Political gang bosses begin opening the ’97 files on page 7

The chair of the Association for Democratic Culture, Miranda Gaçe, gives her version of how to amend the law without a referendum on page 2

Ahrens warns the Socialist leader: Be careful with the CEC Nano proposes a “compromise”: Let’s persuade Ardian Klosi to withdraw

By Astrit PATOZI The Socialists are trying to create a false impression, as if they are ready for a possible compromise on the matter

“Unity for Democracy” calls on the citizens of Tirana and all of Albania to gather on Sunday, 20 February 2000, in “Skënderbej” Square for the magnificent rally being organized to commemorate the day the communist symbols were toppled. Everyone in the square on Sunday, at 12:00, to protest against the new blockades,

The Socialists are trying to create a false impression, as if they are ready for a possible compromise to overcome the political deadlock created by the opposition’s strong, unified rejection of the law on the Central Election Commission. The chairman of the Socialist Party, Fatos Nano, pretended to back away somewhat from the governing coalition’s determination not to change the legal framework for the upcoming elections, when he said that he was proposing the resignation of individual members of the Central Election Commission. But his statement after the meeting with the OSCE ambassador, Gert Ahrens, only reinforces the Socialist Party’s insistence on maintaining control of Albania’s electoral process from the very outset. Nano for a possible compromise to overcome the political deadlock created by the opposition’s strong, unified rejection of the law on the Central Election Commission. The chairman of the Socialist Party, Fatos Nano, pretended to back away somewhat from the governing coalition’s determination not to change the legal framework for the upcoming elections, when he said that he was proposing the resignation of individual members of the Central Election Commission. But his statement after the meeting with the OSCE ambassador, Gert Ahrens, only reinforces the Socialist Party’s insistence on maintaining control of Albania’s electoral process from the very outset. To accept the formula Nano is offering today, supposedly as a compromise with the opposition, would mean leaving the country’s fate in the hands of the fabrications of a man who is half sadist and half deranged, like Ardian Klosi on page 5

Today, 516 days since Azem’s murder Each 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 successor in the crime that shook the entire Albanian world. The former communist governments, which leave the criminals who took the life of the December Leader free and undisturbed, show Albanians that they have been and remain on the side of the murderers, who have names and identities but are untouched by those in power. Democrats and all Albanians who loved and honored Azem Hajdari can in no way tolerate this wrongdoing. The government must either apprehend the Enverists and criminal schemers, or publicly declare that it itself carried out the murder of Azem Hajdari.

UNDP reports: 70% of the population below the subsistence minimum on page 8

on page 2

“Union for Democracy” calls on the citizens of Tirana and all of Albania to gather on Sunday, February 20, 2000, in “Skënderbej” Square for the great rally being organized to commemorate the day the communist symbols were toppled. Everyone to the square on Sunday at 12:00, to protest against the new blockaders, the offspring of the dictatorship who are seeking to turn everything back. Let us protest against the government of crooks that has plunged the country back into misery and is leading it toward complete destruction. Everyone to the square on Sunday, February 20, at 12:00, to say stop to destruction and bring back hope. “Union of Albania to gather on Sunday, February 20, 2000, in “Skënderbej” Square for the great were toppled. Everyone to new blockaders, the offspring of the dictatorship who are seeking to turn everything back. Let us protest against the government of crooks that has plunged the country back into misery and is leading it toward complete destruction. Everyone to the square on Sunday, February 20, at 12:00, to say stop to destruction and bring back hope. EBRD reports – Infrastructure, business, and social reforms have gone very badly Albania, the poorest in Europe. A poor climate for investment on page 9

The Italian press provides evidence of the place Albanians occupy in the first map of criminal groups operating across the Adriatic on page 6