Sinan Tafaj Rehabilitation Center for the blind Tafaj’s five-story building owned by Tafaj TAFAJ, 8500 EUROS FOR ONE TRIP “Shqiptarja.com” has uncovered the staggering expenses of the chairman of the Association of the Blind. He has received 527 thousand euros from the European Commission alone MINISTER ERION VELIAJ: THE ABUSES REACH 3.4 MILLION DOLLARS PAGES 2-3 Sinan Tafaj; Rehabilitation Center for the blind; Tafaj’s five-story building owned by Tafaj

INTERVIEW PAGES 18-19 Gazmend Leka on the eve of “Symbolon”, the whims of painting

Political satire BY ARBEN DUKA The thieves of the state!.. And for another week or so, we’ll have news, then August begins, and we won’t have anything to say... continues on page 20 together with a link

EXCLUSIVE Edi and Linda Rama are expecting a baby. Rubena Moisiu reveals the details Ninth month of pregnancy, gynecologists recommend giving birth abroad PAGE 12

FINANCE PAGE 9

THE VERDICT PAGE 15

“TERRITORY” PAGE 11 Venizelos threatens: You are creating new issues Bushati replies: Territorial division is an internal matter

Comment BY AFRIM KRASNIQI 24 July and the presidential tradition On 24 July 1997, in the Assembly of Albania, the new President of the Republic, Rexhep Meidani, took the oath. Five years later, at the same hour and date, President Alfred Moisiu was sworn in, and likewise, on the same day and at the same hour, President Bamir Topi and President Bujar Nishani. In this way, out of seven Albanian presidents in 100 years, one was elected/sworn in in January (Ahmet Zogu), one in the month of April (Ramiz Alia and Sali Berisha, the latter in March 1997 for a second term) and four others, Meidani, Moisiu, Topi and Nishani, were sworn in on 24 July. If there are no extraordinary situations (resignation, dismissal, health reasons) even the president... continues on page 16

TESTIMONY PAGE 17 Gazidede in ’96: Victory at any cost for the PD Fran Canga, the final part of the interview with the former SHIK director

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