AID SCANDAL The investigation into the socialist leader, as well as Sokrat Plaka, Robert Gjini and Hasan Halko, is closed after ten months. The evidence presented by the Tirana Prosecutor’s Office is laid out in 15 pages. Here are all the accusations against Nano Now the son of Ramiz Alia is also indicted EDMOND LALAÇI TIRANE — After ten months of investigations, the aid scandal is heading to court. Investigators have finally decided so in the Nano case as well, a case that had long since turned into a fierce political controversy in Albania and later triggered its internationalization. And while the charges have now become public, they also shed light on another long-standing mystery that had never officially been confirmed: Ramiz Alia, former President of Albania, and his son Arben Alia are also involved in the aid scandal. While the former President is in prison — under investigation for other charges as well — his son, now a free defendant, is also exempt from precautionary measures that the Prosecutor’s Office could impose on him, since he is currently not in Albania. Along with Nano in this trial, however, only Sokrat Plaka, Robert Gjini and Hasan Halko will be defendants, all three accused of “abuse of office.” At last, the curtain has fallen on the—very cautiously—estimated case of Nano and on the entire aid scandal. Socialist leader Fatos Nano is sent to trial on the charge of “misappropriation of state property to the detriment of the public interest” in the role of accomplice, as well as “forgery of official documents.” In addition, the amount alleged against Nano is 73,780,000 old lek; he is also accused of “abuse of office” in connection with state property, while the aid itself is included as well. The arguments chosen by investigators to support the charge against Nano are numerous. UNCONSTITUTIONAL ACTION Nano is accused of having deliberately failed to fulfill his legal duty — in his role as Prime Minister — to implement the amended rules of the Presidium of the People’s Assembly, despite having the initiative to conclude bilateral agreements with the Italian state. According to the indictment, the defendant deliberately violated the law, the foundation of the state, and the constitution. THE CHOICE OF “LEVANTE CO” SPA Fatos Nano openly influenced the decision to assign the delivery of aid to the company “Levante Co.” According to this accusation, defendant Nano appointed Hajdin Sejdini as Economic and Financial Adviser with exclusive powers in all areas of the government he headed; Sejdini was also executive director of the company “Iliria Holding”, a firm that would later become the distributor in Albania of goods brought in by “Levante Co.” The indictment also comments on Gromo Pashko’s testimony that “Levante Co.” did not have a role chosen by the newly formed government and later cooperation with “LEVANTE CO.” VANTE CO.” This time, as arguments, and as the prosecution’s final conclusion, it mentions the links between Nano, Sejdini of “Iliria Holding”, Pernicola of “Levante Co.”, former President Alia and the other defendant, Arben Alia. On this connection, the indictment also refers to the testimony of Xhani de Mikelis, who — among other things — stated that “Levante Co.” was supported in Albania not only by the former communist government, but also by the post-communist government later on.” ILLEGAL PROFIT OF “LEVANTE CO.” The indictment reasons that the close connection between Nano, Pernicola, Sejdini, Ramiz Alia and Arben Alia secured favorable conditions resulting in an equal amount of 9.4 billion lire, or 73,780,000 lek. Supporting facts for this unlawful gain — the indictment says — are all of the actions of defendant Nano. FORGERY OF OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS In this case, the document refers to March 1991, when Nano, in his capacity as Prime Minister, signed decisions in the name of the Council of Ministers without a meeting having taken place, as well as decisions dictated by the Presidium of the Council of Ministers which he signed as decisions of the Council of Ministers. Specifically, it concerns two decisions of 28 March 1991, one regarding the return of the joint enterprise “Iliria Turistik” — for which no minutes of the Council of Ministers meeting can be found — and the other, a decision of the Presidium, but not of the Council of Ministers, which had set the tax burden for the commercial activity that “Iliria Holding” would carry out in Albania. Former Prime Minister Fatos Nano during a court hearing

Computers will also be used TIRANE — Another important step for agriculture. A new project — which began some time ago — provides for the registration of all real estate. Its implementation will be another step toward the creation of a land market in Albania as well. The land reform — the transition from a centralized system to a private one — made registration in cadastral offices mandatory. Precisely to improve this process and ease it together with the reform, a working group has now been set up — assisted by American advisers and the European Commission — which will establish all the structures for this cooperation by also introducing the use of a computerized system. Work has currently begun — in a pilot phase — in three districts of Albania: Tiranë, Lushnje and Kavajë. Soon it will be applied and will include only the land area, the owner's name and the location of the parcel. In this way, some other data are also recorded to make them easier and faster to process in both the current system, such as the number of trees a parcel has or their type. The new real-estate registration project is expected to be completed within five years — in addition to helping speed up the creation of the land market, it will also serve for better management of its information. Ar. Me.

IN TIRANE A PERSON DIES IN AN ELECTRIC CABIN — And the power cuts have created new victims in Tiranë; as a result of an intervention to repair the line fault, a person was found dead near the high-voltage cabin. Taking this tragic event as a starting point, the Albanian Energy Corporation has called on the population to contact only electricians for any power fault. THE SEMINAR “ECOTOURISM IN ALBANIA” BEGINS IN DURRES — A four-day seminar on the theme “Ecotourism in Albania” has begun in Durrës. The purpose of this seminar is to discuss various problems related to the development of Ecotourism as one of the forms of tourism that ensures the preservation of nature and the rational use of its values. The idea of this event will also be presented at a press conference. THE WINNER OF THE TENDER FOR IMPROVING THE WATER SUPPLY OF THE CAPITAL IS ANNOUNCED — An Albanian company has won the tender for improving the water supply of the Capital. The project to be implemented envisages increasing the water supply by 400 liters per second. An investment of 312 million lek will be made to carry it out. FIVE PEOPLE ARRESTED IN TIRANE FOR UNAUTHORIZED CONSTRUCTION — Five people were detained by officers of Police Station No. 3 in Tiranë after they had opened foundations for building a house without a permit. To build the house, they — Lek Marku, Frok Barçi and Ramazan Haxhi, Shpend Demalia and Hysni Batrakari — had occupied part of an external area in Laprakë.

SHKODER — He threatened a citizen with a defensive combat grenade and was therefore detained by the law enforcement authorities. But after that, a Yugoslav-type automatic rifle with more than 60 rounds of different types was also found in his house. This story, which happened on Monday, has sent to prison — together with a detained family member — two people from the same family in Shkodër: Nikolin and Dedë Ndol, one 25 years old and the other 64, both residents of the “10 Korriku” neighborhood of Shkodër, and by profession a trader and a pensioner, are now being charged.

28 boats confiscated VLORE — More than 800 thousand lek in fines, 28 sea vessels confiscated and 56 blocked are the result of a surprise operation to check compliance with navigation legality in Albanian waters. The operation — called “Adriatik 90” — was carried out by order of Sali Berisha, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. “Adriatik ‘90” covered all the coastal cities of Albania and their ports. Almost simultaneously, the operation began at all checkpoints. During it, numerous violations of the law and of navigation regulations in our sea waters were verified in various forms. As a result, more than 200 sea vessels were inspected and 28 of them were confiscated, mostly from Shëngjin and Saranda; 50 people were fined — 13 in Vlorë, 11 in Shëngjin, 2 in Durrës and 24 in Saranda — for irregular documentation, and 56 other vessels were blocked. This operation — carried out last week — was a collaboration between the special group and representatives of the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Order, Shiku, the Financial Police and Customs. Its actions were directed by Safet Zhuali, Minister of Defense.

Press conference today TIRANE — The work and activity of the Court of Cassation will be at the center of today’s press conference to be given by its Chairman, Zef Brozi. This is the first time that a senior representative of the Albanian judicial power is appearing in a special conference before journalists. After a summary of the results and work this Court has carried out over recent years, Brozi will answer any questions that are asked. The conference will begin at 12:00 in the Court of Cassation courtroom.

DURRES The Prosecutor’s Office indicts its colleagues from Tirana Criminal case against three prosecutors The Justice officials had been removed from office a few days earlier. They are accused following suspicions of abuse of office, the reason for which may have been the granting of a prison visit permit. DURRES — Investigations have also begun into the prosecutors removed on 4 February by the High Council of Justice; now the criminal case begins for Fatmir Fagu, former Deputy Prosecutor of the Tirana Prosecutor’s Office, as well as the prosecutors of that Office, Stavri Kocollari and Gëzim Velçani. This case, started by the Durres Prosecutor’s Office, has since Monday now brought all three as defendants. Fagu, Kocollari and Velçani are even under the precautionary measure of an obligation not to leave. The charge, according to the Durres District Prosecutor’s Office, refers to Article 109, which in fact concerns “abuse of office.” The manner in which the defendants were questioned began only once they were already defendants. Because of the secrecy of the investigation, the details and possible motives behind the accusation have not yet been made public. It has only been made known that this case is linked to a prison visit permit allegedly granted on request. If it is proven that they are responsible, the Durres Prosecutor’s Office will have acted accordingly. Former Tirana deputy prosecutor Fagu is well known in the field of justice, especially recently. He was the one who defended Nano’s arrest by the Tirana Prosecutor’s Office, after the request to revoke this measure, while Gëzim Veliçanja at the Tirana Prosecutor’s Office is known especially for investigations into the murder case of millionaire Marsel Skendo or the scandal that broke publicly in the facsimile of the Minister of Defense in the newspaper “Koha Jonë”. (p.re.) The main square of Durrës

A irrigation reservoir soon in Has Aid from the International Fund for Agricultural Development TIRANE — Special assistance for northeastern farmers. This time it is the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), which has accelerated procedures in Albania and has planned the implementation of a project to build an irrigation reservoir in Has. This was stated at the meeting President Berisha had with the President of this Fund. It was also emphasized that IFAD projects will extend to other northeastern districts of Albania and will include the establishment of a processing industry for vegetable production and infrastructure. In another important meeting, President Berisha also met with Andriessen, former Vice-President of the European Community. In support of the European Parliament’s request to begin negotiations for the association agreement, President Berisha declared that he sees it as based on the progress of Albania’s democratic processes and on its economic achievements. “Berisha also stated: ‘I want to thank you for the help that you personally, the European Community and its member states have given and continue to give Albania.’” President Berisha

Greece imposes an embargo on Macedonia 3,000 blue helmets are sent to Bosnia ON PAGE 2 How essential are vitamins An invaluable treasure in food ON PAGE 3