The Prime Minister starts a government of promises to win votes in Congress Servet Pëllumbi returns, Bufi and Angjeli leave page 3

Gavrosh Levonja When the lack of investment in Albania is discussed, the main cause most often cited is the lack of law and order and

discussed, the main cause most often emphasized is the lack of law and order and the rampant corruption of officials at various levels of the Albanian state administration. But the truth is that even if law and order were restored, and even if corruption within the chains of government were minimized, it would be a mistake to entertain the illusion that we would witness a flood of investment. As far as the economic aspect is concerned, foreigners would also encounter a range of unforeseen problems as a result of the normal functioning of the laws and principles on which economies in capitalist countries operate being absent. Speaking about the causes that led to the unrest at the beginning of 1997, Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi observed that “Albania wanted to build a capitalism without rules.” And although almost three years have passed since Prodi’s statement, things in Albania have not changed. Specifically, when it comes to the establishment and functioning of economic structures in Albania, their fictitious and formalistic nature is striking. Often things are done not because they are necessary, but merely to be able to say, “we have this or that too.” The establishment of a stock exchange at a time when shares—the basic element that stock exchanges deal with—are not even under discussion in Albania is one of many examples in this regard. Thus, in the absence of shares, the Tirana Stock Exchange has no option but to track rises and falls in the value of securities (Treasury bill securities). Yet the absence of a real stock exchange is also an additional factor contributing to the fictitious valuation of assets and properties to be privatized or put up for auction. But an investor, or an economic operator in general, accustomed to operating by clear rules cannot be expected to take a step “in the dark” in Albanian chaos, whatever offers the Albanian side might make. Indeed, attempts to lure foreigners with offers of this kind, disregarding economic laws, may drive them even further away. Thus, a foreigner, seeing himself favored over local businesspeople by Albanian laws themselves, would only be tempted to think that in this beautiful and at the same time laughable country, even the strangest things could happen if the Albanian authorities took it into their heads to flirt with a foreign partner.

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Shkodër: major police operation Another trafficking network was dismantled yesterday in the city of Shkodër. According to sources at the Ministry of Public Order, a highly wanted trafficker was arrested yesterday following a special police operation in the city of Shkodër. He is accused of being one of the most wanted people in the area, as he had controlled almost the largest part of the trafficking along the Italy–Albania–Montenegro route. The blow dealt to this individual, whose name is not being made public for investigative reasons, is part of the series of blows the local police have been delivering to Shkodër’s traffickers in recent days. His arrest is intended to bring to light the names of other traffickers connected to him, so that the network’s smaller links can also be dismantled.

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