- In addition to the money, Ilir Hoti says that his signature was also stolen and that the documents are not his. Who forged the signature and documents of the Bank’s governor-general?! - Genc Ruli signed a document on 8 June 1991 in his capacity as minister, although he became minister on 12 June. - The DP parliamentary group is playing dumb about the 1.6-million scandal. Why don’t the uninformed ask questions?! - Could it be that banker Hoti is becoming a victim of politicians?! The cleaner Albania’s air becomes (because factories and industrial plants are not operating), the thicker and darker becomes the smog that covers our lives in all their economic, political and ideological cells. Yesterday’s appearance in parliament by the governor-general of the Albanian Bank, Mr Ilir Hoti, added even more to this smog. Public opinion is highly concerned and is waiting to find out where 1 million and 600 thousand dollars went. A former prime minister and two senior officials of the commercial bank have also been arrested over this. All kinds of rumors are circulating among people. There is talk of corruption reaching the highest levels of power. Someone has tried to find a connection between a “meaningless” decoration and the Bank’s governor-general, Ilir Hoti. The attendance of MPs in the chamber was unusually high. The gallery was also full of journalists from the press and RTV, representatives of foreign agencies, including the BBC, Reuters, Voice of America, etc. There were also ambassadors of the great powers. People expected the truth to be brought to light, but in vain. Instead, when confronted with documents bearing his signature and showing that he not only knew the matter well but was himself part of it, he explained that this had happened because he had been in America. He justified another delay concerning a notification by saying he had been in Germany. From the answers to the questions, it emerged that many people had been appointed as intermediaries for our debt, none of whom now works on this matter. Amato, Senator Andreoti, Bob Kif, etc. were mentioned. However impartial a person may be, in the end they reason: Fine, the banker’s situation is unclear—which is why he may also be twisting things—but what is the situation of the DP parliamentary group, the majority, that it has never opened its mouth about him? The DP MPs asked no questions; on the contrary, they sat as if on thorns, barely waiting for this “accursed” session to end. Calmly and with democratic exclamations?! The worthy Minga, trying to dispel the bad impression left by this stance, said, “We were listening because we have no experience with these issues.” Not like that, sir! Why are you so weak? Those who don’t know ask questions in order to learn. So, to cover up your incompetence, you should have asked as many questions as possible, instead of keeping quiet. Since by the end of the session the issue had become less clear than it was at the beginning, MP Dokle requested that a temporary parliamentary commission be set up to investigate it. The chair of the session tried, with the sophistry “let’s put the vote on whether to vote,” to avoid the issue of whether or not to establish the commission. Those who wanted to do the same as Minga also quickly understood that voting against the commission would be one of those things that people do in such cases [?]. ... to wash themselves clean. For this, a former prime minister and two other senior executives of the commercial bank have also been arrested. awarded to our esteemed president and 1.6 million dollars. There is talk of embezzlement, bribes, corruption, the disappearance of dollars in large sums at night, etc. This was the event for which the PS parliamentary group asked for clarification from the person who knows this problem better than anyone. This is... [part cut off] ... those who are keeping him at arm’s length, which showed that he not only knew the problem well but was himself involved; the banker sang out: “The signatures and documents mentioned are not mine. I maintain that they are forged.” With this story, he tried to cover up the truth and come out clean himself, to set aside the fact that in a nineteen? (shoulders) when the government was negotiating with Xh. Amato over the debt issue, he, for his part, was negotiating with Arsidi about this problem. To justify the “delay” in informing the president and the prime minister about the scandal, Mr. Hoti said that ... [continues in the next column] ... about the scandal, Mr. Hoti said that ... [part cut off] ... of the PD, that Mr. ... [part cut off]

- How much Mr Meksi says was given to it - In a television report commemorating the 45th anniversary of the start of work at the largest chromium mine in our country (and one of the largest in the world), a letter from Prime Minister Mr Aleksandër Meksi gives a figure as well: from now on, the Bulqizë mine will receive 40 percent of the value of its production for itself. He illustrated this with figures in absolute terms, emphasizing that during the past year Bulqizë generated 7 million dollars for itself out of a total of 17 million. As citizens of this long-suffering town, as witnesses to its past and present, we think it reasonable to ask: Where are the 7 million dollars that Bulqizë received during the past year? We want the details: How much was spent to provide Bulqizë—with its feet in water, at work and on the roads—with a water supply system, so that every home and every floor, canteens and dormitories, public and private premises would have drinking water? How much was spent on building apartment blocks and housing the people through whose hands this wealth was created? How much was spent on improving the workers’ living conditions in the dormitories, on showers and changing rooms, on places to rest? How much was spent on buying buses and creating conditions for miners to travel comfortably on their journeys, across all three shifts, to work and to the places where they live? Bulqizë’s problems are immense. The 7 million dollars being talked about are nothing but a “handful of water” thrown in its face, dusty from mine blasts at the 10th and 12th levels, muddy from underground work and splashed by the road full of slush and muck. It would be transparency, crystal-clear openness, if the chromium cooperative, the Ministry of Industry, our reshuffled government and Mr Meksi himself gave us, item by item, details of how and where those 7 million dollars were spent. They should publish them in their bulletins or in government-party newspapers. If the government, which calls itself democratic, does not do so, then it would be to the credit of our “depoliticized” and “non-partisan” radio and television—our “independent” radio and television—to point the camera deeper, as people do in such cases, searching for and finding the true paths along which those 7 million dollars “travelled.” In Bulqizë, the pit of lies is filled to the brim. There is no room for another lie, however small it may be. KUJTÍM TEMLA

In every setting—at work, at home, on the street, in cafés and everywhere—political purges of socialists and other opponents of the DP are the order of the day. People rightly become indignant and angry, asking one another: “What is happening...?” In this most extreme climate, even they have begun to feel squeezed, and they don’t know “whom to upset and whom to please.” There are other days when the directors of enterprises and ... straight, but what is the matter with the PD parliamentary group, the majority—why didn’t it open its mouth even once, for goodness’ sake?! The PD deputies on pins and needles, eagerly waiting for this “cursed” session to end. They interrupted with gestures and exclamations of irritation whenever one of the left-wing deputies went even a second over their reply time. The only glimmer of pleasure in this group was seen when a PS deputy handed Baleta a copy of a document that mentioned Genc Ruli. What is the matter, then, with this group of deputies who insist on being informed about my guilt or innocence? He then requested that all the witnesses appear in the courtroom, and especially Mr. Tomor Dosti, who, according to him, was the chief chancellor of the political staging. During the court hearing, the injured party, Sotira Qirjaki, spoke, along with the other witnesses, who, one by one, denounced the matter in support of the accusations. Unfortunately for them, however, they appeared before the panel of judges as mere tools in the hands of certain Democratic Party politicians who have taken it upon themselves to violate democracy. The witnesses spoke on the side of the panel of judges ... [part cut off] ... opened up for them. Ministers, deputies, the mayor, and many people followed the conversation. After the conversation, a reception was held. a lunch hosted by the then head of the Commune. cafés, and everywhere—conversations about the socialists’ purges and the PD’s other opponents are the order of the day. People are rightly indignant and outraged, asking one another: “What is happening? Is this democracy?! Must we submit?!” and so on. Not only that, but this policy, pursued under the unified and highly centralized direction of the PD “bureau,” in the districts is ... [part cut off] In this context, even those at the most extreme end have begun to feel constrained, and they do not know “whom to offend and whom to please.” For days on end, the heads of enterprises and institutions, even those of military and law-enforcement units, have been passing through the PD headquarters in Tepelenë. And (Continued on page 2)

In the Tirana court - The accusation against DP MP Mr Azem Hajdari is dismissed - - Defence lawyer Mr Ngjela declares: “Mr Azem Hajdari regains his immunity, and I have no right to defend a person with immunity.” - Mr Tomor Dosti appears before the judicial panel in the role of chief political inspector. - “I have come here not to defend myself, but the member of the Albanian Parliament, MP Hajdari.” - The judicial panel delivers its sentence: “Social reprimand.” Yesterday at 9:00 a.m., the criminal case against the accused Azem Hajdari began in one of the halls of the Tirana court; he was accused of? ... [the text continues unclearly] Albanian public opinion had been charged with insulting and beating, in connection with his duties, the administrative secretary of the Democratic Party, Sotira Qirjaki. The judicial panel consisted of presiding judge Agim Bendo and two assistants, Agim Papajani and Mark Enajli. The prosecutor/defence lawyer? ... [unclear text] The witnesses’ state? ... (Continued on page 4)

Following the invitation extended to him, the Ambassador of Greece in Tirana, Mr Christos Caliqis, held a talk yesterday at the State Library of Korçë on the subject: “Greek-Albanian Relations and Greek Foreign Policy.” After analyzing in detail the directions of Greece’s foreign policy, the Ambassador reviewed Greek-Albanian relations over the past two years, highlighting the excellent prospects that had opened up for them. Ministers, MPs, the mayor and many other people attended the talk. A reception was held after the talk. Also, as part of his visit to the Korçë district, Ambassador Mr Caliqi visited historical monuments in Voskopojë and attended a lunch hosted by the then Chairman of the Commune.