The Northeast Remains Under the Control of Gangs Rising crime, along with the nonexistence of the police, has turned Tropojë into a “bogeyman,” not only for citizens but also for international institutions ON PAGE 3

By Sami NEZA The Albanian government is allowing, or encouraging, crime to target the press. The owner of the largest opposition radio station, Radio “Kontakt,” has been killed at one of his workplaces, while just two days earlier a police commissioner appointed to the post with the approval of the Minister of Public Order, Poci, threatened an “RD” journalist, Tercin, and his family with disappearance. In neither case has the prosecution opened an investigation, much less has there been any comment from the government’s press officials or the Ministry of Information, which is also responsible for relations with the press. More than that, there is a silence that makes one wonder whether something is being prepared behind the backs of the opposition media and their leading figures, after more than a year of fierce attacks on the opposition in general and especially on its politicians. The history of relations between the opposition press and the left-wing government is more a history of court cases and threats than of close, fruitful information and communication between public figures in the media and those in politics. The attacks directed at members of the press are all the same, whether or not government figures are behind them. It is the government’s duty to protect freedom of speech and the people who uphold that freedom, and this protection must be equal for journalists who work for or are close to the government and for those in the opposition. Crime against the press is a new level of the criminality that has engulfed Albania everywhere for the past two years. It is a significant factor in the pursuit of criminals, but when people in the press have neither property nor money, neither dealings with traffickers nor debts, that means the crime has motives originating in politics and among people interested in silencing the press or other media. If a police commissioner publicly threatens a journalist not with legal action but with gangster language, then his minister’s silence is an order to act. After Koçi’s departure and Poci’s appointment to head the police, it was thought that crime would be fought more vigorously and people would feel safer. But even after a month there has been no improvement; on the contrary, the arsenal of weapons in the middle of Tirana has grown, bringing with it assassinations and cold-blooded executions, while police chiefs continue their battles over smuggling markets, as happened in Sarandë a few days ago. The Ministry of the Interior announces plans that criminals hear about before the minister does; they no longer hesitate to mock senior police officials during their failed operations. Albanian society is in its greatest crisis, namely a crisis of the ability to live in peace and exercise its freedoms and opportunities in a natural environment. The press is now part of this crisis: besides being a victim of the stifling environment produced by the bad governance of the Albanian left, it is becoming a target of the hunt carried out by this government. The bullets that struck a radio station owner in Tirana, the court cases launched from ministerial armchairs, the schemes of Majko and Poci’s officers, and the anonymous, threatening phone calls coming from SHIK offices constitute a struggle with a national cost. The escalation of crime has aimed, and continues to aim, at installing the thugs gathered by the government in its offices in the economy and politics as well, and even at replacing the media with branches of gangs and mafia groups.

The owner of the largest anti-government radio station, Riza Rusi, was shot outside his shop. His manager was seriously wounded. Police: “We know nothing about the murder” The crime took place yesterday at around 1:00 a.m., near the Tirana District Court. The hail of bullets killed 38-year-old Riza Rusi at the scene and seriously wounded his friend, Gëzim Haveri. ON PAGE 4

Dismissed prosecutor: I discussed Zani’s release with Arben Rakipi Hana was to present the case against Nano. “The Prosecutor General knew about Zani’s release” Xhevat Hana, the prosecutor who undertook to indict the arch-criminal Zani Çausi, has been removed from his post by a decision of the High Council of Justice. Prosecutor Hana’s reaction was very harsh. “It is not true that I was dismissed because of the Zani case. This is merely a pretext on the part of those who signed my dismissal and who now want to make it look as though they knew about Zani Çausi ON PAGE 3

Members of the National Council comment on the eve of the Special Assembly ON PAGE 2

Smuggling Crosses the Border Tetovë: USD 40,000 seized from PAD parliamentary candidate ON PAGE 2

The Democratic Party, in a statement protesting the murder of Radio “Kontakt” co-owner and sponsor Riza Rusi, has strongly condemned the killing, describing it as a murder of free speech. In its published statement, PD condemns the murder of the co-owner of Radio “Kontakt” and calls for the perpetrators to be found and punished. “The murder of Radio ‘Kontakt’ co-owner and sponsor Riza Rusi is part of the dark scenarios aimed at attacking free speech in Albania.” PD observes that Radio “Kontakt” has constantly been at the center of attacks, violence, and state repression. “After they tried to attack directly and blow up the radio station’s transmitter on Dajt, after they arrested the editor-in-chief and brought criminal charges against him for armed insurrection, after the physical violence against journalist Xhuli Boja, comes the macabre murder in the middle of Tirana of the owner of Radio ‘Kontakt’,” the PD statement says. PD notes that, as always, in this very serious case too, the killer fled in an unknown direction, even though the crime took place in the middle of Tirana. The justice system, which deals with political trials and fabricated charges against the opposition and the press, must find and punish the perpetrators of this heinous murder, which is the gravest violation of free speech in Albania.

The Socialists do not hold the key to economic development. Bode, Karamirto, and Gjana speak at a joint press conference: Unemployment affects 46% of the working-age population. The average wage level has fallen 30% compared with three years ago. The pyramid-scheme money was lost and transparency has failed; investment and credit are at zero; fiscal policies have not boosted the economy; poverty has engulfed 70% of the population. These are the achievements of two years of left-wing government. ON PAGE 5

Today, 296 days since the murder of the December Leader Every day that passes since the murder of Azem Hajdari, the symbol of democracy and pluralism, proves the involvement of Fatos Nano’s government and his non-pursuit in the central crime that shook the Albanian world. The government of the former communists, which leaves free and undisturbed the criminals who took the life of the December Leader, shows Albanians that there have been and still are people and murderers with specific names who remain untouched by the left-wing authorities. Democracy and all the Albanians who loved and supported Azem Hajdari cannot continue to tolerate this fact. The government must either capture the criminals and bring them to justice, or publicly declare that it itself is responsible for the murder of Azem Hajdari.

Armand Shkullaku named deputy chairman of the Albanian Journalists’ Association Chinese Embassy Helps with Forgery The Chinese Embassy in Tirana is involved in a serious and significant scandal bearing the signature of the former chairman of the Albanian Journalists’ Association, Mr. Ylli Rakipi. The chairman of the Association of Professional Journalists, Armand Shkullaku, was presented as deputy chairman of the Albanian Journalists’ Association to justify a lengthy trip to China at the Chinese side’s expense. ON PAGE 3

The leadership of the PDSH informs the delegates and guests of the Special Assembly that, for technical reasons, the date of the Assembly meeting has been postponed to Sunday, 11 July 1999, at 10:00.