Yesterday, tens of thousands of people from Durrës protested On Thursday, the government in Parliament, the opposition in “Skënderbej” Square on page 3 Yesterday, at the rally held in Durrës

EDITORIAL By Astrit PATOZI Fatos Nano’s fourth Socialist government in the last two years was “greeted” yesterday by a chorus of thousands of Democrats in Durrës, who heralded a new season of protests that will trouble the new cabinet throughout the short time it has at its disposal. Not even 24 hours had passed since it was decreed when the government—which, solely because of the party apparatchiks and as a result of bargaining behind the scenes of the left-wing coalition in power, bears the name of Ilir Meta—began work under pressure from a crowd of thousands calling for its downfall. It is one of those rare cases in the world when newly appointed ministers begin their work amid calls for them to leave. This has nothing whatsoever to do with the low level of democracy in Albania, as unemployed communists say on such occasions, nor with wickedness as a characteristic of the Albanian race on page 2

Today, 412 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 shocked the entire Albanian world. The government of the former communists that came to power has left the major criminals undisturbed; they are the perpetrators of the Leader’s murder and were found in ...[?] of the Albanian murder, because they have been and remain on the side of the killers, who have names, but were not touched after [they came to] power. Democrats and all Albanians who loved and love Azem Hajdari cannot tolerate this fact under any circumstances. The government must either come forward and bring the criminals to justice, or publicly declare that it itself committed the murder of Azem Hajdari.

SCRIPTA By Besnik MUSTAFAJ on page 19

By Teodor LAÇO on page 5

on page 11

The prime minister murdered for corruption will be buried today in the Armenian capital. Prime Minister Sarkisian was killed by a group of people while he was speaking before Armenian deputies. The killers are thought to include a journalist, who, before shooting him, told him that “you have shed enough blood”; while they were being apprehended, immediately after the explosions, he said that he had killed him for corruption. The situation in Armenia after the high-profile murder is calm, while the country’s President has also assumed the prime minister’s powers. Tributes and other activities connected with the funeral ceremony for the prime minister and three other Armenian public figures began yesterday.

On Monday, at 13:00, an expanded meeting of the Tirana branch’s executive committee will be held at the DP headquarters. The executive committees of the sections and sub-sections, the members of the Tirana branch executive committee, and the members of the National Council residing in Tirana are invited.