PYRAMID SCHEMES A new stash of pyramid-scheme money is found Names of 27 people revealed They hid 100 million dollars Page 9

According to the state budget, the damage caused can be repaired only after 17 years Page 8 The damage, in dollars and years Loss from pyramid schemes 720 million Money returned 144 million Money lost 576 million Damage caused 4 billion Total losses 3.856 billion Repair time 17 years

EDITORIAL Should we trust them a second time?! As you hear noise and cheering at all the parties’ rallies during their election campaigns, you are reminded of a saying that goes: “If you deceive me once, it is your fault, but if you deceive me a second time, then it is my fault for trusting you again.” This also comes to mind when you hear how Socialist leader Fatos Nano, at his election rallies, shifts the blame away from himself, saying that responsibility for the pyramid schemes lies with those whom the Socialists and their small allies blame today. Those who raised Nano’s false promises of returning 100 percent of the money, creating 250,000 jobs, and restoring Law and Order in 100 days were more numerous than those who did not believe them. Now, three years later, years that belong entirely to the left’s rule, the great truth is that not a single shred of hope remains for us. Let us think, at least once, on October 1, as we stand before the ballot boxes; let us remember how those who are still trying to do the same thing today deceived us, because this way, at least, we will have the chance not to feel guilty and not to deceive ourselves again... And once again we have to ask: “What should we do? Even if only that solution the people have already given us, ready-made: If you deceive me once, it is your fault. If you deceive me a second time, it is my fault for trusting you again.” for the schemes lies with those who held power during 1997. Although the great truth about the pyramid schemes was accompanied by several other truths concerning the Socialists, many Albanians believed Fatos Nano and his party at the time. Back then, even though they were not as numerous as they would have liked for the creation of 250,000 jobs, for introducing the Rent within 100 days, there were more of them than those who did not believe. Now, three years later—years that belong entirely to the left’s time in government—the great truth is that none of these promises was kept. We are left to ask: What are we going to do? It is a campaign, and people let their tongues graze wherever they can. We are human and want to believe whatever we can. The whole dilemma lies in wondering whom we should no longer trust; as for believing, it is hard to

Elections / 200,000 missing names found After the OSCE, which admitted yesterday that it knew the actual number of voters (according to this statement, there are 470,000 voters in Tirana, including those registered under code “L”, as the “departed” are called), the Financial Information Center (QIF) has now come forward. The latter has increased the number it declared two days ago by a further 5,000 voters, telling the newspaper “Republika” that, for the city of Tirana, the number of voters, including those under code “L”, reaches 475,000. One of the heads of the “Election Assistance” program at QIF acknowledged that the center itself had known this figure. Page 3

Gold / The case file should have been submitted 10 days ago “We know not only who carried out the robbery of the Kërrabë treasure, but also where it has been hidden.” This was the sensational statement made yesterday at midday by chief military prosecutor Aleksandër Goga. Although such an admission is noteworthy, another fact is striking. The case file was supposed to be submitted to the Court on September 15 of this month (that is what the investigators and prosecutors said), but even after all these days the case has still not been sent for trial. Page 7

Accused of murdering the Kosovar brothers Page 6

Anastas Angjeli presents a “counter-analysis” of the figures Page 8

The Anti-Mafia Law, unapproved for a year and a half Page 4

Irena Bala, the woman who will do a great deal for citizens The political platform of the PR, which is based on restoring dignity to Albanians, on family values, and on the value of life, unquestionably one of the most important principles, as well as on other elements such as private property, one of the indisputable conditions for the normal development of the country’s economy, and also on the relationship that the individual should have with the state, makes the Republicans’ victory more certain. Page 2

Memorial Page 21