The victims of 21 January, the LSI leader backs Berisha. Topi: Unpleasant episodes The head of state and the former deputy prime minister comment on the dramatic event that left four dead News The President of Albania, Bamir Topi, in an interview for “Voice of America” commented on the most important developments in Albania in 2011, his difficult relations with the governing majority and the idea of creating a new political force after the end of his term as head of state TIRANA ARMAND MERO I would like to start with a question that sums up the developments of 2011, a politically difficult year, but it seems that in recent weeks there has been an agreement between the majority and the opposition, at least on some issues. Can we say that what we have gone through in these last two years is behind us, or has the political deadlock been overcome? I share the same view with you that 2011 was characterized by absolutely unpleasant episodes, which were caused, in my opinion, by a lack of political communication, by political conflict, and by that lack of cooperation, which is not natural in a democratic country. I have always hoped, and in the end we see it realized, that communication and dialogue have been restored. The question of results is once again a matter of the will of the parliamentary political forces. The fact that... continues on page 2 In the photo: The moment of the killing of the protesters in front of the prime minister’s office on 21 January 2011

Page 9 “Give us 1 million so you can make the extension without a permit” BESMIRA MUÇAJ

Editorial BY ANILA BASHA From Fatos to Ora News And there was no doubt. This is the year of journalists. Declared such by others, not by Albanians. But it seems that for Albania, it had considerable meaning. Let us take things in order. And who could speak today more than journalist Fatos Mahmutaj. Today he wanders in political asylum in the streets of Belgium, but on 21 January, when we thought democracy was stronger than ever in Albania, when we thought that the press and the media were entering the path of true professionalism, disaster struck. Journalist Mahmutaj stayed at the protest when bullets whistled very close to his ear. He saw someone fall to the ground, but he did not understand at all that the bullet that pierced the head of one of those killed by the Republic Guard on 21 January had at the same time gone through his hand, while he held the mobile phone to his ear, in order to report or say what he was seeing with his own eyes. He is a witness to the bullets of 21 January and, with the professionalism and courage of a journalist who has also thought of his own life hanging by a thread, he did not give up, did not back down; on the contrary, he said everything he knew and saw that day. He said where the bullets came from, and moreover, that bullet was not a stray one that could have taken his life too. Perhaps Fatos should have received the award for the most courageous journalist of the year. But a colleague of his, Artan Hoxha, with just as much professionalism, brought out on TV News24 the horrific images of the murderous protest of that day, 21 January. Artan Hoxha and his cameraman, whose name has never wanted to be mentioned, to... continues on page 8 Someone thinks I am doing the usual “favor”? In the entire ranking of this year’s media events, that is what matters.

HAZIS GJERGJI On the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the proclamation of “Ahmet bej Zogu” as “king of the Albanians,” an anonymous publishing house put on the Albanian market a voluminous book of 721 large-format pages, by Hysen Selmani, with a strange title: “From the notes of Zogu I, the king of the... continues on pages 12-13

Page 4 The municipality’s decision: the Pedonalja will be turned into a market Page 5

Page 7 Cardiology and Pediatrics without medicine, patients go private Page 11

Page 14 2012 horoscope, the Aquarius and Pisces signs Love, work, health and money in the coming year

Documents from inside and outside the country about the king’s education and whether he knew grammar

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