The state withdraws. The foundations will continue to exist. Driza: The money is 100% in the bank Berisha: Whoever waits in line gets the money; the impatient get the passbooks. Migrants’ deposits at risk The state withdraws. The foundations will continue to exist. Driza: The money is 100% in the bank Gërxhalliu: I have not declared bankruptcy. I have extended the deadline Berisha: Whoever waits in line gets the money; the impatient get the passbooks. Migrants’ deposits at risk

They violate depositors’ contracts Today the illegal decision to reduce deposits came into force. On February 3, Albanian business companies involved in the much-discussed interest-based investment business managed to sign a “historic” agreement which, according to them, is in the citizens’ best interests. Although citizens risked their money, lured by the high interest rate, they are now obliged to obey the orders of their masters. Making a decision and signing a declaration without taking the owners of the money into consideration at all is an absurdity that can happen only in Albania. The companies and their bosses forget that they signed a contract with the citizens, and contracts are not collective but bilateral: company-depositor. How can a company become the owner of a citizen’s portfolio? Albanian companies have no reason to imitate the state, which makes decisions by trampling on citizens’ rights. To declare once (as our Government does) that it is possible to return 90% of deposits and then, a week later, announce a coefficient of 60% or 52% means, no more and no less, irritating the people and trampling on their property. Numerous depositors have called at the offices of the newspaper “Republika” to express their dissatisfaction with the decisions companies make without asking the owners of the money. The least that should have been done, out of humanity, would have been to calculate the interest up to the present moment; then, at the client’s discretion, the contract could be redrafted with the consent of both parties. Otherwise, the contracts should be returned, with it made clear who is to go their own way. It is of no concern to a citizen whether or not the companies reach an agreement with one another. The excuse set out in the February 3 declaration cannot be used as an argument: “under pressure from the so-called ‘charitable foundations’ (pyramid schemes), we are obliged to pay creditors high interest rates, which exploit the normal course of our businesses...” Such an account may be true, but besides being late, it is also useless to the lenders. You have no right to take a citizen’s foreign currency at 8% three months ago and reduce it to 2.5% now. Since you signed a contract with me, I, the citizen, have the right to sue. The text of the declaration signed by the four companies contains a marked contradiction. On the one hand, February 5 is set as the starting date for reducing deposits; on the other hand, legal backing for the decision is being sought, backing that is to be obtained through amendments to the Civil Code. Who will make the amendments, and when? Today is February 5. Therefore, up to this moment, the decision signed by all four companies (the ones still alive after “Gjallica” went bankrupt, as reported on television) is illegal. On the other hand, the companies are trying to make credible their promise that they will repay the principal soon. In context: “In keeping with the possibilities that the banks will offer, the companies undertake to pay off the lenders according to the lists they have previously published.” The excerpt from the declaration needs no further comment: if the bank opens, the citizens will get their money; what if it does not open? (We companies are not to blame.) Of course, the citizens are to blame.

- VEFA and “Gjall ica” are two of the first companies in Albania. The prime minister met and talked with Alimuçaj. What about you? -In my conversation with the prime minister, he asked me for the accounts of the company and the currency exchange center. I promised to bring them to him soon, and I did. Then he also asked me for the principal and the approximate values of the properties, which they had estimated at several million dollars, but this estimate had not been made according to revaluation standards. Mr. Meksi raised the idea of continuing this company, but stressed that we would leave it to the Government Commission to judge. This commission has visited several times, but I have not yet received its conclusions, and I have not met with them. Page 5

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Yesterday afternoon and late in the evening, the offices of “Republika” were threatened by telephone using harsh and vulgar language. The reason[?] for the threats is the editorial office’s uncompromising stance. By reporting this information, we would like the anonymous callers making threats, if they disagree with “Republika,” to submit their views in writing; we will be ready to publish them.

The President of the “People”: Give me the original of the transparency minutes. The court is in a difficult position. The General goes up to the Court of Appeal today, bypassing the Court of First Instance Page 2 Yesterday, at the parties’ roundtable: Godo: Dialogue matters before the Government makes decisions Berisha curses the Socialists Page 3