The clash is prevented by the police Significant remarks before the arrest A summons at 9:30 sets the events in motion. Tirana’s new prosecutor, Arben Qeleshi, signs his first arrest warrant Questioning, arrest at 14:20, farewell to his family: these were Fatos Nano’s final hours of freedom Police prevent a clash Significant remarks before the arrest A summons at 9:30 sets the events in motion. Tirana’s new prosecutor, Arben Qeleshi, signs his first arrest warrant EDMOND LAÇI TIRANA — It seems like the account of an ordinary day: the last day of Fatos Nano’s freedom. His arrest on charges of “abuse of office and forgery of official documents, in connection with Italian aid” has sent him to a cell in Tirana Prison, while his case file is the ninth for the new investigator, Fatos Dervishi, who had worked at the Ministry of Public Order just hours before his appointment. He signed Nano’s case file together with the other newly appointed prosecutor, Arben Qeleshi, who filled the vacant position of Tirana Prosecutor. Until the day before, the 30-year-old prosecutor Qeleshi had worked at the General Investigative Directorate. The new prosecutor Qeleshi signs the final arrest order. “At 9:30, while he was writing at home, a summons arrived from the Prosecutor’s Office,” Nano’s wife recounts, “requiring him to appear for questioning at 10:00.” Although he was delegated to the Tirana Assembly, Nano wrote a note on the summons saying that he would answer it at 11:30. After that, his wife did not see him again. “He made just one phone call to me,” she continues, “two minutes before leaving for the Prosecutor’s Office.” He spent about two hours at the General Prosecutor’s Office, until 14:20. At this point, his story seems to come to an end: Fatos Nano, Chairman of the Socialist Party, has handcuffs on his wrists. After a brief meeting with those who had accompanied him there, an ordinary police car takes him to Tirana Prison. There, several hours earlier, two other prisoners had also been registered because of him: Robert Gjini and Hasan Halko. But the “Nano” story would continue. His name would be mentioned for hours on all the main streets of Tirana. Outside the Socialist Party headquarters, while activists shouted, an orator standing in a “Zuk” car with tinted windows called on the crowd to defend Chairman Nano. The applause went on for a long time. By then there was no more time. From every direction in the capital, Socialist Party supporters—and onlookers too—were heading toward the former “Dinamo” stadium. The lawful rally lasted much less time than the unlawful one. Police officers—on special alert—let the demonstrators through about ten police cordons until they reached their destination: “Skanderbeg Square.” It was the composure of the security forces that saved Tirana from mass violence. At dusk, the demonstrators dispersed and went home, while those detained were taken to police stations. In Tirana Prison—heavily fortified—Fatos Nano would spend his first night without freedom. Prison and rally: an explosive mixture TIRANA — (c.bo) There is a question that Western diplomats, politicians and foreign representatives asked as soon as they heard the news of Fatos Nano’s arrest and the demonstrations that followed in the square: why did the arrest take place on Friday, exactly four hours before the Socialist rally that had been organized for three days? Rallies in public squares—especially when the political situation is tense—are an obvious opportunity for popular discontent to erupt, whether spontaneous or orchestrated. It was therefore predictable that news of the opposition leader’s arrest would find a natural amplifier at the former “Dinamo” stadium and then on “Dëshmorët e Kombit” Boulevard, where a protest demonstration had already been organized. Why, then, not choose that arrest— Before his arrest, Fatos Nano had spoken to the Gazette many times, expressing his views and predictions about how the events surrounding his judicial investigation would unfold. Here are some of his remarks on the matter: — “My arrest? I expect it; at this point anything can happen. In fact, if they arrest me, I will be proud.” — “I am not afraid of being arrested, but if they have planned to do it, no one can stop them. You will see that they will go all the way.” — “I neither need to defend myself nor to object. My personal dignity is not something I need to defend, because it is well known.” — “I agree to have my parliamentary immunity lifted, provided that the independence of the Investigative Directorate is respected.” — “Starting tomorrow, a new test will begin, a serious test that will help clarify who is the healthy politician and who is the sick one.” — “I am certain of one thing: what is happening, the accusations being brought against me, continue to be a political challenge.” — “I trust only those investigators who have the courage to defend Justice and the ability to build a state governed by justice.” ...that the news of the arrest of the opposition leader would serve as a natural amplifier in Boulevard, where a protest rally had already been organized. Why, then, not postpone the arrest by a few more hours? Certainly, the investigators who ordered the imprisonment of Fatos Nano had strong reasons, which naturally are theirs alone to assess. On the other hand, it is right and necessary for Justice to do its job without being intimidated by someone trying to make their work bear witness through protest, a “shpuka” that the party*’ [is] fake. But political analysts limit themselves to identifying the effects. And at this moment, the effect is that they have provided an ideal pretext for raising tensions: only thanks to the professionalism of the security forces was a further escalation averted. Albania, meanwhile, does not need disorder in its squares at this moment, nor slogans and shouting, nor clashes. Because Albania, the Balkans and Europe today are—and must be—committed, as one, to pursuing their development and consolidating peace. Former Prime Minister Fatos Nano with former Italian Prime Minister Giulio Andreotti during their meeting in Rome in 1991

ALBANIA ASKS THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY TO DEPLOY LONG-TERM UN MISSIONS IN KOSOVO — A statement from the Albanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs also sets out Albania’s position on events in the former Yugoslavia, and more specifically on the situation in Kosovo. “The time has come for the mandate of the CSCE monitoring missions to be reinforced with a UN mandate,” the statement from the Albanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs says. In the Albanian Government’s view, “the absence of preventive missions in Kosovo marks the beginning of a truly alarming situation, which brings the danger of the conflict in the former Yugoslavia spreading very close.” AGREEMENT ON THE POGRADEC URBAN PLAN — A few days ago in Skopje, representatives of the Macedonian firm “IGV” met with representatives of the local authorities of Pogradec. It was agreed that the Macedonian firm would make available the studies prepared for the urban plan of the city of Ohrid. At the “Makedonia Projekt” Design Institute, it was decided to begin bilateral cooperation on housing design. Funding is expected to be secured from the Ministry of Construction. NUMBER OF VEHICLES PASSING THROUGH HANI I HOTIT EVERY DAY REACHES 1,300 — According to sources in the Road Police of the Malësia e Madhe district, around 1,300 cars travel every day along the road connecting the Hani i Hotit border crossing with Bajzë, Koplik and Shkodër. The increase in traffic has increased the workload of the Road Police, which has organized roadblocks and other forms of inspection to identify violations. So far, fines totaling 1 million and 700 thousand lekë have been imposed for verified offenses. IN KUKËS, RESIDENTS COMPLAIN ABOUT THE QUALITY OF BREAD — Many residents in Kukës have complained about the quality of the bread produced in the city. In many cases, the bread has been underweight. The bread factory was recently inspected by the Standards and Quality Control Department, which issued several fines.

World Bank: permanent mission office opens TIRANA (D. K.) — So far, the World Bank has committed around 100 million dollars to various development projects in Albania. Kemal Dervish, the World Bank’s Director for Central Europe, said this at the opening ceremony of the World Bank Mission’s residence in Tirana. “The World Bank is a cooperative institution in which member states are also shareholders. Albania is a member country, and therefore a shareholder (co-owner) of the World Bank, your bank,” he said. The Bank began its activities in Albania 15 months ago, with a large number of projects that are still ongoing. Kutlay Ebrib, the permanent representative of the World Bank Mission in Albania, mentioned the various projects the organization is implementing in Albania, including a 15-million-dollar housing construction project and another 15 million for the road transport project, the reconstruction of the Durrës port line and several railways. “An important one,” he stressed, “is a 40-million-dollar project to alleviate rural poverty, which includes children and loans for farmers, as well as improvements to internal village roads. The first pilot phase of this project has been completed, and its implementation will soon begin in Albania’s 10 poorest districts. We also have thousands of other important projects,” he continued, “such as assistance with the restructuring of enterprises, support for the banking system, and other projects in health and education.”

TIRANA — The trial date has been set for the three people accused in the “Arsidi Scandal.” On August 16, in Tirana, former Prime Minister of the Technical Government Vilson Ahmeti, Agron Salihu, former director of the Commercial Bank, and Agim Tartari, his former deputy, will appear before the court. After several months of investigations, their case files have been submitted to the Tirana District Court. All three are accused of abuse of office. Saliu and Tartari will await their trial in Tirana Prison, while Ahmeti is under house arrest.

An afternoon of unrest in Tirana on Friday: two demonstrations took place near the former Dinamo stadium and in Skanderbeg Square. In the photographs above, demonstrators in Tirana’s square and, on the right, a protester arrested by police.

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