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By Faruk MYRTAJ A lecturer at one of the country’s most renowned faculties told a fact from life. A telling fact for him and for everyone who has spent whole lives doing politics for Albania: “Last September, when the academic year opened, only 25 students lined up in the faculty courtyard. I’m ashamed to say it, but our number—the lecturers—was greater than the number of students...! We agreed with our colleagues that the lecturers should stay inside the building, so we wouldn’t stand out as the majority compared with those who would be learning from us...” This is one of the engineering faculties that kept this country’s economy alive. Now that Albania has won pluralism but, tragically, lost its economy and its production, this faculty has dwindled and shrunk year after year. The lecturers are almost the same. The older ones, who don’t have the strength to flee to the West, where there is respect and an opportunity to reward human intellect. Hundreds and thousands like them. Opposition parties always blame those in power, until they themselves climb into power. The names of Albanian engineers and specialists are listed in the rosters of the world’s most prestigious associations. They have “converted” their diplomas themselves, in real terms, after practical tests, in line with the needs of these developed countries. No one stays in our faculties anymore; students, too, reject engineering... Every road leads to philosophy, literature, journalism...! In truth, given what politics has reduced Albania to, it seems that only as a politician, activist, or journalist can you make a name, money, and glory...! Either that, or... migratory bird! Finally, the next deception is believed: Until the congresses of the PS and PD, they’ll do whatever they can. That day Albania will be made! Parliament (the Place of Words) approved the Stability Pact for Southeastern Europe! That was the end of all our suffering. Happy is whoever remains in Albania...! Squares and halls, and anniversaries of brigades, fill up with young and gray-haired people shouting for the multipoliticians. The young, especially educated young people, engineers and specialists, the powerful workforce and minds, are flying off toward Euro-America. Just as in 1945, schools and universities have turned into courses against illiteracy: all we need is to get a diploma. That’s it. Nobody can find us work that uses our minds today. Neither the state, which is busy with politics, nor the owners, who win tenders in order to get rich without being required to produce! People’s houses go up in the world, and they come down from there as rich people, while hardly anyone among them develops job opportunities as an owner; hardly anyone seeks intellectual capacity; everyone prefers the quick buck, everyone takes part in tenders, and hardly anyone feels any concern for the fate of privatized enterprises. Politics offers support to enrich the next batch of “its own people”; whenever an election campaign or congress approaches, the lists of the next batch of wealthy people are drawn up: poor state, unfortunate national wealth, miserable enterprises, which show no interest in using or calling Albanian minds and knowledge to work! Ability is now defined as the capacity to make money without working, studying, or thinking: all you need is to get involved in politics, all you need is to vote for whoever shouts loudest and makes the prettiest promises!

MADE IN ALBANIA AIRPORT © M. Xh.?

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Declaration of assets Gramoz Pashko speaks, Economic Adviser to the prime minister P. 8

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Online Albania Visit: www.albaniaonline.net