If it were possible, the thieves of our cultural treasures would have dismantled even the ancient castles and smuggled them abroad. For the time being, they have their sights set on the cannons of Gjirokastër Castle. On May 13, at around 7:00 p.m., organized thieves attempted to steal the cannons positioned in the square of Gjirokastër Castle. After unfastening the place where they had been set in concrete, they removed the antique bronze-cast cannons from the castle walls, intending to transport them to a destination they had chosen. But their attempt failed, thanks to a citizen who happened to see them and notified the competent authorities, who stopped the planned theft. After seven thefts recorded at the Castle, this was the eighth case, but it was unsuccessful. Although the Castle and the weapons museum are guarded, whenever there have been thefts, the guards—and no one else, citizens included—are personnel who fall apart; taking the consequences into account, they guarantee that the signs are more evident. The relevant [authority] has also turned a deaf ear to these thefts. (ATSH)

PAPULIAS OFFICIALLY APPROVES THE MEETING PROPOSED BY SERREQI Statement by the Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Yesterday, the ambassador of the Hellenic Republic, Mr Caliqis, appeared at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and, at a meeting with Deputy Minister Arjan Starova, expressed Greek Foreign Minister Karolos Papulias’s official approval of the Albanian proposal for a meeting of the foreign ministers. He conveyed the Greek side’s proposal that the meeting be held in two sessions, one at the Greek border post and the other at the Greek border post, at the Kakavija border crossing. Mr Arjan Starova stressed that the Albanian side welcomed the Greek side’s response and considered it essential for the agenda to be discussed in advance at expert level, and for all the main problems existing between the two countries to be put up for discussion at the meeting.

-The people of Reç are patriotic and democratic, and therefore have supported and continue to support the DP.- -We have not promised, and do not promise, miracles; but what we have said, we have kept, and will keep.- -Two socialists declare that they will vote for the DP.- On 16 May, in the village of Zall-Reç in the commune of Reç, as part of the introduction of the DP candidate for chairman of the commune of Reç, a meeting was held with the residents of this village. Those attending included the General Chairman of the DPA, Mr Eduard Selami, MP Natasha Shehu, the chairman of the DP branch in Dibër, the chairman of the district executive committee, and others. The villagers of Zall-Reç had turned this spring day into a celebration in honor of the arrival of Mr Selami and the people accompanying him. In his remarks, Mr Selman Elezi spoke about the difficulties of life in this remote area, with little land and water. “Under the communist regime we were burned like a crow in August. I worked for 30 years for the cooperative and the regime that has passed, and we never lived like human beings. Even today we have problems and needs, such as equipping the health center, greater social assistance, and other things, which we trust will be provided. We are not giving our vote to the DP for these things, but for everything it has done for Albania and the Albanians. We have voted for the DP three times, and we will vote for it again.” Meanwhile, Hamit Muradi, although he voiced some concerns and criticisms about the section

Dear residents of Zall-Reç , You spoke, made observations, criticized, and pointed out the achievements of these two years, which you called very important. You also said that all of these are the merit of the DP and the Democratic Government. I tell you sincerely that I am very surprised by the way you raise issues, by the way you have made your requests and sought solutions to your concerns. This is something exceptional, which I have not encountered anywhere. It shows that the people here have a democratic culture in the way they conduct their assembly; for this, I express my special appreciation and gratitude to you for everything you said. The people of Reç have supported the DP since the beginning of the democratic processes and have voted for us. We understand that you support the DP. You have historically been a patriotic people. You have taken responsibility for Albania’s fate at critical moments in its history. Thus, a patriotic people cannot fail to be democratic, support the DP, and work for Albania. When you supported the DP by voting for it, first and foremost you did so for freedom, democracy, religious belief, connection with the civilized world, patriotism and your future. This short period since the victory of democracy, as you also confirmed in this conversation, shows that we kept our word, are fulfilling it and are on the path to carrying it out. This is why you express confidence, which has grown even stronger. Naturally, you also rightly put forward ... economic demands, such as the need for two electric irrigation pumps, differentiated social assistance and other things because of the difficult geographical conditions, the health center, and the TVSH unit. I would say there are also other demands that are necessary for you and which we will try to fulfill together. We regard the increase in your demands as a victory for democracy, but we must be realistic: our efforts to achieve what has not yet been done, and to move forward faster and better, must not become illusions that make us lose faith in democracy. We know that Albania has a thousand and one rights to its future. We will travel this road together, as we have begun, and will not turn back. A return to the past for Albania would be a fatal blow, with consequences for everything we have achieved so far, and especially for the darkening of the future. I understood something very important about you. In no case did you narrow your concerns to the day-to-day economic interests; you did not measure democracy solely by these problems, but by democracy’s fundamental achievements. We welcome all new admissions to the DP; every new member is a new strength for the DP. But we especially welcome those new members who, having been involved in the politics of the PS, see in the DP the realization of the fundamental interests of the individual, the village, the commune and beyond. The case presented here in Zall-Reç says a great deal about the DP.

The seizure of passports, notices that proceedings are beginning, arrests: the vise of the “Clean Hands” investigation is tightening around Italy’s former leaders, accused of corruption as Silvio Berlusconi’s government takes power. Since the elections of 27–28 March, the former “fathers” of Italy have had their freedom of movement restricted. They are no longer protected by diplomatic immunity. Former President of the Council Bettino Kraksi, one of the most prominent figures in this investigation, sees a dark future ahead after that escape route. The justice authorities have asked him to surrender his passport. Mr Kraksi, whose whereabouts are currently unknown—whether in Italy, Paris or Tunisia—has sent the judicial authorities an address where he claims he will be at the end of the week. His lawyer protests, stressing that “Kraksi is facing many problems and numerous judicial proceedings in Rome, Milan, etc. I think this is persecution.” “Judicial initiatives are multiplying at an unprecedented pace, never before seen in the courts of Italy; proceedings are moving so fast that they leave the defense no time to prepare,” Bettino Kraksi declared. The Italian judges will put Bettino Kraksi on trial for one

The second-instance trial of Fatos Nano and the other defendants will be held on 23 May. On 23 May 1994, the second-instance trial in the criminal case against defendants Fatos Nano, Sokrat Plaka, Robert Gjini and Hasan Hallka will be held at the Court of Appeal. of this Court. As is known, the defendant Fatos Nano is accused of the crime of embezzling state property on a large scale and falsifying official documents, while the defendants Robert Gjini, Sokrat Plaka, and Hasan Hallkja are accused of the crime of abuse of office. The panel of judges will be chaired by Prel Martini. Let us see how F. Nano will defend himself this time. Will he produce another “secret” file, like the one he presented at the first-instance court? Will he continue to consider himself a “politically persecuted” person, or will he come to terms with his fate as a corrupt man and try to mitigate the crime he has committed somewhat?

-An accusation worth 40 million dollars Acid Plant No. 3 at the Laç Chemical-Metallurgical Combine was established on the basis of technology purchased from the Poles through barter (as it was called at the time). Its construction was completed in 1989. Because of some technology—you know what kind—it stands silent, without having worked even a single day. The value of the investments, the people’s hard-earned money, amounts to 40 million dollars. Now Acid Plant No. 3 has begun to eat away at itself; the plant is heading toward death without having given a single penny to either the state or the workers. But who bears responsibility for the loss of these 40 million dollars? Today the local trade unionists say that this plant was built because of the insistence of former Politburo member Besnik Bekteshi, then Minister of Industry and Energy. When the engineering and technical scientific group argued that we should obtain German technology and not Polish technology, which was no good, he replied: “The party knows what to do; the Political Bureau has decided. At that time he told us bluntly: ‘We will get it from the Poles through barter, and that’s final!’” But the Poles never put it into operation. Doesn’t this constitute a fresh accusation against those who signed away 40 million dollars? D.KARAJ

—Luani of ZP keeps beating this drum even today The slogan above, one of the most unmistakably deceitful, used by the PP for 45 years, was also employed with considerable skill by Enver’s quiet and faithful pupil, Ramiz Alia, right up to the end of his career. “Let us continue the class struggle without interruption,” Ramiz would say, and Albanians eagerly waited to devour one another, to be divided. “Churches and mosques must be destroyed,” the Party and our Enver (Ramiz’s) instructed, and the people “willingly” set to work with the pickaxe. The people wanted poverty and suffering, prisons and internment, and Ramiz and the Party gladly fulfilled their wish. “Private property brings capitalism every day,” Ramiz would say, and for this purpose he instructed that not a single chicken be kept, while the peasant gladly handed over to the state whatever he had. “Let us work tirelessly for Enver, day, week, and month,” Ramiz would say, and the people went happily to work! “Albania will remain in limbo, neither East nor West,” Ramiz would say, and so it truly remained until the student hurricane overturned his dictatorship. “Anyone who crosses the border has betrayed the homeland,” Ramiz ordered, and mothers’ sons were killed at the border and dragged through the towns. Well then, didn’t Ramiz work for this people? Hold on, hold on—you don’t know these matters well. To find out how hard Ramiz worked, go ask the Party’s Lion, or read the nonsense he writes in ZP. The poor Lion has endured enough! They insulted Enver and Nexhmije and he said nothing. They imprisoned the Political Bureau and the Lion bit his tongue so as not to betray himself. Well, even the heart can bear only so much. When it comes to Ramiz, he can no longer hold back. But the poor man is not to blame either. Luani of ZP does what the Party says! ISMET SHESHORI

In an interview given to the Albanian newspaper “Koha jone,” the president of AD, Mr. Neritan Ceka, immersed in his prolonged dreaming—a dream that not only continues every night but is not interrupted even in broad daylight—like a fortune-teller who can read with precision the patterns in the grounds of overturned coffee cups, predicts the future of politics in Albania. “We,” he says, “foresee that in Albania’s future there will be: a progressive left-wing pole (PS, which, according to Ceka, has found its proper place); a progressive center pole (the little brother), where we aim to play the leading role; and we think there is room for the creation of a union of right-wing forces” (especially after Baleta’s ‘stilopsai’ has been reactivated on this front—my note). What Ceka predicts will remain out of the picture is the PD, because apparently it has no place in the future landscape of Albanian politics. “So far,” Ceka continues, “I think the socialists have found their place,” thereby somewhat repaying the service PS has rendered to the phantom party AD by filling its halls with its own supporters (“Those halls have been filled mostly by socialists,” Zeneli admits in his own words, and he does not hesitate to advise the little brother not to distance himself). It is not worth commenting on what an incorrigible dreamer Mr. Ceka is with his predictions, since even the simplest reader can see that. Nevertheless, it is astonishing that this gentleman predicts as the only victors incorrigible former communists and former collaborators of the state security service, exactly in keeping with the Commander’s old testaments. And then people say Ceka is not a crazy dreamer, a dreamer who cannot rid himself of his obsession even in broad daylight. L.STANI

Pursuant to Article 1 of Law No. 7608, dated 22.9.1992, “On the Prefectures,” the Council of Ministers DECIDED: 1. Twelve prefectures are hereby established, with the following territorial coverage: 1. The Prefecture of Shkodër, headquartered in Shkodër, comprising the districts of Shkodër, Malësi e Madhe and Pukë. 2. The Prefecture of Kukës, headquartered in Kukës, comprising the districts of Kukës, Tropojë and Has. 3. The Prefecture of Lezhë, headquartered in Lezhë, comprising the districts of Lezhë, Laç and Mirditë. 4. The Prefecture of Dibër, headquartered in Peshkopi, comprising the districts of Dibër, Bulqizë and Mat. 5. The Prefecture of Durrës, headquartered in Durrës, comprising the districts of Durrës and Krujë. 6. The Prefecture of Tiranë, headquartered in Tiranë, comprising the district of Kavajë and the Municipality of Tiranë. 7. The Prefecture of Elbasan, headquartered in Elbasan, comprising the districts of Elbasan, Peqin, Gramsh and Librazhd. 8. The Prefecture of Korçë, headquartered in Korçë, comprising the districts of Pogradec, Devoll, Korçë and Kolonjë. 9. The Prefecture of Berat, headquartered in Berat, comprising the districts of Berat, Kuçovë and Skrapar. 10. The Prefecture of Fier, headquartered in Fier, comprising the districts of Fier, Lushnje and Mallakastër. 11. The Prefecture of Vlorë, headquartered in Vlorë, comprising the districts of Vlorë, Delvinë and Sarandë. 12. The Prefecture of Gjirokastër, headquartered in Gjirokastër, comprising the districts of Gjirokastër, Tepelenë and Përmet. THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS ALSO APPOINTED PREFECTS AS FOLLOWS 1. Agron Milaj — BERAT 2. Viktor Margilaj — DURRËS 3. Thanas Merkuri — ELBASAN 4. Fatos Gjyrezi — GJIROKASTËR 5. Iliaz Vrioni — SHKODËR 6. Pjenn Kini — KORÇË 7. Esat Hasani — LEZHË 8. Artan Emiri — KUKËS Prefects remain to be appointed in the prefectures of Dibër, Tiranë, Fier and Vlorë. Yesterday Prime Minister Meksi and ministers Musaraj and Uka held their first working meeting with the newly appointed prefects. RD correspondent