Today the State appoints the chief inspector at the heart of the pyramids Finance Ministry: “The IMF had warned us in good time. Now the moment has come. Foreign inspection in 10 days.” The Government takes the first step. Farudin Arapi appointed chief administrator. Anxiety at the existing firms. . Today the State appoints the chief inspector at the heart of the pyramids. Finance Ministry: “The IMF had warned us in good time. Now the moment has come. Foreign inspection in 10 days.” TIRANA - The “gravediggers of the pyramid schemes” are expected to be appointed by the government today. The Council of Ministers will decide who will join the staff of Farudin Arapi, who has been entrusted with leading the investigation into the pyramid schemes. Initially, the government will appoint Albanian administrators at every investment company. Their mandate will be very limited in duration. Ten days later, the IMF is expected to submit the list of foreign firms that will be entrusted with the final investigation of the pyramids. The appointment of Albanian administrators has been delayed for a relatively long time because many Albanian firms were reluctant to take on the role of administrator of the pyramids. Closing down the pyramid schemes has been one of the main conditions set by the IMF for signing an agreement with the government. To benefit from a renewal of an agreement with the International Monetary Fund, the government must put an end to the endless nightmare caused by the usury offices. To investigate the pyramids, the government is appointing administrators at every investment company today. Their powers are almost unlimited. On page 5

TIRANA - Prodi backs down from the decision to return Albanian refugees from his country. LETTER TO NANO Emigrants: Prodi backs down TIRANA - Prodi is backing down from the decision to return Albanian refugees from his country. A letter from the head of the Italian Government arrived yesterday at Nano’s office. The Italian Prime Minister himself writes to his Albanian counterpart that he will review a new timetable for the repatriation of Albanians who fled during the recent unrest. But Prodi explains that the process will take place gradually and in cooperation with the Albanian authorities. Only a few days ago, Nano asked his Italian counterpart not to carry out the immediate return of emigrants to Albania. “I reserve the right to present future proposals to the Council of Ministers, within which efforts for repatriation will be agreed upon; this means there will be no pressure on our part, and, day by day, the Albanian authorities will cooperate with the Italian authorities on the basis of the information gathered by the mixed commission, which has just begun its work.” This is what Prodi writes in the letter sent to Nano earlier in the evening. Prodi says that a commission will examine the various cases of Albanian citizens held in centers created especially for them. The Italian Prime Minister had said a few days earlier that his country would return all 15,000 Albanian emigrants who had arrived in Italy over the past month. But Nano’s response was not slow in coming, directly countering Prodi’s position. “I would ask you, using the goodwill, authority and instruments at your disposal, to make it possible not to deport these refugees immediately.” These were Nano’s words, which made Prodi change his mind and decide not to return the Albanian emigrants from his country immediately. Arian Çani

Fino, Prefect of Tirana On page 3

PROSECUTION DISSATISFIED, ACCUSATIONS AGAINST THE POLICE TIRANA - The prosecution is making accusations against the police. This concerns the “Zani” case file, whose materials are considered weak by the prosecuting authority. “The police’s initial actions are extraordinarily weak,” Blerin Tomini, the prosecution’s number two, told the Gazette yesterday. According to the prosecutor in the case, the shortcomings in the submitted material make it difficult for the investigating prosecutors to form a complete picture of the file. It came partly from Vlora and was prepared by the officers of the special forces there. Meanwhile, it is expected that within a few days the people linked to Zani’s gang will appear in court for an assessment of the security measure. There are 14 people, but around 20, perhaps even more, will be investigated in connection with the case. On page 5 Zani Çaus(h)i

The PD Secretary responds to the Minister’s accusations TIRANA - “I’ll give the weapon to Ceka only at the negotiating table.” Genc Pollo said this about being armed with a pistol that he has registered. Facing journalists at a press conference, the PD Secretary-General spoke at length yesterday about the Democrats’ approach to disarming the population: first establish law and order, then disarm the gangs in the country. Everything will end with the return of registered weapons. Pollo Ceka On page 2

The well-known footballer had been receiving treatment in Bologna for months TIRANA – Elvis Hushi has passed away. The heart of the Kavaja footballer stopped beating on Wednesday evening. He went to Italy for treatment and was admitted to a hospital in Bologna, but he was laid to rest in his homeland. More than 5,000 people paid their respects yesterday to former Besa footballer Elvis Hushi. The funeral procession set out from his home, and he was carried on their shoulders all the way to his final resting place. An immense grief engulfed all of Kavaja. Having been treated in Italy for two years for an incurable illness, Elvis could no longer keep fighting. Many people who knew him found it difficult to forget him, especially his teammates. ‘But not only them. His temperament led all the Bologna footballers, together with their coach Ulivieri, to treat him constantly as a member of their team. His passion for football and his desire to be among them moved Bologna’s coach so much that he appointed him assistant coach of the team. Naturally, he too knew that Elvis could no longer fight. During his most difficult moments, all the great figures of Italy came to visit him, from Morandi to Luca Carboni. It was not pity, but respect for the young man from Kavaja, who had won everyone over with his talent and sincerity. But however hard they tried, all this remained an illusion for everyone. Elvis, his wishes, and his family were deeply rooted in the land where he was born. In the final days, when the illness had overcome him, they brought him close to his family, close to his dearest ones, who had sacrificed everything to restore the health of the person most precious to them. Returned to Albania in a serious condition, he could not overcome the illness. At the age of 22, he stopped breathing. On this occasion, the sports staff of Gazeta Shqiptare offers its condolences to him and to his entire family on the untimely loss of their loved one.

The PD Secretary responds to the Minister’s accusations

The President’s decree [unclear in source]. Arben Karkini dismissed TIRANA - Fatos Klosi is appointed head of SHIK. Yesterday, the President of the Republic, Rexhep Meidani, decreed Klosi’s appointment to lead this important institution. After serving as deputy chairman of the Central Election Commission, Klosi will take the seat occupied until recently by Arben Karkini. The new head of the much-discussed agency over the past year is a Professor of Physics and later earned other qualifications in the exact sciences. His most recent post at the Central Election Commission drew criticism for irregularities from the opposition formed following these elections. For a long time, the SHIK institution has generated nothing but dissatisfaction and hatred among everyone. Its instrumentalization by the party in power led to a deviation from this agency’s sacred duty. After Gazidede’s resignation, following SHIK’s involvement in these actions, SHIK returned [unclear in source]; in recent months, Arben Karkini took his place. Klosi’s predecessor came from a clean past and had political independence. The Presidential Palace On page 2