Political storm breaks out immediately. Senate interpellation: “Withdraw the brigade from Albania” Scandal in Italy: “They tortured people in Somalia in 1993” Prime Minister Fino’s unexpected statement: “We cannot guarantee the elections. There are not enough soldiers” Political storm breaks out immediately. Senate interpellation: “Withdraw the brigade from Albania” Charges against the “Alba” unit Scandal in Italy: “They tortured people in Somalia in 1993” Prime Minister Fino’s unexpected statement: “We cannot guarantee the elections. There are not enough soldiers” TIRANA — Yesterday, one of the Italian military units in “Alba” found itself under accusation. “During our intervention in Somalia, torture was inflicted on local people, including leaving them without water, applying electric current to their genitals, and physical coercion.” This was the documented testimony of a former colleague of the paratroopers currently operating in Albania. “Folgore”—that is the name of the unit—is just one of the Italian contingent’s units specializing in international interventions. Parts of this unit are stationed—[text continues in the adjoining column] stationed in Sauk, Rinas, and Vlora. Yesterday, “Panorama” published a lengthy dossier on the former serviceman’s accounts. This immediately set off a political storm in Italy. One of the Green senators, who is also Secretary of the Defence Committee, has requested an interpellation with Minister Andreatta and, at the same time, the withdrawal from Albania of the unit under accusation. “Its continued presence in Albania could damage the image of the Italian Army,” the “Green” senator said. On page 2

. It is still unclear why, but the Italians cannot seem to shake off an old “curse”: Albania. Just in the past few days, their neighboring country has had a series of incidents that really make you believe in omens. The latest scandal of all involves a military brigade belonging to the “Alba” contingent. Some of its members have been implicated in a scandal involving torture—no small matter—and since yesterday Italy has once again been abuzz: “Should these soldiers be in Albania or not, while the investigations into this torture case are still unfinished?” A deep shadow of suspicion hangs over the matter when you remember that “Folgore,” as the brigade is called, is stationed in Tirana—in Sauk and Rinas—and in Vlora, and that some of its members are still military personnel who took part in the Somalia operation. A few months ago, Italians had turned their attention to their own people. An incident involving hundreds of refugees had ended in Otranto and was resolved with a few people loudly accusing them: “Siete tutti criminali”. Italian prosecutors began investigations, but the guilty parties still have no names. Then it was the turn of the heated discussions about Paolo Foresti. A completely “unpleasant” telephone conversation, unsuitable for serious diplomacy, was published in Tirana and has still not been refuted with any substantial argument. As is customary in such cases, the controversy immediately reached the Italian Parliament. The third case is this one: the accusations against “Folgore”. Yesterday, we hesitated for a long time in the face of the accusations levelled at some of the “Alba” soldiers, whom we have always been accustomed to seeing as peaceful and helpful. The 600 “Folgore” soldiers currently serving with “Alba” were not all in Somalia in 1993, and it is quite likely that the acts described were individual actions. In the end, we decided to publish this news. Since Italian readers have a more precise account of the story behind these testimonies, why shouldn’t Albanians learn about it too?

DURRËS — A bomb exploded at the eight-year school “Maria Kaculini” while hundreds of pupils were attending their second lesson. — A bomb exploded at the eight-year school “Maria Kaculini” while hundreds of pupils were attending their second lesson. As-yet unidentified individuals threw the explosive device through the window of the first-floor restroom, but fortunately they did not manage to cause any casualties. The pupils had just left the classroom next to the restroom—dozens of pieces of brick flew over its desks during the explosion. Their teacher had chosen another room for the lesson. Fear and terror reigned at the school, and many parents said they would no longer send their children to class. The police still have no leads on the terrorists. On page 5

TIRANA — Yesterday, one of the Italian military units in “Alba” found itself under accusation.

Soldiers of the “Alba” mission during the mission in Albania

TIRANA - The attacker had thrown the grenade in the direction of President Berisha after removing its safety pin. This was the reason the assassination attempt did not turn into a tragedy. After the grenade was taken by the president’s bodyguard, it was the forensic experts at the Ministry of the Interior who autopsied the grenade. “It had no ring” — that was the finding. Meanwhile, the grenade was technically in perfect condition. On page 3. The bomb thrown at the President by Ilir Çeta

TIRANA - An alarm has been raised, urgently calling for an increase in the presence of Europe’s green berets in Albania. The Albanian prime minister believes that “a fierce electoral battle will take place” and that more than 4,000 polling stations throughout the country need to be monitored. The government of Pajti... Kombëtar has also voiced its disapproval regarding the long-standing work... On page 3. Vranicki and Fino

. The bloody toll of the attack: five wounded. Police manage to detain two people. On page 5

. Neutralizes an armed gang. A citizen had been taken hostage. On page 5

Yesterday in “Bashkimi për Demokracinë” Square . Berisha at a rally again: Tight security measures. The President: “Your vote will be needed by Tirana!” On page 3. At yesterday’s rally in Tirana (Photo: Plator Ilo)

An OSCE observer becomes the protagonist of an unusual incident. Cheers amid a strange misunderstanding GRAMSH — An OSCE observer was greeted with prolonged cheers by a crowd of thousands as soon as he arrived in Gramsh. He spoke a few words in a foreign language and was the last person to learn that he had fallen victim to a misunderstanding: they had cheered him after mistaking him for a lookalike of former socialist leader Fatos Nano. The same build, the same characteristics and almost identical features made him famous for a few moments in the small town, where he had never set foot before. Although the residents of Gramsh had been informed that Nano’s socialist rally had been cancelled because he was leaving for the congress of the Socialist International in Sweden, they could not believe it and waited impatiently for their idol. He is almost Nano’s double. One of the OSCE observers—whose name has not been made public—bears a remarkable resemblance to the socialist leader and became the focus of a mass misunderstanding in Gramsh. He arrived in the small town on Friday morning in a Mercedes with Tirana plates and got out in the town’s main square, in front of a crowd of nearly two thousand people. Although they had already been informed that the socialist rally was cancelled, the OSCE emissary’s resemblance to the socialist leader led to the misunderstanding. The townspeople thought Nano had changed his mind and burst into cheers, shouting his name and chanting slogans against the President of the Republic. The misunderstanding lasted only a few minutes, and the OSCE emissary, “surprised” by the warm welcome, continued his schedule with meetings with local officials. As for Nano, the protagonist of this story, after this he has reason to believe in his own role in Gramsh. Bledar Starova Bledar Starova. Fatos Nano

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