While Arbnori, the day before yesterday in Bonn, asked German banks for a loan On June 15, representatives of the German bank “Deutsche Ausg[a]ishbank,” headquartered in Bonn, visited Albania. Their aim was to extend a credit line of 5 million DM on very favorable terms to our banks. But, as we were informed by our sources in Bonn, the bank representatives were left disappointed after meeting with Albanian Deputy Prime Minister Bashkim Kopliku, who had told them, “Albanian banks are drowning in corruption.” Kopliku’s statement seems strange, given how much Albania needs aid and loans under these circumstances. Moreover, when the biggest burden of the Albanian Bank is with German banks, it is easy to understand how this will affect the recovery of the debt structure. The only thing left to clarify is whether, by referring to corruption in the banks, Kopliku also includes his cousin, the Governor of the Albanian Bank, Ilir Hoti.

Blerim Çela: The documents are complete for F. Nano’s immunity to be lifted. Alush Dragoshi, Prosecutor General: I know only the law. The documents are not yet complete enough to ask Parliament to lift the immunity. Eduart Selami: Fatos Nano should be sent to trial. Why the silence?! Sali Berisha: Are you out of your mind? How can I put the leader of the opposition in prison?! In any case, he should not have gone to Shkodër. Fatos Nano: I have committed no violation, so I am calm.

Question: Also at this press conference, the president informed journalists that he would soon issue the decree for the Constituent Assembly. What do you think of the President’s answer? Answer: Only Parliament has the right to approve the Constituent Assembly, by a two-thirds vote, because Article 6 of the constitutional provisions states clearly and unequivocally that the only legislative body in Albania is Parliament. So only in Albania is Parliament. Therefore, only with a majority of, I repeat, more than [text unclear] can it delegate this authority to another body. Furthermore, issuing a decree to establish such an institution is not within the President’s powers. All state bodies, structures, ministries, courts, etc., are the responsibility of Parliament, not the President. The President has the right to establish an auxiliary or advisory body for the Presidential apparatus. We must be clear that establishing such an institution without Parliament would mean a change whereby this “new Parliament” (the Constituent Assembly), appointed by the President, would be an institution elected by the people. Such an act can have no other name than usurpation of power; or else there must be new elections, so that the people can vote. (Taken from “Alternativa SD”)

The newspaper “Koha Jonë” reported today that 4,450 cannons, 110 American airplanes and 86 ships had been transported yesterday to the northern regions. According to the immediate response from the spokesperson for the Ministry of Defense, “the news about a concentration of weapons is false and disgraceful ... made up by immoral people who have been instigated by anti-Albanian dark forces.” But a barely noticeable note in the newspaper says that the cannons, airplanes and ships were transported in white cars; they were not sent by the Ministry of Defense, but are said to have been sent by a private company, and that the word “top” in Albanian has different meanings. The joke, whether funny or not, by “Koha Jonë,” which refers to balls and children’s toys, seems to have been taken seriously by the Ministry of Defense.

In the previous issue of the newspaper, we wrote about some balls and children’s toys that had arrived in Albania from an American company and were distributed and sold in record time in several Albanian cities. The reason we put this news on the front page was that Albanian newspapers are always full of political news, insults, etc., in large print. No one remembered to write about the world of children, who are growing up amid political turmoil, amid an immoral war between the PD and PS. So our journalist Martin Leka brought us this news, and the editorial office thought it appropriate to publish it on the front page, although we suspected that perhaps our Minister of Defense and the Prosecutor General would mistake them for army artillery shells and respond without realizing they were the journalist’s toys. But we did not think they would be so naïve... Now we agree with Fajik Konica, who wrote: “I knew Albanians did not know how to write, but now I have learned they do not know how to read either.” THE EDITORIAL OFFICE

ROBERT PAPA: I would have liked to set up a private station with a group of young people, to make it much better than the current TV and tremendously better than the TV of the past. OSMAN MULAI: I like the truth, so the existence of a private TV station would make state television more accountable and more truthful. SHPETIM ROQI: Many journalists would go to this television... because they would feel obliged to say what they want to say and cannot say under the current circumstances. ALBERT MINGA: The opening of private TV in Albania will be an event and a sign of a state’s affirmation of freedom of speech and information. (Read the opinions on page 3) Prepared by Plator Nesturi