Minister of the Interior: “He ordered the arming of the Albanians” “So far we have collected 100,000 weapons, but another 800,000 are still circulating” TIRANA - “Berisha ordered the opening of the weapons depots and the arming of the population.” This forceful and unexpected statement was made by Neritan Ceka, Albania’s Minister of the Interior. For the first time, and officially, the country’s top public-order official has made this allegation to the ANSA news agency, returning once again to the frightening days of the Seven-Month War in the country. Ceka’s accusation against Berisha comes precisely as the Ministry he heads is being targeted by opposition fire. The collection of weapons, the desertion of police officers and soldiers, and efforts to disarm the Albanians have been the hottest topics in Ceka’s statements. According to the senior official, Sali Berisha, in his role as commander-in-chief of the army, ordered the opening of many army depots. Weapons from these depots were subsequently supplied to more than 4,000 supporters of the Democratic Party. The Albanian minister has also shed light on other “mysteries,” while at the same time outlining the disarmament of the population, the fight against crime, and the restoration of peace and order in Albania. For the first time, a serving minister has openly accused the former head of state. After Defense Minister Bro-kai revealed secrets concerning several generals from the Zhulali era, his colleague Ceka has gone further in his statements. In support of the accusation against Berisha, Ceka has also proposed the creation of a parliamentary investigative commission. The Albanian minister then clearly explained the steps his institution is taking to collect weapons, bring army deserters back, and establish order throughout the country. According to the minister’s statistics, more than 100,000 weapons have been collected so far, but the number still in circulation is estimated at 700,000–800,000. Optimistic about the documented collection effort, Ceka believes that everything will be done gradually, on the basis of existing lists and other structures that have been put into operation. For the first time, the Albanian minister has also given details about the return of the soldiers who had joined Albanian refugees in Italy. “Italy should first reopen [the process of returning] criminals and those subject to disciplinary proceedings.” He says that conditions in Albania have now changed, so there is no reason for former military personnel to remain in the neighboring country. Ceka is also determined regarding the fate of undocumented migrants, young people, drug trafficking, and the protection of Albania’s border. He has promised stricter controls on drug trafficking, saying that the aim will not only be to neutralize traffickers, but also to target those cultivating the dangerous plants which, he says, are found in the areas around the city of Vlora. But the Albanian minister has also taken the opportunity to describe the problems inherited by his institutions and the public-order forces. The lack of vehicles and essential equipment for the public-order forces is, in the Ministry chief’s view, one of the obstacles to urgently establishing order throughout the country. “In some districts, our police officers do not even have a car at their disposal,” he confirmed, repeating the same point to the Italian government. Minister Ceka appears determined to fulfill the commitments of the cabinet of which he is a member in its relations with Rome. He has assured that his ministry’s strategy will soon neutralize attempts to run clandestine drug-trafficking operations.

TIRANA - Exchanges of barbs at the top of the judiciary. Changes to the provisions governing the High Council of Justice have sparked controversy. “The President did not ask us,” says Avni Shehu, president of the Court of Cassation. “That is not true; the President consulted the legal experts, including Shehu,” counters Medai’s legal adviser, Theodhori Sollaku. A week ago, Parliament approved the bill submitted by Meidani on how the High Council of Justice would be elected. The changes provide for six of the Council’s nine members to be elected by the associations of lawyers and jurists. Before drafting the bill, Meidani held meetings with representatives of the lawyers’ association and the jurists’ association. Parliament approved the bill. Berisha immediately declared that the independence of the judiciary had been violated. The day after Berisha, it was Avni Shehu’s turn. “The President did not consult us about changing the appointment to an election for the High Council of Justice. The changes attack the independence of the courts,” declared the president of the Court of Cassation. Meidani’s legal adviser has also joined the exchange of statements. “Meidani not only consulted Shehu, but Shehu also expressed agreement with the changes. It is not surprising when judges get involved in ‘political games’,” Sollaku retorted. He confirms that the bill submitted to Parliament is based on the version recommended by the Council of Europe. “The President submitted the bill to speed up the convening of the High Council of Justice, whose term expired in May,” Sollaku says. l.b

Gaxhai’s men in handcuffs

THREE VICTIMS On page 4 FINANCE: NO EXCEPTIONS Now VEFA, too, under the State’s scrutiny On page 3 SOFTA SPEAKS, HEAD OF FACILITIES “Here’s how the Bank of Vlora was robbed” On page 3

Face-to-face with the Police Director ELBASAN — Arben Rakipi arrives in Elbasan. The Republic’s Chief Prosecutor spoke at length yesterday with the city’s police director. Vasil Meçe’s accusations against the Prosecution a day earlier appear to have prompted Rakipi to clarify matters. Although their conversation was kept secret, the police director was able to tell the press that they had discussed only the Elbasan incident, about which he had raised his own concerns with the district Prosecution. Rakipi promised that action would immediately be taken against those who had not handled the Çerma brothers’ case seriously. A day earlier, the gang released by the court had killed one person and wounded two citizens who happened to be passing along their route, and then fired an anti-tank weapon at the police van, wounding five police officers. The outcome of yesterday’s meeting is not yet known, but according to police director Meçe, the important thing is that the Chief Prosecutor took an immediate interest in the matter. His accusations against the district Prosecution were serious; he accused them of causing the tragedy.

Illegal migrants return to the shores of Vlora ROME — Italian coastguards rescue 19 Albanians from disaster. Wind and bad weather caused the dinghy they were sailing in toward Italy to lose its course. After drifting out at sea for some time, they were spotted and saved from disaster by the immediate intervention of the Italian vessel “Gracale”. It all happened on Friday evening. The 19 Albanians aboard the dinghy found themselves in difficulty five kilometres off the coast of Vlora and put their lives at risk. They were 14 men, four women and one child who had set out in the dinghy. In a reckless journey, at around 90 kilometres per hour, the small boat was left at the mercy of fate. In addition, the rough sea made the situation even worse. After drifting for some time at the mercy of the waves and without any hope, the Albanian dinghy encountered the Italian coastguards near Vlora, about five kilometres from shore. The refugees, whose lives were in danger, were immediately taken aboard; they made no attempt to flee and obeyed the Italian authorities. After receiving first aid aboard the “Gracale”, they were transferred to the vessel “Tremiti”. It was this vessel that brought the 19 Albanians to the port of Vlora, bringing their Italian adventure to a definitive end.

TIRANA / Vehicles on the Kombinat–Kinostudio route are also subjected to checks Police “strip-search” city buses, too 162 vehicles stopped, but not a single weapon found TIRANA — The capital is in the grip of the police’s blitz checks. The “victims” of these checks have been passengers, cars, and even buses on Tirana’s main routes. Passengers on the Kombinat–Kinostudio route were subjected to a thorough search, but at the end of the inspection no one was found to be suspicious. A rapid operation by Tirana police took place in the capital, on Sh. Barrikadave Street, opposite the Italo-Albanian Bank. For a time, everyone who tried to travel along this road was stopped. The resulting tally for the capital’s police was 162 cars stopped, many of which were taken to the police station, while the objective of the operation remained unfulfilled. At least according to the initial information, no weapons were seized and no suspicious person was taken to a police station. Tirana residents experienced an unusual day on Saturday morning. At around 10:30, numerous police vans blocked the intersection on Barrikadave Street, opposite the Italo-Albanian Bank. All cars passing along this road at the time were stopped. Passers-by happened to meet the same fate. But the most unusual part was the stopping of buses on the Kombinat–Kinostudio route. It was the first time that city buses had been stopped and the citizens travelling on them had been subjected to such a thorough search. People near Café Europa were the most fortunate: they watched it all as if it were a show. After the route’s buses had been made to stop (in both directions), they were searched thoroughly, but nothing was found. This check by the capital’s police was part of many others conducted by police stations throughout the country. Every day, police have carried out surprise checks in different areas, increasing the effectiveness of police work in Tirana.

The unexpected policing of the head of Public Order. Mysteries from the frightening days of March are stirring again

On page 8

Face to face with the Police Director

Undocumented migrants return to the shores of Vlora