Opera debate / Ylber Gjini surprises with his statement about the private concerts they gave on the director’s orders Gjini: The entire TOB troupe, on Zhani Ciko’s orders, performed for the doctors who arrived an hour late. It was said they would provide funding. The director does not make my career. Gjini: The entire TOB troupe, on Zhani Ciko’s orders, performed for the doctors who arrived an hour late. It was said they would provide funding. The director does not make my career The news The baritone of the National Theatre of Opera and Ballet, Ylber Gjini, has deepened his exchange with Opera director Zhani Ciko, mentioning among other things a highly denigrating fact for the artistic community. “Did he make us sing in front of three cardiologists who arrived an hour late to the concert prepared for them? They were drunk. Then he made us sing at another concert in front of three gynecologists, then in front of three dentists... he said these concerts were for funding at TKOB, funding that we never saw...” The newspaper presents in full the baritone Gjini’s second reply to director Ciko, as follows. ■■■ TIRANE By YLBER GJINI Everyone read the response given by the director whose mandate at TOB has expired and now understood what kind of low-level concepts we are dealing with. I had no intention of continuing like this with rejoinders and answers after answers, but I am doing so because in the response this official gave to my article about the non-functioning of TOB, he is truly lacking. I want to list several facts that are in complete contradiction with his almost ridiculous arguments. When I spoke out against the hunger strike of the Socialist MPs and I confirm it again today, and time showed that we were right, I was called an intellectual by this official, while the opposition leader called us pseudo-intellectuals and courtiers of the... In the photo: (left) Baritone Ylber Gjini (right) Opera Director Zhani Ciko

Editorial BY Arben Rrozhani The actual defeat of the power holders in Russia, led by the all-powerful Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, has not resonated in any other country as much as in Albania. Unfortunately, because we are the country with the biggest problems with elections, their results, and the way the loser (does not) leave. While in Moscow Prime Minister Putin asks in amazement how this happened, that his party lost its overwhelming majority in just a few years, in Tirane they say why shouldn’t this happen. Russia and Albania, once in a former socialist camp, unfortunately, over the past decade have shared the way a handful of politicians and businessmen around them keep the country under their thumb. But with one very big difference. Since Putin came to power in 1999, Russia returned to the imperial vision, the economy began to recover, oligarchs were sent to prison (like Khodorkovsky), the middle class was strengthened and the people’s welfare rose significantly year after year. Benefiting from the rise in fuel prices, Moscow gathered large funds, allowing it to distribute some welfare to Russians. But without abandoning political repression, the violent isolation of the opposition, and the killing of courageous journalists such as the unforgettable Anna Politkovskaya. Russians saw the iron men Putin and Medvedev bring back the long-forgotten shine of “Mother Russia,” until the money... This is the Russian shadow over Albania, which the rulers wanted to keep with claws from the former Eastern bloc and themselves to be eternal Putins. continues on page 12 continues on page 5

VIOLATED LAWS The prosecution has requested 54 years in prison for the defendants holding high offices Poli Hoxha Although they are protagonists of the most sensational trial in the 99-year history of the Albanian state, investigated and indicted by the Albanian prosecution as abusers and accomplices in the creation of the “factory of death,” Gërdec, they continue to hold ranks and high positions in... continues on page 9

Page 14 Fire brigade chief: The Spahiu family tragedy is not our fault Page 11 The New Year Village, Lulzim Basha cancels the inauguration ceremony

Page 2-3 Proposal by former presidents: The head of state should be elected by the people Page 4 MP Albana Vokshi, schooling documents and wealth emerge

Page 10 Military hospital, surgeons in surgery with torn gloves Page 4 Civil Aviation Directorate, 17 million lek for the New Year’s dinner

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