The overthrow of the mafia government is demanded in “Flag” Square on page 7

Only “volunteer” thieves admit the charges on page 9

The height of shamelessness. Gramoz Ruçi: We have not asked for the resignation of the CEC Fotaq Nano: Let us postpone the parliamentary elections on page 2

on page 2 Fotaq Nano: Let us postpone the parliamentary elections The CEC — they are now driving it out on page 2

By Halit Shamata Accused by the opposition, from the very first day of its existence, of being a family-political commission, the Central Election Commission is now being challenged by its own “family members” in more or less the same terms, but nevertheless in delicate tones and almost sotto voce. The strained and patently artificial call by the Presidency of the Socialist Party to the five members of the CEC, who are also its activists, was made under pressure from the international factor on page 5

Nebil ÇIKA The entire attention of Albanian public opinion is gripped by yet another institutional crisis on page 5

Last night, the Democrats marked the 40th night of their protest for the free vote No prime minister in the world has deigned to send greetings to the head of government on page 4 … last night marked the night Political trials continue

No prime minister in the world has deigned to send greetings to the head of government greetings to the head of government Nobody congratulated Meta on the holiday on page 3

The DP condemns the CEC resignation plan and the involvement in it of several OSCE officials on page 3

Political trials against journalists continue Today, the next sham trial against journalists from the newspapers RD and TemA will be held at the Court of Appeal in Tirana. Once again in the dock today are the editor-in-chief of “RD,” Astrit Patozi, the editor of “TemA,” Shemsi Peposhi, and the journalist from “RD,” Redin Hafizi. Another trial against another “RD” journalist, Ndreke Gjini, will also be held today at the Court of Appeal. The first three journalists were sentenced by the Tirana Court of First Instance to a fine of 18 million lek in a sham trial that began with a complaint by Prime Minister Meta’s wife, Monika Kryemadhi, over the publication in the newspaper of an article exposing the burying alive, in a quarry owned by the prime-ministerial couple, of two workers. The trial, presided over by a scion of the former dictator’s family, was one-sided and political, and denied the journalists the right to defend themselves, sentencing them in a court ruling that imposed a fine identical to the one Monika had previously declared publicly. Meanwhile, another charge has been brought against Ndreke Gjini by another member of the government, Spartak Poçi, for which the Court of First Instance sentenced Gjini to two months in prison. The proceedings at the first-instance level have shown that the journalists are entirely innocent, but the court, controlled by the government, has ruled against them for clearly political reasons, seeking to attack the free and non-governmental press. Even today, no major change in the court’s position is expected, for the sole reason that the entire Albanian judicial system is now controlled by the government and the political ruling class.