The commission’s screening rules out candidates Zogaj, Peshkëpia and Çupi Immediately after President Berisha announced the date of the elections, it was the turn of the Commission for the Verification of Political Figures to begin responding to the applications of those aspiring to take seats in the next parliament. Along with the first replies, the first contenders have also been rejected. Two figures from the PAD, which appears to have been the first to pass through the antigénocide commission’s screening, Preç Zogaj and Ridvan Peshkëpia, respectively PAD press director and organizational director, have failed to pass the “integrity test” before the seven-member commission chaired by Hajri Mezini. The commission has likewise given a negative response regarding journalist Frrok Çupi, who is also on the PAD list. A negative response concerning Zogaj and Peshkëpia was to be expected, given that their names had for a long time been the subject of various press outlets, which accused them of having been former collaborators of the Sigurimi. Indeed, some time ago the PAD’s press director made a spectacular move— Continued on p. 4

DOSSIER (ILLEGIBLE)

It seems that the former communists’ lack of civic spirit must be made up for with titles of nobility that they award themselves. p. 1

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Although it has put nearly $600,000 on the market in two days In Albania’s currency market, the dollar’s rush toward ever higher rates is causing concern both in the country’s financial circles and among depositors. But it is also hard for the state to make sense of this period, at the start of the election campaign. Thus, the Bank of Albania’s tooth-and-nail battle with the dollar continues; relentlessly, it is eroding the Albanian lek, which had enjoyed a calm period for a long time. After several attempts that had only a short-lived effect, in just the last two days the Bank of Albania has put around 600 thousand dollars on the market to maintain the existing lek-dollar exchange rate. This banking operation was undertaken after the dollar again crossed the 105 lekë threshold. B. Malo

Elections matter more than Nano The Socialist leader, Fatos Nano, is being used by his party leader in another way as well. By trying to obtain a statement in his favor, the Socialists aim to gain ground now that the elections are closer than ever. The Socialists’ documentation on the “Nano” case has set off for Istanbul. After examining the material submitted by the Albanian Socialists, the Inter-Parliamentary Union will give its opinion on the case of former Prime Minister Nano, who was convicted in connection with the Italian aid case. Along with the aforementioned documentation, members of the Albanian delegation, Ali Spahia and Continued on p. 3

The Tirana Prosecutor’s Office under accusation by customs authorities The scandal erupted following the closure by the Tirana Prosecutor’s Office of an investigative file concerning smuggling carried out by an Albanian-Italian company for an Albanian-Italian company. On 30 January 1996, in a lightning operation, the Anti-Smuggling Customs Police seized a truck belonging to the Albanian-Italian company “Nuova Domenika” for smuggling, together with its cargo, valued at over 60 million lekë. This vehicle, brought in illegally through smuggling, was seized by the Customs Police and was subsequently reported for criminal prosecution. But, in a completely unlawful manner, according to the au- According to customs personnel, an unlawful decision allowed the truck carrying 60 million lekë worth of smuggled goods to bypass customs inspection Continued on p. 3

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