The railway tender remains mired in scandal. Pages 2–4 The railway tender remains mired in scandal. Meta’s anger BY BARDHI SEJDARASI Ilir Meta, Albania’s new Deputy Prime Minister, yesterday launched a fierce attack on the newspaper “Koha Jonë”, accusing it of “collaborating with the political mafia” and of “pursuing a predetermined strategy to fight the new Majko government”. The attacks, made at a press conference—the first of its kind in Albania (neither Berisha nor Aleksandër Meksi has held one like it)—came immediately after the press published news of a tender scandal in which the Deputy Prime Minister was also implicated. [Document shown on page, partially tilted and cut off] … of emergency aid involving 130 wagons for … … and communications … … with sleepers for … MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS Department of Europe The Federal Minister for … and Transport… Republic … UN… on 09.7.1998, made a visit to … railways and transport … With the Minister of Transport and Science of the Republic of … ENEM, a bilateral agreement for cooperation in the field of rail- In order to speed up the common efforts, the nomina- represented by Mr. Leonard BURNACI, Direc- PICHER, General Manager of ABE, agre- ANNEX TO THE AGREEMENT… [Further text of the document is partial and cut off at the bottom edge] New Majko: “Real blackmail at this press conference, the Meksi has held one like it), came in which the country’s new Deputy Prime Minister was also implicated. Ilir Meta immediately accused the newspaper “Koha Jonë” as he saw off Prime Minister Majko at Rinas Airport, as Majko set off on a tour of Europe. He spoke on behalf of the Albanian government, but Majko had turned his back. Nevertheless, what Meta said did not manage to shed light on the truth about the much-discussed tender. Meta did not say how or when his wife, Monika Kryemadhi, became the representative of the Austrian state-owned company that was to bring railway wagons to Albania. Meta also did not say why he had received the president of the Austrian company in his office, or why he had intervened in the tender procedures, when by law that was not his responsibility. Meta did not specify which “political mafia” he was referring to, nor did he agree to publish important materials held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in the department he had overseen before becoming Deputy Prime Minister. Yesterday Deputy Prime Minister Meta was so carried away that he had a minister, rather than the Albanian Prime Minister’s spokesperson, chair his press conference. Yet even after all this, Ilir Meta said nothing yesterday to refute with evidence his involvement in a scandal whose scale is growing in the press by the day. Yesterday, Albania’s Deputy Prime Minister also lined up a number of junior officials of the Albanian railways to slander the newspaper “Koha Jonë”, and even to take revenge by puffing out their chests, after they had already run the Albanian railways into the ground. Simply put, yesterday Ilir Meta was angry because, despite numerous attempts to prevent publication of the scandal, it surfaced and continues to emerge in full, showing that there had been no sign of a compromise, neither with those who valued it at “ten times” the amount nor with anyone else. He has not made the team with the newspaper “Koha Jonë”.

Albanian counterparts sold them to several financial companies Foreigners have brought information for investigations Page 5 From the scandal at the Ministry of Public Order. Some confidential information about the illegal financial activities of several foreign private companies in Albania, which had been sent by their counterpart foreign investigative agencies for investigation, was sold to them. After this, the owners took the necessary measures to erase the traces of the financial crime. Senior officials at the Ministry of Public Order, who have confirmed this fact, directly accuse criminal police specialists and those in charge of combating financial crime.

TIRANA — Bajram Yzeiri did not report yesterday either to his post as Deputy Minister of Public Order. Sources at the Ministry of Public Order confirmed that the senior officer refused yesterday to sit beside Public Order Minister Petro Koçi, following the Council of Ministers’ approval of his candidacy for the post. Officially proposed as a candidate by Ilir Meta, Yzeiri has preferred not yet to stand alongside Koçi, having first heard the latter’s disapproval of the “Meta” candidacy. The new Deputy Prime Minister Meta ... [would] also propose all future candidates for vacant posts in Majko’s cabinet, but yesterday did not comment on officer Yzeiri’s failure to report. Koçi introduced only the Director General of Police, Vetëm GJoliku, and insisted that he would fight to restore order and combat smuggling, even though his deputy had still not reported for duty. It is believed that career officer Yzeiri will not accept the post ...

“Behind this article, there must be anti-Albanian forces” The DP issues a threat Page 8

Prosecutor’s Office conducts checks The devices ...

The Albanian and Austrian proposals and offers shall be assessed for their competitiveness against those prevailing on the international market, in accordance with the legally binding procedures governing the award of contracts in Albania and Austria Documents proving Deputy Prime Minister Meta’s knowledge of the donation of 80 wagons