Trial at the Tirana court
222 thousand dollars for a quantity of grenades
Two employees of the former Ministry of Internal Affairs in the dock
A gap that had emerged in the military weapons arsenal of the former Ministry of Internal Affairs in March 1991 had forced the institution’s leaders to enter into negotiations to bring a large quantity of tear-gas grenades to Albania
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District Court, Tirana
Speedboat operator arrested
The tragedy of October 12 in the Adriatic
Speedboat operator arrested
50 million lire found in his pocket
OTRANTO — Having set out from Vlora on the night between Wednesday and Thursday, perhaps believing they would manage to reach the Italian coast easily, hoping they would encounter fewer checks because of the rough sea, the unfortunate Albanians instead had to battle the bad weather and waves reaching force 5.
A woman who managed to survive the terror of that night says that there were only 4 life jackets on the speedboat. One was given to a 6-year-old child, while another was worn by the speedboat operator himself, a 26-year-old man residing in Monopoli who had a mobile phone with which he called for help.
The lifeless bodies of two women have been found; 13 others survived along with the speedboat operator, while the search continues for the 9 missing people, though with ever-diminishing hope of finding anyone alive.
There were 6 women and 1 child aboard, while everyone else was male; to reach Italy, they had paid around 2 million lire. The speedboat operator was found with 50 million lire in his pocket and was immediately arrested on charges of causing death and trafficking in undocumented migrants. The same procedure was also followed for the operator of the other speedboat.
This incident is certainly the result of a lucrative trafficking operation, which nevertheless continues every night in the waters between Albania and Italy, “producing” plenty of money for the so-called “speedboat operators,” who are not all Albanians.
PATRIZIA MINARDI
KJ correspondent, Bari
Van der Stoel: Tourist or diplomat
page 4
The campaign for the Constitution—a campaign for the old elections
Will Berisha raise his voice as he did on March 22?
page 3
The November 6 referendum sounds like an invitation to absurdity
Ramiz Alia is a politician of Albania’s turning points
Interview with Mr. Pandeli Majko, PS deputy
page 4
Violence inflicted on the coaches of the Korçë team