Joint report by a group of Albanian press journalists Two citizens lost their lives in the explosion of an explosive substance at an unlicensed quarry near Mount Dajti in Tirana on 31 July this year. Bajram Mancaku and Islam Kici lost their lives while working as blasters at an illegal quarry, which is part of the business owned by the family of Prime Minister Ilir Meta and his wife Monika Kryemadhi. Both victims ... — on page 7

Today, carnival II DP ignores the runoff of the manipulated elections on page 3

By JOZEFINA TOPALLI Deputy Speaker of Parliament All the articles violated by the Central Election Commission Effective implementation of the legal Electoral Code is the most fundamental condition for free expression and respect for the political will of citizens. With this material, I wish to present the systematic violation of the Electoral Code in Albania, its political and secondary articles, by the CEC. In a report presented by IDA during the first week of the election campaign in Albania, among the major challenges facing the electoral process in Albania, the first listed is: “The impartial and effective performance of duties by the CEC, in order to gain the trust of the public, which is currently lacking.” — on pages 4–5

Our votes are bullets for the enemy!

Anti-government protests continue in Bajram Curri — on page 12

The government protects Azem’s killers Each day that passes since the murder of Azem Hajdari proves the involvement of Fatos Nano’s government and its henchmen in the crime that shook the entire Albanian world. The government must either apprehend the criminals and bring them to justice, or publicly declare that it is capable of having committed the murder of Azem Hajdari.

On Tuesday, 17 October 2000, at 17:00, an expanded assembly of the Democratic Party, Tirana Branch, will be held at the “Fahrie Hoti” Sports Palace. The topic will be: Denouncing the manipulation and destruction of the institution of free voting in Tirana, as well as the Democrats’ position regarding the humiliation inflicted on the citizens of this capital on 1 October, by denying them their right to vote and their freedom. On Tuesday, 17 October 2000, at 17:00, an expanded assembly of the Democratic Party, Tirana Branch, will be held at the “Fahrie Hoti” Sports Palace. The topic will be: Denouncing the manipulation and destruction of the institution of free voting in Tirana, as well as the Democrats’ position regarding the humiliation inflicted on the citizens of this capital on 1 October, by denying them their right to vote and their freedom, by the mafia structures set up by the Socialist majority. Participants in the assembly will include: the chairpersons of the Sections and Subsections, the members of the Executive Board of the Tirana DP Branch, and the members of the National Council.

Visar ZHITI A landscape of new thoughts on pages 20–21 Nebi ÇIKA The second act of the electoral tragicomedy on page 7 Kolin GJOKA The DP needs to take an extreme stance. on page 6