan funds favor only small circles, who will receive the loan in cash Housing money pits citizens against one another Residents of Tirana, Durrës, Vlorë, Fier, Gjirokastër and Mallakastër will have to wait years to obtain a housing loan, because for the above-mentioned circles the cash-loan process has not been approved, but rather the construction of homes ON PAGE 5