Pëllumbi INTERVIEW / “He is a factor in everything” Pëllumbi: Nano must leave the party leadership TIRANA - The socialist professor holds Prime Minister Nano responsible for smuggling and corruption. In two consecutive letters he sent to the party’s structures, he called for a confidence vote on the PS chairman. “If the Congress is not convened, there is a risk that the party will be liquidated,” the socialist professor told Gazeta Shqiptare yesterday. According to people among the former senior socialist leaders, the PS’s move from opposition to government, as well as regressive phenomena such as smuggling and corruption, call for an immediate renewed confidence vote on PS chairman Fatos Nano. On page 2

Along with it, an article about smuggling TIRANA - Natalia Cea has been threatened. An unaddressed letter containing a bullet and an article about an anti-smuggling operation arrived on Monday in the office of the Eurodogana representative in Tiranë. The incident was immediately reported to the Prosecutor’s Office, and the letter served as the first piece of evidence from which the investigation will begin. This was not the first threat directed at the representative of the XXI Division mission in Albania. She has previously received anonymous phone calls following anti-smuggling operations in which the Italian coast guard, under her direction, also took part. On page 12

The party puts ministers to the test: deadline until October Ultimatum for Public Order, Finance, Justice... Socialists: PD people are obstructing us in the institutions; we must remove them TIRANA - The PS issues an ultimatum to the Government: in October it will settle accounts. This was one of the most important conclusions of the socialists’ meeting, and it is still being echoed these days in the corridors of the party in power. The socialists have set several highly important objectives for Nano’s ministers, and expect answers within two months, precisely when the KPD meets again and conducts a general review to see what has been done with reforms in Finance, Public Order, the courts and prosecution offices at local level, where, according to them, key positions are still held by PD people who are obstructing the normal functioning of the Government. Indeed, according to PS officials’ statements, they are hindering it.

ANDI BEJTJA The Vlora Salvation Committee, created during last March’s uprisings, sprang back to life yesterday, warning senior state officials that if the problem of the money lost in pyramid schemes is not resolved and those responsible for the unrest are not brought to justice, they will call on the population not to vote for the Draft Constitution, which ... [The source text is garbled here.] ... one-chamber and there two-chamber, because the Council ultimately has the embryonic functions of a Senate. Now, regardless of the Democratic Party’s categorical “No,” the Constitution’s fate appears to lie solely in the hands of the people. With little room for spectacular moves, as a consequence of the war, it is expected to be put to a referendum before the end. Despite the fact that the Salvation Committees no longer enjoy among the people the authority they had in March last year, the Constitution is the greatest concern and test for the left-wing coalition, opening or definitively closing the road for the government through the year 2000. More or less the same situation faced former President Berisha when, only a few months after coming to power with an absolute majority, he lost the local elections and, a year and a half later, failed in his efforts to pass the Draft Constitution by popular vote—a failure considered the first step in the collapse of his power. Therefore, the socialists appear likely to act carefully and tactfully over the next three months, both toward members of the governing coalition and toward the electorate. A source close to the Prime Minister also told “Gazeta Shqiptare” that there would be no changes to the cabinet, as demanded by other members of the coalition, until the Constitution is approved. Every political move in the coming months will be made with the Constitution in mind. Yesterday, the main substantive obstacle in the Parliamentary Committee for Drafting the Constitution was also overcome. The socialists withdrew, agreeing with the position of their fellow committee members, while putting forward the idea of creating and operating a Council of the Albanian Parliament. This is a compromise solution between supporters of the system ... [the source text ends mid-sentence] Now, despite the Democratic Party’s categorical “No”, the fate of the Constitution seems to be in the hands of the people alone. With little room for high-profile moves as a result of the war in Kosovo and, above all, the lack of serious investment in the country, the governing coalition is trying to improve its image with regard to corruption and smuggling and is focusing on “visible actions” that have a quick impact on the electorate. The government approved new funds for paving local roads both in Tirana and in several other major cities in the country, and is doing everything possible to ensure that the Bovilla water-supply system is completed, as promised, by autumn. The authorities have also set themselves the goal of joining the World Trade Organization in the coming months, membership that would pave the way for new agreements with the European Union. Of great importance to the government is the sale of the assets of the pyramid schemes and the start of the process of returning some of the money to people, a process scheduled to take place by December. In addition to these efforts, voices have grown louder saying that the ruling majority will try to conduct the campaign for the Constitution as a technical campaign rather than a political one. It is likely that, after parliamentary approval, the Constitution will not be put to a referendum as a whole, but that individual controversial sections will be put to a vote, sections that do not jeopardize its overall adoption. Despite this aim of the ruling majority, the opposition led by former President Sali Berisha has long given the Constitution a strongly political character, and its rejection is the PD’s only hope of restoring its morale and justifying its boycott actions. The day of the vote on the Constitution automatically becomes election day.

Tirana has not decided on extradition Also accused of fraud by the Greeks Tirana has not decided on extradition Cenaj’s boss wanted by Greek justice Also accused of fraud by the Greeks Cenaj is wanted by the Greeks as well. A request from the Greeks for the extradition of the president of CENAJ & Co. is on file at the General Prosecutor’s Office. The neighboring country’s investigators have requested that further information be uncovered... From the pyramid-scheme protests in Vlora

“They took away our allowance, but the pay rise is not enough” TIRANË - “Our wages have not gone up; in fact, they have gone down.” This is the protest of more than 10,700 budget-sector workers who have lost out because child allowances were abolished. These are public-sector workers with many children. As a result, the 20 percent wage increase has been felt negatively by these workers’ families, which make up ten percent of the total number of people paid by the state. “It would have been better if our wages had not been raised at all,” says a 50-year-old woman who works in the state administration.

Latest news Massacre in Kosovo: 430 children killed TIRANA - At least 430 children have been massacred in Kosovo by the Serbian Army. The horrific discovery was made by the German “newspaper” “Tagezeitung”, which today published an exclusive report from Rahovec. The journalist saw with his own eyes mass graves located 700 metres from the town of Tragedy. 567 Kosovars are buried there, among them 430 children. The massacre was carried out during battles between Serbian forces and the KLA two weeks ago. The Serbs used large pits where the town’s rubbish was dumped as mass graves. The UN has sounded the alarm, comparing the massacres in Kosovo with the ethnic cleansings that took place in Bosnia. Kosovar refugees (Photo: ANSA)

TIRANA - No student will be able to attend the Faculty of Law by correspondence in the new academic year. But this time the Ministry of Education does not seem to have been satisfied with night students alone. In addition to its closure at three universities in the country, the Law Faculty branch in Elbasan will also be closed, while admission quotas will be reduced at the other faculties. According to higher-education officials, all this is due to the anticipated overcrowding of the Law Faculty. On page 8

Tirana Newspaper Dado: “My father is alive” TIRANA - “I expect my father to return home in the coming days.” One day after the reported robbery at the home of merchant Koço Dado, his son says that his only wish is for him to return home, and despite his very sad face, he showed hope. On page 5 Durrës Newspaper Disarmament begins in Shijak DURRËS - A surprise police super-operation to collect weapons. On Monday evening the streets of Shijak were occupied by dozens of Durrës police officers, who began searching the people of Shijak from head to toe to find any weapons on them or in their cars. On page 7 Shkodër Newspaper Six lanes for Hani i Hotit SHKODËR - The Hani i Hotit Customs House is soon to be rebuilt. Under the PHARE Multi-Country Programme for Albanian customs, the European Commission has already approved one million ECU for the construction and rehabilitation of the Hani i Hotit customs complex. On page 6