After Fatos Nano, the Minister of Transport also receives “bullets in an envelope” ON PAGE 5

For two years, socialist government officials stole the money from the pyramid schemes and their assets ON PAGE 2

Statement by the chairman of the Democratic Party, Sali Berisha Albania should be the West’s gateway to the Balkans, not a troubling problem for it, as was assessed in Brussels The International Conference of Friends of Albania in Brussels made a series of observations, about which you have informed Albanian public opinion extensively. Today, here before you, I wish to emphasize the Democratic Party’s proposal for a comprehensive reconsideration of the major problems raised by the Friends of Albania—problems that risk turning the Stability Pact, which is in itself a great pact for the future, into a forbidden pact for Albanians. All political forces in Albania and every Albanian should understand that when the country falls, the leaders of political forces fall further, followed by the political forces themselves, and so on. I believe that the major problems raised by the Friends of Albania in Brussels cannot be resolved either through solemn pledges or through attacks for political gain; they must instead be resolved through constructive dialogue on each of them, in parliament and outside it. These major problems raised every three months concerning Albania must be resolved through platforms, alternatives, and consensus-based responsibility. The Democratic Party wishes to assure Albanians that, in parliament and outside it, it will present all its alternatives for solving the major problems that are getting worse and worse. We do this for three main purposes: First, to persuade the political forces in Albania and find the best solutions by consensus, so that we can genuinely change the positive past of these great challenges facing Albania today. Second, we do and will continue to do this to earn the trust of Albanians and increase their hope, convincing them more and more that we will emerge from this crisis by political means and only by political means. Third, to demonstrate to the international community and the Friends of Albania that the Democratic Party is a strong pillar and supporter of all their efforts to establish order and security, build and operate a state governed by the rule of law, and lift Albania out of the crisis. In conclusion, I wish to invite all political forces to present their alternatives for these major problems, and for addressing and resolving them. On this issue, we will request a debate in parliament, just as we are ready to consider with full seriousness all the alternatives proposed by the other political forces.

The coastal city in the grip of crime. Businessman Foto Kola executed. A man with a grenade terrorizes a bar ON PAGE 4

The Albanian opposition leader proposes ways to lead the country out of the crisis Berisha: “When the country falls, politicians are also responsible, so I invite the country’s political forces to offer their solutions” ON PAGE 3

Photographs are being sought of the politicians who collaborated and posed with the bandits in Cërrik in 1997 In recent days, private individuals in the city of Cërrik have offered large sums of money to collect photographs of the 1997 armed rebellion in this city, in which armed bandits and criminals posed alongside the President of Albania, Rexhep Meidani, former Socialist Party leader Fatos Nano, and PAD President Neritan Ceka ON PAGE 4

Nevertheless, while the Socialist Party has not officially responded to Ceka’s threat, its leaders have also not denied Ceka’s statement that changes must be made in the government and that Gjinushi must leave the coalition ON PAGE 2 Tomorrow, the fate of the governing coalition will be decided Gracko under tight KFOR surveillance following the grave incident

Gracko under tight KFOR surveillance following the grave incident The KLA strongly condemns the killing of the Serbs. The Democratic Party considers the killing of civilians unacceptable, condemns it, and calls for the perpetrators to be found and punished ON PAGE 2

Conversation with the renowned poet Visar Zhiti: The only sharp, dignified, and truly representative language is the language of culture Culture is often left in the shadows, forgetting that it springs from the great soul of the people, which seeks to reveal itself and engage in dialogue in the noblest way. We must therefore understand that culture does not need the government and the embassy as much as the government and the embassy need culture. So why don’t they invite it to the podium to speak its beautiful and magnificent words whenever it wishes?! ON PAGE 9

Pollo, Beja, and Gjana are visiting Kosovo at the head of a large delegation The delegation will hold meetings with political parties in Kosovo, Kosovo institutions, and international representatives in Kosovo ON PAGE 3

Today marks 309 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 the entire Albanian world. The government of the former communists who run the country amid this criminal insecurity—those who took the life of the December Leader—show Albanians that they have only violence and insecurity to offer, along the path taken by the murderers, who have names and identities but are left untouched by those in power. The Democrats and all of Albania, who demand justice for what happened and honored Azem Hajdari, cannot tolerate this 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. Portrait of Azem Hajdari

Moskos’s faction and Nano: united in thought and action A defiant statement by Moskos’s Communists in Elbasan, the second faction of this political spectrum in Albania. “If the SP casts Fatos Nano aside, we will create a place of honor for him and the comrades who support him,” a source within the Communists quoted a statement of support sent to the former chairman of the SP, Fatos Nano. ON PAGE 2

NATIONAL LIBRARY TIRANA

Members of the National Council of the Democratic Party of Albania are hereby notified that the meeting of the National Council of the DPA will be held on Tuesday, 27.07.1999, at 11:00, with the following agenda: Determining the organizational measures and deadlines for elections within the DPA structures, and approving the date of the 5th DPA Congress and the working groups for its preparation.