AID SCANDAL / The Italian justice system’s decision is now awaited “Others must also be tried” AID SCANDAL / The Italian justice system’s decision is now awaited Qeleshi: “I am not at ease” “Others must also be tried” EDMOND LACI TIRANA — “I personally will be at ease only when the collaborators of former Prime Minister Nano as well — who were appointed by order of Ben Qeleshi [unclear] — Arben and the Tirana District Court, and after Nano’s leadership, of the Nano duo, and some of them, have a full and clear answer regarding the mystery called the aid scandal. The indictment has just been completed for four defendants — among them the Socialist leader — and now only the trial is awaited. “Our view as the prosecuting body — explains Prosecutor Qeleshi — is that the investigative actions and the charges against Nano, Plaka, Guri and Halit are not supported by evidence as matter of fact.” Is it true that for Nano’s trial, for the first time in the history of Albanian justice — at least post-communist — the prosecution will be defended by two prosecutors together? “This has not yet been confirmed, but even if it were done like this, there is nothing special about it, because first of all it is based on the law. I think that in a situation where the defendants are defended by two or three lawyers each, then one prosecutor cannot respond to the defense in a dignified way.” It is claimed that there are over three thousand pages also filed by Nano’s lawyers and by their client himself. Do you think the time until the start of the trial will be sufficient? “I cannot prejudge the actions of Nano’s lawyers; perhaps this may also be a defense tactic of theirs. In any case, we have applied the legal procedures by making the material available to them. Moreover, if this requires any deadline extension, it is the same lawyers who talk about extending the investigation deadline, and I am convinced that, in the end, they will find the trial in a one-sided way for their own purposes, which I cannot know. As for this lawyer’s position in court, I can say that in the case they are certainly a party to the proceedings, while only the Court will be the one to decide on the application of procedural actions.” The Nano case has often also been described as a political case, especially after the approval of a resolution in the European Parliament, where two points are dedicated to the former Albanian prime minister. “In this specific case, the matter is ordinary and not political. If all the defendants were to claim their trials as political, the Court would not be able to do anything.” In any case, the main point is that — according to the Prosecutor’s charges — the Albanian people never received, had wasted, and had appropriated 9.4 billion lire in aid, generously provided by the Italian Government. What is being done about it? “As far as I know, on the part of the Rome Prosecutor’s Office, all the activity of Pëllumbi [P.?] ‘Bluecoat Co.’, the funds from the accounts in Switzerland — the accounts are all being examined. At the moment when the Italian side completes its investigations, it will also provide the corresponding civil remedy.” Former Prime Minister Fatos Nano [partially illegible text in the right column, including:] ... the urgent need to improve the “state of the courts” were few of them. Many judges do not even have the minimum conditions to work or live. The Court of Cassation itself is housed in a “hotel,” where one of its floors is allocated to the residence of some of its members. “And all this is a situation,” Brozi declares — at a time when the courts are an institution that have never ceased working for even a moment!

CARLO BOLLINO TIRANA — The final seconds have run out. Tonight, at 1 a.m., NATO’s ultimatum against the Bosnian Serbs will expire. For anyone who still hopes that something, or something else, may happen, it will not. The Serbs will pull back just enough to avoid the attack, but not enough to end the war. The bombers will leave their mark among the Slavs, and the people of Sarajevo will remain tomorrow, in a week, in a month, just as hopeless, caught in the dilemma between war and peace. The short reflections we published on Thursday in Gazeta Shqiptare have been confirmed by the events of the following days: the great turning point of this phase of Bosnia is the Russian diplomacy talks. It was Yeltsin’s intervention that convinced the military men of the Serbian general Karadžić to withdraw their artillery from the hills around Sarajevo. On Friday the German diplomats triumphed: “We are at the beginning of a parity in the war.” But hoping does not mean creating illusions. The road to peace is still long. And Russian intervention, although (to date) decisive, should not be called neutral. With the Sarajevo issue, Yeltsin is not only putting international credibility at stake, but also his domestic power. The coefficient of his own actions will reveal his true intentions. If the Serbs, as seems likely, accept the ceasefire proposed by Moscow, they will be doing a favor to the Kremlin leader, from whom they will ask for something in return. But the other side that will be rewarded will be precisely the Bosnian Muslims, that is, the population whose defense Yeltsin seems to have wanted to support. The Serbs are the great allies of Greece, which precisely on this day has begun a new blockade in the Balkans by sealing its border with Macedonia. Now Russia — willingly or not — will also be placed in the same line. Today more than ever we must hope for a commitment from diplomacy. But not only the silent and impotent diplomacy that has acted up to now.

The Chief of Cassation’s balance sheet Judges still in misery The Chief of Cassation’s balance sheet Brozi: “The Government is indifferent toward the courts” Judges still in misery TIRANA — Strong statements by the President of Cassation against the Government and Parliament, for the little attention given to the current state of Albanian courts. “I want to repeat the Government’s and Parliament’s hostile attitude toward the judiciary — Brozi declares at his press conference — while I would single out the President’s commitment to creating working conditions for judges.” In addition to this indifferent attitude, Brozi also spoke about the major difficulties being encountered in creating an independent judiciary. And again another criticism: “It is explained by the mentality of the past and the present — Brozi clarifies — it is explained by the mentality of the Government and Parliament.” And he then continues: “An independent judiciary that cannot properly carry out its duty is wanted only by those deputies, not by those who badger judges, prosecutors and investigators.” While a newly born political party is immediately given working conditions, for the courts it is still below zero.” Currently several buildings created as a result of administrative changes continue not to have judges. The entrance of the Tirana Court [partially illegible text:] ... the urgent need to improve the “state of the courts” were few of them. Many judges do not even have the minimum conditions to work or live. The Court of Cassation itself is housed in a “hotel,” where one of its floors is allocated to the residence of some of its members. “And all this is a situation,” Brozi declares — at a time when the courts are an institution that have never ceased working for even a moment! Armand Mero

— A sophisticated gang of thieves has been uncovered by law-enforcement authorities. After three of its members were detained — following surveillance carried out in the city of Berat — the police found in their homes three hunting rifles, several bladed weapons, flashlights and black socks, which they used during their attacks. Among those detained is also a person who had completed higher studies at the Police School, but had been dismissed from work as early as 1992. During the last robbery the gang members — after tying up the members of the household with rope — had taken 120,000 drachmas and 80,000 lek. Another suspect is still being sought by the police, while the prosecutor’s office has opened a criminal case. (Ha.Ta.)

Lezha LEZHË — 1,000 liters of kerosene, which the Lezhë Financial Police Branch had confiscated a few days earlier from five citizens from Shkodra, disappeared from inside the Police Commissariat, where they had been left under guard. Among others, the Head of the Financial Police Service of Lezhë, confirming this to Gazeta Shqiptare, explains that from the total seized amount — 8,810 liters, which under the law should now have been sold as state reserve — 1,000 liters are missing. According to Froku, at the moment the heads of the Police Commissariat refuse to answer for this mysterious disappearance. (e.)

New decision TIRANA — New tariffs for funeral services. Now, according to the decision that came into force on 1 February, the state will pay only the fixed tariffs for the services it covers: the coffin, the funeral equipment, municipal elements, the transport of the body and the provisional grave. These tariffs were based on the average wage for 1993 and were left to be applied in Tirana. Meanwhile, the prices of wood and [materials?] have increased from 7,000, 6,000 and 5,000 according to the grouping of the woods. One of the reasons for these decisions were the subjective complaints of [citizens?] about the same price. Thus, different tariffs are applied to all services, justified by the costs of raw materials. (Ar. Me.)

PARLIAMENT APPROVES THE MINING DRAFT LAW — The mining draft law is approved by Parliament. This bill will open the way to privatization also in the mining sector. As a first step, joint ventures will be created. To encourage investment in the mining field as well, new reductions are envisaged and applied monthly, as that [word illegible] were practiced and others too. IN BALLSH REBURIAL CEREMONY FOR 80 MARTYRS OF THE DICTATORSHIP — The reburial ceremony for 80 martyrs of the dictatorship was organized in the city of Ballsh. All of them from the Mallakastër area — had been massacred and executed by Enver Hoxha’s communist regime. Their remains were reburied in Qafë e Kështjellit, marking a historic event. THE FIRST PRIVATE PHARMACY OPENS IN THE MAT DISTRICT — The first private pharmacy also opened in the city of Burrel. It is the new one that still functions in the state pharmacy and another in Kartasit [unclear] carries out its activity. Through its activity this pharmacy aims to meet the needs of the residents of Burrel and also provide those medicines that are difficult to find on the market, applying competitive prices. IN SHKODRA THE 20TH ISSUE OF THE RELIGIOUS MAGAZINE “MBAS TEJE” CAME OUT — The 20th issue of the magazine “Mbas teje” went into circulation in Shkodra. This magazine — organ of the Catholic activity of the district of [Zejës?] — of Shkodra — is the first with a religious character published in Albania after the fall of the communist regime. In this issue it opens with a short presentation of the encyclical of Pope John Paul II. Alongside it there are other publications as well as a study dedicated to Ernest Koliqi.

In our interview, the Italian presenter reveals her television message Mara Venier: “You will bring me luck in Sanremo” In our interview, the Italian presenter reveals her television message A greeting to Albanians from “Domenica In” Mara Venier: “You will bring me luck in Sanremo” For pain and the sweet expression of the creation Venier, Mara Venier, [partially illegible lines] ... because of the visit, for two days now we have known her as the presenter of Domenica In, which will be in the press. [illegible text] ... a person looking with hands as if melted[?] inside it, which the artist [illegible word]... [several paragraphs illegible due to resolution] Mara Venier her message addressed to Albanians Albanians, Gëzeta [Gazeta?] ... of this Albanian newspaper. It is the first time I have given an interview for a newspaper in this country. But why do I like it? Because Sanremo is very well known in Albania. Since the mention of Enver Hoxha, everyone feels more attentive to this festival. And because it was forbidden, even more so on television, people [illegible text]. So the festival was allowed here and is followed by millions of remote controls. “It is a spectacle for me, not only because with this country Sanremo has had a special connection, also seeing the presence of Anna Oxa at this festival and in [illegible word]. But also because this ambiguous public liked you.” Then Venieri sinks, losing the thread of the conversation. “I am truly enthusiastic. I think this program is a school [illegible word] in Tirana, in America with our emigrants, but I feel with so much interest also from another people with other languages and cultures. Please do not miss it. I would go [unclear]”. She speaks Italian, very Albanian, you know very well. “Articles about it to be forgiven I will do someth[?], which (so today) hoping that my Albanians like the luck of Domenica In will send them a greeting. Do not write here.” What should I write? “Write Goodbye Albania, see you on Sunday on TV, so I will have a surprise. You are simple.” Franco Galiano On the last page the songs of Sanremo

MACEDON Albania offers assistance to Macedonia To prevent the embargo ON PAGE 2 How necessary vitamins are An invaluable treasure in food ON PAGE 3

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