The investigation began on Monday with the “Populli” foundation The Transparency Commission is scrutinizing the accounts of all foundations and companies TIRANA - “Storm over the pyramid schemes. The Commission for the Transparency of companies and foundations has begun a series of financial inspection operations on borrowing firms. The financial statements, the economic activity from which income derives, licenses and registration documents. The inspection began with the “Populli” foundation. The chairman of this commission, Bardhyl Pe-lingu, said yesterday that the commission members have all the conditions necessary to avoid being bribed by the financial firms. Meanwhile, yesterday Ylli Bufi, Director of the Economic Department at the Council of Ministers, spoke in favor of this initiative. “We are not in favor of the pyramid schemes of your party [unclear], nor of their survival, since that would be a catastrophe, but the state must intervene to guarantee depositors’ funds.” Meanwhile, sources at the PD said that this activity is entirely separate from the state and that the PD has no influence whatsoever, either over its development or its obstruction. On page 3

TIRANA - The crisis of confidence engulfing the pyramid-scheme business is also devaluing the “lek” on the currency exchange markets. Yesterday, one dollar was valued at almost 3 lekë more than the day before. Yesterday’s exchange-rate curve for the American currency against the local currency looked like a fountain erupting. The sudden rise of the dollar was accompanied by other currencies as well. According to money changers, alongside other factors, uncertainty about supply and increased demand for dollars have been caused by the crisis of confidence gripping the pyramid-scheme business. It was precisely the high interest rates on lek deposits, offered three months ago by several foundations, that had caused a drastic devaluation of the dollar. Thousands of people were drawn into exchanging their dollars for lekë to earn super-high interest. Today, in retrospect, the opposite is happening. Confidence in depositing lekë in pyramid schemes seems to be running out, and foreign currencies are becoming increasingly sought after. On page 7

VEFA CUTS INTEREST RATES Alimuça on a loudspeaker: 5 percent after January 10 Yesterday President Alimuça spoke to hundreds of clients, once again confirming the guarantee for the money in this company On page 5 (Above) Crowds of people outside the pyramid-scheme firms (Below) VEFA headquarters

Memaliaj hospital fills up: 88 people ill Health specialists arrive from Tirana. Water supply to the city is cut off MEMALIAJ - The city of Memaliaj has now been infected by contaminated drinking water. Contamination in the distribution network has led to 88 people being admitted to the infectious-diseases wards of the hospital within a few days. They have been suffering from vomiting, frequent diarrhea, stomach pain and high fever. Many others have received only first aid. The city’s water network has been shut off, and water is now supplied only by tanker. The first tests, taken by specialists from this city to the Institute of Public Health, have shown that this is dysentery; nevertheless, the situation will continue to be monitored by them. The first indications are that the infection appeared on December 19, after which the number of cases increased sharply. On page 5

SPORT Lushnja’s Nigerian player Nossa fails to enter Tirana. At Rinas Airport he is sent back because he did not have a visa Biacchi heading for the exit from Roma. Lost his place in line? Repeated defeats have made him change his mind. Trapattoni under fire: “You’re too old.” On page 6 The Nigerian Nossa

Italy rejects the gas; Tirana: We’ll take it TIRANA - While the Italians had deemed the construction of the gas plant dangerous, the number two in the Albanian political movement, Thoma Meksi, proposes that it be located in Vlora. “We desperately need gas production.” On page 7

Insecurity and fear among emigrants TIRANA - A fierce anti-Albanian wave in Greece. For more than two days, Albanian emigrants have felt unsafe and have found it increasingly difficult to remain on the streets of Greek cities. Athens. Several groups have attacked people who, days earlier, in the outskirts of the capital, had expressed jealousy and hatred toward Albanian emigrants; they have provoked particular hostility among Greeks, who have even gone so far as to bring their weapons out of their homes. Fear and insecurity have gripped the Albanian community, including several thousand Albanian emigrants in the neighboring country, who, it would appear, are suffering for a crime committed by one of their compatriots. A violent incident in Athens has led to immediate efforts to find a 19-year-old Albanian, who is suspected of having been killed by members of the most dangerous gang allegedly involved in robberies and distribution [unclear]. Thousands of Greeks are targeting other innocent Albanians. In this situation faced daily by Albanian emigrants, their safety is being sought—the Greek police are also responsible. Footage broadcast by Greek television channels has shown brutal scenes, with the same outcome: Albanian emigrants were beaten and bloodied in the center of the Greek capital, where they were fingerprinted. Albanians are afraid to leave their homes in Greece. The police, Greek public opinion and employers, charged with such anti-Albanian actions, have become forces of aggression from which Albanians are trying to protect themselves. The Greeks have not even spared weapons, showing that their wave of hostility could perhaps spread. No one in Athens could have foreseen it. No Albanian could have imagined that an Albanian had committed the robbery. But the Greeks have launched attacks against other Albanians so as not to be at the center [unclear]. Greece has shown very little transparency and has not accepted responsibility for what is happening in Athens.” On page 6

A TV trick involving a Braces program A show from two years ago is broadcast and sold as new TIRANA - Happy ’97, but with ’95 programs. On Monday evening, Albanian Television served up a show that had already been broadcast on its channels in previous years. A light television retouch was all the TV technicians needed to pass off Silvana Braces’ program as a December ’96 production. A “Happy ’97” logo was edited onto the screen, making the show from two years earlier appear to have been shown at the year-end celebration. Recorded at the “Meteor” disco, the program was rebroadcast with a few minor new changes to its title. The TV technicians needed only a careful retouch to remove from Braces’ mouth the words she had said two years earlier: “Happy 1996,” leaving only the word “happy,” which could be used for other decades as well. It has not yet been said what prompted Albanian Television to put on such a showing of its outdated programs, presenting them as recent productions. ELI The Radio Television building

AMSTEL BEER

AMSTEL BEER

The major financial operation began on Monday. Chairman Pelingu: “We have safeguards; no one will bribe us.” The parties react. PS: “The state must intervene to guarantee the money.” PD: “The pyramid schemes have nothing to do with us.”

FROM THE WORLD Milosheviç increasingly alone On page 2 SHOW BUSINESS Madona Evita in Madona’s body On page 5