The opposition party accuses its own people after an audit of the accounts Tritan Shehu under accusation. “There have been serious violations” The former chairman responds from Italy: “It isn’t true; Berisha is making this up” The opposition party accuses its own people after an audit of the accounts PD in financial scandal Tritan Shehu under accusation. “There have been serious violations” The former chairman responds from Italy: “It isn’t true; Berisha is making this up” TIRANA - Major financial scandal in PD. An audit by the Democratic Party’s economic board has uncovered major financial abuses from the time when the Democrats were in power. “We have identified serious financial violations and will present them to the party’s senior bodies.” The strong statement came from Albina Karamitro, one of the highest-ranking officials in PD. The accusations are directed at Tritan Shehu, former chairman of PD, Blerim Çela and other heads of the administration. According to Karamitro, Shehu is not the only one who will have to answer for the loss and unjustified denial of PD’s financial resources. The financial violations have also been reported by well-informed sources within PD’s leadership. Meanwhile, there has been rea- Shehu: “I don’t know where such inventions came from. They are nothing but pettiness, with which an offensive is being attempted that was doomed to fail from the outset” Çela: “I’m out of the picture, since I’ve only been in this post for 2 months,” insisting that he knows nothing about the accusations by a person or group of people, since it was not they who brought him into PD, but the ideals of December. On page 9

IS THE LAW BEING IMPLEMENTED? Arban Hasani The last communist leader of Albania and, at the same time, the first president of pluralism, has been in the resuscitation ward of the University Hospital Center for two years. News of Ramiz Alia’s serious illness has caused a stir... [?!] in Albania, particularly after the heated political debates and everyday troubles. In fact, even the past of the former number one cannot make his former citizens feel any greater resentment about his health than the interest they take in the day’s news. Nevertheless, within the walls of the resuscitation ward where Alia lies alone, it is being said openly— ...the ugly ... [source text unclear], but generally those who had the opportunity to manipulate things in this country. Left to his fate, the former head of the Albanian community managed to “enter” the Health Minister’s office only three days ago, without even having a passport of the Republic of Albania. Leonard Solisi told the press yesterday that he had learned about the former president’s illness only after 10 days. Despite the emotional burden caused by communal sorrow, especially when it concerns one of the collaborators of former dictator Hoxha, it is almost absurd to accept that Ramiz Alia’s latest illness found him in the status of a miserable old man and the third [unclear]. This assertion, coming from the mouth of a minister who was close to him, is more than cynical, given the burdens and troubles anyone might have taken on to concern themselves with diagnosing the former president. The person who led this country for 7 years, certainly with his faults, nevertheless cannot be deprived of the rights held by former heads of state. The Albanian custom, in which the predecessor abandons Albanians to their fate [source text unclear], seems to have prevailed perfectly. This is true not only of the cases of the last 8 years, but also of a general policy that begins with ... ...state secrets or information, to tell the long stories from when he led the country. A citizen, even an indistinguishable former president, is an object of antipathy if he does not have a passport of the Republic. In the latest case, Ramiz Alia seems to have had much less than many other patients who, thanks to their past, were able to pay for treatment abroad. Indeed, he seems to have had only enough to earn the compassion of a foreign doctor, who builds state institutions more than Albanians do. The presidential mandate here has served more for the period when its holders were in power than for what they should have been entitled to afterward. In most cases, having been misused, it has later deprived them even of what is ordinary or humane. But even if the policy of excluding predecessors is strong enough to affect a former politician’s private life, the state must ensure the fulfilment of the rights guaranteed by the Constitution. Of course, the latest case is not about cars with green license plates or bodyguards, nor about political deference or consensus. It is not even about a diplomatic passport, but about an ordinary identity card.

TIRANA - Major financial scandal in PD. (Photograph of money and a man’s portrait)

After the latest tragedy TIRANA - The latest tragedy in Otranto has alarmed the Ministry of the Interior. The Deputy Director General of Police, Ilir Cano, arrived in Vlorë yesterday to lead a major operation along the coast targeting speedboats. The operation will involve local police forces from two police stations, as well as those responsible for carrying out [unclear] the chief registered with the harbour master’s office and whoever among them continues to engage in clandestine trafficking; these are among the targets of the inspection. “Everything will pass through our screening process,” says Cano. The operation will last three days and is expected to deal a heavy blow to this phenomenon, which has unpredictable consequences. The police meanwhile have information that the traffickers’ networks in the city are firmly entrenched, including all the links involved in reaching the Italian shores. “We will strike the trafficking bases,” says the senior officer. On page 6 Photograph of boats and people beside them on the coast.

THE IRANIAN AMBASSADOR

Yesterday, ceremonies and a memorial for Them Vlorë remembers 10 February Mourning for Pustem and the others

(Photo: REUTERS) 2–2 draw in the Malta tournament On page 11

IRANIAN AMBASSADOR On page 3

BERAT On page 7

PD On page 3

Yesterday's meeting TIRANA—“We are still dissatisfied with the government, while we have no funds for the discharged military personnel.” The Socialists are once again calling for stronger oversight of the ministries. The meeting of the PS parliamentary group also called for the committees established in Parliament, as well as those within the PS, to monitor the activities of each ministry step by step, to become more actively involved in their mission. On page 2

Yesterday, ceremony and memorial for Him TIRANA—Vlora bows its head and mourns Artur Rustemin. The city of revolts commemorated yesterday Artur Rustemin, who was killed a year ago by a mysterious hand. A memorial and a large square have been erected in memory of the first person to become the victim of a tragedy that later engulfed the whole country. At yesterday's ceremony, only Gramoz Ruçi and Daut Gumeni had come down from Tirana; they recalled the heated days of February 1997. On page 3

TIRANA - Violence once again against Rexhep Polisi, a journalist for “Gazeta Shqiptare.” Again, by the same Librazhd police official: deputy head of the Criminal Investigation Department, Sokol Hoxha. The same person had assaulted the journalist the previous day, accusing him of untrue things. Following the protest made by the newspaper “Gazeta Shqiptare,” Hoxha again reacted violently: “Why did you write in the newspaper that we beat you?” he threatened. “I’ll make you disappear for good.” It would have been good if everything had ended with an exchange of words, but Hoxha was not satisfied with that. He used his fists and kicks against the defenseless journalist, enraged, along with two others. Regarding Monday’s incident, “Gazeta Shqiptare” also contacted the leaders of the Albanian General Directorate of Police, but apparently this, too, would not reduce the violence of one of the police chiefs in the small town; on the contrary, it would lead to its being repeated more forcefully. This conduct by a police representative is unacceptable and intolerable, and the entire staff of “Gazeta Shqiptare” is protesting precisely against it. The Albanian Helsinki Committee also reacted to this incident. Having been informed of the assaults on journalists Polisi and Ylli Dosku, it reiterates its position that no one has the right to obstruct the lawful work of journalists, regardless of the political spectrum of the publication in which they publish their articles. “Any insults or possible defamatory statements,” the declaration says, “that may appear in one article or another must be addressed through proper and lawful channels, and never by taking the law into one’s own hands, making threats, or using violence.” At a time when greater tolerance and understanding among Albanians are increasingly needed, this is expected above all from the law-enforcement forces, which are entrusted with restoring order and calm among this people, not with doing the opposite.