The Minister of Culture speaks after criticism in Parliament Anagnosti does not accept resignation FATOS BAXHAKU TIRANA — “Now I will wait for the position of the Prime Minister and the Chairman of the Democratic Party. I can explain the demand for my resignation in no other way than as a politically immoral attempt by a certain clan.” Anagnosti speaks to Gazeta Shqiptare just one day after Parliament’s demand for the parliamentary minister for Culture and Information Media, Uran Butka, to resign. How do you comment on the demand for your resignation? I consider it a politically immoral move, especially since it comes from a deputy who belongs to the PD parliamentary group that has brought the current government into office. I would not be considered coherent at all with these views from the opposition. But I will view Butka’s position as something more concrete. Just one month after I took charge of the ministry, Butka asked Meksi for my resignation. Butka repeated the same thing two years later in a statement. I still do not know which clan Butka represents and what his aims are, but I am convinced that a certain clan is acting behind him.” What position will you take now? “I am a member of the Meksi Government, which has received a vote of confidence from Parliament. I will resign only in the face of serious facts, because I consider this act a necessary mechanism for democracy. If this solved the problem of art theft, then I would truly do it with great pleasure. The cases for which I was criticized in Parliament are concrete. Are we crazy about them? “Our ministry was also accused of things that are not at all within its competence. The archaeological museums, for example, are not our responsibility but that of the Academy of Sciences. On the other hand, other things have happened that are not true. Thus, no original negjav[?] has ever come out of the Marubi Photo Archive and we were also accused of matters that are the responsibility of the districts. So what is the cause of the great art thefts? “This is a very complex problem. But first of all I would single out the responsibility of the law-enforcement bodies, which are supposed to protect the museums and the treasures, and which so far has made no distinction at all from our reports. Secondly, I must add the factor of the deep crisis and the lack of culture. You do not see any shortcomings in your own work? “Of course, but they were not the causes of the major thefts. Again, once more, the Ministry of Culture has done its utmost to minimize what has been inherited. I think that if one is not capable of doing this work, a person of exceptional abilities would have to be such.” Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, Dhimitër Anagnosti Butka’s request TIRANA — The Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Culture, Uran Butka, had stated: “I think that for this situation and damage the main responsibility falls on the Minister of Culture, the poor Minister Anagnosti. That he has taken the proper measures for their administration, that he has ensured at least a signal — and that was possible — for the National Museum, that he has not compelled the Government to solve the civil and military problem, that he has created problems and not done what should have been done, and that he has remained silent. For this reason I believe, with goodwill and respect, that the Government should take measures to reassess the failure that has occurred, to safeguard our values of art and culture created over the centuries. Based on these and on the historically inconceivable fact for our national history, I call on Mr. Anagnosti, an honest artist and good democrat, but not a manager or administrator, to step down from this post and be placed in a duty suited to his abilities.”

TIRANA — The claims of Greek ultranationalist forces against Albania are once again appearing on the scene. On Thursday evening, activists from Greek youth organizations demanding “Vorio Epirus” demonstrated in front of the Albanian Embassy in Athens. Nearly 150 people chanted various slogans such as “Vorio Epirus is Greece,” “We will liberate Vorio Epirus,” “Greece-Serbia, sympathy” and many others of the same kind. The group of Greek ultranationalists — mostly wearing military uniforms[?] — gathered in front of the Albanian Embassy around 10:40 p.m., while the chants were made one of the “mib”[?] Vorio Epirus” called it. “Something that has been definitively settled,” said Lleshi. A few days earlier, two Albanian children had died in a road accident in Greece, which had provoked reactions.

Nearly 150 people will testify about the regime TIRANA — “I am happy that people in this trial can meet Ramiz Alia.” This is how one of the witnesses spoke to Gazeta Shqiptare immediately after his testimony in the trial against the former president. One of the many who still bear the marks of internment on their bodies and in their souls, more than 150 witnesses summoned by the prosecution. A few meters away from Lubonja — in fact, he too was imprisoned and interned for 15 years by the old regime — a woman still standing, not yet having testified, continues to cry. Filloreta Çeni — whose 24-year-old son was killed on the border in 1990 — asks through the presiding judge to testify. “He must be punished, because in the time of his regime there was only one law, and that was the one that kept it in place,” the black-clad woman insisted openly in the corridor of the Tirana Court. Thus the first witnesses have begun to appear in the trial. At 9:37 on Friday, the first to testify is Siril Çani, whose regime is awaited with no interest at all by the defendant’s lawyers and only by them. In all the words about the “killed rats”[?] that the people after the apology[?] caught the explosives — in 1951 — inside the courtyard of the former Soviet Legation. “We do not understand how it is necessary for the session leaders, Alia’s lawyer — so it is heard — to insist on releasing the testimony.” Meanwhile in the corridor seven other witnesses continue to smoke a cigarette, but also to exchange in low voices — nostalgia for the regime and hatred for it. A former officer who considered Alia a simple man through TV must testify about the arrest of one of the people accused by the regime. “At the time I was in internment and they took me two days after my wedding and told me we would arrest someone for Gazeta Shqiptare he — I was amazed that I am being asked to testify, while my officer, the one who had ordered me, has not been called, without an officer someone higher had ordered me.” Another witness — but now before the judges — remembers the reaction to the execution of the Dibranë family, despite having worked for many years in this institution. Likewise, others heard in the hall are said to have noted that the woman in black is asking to testify against Alia. This time she crowned[?] — perhaps not out of curiosity — but a “colleague” witness of hers, whether her son was on border defense or on a mission. “He was killed because he could not win against the state led by Alia and his collaborators,” she tells the journalist — but in order to answer him — Filloreta Çeni. “You yourselves saw what testimony they gave — Alia replies to Gazeta Shqiptare at midday on Friday — I cannot say whether I like it or not.” Around 150 more witnesses are expected to testify. Perhaps someone will again ask to bring Alia to the dock, while someone else will show him the photographs of his son killed on the border. They are only witnesses, while the Court must listen and then decide. Edmond Laçi Ramiz Alia in Court

TIRANA — The problem of assets among the trade unions remains unresolved and in conflict. They have now returned to old waters. According to information obtained by Gazeta Shqiptare, the trade unions will turn to the President to seek his response to this problem. In their reactions for and against this issue, the unions accuse “BSPSH and the Confederation of having made secret and illegal agreements.” According to them — these accusations[?] will be clarified before the President of the Republic. The proposed solution consists in returning the remaining properties to all the unions according to their representation. (L. I.)

Cassation, the computers are starting TIRANA — Informatics has now entered the Albanian courts as well. The first computers, which have already started working in Cassation, and others — which are expected to arrive — are envisaged as a necessary and unique aid in modernizing an Albanian judicial system. “Initially we will focus on the Court of Cassation,” explains to Gazeta Shqiptare Zer Boit[?], chairman of Cassation, “following the present appeal and response in cases, the process of the file’s arrival, the trial and the issuing of the decision.” The computerization of the courts will bring, in addition to speeding up judicial activity, facilities for the judges themselves. Such a system, according to Brozi, will lead to the unification of judicial practice. The first step toward computerizing the Albanian courts was taken in Italy, during a visit by a group of specialists from the Court of Cassation. The Albanian group had taken part in a seminar organized by the Italian justice authorities and had also been in contact with the courts’ computer center. Two Albanian specialists also stayed here for more extended training and now work in the computer system at Cassation. “Our visit to Italy was truly important and very successful,” Brozi concludes. (Ar. Me)

— Reconstruction begins of one of the places where the Albanian genius, Gjergj Fishta, had completed most of his artistic works. Trosina and its convent in Lezhë had been one of the 967[?] old objects, which now remain to be reconstructed on the existing foundations. It is the Italian company “Tenalia,” recently known in Albania for the constructions carried out with aid for daily needs realized through an emergency project, and part of this project includes in Lezhë the creative “laboratory” of the great Albanian writer. Fishta has received for the second time a look[?] through Trustari[?]. (Ya. Me.)

SHKODER, ARSIH PI PA I DHRON THE CITY A LIBRARY TIA — A national[?] to see in Shkodër the library of Arshi Pipa, a gift that the writer makes to this city. The library contains more than 2,000 titles such as dictionaries in two languages, new books, literature[?] and sociology, it also has a series of illustrated works with literature in different languages, collections of the magazines “Albania” and “Konica” and “Shejzat” by Koliqi. SËRREQI MEETS WITH THE SPEAKER OF PARLIAMENT MACEDONIA — From the very beginning then our two bands have been under[?] “declared the Albanian Foreign Minister Sërreqi at the meeting with Stojan Andov, Speaker of the Macedonian Parliament. The two sides agreed earlier that the biggest country in the region, Serbia, first caused “stabilized Macedonia”[?], and broadly I think that in that direction ours is indeed a factor of stability in our troubled peninsula. BERAT, ABOUT 1,000 FAMILIES DO NOT PAY ELECTRICITY — “There are almost 11,000 families which until the end of April this year have not paid for electricity. The value of this unpaid energy, which reaches 409 thousand lek per month, increases the loss of 1 percent of the meter of use[?] of the network. ELBASAN, FINANCIAL VIOLATIONS IN THE WOOD PROCESSING ENTERPRISE — Nineteen financial violations have been observed in the Elbasan Wood Processing Enterprise. An inspection carried out by the control-audit section showed that this enterprise committed violations without asking later for the approval of the money. The damage caused amounts to over 600 thousand lek.

Fiscal revolution: value-added tax The new project of the Ministry of Finance ON PAGE 3 Turtle trafficking from Albania to Italy uncovered The Museum of Natural Sciences in Tirana sounds the alarm ON THE LAST PAGE

DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO SELL? DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO BUY? This page is opened for you free of charge for economic notices. Send your message, no longer than 15 lines, to one of our addresses: In Tirana: Rruga Bajram Curri, 370, or in Bari: Viale Scipione l'Africano, 264. State your message clearly: what you are looking for and offering, your name and address FOR SALE — a two-story house with 4 rooms and about 450 square meters of yard with a gate in Tirana, near the Poligrafiku. The house has two entrances. Price 4,000,000 lekë. Interested parties should contact Arben Koçi, Ali Demi quarter, Shemsi Agai Street[?] 16. FOR SALE — a three-room house, a kitchen and a yard. I have it in use in Tirana. Contact:[?] Baki Bakiu at this address: Rruga Sami Frashëri no. 57 (one-story house near the Hydropower Plant laboratory) FOR SALE — various building materials, carburig, chairs and others. Interested parties should contact the House of Culture at phone number 2791 FOR SALE — a two-story house in Kavajë with yard and rooms and two bathrooms (which was previously the house of the pioneer). Interested parties should contact Durrës 052/23571. FOR SALE — a 40-square-meter shop (dhs-Mapo number seven in district number 6 in Laç) and an electric German-made bread oven. Contact number 3334 FOR RENT — a room with kitchen and balcony. Interested parties should contact phone number 26706 or address: Rruga “Kongresi i Përmetit”, Building 79, Staircase 1, Apartment 11 in Tirana (opposite the Yugoslav Embassy). WE ARE LOOKING FOR — a worker for an agency in Durrës with experience. Interested parties should contact for further information by phone number 42524.

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