Here are the plans for repaying the millions from the pyramid schemes Businessman: I want to have relations only with the state. I don’t like dealing with the parties. They don’t interest me INTERVIEW / “Let me build 11 hydroelectric power plants. I will immediately give 1.3 billion” TIRANA - “My plan for liquidating the usurious schemes is not a utopia, but a plan that can be implemented, if the Albanian state agrees with me on what I have proposed” — from Paris, Hajdin Sejdia has made further details of his investment plan known, on the basis of which he claims he can repay even the staggering sum of 1.3 billion dollars that Albanians lost in the financial pyramid schemes in Albania. “I ask to be given the right to build 11 new hydroelectric power plants, and only after that will I hand over the above-mentioned sum to the Albanian state,” he declared. Sejdia says the projects and funds, amounting to 3.6 billion dollars, are ready for their construction. “I will operate them until I recover the money invested, plus a minimum profit, and then I will hand them over to the Albanian state. All the studies and agreements have been made on the basis of studies and experts from the Albanian state.” On page 4

29 JUNE Elections for elections’ sake, or simply elections for elections’ sake Arian Çani When the decision was made to redemocratize Albania, almost everyone rubbed their hands. The first were the politicians, who thought this would take care of their problems. Albania was summed up in a single word: Elections. Europe chose Vranicki, a diploma-wielding, elegant and cool-headed man, to measure and manage Albania’s major problems. The former chancellor arrived urgently, together with a bundle of papers that reportedly bore the pompous name “OSCE mandate.” “Elections absolutely must be held on 29 June,” Europe’s voice thundered several weeks ago. Why precisely on 29 June? Were the elections in Albania to be held to fulfill an international commitment? Because that was what Vranicki decided? Or were they supposed finally to resolve, in reality, the heightened tension in Albania? Everything seemed difficult for us to understand and especially to resolve: on the one hand, Albanians and, naturally, their wishes; on the other, the politicians who had to be persuaded; and finally, the elections that had to be held. Two months have passed since then and now, after ... Vranicki’s repeated efforts from Vienna to Tirana, we are all beginning to understand that none of these three goals has really been achieved. Albanians are still being disarmed and are terrorized; the politicians still seem a long way from finding a common language, or at least something close to it; and, in any case, holding elections on 29 June is still in doubt. It is true that Vranicki has worked very hard during these two months. He came, he left and came back again, but his efforts failed to achieve one thing: persuading Albanians that they should vote, and convincing them whom to vote for. Then the Albanian parties, which apparently are unable to decide their own fate, began raising the usual questions again. “How can we go to elections” At first, everything seemed difficult to understand and, above all, to resolve: on one side, the Albanians who had to be disarmed (?), and finally the elections, which we all understand that none of these three objectives has actually been achieved. The still seem very far from finding a common language, or at least something resembling one; and, in any case, holding the elections on June 29 remains hard over these two months. He came, he left, and came again, but his efforts failed when the Albanians were supposed to vote—in an achievement that would persuade apparently are unable to decide their own fate, began once again to raise the usual questions. “How can we go to the elections”

VOTING USA: Albanian elections? We don’t want to hear about a boycott TIRANA - “Remove the word boycott from your political vocabulary.” In the form of an ultimatum, the US government is demanding that Albanian politicians clean up their vocabulary “and do everything possible to create the conditions for a clean political campaign.” The latest position of the envoys from Washington is more than a suggestion; it is the kind of warning that government officials have recently issued to Albania’s political class. “Debates about a boycott must be left behind,” the US administration goes on to say, making clear that the Government of National Reconciliation must do everything possible to ensure the elections. Other American officials, anticipating a possible retreat by Albanian political forces, have hurried to put their position on the table: “Be careful about a boycott; don’t go down that road.” Returning to its familiar position on the lines of assembly, a free press and the rule of law, officials from across the ocean recommend a fair campaign and acceptance of the results by all forces. American politicians have arrived in Europe recognizing the fundamental role of the OSCE in assisting with and conducting the elections. This is the first time the US administration has, in a single statement, assigned the OSCE the central role in closely monitoring the elections in Albania. The above positions of the US government were made known at the latest international meeting held in Rome. It was Assistant Secretary of State Xhon Kornblum who conveyed the latest US position to Albania’s political class and its unexpected developments in the near future. ... in the near future. ...to entrust a fate to their hands that they still cannot ... which hurried to add that ...

BRINDISI - The Italian judge will defend the rights of the victims of the Strait of Otranto. Yesterday he replied to the request that had been submitted to him shortly beforehand. “We must offer them legal, economic and moral assistance, regardless of who was at fault. If we are a civilized country, we must support them in this tragedy of theirs.” Nevertheless, no step has been taken in the Strait of Otranto case. Albanian government officials often knock on the strikers’ doors, but are unable to respond to their most important demands: recovering the ship as soon as possible, retrieving the bodies of their relatives and speeding up the investigation process. Meanwhile, demonstrations in support of the strikers and the victims’ families are being held in Rome, Brindisi and Vlora. On the sixth day of this situation, their health is deteriorating, but they all refuse to be admitted to hospital. On page 2

Nano: There won’t be a vote with ...

Arbnori refuses Fino: “I won’t convene parliament” Vlora wants Nano as its deputy. PS leader: “I’ll be in the South” Arbnori Nano On page 3

Gjata overturns the Fino Government’s decision On page 5

The tragic events were all filmed On page 5

“We were together in a UT dormitory in 1964” The right-wing politician explains his friendly “adventure” with Zaire’s leader TIRANA — Kabila continues to cause a stir from Zaire to Albania. One of today’s best-known politicians, Abdi Baleta, recounted yesterday to Gazeta Shqiptare the adventure of the Congolese man whom he accompanied 33 years ago. “Kabila, today’s leader of Zaire, was then registered in Tirana under another name,” he reminded me, setting off on the story of his association with him. They excluded him from the 1996 elections, without security rights? Baleta himself has recounted these details of his “Albanian adventure” with Kabila. In January 1964, from Patrice Lumumba University in Moscow, Kabila, known as Pol Kongo, arrived at the University of Tirana. According to Baleta, it was Kabila himself who requested a transfer from Moscow to Tirana: “He regarded the Russians as revisionists. So he sought a new connection at the Albanian embassy in Warsaw. Afterwards Baleta himself tried...” How did Kabila arrive in Albania? “Laurent Kabila (Pol Kongo) was a student at Patrice Lumumba University in Moscow; at the time, he was in his first years of university. He was seeking support from students who had come from African countries. In Tirana, everyone suspected that he was a former KGB agent. This became possible after we had made contact with the Albanian diplomatic representative in Warsaw, where, following the invitation, he had expressed a desire to come to Albania as a student, as a sign of friendship with Moscow in favor of revisionism.” The Albanian side accepted his request, and he began studying on an individual program, having been admitted to the Faculty of Law. How was he doing in his studies, and what were his relations with the Albanian students? “For six months, [unintelligible]...” Who were his friends, and how did he leave Albania? “He maintained ongoing contacts with most of the embassies in our country, including the Egyptian one. He also had ongoing contact with the French ambassador. I was one of his links outside Albania. I only heard that Pol had left Albania after he returned, but I never learned the reasons for his departure.” Have you tried to contact Kabila so that you could revive your old friendship? “Enri Pol Kongo began appearing in the Albanian press in 1993–94, when relations had been established between him and the DP. At that time, the newspaper RD published an article accusing me of being a State Security spy, identifying me by the pseudonym ‘Stograf’. At that time, I asked Parliament to remove Pol’s file and bring the truth about my activities in relation to Pol Kongo to light; it was never done. But that was the reason I was left out of the electoral race on May 26. At least, that is what they told me at the Court of Cassation.” All Uka

Ministry: “Let’s play” TIRANA — The Ministry of Sports is once again bringing the clubs together to decide the fate of the Championship. Everyone is upset ... On page 4