President Berisha received representatives of the Universities of Prishtina and Tetovo The President of the Republic received the Rector of the University of Prishtina, Prof. Dr. Ejup Statovci, and the Vice-Rectors of the University of Tetovo, Prof. Dr. Murtezan Ismaili and Prof. Dr. Agni Dika. President Berisha expressed his satisfaction with the established cooperation among Albanian universities and highly praised their extremely important and comprehensive role in the life of our nation. Links among Albanian universities, President Berisha emphasized, should encompass every field. We are determined, he said, to double the number of students by the year 2000 and to orient our universities toward the market. The interlocutors spoke to President Berisha about the progress of their activities and the results of cooperation among Albanian universities. They expressed their gratitude for President Berisha’s continued support for university cooperation as a whole.

The extremists are going mad The far-left press has once again returned to its denunciations of Europe. Using the same vocabulary as during the communist dictatorship, the same newspaper has once again displayed its characteristic madness, attacking Europe with the darkest arsenal of language it knows how to use. In yesterday’s issue, the newspaper “ZP” did not even bother to leave two fingers’ breadth of space for the barbaric fires and destruction, which in most cases were led by PS leaders in the districts. Instead, it devoted almost a whole page to its profound “sorrow” over the fact that the EC had approved a positive report on the progress of reforms in Albania. They are the same leaders, and it is the same newspaper, which consistently adhere to an anti-European line. Everyone remembers the statement made by one of the main PS leaders two years ago, concerning Albania’s membership in the EC The government commission reviewing the activities of the borrowing foundations is intensively examining the summary data from the Savings Bank and the National Commercial Bank, where the deposits of the “Populli” and “Demokracia Popullore-Xhaferi” foundations are currently frozen, in order to determine the formula for distributing the money. The banks are expected to publish the final lists of lenders shortly, and the final amount of the obligations the foundations owe to lenders is also expected to be made public soon. February 3 is the date set for work to begin at the counters of the Savings Bank and the National Commercial Bank on distributing the funds deposited with them. The specialists of the Savings Bank commission (more than 100 throughout the country), who are verifying the documentation of the “Populli” foundation, say: “The foundation’s documents will be the basis for verifying those who deposited money with it; these clearly specify who the people currently holding claims are and who withdrew their deposits.” In recent days, in several cities where these fraudulent foundations operated, people have been drawing up their own lists to present when they collect their money. But bank specialists explain that “no other document that may be presented will be taken into account, apart from those currently held by the bank.” If people have receipts but do not see their names on these lists, under the law they must submit them to the commissions that have been set up, which will decide their right to withdraw the money after verification. Although it is considered that the money was mismanaged, bankers believe the documentation used by the foundation is accurate and allows all those who have deposits with it to be properly verified. In their view, the order in which amounts are distributed to depositors is expected to follow the effective queue dating from the time the foundations ceased operations. They explain that the process is expected to use both savings passbooks and “cash.” It is envisaged that the final funds will be distributed for small amounts, which may be handed directly to the person, who can either deposit them in a bank or withdraw them immediately. Continued on page 2

The PD branch in Kurbin and Lezhë holds a meeting of its active members PD Chairman Prof. Dr. Tritan Shehu also took part Referring to the destruction caused by terrorist groups, Mr. Shehu said that the citizens who took part in these destructive demonstrations had unfortunately been manipulated by the red caste, by the former State Security, by Ramiz Alia’s former ministers, and were used not for the citizens’ concerns but for political credibility, for

Higher interest rates for deposits in lek The interest rate will be 20.5 percent for three-month term deposits, 21 percent for six-month term deposits, and 22 percent for 12-month term deposits Page 2

- Albanians are not the first to be deceived by the lure of easy money. So why were they tempted? “INDIPENDENT,” 27 January 1997 - By IAN BURREL - Page 7 For the sharks and creators of pyramid schemes who populated the world of pyramids, Albania was the most suitable ground. Forty years of darkness under the Stalinist leader Enver Hoxha gave the Albanian people little chance to learn about the complexities and possible labyrinths of personal finance. The election of the country’s first non-communist leader less than five years ago did not bring a considered view of wealth to the citizens of Europe’s poorest country, and average wages continue to languish at the miserable level of 45 pounds a month. With the removal of the Stalinist curtain, Albanians were exposed to television images of material wealth, but these offered no explanation of how wealth is attained. So when the pyramid salesmen arrived, promising untold riches, they told desperate people what they wanted to hear: secret formulas for making money easily. This was a message received with just as much enthusiasm in Britain and in most of the rest of the world. Because if the ladder works well, a pyramid scheme can be a welcome problem.

Europe supports Albania The support Europe is giving Albania and democracy at this time has enraged opposition leaders, which is why they accuse Europe of being “mad” Page 3 The EC has remembers the statement made by one of the main leaders of the PS two years ago, when Albania’s accession to the EC was being discussed, saying: “Futi is not yet ripe.” This statement, repeated throughout the history of politics and of this institution, was not only ignored but also met with revulsion by all the MEPs who took part in this historic act for Albania and the Albanians. This political force and this newspaper have followed the same atavistic line toward almost all prestigious Euro-Atlantic and international institutions, despite the fact that those institutions have ignored such positions. When Europe condemned the PS boycott of the 26 May elections, they attacked it with insults and abuse typical of the Bolsheviks, just as they had twenty years earlier. When Europe invited them to take their rightful seats in the Albanian Parliament, they once again maintained the same position toward it. Every success achieved by Albania and the Albanians—unlike in any other country in the world—troubles and irritates the leaders of the far left so much that they lose every limit of political and moral reason. In their impatience, which manifests itself in clear symptoms of denunciation, they spare no anathemas against Europe, which they portray as the bringer of every misfortune to this country, simply because Europe has supported and continues to support Albania’s successful reforms without reservation. The articles published yesterday in “ZP” follow this same line. Using words and expressions found only in the vocabulary of the writers of this newspaper-pamphlet, they do not hesitate to “describe” the European envoy as mad, solely because representatives of this European political spectrum have supported and Albania and the fulfillment of all the requirements set out by the EC when Albania was admitted to this institution. Such an attitude toward their own country and toward the EC, like the one published yesterday in “ZP,” would be welcomed only by the most regressive anti-Albanian circles. Consequently, such a service can only benefit those circles. What they are seeking is to win over their electorate in next year’s parliamentary elections, and they are working very diligently, using the instruments at their disposal. By resorting to the most compromised figures, listening to and provoking state institutions, they are demonstrating their intentions to international institutions as well. This denigration on their part is being carried out quite openly. And this is happening not only domestically, where an attempt was made to return to the old cycle of evil by bringing back the most compromised figures from the former communist secret police and placing them in important posts, but also abroad, through the dissemination of their accusations and disinformation, producing anathemas against Europe solely because it genuinely recognizes the successes of the reforms in Albania.

Vitore Çeze, deputy chair of the Italian Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, on the situation in Albania Italy calls on the opposition to act responsibly Anyone trying at this moment to exploit the protests for political purposes is committing an irresponsible act The Greek Foreign Ministry on events in Albania We are interested in stability in Albania It is a well-known fact that the spread of the pyramid-scheme phenomenon is not exclusive to Albania. Similar phenomena have appeared in other countries as well, including countries in our region. Page 3

The EC has approved a positive report on the progress of reforms in Albania.