Parlamenti: Burg piramidave mashtruese të huamarrjes

Yesterday the People’s Assembly approved an emergency law concerning fraudulent pyramid borrowing firms. This is one of the most stringent measures taken by the Albanian state and its institutions in connection with the phenomenon of borrowing in Albania, which has put a large amount of Albanians’ savings at risk. The law provides for penalties both for the managers of such firms and for those who collaborate in setting up pyramids to steal people’s money. In terms of its severity and the penalties it ensures in cases of fraud, it may be regarded as an article central to the package of anti-corruption and anti-crime laws approved by the People’s Assembly a few days ago. The punishment set out in Articles 2 and 3 definitively bars certain people from appropriating another person’s property on a massive scale through borrowing schemes and their pyramid-style operation. The Albanian government is aware of people’s concern about the assets they have deposited with such firms. It is also aware that the money placed in foundations is legitimate and represents the work of four or five years and people’s savings. It is precisely this coexistence of the government with the problem caused by the pyramid-borrowing phenomenon that has led to the government cabinet’s daily commitment. A few days ago, in an emergency operation, all the deposits held by these foundations in the country’s banks and their branches were frozen; this action managed to save a large amount of money from possible misuse, and it will be returned in due course to its rightful owners. The government also approved the law passed yesterday afternoon in Parliament, a law that definitively criminalizes pyramid schemes by placing them among criminal acts that harm society and citizens’ rights. Meanwhile, legal measures have been intensified to the utmost, and within a short period an operation by police forces has managed to return to state hands, for transfer to depositors, another sum exceeding 100 million dollars. Almost the full scale of the usury schemes has been uncovered, creating confidence that the deposited sums may reach a satisfactory proportion of the amounts deposited. The government has considered its measures closely connected to people’s well-being. They are not directed against that well-being, but toward supporting it and ensuring or increasing the security of citizens’ welfare and property. No government would choose a legal course that harmed the interests of its citizens. In this context, citizens who have deposited their money in lending firms are also protecting the interests of the country and of the Albanian economy—the very economy that is interconnected with each individual’s economy. The opposition is neither effective in solving the financial problems nor has the necessary means and capacity to offer solutions. Every effort it makes serves political interests and exploitation of the situation, and there is no logical or political connection between its major interests and the interests of people who have put their assets at risk in pyramid schemes. The organizers of pyramid borrowing schemes, now considered a crime under Article 2 of the law approved by Parliament, will be punished with no less than 20 years’ imprisonment and confiscation of their movable and immovable property. Imprisonment will apply not only to the organizers but also to those who collaborate with fraudulent pyramid schemes, who, under the law, will be sentenced to no less than 10 years’ imprisonment and confiscation of the proceeds or the movable and immovable property acquired through them. “Borrowing organized on the basis of pyramid schemes is an illegal activity.” Parliament has responded forcefully to the so-called usury firms. At an extraordinary meeting of the Council of Ministers, the government yesterday submitted to Parliament a bill prohibiting pyramid borrowing schemes, considering it necessary to protect individuals’ property interests. confiscation of their movable and immovable property. According to Prime Minister Meksi’s explanatory memorandum, imposing such a penalty is not only consistent with the reform of criminal offenses and the seriousness of their danger, but also aims to serve the necessary preventive function, so as to prevent the recurrence of such forms of violation of individuals’ property interests, which at the same time constitute highly harmful and destabilizing forms from an economic and social perspective.

The organizers of pyramid borrowing schemes, now considered a crime under Article 2 of the law approved by Parliament, will be punished with no less than 20 years’ imprisonment and confiscation of their movable and immovable property.

The initiatory committee for compensation by failed firms writes to President Berisha “We thank you for your concern and interest in the people harmed by the activities of failed borrowing firms,” the committee says in its request. An initiatory committee for compensation by failed firms has sent a request to the President of the Republic, Sali Berisha. committee says in its request. Your commitment to this issue at the National Conference of the Democratic Party has strengthened the belief that the injured parties will be helped to address the consequences arising from the failure of these firms. We suggest that, after the state authorities verify the lists of lenders’ names and the amounts they paid to various firms, the actual financial circumstances and degree of harm suffered by each lender be established, with the most severely affected families assisted first. For those who, because of financial hardship, have sold their homes, we believe that priority should be given to replacing them using the assets of the failed firms. All other injured parties should also receive financial and other forms of assistance to reduce their losses to a minimum. We ask the state authorities to establish strict rules for compiling the lists of injured parties and to set an appropriate timeframe for compensating them. Given the social and economic importance of the situation that has arisen, the government should publish a periodic bulletin on the issues mentioned above.

Pollo at the European Parliament On 21–22 January 1997, the chairman of the People’s Delegation for Relations with the European Parliament, MP Gen Pollo, held talks with the Vice-Presidents of the European Parliament Joan Lucas, Sir Edward Coudjo with the Vice-Presidents of the European Parliament Joan Lucas, Sir Edward Coudjo ... On 21–22 January 1997, the chairman of the People’s Delegation for Relations with the European Parliament, MP Gen Pollo, held talks with the Vice-Presidents of the European Parliament Joan Lucas, Sir Edward Clark, and Guido Podesta; with the chair of the European Parliament delegation for Relations with Albania, Doris Pack; with the chair of the European Parliament Committee, Monika Baldi; and with MEPs Otto von der Karl von Habsburg, van Velzen and Oudakker. The meetings discussed political and economic developments in Albania, as well as the situation in the region. The MEPs expressed their support for Albania’s European integration and for the forthcoming agreement with the EU. Ms Pack confirmed that the European Parliament delegation would visit Albania next month. During his stay in Brussels, Mr Pollo met with the Deputy Secretary General of NATO, Sergio Balanzino, the Secretary General of the Western European Union, José Cutileiro, and senior European Union officials. He met with and was received by the Committee on European Affairs of the Belgian Chamber of Representatives.

The Socialist Party remains aligned with the structures of the former State Security Service The socialists’ extremists, who from time to time threaten Albanians with skull-cracking and concentration camps, had the opportunity to confirm that his party would continue to lead initiatives aimed at destabilizing the country Page 3

Journalists ignore the Socialist Party’s press conference No questions for the socialist leaders, and only a prepared statement accompanied the 30-minute session of the so-called press conference.

375 million lek and 22 million drachmas were collected from citizens before the May elections through tickets distributed by the PS, with a promise that they would be repaid at double their value after the elections

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Tritan Shehu concluded his visit to Portugal Reaching a new agreement with the European Union, Minister Shehu emphasized, is considered an important priority for Albania on its path toward full integration into the EU, which would also increase bilateral exchanges with Portugal, as a member country During his official visit to Portugal, was received at the Government Agency for Investment, Trade and Tourism by its Vice President, Mr. Diogo Tavares. This agency, with 51 centers outside Portugal, oversees imports and exports, tourism, as well as foreign investment in Portugal and Portuguese investment abroad. Regarding relations with Albania, the Portuguese side emphasized that its political will should be matched by concrete, direct cooperation, based on coherent information that enables both our countries’ capabilities to be understood. Minister Shehu, agreeing with the Portuguese side’s suggestions, identified the potential resources Albania offers as a partner in fields such as agriculture, mining, tourism, infrastructure, etc. emphasized, is considered an important step for Albania bilateral exchanges with Portugal, as a member country. Following negotiations at the expert level, it was agreed that the Agreement on the Promotion and Protection of Investments between our two countries would be initialed. At the conclusion of his official visit to Portugal, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Shehu was received at the Portuguese Parliament by the Assembly’s leadership. At this cordial and friendly meeting, Minister Shehu was briefed on the work of the Portuguese Parliament and, in particular, on the establishment of the Portugal–Albania Parliamentary Friendship Group. In response to this interest, Minister Shehu expressed the Albanian Parliament’s willingness to cooperate more closely with the Portuguese Parliament in the future. The Portuguese side expressed its readiness to share its experience regarding the challenges of integration into European structures that Albania is facing—a challenge Portugal itself had to confront over the course of previous decades. At the end of the meeting, Minister Shehu was given an invitation for the Speaker of the Albanian Parliament, Mr. Arbnori, to visit Portugal at the earliest suitable opportunity. Throughout the official visit to Lisbon, Minister Shehu was accompanied by Albania’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to France and Portugal, Besnik Mustafaj. Yesterday, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Prof. Dr. Tritan Shehu, returned to his homeland.

The State Audit reports on the 1995 budget and the financial activity of 1996 Page 7

ARTICLE 1 illegal activity. ARTICLE 2 The organization and operation of fraudulent pyramid borrowing schemes constitutes a crime and is punishable by no less than 20 years’ imprisonment and confiscation of movable and immovable property. ARTICLE 3 Persons who work or assist in carrying out fraudulent pyramid borrowing schemes, where their work results in [text unclear], and who have been involved in this activity, shall be punished by proceeds or of the movable and immovable property acquired through it. ARTICLE 4 When the prosecution authorities initiate criminal proceedings, either on their own initiative or following a report, against persons for whom there is sufficient information to indicate that they are involved in the criminal offenses referred to in Articles 2 and 3 of this law, they shall order the seizure of movable and immovable property in order to protect the property interests of the injured parties and ensure enforcement of the criminal judgment.