In the smuggling dossier that has reached parliament, the evidence proving the involvement of senior state officials is hidden In the operation to hide the people responsible for smuggling, those involved include, after President Meidani, who defended the agreement with parliament, the Speaker of Parliament Gjinushi and Dokle Who will invest in Albania? Every day, more than 100 manipulations are being carried out with concessions, enticements through bribes, etc. Even this is not enough to quiet everything in the dark backstage of smuggling. In 1996 the government had granted a license for the import of cigarettes at a low tax rate for resale in the network of 50 duty free shops. Smuggling experts, acting quickly, caused this license to be transferred to a hastily created company with false owners. In 1997, as soon as the Socialists came to power, when this license had entered into force, they made the best use of the scheme created by their predecessors. The duty free shops at the land borders were turned into the largest supermarkets of smuggling. Under the customs label, in the name of aid for Kosovo, tons of goods with no customs documents took to our roads. At the center of the scandal is the company “Shqiponja”, registered in Kukës, which on paper appears to be owned by the Kosovar citizen Milaim Myrtishi. This company is involved in cigarette smuggling and a large part of other goods as well. According to parliamentary records, in recent months it circulated that “Shqiponja” had over 1 million dollars' worth of goods in warehouses, while the smuggler businessman Milaim Myrtishi was said to be paying ridiculous taxes. Moreover, it turns out that he had only 5 employees and no real activity.[?] The chairman of the PPSH, Xhuveli, instead of responsibly demanding clarification of this scandal, attacked and came out in defense of the company “Shqiponja”, accusing the opposition and the press. At the same time, Prime Minister Nano, his ministers and other senior officials tried to close the case. The cover-up scheme was simple: the parliamentary investigative commission took only the documents that interested the majority, while the rest of the file disappeared. This is precisely where the falsification carried out by Gjinushi and Dokle comes into play. The real documents prove the links of the state's top leaders with the smuggling companies, while the version presented to the deputies had been cleaned of the most important names. In this way, responsibility was shifted to lower-level links and to some formal administrators. The work done by the commission was a political operation to save President Meidani, who had previously defended the relevant agreement, as well as Parliament Speaker Gjinushi and MP Dokle. That is why the public opinion was not made aware of the full documentation. While the Albanian economy was being destroyed by smuggling and bribery, a manipulated dossier was sent to parliament. The consequences of this practice are severe for investment, the business climate, and trust in the state.

In the rock since June 13 in Tirana hudo[?] After the Court of Cassation, Nano's innocence PD proposes the institution for the anti-corruption fight ON PAGE 3

PD proposes the institution for the anti-corruption fight ON PAGE 3

The Prime Minister refuses the interpellation in parliament Gjinushi continues violating the rules of parliament After the chairman of the economy committee for the anti-corruption fight The national[?] disease ON PAGE 4

Berisha accuses the head of SHIK: falsification and the watchman of anti-Albanian acts Former president Sali Berisha today accused the head of SHIK, Fatos Klosi, of using the structures of this institution for political purposes and for inciting national division. According to Berisha, instead of dealing with the protection of constitutional order and security, SHIK has become an instrument of pressure against political opponents. In his statement, Berisha said that the head of SHIK is fabricating dossiers, manipulating information, and using them to strike at the opposition. He described this activity as dangerous and in the service of anti-Albanian acts. Berisha warned that using intelligence services for political warfare seriously undermines national interests and damages public trust in the institutions. He called on parliament and the competent bodies to investigate SHIK's activity and the responsibility of its leaders. ON PAGE 4

The rape and plunder of the savings bank, the armed robbery of Albanians' savings by court decision, the violent dismissal of the administration from state institutions, the raising of taxes, etc., have dealt a fatal blow to the investment climate in Albania. According to the opinion of the European Bank and many international institutions, a country with high informality and insecurity cannot offer any guarantee for serious capital. Under these conditions the government has further increased arbitrariness with unclear fiscal policies and aggression against private business. In an environment where property is not protected, where courts issue questionable decisions and where the administration behaves like the owner of the economy, the foreign investor and the domestic one prefer to pull back. The fact that citizens' savings were affected by court decision has shaken even the most basic trust in the banking system. This climate is also accompanied by smuggling, which favors a minority linked to power, harming fair competition. Firms that pay taxes and respect the rules cannot compete with those that survive thanks to political privileges and trafficking. If the government does not urgently change course, Albania will remain outside the map of serious investment. The crisis of trust is already so deep that each additional day of this situation reduces the chances for economic development and employment.

The chairman of PDS, Dr. Sali Berisha, stated by phone from the headquarters of the party's parliamentary group that the representatives of the Albanian people are strengthening their voice in Washington. “I welcome the meetings of the representatives of UÇK with the senior representatives of the US. This is an event of special importance for the Albanian cause and for the legitimate efforts of the people of Kosovo for freedom,” he said. According to Berisha, these meetings mark a step forward in the internationalization of the Kosovo issue and in increasing political support for its resistance. He added that the Albanian people must be united in defense of the rights of the Albanians of Kosovo. In his statement, Berisha condemned Serbian violence and repression in Kosovo and called for greater involvement of the international factor. He stressed that the solution to the Kosovo issue cannot come through repression, but only through recognition of the national and political rights of the Albanians. The chairman of PDSH also underlined the importance of coordinating the Albanian political factor and supporting UÇK in facing aggression. According to him, any attempt to isolate or delegitimize UÇK goes against the reality on the ground and Albanian national interests. ON PAGE 3

The phone in the police among the clients of PD-PS corruption ON PAGE 5

Unrestrained profiteering by government companies after local government ON PAGE 6

"Rilindja Demokratike" will soon resume publication of the Crime Dossier. On the pages of RD, everything that happened last year in Sarandë, Delvinë, Gjirokastër, Përmet, Berat, etc.

By order from above, investigations into the Vlora crime boss are suspended zani threatens from prison According to a source inside, from the order to the [?-] of the bandit Zani it has gone to the man of the council, that by order of the ministry's boss it stops straight away the centralization against the former [?-] group. By means of this order, every kind of investigation and every criminal proceeding against the reservist and the [?-] of Vlora has been stopped, once again everything comes out on stage. He has threatened that he is coming out and that they are coming.[?] ON PAGE 6

Waiting for big "clashes" - Vogts: "Koller perhaps fears Iriam" - Morten: "Italy is waiting worthily and first for triumph" - Dunga gets close to victory, Brazil's second transfer - Moddell, the French "house of goods", is exciting - Cesar Sampaio, challenged yesterday with the 20th goal SPECIAL IN RD 11