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The start of the trial over the Otranto tragedy has been accompanied by another similar incident: the disappearance of an inflatable boat carrying more than 59 undocumented migrants. The poverty of a people badly governed by the Socialists is taking on the shape of a new, terrible legend. Yesterday, the sea cast up the wreckage of the speedboat and two bodies near Sazan—evidence that the police cannot deny. This confirms what the newspaper “Republika” wrote on Friday, which the police authorities denied. While the Albanian police remain silent, the corrupt government officials speak cynically. The latest statement, made yesterday by Deputy Prime Minister Çeço, that now “the number of legal emigrants will be much higher than that of undocumented emigrants,” surpasses every expectation of cynicism toward innocent victims. But why do today’s government officials make not even the slightest effort to acknowledge this tragedy? The answer is simple: today’s people in power are themselves the ones who directly profit from this trafficking. Is there evidence of this? A year ago, one of Italy’s most prestigious magazines, “Panorama,” published the full list of the real bosses of the trafficking, from the Speaker of Parliament, Skënder Gjinushi, to the President’s defence adviser, Sabit Brokaj. And, as if to extend the irony, the Tirana Prosecutor’s Office filed charges against the Italian journalist, who is still persona non grata and barred from entering Albania. Today’s officials are so preoccupied with trafficking that they have even forgotten to care for the families of the Otranto victims. A few days ago, they protested in front of the Italian Embassy because they had been denied visas to attend the trial taking place in Brindisi, but once again nobody remembered them. These are today’s Albanian statesmen; these are the traffickers of the Otranto channel. And, to avoid deserving Hegel’s saying that “every people gets the government it deserves,” Albanians must rise up and drive this gang out.

The government does not accept fair competition * Creating favorable conditions for smuggling and corruption, particularly because of the commissions that importing companies are currently required to pay to companies already holding permanent licenses (only 3 companies for fuel trading). * Immediate damage to MEPP’s image because of its inability to secure storage capacity, which is almost entirely under the jurisdiction of this ministry, creating a closed cycle in licensing. * Harm to the interests of entrepreneurs who comply with the law, by preventing competition among importing companies and enabling companies previously licensed to charge unjustified commissions for their work through the use of their licenses in return for an additional fee solely for the import process. * Price increases because one licensed firm sells to another, unlicensed firm, again at wholesale prices, due to the inability to obtain a license. Fuel traders J. Vinçani P. 9

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P. 5

The newspaper “Republika” will continue to publish material from the Preçi file, shedding light on smuggling and corruption