Prosecutors have sided with the smugglers ON PAGE 4

The Ministry of Transport continues to steal through tenders ON PAGE 4

For July alone, only 132 tons of cigarettes and 491 tons of coffee have gone missing ON PAGE 5

By Sami NEZA The international community should not judge Albania by its government and the country’s inaction on its part. This is essential if Albania is to be seen as a country that deserves the Sarajevo Conference’s utmost attention, the provision of aid, and the consolidation of paths for Albanians’ integration into the great European family. After two years and more of left-wing rule in the country, the distance between Albanians and their rulers has grown month by month, to the point that executive or state representation no longer reflects Albanians’ goals for their future or the aspirations they themselves cherish. Those who will set the parameters for the development of the Balkans, today and tomorrow, must understand clearly that Albanians have nothing to do with Paskal Milo’s statements that Albania has plenty of inflation, does not need all those people, and that it is enough to put the police in charge so that it is not placed in—and not the prescription. These are statements Paskali makes for honoraria, not the statements he should make in view of the responsibility he has undertaken as a minister paid by Albanian and European taxpayers. Likewise, Albanians have nothing to do with President of the Republic Rexhep Meidani’s request for a blanket declaration of fiscal amnesty in a country where 90 percent of the administration is mired in corruption and 60 percent of the economy is the product of illegal activities, trafficking, smuggling, etc. This would mean legalizing the mafia in Albania, but the great mass of Albanians neither want that nor have anything to do with the mafia that Rexhep Meidani wants to legalize in the country. The President’s fiscal amnesty is for his economic lobby in Tirana; he truly represents only these interests, which are not the real interests of Albanians at all, but those of a group of people who have tied their power to personal gain, the creation of mafia lobbies, and keeping the country under the control of these lobbies. Albania is occupied by crime, but Albanians are not, and have never been, criminals. The gangs in Albania have become entrenched because of their ties to senior officials, ministers, MPs, and leaders of left-wing political parties. They exist and operate because this administration is in operation—an administration that is the product of the rebellion and banditry of 1997. In many offices in Albania today there are people who burned them down two years ago. These people have no interest in Albania’s integration into an integrated Balkans. They support the integration of crime. In Albania, these people want crime to hold great power. People in Albania have the means, resources, and strength to wash these people out of power very soon, along with the crime they represent. The Sarajevo Conference must see in Albanians the values they displayed during the major crisis and dangers of this year’s spring and summer; the values demonstrated by Albanian democracy during the Democratic Party’s five years in power; Albanians’ intellectual and professional resources; and their great desire to be integrated into Europe. The current government is an accident, just as the toil and sweat of a small group of innocent Albanians is. The country needs the West more than ever, and this is what a people who value the prosperity they have received from it want. The more of the West there is in Albania, the more development, peace, calm, security, and crime there will be. An integrated Albania, indestructible, connected with its criminal neighbours, smuggling, trafficking, etc.

The United States Ambassador in Tirana speaks before leaving Albania: The scenario is unfolding as predicted “We hope that whoever was involved in the murder of Azem Hajdari will be brought before justice, and that it will be justice that draws conclusions about this event. I hope something will happen in this regard very soon.” ON PAGE 3

DP denounces the initiative of the President of the Republic concerning “fiscal amnesty” According to Mr Bode, Mr Meidani’s recent efforts “to legitimize his own illegal assets and those of the clans he represents show that he is not merely the head of NGOs, but the foremost defender of the interests of the political mafia in the country.” ON PAGE 3

Interview with DP Chairman Sali Berisha, given to BBC radio Various factors and adverse circumstances have greatly undermined among Albanians the existence of the contract that should exist between every civilized nation and the state. A contract that should be based on respect for human rights and freedoms, but also on citizens’ obligations ON PAGE 2

Parliamentary deputies Gj- nushti and Dokle yesterday rejected a request by the DP parliamentary group to hold a discussion on the Stability Pact for the Balkans. The DP parliamentary group also requested such a discussion at the Parliament’s presidium, while the parliamentary majority used a low-level tactic to refuse to hold one. Meanwhile, the persistence of the DP deputies led to their proposals being put to a vote. To secure the majority’s two refusals, the majority deputies were asked to remove their voting cards so that the number of deputies would fall below the number required for such a decision in Parliament. Gjynushi and Dokle also did this; being in their seats, they did not take part in the vote. As a result, the DP deputies’ request was not taken into account by the presidium of the pact, leaving the Stability Pact proposals definitively in the left-wing version. Two days earlier, DP deputies had requested that the Prime Minister come to Parliament and explain the projects to be presented in Sarajevo, thereby allowing the DP’s experience to be included in the project as well. This request was rejected by Gjynushi, who said there was enough time for such a discussion. The deputies of the Democratic Party, DP, and the parliamentary group decided at their meeting on Albania’s future that the interpreters and ministers should give the government the opportunity to change and put another interest of the country into operation.

DP deputies have called for Parliament to pass a law on a solidarity tax; this would be the first step in solidarity with the Brussels initiative to ensure Albania is free by the year 2000 ON PAGE 7

By Jozefina TOPALLI The reality of a murder in broad daylight, in the middle of the city, as in each of these cases, is frightening. It is—but unforgivable is the reality. The reality of a murder in broad daylight, in the middle of the city, as in each of these cases, is frightening. It is—but unforgivable is the reality of Albanian justice, of the Court, of the High Council of Justice, which, at best, plead ignorance. ON PAGE 3

Meidani appointed his adviser, the owner of a factory and several warehouses, as head of the tax authority ON PAGE 2

Today, 313 days since the murder of the December Leader Every day that passes since the murder of Azem Hajdari, symbol of the democratic movement and pluralism, proves the involvement of the left-wing government and provides evidence of the impunity surrounding a serious crime. If until yesterday the government called these statements about a serious crime the words of people, the government of former communists who have also made criminals who took the December Leader’s life liable to be shot, in the same Albania and at the same time the other way around, the killers, whose names are known, are not touched by those in power. The democrats and all the Albanians who loved and built democratic power, and all Albanians have Jaki. The government either cannot tolerate the criminals who killed Azem Hajdari, or must publicly declare that it is bringing people before criminal justice, or it must publicly declare that it is apprehending the officials involved in Azem Hajdari’s murder.

Deputy Sandër Ulqedaj opposes amendments to the law on the Solidarity Tax Repealing the law on the solidarity tax, passed in December, would be the first step in solidarity with the Brussels initiative to ensure Albania is free by the year 2000 ON PAGE 7

BSPSH: The Sarajevo meeting could turn into an ordinary diplomatic trip Taking as its cue the irresponsible statement in the press by the failed pseudo-unionist Fatmir Musaku, the President of the Republic himself is signalling a third-rate meeting, intended to satisfy the state’s need for approval from the trade unions that had gone into opposition, especially regarding the presentation of the legislative framework built by the current government. ON PAGE 4

We inform our readers that soon they will receive “RD” in a new look. A smaller format, more information, more sections, and greater visual appeal on the pages of “Rilindja Demokratike”. On the small page of the reproduced newspaper, the texts can be seen: “Has the war ended?”, “Milosevic babbles NATO: Let it decide for us”, “NATO”, “Meidani”, “Kosovo”, “Peace”.