Six women in Rrogozhinë’s cells for three weeks Suspicions of law-enforcement officers’ involvement in trafficking. Ministry: We are investigating For three weeks, six women in the cells of Rrogozhinë page 7

After the rotten border barriers, neglected and left to decay, there is only emptiness. Entering Albania leaves everyone with the impression of a country so poor that it cannot even maintain its border barriers, cannot build a border police office, cannot find shelter for the customs officers waiting in bewilderment, and cannot even buy computers to record what comes in and what goes out. All this can be seen and felt not only by those who enter and leave Albania, whether they are people who have suffered in this country or not, but also by those in the offices in Tirana who keep on computers the data coming from there, by those who receive the data, and by those who have raised the banner of the fighter against corruption in every election campaign to deceive the poor people waiting for the State to grow stronger, so they can be paid a little more and see their country sinking along with the world. This whole picture is accompanied by a hope that can barely emerge from the throat of the pessimism that has engulfed Albanians. No one believes any longer that when the prime minister visits the offices of the Ministry of Public Order or Customs, order will be established or smuggling will stop. No one believes that when it is said Albania will move towards Europe, it has truly set off in that direction. Because no one believes that when a criminal is caught, he will not be released; no one believes that when a smuggling racket is caught, it will not be let go; no one believes that when an agreement is made, it will not be broken; no one believes that when a privatization takes place, the national wealth will not be given away; no one believes that when a tender is held, it will not be stolen from. In this climate of complete distrust, statements have no effect, regardless of the optimism they convey. What is needed is action. There is a need for people who have genuinely replenished the State budget while undertaking to serve Albania. There will be a guarantee only when the government, to demonstrate its determination to meet the customs plan, draws up a plan in the 2000 State Budget for customs revenues many times higher. There will be a guarantee when the government, to demonstrate its determination to restore order, plans a much greater influx of foreign investment and agreements concerning the Stability Pact and accession to the European Union. The goodwill of those who come to power and see how empty the State’s coffers are must not tire along the way after one year, as has happened over the past 10 years. Otherwise, the disappointed and nostalgic people who have begun to appear will grow in number. K.J.

pages 16–17 Prime Minister Meta entering the customs offices with director Ago photo L. FILOPATI

The Chairman of the HJC warns of an anti-corruption campaign “We will not hesitate to dismiss those judges who undermine the authority of the State in general and of the judicial system in particular.” For the first time, the Chairman of the High Council of Justice has taken a tough stance in his statements against corruption in the justice system. He has promised that every step taken by justice officials will be monitored and every mistake punished. The alarm over the justice system, well known throughout all these years, sounded its final warning two days ago, when the Court released within an hour both the perpetrators of September 14 and the boss of the pyramid schemes, Vehbi Alimuça. Yesterday’s reaction by the President is expected to be followed by a wave of dismissals. page 5

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