Press conference of the PD at the Presidency building The latest appearance of the “number one” of the Albanian administration, Mr. Sali Berisha, before the Albanian public did not take long to arrive. Unlike two weeks earlier—when he had appeared on the platform of the Democratic Party of Tirana, in front of a small crowd of fans chanting his name—this time Mr. Berisha chose the Albanian Presidency building to attack the socialists again for more than 90 minutes, to wash away the achievements of the second 100 days, and to dismantle the certainties of victory in ‘96. Everything he said had already been said before, except that it was spoken directly in front of journalists under the pressure created by the harsh criticism of the opposition, by people not involved in politics, and by more than half of Albanians dissatisfied with the current standard of living. Foreign investments are hindered by the newspaper’s title Sali Berisha: “Investment in Albania has been hindered by the 50-year practice that you and your newspaper continue to defend to this day. It would be much better for investments if you changed the newspaper’s title, the name of the newspaper. That would not scare foreign investors so much. There is no doubt that other factors have also hindered and continue to hinder them. But let us not forget...” Read on page 3

- In democracy, crime cannot be hidden - The first to suffer was Judge Bendo. Now it is the turn of prosecutors Qeleshi and Gjokutaj as well. The first was the chair of the trial panel that conducted the anti-Nano proceedings; the second began the fabrication of the court file in the name of the chairman of the Socialist Party. The other two, prosecutors and deputies, were those who, in the role of representatives of the state, initiated the accusation against Nano. Everyone remembers it: everything began with a staged setup in the corridors of power and announced later in Parliament by Berlini and Cela. The campaign was followed by shameless attacks on F. Nano in the ruling party’s newspaper “RD”. Then came the sudden stripping of the PS chairman’s immunity, the directly elected people’s deputy, followed by the lightning arrest, conviction and relentless recruitment to the point of absurdity. More than two years have passed like this. Against Fatos Nano, a crime was committed three years ago. Those who fabricated the so-called “Nano Case” still keep their careers. Today they are striking in pain with this crime, those fabricators who some time ago acted with Bendo and who acted these days with Qeleshi and Gjokutaj. The executors of the crime against F. Nano are thus removed from the scene and can be settled into jobs that seem calm. But these judges and prosecutors, who sacrificed their honor at the altar of power, today look like wet chickens. In moral terms they have died as human beings and as jurists. They are only signatures on payroll sheets; in other words, they are no longer the heroes they thought they had become by fabricating the “Nano File” with their signatures. All those who were stained by the crime against Nano, by striking at the figure of the PS chairman, received in their own bodies serious and irreparable wounds. These wounds are called dishonor. These wounds hurt them today. By removing worn-out figures from the scene, as they did with the prosecutors in the “Nano Case” in recent days, they think they can create a new alibi that will let them emerge with clean hands. They will not succeed in that.

- Yesterday official talks began in Athens between the two delegations led by the foreign ministers of the two countries. Today Serreqi will be received by the President of the Hellenic Republic, Stephanopoulos. At the center of yesterday’s talks was the balance of bilateral relations after the first meeting of the Albanian-Greek Joint Commission held in Athens, which was followed by meetings of the joint subcommittees in the capitals of both countries, on different areas of cooperation, up to the second meeting of the Commission, which recently took place in Tirana. Another topic of the talks was cooperation between the two countries on the multilateral level, for Albania’s further integration into the European Community, and in international forums and organizations. Sources from the Albanian delegation report that the talks with the Greek side will continue today, when the Seasonal Employment agreement between the two countries is expected to be signed. According to these sources, Minister Serreqi will also be received today in separate meetings by the President of the Hellenic Republic, Stephanopoulos, by the Speaker of Parliament, and by the leader of “New Democracy,” Evert. Also included in the program of the Albanian foreign minister’s visit are meetings with representatives of the Arvanites and of Albanians who currently live and work in Greece, as well as other protocol activities. At the end of the visit, ministers Alfred Serreqi and Karolos Papoulias will hold a joint press conference.

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Three years at a standstill Page 7 Prime Minister’s Office

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