Around a month in airports, planes and hotels for the country’s number two. Record in February: 11 days of visits in Athens, Abu Dhabi, Jakarta, Istanbul, Berlin, Beirut. Expenses like for 10 years News During the past year, Speaker of Parliament Jozefina Topalli spent a full 26 days outside Albanian territory, carrying out meetings in 12 different countries around the world. The travel itinerary begins in Indonesia, Japan and ends in the month of December in France. TIRANE ARTEMISA HOXHA 2012 appears to have been a year full of commitments and trips abroad for Speaker of Parliament Jozefina Topalli, linked to the position she holds as head of the Parliament in the Republic of Albania, but also as part of... continued on pages 2-3 IN THE PHOTO: Jozefina Topalli during the visit to Indonesia

Olldashi, Pollo, Gorreja, Xhaferraj and Halimi are coming. Poll: PS wins DURRES ARTUR KORRIKU Although not yet official, the first names of the candidates for MPs who will make up the majority’s list in Durrës have begun to be mentioned in political circles in Durrës. In the still-unannounced list... Pages 4-5

WITHOUT ROADS AND WATER Page 9 Selitë, residents: We will protest again for the electricity A peripheral neighborhood of Tirana in extreme poverty: Bread on credit

Comment BY AFRIM KRASNIQI Albania, the EU and 23 June On 11 December every politician in Tirana, including the prime minister, knew of the decision by the EU Foreign Ministers to reject Albania’s request to open negotiations for candidate status. The decision had been announced in October when the main political parties, PD and PS, refused political cooperation and the fulfilment of several preliminary “good will” criteria. From that day until November the parties moved in parallel directions, making no move to bring their positions closer together. PS announced the Fier issue as a condition, PD refused to meet this condition. Everything else was rhetoric and propaganda in preparation of public opinion for the expected negative decision. In the end, Albania lost another chance to move closer to the EU, the second in the last three months and the fifth in the last three years. On 11 December PD already had its speech ready: the opposition is responsible. We will tear down the wall of isolation, as we tore down that of corruption, it said. PS also had its speech ready... continued on page 22

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80TH ANNIVERSARY Pages 10-11 TINKA KURTI: THE KISS WITH NAIM FRASHËRI Xhepa, Ljarja, Vërria and the Agolli couple speak

Pages 13-20 RILINDASI PERIKLI JORGONI’S LAST POEM Exklu- [?] He wrote it for Lukë Kaçaj, one night before the accident Perikli Jorgoni’s last poem before the accident Elida: He wrote it for Lukë Kaçaj, the memories of Roland Gjoza and Suzana Varvariça

... always one step ahead... Syrups for cocktails and liqueurs for bars and restaurants Address: Tirana-Durrës Highway, km. 7, Vora, Tirana. Tel.: 042 406 500; 042 406 501; Fax 042 406 502; e-mail: neranxi@neranxi.com; www.neranxi.com