Prison Directorate: “He broke the rules” Visits and food deliveries banned for ten days EDMOND LAÇI TIRANA — The first punishment for Fatos Nano. After half a month in isolation at Tirana Prison, the Directorate of the Penal Institution sentenced him to ten days without visits and without food deliveries. without visits and without food deliveries. without visits and without food deliveries. Under the prison regulations, Nano is barred from visits and food deliveries for ten days. Even in the rare cases when a pardon is granted, the sentence and its execution take place in the same location: the cell where Nano is being held in isolation. “They found in my client’s cell,” his lawyer Përparim Sanxhaku tells the Gazette, “the newspaper of the party he leads: ‘Zëri i Popullit.’ That is why he was punished.” Under the prison regulations currently in force, detainees in isolation are not allowed to read newspapers. So far, according to prison officials, Nano has regularly been given only religious books. “He is treated,” says Prison Director Tanush Mileti, “like all the other detainees.” Nano’s first punishment—within the authority of the Prison Directorate where he is being held—has so far been confirmed only as a “breach of internal regulations.” Under these regulations, such a penalty can last up to 15 days. Nonetheless, the two mysterious publications in the socialist newspaper “Zëri i Popullit” must also have raised concerns. Because, according to the rules, Nano has not submitted any letter to the Prison Directorate requesting permission to have them sent out. The first, “Message of Solidarity,” in which Nano wrote from cell number five, and the second—published last Sunday—in which “the prisoner in cell number five” again wrote another letter. Since then, no one has been able to explain how these letters, published as having come from Nano’s cell, got out. Nor has anyone been able to cast doubt on the authenticity of their authorship. Although Fatos Nano has been under arrest since 30 July, Socialist Party leaders have insisted from time to time that the leader of their party remains Fatos Nano. A role that, naturally, must be carried out under illegal conditions, because prison regulations categorically prohibit correspondence with the outside world, all the more so—as in Nano’s case—when the matter is still under investigation. Today the prisoner is on the fourth day of his punishment for violating the regulations. A wholly insignificant penalty compared with the charge, still under investigation, relating to the “Aid Scandal.” Until the investigation is completed and the case goes to trial, Nano is obliged to obey the prison laws and rules. This seems to be a rather difficult obligation for him. For now, he is allowed to occupy himself only with himself and to experience things he perhaps had never even thought of before. “A diet of soup with moustaches,” his lawyer Sanxhaku remarked, “but just for one day, and that was it.” This lawyer, and only a few other people, are the only ones who have been able to see Fatos Nano calm in his cell, the third of the fourth wing of Tirana Prison. “The investigation into the ‘Aid Scandal,’” lawyer Sanxhaku believes, “will take time.” The entrance to Tirana Prison; above, former Prime Minister Fatos Nano

The government has allocated subsidies for new talent SPIRO ILO TIRANA — Better a book or a loaf of bread? It is a question many citizens ask themselves as they stop in front of the many booksellers, most of whom sell books from stalls on street corners. Although many of the authors are of world-class stature, and book lovers risked several years in prison to read some of them, people prefer to choose bread. Iskra Thoma, head of the well-known Naim Frashëri publishing house, expressed her concern: “From the moment you decide to publish a book until the time you have to collect the proceeds from it, it is a real ordeal. Printing houses change their prices whenever they want. The book-distribution network does not work. Do you know why prices are not printed at the end of the book? Because if a price were printed, none of the private vendors would take it, since they would not be able to haggle. No publishing house earns more from a book than the people who sell it on the street. It is absurd to think about it, but, for example, ‘The Decameron,’ which was sold in Tirana at its actual price of 50 lekë, was sold in Fier for 120 lekë, giving the seller a profit of almost 150 percent. Meanwhile, we separated from the state without a single lek in the till, and we have started everything from scratch. Whether we like it or not, we too have entered the world of business and are trying to survive.” This is the reason many young people, including quite a few talented ones, have been confronted with the wall of non-publication. Self-financing a book is a risky venture, because you have to put up at least 300,000 lekë, and you never know whether you will get the money back or not. “One of the greatest forms of assistance the state has provided in this area,” says Dashnor Kokonozi, department director at the Ministry of Culture, “is the abolition of the circulation tax on books, which ranged from 15 to 30 percent. The other measure is subsidizing works. “For 1993 we have received a fund of 3,000,000 lekë to subsidize works, but this is intended for works that represent genuine national wealth, or for young writers who are truly talented but, for financial reasons, cannot reach readers. It is therefore absurd to sponsor the novels of a writer who has been writing for 30 years and whose works nevertheless remain unsold in bookshop windows.” Thus, the market economy is also affecting spiritual nourishment: books. Books, it seems, will also go through their own transition period. A bookshop in Tirana

A real sailing ship has arrived at the port of Durrës. It has been a long time since such an event took place in the old Albanian port; at least, today’s residents of the city cannot remember anything like it. It is the Italian navy’s training ship, “Palinuro,” which arrived in Albania a few days ago. On Monday, a lovely festive event was held on its deck.

SHKODER / 13 killings by the regime reported SHKODËR — New information has emerged following the discovery of mass graves of victims of the dictatorship within Albanian territory. This time, the existence of 13 such graves is being reported in two neighboring countries as well: the former Yugoslavia and Greece. The news was given to a correspondent of the official Albanian news agency by one of the members of the “Commission of the Shkodër and Malësi e Madhe districts for finding the remains of those killed by the dictatorship.” According to the same source, nine of those killed are in the territory of the former Yugoslavia and four others in Greek territory. The story of these people who were killed is one of the most dramatic testimonies of Albanian history in this late century. All those killed had attempted to flee and were shot by border forces. Although gravely wounded, they managed to cross the border but were unable to enjoy their freedom for long, because they died of their severe wounds. As a result, unofficially, the largest number of graves along the border date from the periods 1945–65 and 1985–91. Investigations have been opened by the Shkodër Prosecutor’s Office into some of the verified graves. The commission member called on the Albanian state to make inquiries, in accordance with international law, to locate the 13 people killed and buried abroad.

International symbols of justice make their appearance TIRANA — (Ed. La.) “The judge is dressed entirely in a black robe. In front of him on the table is a wooden gavel, waiting for him to begin his work and restore order in his national vocabulary.” The passage is not taken from books, nor from a scene in a foreign film. It is simply a reality witnessed the day before yesterday at the Tirana Court, during the first hearing in the trial of Vilson Ahmeti, Agim Tartari and Arton Solli. For the first time, Albanian judges will wear a standard black robe, unlike the suits worn by judges in other countries. It was a particularly pleasant surprise for journalists—so many were present in the defendants’ section in the “Arditi Scandal” case—to see the presiding judge, Kreshnik Spahiu, in his new uniform. The robes brought from the United States of America could meet the needs of all the judges at the Tirana Court. The district courts, meanwhile, have so far received one each. In any case, the change has been made. Spahiu’s colleagues met him, and, moved, he spoke a few words in the courtroom. Thus another international symbol of justice has come to Albania. To add to its standing—which has suffered greatly in a short period marked by disorder and turmoil. After all, even the accused must be respected, and throughout the world—regardless of guilt—he is respected as a human being. The robe, known as a toga, has only just begun its journey in Albania. It is a difficult journey, since its first case appears to involve a former prime minister and two leaders of the Commercial Bank. In any case, what lies ahead remains uncertain. It is not only because it is a welcome novelty, but also because its sole purpose is to clothe the person who delivers justice.

Yesterday in Albania A PORTION OF THE GERMAN LOAN WILL BE USED FOR KORÇË’S WATER SUPPLY SYSTEM — Two million German marks will be invested by the government in the water supply system of the city of Korçë. This was announced by a group of Democratic Party MPs and the Minister of Construction, Ilir Manushi, at a meeting they recently held with citizens of Korçë. The German government has granted the Albanian government a loan of 40 million marks, of which 10 million will be used for drinking water. FISH IN SARANDË DAMAGED WITH EXPLOSIVES — Damage to marine fauna with explosives continues along the Sarandë coastline. The prohibited fishing is carried out by private fishermen, often equipped with motorboats as well. The first alarming signs have begun to appear as a result of this activity. The retreat of fishing grounds and the disruption of fish shoaling cycles have been observed. RUBBER-TYRED TRACTORS DISTRIBUTED IN BURREL — The number of rubber-tyred tractors distributed to private farmers in the Mat district through Greek and German loans has reached 17. The farmers will purchase them on credit. The local authorities have taken care to distribute the tractors proportionally throughout the country, but the condition of the supplementary implements is currently a problem. Another batch of vehicles of this type is expected to arrive in the district soon. The assistance received is very useful at this time because nearly half of the agricultural machinery previously available is in poor technical condition.

Days in Albania A secret tunnel beneath the city of Sarajevo ● Controversy in France over the law on immigrants ● Lewis’s witness, “son of the wind”

Do you have a relative, a friend, or a loved one far away, across the sea? Would you like to reach them with a greeting, a message, or simply a wish? This space is yours: use it, they will read it. If you are in Italy, you can write to this address: GAZETA SHQIPTARE, viale Scipione l’Africano no 264, 70100 Bari. If you live in Albania, you can write to this address: GAZETA SHQIPTARE, Rruga Bajram Curri 370, Tiranë.

Please help me! In 1983–1986, several Italian workers and specialists worked in Shkodër at the Koman hydroelectric power plant. They were all employees of the “Giovanni Rodio” company, headquartered in Milan. I do not have photographs of them. In this photograph, they are among the 6–7 people on the right. 1) Renzo Boglinger — lives in Milan 4) Lorenzo Gloverusco — lives in Aquila (with a pipe in his mouth) 5) Lino Vanini — lives in Pavia (with a pipe in his hand) 8) Francesco Cavelini — lives in Padova I also have other photographs with other people. I became friends with them and was a good cook for all the Italians. Please help me find my friends if you can and would like to. I would be grateful to you and to anyone who knows or has connections with the company in question and may know these people. Respectfully: Zyhdi Selhani — address: Naim Gylbegu neighborhood, Fahri Ramadani street, No. 128, Shkodër, tel. 003853243125