The High Council of Justice replaces Bendo A large number of legal professionals “move down” from the General Prosecutor’s Office to the Tirana and district offices The High Council of Justice replaces Bendo “Broom” sweeps through the Prosecutor’s Office: many young people appointed A large number of legal professionals “move down” from the General Prosecutor’s Office to the Tirana and district offices TIRANA - Upheaval in the ranks of Albanian justice. Yesterday’s meeting of the High Council decided on a series of new changes. This time the wave has mainly hit the General Prosecutor’s Office, where the biggest reshuffles have taken place. The courts have not been spared either, but attention has focused on the appointment of the new president of the Tirana Court. Just two weeks ago, Bendo, together with his two deputies, had submitted his resignation from the post. Qazim Gjoni, president of the Military Court of Appeal, has been appointed to the position. Changes at the General Prosecutor’s Office accounted for most of yesterday’s decisions by the High Council of Justice. It is not yet known exactly where they have occurred or what prompted this reshuffle, but it is known that a large number of prosecutors have been affected. However, according to one member of the Council, this is more of an internal “transfer-ation.” Some members of the General Prosecutor’s Office have been transferred to the Tirana office, while others—a smaller number—have moved to the prosecutor’s offices in two or three other districts. New appointments have also been made, though they have not yet been published. This time, the storm of changes has affected the courts less. Apart from several transfers and new appointments, attention has focused on the Tirana Court. Just one day after the meeting two weeks ago, the High Council of Justice found on its desks the resignation of the president of the Tirana Court, Agim Bendo, and his two deputies, Çeliku and Zeneli. In their statement—first published in the Albanian Newspaper—the three senior judges had justified their decision by citing “the impairment of the independence of the Tirana Court by the Ministry of Justice.” They had even made direct accusations against Minister Frashëri, alleging “improper interference in the appointment of administrative staff.” The text of the resignation statement by Bendo, Çeliku and Zeneli was not sufficient grounds for them to submit it. During yesterday’s meeting, Bendo—in his capacity as a member of the High Council of Justice—discussed the matter again. Details are not yet known about Bendo’s discussion, the new points and issues raised, or the reactions of Frashëri and the other participants. Council members were content to tell the Albanian Newspaper, immediately after the meeting ended, that “the matter passed without any problems.” Qazim Gjoni will now take his seat as head of the Tirana Court, leaving his position as head of the Military Court of Appeal. The current deputy, Martin Deda, will remain alongside him; no new appointments have been made for the other two positions.

Yesterday afternoon, at the entrance to an apartment building in the capital A young employee of the “Vefa” company is killed Law-enforcement authorities immediately begin the “hunt” for the perpetrator Yesterday afternoon, at the entrance to an apartment building in the capital Crime in the world of merchants A young employee of the “Vefa” company is killed Law-enforcement authorities immediately begin the “hunt” for the perpetrator The theft of the bag strengthens the theory about the motives for the murder A tragic statement: “But he had a laughable amount of money on him” TIRANA - Another crime in the world of Albanian merchants. An 18-year-old youth was robbed and shot dead with a firearm in broad daylight, just a few meters from his home. The shots fired by the still-unknown “killer” this time also rang out above the residents of the victim’s apartment building, who watched the horrific scene from their windows. Pirro Kanini, the young man known to work on behalf of his relatives at the capital-based “Vefa” company, arrived at the hospital lifeless, while a few minutes later his family began mourning their only son at home. Everything happened quite suddenly, as young Kanini was just leaving his home on the first floor of Building 8 on “Myslym Shyri” Street, almost opposite the “Ali Kondi” School. As many eyewitnesses recount—it was close to 16:00—a man approached the victim right in front of the entrance, almost at the same time snatching the bag from his hand and shooting him in the body. The fatal shots—according to law-enforcement authorities, three bullets struck the victim’s body—immediately alarmed Kanini’s relatives and the other residents of the building. A few more pistol shots were then fired, apparently only to frighten witnesses who may have seen the execution. The “Vefa” vehicle was involved in the incident; a man got in and sped away. Only a few seconds passed before the “hunt” for the vehicle and the perpetrator of the serious crime began. Very strict checks were carried out at many intersections in the capital, although by late evening the law-enforcement authorities had confirmed no arrests. According to the accounts of the first witnesses, and many others, the most credible theories about this crime are the theft of the bag and financial motives, perhaps now identified. Although the motive for young Kanini’s murder has not yet been officially established, the most credible theories repeat what witnesses told the Albanian Newspaper yesterday: “there was only a laughable amount of money in that bag.” Nevertheless—even though the investigation has only just begun—the thirst for money has struck again. This time it has claimed an 18-year-old, the only son of a family now forced to lay its most precious member to rest. Another victim in the world of Albanian merchants. Tirana Police Station No. 2

The story ELBASAN - It is a story of crimes within a family clan. Almost like in an ancient tragedy, a brother is accused of having massacred his sister. It seems to revolve around a large sum of money, over which the brother accused his sister and then killed her and threw her into a village pond. Until a few days ago, it was all only suspicions, but now investigators have submitted a voluminous case file to the Elbasan Court, setting out the full account they have pieced together after months of exhausting investigations. Sh. Kuçuku, 33, is now waiting for the trial panel to decide whether he is guilty or innocent. It all began in a farming family in Gjergjan, Elbasan. Three months ago, a villager passing by a pond on his way to work discovered, horrified, the body of a young woman floating in the murky water of the small lake. Alarmed, the villager ran to notify the police. The investigation began at that point. Identification showed that the body was Z.K., who had previously been accused of theft and of being a member of a theft gang operating in the area. Initial suspicions led to the detention of the victim’s three brothers, but later focused on one of them: the eldest. According to the Prosecutor’s Office, the brother’s motive for revenge appears to have been his sister’s latest theft. A considerable sum of money had disappeared the previous night. The brother had no doubt: his sister was guilty. A serious quarrel between the two began, and it ended tragically. The girl’s body was then left in the small lake until it was discovered by the frightened villager. Another young man from the same village was also arrested in connection with the incident, but the investigation showed that he had played no part in the family affair. He has been cleared of one charge, but has not come entirely through the justice system unscathed: a weapon found in his possession means he must now answer for “illegal possession of a firearm.” Mentor Kikia

“Victims of Duty” suspended at the Academy TIRANA - Culture Minister Teodor Laço has reacted sharply to the sudden, though also previously announced, cancellation of the latest production by the dramaturgy students, “Victims of Duty.” After it was suspended by an administrative order issued several days ago by Academy Rector Bujar Kapehiu—and replaced, under a previous contract, with a fashion show by a secondary school—Laço told Gazeta Shqiptare: “I have been and remain of the opinion that a new drama of high artistic merit is always more important and superior to a fast-show fashion parade.” The reason given by the Rectorate is that the secondary school Egerem Cakë bë in Tirana had booked a show and fashion parade in advance. But apparently this will not be the only interruption to the production and rehearsals. On Thursday, a decoration ceremony by the People's Assembly will be the next obstacle to the rehearsals and performance, which may consequently not be staged on Friday either. This change came as a surprise to the students, the production team, and the director of Ionesco's pseudo-drama, Kumbaro. He protested to the Ministry of Culture, but without any concrete result. The Academy is under the Ministry of Education and is therefore outside Laço's jurisdiction and “reach.” The minister explained that, despite his best intentions, he is legally powerless to act. “But if there is goodwill and a willingness to find the place, space, and time needed for the performance as well,” Laço explained. Thus, the protest by the show's director, Arben Kumbaro, and the other members of the production team seems to have been made at the wrong door. Sokol Balla

Change in the status TIRANA - MPs can make more use of their phone calls. The law—now in force—which defines the rights and benefits due to representatives of the people is once again being brought to the attention of parliamentarians. An amendment that will soon go before Parliament concerns precisely an increase in the number of call units paid for by the state that they are entitled to use. The amendment is already on the Assembly's work calendar and will soon be put to a plenary session. There is also word circulating among MPs—but it has not been officially confirmed—that other MPs' rights relating to equally important aspects of their treatment will soon be reviewed as well. p.re.

TIRANA - A hunger strike inside a cell as well. It is Spartak Picari from Vora, near Tirana, who, three months after his arrest, began a hunger strike on April 4, refusing all food inside his cell at Tirana Prison. The motive that drove young Picari to take this step is still unknown, although the latest reports from Tirana Prison say that everything has now been resolved. Perhaps Picari's ending of the hunger strike has to do with the Prosecutor's Office notifying him that his case file had been sent to the Tirana Court. Picari is accused of “cultivating narcotic plants” because—as stated in the indictment—together with an agronomist, he had planted “Cannabis Sativa” in a greenhouse plot in Vora. (e.l)

Gjirokastër, the disease reappears GJIROKASTËR - Brucellosis has struck Gjirokastër. The dangerous disease, which is transmitted from animals to humans, appeared last week and has already sent 21 people to the city's hospital. Five of them were admitted this week alone. Health officials are alarmed and are seeking state funds to cull sick animals, in order to prevent further spread to humans. The situation in Gjirokastër is worrying. The Health Inspectorate has noted a rapid rise in the number of infected people. Areas affected by brucellosis are spread throughout the district. “The sick animals must be traced immediately,” Rasim Alikaj, a veterinary doctor, told Gazeta Shqiptare, “and they must be eliminated. For this, the government needs to provide an emergency fund to compensate villagers for the animals that have to be culled.” Brucellosis — transmitted through contact or through milk that has not been boiled thoroughly — has dangerous consequences for people, including sterility. ma.ro.

Italicized reality SHKODRA - Night-time gunshots do not cause only panic and fear. In the story we are about to tell, they proved very useful: the reception villa where, some time ago, Shkodra Prefect Iljaz Vrioni used to stay escaped a burglary—having been left without staff until now—precisely because someone happened to fire shots just as the intruders were entering the villa. The villa where the Prefect stays—better known by the name inherited from the past, “the reception house”—is in a somewhat isolated part of Shkodra. Set on a hill overlooking the entire city, it hosts various important people who visit Shkodra on equally important missions. The newly appointed Prefect of Shkodra himself has stayed here at times. Was it the presence of such people that prompted the nighttime burglary attempt? Perhaps that was the reason, but so was the fact that the building contains some simple furnishings and construction materials. While the Prefect was away that night, the burglars managed to enter the villa grounds almost easily; at that very moment, shots were heard, sounding the alarm. ma.ro. The city of Shkodra

Vlora: more water in the taps soon Soon there will be more water in the taps of homes in Vlora. The partial reconstruction of the city’s water supply system is expected to significantly improve the regular supply of drinking water. The project drawn up for this work—the state has allocated 52 million lekë—will bring the water reservoirs near the wharf, which have been out of operation for some time, fully back into service. The use of a new water source with a capacity of 200 liters per second is also planned. Has: children return to school Children are sitting at their school desks again. Immediately after President Berisha’s decree “On compulsory education” was issued, the number of pupils who had abandoned their studies fell significantly. Of the 250 children who had left school, 130 have now returned to their classrooms. Durrës: “How local government works” Local government and how it operates were at the center of a roundtable organized in Durrës by the Association for Democratic Culture. During a debate attended by representatives of the city’s local authorities, many of the problems accompanying the work of local government were raised, along with the issues it must resolve during the current period the whole country is going through.

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Hunger strike

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