Prime Minister Nano’s statement to “La Repubblica”: Why not, if it helps us Statement by Prime Minister Nano to “La Repubblica”: Why not, if it helps us Prime Minister Nano at a meeting with his supporters. “People can allow themselves to be emotional; a government has to be rational. The operations involving those returning served as an example, to show that Italy was serious” “If Italy’s penetration goes as far as a certain point, it means it is effective. The only buildings here still worth anything are those built under fascism...” TIRANA - “We will agree to become an Italian protectorate if that means getting to Europe faster.” Prime Minister Nano made this statement to the Italian daily “La Repubblica”; it could hardly fail to become a subject of discussion in the press and political circles. Nano said he was not at all bothered by the fact that Italian experts had penetrated into the very capillaries of our key ministries. “If that is the case, it means it is effective.” Nevertheless, Nano said that Albania would not become a colony, since the government he leads has plans to participate in administering the aid that will come from Italy. Was Italy serious about the way refugees were returned? To make his expression of gratitude to Italy even more complete, Nano wanted to recall that the only buildings in Albania worth anything date from the fascist era. On Albania, Nano said: “People can allow themselves to be emotional, but the government must be rational and respect agreements.” For Nano, the violence against Albanians who were returned served to make them understand that this time Italy was serious. To make his expression of gratitude to Italy even more complete, Nano wanted to recall that the only buildings in Albania worth anything date from the fascist era. On page 2 An Italian soldier from the “Alba” mission during the landing in Durrës

TIRANA - Meidani invites Berisha, but he declines the invitation. “Come, let us celebrate the great December together.” This was the content of the presidential invitation sent to those who ten years earlier had led the student movement. But yesterday, a reply arrived from the PD headquarters. Berisha will go to Shkodër to celebrate with the Shkodër Democrats. Meanwhile, Hajdari responded sharply to Meidani’s invitation in a long letter of refusal. On page 2

TIRANA - Police seize 2 kilograms of drugs. Pure heroin was seized from three young men from the capital. Anti-narcotics officers from the Police Directorate organized a joint operation to catch drug traffickers in the act. The operation also resulted in three more arrests, bringing the number to six after initial investigations; more names are expected to be added to the list. The anti-narcotics unit takes to the streets. A series of operations has made it possible to seize a large quantity of drugs, marking success in a very short time. During the morning, following checks at most shops suspected of trafficking narcotics, three young men were detained, caught in the act with a considerable quantity of drugs. The seizure involved 2 kilograms of pure heroin, which have now been confiscated and entered into the investigation as material evidence. “The three young men detained are from the capital.” This is all that confidential sources at the Police Directorate would say; they could not comment further on their identities or the circumstances in which they were caught. Their role in this trafficking operation has also remained a mystery. It is therefore not known whether all these young men were traffickers at the same time. But the investigation did not stop there. During questioning by the investigative team, efforts were made to obtain the names of other people who were also members of the trafficking network, and so on. By late yesterday afternoon, the number of detainees had reached six. “We expect the investigation to produce more names and help us do more to neutralize the organized trafficking network,” sources at the Police Directorate announced. Yesterday’s case once again demonstrates the high level of readiness of the anti-narcotics unit, which has not let the matter go. On another recent occasion, members of this unit detained a 17-year-old from Babrujë, from whom a quantity of heroin was seized (apparently this kind of drug was widely used among Albanian drug users). Another person was also apprehended, along with a person from Muzahimë? [unclear]. And another person was caught with 1 kilogram of heroin; 56-year-old Vehbi Hysa could hardly have been keeping it just for personal use. Emal Dizdari

Investigations are stalling across the country The law provides for severe penalties, but no one is afraid TIRANA - Smuggling continues to defy the state. Although the fight against it has been elevated to the highest levels, reports show that ships continue to violate the rules. The General Prosecutor’s Office is reviewing around 20 smuggling cases that had previously been dismissed. Meanwhile, in the districts, more than 60 such cases are still under investigation. The Albanian investigative authorities have not yet completed their work in this matter and, in any case, they have encountered major difficulties. Smuggling extends across 10 districts, but its distribution reaches the entire country. There are few people in detention cells, and all of them are low-ranking. It is also reported that the Prosecutor’s Office has informed the Ministry of Finance from time to time, but the latter has not responded, even though it was given recommendations. Regarding the measures that need to be taken. Meanwhile, smuggling continues to grow stronger, while investigations often uncover only the tip of the iceberg. The law provides for substantial penalties, but no one is afraid. On page 3 Illustration with packs of Marlboro cigarettes

A different decision two years ago TIRANA - Confusion at the Constitutional Court. Two of its members, who voted days ago against the ratification requested by the Albanian Parliament, yesterday voted against it again—but not. Mëli Daki and Manol Konomi voted on 15 [month unclear] 1995 against a Constitutional Court ruling according to which “the renewal of the Court has taken place and there is no direct need to draw lots.” Two years ago, members of the Court revisited the issue of rotation among its members. Having reviewed the relevant report, the Court confirmed in its decision dated May 2 that, with the arrival of new members several months before the end of the first three-year term, the law’s aim of gradually renewing the Court every three years had been fully achieved, so there was no need in this case to draw lots. On page 2

TIRANA - The VELIJA Albanian Cultural Foundation announces through the press that the winners of the VELIJA literature award for 1997 are: In prose: Vath Koreshi For the novel “Udha dhe Uilli” – published by “ONUFri” publishing house In poetry: Xhevair Spahiu For the poetry collection “Pezull” – published by “ONUFri” publishing house In the 1997 journalism competition, the VELIJA Foundation decided to honor the following journalists with the VELIJA award for the year’s best article in the field of culture: First prize - journalist Fatos Baxhaku for the article “1914, 1997 - vjet e mbrapshta” published in “Klan” magazine Second prize - journalist Mimoza Dervishi for the article “Kënga Shqiptare, ta banin jashtë shtetit” published in the “Koha Jonë” newspaper Third prize - journalist Sokol Ballabani for the article “Këmbanat bien për gjigantë Klonit” published in “Klan” magazine Special prize - journalist Blend Fevziu for producing the television series “E diçka debat”

THE BLACK MARKET IS BOOMING NEAR PTT OFFICES Phone cards, a profitable commodity They are available at the counters, but people do not know it ALBANIAN TELECOM With Telekom, the WORLD begins in your home. TIRANA - Albanians “prefer” to buy phone cards on the black market. The hall with card-operated public phones is packed, but what is even more surprising is what people say: “Phone cards are sold out.” Street vendors selling cards—or, more precisely, sellers of smuggled cards. Card prices are falling, but the number of people who do not know that they can also buy them more cheaply at PTT counters, rather than from “smuggler” shops, remains high. On the pavement near the capital’s Central Post Office, among money changers who seem not to know what heavy traffic means, there are still people selling phone cards for a few lekë more than they paid for them at the nearby post office counter. The whole point is to sell these cards to people coming out of the hall, and those in a hurry buy them, says one of the unauthorized sellers, describing it as an ideal arrangement. In fact, very few people know that just a few metres away, inside the central PTT office, there is a counter set up from the beginning to sell phone cards at the rates established by law. By the time people cross the distance from the courtyard in front of the post office to the telephones, they have already “fallen for” the scam. Thus, a card that, according to the set price, should cost no more than 970 lekë is sold to the unwary for 100 or 200 lekë more, not to mention the huge profits made when a card is sold with only a few units left, which together bring the owner a handsome sum. The sellers could not fully explain the convenience of Telekom’s phone cards, which had been so successful when first introduced a year earlier. When, after the period of phone-card scarcity, cards began to reappear at post-office counters, street vendors thought their golden days without competition were over. But, accustomed to getting negative answers from telephone operators, Albanians continued buying cards from street vendors. And it is precisely the lack of information that continues to complicate matters for this poor nation of Europe. ALBANIAN TELECOM; With Telekom, the WORLD begins in your home.

HISTORY On page 5

Grieved by the death of Mr. Luan Çausholli, father of our colleague Arlinda Çausholli, we extend our most sincere condolences to her and to the entire Çausholli family. We assure Arlinda and all those close to her that we stand by her during these difficult moments. The staff of “Gazeta Shqiptare”, “Associated Press”, “Reuters”, “AFP”, “BBC”, “Voice of America”