Another 100 thousand dollars belonging to Xhaferri found. Driza has only 10 thousand dollars in real estate

The Albanian Government would demonstrate civic responsibility if it accepted its resignation. The time of being held hostage and of the trial period has passed; it was not capable of stopping the crisis. The squares are resounding every day: Down with the Government! After the cities that rebelled against the swindlers and the Government at the end of January, now it is Vlora that is protesting and shouting against the Government. The protests and calls against the state show that the Government has lost the people’s mandate of confidence. If it is accepted that more than 30 thousand citizens have demonstrated against the Government in Vlora these days, the prime minister and his ministers should feel insulted if they continue to sit on a throne where they are neither wanted nor respected. The protest by the citizens of Vlora should not be interpreted as a crisis involving pyramid schemes and people who have been swindled. A Government that is incapable of protecting its own citizens from economic ruin cannot enjoy their confidence to govern the state. If, among 30 thousand people, there are 30 or 300 madmen shouting, “We don’t want our money, but free Fatos Nano,” and if this has not been fabricated, it must have been provoked. And provocation only irritates. Nothing good can be expected. The Democratic Party Government is doing the left-wing opposition a great favor by attributing to it the mobilization of a vast number of demonstrators. To place at the head of this crowd (let us say 40 thousand, as there were yesterday) the democrats, republicans, ballists or legalists who were in the square is an insult. On the other hand, there is no reason for the Socialists to rush to Vlora on the third day of the demonstrations. Trying to profit from the misfortune of those who have lost is worse than singing at a funeral. It is true that politicians in countries with advanced democracies also exploit protests by the dissatisfied and desperate, but generally they precede the protests; they do not put on their belts after the table has been laid. In Albania, the crowds have long since emancipated themselves. They were in the squares before the politicians; the latter are late and vilified. Now, when the Vlora demonstrators are well organized and have also elected a Coordinating Council to direct activities in the days following the demonstrations, the spectacle put on by Mejdan and Ceka is much maligned. The political capital invested in this case resembles the discredited investment of the Meksi Government in the pyramid scheme. Clever politicians should calculate their political moves in good time. Getting ahead of the crowd is not foresight; placing yourself at its head after it has covered half the distance is political myopia. In Albania, both politics and the state are trailing behind the crowd. Should this Government remain in power? The demonstrations by a crowd of several thousand say no! Most political forces say no! Having lost its mandate of confidence, the Government itself is wasting its time insisting on holding on to a throne that is, in fact, much maligned. Without the people’s mandate of confidence, any government finds it difficult to govern. It was once demanded that this Government be held hostage until it gave the people their money, but now there is no need even to hold it hostage. Perhaps the only things that should be held hostage are the service passports, so that government officials tainted by the vortex of pyramid schemes do not flee, as the pyramid-scheme operators fled.

Inside: Until then, according to former employees of the foundations and current bank employees, the banks had been entirely at the disposal of the foundations and other borrowing companies. In fact, at that time there was even an order that the banks be made available to Xhaferri on Saturdays too, breaking even the rules governing working hours. These employees also confirm that an agreement existed (whether in writing or simply an understanding has not been confirmed) between the banks and the foundations, under which the banks would be available to receive deposits from the foundations at any time and hour on any day of the week, while the foundations could withdraw as much money as they wanted from their bank accounts whenever they wanted.

Today, the following dates will be announced in several cities for the account of the “Xhafer-ri” Foundation: Page 4 Page 5

80 thousand employees will be hired at the company’s facilities within six months As a realization of President Alimuçaj’s idea to expand the company’s retail network, offering favorable conditions for customers and substantial profit margins, a new supermarket was inaugurated in Tirana as well. It is a modern supermarket built on “Mine Peza” Street. The retail area covers around 500 m2; there are 10 units, selling many imported goods, mainly food products.

Yesterday in Vlorë. Photo: A. Babani

All sellers of the “REPUBLIKA” newspaper in the districts must settle their obligations from the sale of this newspaper in cash through the “Press-Albania” transport agency (not through the Bank), starting from 4.1.1997. Together with the money, the unsold copies from each day must also be handed in (only the newspaper masthead and date). The newspaper’s Editorial Office