The Ngjela Commission heads south: What happened in March? The thirteen members of parliament will try to understand the truth about the disastrous year Deputy chairman Braho accuses: Berisha had ties to Zani The parliamentary “investigators” from Tirana will also go to Përmet, Gjirokastër and Sarandë. Who are the real culprits behind the March tragedy? (left) Spartak Ngjela, Chairman of the March Commission (right) The unrest in Vlora a year ago TIRANA - The “Ngjela” Commission will arrive in Vlora within January to investigate the events of March. “Vlora is the first city where we will conduct concrete investigations, which belong to the second phase of our work,” Spartak Ngjela, the commission’s chairman, told Gazeta yesterday. Investigations will also be conducted in Përmet, Berat and Delvinë in the future. For the commission members, the city of revolts is considered the key point in the investigations that will uncover the mysteries surrounding the start of the chaos. Those questioned will include the hunger-strike students, the citizens who kept watch over them at night, military personnel, SHIK employees, former representatives of the Public Salvation Committee, etc. The commission’s 13 members will be sent to the first military units that were attacked, as well as to Pashë Liman. “We will also investigate the complaint that Zani’s mother made against Azem Hajdari and Sali Berisha, who made phone calls asking Zani to join their side in exchange for thousands of dollars,” says commission member Spartak Braho. The district Prosecutor’s Office will also be asked to provide the file on the murder of Artur Rustemi. On page 3

Hajdari outshone Berisha Yesterday’s PD rally in Tirana (Photo: Plator Ilo) TIRANA - Fierce clashes at the PD National Council. After extensive debates, no decision has been made regarding the Democrats’ return to Parliament. The opposing factions took shape during yesterday’s marathon debate. MP Abnori was of the opinion that the Democrats should enter Parliament. He was followed by Genc Pollo, Fatos Beja, Ylli Vejsiu and Zhozefina Topalli. Berisha supported entering Parliament, although he hesitated considerably. On the other side, Azem Hajdari, followed by Ritvan Bode, Vili Minarolli and Jemin Gjana, held firm in favor of a complete boycott. After fierce debates, Genc Pollo proposed a compromise: the local branches would hold active meetings, and after two weeks the National Council would deliver its final verdict. The PD is holding its position in the capital. Azem Hajdari has returned to the role of protagonist, while Berisha, unusually, stands behind him, in the background. Never before had Azem electrified the crowds more than Berisha, as happened both in the central square and in the students’ square. On page 2

Farudin Arapi speaks after the Brussels meeting TIRANA - The administrators of “Deloitte & Touche” will take full control of the investment firms. Farudin Arapi, just back from the Brussels meeting, says that as soon as the second phase begins, the administrators will receive full executive powers. “They will have the Government’s full support as the firms’ only legitimate administrators.” Arapi says that donors in Brussels asked the Albanian Government for a concrete commitment to permanently eliminate the pyramid schemes. “The Government has expressed its maximum willingness[?] and is determined to close this wound. We have expressed our readiness to cooperate and to help ‘Deloitte & Touche’ close down the pyramid schemes.” On page 8

GREECE

KUKËS

INTERVIEW TIRANA - Dan Evert, or the man of compromises[?]. The OSCE ambassador in Tirana has spo[?] ... also spoken to Gazeta, revealing some of his secrets as a mediator in the Albanian political jungle of recent months. But the man from Europe is certain that his mission will continue to be just as difficult for as long as Albanian politicians remain at the level of fierce political conflict. On page 6

YESTERDAY’S ADMISSION TIRANA – “The spy in the justice system is Rustem Gjata.” The head of the Albanian parliament made the big revelation yesterday, putting an end to the speculation and mystery swirling at the top of the Albanian justice system. Gjinushi stated that Gjata should consider resigning. But the latter rejected the accusations made against him yesterday. “I will not leave the post I hold,” the jurist said. On page 2

Carnival returns after a long time SHKODRA – The Carnival returns after many years of interruption. Once again, the people of Shkodra have shown that they possess what the sharp-witted people of Shkodra were the first to invent. Yesterday was Carnival Day in Shkodra. For the first time after many years of interruption, after a long period of being forgotten and after so much stress, poverty, politics, hatred, and who knows[?] what else, the day finally arrived when many people took to the streets, wearing masks that covered their everyday faces burdened by hardship, to celebrate and to let themselves be free of what they are during all the other days of the year. It was the initiative of several Shkodran intellectuals, who organized the Carnival event on Friday. Music, humor—the kind that has never been lacking in Shkodra—merriment and laughter: these were what prevailed for hours in the squares and streets of the great northern city throughout yesterday. Unlike other shows, this time the rich program unfolded while moving through the streets, providing the many spectators[?]—who are [unclear in source] program unfolded while moving through the streets, offering the many spectators of the joyful procession a spectacle of celebration[?]. Led by a traditional Carnival cart, hundreds of cars roared through the city streets, giving it the long-missing appearance of a city celebrating a festival. But, as at every celebration, children felt more than anyone else that to have a beautiful day, sometimes all you need is a joke[?]. And that reason, there in Shkodra, was called Carnival.

The toppling of Hoxha’s monument Seven days have now passed. Some exhausted, some battered, some caught up in the anxiety over what would happen next, some newly emerged from the movements of a tragedy that could be overcome. No one knows where the bronze statue of Enver Hoxha, Albania’s most recent dictator, is now. Forgotten in some corner of some foundry, left to oblivion, extinguished, disinterred by the protests of seven years ago, which shook an entire people out of its forgetfulness about a dictatorship that this country had not seen for half a century. Those responsible for this dangerous action, carried out in those fateful days, with a bronze statue falling amid the enthusiastic cheers of thousands upon thousands of people—a scene you do not often get to witness. Many of us were protagonists and witnesses to one of the most complex periods in Albania’s history. What we would have wanted was a simple, unforgettable scene in which everyone remembered the definitive break with a dictatorship that had not come about through their fault. The press coverage we had yesterday was not particularly optimistic. [Part of the text at the top is cut off] ... changed, still alive. It is not known where the Albanians are now. For[?]gotten about something? ... foundry, left behin[?]d, bro[?]ken, exhum[?]ed by prote[?] ... seven years ago ... express the forgetting of an entire people ... in this pl[?] ... and in that ... Seven exhausting years have now passed. Democracy has indeed been a heavy burden for Albanians. The students who went into a hunger strike back then have now become men; some are content with the current state of their country, while others are taking the road into exile. Their comrades are here today ... the events of February ’91 ... while they saw that politics was secretly exploiting [them] ... for its own purposes ... and then it occurred to them to ask themselves: [D]id all that teasing/mocking matter? ... Perhaps the protests and events of February 1991 answered [the question] clearly: Of course it mattered, in the most ... moments ... much of my life Caught up, [s?]till caught in the routine of the day, we have killed and thou[?]ght ...

300 automatic rifles in a truck On page 7

Several hours of fighting with the armed guards On page 5

ADA AIR of Tirana and STEA & STEA of Bari (formerly AERMAR SRL) have peacefully resolved a dispute between them. As a result, they decided to donate 2,000,000 LIT in favor of needy Albanian children, under the care of the Vincenziane Sisters of Mollas/Elbasan. ADA AIR of Tirana and STEA & STEA of Bari (formerly AERMAR SRL) have amicably settled the dispute that had arisen between the two companies. As a result, they decided to donate the sum of LIT 2,000,000 in favor of needy Albanian children hosted by the Vincentian Sisters of Mollas/Elbasan.