An unprecedented scandal. In Çorovodë, 90 percent of the graves have been destroyed. Bones and skulls scattered here and there. Veterans protest; police arrest the owner of the company . Dogs eat the remains of the fallen in Skrapar A restoration company had left the grave lids open, but during the night dogs swarmed over them. page 11

BY GAVROSH LEVONJA “I have not managed to fulfill my promises, so I cannot ask people for their votes,” Shkodër Mayor Bahri Boriçi declared a few days ago. Although, politically speaking, he may be classified as an amateur politician, Mr. Boriçi, with his statement, has given a lesson in morality to the “big names” of Albanian politics. Regardless of the circumstances in which Mr. Boriçi governed, he is aware that he did not honor the contract with those who voted for him four years ago—a contract that is sacred. Turning promises and commitments into reality, in the conditions our country finds itself in, is the best barometer for any politician, especially those who belong to the category of elected officials. Of course, this was also in the mind of the mayor of Albania’s northern metropolis when he decided not to run again. Moreover, in today’s Albania, politics cannot be considered a proper profession. Let us recall the beginnings of the pluralist era, which began ten years ago, when all the protagonists of today’s politics declared that they would soon “return to their professions.” But now, after so many years, ironically, at the very least, we see the same faces in the parties formed at that time, even though most of them have long since failed. On the other hand, every day we face ministers and other officials who, despite their evident failures, refuse to make way for someone else—even if only to let that person demonstrate their abilities. First, insistence on remaining in a state or party position serves only to further discredit the image of such a politician. In this case, a pathological “love” of the chair, combined with suspicions of abuse of office, makes every theory about the true aims of this category of politicians’ involvement in politics seem credible. Second, the desire not to make way in the event of failure tarnishes the image of the political force to which such politicians belong. Moreover, this not only blocks the way for new forces to enter a political grouping, but also causes voters to grow disillusioned with the political force to which they gave their vote. In this regard, Socialist voters have shown realism in recent days by not giving their votes again to those who have failed. For this reason, the “Boriç” example should also be taken into consideration by many central-government officials who, through incompetence or for other reasons, have not honored their contracts with voters or with those who appointed them.

OIL EXTRACTION OVER THE YEARS Page 17 1986 1205210; 1987 1181560; 1988 1167278; 1989 1129102; 1990 1067250; 1991 845255; 1992 585405; 1993 568045; 1994 535345; 1995 520866; 1996 488216; 1997 352?00; 1998 343?27; 1999 323900. Years Tons of vegetables buried Minister Xhuveli: We have no means of transport Although Lushnja, known as Albania’s granary, is experiencing a bumper crop of seasonal vegetables, a considerable quantity of tomatoes and other vegetables is being thrown away every day. While news of a bumper crop would make anyone happy, this year’s abundant harvest has nevertheless turned into a boomerang for Lushnja’s farmers. Although they have invested a great deal in planting and cultivating vegetables, as well as building greenhouses, a large quantity of agricultural produce is still destined for destruction. Information provided by the Agriculture Directorate of the Lushnja district states page 16