The entire former PPSH politburo is in cells They are accused of “misappropriation and abuse” EDMOND LAÇI TIRANA — Albania’s former number one, Ramiz Alia, has been arrested. After a year under house arrest, on Thursday at 18:30 Alia was finally taken to Tirana Prison. There, for several minutes, one after another, high-ranking former PPSH leaders whom Alia had once led would also arrive. The arrest warrants for the former president and the others were almost identical: “Misappropriation of state property and abuse of office.” No incident accompanied Alia’s arrest and his transfer — by a small Tirana Police escort — from his daughter’s home to the prison building. At 18:45, the iron gate of Tirana Prison opened for the man who had succeeded Hoxha in power. A routine procedure in the prison investigation room: surrendering prohibited items and being taken to one of the narrow cells on the first floor. Alia made a small request, but — according to the prison’s strict rules — a fountain pen could not enter the cell with him. At 20:00, former President Alia was alone in a corner of the cell. Far from his family, information and interviews, which he had not refused to give even while under house arrest. Thus, the state radio report — which had portrayed Alia’s arrest as a spectacle — became reality. A reality that this time the radio announced late at night. Many accusations have recently been levelled against Alia — now a prisoner. The first, and still in force, is the charge of “misappropriation of state property and abuse of office.” This was the charge that led the Prosecutor’s Office, a year ago, to impose house arrest. But the accusations escalated further when Blërim Çela, Chairman of the State Control Commission, together with others — among them Fatos Nano, the leader of the PS — denounced Ramiz Alia as well for involvement in the “Italian aid scandal.” The Albanian press has also carried other, more serious accusations against Alia. If he were also investigated for genocide — an accusation heard frequently of late — the Investigative Directorate could proceed freely, since Parliament has just approved a special law on genocide and violence perpetrated by the former communists of Hoxha’s regime. It is not yet known whether Alia will leave prison to stand trial on the charge that brought him to his cell. The house where Ramis Alija, the former president, was under house arrest, in an archival photo

TIRANA — (Ed.La.) The special Tirana Police vehicle, together with the escort that accompanied all the arrests in Tirana, made its final stop at Tirana Prison at 9:10 p.m. Wearing a brown suit, Pali Miska was also taken to his cell; he was the last of the seven people arrested throughout Thursday. Ramiz Alia, Prokop Murra, Foto Çami, Vangjel Çërrava, Muho Asllani and Besnik Bekteshi had been taken to their cells earlier. Only Çërrava, who lived in Korçë, and Asllani, who came from Durrës, had travelled a long way to Tirana Prison. Thus, on Thursday evening, after more than two years, all the former senior PPSH officials came together in a single building: Tirana Prison. According to the Tirana Prosecutor’s Office, the latest decision was made as part of the criminal investigation into the former senior state leaders, on the basis of new evidence confirming, on a broader scale and over a longer period, criminal activity involving the misappropriation and abuse of large sums of state property, in cooperation with others. For Ramiz Alia, Prokop Murra and Foto Çami, the Tirana Prosecutor’s Office changed only the security measure, since all three had been confined to their homes for some time. The arrest and imprisonment came as a surprise only to the other four former leaders, against whom no security measure had previously been imposed. The investigation — which has been conducted for some time by a special group of seven investigators in Tirana — had previously focused on the period from 1985 onward. The latest evidence against the defendants is the result of new investigations that also cover the period before 1985. The charge against the seven former PPSH leaders had previously led only Enver Hoxha’s daughter to be sentenced to 14 years’ imprisonment.

TIRANA — This is what Alia said in an interview given to the Newspaper some time ago: I hope to meet the judges as soon as possible, although I would have preferred a political trial rather than a trial for stealing coffee. So you admit that you have political wrongs to answer for? I will not be the first communist to be put on trial. Yes, in these 46 years of the regime there have been many mistakes... Which ones would you like to start with? The first, certainly the gravest, was the class struggle with its extremism. This caused many serious suicides—not only physical, but psychological and social. The class struggle damaged the unity of the people. What was most reprehensible on our part was that it often did not stop at people who were guilty of ideological offences—as provided for by law—but extended to their family members, who were certainly innocent, and this also struck at the party’s internal structure... Let us return to the mistakes of the dictatorship. It is not true that all sentences and persecutions were carried out in accordance with the law. Yes, unfortunately there were many abuses. Especially by those who served on the committees dealing with this work. I am referring first and foremost to the Sigurimi and the judges. The climate in which Albania lived also contributed to this, with threats from abroad and Greek, Yugoslav and Anglo-American agents who tried to enter the country... Do you consider it a mistake to deprive a people of its freedom? I said that the country’s isolation was a mistake, and that isolation also included freedom... So, do you still defend the dictator? He made mistakes, and we have spoken about them. But I cannot agree with those who want to destroy his entire image. Honestly, I cannot do that. …were jailed Ramiz Alia, Prokop Murra, Foto Çami, Vangjel Çerçava, Muho Asllani, and Besnik Bekteshi. Only Çerrava, who lived in Korçë, and Asllani travelled a long way to decision was made as part of the ongoing investigation into the criminal case against former senior state leaders, on the basis of “substantial new evidence.” As had long been under house arrest. Ramiz Alia, Prokop Murra, and Foto Çami had been sentenced to 5 years and 14 years’ imprisonment solely for… Enver Hoxha. Which one most serious, was the class struggle, with its extremism. It caused a great deal of harm… The first, certainly the caused a great deal of harm… These things also happened before 1985. Wasn’t [unclear]… the former leaders of the PPSH had previously sentenced [someone] to 14 years’ imprisonment solely for… Enver Hoxha. Since it was an incident that had occurred three years earlier, when the police officer was on duty near the Vaj-Pjije Enterprise on the outskirts of the city. At the time, during an incident, the police officer shot Hileçi’s brother dead. His act was then classified as self-defence, and the police officer faced no consequences. Now, three years later, his brother decides to happen had appeared several days before the incident. The wife of the murdered police officer testified that, just three days before the incident, the victim had been threatened by Koleci, who said he would kill him. “I have a blood debt to avenge,” he had told her husband. It was not understood [unclear] only as referring to the people who were guilty of ideological crimes—those whose crimes were provided for by law—but also to their [unclear] who were certainly innocent, and in the first place the Sigurimi and the judges. We spoke about this. it completely. Honestly, I cannot do that. Yes, unfortunately, there were many abuses. It has been observed that there was more than… Which one caused a great deal of harm…

In September at the Cultural Centre TIRANA (fa.ba.) — A summer school will open its doors in the capital. The initiative is by the Albania-Netherlands Foundation. The school will begin welcoming its first participants in the first week of September, and the lectures will continue for more than a week. Various activities will be held at the premises of the International Cultural Centre, aiming to broaden knowledge in the fields of politics, administration, the structures of democratic governance in the country and economic relations. The school is primarily intended for people working in these fields, but it will be open to anyone interested in expanding their knowledge. Several types of activities are planned: seminars with experts, meetings to share experience, visits to public institutions and cultural activities. The school will also have a video room showing tapes dealing with current issues of drugs and AIDS. Anyone interested can contact the Albanian Helsinki Committee. The idea of establishing this school arose two years ago, when a group of Dutch parliamentarians — observers at the 22 March elections — noticed that Albania needed courses to educate people in contemporary ideas about building democratic structures.

His wife, wounded in the arm, is in hospital SHKODËR (ar.ca.) — Police officer Çelë Rustemi, 35, father of three children, was killed in what appears to be a long-standing revenge attack. On Thursday, while going to work accompanied by his wife, he was shot in the chest with seven revolver bullets and died half an hour later at Shkodër Hospital. The incident took place in the early morning at the entrance to the “Xhabije” neighbourhood of the city, causing panic among passers-by hurrying to work. The policeman’s wife was also wounded in the arm by a bullet — at the time of the incident she was riding behind her husband on a bicycle — and has been admitted to the surgical ward. The killer has now been identified. According to city police sources, he is Hilë Koleci, 28, a resident of Bardhaj village near the city. Immediately after the incident, eyewitnesses stated that Koleci left in a white van, heading in an unknown direction. Police searched all the homes of his relatives, but so far the searches have yielded no concrete results. Koleci is wanted, and his identity has also been sent to the border crossing points. According to Shkodër police sources, the reason for the killing was an incident three years ago, when the policeman was on duty near the Oil-and-Drinks Enterprise on the outskirts of the city. At that time, during an incident, the policeman shot and killed Hilë Koleci’s brother. His act was then classified as self-defence, and the policeman faced no consequences. Now, three years later, the brother has decided to take revenge. The first signs that something was going to happen had appeared several days beforehand. The murdered policeman’s wife testified that the victim himself had been threatened by Koleci three days before the incident: “I have blood to avenge,” he had told her husband.

TIRANA — Idajet Beqiri, Chairman of the National Unity Party, was transferred to Tirana Prison. On Thursday evening—at 9:00 p.m.—Beqiri was taken from his party headquarters, where he had been under house arrest, and transferred to the custody wing at Tirana Prison. In the morning, the Court of Appeal had upheld the ruling of the Tirana Court, which had previously sentenced Beqiri to six months’ imprisonment “for insulting senior state officials.” Although the latest ruling was final, Beqiri—now in prison—has the right to appeal to the Court of Cassation.

TIRANA — Television signals relayed by satellites can now be received in the Albanian countryside too. This photograph was taken by the roadside on the road from Tirana to Durrës. The farmer has now equipped his home to receive a multitude of stations. After the installation of parabolic antennas—which have become something of a fashion in Tirana—the phenomenon has reached the countryside as well. The days when Albanians tried to cobble together all kinds of electronic add-ons in order to pick up the television signal “distorted” by jammers seem a distant memory.

EDMOND HAJDERI Life and the Environment The effects on the climate resulting from damage to the ozone layer and the increased concentration of certain gases in the atmosphere—in particular carbon dioxide (CO2), chlorofluorocarbons (CFCI), and nitrogen oxides (NO)—undoubtedly constitute a global problem that is being widely discussed today. About 90% of atmospheric ozone is found in the upper layers of the atmosphere, or, as it is otherwise known, in the ozonosphere, which consists of the stratosphere and the lower layers of the mesosphere. Here, we will call stratospheric ozone the ozone distinguished from tropospheric ozone, which is present in the lower layers of the atmosphere, especially in the air over many cities. It acts as a natural filter that absorbs harmful ultraviolet rays arriving as UV-B radiation, which is harmful to various organisms. Such radiation can cause skin tumors, adversely affect the eyes, damage the immune systems of humans and animals, and slow plant growth. According to [12?], CFCI are the main agents responsible for damage to the ozone layer. These are chemicals of human origin, whose concentration in the atmosphere has risen rapidly since they first began to be used several decades ago in refrigeration systems, small spray cans, solvents, foaming agents, etc. They came into widespread use partly because, at first, they seemed completely inert in the lower layers of the atmosphere and therefore non-toxic to living organisms. But the fact that CFCI are inert allows them to reach the stratosphere without undergoing changes. There, the action of intense ultraviolet radiation releases chlorine from many of their molecules, freeing chlorine atoms that destroy ozone by acting as catalysts in its transformation into molecular oxygen. Each chlorine atom can eliminate thousands of ozone molecules. Today, because CFCI are being depleted in the atmosphere, the amount of chlorine compounds capable of breaking down ozone is 4–5 times lower and increases by an average of about 5%—figures that would mean that, in order to reduce it in the future…

TENDER FOR THE RECONSTRUCTION OF ROADS IN THE TIRANA DISTRICT — Registration has been completed for 55 foreign, joint-venture and Albanian companies that will take part in the tender to determine who will carry out the project to improve the roads in the Tirana district. The project, financed by the World Bank, amounts to 18 million dollars. It provides for improvements to 65 kilometres of the district’s road network. FIREWOOD DISTRIBUTION HAS BEGUN IN BURREL — Distribution of firewood to residents of the Burrel district has already begun. According to sources at the district’s Municipal-Housing Enterprise, 8,000 stacked cubic metres of firewood have so far been stored in the wood yard, out of the 12,000 needed to get through this winter. The sources said that the remaining required quantity would soon be added and stored through contracts with the forestry enterprise and private operators engaged in this activity. IN KULËS, LAND IS DIVIDED BY CONSENSUS AMONG THE VILLAGERS — In the Kukës district, the land has been divided by consensus among the villagers. So far, land has been divided in 78 of the district’s 80 villages. Many villagers have preferred to take the land they had owned before the collectivization of their agriculture, individually. The land commissions considered it appropriate not to oppose this type of division. So far, about 8,000 families in the district have reached agreement on the land, but the number of these families is expected to increase further in the coming months. The reasons make this arrangement seem, at least, unproductive in terms of the causes of the division.

Fighting over borders erupts in Bosnia Map of Black migrants in Italy Albanian was printing fake passports