200 people and 50 commercial entities under investigation So far, USD 700,000 has been deposited into the bank account of the General Prosecutor’s Office Compensation to the state for the damage caused is paid during the investigation phase MILLIONS SEND YOU TO PRISON MILLIONS GET YOU OUT OF PRISON 200 people and 50 commercial entities under investigation So far, USD 700,000 has been deposited into the bank account of the General Prosecutor’s Office Compensation to the state for the damage caused is paid during the investigation phase — Prosecutor Arben Qeleshi: We could not arrest all the merchants. We arrested only those whose actions had caused the greatest damage to the state. Our idea was for the state to receive compensation. The high-profile arrests of their business colleagues have caused panic among Albanian merchants. The situation has clearly deteriorated into fear following the high-profile arrests of the “bosses” of Vrisera; of the two women in the «LM» cigarette trade, known to the management of the Adriatic Maritime Agency-Durrës. It was the first Albanian millionaire, Mr. Marsel Skëndo, accused of falsifying commercial documents and sent to prison, who foreshadowed the tragic fate of many others, such as the managers of «Alfa Companiz», Mr. Minal Praso, and the managers of «Anonimë Vrisera», Mr. Vasil Naci and Kosta Sotiri, arrested nearly five months ago in an operation which, according to the press, was directed by a chief of the National Intelligence Service, Mr. B. Gazidede, on charges of smuggling. A dozen customs officers were arrested along with them, including the Director General of Customs, Mr. Thoma Bicolli. Within three months of these arrests, two women involved in the cigarette trade would meet the same fate, adding that “this is not the first time we have been accused of taking money and sharing it for other issues as well.” “The grounds for the arrest,” Qeleshi continues, “were the charge of smuggling, and the charge against them is still pending; the case has not been dismissed by the prosecution.” Meanwhile, while these merchants are free, various newspapers write that “Millions put them in prison; millions got them out.” It is the change in the detention measure during the investigation that has cast suspicion on the prosecution. “Our idea,” says prosecutor Qeleshi, “was for the state to receive the money assessed as economic damage resulting from smuggling. These people were informed of the debt they owed the state, which they paid.” So far, USD 700,000 has been deposited into an account of the General Prosecutor’s Office, according to Mr. Qeleshi. It is precisely this money, deposited in the account of the General Prosecutor’s Office and not in the account of the body that suffered the damage—the Customs Service (?)—that has raised suspicions concerning… It is also strange that compensation for damage caused to the state is paid while the case is still under investigation. Payment may at most be considered a mitigating circumstance by the court, or it may release those who have not been punished from civil liability; this consideration does not alter the social dangerousness of the criminal act (if one exists), namely smuggling to the detriment of the state. The example from Italy is still fresh. And in this context—of guilt or innocence, and payment of compensation—there is also the question of the state’s claims: are the imprisoned merchants paying compensation because they are aware of the criminal act they committed, or because the prison—the “hell” of Tirana—is putting pressure on them? What if these merchants pay to escape prison and the court acquits them—what will the prosecution’s position be? In any case, these are conjectures. The fact is that prison is producing money. Mihal Praso, president of «Alfa Company», has paid and is staying out of prison. Vasil Naçi, president of «Anonimë Vrisera», has also paid (Qeleshi expresses some uncertainty), but is still in prison. The women of «LM» have not yet paid, Qeleshi says. It seems a fund is being created that is filling a not-insignificant hole in the state budget. The compensation is for economic crimes from 1991–92, Qeleshi says. After this, one is entitled to ask: Will the aforementioned people go back to prison for the years ’92–’93? Or will others take their place, bringing another category of hostages into the public eye: MERCHANTS. Nevertheless, Qeleshi says the prosecution does not want to create a situation in which it appears to be putting merchants in prison; its actions so far have caused panic among them, and there have also been cases of people leaving the country. through the head of smuggling. Along with them, a dozen customs officers were to be arrested, three months of these arrests, two women who traded in «LM» cigarettes, Ms. Vilma Nushi and Majlinda Hido, would suffer the same fate; meanwhile, six months earlier, Mr. Shtjefën Konduri of the «Adriatica» Maritime Agency in Durrës had also been arrested and jailed on charges of theft and embezzlement, charges about which he has not been questioned in these six months. In addition, around 200 people and commercial businesses are under investigation, figures confirmed to us on Monday by Tirana prosecutor Mr. Arben Qeleshi. But after all these arrests, it seems the weather has improved. Mr. Mihal Praso, as well as Ms. Vilma Nushi and Majlinda Hido, have emerged from Tirana’s prison—hell. Their release, apart from raising hopes that there will be no more «escalation», has prompted doubts about how these traders were arrested, imprisoned and released, leaving people stunned by the prosecutors’ apparent mentality of taking bribes. But Qeleshi denies one thing from smuggling. These people have been assessed as owing a sum to the state, which they have paid. So far, USD 700,000 have been deposited in an account of the General Prosecutor’s Office, Mr. Qeleshi confirms. the body that suffered the loss—the Customs Service (?)—that has raised doubts about their release. But Qeleshi insists that only the security measure against them has been changed, while the charge remains. It is up to the prosecutor, in light of circumstances that emerge during the investigation, to transfer a detainee from one security measure to another. There are several security measures, and in the traders’ case «bail» has been applied, Qeleshi explains. While Qeleshi argues this, specialists say that bail is one thing and the payment of compensation in this case is another. In the case of bail, the detainee provides a pledge as security in order to request a change in the security measure. In the present case, however, it can be said that by paying compensation they have indirectly admitted guilt, which is the opposite of bail, which leaves open the possibility of a court judgment of innocence or guilt. only leads to division, intellectual and national exhaustion. Political struggle, whose existence gives life to pluralist democracy and the development of social and political relations, must not be suppressed. Political struggle is competition between political, economic and social alternatives. It is criticism. It is the rejection of what is worst, but also the construction of the best. Have the traders—who have committed a criminal act or are being held in Tirana’s prison-hell—been pressured: and, furthermore, if these traders pay to escape prison and the court acquits them, what conjectures. The fact is that the president of «Anonimë Vrisera», has also paid (Qeleshi expresses doubts about this), but is still in prison. Qeleshi says that the «LM» women have not yet paid. It seems that a fund is being created, filling a not insignificant hole in the state budget. The compensation payments are for economic offences from 1991–92, Qeleshi says. And after this, one is entitled to ask: Will the above-mentioned people be imprisoned again bringing another category of hostages into the public eye: TRADERS. Nevertheless, Qeleshi says that the prosecution does not want a situation to arise in which it appears that the prosecution is putting traders in prison; the actions taken also been cases of people leaving the country.

— Apart from a meeting they are due to have with one of the advisers to the President of the Republic, no one else has shown concern about holding a dialogue with the strikers’ representatives — The workers’ representatives call the strike of the strikers who have been standing in front of the large gate of Plant 12, beside the road, in the middle of Sunday, unfair and even illegal. “We want to clarify something,” says a member of the trade union council. Until a month ago, Plant 12 and the nickel-cobalt plant, now permanently closed and shut down for the workers, were the only enterprises in the country’s Metallurgical Combine. Therefore, this strike is not only a protest by the workers of Plant 12, but also by those of the nickel-cobalt plant, who have their representatives here, with more than 600 workers; for Plant 12, in February, it remains an advance payment, and even an illegal one. According to him, the nickel-cobalt combine, which was split up in June in a devious manner, has the financial capacity and the ability to restart all its departments so that workers are not put out on the street. Kristaq Dedja, chairman of Plant 12’s trade union council, also supports these views. He says that the people who closed it and the head of the former enterprise discussed the issue in question with the President of the Republic on 26 April. During the conversation, the President reportedly said that if the combine had financial resources and supplies, putting the workers on assistance was an illegal act, and that the competent authorities would therefore take action regarding… Those who do not understand the President of the Republic’s instruction do not see things any differently at all, either…

This is how coal production stands: now at 50 percent, half and half. May the day never come when the graph reaches zero and citizens stay peacefully where they are, millions and millions of years underground. Memaliaj’s output in 1990 compared with what was extracted last year, in the second year of the Democratic Party’s government. In the steep decline, the diagram forecasts its own future, and no longer percentages—

After the court of Malësia e Madhe, it is the Shkodër court that will hear several cases related to fuel smuggling. And from the very first hour the court was open, the trial was expected to begin against those arrested in the park, accused of smuggling in the buying and selling of fuel. They have been under arrest for one or two months. Notice that this trial would begin had been given several days earlier. The many people waiting on the stairs and in the corridors of the court showed the interest surrounding this trial. But at 12 o’clock it was announced that the trial would not take place today, and was therefore postponed until Monday. This happened because the law-enforcement authorities claimed they had not received timely notice to prepare the detainees for trial.

Resolution of the Second Conference of PS Vlorë Representatives of 140 organizations of the Socialist Party in the district of Vlorë, from Kuçi, Porua, Sevasteri, Himara and dozens of others, incorporated into the large ranks of the unemployed and those receiving assistance, expressed at the Second Conference, alongside their achievements and accomplishments, their indignation at the imprisonment of the Chairman of the Socialist Party, Comrade Fatos Nano. The people of Vlorë, who hope in and believe in the Socialist Party, are convinced that democracy and the rule of law cannot be built with pressure, lies and imprisonment, as the Democratic Party in power is currently doing to us and to other democratic forces. Alongside the desire to learn details about Fatos Nano, the concern of PS members and supporters also reflects their faith and anger toward those organizing and directing these antidemocratic actions. We, the Vlorë socialists, convinced of and capable of implementing the alternative of democratic socialism, together with the other genuinely democratic forces, will rebuild Vlorë and restore work and peace, putting a stop to theft, robberies and violations of human rights. Confident in his innocence, courage and ability, we Vlorë socialists greet the Chairman of the Socialist Party, Comrade Fatos Nano, and await his return to the historic «Flamuri» square in Vlorë. The Second Conference of PS Vlorë

At the weekly market in the city of Peshkopi last Sunday, the price of gjizë, a traditional food in Dibër, was two and a half times lower than its selling price in winter and autumn. From morning until late midday, on the streets of Peshkopi you can meet dozens of villagers from the surrounding villages trying to sell 1.5-litre plastic bottles of fresh milk. During the traditional celebration of Shëngjergj and on Bajram, many small animal skins were seen in the rubbish bins along the city streets; unable to find anywhere to take them, residents throw them away, polluting the environment. Four years ago, a modern milk-processing plant began operating in Peshkopi. Faced with constantly declining milk production, particularly during the peak season, the milk plant has also opened its doors to village dairies. An entire system, beginning with the collection enterprise and extending to every village, used to process large quantities of hides from domestic and wild animals. This source of income for villagers and, at the same time, of wealth for the whole country has completely disappeared in Dibër. The villagers have no choice but to bury their produce or throw it in the rubbish. The fact is that the number of livestock, as well as their output, has fallen as a result of the decline of animal husbandry, while the dismantling of state structures in recent years has increased. In contrast, the state’s interest in the facilities that it still controls for processing livestock products has faded completely. This loss of interest falls directly on the villagers of this city, for whom it was left as a source of income.

author patjetër