The pyramid-scheme operators: You told us to remove Berisha, so we removed him. Give us our money back. Meksi’s ministers without salaries
The Greeks attack VEFA. “Tirana” beats Nano. You can’t find the money, so we’ll find it ourselves.
The pyramid-scheme operators: You told us to remove Berisha, so we removed him. Give us our money back. Meksi’s ministers without salaries
Berisha in the courtroom
The Greeks attack VEFA. “Tirana” beats Nano. You can’t find the money, so we’ll find it ourselves.
The Nano government and the neighbors’ jealousy
In addition to setting conditions, Rome also gave Tirana a lesson in diplomatic courtesy
The Nano 3 government is obliged to suffer the “jealousy” of its neighbors.
Italy and Greece are the two rival states whose interests in Albania are at stake. The Rome meeting shed light on the great mystery surrounding our country’s new fate. At bilateral meetings, senior Italian officials conveyed the message about the path the new socialist government should follow. They taught Albanian government officials to be more exacting and to observe the appropriate courtesy in democratic statements. It was no coincidence that the European Community chose Italy to manage the political and institutional crisis in Albania, a mission for which it met all the requirements. By entrusting Italy with the Albanian crisis, the EC and the European Union are preventing a Greek monopoly over Albania. The irritation of Greek diplomatic representatives at the Preparatory Donors’ Conference in Rome is the clearest signal of the injection of narrow regional passions into the diplomatic mindset of officials in Athens. Athens is trying to sideline every Italian investment project in southern Albania in order to guarantee full multilateral investment and administration status for the Albanian south. But Italy does not prefer to fragment its business objectives, which are also conditioned by the Community’s basic strategy. In this context, the Greek authorities continue to hope only for non-governmental support to manage the Albanian south, a mission through which powerful Greek lobbies in the USA can make their influence felt. Senior representatives of the Italian state made it clear to Nano’s government staff that Italy has the moral, as well as strategic, right to intervene in the reconstruction of Albania. Prodi and Dini were exceptionally firm in their determination to bring Albania’s political and economic processes into the normal European flow. Seeing the wavering diplomacy of the Albanian government leadership, the Italian side insisted, not without reason, on respecting the opposition and all other institutions that provide democratic opposition in the country. By promoting the conditions for disbursing aid to Albania, the Rome Conference sought to curb the diplomatic fluctuations of Nano’s staff and devote greater attention to defining foreign-policy alternatives.
Sudja will identify the person in charge
Page 2
Photo: Geri Noka
Nano, Fino and others: They went to Rome, saw, and came back ...
Ceka: Prosecutors have taken money from criminals
Page 4
The Kreçi case: Soap opera or mysterious game? On trial and in prison
Page 10
Everything about drugs: Types, the Albanian market, effects, risks, facing the law
Page 8
Gangs clash in Burrel; the police chief is replaced in Shkodër; 5 criminals are arrested in Përmet; a melon seller in Tepelenë gets angry and fires shots; the Buna speedboats unload contraband cigarettes; the “Arsidi” promissory note has not been lost
Pages 5–7
The transparency law is holding back foreign capital
Those who raised money to create new jobs and encourage business cannot be treated the same as those who built the infamous pyramids
First, as a citizen of Albania and, second, as President of VEFA Holding, I am concerned about Parliament’s approval of legal provisions that grant the government new, far-reaching powers over matters in the private sector. (Amendments to Law No. 8215).
(Continued on page 12)
Photograph of a man
