Finance Minister Angjeli is silent; Farudin Arapi’s life is threatened if he insists on this matter. Privatization Minister Zef Preçi is reluctant to disclose facts. Only Mustafa Kërçuku is resolute on the “2K” case. Finance Minister Angjeli is silent; Farudin Arapi’s life is threatened if he insists on this matter. Privatization Minister Zef Preçi is reluctant to disclose facts. Only Mustafa Kërçuku is resolute on the “2K” case pages 2–3

ALEKSANDËR ÇIPA President Meidani yesterday signed the dismissal of the Tirana District Prosecutor, Dolorez Velaj, and her deputy. The signature, given after the proposal was repeated for the third time by Rakipi, head of the Albanian prosecution service, naturally also sheds light on something about the real relations within the pyramid of Justice. At first glance, this signature seems to promise a clear change in the Albanian prosecution service, since it is the first time during the two-year period laden with accusations against the Albanian Prosecutor’s Office that someone has been found to punish, even if only administratively. Nevertheless, on closer examination, this punishment still does not warrant being regarded as a full institutional response. All the more so because this Prosecutor’s Office, at almost every level of its hierarchy, has provided ample evidence of testimonies and cases lost. Its institutional morality in the face of the ongoing challenge posed by unpunished crime would, in truth, merit even more penalties and dismissals of officials. Thus, in the face of the unchanged reality of the prosecution service, the signature of the head of the High Council of Justice dismissing prosecutor Velaj can be viewed only as an insufficient and publicly unsubstantiated sign of an attempt to put things right. But changes of names have also been announced by the Ministry of Public Order. Minister Poçi has forwarded to the head of the Executive a document concerning several new appointments and transfers at various levels of management within the ministry and the regional police directorates. Given the current situation and ongoing state of public order in the country, the minister’s proposals may seem varied. Nevertheless, the prime minister’s delays in signing off on the names proposed or suggested at least demonstrate that the traditional “personnel card” is not being played within this ministry. For Poçi, at present, the suggested changes concern the transfer of several local police chiefs. In this response, which involves only personnel transfers rather than decisive action by the Public Order Ministry in sensitive hotspots, the minister makes it even easier to justify any changes within the ministry. The announced personnel changes in the Prosecutor’s Office and the Ministry of Public Order are at least a renewed institutional effort. However, while the Public Order Ministry can justify its actions by pointing to a changed reality, the situation in the Prosecutor’s Office remains far more exposed. Given the difference in circumstances between the two institutions, the President’s signature dismissing the only female district chief prosecutor does not promise change. And, as on several previous occasions, instead of implementing change, this signature serves as evidence in itself—as if one might put it differently, this is a “manly” punishment of a woman who could bear no more and no less than the burden of today’s Prosecutor’s Office.

Page 8 Poçi removes the top of “Brisku”

Since the “2K” company, accused by the government of being a pyramid scheme, does not publicly acknowledge that it owes money to ordinary people, the newspaper “Koha Jonë” is opening the column “In Aid of the Creditors of ‘2K’.” Anyone who has deposited money or securities in the account of Koço Kokëdhima, accused of running the last pyramid scheme in Albania, may send a copy of their contract with this company to the “KJ” newspaper’s editorial office every day, so that we can help recover the amounts Kokëdhima owes his creditors. This request also applies to the lawyer of Hajdin Sejdisë, who has been roaming around Tirana for two years trying to get Kokëdhima to pay him 1.2 million dollars. Those concerned should come to Farudin Arapi’s office at the “Koha Jonë” editorial office, so that we can help recover the amounts the company owes its creditors. In any case, you may also fax your contract to 042/47004 or 042/47005.

9 January 2000 • 100 MINL-BINGO prizes of 100,000 lekë each • 5 TELE-BINGO prizes of 10 million each • 1 MAGIC-BINGO prize of 5 million • 1 STAR-BINGO prize of 1.5 million

The marketing agency of the company “REA” is hereby notified to settle its outstanding payments for advertising published in the newspaper “Koha Jonë” during September 1999. “Koha Jonë” Marketing Agency