— Speech by MP Namik Dokle — Mr. Speaker, fellow MPs, I want to begin my remarks by refuting a completely false statement made at the end of the report of the parliamentary commission on the Fatos Nano case. It says there that the foreign specialists and experts invited by the commission had supposedly agreed with the commission’s conclusions. That is an impudent, shameless lie. The foreign specialists have nowhere, at any time, expressed themselves in favor of the conclusions of this commission. Not only did they assess their own report as professional work, but at the meeting they held with the parliamentary opposition they stated that the questions put to them had been ordered by the government and that for some of the questions they had given the same answers they had given to earlier experts. At the very least, those speaking in the name of the Assembly should have that much respect for the truth. Today you have brought here not a legal issue, but a political decision. You have brought a prearranged act intended to strike at the opposition and discredit its leader. Instead of bringing evidence, you bring statements. Instead of bringing facts, you bring insinuations. Instead of bringing arguments, you have brought a political will to condemn an opponent in advance. What is Fatos Nano accused of? Of actions which, even according to the materials presented themselves, do not carry the weight of a criminal offense. He is accused through a distorted line of reasoning, through assumptions, through artificial links between facts, through commissioned interpretations. At no point is it proven that he embezzled, ordered, or personally benefited from the funds mentioned. And yet the entire machinery of state propaganda has been set in motion to portray him as guilty. This is a matter that touches the very foundations of the rule of law. If today we accept that a citizen, a deputy, a party chairman can be politically condemned without sufficient evidence, tomorrow no one will be safe. Today it concerns Fatos Nano, but in truth it concerns the standard of justice in Albania. We cannot accept that the justice authorities be run by telephone, that investigations be dictated by political offices, that the prosecutor’s office be used as an instrument of pressure and the court as the formal stamp of a decision made elsewhere. That would be the end of any hope for independent justice. I want to stress that this way of acting serves neither the Assembly, nor democracy, nor the country. It deepens political divisions, feeds a climate of conflict, and seriously damages the image of institutions. A parliament that accepts being a tool in a political campaign loses its moral authority. Therefore, on behalf of the Socialist parliamentary group, I demand that this matter be treated with legal seriousness, procedural correctness, and respect for the constitutional rights of the accused. Any other path is forewarned injustice. We will oppose any attempt to turn this chamber into a tribunal of political condemnation. The law must speak with evidence, not orders. Justice must weigh facts, not power interests.

AFTER 9 MONTHS OELI The second act of the sensational and unconstitutional speech by the judicial attorney general, Mr. Dervishi, is an arbitrary, unlawful and absolutely unacceptable treatment of the issue of pretrial detention. The defendant has not yet been convicted, but according to the prosecutor’s request and the atmosphere created by the majority, he is already being treated as if found guilty. Pretrial detention cannot be used as an advance payment of the sentence. It cannot be a tool of political pressure, nor a tool of revenge. To request high-security prison for a defendant before a final verdict means to violate not only the law, but also the elementary principles of a democratic state. Such requests are not an expression of respect for justice, but of a political hatred disguised as procedure. Instead of upholding the presumption of innocence, a climate of public lynching is being created. Instead of guaranteeing due legal process, the demonstrative isolation of the political opponent is being demanded. This is a dangerous signal for the whole society. Because today the target is Fatos Nano, while tomorrow it may be anyone who clashes with power. When the law is used as a political weapon, the freedom of every citizen is called into question. We condemn this practice and demand that every security measure be based only on the law, on evidence, and on the same standards for all citizens. Albania cannot build democracy on demonstrative imprisonments and predetermined decisions.

Thus, the period during which Mr. Fatos Dervishi served as Minister of Justice was not marked by any reform or significant change in judicial practice. On the contrary, it was characterized by an open closeness to the executive and by a tendency to view justice as an administrative instrument of power. During the time he headed this ministry, many important cases were handled with double standards, while institutional independence remained more a rhetorical formula than a reality. Appointments, transfers and political interventions created a climate of insecurity in the justice system. This legacy makes his return as a protagonist in proceedings with a high political charge even more troubling. The issue is not his personal biography, but a pattern of public behavior that continues to produce consequences. Instead of being a guarantor of legality, he is being presented as a spokesman for a punitive orientation toward the opposition. And this explains why public opinion gets the impression that certain figures are rewarded not for professional success, but for their readiness to serve the power of the day with zeal.

With the aim of protecting authors and inventors from the appropriation of their ideas and creations, discussions have begun in our country on establishing legal mechanisms that ensure the protection of industrial property. In a market economy, trademarks, patents, industrial designs and indications of origin are becoming increasingly important. Without a clear legal and institutional framework, investment in innovation, production and competitiveness remains unprotected. Specialists emphasize that the protection of industrial property is not only a matter of private rights, but also a condition for economic integration and alignment with international standards. This requires not only good laws, but also an administration capable of enforcing them. From the discussions so far, it appears that Albanian businesses need greater awareness about the registration of trademarks and patents, while institutions must create simple, transparent and reliable procedures. Real protection of intellectual property in the industrial field will encourage innovation, protect consumers and help develop a modern economy.

Outside the area, accustomed to doing any kind of work, adapted to this public place, he had begun to feel almost at home. Coming often to the farm, getting to know the workers and their way of life, he had realized that he still had much to learn from this world of everyday labor. One day, new admissions were mentioned. It was said that forty people would be selected for a new unit. The news brought movement, hope, anxiety and personal calculations. For each person, it was a chance to enter a safer path, to have a more stable position. He did not immediately show his hand, but his friends pushed him to apply. He had worked hard, had endured enough, and felt that he was no longer a stranger in that environment. In daily conversations with others, he understood that admissions did not depend only on the needs of the unit, but also on recommendations, preferences and sometimes the whims of the leaders. Even so, his name was put on the list. From that day on, he lived in anticipation of the answer. Every movement in the office, every name called, every small piece of news took on special weight. Until the moment came when the names of those selected were announced. Out of 40 new admissions, he still did not know whether he would be among them. But he knew that, whatever happened, that waiting had changed something inside him.

Travel notes I was, oh eyes ch[...] (?) came ha kurci zjë of ecur in the city, but, well, let’s not say anything like that. Corfu is calm, composed, with a rhythm that gives the impression of a place used to foreigners and movement. The port, the alleys, the squares and the houses preserve a distinctive Mediterranean spirit. In the morning, the city wakes up slowly. The cafés open early, people greet one another quietly, and tourists begin to spread out toward the beaches or the old town. In every corner you can see a blend of histories, influences and customs. From the castle the view stretches far out over the sea. The color of the water changes with the light and the wind brings a gentle freshness. For a traveler from Albania, the geographical closeness makes Corfu seem at once familiar and distant. Two days are not enough to know it fully, but they are enough to create clear memories: the smell of the sea, the evening voices, the lights of the port and the slow walk through the stone streets. There are places that leave an impression through grandeur; Corfu leaves it through the quiet way it gets under your skin. (Continued on page 8)

In any case 150 families are demanding that the road be unblocked Developments in a certain area have brought major difficulties for the residents, who have long been asking for intervention to open or unblock the neighborhood’s main road. According to them, the lack of normal passage has made daily life, traffic and supplies more difficult. Representatives of around 150 families have said that they have repeatedly raised this concern with the relevant authorities, but still have not received a solution. They stress that during rainfall and in emergency situations, the isolation becomes even more problematic. The residents are calling for a quick and concrete solution, emphasizing that the road is not a luxury but a necessity. According to them, the inaction of the institutions is leaving them in an unjustifiable state of waiting. If no measures are taken, they warn of protests and other civic actions to draw the authorities’ attention.

corresp. of «Zëri i popullit» (Title on page 8) ZYLIAUS BUNO MURADAN VINJOLLI