Investigation into Vasil Plaku concluded Charge: abuse of office and forgery of documents FATOS BAXHAKU TIRANA — The preliminary proceedings have concluded for the two main defendants in the “adoption case,” and the documents will soon be submitted to the Tirana Court, which will rule on the validity of the charges brought against them. Thus, one of the cases most widely discussed by Albanian public opinion over the past two years is nearing its conclusion. The two main defendants are Vasil Plaku, former Deputy Prosecutor General, and Myzejen Belshaku, former director of the Children’s Home in Durrës. The charges so far are: “abuse of office and forgery of documents.” The Criminal Code provides severe penalties for these offenses: a maximum of ten years in prison for the first and eight years for the second. The investigation into the adoptions has continued for a long time. It has been extensive work — involving hundreds of case files — which investigators examined during this year. The investigation into these cases began in July of last year, immediately after the conclusions of the Adoption Commission, established following the suspension of adoptions by Ramiz Alia’s decree. This Commission also identified the first irregularities. In more than 300 adoptions considered by Albanian courts between June 1991 and March 1992, investigators verified serious procedural violations. Seven former judges and lawyers are facing criminal proceedings, most of whom left the country long ago. At the time, Vasil Plaku, former Vice-President of the Tirana Court, had presided over 98 such cases. He was charged by the capital’s Prosecutor’s Office immediately after Parliament lifted his immunity in January of this year, even though he was still serving as Deputy Prosecutor of the Republic. Some time ago his detention measure was changed, and since then he has remained in Tirana Prison. The charges against the former director of the Children’s Home are also based on an incident in Durrës. According to the prosecution, she forged a document concerning the adoption of an infant by an Italian family. The forged document purported to show a mother’s consent to give up her minor child, a decision which the parents themselves later strongly contested. Both defendants have defended themselves by saying that their actions caused no harmful consequences for the adopted children. And this is precisely one of the most important aspects of the entire case. No official information has been filed concerning mistreatment of the children abroad, let alone their trafficking. This is also borne out by the fact that no juvenile court abroad has requested the Albanian adoption ruling. On the contrary, various family members have presented testimony and indirect evidence that many children are living in good conditions with the families who adopted them. The problem must be resolved through official channels, but so far no concrete step has been taken in this ongoing matter.

... communications from the Tirana Prosecutor’s Office to the departments that could contribute. No original documents from foreign courts have been filed in the case files of the two main defendants. Albania in 1990–91 was a veritable paradise for foreign couples seeking to adopt children. Procedures were quick, almost free; the courts had no experience in this field and, moreover, parents — compelled by extreme poverty — did not hesitate to give their consent. Many minors ended up in Italy and Greece, and fewer in the United States. There were also cases involving Finland and Malta. Adoptions by foreigners have now been suspended, and many former judges, once accustomed to judging the accused, are awaiting the verdict of justice. But the whole story also has another aspect, less sensational and often forgotten. A young mother from Vlora has long been trying to get in touch with the Italian family that adopted her child. Procedurally, the case is entirely in order. But this is where the human story that matters most emerges. The young mother had received many promises from the Italian couple. “At least my child’s situation would be taken care of,” she had thought. But the months passed and the promised gifts never arrived. “I was expecting a shipload of clothes, but I received only a used television,” she says.

There are 18 files from finance and personnel TIRANA — (va. ba.) — The State Archives has begun taking custody of documents stored in the basement of the former Central Committee of the PPSH. On the first day of work by a special commission established by representatives of the State Archives and the Socialist Party, the first 18 files were added to the archive’s inventory. The first documents that have been brought to light are numerous and mostly concern the financial relations of the Central Committee of the PPSH. Other documents were also discovered in the same place. Many of them — according to Archive sources — bear the stamp “secret” or “top secret.” They are papers concerning appointments and dismissals of officials in the senior bureaucratic apparatus of the time. These highly important documents, signed by Enver Hoxha, Ramiz Alia, Simon Stefani, Lenka Cuko, may shed light on some of the least illuminated aspects of the history of the dictatorship: the struggle against putschist groups. There has yet to be an official statement on the full extent of the persecution and its duration. “At the end, after we have taken possession of all the documents, we will issue a press release,” says Luan Maltëzi, Director General of the State Archives. The hall of the former Central Committee of the Communist Party They were sorted discreetly, to avoid any kind of confusion. The process of classifying and taking custody of the documents — which Maltëzi recently complained had been prolonged — will take time. Specialists are working in difficult lighting conditions in the basement of the large building. The documents were found after a tip from an ordinary citizen. Several metal boxes were found alongside them, almost completely submerged in water, and their discovery prompted much discussion, not only in the press. Some voices said the documents had been left there simply to be destroyed as worthless. Maltëzi immediately rejected this idea. “There is no doubt that some of them may be worthless — he had said — but the disposal of documents is governed by very strict rules. These rules were not followed. Besides, I don’t understand how one can call documents with the stamp ‘top secret’ and the signatures of those who ruled the communist system in the country for more than 40 years devoid of archival value.” The Director General of the Archives had spoken of a very serious responsibility on the part of those who abandoned the documents in the basements of the former Central Committee of the PPSH.

NEW YORK — The governments of Greece and Macedonia have decided to begin formal talks on September 28 at the United Nations headquarters, to improve relations between them and resolve constitutional issues. The news was announced on Monday by the representatives of Greece and Macedonia to the UN, after they spoke with Cyrus Vance, the UN special envoy on the Greek-Macedonian issue. Macedonia was admitted to the UN last spring, after Greece refused to oppose its admission under the provisional name “Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.”

KAVAJË — (ed. la.) — Gunfight near Golem Beach in Kavajë. The incident took place late Monday night. The 23-year-old Ndriçim Kaza, 23, the incident occurred at around 12 on Saturday on the Golem-Kavajë road, very close to the beach. The perpetrators, now identified, are being sought by officers of the Kavajë Public Order Department. According to that department, the clash occurred over trivial motives, triggered by an argument two or three days earlier. The victim, Kaza — who was also driving the car — died at Kavajë Hospital one hour after being shot.

Non-local workers may also be allowed TIRANA — (a. s.) — The draft law “On Foreign Investment in Albania” has been completed and is expected to be discussed in Parliament soon. In August of last year, the Albanian Parliament passed the first law on foreign investment, finally creating a legal basis and support for foreign investors. Nearly a year of experience also revealed several shortcomings which, along with a number of other factors, made legislative amendments necessary overall. One of these changes will be allowing non-local workers to work in Albania. The new draft law is more liberal. In response to this situation, the Albanian Government has intensified its efforts to increase the pace of foreign investment. “Government experts are exploring the possibility of making certain improvements to the Law on Foreign Investment,” Prime Minister Meksi said on the matter. The draft law was prepared by specialists from the Ministry of Economic Relations with Foreign Countries and, after being approved by the Government, is expected to be reviewed by the next Parliament. It is more liberal in nature than the current law and provides many facilitations for foreign investors. A number of bureaucratic procedures that had been required until now have been eliminated. Foreign partners will no longer be required to obtain prior authorization from municipalities or the Government in addition to a licence. They will also be granted the right to hire non-local workers. The draft law clearly defines a number of legal terms, primarily that of a foreign investor. Attention has also been paid to issues concerning the drafting and implementation of contracts, as well as the creation of joint-stock companies connected with the privatization process.

Railway incident in Kosovo Brindisi: illegal migrants in a refrigerated truck Plenty of support for Dinamo in Bergamo

Thirty girls and four boys took part in the Fashion Show EDMOND LAÇI SHKODËR — Albania now has a TOP MODEL too. The young woman from Shkodër, newly crowned at the “Migjeni” theatre in her city, is the first Albanian woman to receive this new title. Thus another dream, long suppressed, has come true — a dream our women found difficult to express for fear of going beyond the limits imposed by magazines, which passed by without effect. Before the winner was crowned in Shkodër — at an event organized by the Albanian Youth Federation and the PD Youth Forum — 30, the show brought together more than 30 girls (models and contestants) and four boys. ... EDMOND LAÇI SHKODËR — Albania now has a TOP MODEL too. The young woman from Shkodër, newly crowned at the “Migjeni” theatre in her city, is the first Albanian woman to receive this new title. Thus another dream, long suppressed, has come true — a dream our women found difficult to express for fear of going beyond the limits imposed by magazines, which passed by without effect. Before the winner was crowned in Shkodër — at an event organized by the Albanian Youth Federation and the PD Youth Forum — 30, the show brought together more than 30 girls (models and contestants) and four boys. In the first staging of the Shkodër fashion event, 17 styles were presented, including various evening outfits. This is another new development in Albania: following the opening of many venues with a modern character, the young designers also thought of morning and daywear. The first requests from clients are already coming in. Naturally, the success was reflected in the winner of the “Best Stylist” prize. There was also an award for “Most Beautiful Costume.” The show’s most special prize, however, went to the girl named “Top Model.” More than five commercial firms from the city of Shkodër sponsored the Model Show, which was declared a success. The first Top Model — selected by the jury — was ... and thus became the first woman to commercialize her own blue outfits in Albania. Her photographs — perhaps soon to be sought by Albanian newspapers and magazines — are a source of pride for Shkodër, whose winner is expected to become known throughout the other cities of the country. Because the Fashion Show in Shkodër should not remain just a “Show.”

ARBEN UJKA BURIED IN SHKODËR — Arben Ujka, a police officer who was killed while carrying out his duties, was buried in Shkodër yesterday. The day before, at the Ministry of Public Order in Tirana, President Berisha and other senior state officials paid their respects to Ujka, a member of the unit for Neutralizing Armed Elements. After the ceremony, his colleagues from the unit, as well as officers from other police departments in Tirana, accompanied the victim’s body to the capital’s cemetery, from where it was sent to Shkodër. Arben Ujka was killed while attempting to apprehend a person who, according to reports, had taken two other people hostage. MINISTRY OF DEFENCE CLARIFIES CONTRACT WITH BULGARIAN FIRM “BOLID 1990 PETROV” — Due to lack of experience, the sanctions to be applied to the contracting parties for failing to meet their obligations on time and to the required quality were not specified. Following reports published in several newspapers on August 15, the Ministry of Defence clarifies that the contract between the Export-Import enterprise “Meico” and the Bulgarian firm “Bolid 1990 Petrov” was affected by energy-related suspensions, dictated by the process of reforming the Army. Although the contract had been concluded in accordance with legal provisions, the Bulgarian party did not respect the delivery deadlines for “IFA” fuel trucks. Therefore, the “Meico” enterprise is seeking termination of the contract.

Thank you to the editorial staff of “Gazeta Shqiptare” for giving us the opportunity to thank our friends forever. I am writing this letter as a sick man from Tirana. In May 1991, I was admitted to hospital in Tirana, in the hypertension ward. The doctors suspected an adenoma. To determine this accurately, I absolutely had to undergo an examination at a state clinic abroad. For six months I appealed through the state health authorities and the Greek Embassy, but nothing was done. At that time, a friend of our family came to Albania; he lives in Assago, Milan (Italy): Valter and Anna Longoni. After a month, they took me to Italy, and under the care of Professor Massimo Ferreti they carried out all the tests and examinations necessary to establish the diagnosis and bring about a complete improvement. I spent a month in an Italian hospital, and the Longoni family covered the expenses. My family and I are very grateful to them, and we thank them very much. We are also grateful to Professor Massimo Ferreti, who did everything for my health. We thank the editorial staff of “Gazeta Shqiptare” and you, readers, for the opportunity to revive our friends from across the sea. In 1991, I was admitted to the hospital in Tirana with suspected pulmonary edema. To establish the diagnosis accurately, I absolutely had to undergo examinations at a clinic abroad. For six months I knocked on the doors of the Ministry of Health and the Greek Embassy in Tirana, but got nowhere. During this period a friend of our family arrived in Albania, who lives in Asiago di Milano (It), and under the care of Dr. Massimo Ferretti they put me through all the necessary tests until they established my diagnosis. I stayed for a month in Italy at their home, and all expenses were covered by the Longoni family. My family and I are very grateful for this. We are also grateful for everything Professor Massimo Ferretti did. (AL Dervishi and his family in Tirana)