Sanxhaku cites Levante’s 8 contracts The Bari-based company had been accused by the Prosecutor’s Office of embezzlement EDMOND LACI TIRANA — “The aid provided by the Italian government and distributed by the Bari-based company ‘Levante Co’, has arrived in Albania in full.” Only seemingly in response to the claims of prosecutors Koleshi and Gjokuta — who had accused ‘Levante Co’ of goods worth 3.7 billion lire not delivered to Albania and of another 5.7 billion intended for an artificial rise in prices — lawyer Nino Sanxhaku makes a completely opposite claim. These were the three main points that Sanxhaku used — for the first time — before the court panel, trying also to justify his claim that all the Italian aid had arrived in Albania. “This was in fact not a secret accusation, but an antidossier,” he explains to Gazeta Shqiptare, “it contains all the figures,” built from an audit carried out by experts from Italy. Thus the judges are left to choose — at the final hearing on Sunday — between the documents presented by the prosecution or by Nano’s lawyers. Or more precisely, to verify whether these defences really mean that all Italian aid reached Albania or not. But the special feature of the contradictory documents from the prosecution and the defence lies in the fact that, for the calculation of the amounts corresponding to profits, deductions, or the distribution of aid by “Levante Co”, both sides refer to expert reports. “On the part of the defendant Nano, through his later interventions in the expert data, the aid issue — says the head of the prosecution — is turned into a political accusation against the Italian government and the Albanian government.” This is in fact one of the hottest points in the ‘antidossier’, explains to Gazeta Shqiptare, “it contains all the figures,” built from an audit carried out by Italian experts. Thus the judges are left to choose — at the final hearing on Sunday — between the documents presented by the prosecution or by Nano’s lawyers. According to Sanxhaku, “The profit of 5.7 billion lire by ‘Levante Co’ — the Prosecutor’s Office documented — is proven only over a short period, with unjustified profit from the high pricing administration, and largely supported by the billing of high transport costs and quantity and quality checks.” In order to counter these arguments, said the defendant’s lawyer, Sanxhaku brought out the version: “On the basis of the expert report carried out in Italy, on behalf of the Rome Prosecutor’s Office, by three accounting experts (mercelogë and medikamento-blerje), it emerges that the price for the purchase of goods from ‘Levante Co.’ — which MJP invoiced and the latter paid on behalf of the firm — in 80 percent of cases were at minimum prices and 20 percent at average prices. To show that the Italian aid for Albania had been fully disbursed, he cited the decisions taken by the Sanxhaku government, demonstrated before the court panel and in the reply letter which the General Directorate for Cooperation and Development in the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs had sent to the State Control Service. Nevertheless, the so-called ‘governmental ruling’ made a final conclusion on the various accusations, and the four accused — charged with theft and misuse of MJP funds — had linked them to the arrival of all the aid granted by the Italian government. Prosecutor Ceno Gjokuta and, on the right, lawyer Perparim Sanxhaku

The swastika on the stalls of street vendors The Nazi flag appears after 50 years TIRANA — A new “item” has been added to the quiet near UJ. Someone stops and walks away, at least from the items displayed on the stalls filling Tirana’s sidewalks. On one of them, next to the glasses and the ugly blouses, a red flag with the symbol of Nazism in the middle, the swastika, has appeared. While no one is trying to buy, and to clear away, the Nazis’ so-called ‘iron cross’ and proclaim what it symbolizes: Hitler’s Third Reich. For some time now, the symbol of Nazism — the swastika — has appeared here and there scribbled on the walls of Tirana. Its appearance has also spread from other towns in the country. In any case, this is the first time in 50 years — since 1944, when Albania was liberated from the Hitlerite forces — that the Nazi flag has appeared almost in the center of Tirana. This happens after such a long time, half a century, has eroded its meaning, and it seems that the swastika or “svastika” in legal language — a symbol that means terror and violence — no longer frightens anyone. But Kallmata warns that the crowd near UJ. Someone stops and smilingly asks about the price of this unbelievable and unseen item. The history of the “Swastika” — this tragic symbol that has made peoples, states, and individuals tremble — is highly contradictory. For some ancient Asian peoples it represented the sun or good luck. It also carried this message in the tattoos of the Native Americans. It existed long before in the world it was replaced by the figure of the cross, whose terrible meaning it still has today, as a symbol that evokes every aspect of humanity’s law and all forms of discrimination. Perhaps in some revisionist Nazi states it took similar forms, for the display of goods and symbols of incitement, but the appearance of the swastika is much more alarming, since the relics were used or merely because a random cross painted on a social shack of this “item” is very high. (An. Sl.)

The State Control is also equipped Parliament makes changes to the existing law TIRANA — The list of people entitled to carry weapons will be extended. Parliament has just approved an amendment to the “Law on Weapons.” Until now, this legislative act had limited the carrying of weapons to the military structures and law-enforcement bodies. From now on, this right has been expanded even further. It will also be granted to officers of the Forestry Police, the Enterprise Police, and employees of the State Control Service. The deputy Hajdari, on behalf of the parliamentary commission tasked with examining the changes to the “Law on Weapons,” proposed granting the right to carry weapons to employees of the State Control Service as well as to those of the Forestry Police and the Enterprise Police. In addition, he considered it unnecessary to arm the Electricity Police. The Socialist Group — through deputy Ruçi — opposed granting the right to carry weapons to employees of the State Control Service, the Electricity Police, and the Construction Police. In any case, there were also strong debates about whether or not this attribute should be extended to these three areas. Apparently, the many problems linked to unauthorized construction caused the majority of deputies to vote in favor of arming the Construction Police as well. The deputies were also interested in learning what the legal basis and permissible limits are for an armed person among employees of these bodies, in the absence of a special law on this matter, since the current law “On the Use of Weapons,” the 1990 article, did not define limited responsibilities regarding the use of weapons in this session. “People who will carry weapons must be as clear as possible about their duty and about the legality of necessary defense” or “extreme defense” when their lives are in danger — was their answer. (U. S.)

TEPELENE — It was only 40 thousand lek that cost the life of a merchant from Lushnja. Asked for in Tepelenë by two unknown persons, the merchant from Lushnja Petraq Çini became the victim of a serious criminal act. Shot in the head, while accompanied by a colleague and nearby — Çini had been stopped by two armed men. After checking his bag and taking the 40 thousand lek he had with him, the killers opened fire — with hunting weapons — on the merchants. As a result of this act, Çini lost his life, while his colleague managed to escape. The law-enforcement authorities are now searching for the killers, who left in an unknown direction after the murder.

The Ministry of Justice is bypassed TIRANA — “Political parties should be registered with the Tirana District Court.” This is the new proposal coming from the Council of Ministers. Therefore, it should not be the Ministry of Justice that decides whether or not to approve the creation of a new political force in the country. The main Albanian constitutional provisions and the Copenhagen Agreement are in favor of this proposal. The reference to the 1990 Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe clearly states that political parties must be separate from the state. In this sense, the role of the Ministry of Justice as the body granting approval for the formation of parties falls away, since it is part of the government and implements policies. Such is it?! As such, this Ministry cannot be fully independent and objective in this task. To avoid this existing procedure, the Council of Ministers has proposed that the function of approving the creation of parties be transferred to the courts as an independent and depoliticized branch of the state. Since parties operate on a national scale and most of them have their headquarters in the capital, the court proposed to carry out this function is the Tirana District Court. Ar. Me.

A view of Shkodër Castle SHKODER — A considerable number of ethnographic objects of special value from the well-known “Marubi” Phototheque have fallen victim to thieves. So far, no details have been made public regarding the crime, but the law-enforcement authorities are at least working to identify the thief. Such incidents have also occurred before in Shkodër. In the museum located in the city’s ancient castle and in several museum houses, thieves, with no sense of respect for national works, do not pick any valuable object and instead smuggle them out of the country. Some time ago, the law-enforcement forces had seized from a Greek citizen a number of such round-shaped objects.

A thief of a Greek citizen arrested in Delvinë — The law-enforcement authorities in Delvinë have arrested Arjan Glinika, 18, from the village of Vrion in Delvinë, accused of theft in cooperation with others. It is believed that Glinika committed the theft of the Greek citizen Dhimas Merkuri, during which all the valuables found on him were taken while he was immobilized. THE ALBANIAN COMMITTEE OF ADOPTIONS REJECTS REQUESTS FROM FOREIGN COUPLES — The Albanian Committee of Adoptions has rejected a number of requests from foreign couples to adopt children. According to this committee, they must be sent only through official channels and through the institutions corresponding to those of the country where they live. The committee is also making progress with ongoing consultations with these institutions. IN DURRËS, THE PROJECT FOR A NEW SEA LINE IS READY — Final preparations have been completed for the inauguration of a new sea line, in which commercial agencies and Italian firms are expected to take part in this route, operating on the Durrës—Vlorë travel lines. It will serve for passenger and goods transport. The aim is to reduce transport costs. It comes from the function of the new ferry, which aims to shorten the routes between the Albanian port and Central Italy. The new initiative was seen as necessary for strengthening Albanian-Italian relations and cadres.

The first requests from investors The old field is being prepared for reactivation KORCE — The first investment requests in the field of aviation have begun to be submitted to the Korçë District Council. The aim is for Korçë to soon have its own airport, which will connect with other airports expected to come into operation in several cities of the country. The aviation field on which the project is being prepared is located very close to the city, near the village of Lumalas. Fortunately, the field escaped the destruction that took place during the transition period. In another city, this time in the northeastern area of Albania, a similar project is being pursued. Soon Peshkopia will also have its own airfield, which will serve the air transport of citizens. Preparations for these important changes in passenger transport began immediately after a decision by the Ministry of Transport to put aircraft into circulation and keep them on standby. The ministry had emphasized the intention of the Albanian authorities to change the purpose of several airfields that previously existed in various parts of the country. Many of them would be used first for military purposes or had remained completely unusable. (P. re.)

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