21 JANUARY / The prosecution’s request for Balla, Bare and Doshi is published The messages between the protesters and the rally organizers are made public. - Ruçi to Topalli: You have killed four people. The Speaker of Parliament: You frightened all of Tirana. The weapons chief in the Guard: The pistol that killed was carried by Prendi

The General Prosecutor’s Office, five days ago, requested criminal proceedings against three PS deputies, Tom Doshi, Taulant Balla and Besnik Baraj, as organizers of the illegal gathering on 21 January 2011 in front of the Prime Minister’s Office. TIRANA ARBEN ROZHANI The General Prosecutor’s Office requested three days ago that Parliament lift the immunity of three PS deputies, Tom Doshi, Taulant Balla and Besnik Baraj, as organizers of the illegal gathering on 21 January 2011 in front of the Prime Minister’s Office. In the request signed by Prosecutor General Ina Rama, several pieces of data taken from mobile phones are cited, showing Doshi or Balla directing demonstrators in front of the Prime Minister’s Office, while Deputy Baraj is accused of failing to take measures for the gathering, which later degenerated into killings and violence. Prosecutor General Rama made the request for criminal proceedings against the deputies public three days ago when she asked Parliament for permission to carry out several investigative actions. “In order to fully clarify the position of deputies Besnik Baraj, Tom Doshi and Taulant Balla in relation to the events of 21 January 2011, for the criminal offense of ‘Organizing and participating in illegal gatherings and manifestations’, there arises a... continues on pages 2-3 In the photo: PS deputy Tom Doshi in front of the Prime Minister’s Office on 21 January 2011

Editorial BY AFRIM KRASNIQI Distorted parliamentarianism Albania has a parliament, 140 deputies, indirectly elected through the parties’ proportional lists. They exercise citizen sovereignty and have the political mandate to initiate and vote on any law or other act defined by the Constitution as a parliamentary matter. They have constitutional immunity, political immunity, and in our transition conditions, also a strong public immunity. They elect the president, the government, the chief prosecutor, the constitutional court, the supreme court, the head of the bank and the State Audit Office, several dozen high-ranking officials in the state pyramid, and every year they review the work of 13-15 high constitutional institutions. They have unlimited access to public debate, receive a large part of the headlines in the media every day, are part of every international round table, and ultimately — they hold the monopoly on decision-making for every important political decision, including changing the Constitution. In every democratic country, this parliamentary superpower would be enough to create a balancing relationship between the public and parliamentarians: the former through positive pressure and demands, the latter through the compulsion to offer alternative solutions. When things do not work well, the public complains, raises its critical tone, and even demands democratic mechanisms to correct the political elite, which is disappointed. In Albania, something different has happened and continues to happen. Here we do not have a balanced public–parliamentary relationship, but rather a contradictory relationship and the parliament’s attempt to... continues on page 5

TIRANA The former Guard commander and PS deputy, Arben Çuko, holds Prime Minister Berisha responsible for the killings of 21 January 2011, saying he ordered the former Guard commander, Ndrea Prendi, to shoot together with his subordinates. He accused Prendi of violating the Guard law by... continues on page 4 In the photo: The former Guard commander and PS deputy, Arben Çuko

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Enver Hoxha’s orders for death sentences Pages 12-13

Page 6 Doda-Tahiri: If you get close to the Prime Minister’s Office, you will be hanged from the palm tree

Arben Çuko, former Guard commander and PS deputy speaks about January 21

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