For the first time, his head of escort speaks Ali Çena agrees to reveal the backstage story of the former Prime Minister’s mysterious death “That night in December 1981 I was there.” Shehu felt threatened. Relations between him and Enver Hoxha had begun to deteriorate as early as 1975 CARLO BOLLINO TIRANE — “I lived beside him for nine years, and today I have no more doubts: Mehmet Shehu was murdered.” Ali Çena was head of the personal escort of the former Prime Minister, who died—officially by suicide—on the night of 17 December 1981. Today, after twelve years of silence, he agrees to speak and reveal thousands of behind-the-scenes details that confirm the darkest mysteries in Albania’s history. Ali Çena is now a 57-year-old, quiet physical education teacher. He was released from prison in 1989, after spending almost eight years there: a few days after the Prime Minister’s death he was arrested, like the entire Shehu family, on the same charge of treason against the country, allegedly involving foreign secret services. “Until now I have refused to tell what I know,” he explains, “because I never believed that there had really been any...” Now, by contrast, he has finally decided to make his memories public, and today he tells them to the newspaper. You say Mehmet Shehu was murdered. How do you know? “I was in charge of Mehmet’s guards from 1972 until the night he died. I lived through the years of his power and those of his downfall, because the punishment began long before 1981. He had understood everything: he knew he was threatened, he knew he could die, he knew the Party wanted to remove him. I was a guard outside the villa on the night he died. And I can say with certainty—given how events unfolded—that he could not have killed himself.” Did Shehu confide to you that he felt threatened by someone? “He was a very unusual man. He had a very strong character; people trembled when they saw him. They said he was savage, but I have always been convinced that only low and weak people hate. Still, I do not want to offer a political judgment. He certainly had faults, because he belonged to that system. But the one who killed him was certainly more criminal and more mafioso. He often let me understand that he felt threatened. Whenever we had to go out, he would advise us to make sure the checks were thorough. Once he told me: ‘Be careful, because they could shoot me where you least expect it.’ That night, 17 December, a few hours before he died, he wanted to make sure that the checks around his villa were adequate. It is clear that he felt the threat was much closer.” Why, in your opinion, was Mehmet Shehu murdered? “There was a political reason and a concrete motive. Politically, since 1975 he had been at odds with Enver Hoxha: the dictator feared that the personality of his right-hand man could eliminate him. Shehu was accused of liberal ideas, and perhaps that was true. I remember a telling episode: it was 1976, when we happened to be at a factory in Cërrik, near Elbasan. He noticed a young engineer who had been singled out for a job well done. He called him over and thanked him. The young man immediately said that he was the son of a man executed by the communists. Shehu held his arm and reassured him: ‘That doesn’t matter,’ he said. ‘Whoever is capable deserves to be valued equally.’ There were about a hundred people nearby. That remark caused a scandal.” Don’t you think it is excessive to call Mehmet Shehu a liberal? In Albania everyone considers him one of the most ruthless communists... “In some respects, he was. But I’ll give you proof. In the safe in his house, a document setting out the founding of a social democratic party had been found. He had actually written it in 1936, when he was fighting in Spain.” What would the practical reasons for his elimination have been? “When Enver Hoxha fell ill, a struggle over succession broke out in the Political Bureau. On one side was Mehmet Shehu; on the other, Ramiz Alia, supported by Nexhmije Hoxha. Without a doubt, his death represented the elimination of a powerful rival, a candidate to take control of the country.” Isn’t it a lot to speak of murder? “These are the political reasons behind my convictions. Then there are the events of that night: they all show that it could not have been suicide. And now I will tell them.” (1 — To be continued) (To be continued) Former Prime Minister Mehmet Shehu Road accidents too. Although overall crime in Tirana has risen compared with the same period last year, a slight decrease can be seen in specific indicators—especially those involving human life. Road accidents are the exception; following the unchecked increase in the number of vehicles and the poor condition of the roads, they have risen. During these five months, 17 people have lost their lives in serious car accidents, and another 72 have been injured. This is despite the Traffic Police having impounded 294 cars, 136 motorcycles, 6 trucks and 5 buses during this period. In addition, 90 drivers have been prosecuted, 71 of them for driving under the influence of alcohol, and their licenses have been revoked. The fines imposed on other drivers amount to 80,000 lekë. Crime against private property has continued to rise. According to the capital’s police authorities, the recording of shoddy construction and the lack of security measures have increased. As with thefts… …fines were issued in only 841 cases. Inspectors have also reported problems with car parks: of 53 such facilities in Tirana, 22 do not have the relevant municipal permit. The Fire Service, which is also part of the Public Order Police, has had its own problems. During the same period, the service dealt with 12 fires, causing damage valued at 270,000 lekë, not counting the damage to the central warehouse of the Valias mine. Investigations into these fires found that 4 were started deliberately to cause damage, 3 resulted from negligence, 2 from electrical installations, 1 by children, and the causes of two cases have not yet been clearly established. Against the backdrop of rising crime, the situation of law-enforcement officers themselves is troubling: more than 1,000 police officers and non-commissioned officers are homeless and living in very difficult conditions. Because of these circumstances, as well as salary demands, many of these employees are leaving in large numbers. This, together with the serious staffing shortages, is why 43 neighborhoods in the capital are currently left without police patrols.

Here are all the figures Thefts and accidents are increasing 1993 first five months | 1992 first five months | Change Criminal offences (total) 920 | 860 | + 7% Murders 5 | 26 | - 80% Attempted murders 105 | 76 | + 27% Sexual intercourse by force 14 | 17 | - 18% Safe thefts (unsolved) 2 | 10 | - 80% Criminal offences (state property) 239 | 362 | - 24% Thefts (business premises) 6 | 51 | - 80% Thefts (other premises) 265 | 321 | - 17% Criminal offences (private property) 443 | 252 | + 43% Thefts (homes) 108 | 71 | + 34% Thefts (business premises) 98 | 27 | + 72% Thefts (various premises) 239 | 154 | + 35% Road accidents 61 | 53 | + 13% EDMOND LAÇI TIRANE — The Public Order Police of the Tirana district is facing rising crime. But its capacity to detect and prevent crime is also increasing. This is the current reality of public order in the Albanian capital after the first five months of 1993. Thefts of state property have fallen sharply—even though little of it remains—but thefts of private property have increased. Road accidents have also risen. Although overall crime in Tirana has increased Road accidents stand out, where... thefts from homes, whose perpetrators continue to take advantage of citizens’ long absences from their houses. More than 400 perpetrators of criminal offences were caught in the act by police during January–May 1993; 13 of them were detained for illegal possession. Meanwhile, fines for public order and road traffic violations total 12,538,453 lekë, or 15 percent more than during the same period last year. Unauthorized construction has also been a problem for the police: fines were imposed in only 841 of 1,402 cases. Parking facilities have also caused difficulties: of 53 period, this service dealt with 12

Strong public reaction SHKODËR — (Ar.Ça.) — Unknown vandals stole the bronze symbol placed at the memorial to the martyrs of 2 April during the night of Wednesday. The same perpetrators also scattered the flowers that the citizens of Shkodër placed every day beside the memorial. The incident has shocked public opinion in Shkodër, where the martyrs of 2 April are the most cherished symbol of the struggle for democracy. The memorial was built two months ago in the square opposite the now-burned building of the former PPSh Local Committee. Eduart Përjaku, chairman of the “2 prilli” Association in Shkodër, reacted very harshly to this act. “This is a crime,” Përjaku stressed. “The perpetrator of this act, or whoever instigated it, is undoubtedly someone who wants unrest. In fact, the martyrs of 2 April belong to our entire city. They have nothing to do with 2 or 100 people. There were fully 40,000 people who wanted to see Shkodër become the first democratic city in Albania.”

His name is Hajro, he is 19 months old and weighs 5 kilos ANGELO SCONOSCIUTO BRINDISI — The entire pediatric ward of the «Di Summa» hospital is mobilized for its young patient, Gazment Hajro, who has just turned 19 months old and is from Vlora. With the help of Caritas, he was able to enter Italy urgently on Friday afternoon, traveling aboard the «European Glory», and was admitted urgently to the aforementioned hospital upon arrival. After conducting the initial examinations, the doctors found that he was suffering from severe hypertrophy, and for the time being no prognosis has been made known. «Hajro is presenting with severe malnutrition,» says Dr. Biagio De Mitri, the pediatrician who took a direct interest in his initial treatment: although the baby is 19 months old, he weighs no more than five kilos. «The prognosis is still guarded, although we still hope to save him,» the doctor continues. «The initial tests show that the child has anemia that we could describe as severe, but not insurmountable. We hope that the clinical tests, which will be completed in the coming hours, will enable us to identify any other condition, so that there are no factors related to malnutrition.» The entire pediatric ward is therefore making every effort. Its staff had been alerted even before the little boy’s arrival by the Polmonaires staff, led by Dr. Laudadio. After boarding the «European Glory» as soon as it had docked, and before carrying out the usual checks, they gave priority to little Gazment Hajro and his mother, enabling an ambulance with its siren on to take the baby from the port to the hospital in just a few minutes.

Today, the burial of 21 victims of the regime “Blue helmets” attack in Bosnia and Somalia In Greece, politicians’ phone calls were monitored

— by Stella Wilder Aries 20/III 20/IV You are drawn to social life in all its aspects, but avoid too often getting by on just a few hours’ sleep: remember that you must also attend to work. You can’t do everything. Taurus 21/IV 20/V You can derive great satisfaction from a series of worthwhile activities in the sphere of work. Don’t let distractions at other times become a sudden, irresolvable problem. You too should look for a good idea. Gemini 21/V 20/VI You will have to take on more responsibilities in your routine: don’t worry. You will feel preoccupied, you will feel anxious. You will feel more settled and find a strong point on which to rely. Cancer 21/VI 22/VII Avoid trying to achieve what cannot be achieved. But beware of those born under Capricorn and Aries. You will face a series of tests before securing the good fortune you need. Leo 23/VII 22/VIII You will have some difficulty abandoning the methods of the past in favor of new, more efficient ways of doing things. Try to free your outlook from prejudices. Virgo 23/VIII 22/IX You are starting a venture that requires commitment and great attention to detail. You must take a step back and show support before completing a task begun some time ago. Libra 23/IX 22/X You will be especially sensitive, but lean on friends and relatives to feel more secure. Avoid taking risks. Looking to the past may help you make certain decisions more easily. Scorpio 21/X 21/XI Do not neglect your body’s needs. You may successfully complete a decisive task; it will be dangerous if you underestimate the difficulties. Sagittarius 22/XI 21/XII You may feel very tired because of an idea that, at other times, you would consider eccentric and even dangerous. A lack of communication may cause you unnecessary difficulties. Capricorn 22/XII 19/I What is dangerous for others is even more so for you. Keep your distance. The fundamental requirement of the week for you is efficiency, if you do not want to go around without finishing any work. Aquarius 20/I 19/II Ask more of others’ attention than usual. Not everyone understands or approves of you. Your problem is to make those around you understand what your goals are. Pisces 20/II 19/III You will be surrounded by many dangers, and it is wise to have people around you who can protect you in every circumstance. Beneath your calm appearance lies a delicate crisis that you can barely manage to hide.