AID SCANDAL / An invitation to national reconciliation from the opposition The chairman of the PS speaks of a new document CARLO BOLLINO TIRANA — “I am ready: I know they are going to arrest me. It will go all the way, because if they have gone this far, it means they will go all the way. But I’m not afraid, and I won’t back down with just one step.” Fatos Nano, leader of the Socialist Party, heavily accused in the aid scandal in Italy, speaks out. He tells his side of the story, analyzes the political situation, and renews an old proposal of his: “We are ready to share power with the Democratic Party. There are people among them whom I personally hold in very high regard, and I understand that there are also some who are ready to accept the idea of a coalition. Some of their political programs are good. Enough of fighting: let’s find unity and national dialogue.” But how can you propose taking part in a government when you face such serious accusations that you must defend yourself against? “I neither have to defend myself nor to counterattack. But why should this aid affair, which is two years old and known to everyone, explode now? Why is an indictment against me being brought precisely now, when I have committed myself to interpreting the problems of the country and its people differently? In our Parliament, politics is played even over the most specific laws. The majority acts as if it alone is in the right. Is that beyond question? We would like to see political debate and less confrontation.” Let us return to the aid scandal: is it really all false? “Look, I headed a transitional government (the one implicated in the scandal — editor’s note) for 14 months. It is true, it was an extremely difficult period: there was a general strike, the port and railways were blocked, and there was an uncontrolled exodus to Italy. We were in a state of full alert. On 11 March 1991, I received deputy Martelli, with whom we set out the lines of intervention. The first aid for Albania was agreed, then specified in detail at another meeting between our Foreign Minister, Kapilani, and De Micheli. What I can guarantee is that there was no wrongdoing on the Albanian side.” What about the Italian side? “I don’t know. But I am certain that the Italian investigators will do their job.” What were your relations with “Levant. Co.”, the company accused of participating in this affair? “When my government was inaugurated on 25 February 1991, “Levant.Co.” had already arrived in Albania. It was Çarçani’s government that contacted it, and I believe it had good relations with President Alia.” But the aid affair happened later, so you must answer for it... “I have a document that can exonerate me.” Can you show it? “I don’t believe justice should be done in the newspapers. Of course, I will submit it to the investigators when they want to question me. But I can tell you what it concerns. When the Palladio ferry arrived at the port of Durrës on 19 March with the first shipment of aid from Italy, our technicians and officials took delivery of the goods: food and medicine. From that date, they — because it was their job to inspect the goods, not the prime minister’s — realized that the prices of some items were far too high, sugar and meat, for example. Medicines had also arrived that we considered useless, such as a vaccine for renal failure. A report was written and handed to Minister Grafini, recording these observations. I was told that Grafini got very angry. The ambassador, Cardilli, was also present.” The investigation accuses him too. What do you think? “I only know that Cardilli was present at all the discussions and intervened to explain the arrival and distribution of the aid. A few days ago he called me and asked me the same question: how can they accuse me too? I didn’t know what to say to him.” Speaking of Ambassador Cardilli: the Commission of the

TIRANA / 5 families still out on the street FATOS BAXHAKU TIRANA — Since 14 May, they have been staying outside, opposite the apartment building at the entrance to “Vaso Pasha” Street in Tirana. They are five families of employees of the Construction Enterprise of the Ministry of Order. The workers have demonstratively decided to stay here with all their children and belongings, to protest against a decision by the Ministry’s Housing Commission that ordered some of these families to vacate the apartments where they had been housed. The story of the building on “Vaso Pasha” Street began in October 1991, when the Construction Enterprise of the Ministry of Order built an apartment building through the voluntary contribution of workers from the same enterprise. In March 1992, upon completion of the police building, the Ministry of Order made six of the eight completed apartments available to the enterprise. Following a meeting, five families were supposed to leave the building. After the first conflicts with the management, the families were forcibly evicted by the police in mid-May. The issue has reached the Presidency, and the Prime Minister’s correspondence office has also expressed its position, ordering that only two apartments, not five, be made available to the Ministry. Deputy Minister of Order Hajrï Mezini tells “Gazeta”: “We have dealt with this issue extensively as part of a working group set up by the president. We could not consider the first decision because the building had not been taken over by the Housing Enterprise. The latest decision was made in favor of the workers of the construction unit, with 60 percent of the apartments, and the Ministry, with 40 percent. That is the most we can do.” But the families are not satisfied with this solution either. One of them, Ilir Kenaj, the building’s engineer and chairman of the enterprise’s Independent Union, says: “We are not satisfied with the share allocated to us. Under the latest decision, we are entitled to 50 percent of the building, not 60, so we will continue to stay outside until all our demands are fully met.” Inside Visit to Rome

. BERAT — Double murder in Berat. A man kills his wife and father-in-law for trivial reasons — according to reports, and without [?]. The Public Order Department of Berat, confirming the incident, says that the crime was discovered by the police at dawn. However, perhaps to make the investigation easier, the names of the victims have not been released either. The Ministry of Public Order in Tirana was immediately informed of this serious incident as well. Following this, police officers [?] are monitoring the situation, at least to prevent a possible confrontation between the families, which [?] for some time. Further investigations are continuing.

The property protest reaches its 15th day. Shkodër: one of the hunger strikers is seriously ill in hospital. SHKODËR — The hunger strike in Shkodër has reached its 15th day. You cannot help but be convinced of this when you see the pale faces and tired eyes of the hunger strikers. The condition of one of them, who has been in hospital for days, has recently worsened. The dire situation prevailing in the building where the former kulaks are shut in and scattered about greatly worries the people waiting in a crowd outside the door where the strike is taking place. They want to know more. But, as has been the case for some time, many former owners have come to Shkodër from all over to express solidarity with the strikers: former owners from Tirana, Elbasan, Malësia e Madhe, Vlorë, Lushnjë, Shijak, Pogradec, Korçë, and even Piqeras and Sarandë. “We tried every method, step by step, and it never occurred to us that the Albanian Parliament would force us to go on hunger strike against the Property Law. It is a sin to lay hands on someone else’s property,” says Martn Matusha, one of the hunger strikers. “At a time when only—,” another one, B. I. man Ulinaku, adds, “they support us even beyond the borders. In New York, the Association of the Expropriated ‘Property with Justice’ has declared a hunger strike near the UN headquarters in solidarity with Shkodër and Tirana.” Skënder Hasanaj, also on hunger strike from the very beginning, says: “Television made do with a 1 minute and 35 second report about us. It is truly regrettable.” Hasanaj, perhaps prepared for the long time he will spend on strike, has not forgotten to bring his shaving things. “As long as I can, I want to remain without a beard or moustache,” he says, laughing. “The participants in the strike have no intention of abandoning it before all their demands are met. For them, even the means they have chosen is justified. Although 15 days have passed and many political forces have said that a hunger strike should not be the only solution, everything has remained as it was on the first day, except that the strikers are now more worn down than before. Health problems knock at the door every day.”

. TIRANA — The two “Legaliteti” gatherings in Tirana have ended. The 12th Congress of the “Party of the Legaliteti Movement,” which met at the Opera and Ballet Theater, finally elected Nderim Kupi as chairman, once again to this position. At the same time, at Tirana’s Congress Palace, the “National Organization of the Legaliteti Movement,” concluding its 12th Congress, elected Fuat Myftia as chairman of the National Council. Guri Durlari became Secretary General of this Council. During the presentation of the political platform, the newly elected secretary Durlolari promised to move the party headquarters from New York to Tirana.

TIRANA — A major event for classical music enthusiasts: a concert by the string orchestra of the “Solisti Aquilani”. The programme prepared for tonight begins at 7 p.m. at the Tirana Opera Theatre. The group, made up of twelve members, will be conducted by maestro Vitorio Antonetini. On the programme are maestro Vitorio Antonetini, who will play the piano; XI melodies by Vivaldi (Concerto in G major, X), Sammartini (Concerto in C major for viola), Rossini (the fourth sonata in G major for viola and strings), Cirri (Concerto in G major for cello and strings, op. 14 no. 2), Allegro e Boltesi (three elegies and a tarantella in A minor for double bass and strings, and Passione innamorate for viola, double bass and strings). The concert has been organised by the Cultural Office of the Italian Embassy, which presented Kalia Ricciarelli to the Albanian public two weeks ago. The “Solisti Aquilani” was founded as a group in 1969 under the direction of maestro Antonetini. Its musical repertoire is extremely broad: it ranges from pre-Baroque music to Baroque and modern music, and from time to time also includes pieces from operas. This gives one an opportunity to judge the two thousand concerts they have given in every country in the world, as well as the academic standing of the group’s members. They perform significant works of Italian chamber music.

Two victims

. GOLD MEDAL FOR THE CHILDREN FROM PËRMET IN ISTANBUL — The children’s folk group from Përmet won the festival’s gold medal as well as the exclusive right to take part in the next world festival in Turku (Finland). In addition to the guests from Albania, Istanbul’s “Fomget ’93” festival brought together 25 children’s folk groups from around the world. On the final night, the Albanian children performed alongside the festival’s five best groups. The Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Turkey, acting with UNESCO, made the children very happy through the arrangements it provided. TWINNING BETWEEN THE MUNICIPALITIES OF MAT AND SWITZERLAND — Interest in twinning the municipalities of the Mat district with municipalities in Switzerland led to a meeting in the city of Burrel, attended by two representatives from Switzerland. The foreign guests expressed interest in the organization and functioning of local government and expressed a desire to make the cooperation concrete quickly. A 13-YEAR-OLD FROM DURRËS OPENS AN ART EXHIBITION — Elio Selami Bajramaj is the name of the 13-year-old who exhibited more than 70 works in his annual exhibition in recent days. The Durrës Art Gallery, which is displaying the talented boy’s works these days, presents works from the past year. Elio was able to put on this exhibition after a year of intensive training with his teacher, Shpresa Beqiraj. RELIGIOUS ART COMPETITION IN BERAT — For the second year in a row, the sacred art competition SARKAL was organized in the city of Berat. The event was sponsored by the Presidency, by the association based in Otranto, Italy, Imzat Giuseppe Collaveno, in cooperation with the “Agimi Karitas” association of Berat. Children later took part in the third festival of visual arts and music, presenting works on various themes. Three prizes were awarded in each category at the end of the competition.

. Minister Serreqi’s visit to Rome. Anger erupts among Turks in Germany. Muslims celebrate the “Feast of Sacrifice”.

. 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 264, 70100 Bari. If you live in Albania, you can write to this address: GAZETA SHQIPTARE, Rruga Bardh Currit 370, Tirana. My name is Betina Kalemi. Through this letter I would like to send greetings to Instituto S. Vincenzo De’ Paoli, via Arcoivto, I, 89125 Reggio Calabria, Italy. Tel. 965/2171996917. I thank the entire institute staff from the bottom of my heart for the hospitality they showed me during the time I was there. I also thank them for the care they give my daughter and all the other Albanian children who are there. In particular, I thank Suora Antoneta, my daughter’s teacher, who through her education and generosity has earned respect and affection. I am Alitini from the city of Tirana. Through my letter I would like to send greetings to Hilda, a friend of mine who is in Italy studying at the University of Perugia. Her birthday is on June 2, and I hope she will read my wishes. I wish you lots of luck and success. I hope that your beautiful dream will come true. I embrace you fondly, Alitini. (Alitini — Tirana) We are two sisters from Durrës. We would like to send greetings to our brother, Drintani, in Cosenza, Italy. Dear Tani, you write to the rest of us that you are well and happy, but we miss you very much and want to see you. And now that we are writing to you, we hope you are well and that your work is going well and is not too tiring. We all remember you with great longing. On May 30, Flutura has her birthday, and we would like you to choose her name. So think of a beautiful name. Mother, Gontin and Astritin also send their greetings. We kiss you tightly. (The Balla sisters — Durrës) Dear Angela. I would have liked my greeting to be in Italian, so you would not need Kolli to translate it. The only favour Kolli would have done me was to buy the newspaper. Now I owe him two things: to buy it and to translate my greeting. So I’ll say it now: thank you very much, Kolli. Cara Angela. Today is your birthday, and I haven’t forgotten. But instead of a bouquet of roses, I’m sending you a simple wish. In Albania we say: “May you live to be 100.” I wish that with all my heart, and hope we can celebrate together. I will be there with my greeting, to remem… (?). (Ernisi — Shkodër)