Protesters gather at the Tirana courthouse. Nearly 100 accused from Tirana, Lushnja and Berat Pages 2, 7 K. LUNIKU: The distribution of Xhaferri and Populli’s money will take 1 year

Mr. Berisha’s smiles on RTV on Wednesday were directed at several tens of thousands of depositors in the Xhaferri and Populli foundations. Courteous to the press, especially the foreign press, the head of state has offered a plan whose appeal to the victims of General Xhaferri’s and Bashkim Driza’s “charity” remains unknown. A passbook first, then the money as well. Of course, plus bank interest for the time the money remains locked away in the state treasury. Berisha has pulled the concept of “gradual distribution” out of his pocket; its results remain to be verified. Meanwhile, the president has remained silent about an even larger army of people who have been cheated. Now that Sudja has landed in prison and Grumasi has fled, the depositors in these firms are the most hopeless of all. They, together with the victims of a number of small businessmen who disappeared without a trace, may consider the money they invested in pyramid schemes lost for good. If Gjallica were added to this list—it has promised to return the money on 6 February—the number of desperate clients would be frighteningly greater than the number of those given the head of state’s assurance that their sums would be returned. There is a great deal of noise about the 300 million dollars frozen in Populli and Xhaferri’s accounts. The noise is so great that it is plain to see that, with the festive “trumpets” announcing the distribution of this money, an attempt is being made to drown out the cries of those who lost their money in the forgotten pyramids, which have now swallowed up a sum approaching 500 million dollars. While the election poster of the mayor of Vlora is making the rounds of the world’s television channels, the PD continues to declare that, apart from “freezing” the money of the two foundations, it has no other solution to offer and will take no responsibility for the parallel tragedies caused by Populli and Xhaferri’s colleagues. The president did not forget to repeat his lecture on the “privacy” of pyramid schemes, but it is hard to believe that this explanation has boosted his standing among Albanians. Former clients of Sudja, for example. K. J

Yesterday in central Tirana Photo: Reuter Yesterday in central Tirana. Photo: Reuter

The president of the “Kamberi” company speaks out Regarding the initiative that has emerged to pay creditors only 3% interest per month, regardless of the rate specified in their contract, so that creditors do not also lose their deposits, the president of “Kamberi,” Mr. Ferdinand Kamberi, said: “The sooner, the better for all of us. That way, creditors secure their deposits (with acceptable interest) and the companies avoid the risk of ending up like ‘Sudja’...”

At the annex of the “Dinamo” stadium, 11:00 a.m. On Sunday, 2 February, at 11:00 a.m., at the annex of the “Dinamo” stadium in Tirana, the Coordinating Council of the Albanian Trade Union Movement is organizing a peaceful rally to protest against the government and defend the economic and social interests of those sections of society affected by the economic collapse caused by the pyramid-scheme firms. Everyone to the rally, regardless of party affiliation! Coordinating Council of the Albanian Trade Union Movement AZEM HAJDARI HIQMËTE DAJA P.S. Asked by our reporter whether the police would use force or refuse to allow the rally, Mr. Hajdari replied: “Let them try; then we will march towards ‘Skenderbej’ Square, a square where dictators are usually toppled.”

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