The Prime Minister explains the history of the pyramid schemes to Dini The Finance experts’ meeting begins in Rome today. Will the promised aid arrive? A large group of ministers in Italy. “We don’t have suitcases full of money to hand out; the economic plans are ready.” TIRANA - Nano is making clear his line: “No money for those who lost it in the pyramid schemes.” At the conference that began yesterday in Rome, Albania’s new Prime Minister clearly announced the position his government will take on the issue of returning the money. Organized at Italy’s initiative, as the leading country in the “Alba” mission, the Rome meeting, which began yesterday, envisages several stages for restoring peace and security in post-election Albania. Thirty-five delegations are present, once again confirming the international community’s interest in the Albanian issue. Divided into two sessions, the Rome conference will discuss the political and economic aspects of the Albanian issue. Important meetings are also expected with representatives of the international financial community. Nano yesterday before leaving for Rome

The wave of violence in the South continues. In Fier, a battle between the police and a dangerous gang On page 5

Vlora, masked men attack merchants: Money in exchange for freedom. A lawyer disappears On page 5

Nano yesterday before leaving for Rome

Parliament passes the Transparency Law TIRANA - Pyramid schemes will very soon be placed under the control and management of full-authority administrators appointed by the state. Following this measure, the owners of the pyramid schemes will no longer have the right to make decisions about the company’s activities, its printing or the purchase of property. The 16 articles in the draft law approved yesterday in Parliament have brought about a fundamental change to the law known as the Pyramid Scheme Transparency Law. On page 3

Controversy within the Justice system after Kondi’s order TIRANA - The Minister of Justice yesterday ordered the courts to close. “Due to the lack of security conditions for judges, I order the court to close and all judges to take their annual leave” — this is what a telegram sent yesterday at nine o’clock by Minister Thimio Kondi to the president of the Tirana Court, Qazim Gjonaj, says. It is also reported that similar orders were sent to the district courts, where the same reasons were given. On page 3

In Përmet TIRANA - Five highly wanted individuals have fallen into police hands and are now at the disposal of Albanian Justice, which will punish their crimes. Two days ago, the bandits were detained by officers of the Përmet police station, who handcuffed them after a fierce armed confrontation. The bandits were then flown to the capital by helicopter, escorted by the special forces of the Ministry of the Interior. On page 5

“There are abuses” TIRANA - The Ministry of Health is sounding the alarm. “Be careful about medicines sold in pharmacies; there is tampering that could directly endanger their users. Everything that needs to be done must be accompanied by proper documentation.” A tour of all the main pharmacies has shown that most medical supplies are not accompanied by invoices, leaving room for double abuse, both by the wholesaler and by the seller. On page 5

YESTERDAY’S CEREMONY PRISHTINA - The memory of journalist Ali Ukaj is being honored in Kosovo’s capital as well. Tributes and memorial observances by many of his colleagues, as well as friends and acquaintances, were held yesterday at one of the most prominent locations in Prishtina. Meanwhile, the journalists’ association of “Rilindja” and “Bujku” held a similar observance at the Press Palace. The brutal murder that took place two days ago has deeply affected Ali’s closest relatives, who did not wait for the body to be brought back but immediately began paying their respects. News of the murder arrived immediately from the Kosovo Information Office, and Ali’s friends, unable to come to Tirana, began the rituals in Prishtina. A bouquet of flowers, with the journalist’s photograph at its center, was placed at one of the capital’s busiest spots, a place where Ali would stop whenever he came to Prishtina. His friends began the memorial observances, attended by a large number of people, who recalled snippets of stories involving the journalist. Thousands of his acquaintances, family members, and passersby circled around the photograph and bouquet of flowers to pay tribute to one of the people of the press, someone whose name they had often seen in print, perhaps without even knowing what he looked like. Meanwhile, the journalists’ association of Prishtina organized a gathering at the Press Palace. Ali had long been a correspondent for Kosovo’s two largest newspapers, “Rilindja” and “Bujku”; they condemned the heinous crime and called on the police authorities to investigate this grave incident. TIRANA - On behalf of the Tirana police force, we extend our condolences to you for the tragic murder of our esteemed and respected journalist, Ali Ramadan Ukaj. Journalist Ali Ramadan Ukaj was not only taken from among us, but also from among the Tirana police force, which will remember and honor him with great respect for his work during this period in Albania. His murder, a criminal act committed on the night of 28.07.1997 at his home, could not have been prevented by the police, given the circumstances in which it occurred. We assure you that, for the journalists and the noble mission they carry out to consolidate democracy by defending these rights and the fundamental rights of Albanians, we will do everything possible for them, and all journalists will receive our special protection. Your status, in order to create the conditions for you to carry out your physical duty, will be inseparable from the status of law-enforcement officers, as we work and contribute together to restore Public Order and build a democratic state governed by the rule of law. With great respect and consideration, Director of the Police, Tirana Colonel / Pashk Tusha

THE MURDER OF THE JOURNALIST Thanks for the solidarity Ali Ukaj TIRANA - “Grief is easier to bear when you are not alone.” Such phrases are commonly used in times of mourning, when people console one another over the loss of someone close to them. In fact, more than a commonplace expression, the sentence we quoted has been a source of support for the editorial staff of the Albanian Gazette, one that has never run dry throughout these difficult moments. The Albanian Gazette expresses its most sincere thanks to everyone who stood by it during these very difficult times. The paper thanks everyone who paid their respects to their murdered colleague. And many people have been surprised and have even asked: “How is it possible that all the newspapers, regardless of their political leanings, have stood together in exactly the same way, with the [text continues outside the frame] same feeling of solidarity for the murdered journalist?” The answer we have given in these columns has been the same: Ali loved everyone equally, without distinction, and everyone continues, and will continue, to respect him equally. any of the people close to him. In fact, the more strongly worded expression was the sentence we quoted; above all, it was a source of motivation for the editorial staff of Gazeta Shqiptare, which did not leave us during all these difficult moments. Colleagues, associations, students and lecturers, trade unions and political parties, ordinary people and readers expressed their solidarity throughout the day over the loss of our friend and colleague, Ali Ukaj, so tragically taken from us.

On page 8

Pashk Tusha