Another dispute within the Socialist Party. “Fino’s commission did not work” “If he doesn’t remove him, he’ll pay for it himself” Another dispute within the Socialist Party. “Fino’s commission did not work” Braho: Malaj risks the same fate as Bleta “If he doesn’t remove him, he’ll pay for it himself” TIRANË - Braho attacks Malaj: “If he doesn’t remove Bleta, he’ll be next.” One day after investigations into the head of Customs began, further “threats” from the Socialists were directed at the Finance Minister. Braho has called on the head of Finance to act now that the Prosecutor’s Office has also entered the picture, and to stop stubbornly defending Bleta. According to the Socialist MP, keeping the Customs director in office at this time shows, at the very least, naivety—or, otherwise, incompetence, given that smuggling has taken place at Albanian customs. The Socialist MP said he would request an urgent interpellation with Malaj in Parliament; he also proposed establishing an anti-corruption commission in the administration, with full powers to act even in senior offices or to arrest ministers. On page 3 Malaj Braho

An imaginary interpellation? QAMIL BUXHELI Gentlemen MPs! The door is closing. The session is opening. What are you doing in these cafés? Come back to the chamber; you’re not doing much good out there. We begin the session on corruption. The floor goes to Mr. Estref, whose department, like several others, was recently honored by the European Troika with a first prize for its corruption work. I bring the minister a glass and some water. “Thank you, Mr. Speaker. To tell the truth, I’m very moved by this award and I don’t know where to begin: ‘one I have underground, and the other is my son.’” “Calm down, Mr. Estref. You’re among colleagues. I would suggest that you start with the time when you declared war on corruption in your department.” “The thing is, Mr. Speaker, that we started tackling corruption gently and quietly, with plenty of food in the pan, without declaring any war. We carried out this action with a concentrated strike, secretly, without any noise, so that we could catch the corrupt with their hands in the sack.” “Really? Tell us exactly how.” “To confuse the corrupt, we made a tactical move. In accordance with the principle of meritocracy, we appointed the employees on the fourth floor to offices on the first floor. Those from the second floor went to the fourth floor. Those from the third floor went to the second, and so on. The plumbers, I— “...still don’t know what corruption is or how it appears. It is shameful to say, but there were and are people among us who confused corruption with Eurovision and eruption, as if a volcano had exploded. The worst thing is that many of us poor souls, who didn’t get promoted, did not know—and still don’t know—what a bribe or a tip is, how many dollars’ worth of gifts they should accept, and so on and so forth.” “Why don’t you say that you felt very uncomfortable? How did you overcome these difficulties?” “Don’t ask, don’t ask. The first thing we did, ladies and gentlemen, was set up a Commission for Corruption Affairs, headed by the former minister. Its main task was to find, among the 41,000 Albanian words and expressions in the Great Dictionary of Contemporary Albanian, compiled by the Academy of Sciences in 1980, the words corruption, tip, five hundred, dollars, drachmas, licenses, etc., and the meanings our respected linguists assign to these words and phraseological units.” “Anyway, you’re getting to the point. These things are not all that important, gentlemen, because this work took the anti-corruption commission three months. Just so you know, this Dictionary weighs five tons, three kilos and a half... How many pages do you think it has? One thousand? Two thousand? No, no. It has a full 2,273 pages. And what...” - To confuse the corrupt, we have we appointed the employees from from the second floor to the fourth floor. Those from the third floor to the second floor, and so on. Hey, the plumber, about whom we had the greatest suspicions, we appointed once again to the waterworks on the terrace, where the municipal waterworks’ water tank is, as well as a kiosk. - Were there complaints from those who were moved or transferred? - There were some from a few, but we told them: “Now, be quiet, because when you were up there on the ficus tree, you acted the same way. When you win, you’ll climb back up again.” - I imagine this focused-strike operation made a great impression on Trokja, since he immediately honored you with the first prize for your work in corruption. - A very great one. “You don’t pull this off just like that,” they told us. Apparently, they didn’t know that this wasn’t the first time our country had taken such first prizes. They calmed down when I reminded them that Albania had once ranked first in the world for feeding its population. The second time, we took first place in Europe for increasing annual production and laughter by 13%, leaving all the European states behind. - Anyway, these are well-known things. Let’s return to the unprecedented operation you carried out to achieve this Euro-success in the work of corruption. - These things aren’t months. To overthrow the dictionary, you see, this Dictionary that weighs a kilo and a half... How many pages does it have, you say? 2,273 pages. And what pages! Each one two palms wide! - Well, fine, two palms wide, but get to the point. Did the department employees finally understand what corruption is, for example? - They didn’t understand, Mr. Chairman, because the word corruption doesn’t exist anywhere among its 41,000 words and idiomatic expressions. - Are you in your right mind?! - I swear to all of you I’m not lying. So we turned to our dear Academy of Sciences: Why is the word corruption not mentioned at all in this dictionary, which weighs so much and has so many pages? “In the house of the hanged man, one doesn’t mention the rope,” they told us. But they were gentlemen and informed us that on such-and-such a page we would find the meaning of the word korrupet: a tip, dollars, drachmas, a licence, a thing; and that it would help us easily find who was corrupt and who wasn’t. - Briefly, please. So who engages in corruption according to the Dictionary? - According to the Dictionary, gentlemen, a person engages in corruption when they morally corrupt someone through gifts, bribes, notes, phone calls, election promises, etc., pushing someone to act contrary to their duty, break the law and take to the road. Continued on page 3

Berisha proposes: We will surrender our mandates. But then changes his mind The Democratic Party definitively abandons Parliament The political scene heats up. Clashes within the PD TIRANË - The PD definitively abandons Parliament. A decision by this party’s National Council has severed, beyond any doubt, the Democrats’ ties with Albania’s legislature. Berisha proposed, in the name of the party leadership, the permanent withdrawal of the PD parliamentary group from Parliament and the surrender of its mandates. The Democratic leader was backed by the party’s militant wing, while a good number of members of the leadership opposed a definitive withdrawal. Those opposed included Genc Pollo, the party’s deputy chairman, followed by Jozefina Topalli, Ylli Vesjiu, Leonard Demi, Fatos Beja, Tritan Shehu, Engjëll Hysbena, Luan Maltezi, Mark Kroqi, and others.

Berisha yesterday cut off every channel of communication with the institutions. Perhaps compelled by the Socialists’ indifference in the parliamentary chamber, former President Berisha has chosen another path for continuing the political battle. Forced to play the opposition, the former President, who was forced to relinquish power to the other side, has had only one main objective in his political activity: undoubtedly, new elections. From the outset, Berisha has understood that there were two routes he could take to get to elections—early elections—and then claim a return to power. Parliament has undoubtedly been one of the platforms Berisha used solely for political credibility. The fact is that the Democrats have appeared at parliamentary sessions only when it suited them for publicity, but even on those occasions the former President has faced interruptions from Socialist MPs who did not want to hear his voice. Neither Hajdari’s threats nor Pollo’s polished interventions in defense of the rules of procedure have been enough to give the former President the comfort he needs. Berisha is now left with only one alternative for achieving his sole political objective: early elections. And that path is the street—or the square—which, despite changes in political direction, remains the Democratic leader’s old love. This means that another round of explosions at water supply facilities and bridges is about to begin, and that, in principle, it is a dangerous road that could once again lead Albania toward destabilization. The remaining question is how many people will follow Berisha and Hajdari into the squares, where they will continue their political battle, chosen under the full conditions of the Constitution. This form of political communication recalls only a few months ago, when the opposition had boycotted Parliament. The high political tension was reflected in unrest in Shkodër, where Democrats and Socialists accused one another of being behind the bombs and masks, offering the most incredible explanations from time to time. Those who suffered were the citizens of Shkodër and other Albanians, who once again experienced moments that reminded them of the fresh memories of March last year. Every chance has been left open to challenge normality, as the opposition has rebelled and is threatening rallies. Indeed, the signs are clear. Yesterday Hajdar Kështi proposed that the Democratic MPs leave together and take their mandates to the middle of “Skënderbej” Square. “This scene would be no different from the bitter memories of the testimony of the terror of the Vlorë protest. This would truly be the end of the opposition.”

FRANCE ’98 On page 11 Brazilian fans celebrate after the triumph (Photo: ANSA)

No tax relief for raw materials or technological equipment TIRANË - Current legislation encourages investment. At the state border, investors must pay an amount equal to 32% of the entire value of the planned investment. Raising budget revenues has become an obsession. To narrow the deficit, very high tax rates have been set, including for investments. Customs duties on technological equipment range from 5 to 10%. A further 20% VAT is calculated on top of this duty.

. On page 11. Brazilian fans celebrate after the triumph (Photo: ANSA)

DURRËS - The cut in excise duties has finally brought ships into port. Since the day the Government’s decision to reduce the tax on fuel, cigarettes and alcoholic beverages came into force, six ships have unloaded hundreds of tonnes of oil and its by-products at the port of Durrës. The port customs office also seems pleased by this, having revised its forecasts for this month’s plan. As for coffee and sugar, so far not a single ship has appeared to unload these goods on the Albanian coast. On page 8.

VLORE - Mutual accusations between the police and customs are increasing smuggling. VLORE - Mutual accusations between the police and customs are increasing “petty” smuggling at the port. Of the entire plan forecast for June, the Vlore customs office has achieved only barely more than half. This is because, according to customs officers, arrivals of ferries and other commercial and cargo ships have been lower this month. Meanwhile, the police have accused the customs officers themselves of involvement in an ongoing smuggling network that “doesn’t operate with trucks, but with small vehicles that don’t pass through customs clearance.” On page 7.

SHKODER - Young doctors set their sights on Tirana and are increasingly abandoning Shkodër and the surrounding areas, which so greatly need their presence. This is how Gjovalin Reshpja, director of health services for the Shkodër district, explains the shortage of medical staff, as doctors graduate from Shkodra each year. The mountainous area of Shllak, with thousands of inhabitants, still remains without a doctor. Residents of this area are forced to travel for several hours to reach Shkodër for health problems, even very ordinary ones. On page 6.

. Send your letters to: Rr. Dibrës 370 Tiranë. The Italian Consul answers in the pages of “Gazeta Shqiptare.” On page 12