Democracy Politics Justice ARMS SCANDAL/ The Minister of Defense will also send a file to the Prosecutor’s Office Zhulali and Teta trade accusations Each about the other: “He worked for the Serbs” Democracy Politics Justice Zhulali: “I am ready to answer to Justice.” Teta: “I’ll give him time to prepare, but why did he wait so long?” CARLO BOLLINO TIRANA - In recent times, the parliamentary chamber seems to have been transformed into a gigantic, elegant courtroom. For weeks, politicians have been engaged in discussions that have little—or nothing—to do with ideology: instead of projects, they have seized upon the penal code, which, by a strange coincidence, has been revised in the same chamber in recent days. The scandals all have a name: the timber scandal, the Arsidi scandal, the Greek scandal, the arms scandal, the smuggling scandal. One after another, they prolong—with a little curiosity, a little more concern—the succession of blows, accusations and files that, in a revolving carousel, pass from the Prosecutor’s Office to Parliament, from Parliament to the Prosecutor’s Office. There is even a certain nostalgia for the hectic days of the election campaign, when, on the occasion of the referendum of 26 November—although criticized by some, and excessively so—they had returned to the podiums to talk about the people of politics. Today the Constitution seems a forgotten subject, and yet the Council of Europe is waiting for more than just that before deciding whether to admit Albania to the table of countries with developed democracies. But it is not the scandals that are surprising. While the socialist system was breaking apart in the countries of the East, the countries of the West and capitalism had to face a crisis of renewal and resolve the problem of corruption. In the United States of America, France, Germany, Spain and—with gigantic proportions—in Italy, scandals have engulfed, convicted and at times dismantled politicians and entire political classes. So it is not only in Albania, but also in Europe and the rest of the West, that at the end of this millennium the word “scandal” has begun to rhyme with the word “politics.” TIRANA - Zhulali and Teta, the Minister and former Minister of Defense, have gone on the offensive against each other. Now both accuse the other of having been in the direct or indirect service of Serbia. Following the publication of documents about the ghost ship Vela Luka and its dangerous and, at the same time, equally valuable cargo, it was Zhulali who yesterday made his accusations against Teta more specific. According to him, his predecessor Teta “had links with the Serbian secret services.” The Minister of Defense chose his party’s newspaper to give details of the accusation. In yesterday’s issue of RD, he spoke quite openly: “Teta should stop dealing with nonsense, and would do well to think and reflect on his old connections with the Serbian secret services, to the detriment of his country, for which he will have to answer. Soon I will send [him/it] to the Prosecutor’s Office.” Even Teta’s colleague Arben Imami did not escape the “edge” of the Defense Minister’s accusations. “As for Mr. Imami,” Zhulali continued, “I tell him that he has been to Belgrade and there he may have wept with his Serbian friends over many things to Albania’s detriment.” Just one day earlier, Zhulali had said in Parliament that he knew of many of Teta’s actions during his time as Minister. “I could have blown up the entire Albanian state,” he told MPs, who were astonished by the gravity of such accusations. Yesterday Teta himself responded in his defense to the barbs coming from the Minister of Defense. “I have no intention of dealing now with these accusations, which I certainly consider completely baseless,” Teta told Gazeta Shqiptare. “Zhulali is going to report me to the Prosecutor’s Office? Let him do so as soon as possible; I’ll give him time to formulate his accusations. But there is one thing I cannot leave unsaid: if Zhulali knew all along that I was supposedly an old agent of Serbia, why did he not act earlier, and instead wait until these very days? Why did he keep the facts in a drawer?” Teta and Imami had meanwhile stated the previous day that they would send the documentation in their possession to the Prosecutor’s Office. It seems that very soon the name of the current Minister of Defense will appear in two Prosecutor’s Office files: as accuser and, at the same time, as accused. Both politicians consider themselves entirely innocent of the accusations they have made against each other, and each explains the other’s attacks. According to Teta’s explanation, Zhulali is making accusations now precisely because he is cornered by the history of Sotërisot and Vela Luka. “Their aim was to link their own [unclear]—the suspicions have become known,” Zhulali retorts in his party’s newspaper. “They, shaken by the achievements of the Ministry of Defense... are making noise so they can deny that progress had been made in the field of defense.” Zhulali has even added that he does not intend to hide behind his parliamentary immunity. “I am ready to testify before justice, or anyone at all, about my vicissitudes,” he said. It seems this affair will continue for a long time, and both sides are determined not to withdraw their mutual accusations. Perhaps only the Prosecutor’s Office investigations into both cases will reveal who has actually been lying about the truth. p. re. of the socialist system, in Western countries capitalism, too, had to face a crisis of renewal and solve France, Germany, Spain and, on an almost gigantic scale, Italy, scandals have repeatedly ensnared and exposed politicians. Entire political classes. So, rest of the West, in this field democracy, a word that has become [?], has begun to rhyme with the word politics. That is not what is surprising. What makes one think, instead, is the special dimension Justice takes on when it enters Parliament. The decision on the “Brozi affair” not to strip the President of the Court of Cassation of immunity is laden with implications that invite initial reflection on the scandals. First: when Justice is blocked by a political decision, that is somewhat frightening. Immunity is a barrier between the Executive and Judicial branches, but at the same time it is a key point of contact between two branches that should, by contrast, be entirely separate. When it comes to offences—even merely alleged ones—politicians should step aside and leave the matter to the judges. It would be serious to accept as justified the concern expressed by MP Gen[?] Ruli, who had reportedly told Gazeta Shqiptare, speaking about the request for an investigation against him, that “he trusted only Parliament because he had no hope in Justice.” If Justice does not function, it must be corrected, not forgotten. And yet, beyond this aspect, there was something profoundly sound and positive in what happened in Parliament that evening. Because once again—as happened in the case of the referendum—the democratic system in Albania has prevailed. A political majority that loses a vote is the clearest sign that a democracy can indeed function. It proves that individual conscience can rise above party differences, and that means freedom. While this result safeguards the institution as a whole, it also points in another direction: where there is democracy, justice is guaranteed. The latest clash dates back to three days ago. In another session of Parliament, debate flared up again over possible arms trafficking. Once again, the Prosecutor’s Office was called upon to investigate. Ministers against former ministers, examples, accusations and extremely serious suspicions. There is something positive in this, too, since Parliament is the primary place for governing and establishing the truth. The truth must, of course, be proven, since politics can also be a means of lying. Parliament is the natural place where solutions to decisive problems should be given room. If specific offences are to be established, there must be evidence of actual wrongdoing; and if the matter is ethical, politicians must accept responsibility: the people are watching them and are entitled to imitate them. Zhulali and Teta, the minister and former minister accusing each other (photo: H.Pustina)

Football — Phase II begins Tirana top of the table at the first setback Beaten 1-0 in Peqin TIRANA - The big boys stumble. Tirana, the most convincing team in the championship so far, has suffered its first defeat. The blow came from Shkumbini of Peqin, an interesting newcomer. Nevertheless, nothing has changed at the top of the standings at the start of the second phase. Partizani failed to take advantage of Peqinas i Branices’ show; indeed, they lost at home to Besëlidhja after a far from convincing performance. The reigning champions also left the Laç field defeated. Teuta of Durrës has been forced to drop further down the standings. With this win, meanwhile, the Laç team overtake the people of Berat and draw level with Elbasan, who cannot manage to earn points away from home. Flamurtari, Besëlidhja and Besa have returned to winning ways. For the first two, this means third place, while for the team from Kavajë it means moving away from the bottom of the table, which is still occupied by Tirana. Iliria were beaten this time, as were Vllaznia. The poor form is also pushing the Shkodër team toward the top. Matches with few goals, scored in the second half. The pressure of the standings is beginning to bite. gje.pi. Here are the results: Albpetrol-Shqiponja 1-1; Apolonia-Dinamo 0-0; Besa-Tomorri 1-0; Flamurtari-Elbasani 3-1; Laçi-Teuta 1-0; Partizani-Besëlidhja 0-1; Shkumbini-Tirana 1-0; Vllaznia-Iliria 1-0. Shkumbini-Tirana 1-0; Vlaznia-Iliria 1-0

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TIRANA - The capital has turned into a fuel desert. Yesterday, there was no petrol supply anywhere in Tirana. At the distribution points, the response to motorists slowing down and asking for fuel was the same: “We don’t have any.” The only station in the entire capital that was still open had run dry, and the only one that had continued supplying fuel was “APT,” on the outskirts of Tirana, on the road leading to Durrës. But here too, the service came at a high price: one liter of petrol—90 octane—cost 90 lekë.

Vlorë, 164 undocumented migrants at the Port VLORË - A wave of returns of Albanian migrants without documents from Italy. Yesterday, as they arrived at the Port of Vlorë, 164 Albanians disembarked from the “Lauro” route ferry. They had entered the neighboring country illegally, landing on the shores of Puglia. All of them had been caught in recent days by Italian police and, the day before yesterday, were forced to board this ferry to return to Albania. According to the captain of the “Lauro,” the return journey was calm and without incident: all the undocumented migrants had been kept isolated in the ship’s special rooms. The 164 Albanians caught in recent days by the Italian police authorities had reached the shores of Puglia aboard the many speedboats that depart from Vlora. They are all young, between 20 and 30 years old, and most of them were women. But while the returned migrants were set free upon disembarking in Vlorë, four young girls did not share this fate. They were met at the Port by the Albanian Police and then detained. They are suspected of having committed several thefts in Lecce, Italy. By coincidence, the problem of the alarming spread of migrant-smuggling and its connection with organized crime had been discussed at a meeting of the Democratic Party branch in Vlorë, attended by Agron Musaraj as a delegate. The Minister of Public Order faced numerous criticisms and calls to take urgent measures to stabilize the situation and reduce the high crime figures recorded at the start of this year.

Tiranë TIRANA - An act of violence at the headquarters of the Association of Former Political Persecutees. Engjëll Kokoshi, the Association’s Secretary General, was attacked in his office. An unidentified person entered the latter’s office suddenly and managed to punch him in the head. The injured Kokoshi was immediately taken to hospital, where he received first aid; he is now out of danger. No further information has yet been provided about the perpetrator of the violent act or the motive for it.

Enver Hoxha’s villa is still outstanding TIRANA - The villas of the former Block are being returned to their former owners. A few days ago, the Property Restitution Commission recognized the ownership rights of seven former owners and is also reviewing other cases. They are precisely the villas where, for many years, the highest officials of the former PPSH lived—the party that established an iron-fisted dictatorship in Albania for 45 years. The heirs of the Kareco, Alizoti, Mborja, Noka and Vokopola families, as well as those of former Zog ministers Koço Kote and Pandeli Evangjeli, have finally won what they had been seeking for two years: the return of their parents’ homes. Meanwhile, the heirs of Qemal Biçaku, the former owner of the villa where dictator Enver Hoxha lived for a long time, have not yet had the same good fortune. Until now, these villas have been rented to international organizations such as the European Commission, UNDP and the World Bank, or to the embassies of Switzerland and Libya. The latter may perhaps continue to remain in these villas. The difference is that the money from the rent—which can amount to 7,000–8,000 dollars—will now go to the legal owners.

YESTERDAY IN ALBANIA R. Sula, a student accused of “theft of another person’s property,” has been sentenced to 8 months in prison by the Gjirokastër court. The sentence was handed down after the original charge against Sula—that of robbery—was changed.

YESTERDAY IN ALBANIA The latest plays staged at the National Theatre will also be shown on Albanian television. A joint agreement between the institution and RTV provides for the recording of four plays performed over the past two years.

YESTERDAY IN ALBANIA Yesterday’s edition of Gazeta Shqiptare, under the headline “Traffic lights have cost a lot of money,” referred to an observation by the State Audit regarding the Dekor-Funerali enterprise. The request for dismissal was made by the State Audit specifically concerning the director of this enterprise, not “QSPAF.”