Here is who is closing the investigations into the murdered police officers. The criminals have the leaders as their lawyers. on page 12

Berisha: Three distinguished constitutional experts should assess whether the CEC complies with the Copenhagen Charter. CoE experts write to Berisha about the government’s unlawful decisions. Meta’s mayor in Lushnja: violation of Local Government CONCLUSIONS Consequently, the Government decision is unlawful for the aforementioned reasons, given that it violates constitutional rules and ordinary Albanian legislation, as well as the letter and the spirit of the European Charter of Local Self-Government. Each one of these reasons is sufficient to invalidate the decision. The election of the new Mayor is also vitiated. CONGRESS OF LOCAL AND REGIONAL AUTHORITIES OF EUROPE Please quote: CPLRE/Ik 2000 COUNCIL OF EUROPE CONSEIL DE L'EUROPE Strasbourg, 01 August 2000 Dear Mr Berisha, I have pleasure in forwarding you the assessment of the legal situation on the dismissal of the Mayor of Lushnja. The report is the outcome of the on-spot visit of the delegation of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe in Albania from 11-13 July 2000. You personally received the delegation to discuss the issue brought to our attention by the local ... Facsimile of the letter Berisha received from the CoE

For days, left-wing propaganda, through its extensive network, has been spreading a cloud of confusion about the DP’s possible candidates in the upcoming elections. This is undoubtedly a good thing for all those who hope and are prepared for the Albanian opposition to win. on page 5

The Council of Europe, through the Congress of Local Authorities, following a European and Albanian legal examination of the Meta government’s decision to dismiss the lawful mayor of Lushnja, declared it illegal, unconstitutional, and contrary to the spirit of the CoE’s Local Self-Government on page 5

Today, 692 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 his successor in the crime that shook the entire Albanian world. The governments of the former communists, which leave free and unpunished the criminals who took the life of the December Leader, show Albanians that they have been and are on the side of the killers, who [??] but are not touched by those in power. Democrats and all Albanians who loved and honored Azem Hajdari cannot tolerate their [??]. The government must either capture the criminals and bring them to justice, or publicly declare that it itself committed the murder of Azem Hajdari.

We inform all Chairpersons, Deputy Chairpersons and Secretaries of the Democratic Party branches in the districts, as well as the mayors of municipalities and communes nominated by the Democratic Party, that a national meeting will be held on Sunday at 11:00. The Chairman of the DP, Prof. Dr. Sali Berisha, will attend the meeting.

By Sokol OLLDASHI on page 9 The IMF’s headless idols By Mitro ÇELA on page 7 Section for public order at the US embassy on page 2 Melo leaves too; the coalition unravels on page 2 SHIK runs smuggling at the port on page 11