“Full amnesty, including for crimes against humanity” Zogaj: He will ask the parties “Full amnesty, including for crimes against humanity” Meidani, amnesty for March Zogaj: He will ask the parties TIRANA - Preç Zogaj explains President Meidani’s appointment to ease political tension. “The parties must find a legal solution so that the criminal provision for crimes against humanity committed in March of last year is also amnestied,” the President’s adviser said yesterday. According to Zogaj, Meidani believes that political forces should look forward and not back at the past. In this regard, adviser Zogaj says that laws are not dogma, but expressions of the will of political parties. For him, President Meidani’s message is clear: a legal solution must be found to avoid unnecessary political tensions. On page 3

“Berisha is feeling the Prime Minister’s fear” TIRANA - Sabit Brokaj launches an attack against Nano. “He fears me more than he fears Berisha,” the former Minister of Defense said yesterday. Brokaj was forced to issue accusations against the Prime Minister once again after the opposition revealed a fact indicating that Nano holds him responsible for the arrests. “It is well known that the opposition did not take to the streets to defend Zhulali, but to overthrow the Government because it feels Nano’s fear,” said the President’s adviser. Brokaj says that he has maintained proper relations with the Justice system ever since he handed over the files from the Ministry of Defense and the Presidency concerning March of last year. On page 2

Tensions erupt after an arrest. DP: Enough smuggling through Kakavija Barricades on the national road, gunfire from the hills Late at night, the special forces prepared an intervention plan Tensions erupt after an arrest. DP: Enough smuggling through Kakavija Lazarat, the South blocked with guns Barricades on the national road, gunfire from the hills Late at night, the special forces prepared an intervention plan Dozens of children stood at the front of the barricades. Kilometers of cars, coming from the South and the North, were backed up. The enraged people fired heavy weapons on the road and from the surrounding hills. For about an hour, the national road linking the Capital with the North was also blocked. In Mamurras, DP supporters led by the deputy protested on behalf of the six arrested people. The police intervened. On page 2

OPINION FATOS ÇOÇOLI After the failure of its first round, the auction of the assets of the pyramid firms began with a pitiful trophy: Iliria Island, property of the “VEFA” pyramid scheme, was bought for 400 million lekë, or a little more than 270 thousand dollars. If VEFA’s creditors number more than 80 thousand, then each of them has received, on average, a little more than three dollars from this sale. What a great victory for the foreign consulting firms, which may have taken twice that amount from our state just for preparing the auctions! Iliria Island as a tourist attraction ... so that they are unable to buy even cigarettes for six months. It is not too late to take action, to launch an even stronger promotional campaign in the mass media and everywhere (even on the streets. The sidewalks and pedestrian crossings of Tirana do not have to be filled only with Karelia cigarette advertisements). Everyone should know what is being offered at these auctions. To achieve this, not only the foreign consulting firms, paid as cheaply as chips, must work; government departments and state institutions can also contribute.

Teta: Groups and individuals are seeking to destabilize the country TIRANA - Movement on the capital’s streets is being restricted as much as possible for embassy personnel during the late-night hours. Tirana’s residents will no longer see luxury cars with CD license plates on the streets in the evening. Targeted by unidentified robbers, embassy cars have begun to appear less frequently. Meanwhile, the police, overwhelmed by their many problems, are unable to guarantee safe travel through every corner of the capital late at night. Faced with repeated reports of robberies, the police have preferred to offer friendly advice, suggesting that they carry out their work during the day. In the police’s view, all these acts are not merely ordinary crimes, but deliberate acts. The car of the Italian Rossi, killed in Tirana On page 4

The Chairman of the Economic Commission talks about financial problems Çuçi explains the low level of lending by Albanian banks. He confirms that of the 2 billion lekë set as the level for the first six months of the year, only 37 percent has been achieved. The state banks’ inability to provide loans because of the 10 billion lekë debt they have inherited, the excessive caution of private banks, and the high inflation figures are the reasons, according to Leoniev Çuçi. Leoniev Çuçi On page 9

to have benefited from this sale a little more than three dollars. What a great victory for foreign consulting firms, which may have taken twice this Island, a tourist spot on Durrës beach, was considered one of the jewels among the assets of the country’s largest pyramid scheme company. It represents a considerable investment, on a concrete platform in the sea, with an almost 250-meter-long [sic], with the Restaurant-Bar with a capacity of 500 seats and a beautiful dance floor in the middle. Today, a two-storey villa on the outskirts of Tirana, with a built area at least three times smaller than Iliria Island, sells for 200 thousand dollars in private transactions. Taking market demand into account, this creditors’ property should have been returned at an initial auction value of at least double. Even if there are few competitors (more so, according to comments during the auction’s preparatory phase) to raise its value, at least the asset’s initial value should be in line with market demand. If the other properties of the pyramid schemes also go “for a snack” like this, then the poor creditors will receive so little that everyone must know what is being offered at these auctions. This should be the work not only of foreign consulting firms paid next to nothing, but dictators and state institutions can also contribute. A special team from state TV could be attached to the Auction Center, providing advertising messages and information about the catalogs in circulation. All of Albania should know about these auctions of creditors’ properties, so there are buyers not only from Tirana but from every district, and why not from the diaspora or foreign investors too. If most Albanians who have money can be informed and made interested, then auction attendance will be at least [unclear] times higher (and not 30 or 40 people). This is the real challenge the auction organizers must face. This cannot be achieved with one or two foreign consultants and 10 members of the Albanian staff. But apparently representatives of various international consulting firms intend more to take the money and disappear at the end of the year when their contract expires than to sell Albanian pyramid-scheme properties efficiently. On page 9

at GAZETA SHQIPTARE Send your letters to: 370 Dibra St., Tirana The Italian Consul answers in the pages of “Gazeta Shqiptare” On page 12

GAZETA of Tirana On page 5

GAZETA of Durrës On page 7

GAZETA of Shkodër On page 6