Prosecutor’s Office erupts in anger: Here are the facts and the people implicated Albania, record in Europe for economic crime. Pages 4–7 Albania, record in Europe for economic crime Pages 4–7

BY BLENDI FEVZIU One year after coming to power, the Nano Government can make a preliminary assessment of its achievements and problems. In such a situation, identifying the government’s weak point is undoubtedly the easiest thing to do. If one refers to a recent study funded by the World Bank, made public yesterday, to press commentary, and also to statements by Meidani and Nano himself, the government’s “Achilles’ heel” remains the problem of corruption and smuggling. This highly sensitive issue, a powerful weapon in yesterday’s and today’s political battles, appears to have been carried over from the DP government to that of the coalition with the same intensity, if not multiplied. The Prime Minister himself stated yesterday at a national conference that this phenomenon is present and, after listing a series of reasons, said that the measures taken so far have mainly involved completing the legal framework. Beyond the logic of statements, corruption and smuggling are tangible phenomena that not only traders and businesspeople, but also ordinary citizens are forced to confront. Worse still, this phenomenon has ensnared some of the most important figures in Albanian politics and the state, and it has now become commonplace for the press or the public to label the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Finance, or Minister of the Interior as smugglers. In this chaos of accusations, what is most striking is the indifference of those in positions of power toward this kind of conduct. Naturally, corruption exists, and fighting it is not simply the job of newspapers, but first and foremost of politics. The government has at least two evident bodies: the State Audit Commission and the Government Commission for the Fight against Smuggling. No influential figure has been investigated by the State Audit, even though serious accusations exist against at least many former government officials. These accusations were made during election campaigns or at press conferences by today’s ministers and members of parliament in the governing majority. This silence is compounded by that of the Prosecutor’s Office and SHIK, which should be more flexible and effective in addressing such a problem, one that has become a political cause célèbre today. So far, corruption and smuggling remain crimes that go unpunished. Curbing corruption and smuggling cannot be achieved merely by drafting laws, but first and foremost through concrete measures, to which every accused person must be subject, regardless of their former or current political status.

An Albanian at the arms market in a village in Tropoja. Photo: REUTERS

A no-confidence motion against the Minister of Finance is expected. Socialist Party MP Braho: “Be careful, he’ll go abroad” Smuggling will be the subject of parliamentary debate. Smuggling will be the subject of parliamentary debate Malaj May Flee A no-confidence motion against the Minister of Finance is expected. Socialist Party MP Braho: “Be careful, he’ll go abroad” “If constitutional provisions allowed me, I would move a motion of no confidence against Minister Malaj.” Socialist MP Spartak Braho, recently known as a combative member of the “Ngjela” commission, has no doubts: the Minister of Finance must be removed. “As I also said a few days ago in ‘Zëri i Popullit’, the leaders of the Ministry of Finance have undertaken a series of unconstitutional actions. P. 5