CONTROVERSY IN THE JUSTICE SYSTEM / Following dissatisfaction with the teams, the Tirana Prosecutor’s Office responds Prosecutor’s Office: Special Forces Officers Face Trial Zani investigator: “The court files are not in order” Tominaj: “From the evidence brought to us from Vlora, we suspect they tampered with the gang’s files” The Tirana Prosecutor’s Office may bring special forces officers to trial. “If the missing materials are not urgently added to the files, we will seek criminal prosecution of the officers who committed violations,” Blerim Tominaj, the number two official at the Prosecutor’s Office, tells Gazeta. The controversy began as soon as the General Prosecutor’s Office transferred the “Zani” file to Tirana. Significant shortcomings, procedural violations and a lack of evidence have been noted. This entire series of accusations is directed at police officers in Vlora. The other side has responded. “There is a mountain of accusations against those arrested, but apart from the Tirana side, they are being played down.” That is all—words—and the prosecution is compelled to respond forcefully, but in the language of the law. “Anyone who has committed a violation will answer to justice.” But Tominaj goes further, alluding to police officers who may have deliberately tampered with the initial materials. In any case, the Prosecutor’s Office and the head of the investigative team will be notified about each person so that the matter can be examined and judged. “The case is delicate; it requires specialists,” Blerim Tominaj concludes. The Tirana Prosecutor’s Office From the inspections carried out by the special forces in Vlora

NEWSPAPERS IN CRISIS The press has begun to become a genuine protagonist in Albanian society, not only because it has started to report realistically on what is happening in Albania, but because it has begun—and this is another situation that regularly recurs during major government transitions—to draw... [small text, partly illegible] Taxes, unaffordable paper prices, pointless payments and distribution, a lack of advertising and, finally, a lack of prospects: this is the situation today for those who should report every day on the concerns about what is happening in their country, leaving many of those who might consider themselves members of the “world of the press” open-mouthed. Statements, meetings, events and ultimatum-like demands have already been directed at the Government, which for its part has just as much reason to say: What am I supposed to do with this network? A government and the state are in serious difficulty, especially in Albania these days. Armed gangs attack, massacre and abuse innocent people and must be wiped off the face of the earth, along with thousands of other economic problems... economic hardships—perhaps even more important than the newspapers’ troubles—that must inevitably be resolved if this troubled country is to regain what it has long lacked: normality. This is the situation facing the Albanian officials of the newly formed, so-called technical government. The press representatives, meanwhile, are waiting to meet the new Prime Minister and talk. This whole story would not matter so much to ordinary people, our readers, if it did not conceal a great danger: silence about problems is being imposed, and those problems also reflect the increasingly acute difficulties of Albania’s fragile democracy. Behind the economic demands, debates, privatizations and meetings lies an element that, beyond being recognized and addressed, is crying out to be organized in the future: “Albania” and “RD” are unable to reach the South. Why is this happening? You may disagree with a newspaper, but on the other hand you hear it called a mouthpiece, along with its newspaper. What should be normal is for newspapers to enable the public throughout the political spectrum to express itself positively. Could the solution to the press’s major problems be found in another medium?

SHKODER Religious communities are calling for peace in Mitrovicum. A meeting they organized in the city clarified how they would proceed in order to overcome the difficult circumstances the country is facing. “Organize prayers in churches and mosques, inviting as many believers as possible”—this was the message issued after Tuesday’s meeting. Prayers will be held at the city’s Great Mosque, the Cathedral and the Orthodox Church. August 30 has been set as the date for the second meeting. The prayers will be held daily, and their organizers will call on the population to restore the tradition in the northern city. Scarred by the tragedy of the explosion at the depots, the city was for a long time one of the country’s most troubled areas. Messages of unity, friendship and policing do not seem to have had much effect on the population’s state of mind. It is thought that the religious communities’ efforts will directly contribute to restoring calm in the city. On August 30, several talks will be held on... religious coexistence, understanding and peace, as well as strengthening the city’s cultural and religious traditions. In addition to the three communities, the association “Lëvizja për jetën” is expected to contribute. The three representatives of the religious communities believe this is the most appropriate moment for the population to return to calm and normality. Shkodra is known as one of the cities where religion has the greatest influence. Although three different faiths are active there, divisions have never been felt in the city. It seems this has prompted the communities’ efforts to organize prayers together. They will take place over the coming days and will not stop until the sound of gunfire is no longer heard in Shkodra. The northern city was among those most affected by the depot incidents. Since March, the number of people killed by gunfire has exceeded seventeen. Beyond the senseless deaths by bullets, blood feuds have clearly returned to Shkodra. Feuds that began decades ago have once again erupted violently among people who had long since put them behind them. Their call for peace was one of the reasons that led the three religious communities of Shkodra to take action.

MASKED MEN TERRORIZE GUARDS PATOS — They stole 18 tons of oil from Alb-betrol’s warehouses. Masked men tied up the facility’s private security guards and, at gunpoint, took all the oil they wanted. The police arrived at the scene far too late. Initial investigations have begun, while numerous roadblocks have been set up on the roads connecting Patos with other cities. Yesterday’s robbery is one of the largest in recent times at the oil corporation. On page 5

On page 6

INTERVIEW / The former leader speaks: “They removed me unfairly” [The headline text continues beyond the edge of the image]

DURRËS — Diarrhea is sweeping through the coastal city. — Diarrhea is sweeping through the coastal city. More than one hundred cases have been reported at the city hospital during the past week, while the number is even higher at clinics in the surrounding villages. “More than five people come in every day with diarrhea and a fever,” says one of the city’s pathologists. Although the causes of the epidemic have not yet been officially established, the hospital is overwhelmed with patients. Contamination of the water is thought to have created conditions for the microbe to appear.

Elbasan, creditors

INTERVIEW / The former leader speaks: “They removed me unjustly” TIRANA - Tritan Shehu breaks his silence at a time when people who are capable and wise are needed. “This is what he said yesterday in an interview given to the newspaper. The former leader of the PD says that excluding the party chairman from responsibility for the Congress is not normal. Imobtar is a responsibility of the Party Presidium; the former leader speaks cautiously about the current PD. In his view, the party needs a new vision, up to the Congress and beyond. Shehu does not deny his good relations with Berisha, but is not reluctant to say that there are also careerists in the PD. The man who led the PD does not want to reveal any more cards, which it seems he will play at the next Congress.

TIRANA - Shkodër’s Democrats attack Berisha. A PD activist has made a series of criticisms of the party leader and its leadership circle.

Elbasan, creditors ELBASAN - The creditors of the “Beno” company write to Minister Malaj. “There must be transparency about the bankrupt company, otherwise we will take to the streets like the people of Vlora”—this was the wording of the letter, which often took on a threatening tone. At the company’s premises there is just one person acting as a guard, who shrugs and pretends not to know whenever people ask for information about the money they deposited. The case has gone to the prosecutor’s office, but no sign has come from there. Although it is not as well-known as “Giallices” or “Xhaferri”, it has managed to collect a sum of 1.2 billion lek in the city of Elbasan. If it is not included in the transparency process, the creditors threaten to protest in the city’s municipal square and not stop until their money is returned.

KAVAJË / Chief spends 20 minutes on foreign stations KAVAJË - The chief of police appeals for weapons to be handed in on the city’s foreign television stations. Isa Lisha used the SAT station for twenty minutes for this purpose, broadcasting an appeal to the city’s residents to hand in the weapons taken from the depots. A videotape on which he had recorded his speech was interspersed with folk songs from the city. Television crews from Kavaja often interrupt foreign stations received by satellite, inserting various tapes showing different city events, religious and sporting. The chief of police used the same method. He used the whole opening segment and then inserted the tape on the SAT station. It was 2 p.m. on Thursday when all the residents of Kavajë heard the chief of police’s speech and appeal to hand in their weapons via the satellite station. And what went even further was that folk songs performed by well-known singers from Kavaja were interspersed with Lisha’s speech. “Weapons must be handed in by August 31. No permit issued during the unrest is valid. All residents who received weapons under a permit must return them by the deadline; otherwise, we will begin house-to-house searches.” The results of the televised speech were felt immediately. Some of the weaponry has begun to be returned to the depot. The figures have not yet been confirmed; sources inside the police station say the maximum levels are being reached, certainly as far as registered weapons are concerned. Qemal Cara

ALGERIA - Tragedy in Algeria. 117 massacred in two days. On Sunday and Monday, Islamist militants added a grievous number of victims to the “black war”. Women and children, mutilated and horrifically slaughtered, have caused tears and terror among people. Yesterday, the local press reported the fatal loss of innocent lives. A group of armed men continued their ritual against the population. For two years, Islamism has been attacking. In the grip of terror, the number of victims is growing amid violence that is increasingly tightening its hold over Algeria. Yesterday, the massacre spread its wings of grief toward the regions of Media­s. Terror is thought to have strengthened its grip mainly over the southern and southwestern areas of Algeria. The death toll was extremely high in Tindusemit, Ajn Delfa and Memcen, places where tragedy has by now become a continuing ritual of grief. For two days in a row, night in Algeria has monstrously swallowed blood and caused tears of sorrow and fear.

“Gazeta Shqiptare” is seeking correspondents in the cities of Berat, Burrel, Laç, Përmet and Tropoja. Those interested should contact us at the following telephone numbers: 626-46, 638-83, 638-55.

Continued on page 4 Blerim Tominaj.