The conflict erupts at the government meeting The deputy prime minister accuses the head of government of arbitrary and unconsulted decisions page 3

The data published then shook all of Albania. Everyone was stunned by the revelation that he (the accused) had had special relations with Bashkim Gazidede, and that his associated groups were thus trying to take control of the Ministry of the Interior and SHIK. Thus, in the name of the struggle against the President of the Republic, certain segments of power, particular segments of the state, were being exploited for political warfare, for conflicts among individuals and not for the interests of the country. In other words, the absence of dividing lines between the state and politics had caused trafficking, corruption and the mafia to strengthen and expand, with indirect backing and support from the government itself. And it cannot be considered coincidental that a few months after the publication of this article the conclusions went in the opposite direction. This government, with such protagonists that recall the darkest events of communism, has produced killings, has carried out small coups d’état, and this has been done mostly by being inspired by this psychosis of blood feud and revenge that has erupted in the fever of the struggle for power. Because one sees these things, it is hard to let pass the slanders, the lines written on the backs of those who have tried to free themselves from corruption, and the shadow of leaders with shark faces, fox eyes, executioner claws, for whom the country today holds its breath. As for the relationship between politics and the mafia, it can now be said with certainty that it is not only linked to it, but in a way its servant as well. It is clear that for such a thing, in the race for economic and political domination, all the structures of government have been drawn in, from the most secret services to the public order police and its ministries. These services and police bodies have completely failed because of administrative incompetence and corruption, but above all because of direct involvement in smuggling; they have become nothing more than the spawn of the lordly individuals. The worst thing is that, near and far, the allusions show that in the humanity of the future we will be nothing but slaves. Step by step the country is being transformed from a state that was built on national wealth and foreign wealth. The latter has now become the backbone of the entire state. “Revenues” in the center and periphery of Albania. From 1 to 6 billion dollars. So, even if considered at the lowest value, they equal the average estimated cost of building such infrastructure, an international airport; such are the figures. In our country economic crime has taken on frightening proportions, but not uncontrollable ones. Has the notion of the state as the power of politics, challenged by corruption and mafioso-ism, fallen or not? The answer comes directly: since today politics keeps the state institutions submissive and in complete dependency, as well as its justice system, and thanks to this situation activities can be protected and saved from the strictest controls, whether by the police or by the judiciary. Politics has now come out at the head of this long chain of strong direction and into the hands of the “strongmen,” it grabs, sells and does. So, as the corruptive passion of the system writes, the country is becoming day by day more and more difficult to live in. This institution, through slanders and public gossip, as well as the full assistance it has received from SHIK and the police, has been transformed into a kind of protagonist of this chaos, which is keeping people hostage. That is all for that. Di Prete, since the socialists have made agreements with the foreign ambassadors, they also want to invent Albanian bosses. First of all, they need to remove any alibi for any criminal act, in order to dismiss any criticism or disrespect for authority. Of course, with these words all honest people are not placed in the same category, just as foreign people will know the same thing, especially those who know the stories of the past and the present. One must be as sensitive as possible and as concerned as possible after this wall,

page 27

A celebration in Vlorë for the first time at the police station page 7

Summer TELE-BINGO, 29 August 1999 One hundred winners with 50,000 lekë (new) TELE-BINGO, 7,000,000 lekë (new)