The Prime Minister responds sharply to Berisha • No politician is sacred; only the Constitution is sacred • I want to declare that, before the Constitution of the Republic of Albania, I do not care about the head of any politician READ THE RESPONSE OF PRIME MINISTER ILIR META ON PAGE 2

Here are the cases: 32 high-voltage pylons ...

He was extradited from our country yesterday morning

Here are the cases: 32 high-voltage pylons blown up, 3 Socialist Party offices blown up, the VEFA supermarket in central Tirana, after which the fascist accusation was leveled against the opposition PAGE 4

PS Secretary Luan Rama: Minds like these planted the TNT at VEFA, at the mayor of Kuçovë’s home, etc. PAGE 5

The Prefect and the Police Director warn: The slightest breach of the law will be punished very, very severely PAGE 3

• He is one of the leaders of the fearsome “Sacra Corona Unita” mafia • Mafioso Francesko Delle Grottaglio, 46, from Brindisi, had been wanted by Italian justice for two years • Owner of 1,100 speedboats, the Italian mafioso directed cigarette smuggling to Montenegro and our country for a long time • Italian police accuse him of serious crimes, including various forms of trafficking with Eastern countries • Successful operation by Tirana police in cooperation with Brindisi police • High level of professionalism shown by the criminal police • Albanian police have begun investigations to uncover his links with criminal elements in Tirana and several of the country’s major cities Pictured: Mafioso Francesko Delle Grottaglio, 46

Storm in the Greek judiciary and media • Greek police chief Jorgakopulos is facing prosecution over the permit granted to Alimuça and his family in 1997. • Alimuçaj had bought a 75-percent stake in a Greek airline agency, a villa for his family in Athens’s wealthiest neighborhood for 300 million drachmas, a seagoing vessel, etc. The residence permit is considered only the tip of the iceberg. PAGE 13

ISSUE OF THE DAY The Albanian patient Many Albanians had the opportunity yesterday at midday to watch on TVSH the full speech Berisha had delivered the previous day at the session of the People's Assembly. “The Albanian patient,” who deserves an OSCAR for the madnesses that come out of his mouth, yesterday enriched his political vocabulary with the words “dog,” “dynamite,” “Burrel Prison,” etc., and finally exposed the opposition for what it is! The “patient’s” deteriorating mental condition coincided ... with the imminent inauguration of the Elbasan psychiatric hospital, whose renovation has cost considerable funds. Observers believe that whether or not the patient is cured in this hospital will show whether the hospital funds have been stolen. The patient spoke without pause or punctuation, like the surrealists of the previous century. As usual, he lacked logic. In the field of zoology, he presented a more complete picture, since, besides the animal pig, he also mentioned the animal dog. The patient’s entire platform for Albania’s future was destruction with dynamite and the reactivation of Burrel Prison. He spoke about documents, but when he quoted them, they turned out to be a few backroom words with cousins, straight out of the Far West. The patient did not forget to accuse the Albanian Prime Minister on the basis of conjecture, accusing him of possibly having received “about 200,000 USD” from Dhimitraq Rafti. Apparently, on this point he did the math by referring to his own response to accusations of taking bribes when he was President of Albania. More than once during his speech, the patient mentioned things that did not exist. He spoke at length about his electoral victory, but reached his peak when he swore on his honor. Economists said the patient could become a millionaire if he recorded his speeches and put them on the market. Naturally, he would have to protect the copyright from thieves. The opposition followed the patient’s ravings with interest, but in the end Mr. Arbnori was seen looking frightened. Perhaps because Burrel Prison was mentioned, which was not said merely to remind the opposition of it. After the patient’s speech, many people are trying to sell their newly purchased apartments. Among them are those living in a building said to have been built by the patient’s father-in-law!

• Angjeli: Now the priority is to reduce poverty ........................................ 9 • Rents: $70 million in investments and 7,000 jobs; another 4,250 are expected to open ........................................ 7 • “Moffat&Nikol” begins its duties for the U.S. government at the Port of Durrës ........................................ 11