Prosecutor’s Office: Suspicions also extend to customs and the police themselves Investigators explain the scheme behind the operation of the ”river of money” flowing in from the borders ”Senior officials usually hide behind a group of third parties; it is difficult to charge them” Two methods by which smuggling continues to generate wealth: concealing goods and pairing documents TIRANA - Want to get rich in a short time? The answer is simple: smuggle. This is not merely a conclusion drawn from casual conversations, but the view of prosecutors investigating economic crime. The numerous smuggling case files have revealed to anti-crime investigators a picture of what goes on through legal crossings. Millions of dollars are made by the parties involved, but even the ”small fish” do not go away empty-handed. ”Smuggling cannot be carried out unless connections are established with every link in the closed circuit,” says a prosecutor at the district prosecutor’s office. According to him, the points that make up the circuit are the state itself. But what about senior officials? ”At the ministries, nothing is ever done on paper,” says the prosecutor. Officials are the highest peak of the ”smuggling pyramid,” and extremely difficult for justice to catch. On page 3

TODAY, BRUSSELS TIRANA - After yesterday’s vote of confidence that the government received in Rome, material rewards are expected today from Brussels. Political approval is now expected to be converted into money. Having just returned from Rome, the government officials were very confident about success in Brussels. What they said more than once was that we would not be short of money, but the issue is that we must know how to use it. Nano asked the international community for 381 million to get through the emergency phase. However much money is secured in Brussels, we will certainly say thank you to the international community. After all, you don’t look a gift horse in the mouth. The saddest thing is that Albania continues to wait for solutions from the outside world, whether the issue is politics or the economy. Nobody likes to hear the words ”this is our last chance.” A compromise cannot have a last chance ... as long as it continues to exist as a nation. The donors’ money will be repaid and, just as calm is needed, it is not easy to accept that in 1997 we used up all the cards history dealt us. With 381 million dollars or 1.2 billion dollars, many things can be done, but that money is not meant to create something new. The money is needed to restore the economy and overcome the crisis. This is only the starting point; what comes after this is up to us. The world is not going to gather once every five years to give us money. Rather than seeing Brussels as our last chance, we should see it as a new beginning, one that will hopefully go well. Linda Spahia

On page 5 ”Katër i Radës” is brought to the surface, carrying the 83 bodies of Otranto inside

. The departure is today. TIRANA - Meidani leads a delegation of officials to Rome. An invitation from his counterpart Scalfaro takes the head of state on a two-day visit to Italy. A packed schedule of meetings, beginning with Scalfaro and continuing with the Pope, will be at the center of his first official visit abroad. The Albanian head of state will also attend the opening of a Kodër exhibition today, as well as the laying of flowers in Skënderbej Square in Rome. The visit will then continue to San Egidio, as well as with meetings with senior Italian politicians.

Current leader: “Let’s shorten the Nano government’s hours.” Berisha wins the contest against Pietri. Today the Party’s new Presidency is being elected. TIRANA — Sali Berisha wins the leadership of the DP. With 791 votes secured, he defeated his rival Arbnori, who secured only 115. “Thank you for your trust, but let’s not waste time; let’s shorten this government’s hours”: These were the words of the Democrats’ new leader, who called for a fierce battle with their political opponents. The DP Assembly approved two a resolution that formalized the DP’s political position: calling new elections and institutionalizing protests until the Nano government is brought down. During its two days of proceedings, the Democrats’ high-level forum also defined the political directions the DP would follow in the future. On page 2. Berisha and Arbnori at the DP Assembly. Photo: P. Ilo.

Pilots: “He knows everything about March” Pilots: “He knows everything about March.” Head of Kuçova aviation dismissed. KUÇOVË — The head of Kuçova aviation has been dismissed. Agim Maku-traku was replaced yesterday by a colleague, Gëzim Ismaili. He had been appointed to the position a year earlier. At yesterday’s meeting, the changes were announced by the deputy director of aviation, Astrit Jaupi. Meanwhile, those present there demanded answers from their former superior. “Tell [us] what happened in the first days of March—you know everything,” was one of the demands, to which Matraku replied: “During those days, the flights were carried out on the order of the commander-in-chief; they were controlled flights at an altitude of 6,000 meters and caused no problems for people.” Regarding a possible attack on the presidency, he said he could not comment. “Ask my colleagues; I will not comment.” Those attending the meeting demanded that all the secrets surrounding the attack on the unit on March 9 be brought to light, but Matraku refused to speak. “It is a secret that the justice authorities must uncover.” The order for his removal from office has not yet been justified, and no official document exists. Matraku will continue working at the unit, but no longer as its head. er.ma.

DURRËS. They kill him over a ticket. On page 5.

SARANDË. How the people of Konispol were caught. On page 6.

TIRANA — When they set out to work to clean up the “shortcomings” of socialist industry, Edi Muka, one of the organizers... . The exhibition entrance and one of the organizers, Edi Muka. (Photo: H. Pustina) TIRANA — When they set out to work to clean up the “shortcomings” of socialist industry, they hardly imagined that they were inadvertently becoming protagonists not only of an artistic innovation, but also of a special event on the outskirts of Tirana, an area until now accustomed only to dust, gan shtetës and worms... “Reorientation” seems to have begun with much more spirit, a spirit without a clear and definite end, when artists, craftspeople such as sculptors and potters, would huddle in their homes to drown out the echo of the absurd carnival creatures. Now it seems that on Sunday morning a long line of cars was heading to an area of the capital that had not seen so many visitors in a long time. In an abandoned section of “Porcelani,” professors from the Academy of Arts exhibited some of their latest works. Where once they had worked with “zeal to carry out the plan’s tasks,” on Sunday there was a special, peaceful atmosphere: the artists gathered their works, which no one had previously been willing to take responsibility for; the guards continued to stand watch on their posts, while the abandoned halls of “Porcelani” once again became dark and dusty spaces. The artists themselves were no longer there. Only banners remained, fluttering in the wind, on which one could read some seemingly unrelated names: “R...e...” Just one day earlier, these unrelated things had been “Reorientation,” which Myrteaj, Muka, Kameja, Hila, Leka and others had wanted to offer their fellow citizens. fa.bax.

FOOTBALL. Lazio earn a hard-fought draw in Russia. The three big days of the Cups began yesterday. Today Barcelona play their last chance to reach Europe. On page 7.

Who is involved, how the money is paid, which goods are most sought after?

The launch is today The current leader: ”Let’s cut short the Nano government’s term” The pilots: ”I know everything about March”