New price increases: Amid this year’s traditional New Year celebrations, a new decision by the Government, the so-called Meksi 3, also came into effect, raising the prices of some petroleum products. As always, this increase is accompanied by a chain reaction, sweeping up increases in the costs of many other economic activities, all of which are undoubtedly loaded onto the backs of ordinary consumers. It is interesting that in each of these two years, the beginning of the year has been accompanied by a government decision to raise prices. But unlike the decision two years ago, which was signed precisely on 31.12.1993, on the morning before New Year’s Eve, this year’s decision, which came into force on January 1, 1995, was signed on 9.12.1994 and bears serial number 578. It seems the government felt the tremor this decision would cause among ordinary people, and so it did not make it known to the wider public through the mass-media outlets it controls. Kept in complete secrecy, as unpleasant things always are, even today, several days later, it still has not reached those who are responsible for implementing it. It is therefore clear that the government decision did not enter economic life to improve the festive atmosphere; on the contrary, it was meant to disturb and burden it even more than before. What did people expect, and what did they get as soon as 1995 dawned, as soon as they stepped out of their homes into urban and commercial areas? It came as a heavy blow to their backs: that government decision, signed in silence almost 20 days earlier, when these ordinary people were struggling with candles and kerosene lamps. And now drivers will have to pay 15 percent more for petrol, with the price rising from 65 lekë per litre to 75 lekë. Meanwhile, the price of diesel has risen from 33 to 45 lekë per litre, or 18 percent. Curiously, at a time when the widespread use of liquefied gas is being sought as one way to alleviate the energy crisis, it is precisely this fuel that has seen a substantial price increase, from 40 to 50 lekë per litre, or 25 percent. In this way, the government indirectly strikes at the economic standing of the masses, because for everyone it is more than ... How much some petroleum-product prices were and what they have become No. | Description | Unit of measure | Was (lekë) | Now (lekë) 1. Petrol: - RON 70–85 | litre | 46 | 46 - RON 85.1–95 | litre | 65 | 75 - RON 95.1 and above | litre | 82 | 90 - Unleaded petrol | litre | 80 | 85 2. Gas oil | litre | 38 | 45 3. Kerosene: - For non-household users | litre | 38 | 38 - TS-1 kerosene | litre | 23 | 23 4. Liquefied gas (maximum price) | kg | 40 | 50 (Continued on page 2)

SALIU: I do not accept the accusation. TARTARI: I do not accept it in any respect. AHMETI: I neither understand nor accept it. HOTI: I do not accept it in any point or comma; it is manipulation from beginning to end. XHYHERI: I understood that it was Albanian, perhaps translated from Italian; I categorically reject it and condemn the manipulation through the splicing together of episodes. - ARSIDI has returned the money. But why did he get involved, then? - GENC RULI signed as Minister of Finance. Yesterday, prosecutors Qeleshi and Gjokutaj forcefully denounced the matter through a very serious indictment on the second day of the trial of seven senior Albanian finance officials—Salju, Tartari, Hoti, Xhyheri, and former Albanian prime minister Vilson Ahmeti. It all came down to the figure of 2.8 million dollars, which the prosecutors considered to have been embezzled by the “defendants,” while, according to them, 1.2 million dollars remained an attempted offense. For the first time in this trial, the prosecution’s case is more precise than before, but it is confused and limited in its investigations. It seems someone has said, “Up to here, up to July 4, and that’s enough.” Prosecutor Qeleshi did not hide his satisfaction after presenting his case at the hearing, while the accused reacted harshly to his indictment. “I do not accept the indictment,” said former Commercial Bank director Mr. Agron Salju. “I do not accept it in any respect,” said former deputy director of the Commercial Bank Mr. Agim Tartari. “I did not understand it and I do not accept it”—and, after an exchange with prosecutor Gjokutaj—“If I don’t understand it, that may mean I’m pretending not to know,” said former Albanian prime minister Vilson Ahmeti. and it is manipulation from beginning to end,” said former Governor of the Bank of Albania Ilir Hoti. “I understood that it was Albanian; perhaps it was translated from French. splicing together of nonexistent episodes,” he explained— (Continued on page 4)

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- From yesterday’s press conference - Yesterday afternoon at 6 p.m., MP Genc Ruli held a press conference for journalists concerning the latest developments around the Prosecutor General’s request to lift his immunity. At the outset, he thanked the journalists, saying that they help communicate with the public. “But I also expressed these views at yesterday’s meeting of my parliamentary group,” Ruli said. He then read a statement setting out his assessment of the prosecutor’s request to lift his immunity. He said this request was made to discredit political figures with a reputation, and that the method most often used in such cases is to attack their moral reputation. “There has recently been a crescendo of press coverage against me, and I would call this preparation with artillery before the Prosecutor General’s attack,” Ruli said. In this connection, he mentioned the statement by the former Minister of Tourism published in the newspaper «Dita Informacion» and said that this was not an initiative by Mr. Osman Shehu. “The Prosecutor’s request to lift my immunity has a post-referendum political charge,” Ruli said. “That is what happens when the fight against genuine corruption is ineffective and figures with a reputation are targeted in order to create the impression among people that corruption is being fought.” Ruli criticized the positions of Blerim Çela and the Prosecutor as biased, unlawful and unprofessional. Regarding the accusation concerning the theft of walnuts, Ruli said that, in his particular case, there was not only no criminal offense, but no administrative violation either. “Both Mr. Uka and I are members of the PD Presidency and, in addition to parliamentary immunity, we also enjoy political ‘immunity’; therefore, this Presidency should examine our case very seriously,” Ruli said, implying that this had not been done so far. Regarding the fight against corruption, he said that nothing had been done to date. “Parliament itself should take charge of this fight, because the other bodies have been sidelined in this regard,” he said. Answering journalists’ question as to whether some force or political grouping was behind Çela and Dragoshti, Ruli said that such a clan could not be ruled out, but that he had not yet been able to identify it. In response to another question about whether there were forces in the PD that wanted to sideline capable and moderate figures, Ruli replied: “I can say that there are groups in the PD that may say, ‘This person is capable, but we don’t trust him, so he must be eliminated.’” Looking further back at the allegations concerning Ruli’s corruption, he said that when he left his ministerial post, the accusations of corruption... [Continued on page 4]

The heavy snowfall, after covering the mountains, also blanketed the valley of the Black Drin. In the valley yesterday, the snow was no more than 20 cm deep. In the mountain villages it reaches up to 50 cm, while at the heights of Tërnovë it is close to a metre. The snow, welcome for water resources linked to today’s electricity production and to the future water resources for agriculture, is at the same time unwelcome for villagers in particular, because of the difficulties they have to face—difficulties related to obtaining their daily food. The snow has caused difficulties, especially for transport. Yesterday no minibus left Peshkopi. Later, when the weather eased somewhat, five buses, one after another, set off for Tirana, equipped with chains and driven by experienced drivers. At midday, the post bus arrived in Peshkopi from Tirana, bringing the newspapers. The snow continues to fall. The roads remain open. Telephone service has also been regular and operational. ABDURRAHIM ASHIKU

Press conference at the National Privatization Agency The Chairman of the National Privatization Agency, Niko Glozheni, began his press statement by apologizing to the journalists present for the Agency’s lack of ongoing communication with the mass media, and especially for neglecting to provide information about this major issue. According to him, reports in the press about shady dealings and corruption in the privatization process were nothing but speculation and misinformation of public opinion. Indeed, Mr. Glozheni thought the situation should not be dramatized. He called the information given to newspapers and journalists by ordinary people inaccurate, with the quite clear implication that “such information is and is produced with the aim of denigrating [someone].” The public is now familiar with the shocking practice of privatization. The biggest and most unprecedented “fire” is the privatization of national wealth. It has been, and continues to be, distributed according to the Democratic Party’s program, favoring its members and supporters—but not everyone. Naturally, government officials and senior Democratic Party leaders at the national and local levels are taking the biggest shares; they have regarded privatization as the most indispensable means of filling their pockets. But the greatest surprise at yesterday’s press conference was Mr. Glozheni’s declaration that there had been no corruption during 1994 (!). He tried to convince the journalists that, given the way the boards are organized, it is absolutely impossible to favor particular individuals. But can anyone be convinced that the privatization boards set up by the Democratic Party, and made up of its representatives, carry out privatization in accordance with the law? Can anyone step back from the fact that dozens upon dozens of facilities, built forever through the people’s sweat, were taken for a pittance, leaving everyone who was thrown out onto the street empty-handed? Mr. Glozheni cited only two cases in which corruption was suspected, but said that Blerim Çela’s State Audit had withdrawn from them for lack of evidence. So, according to them, there can never be any question of shady dealings or corruption. Nothing but pure gold. The head of the Privatization Agency described the participation of public-order representatives, SHIK agents, and the most zealous heads of privatization boards as a state body, rather than what it really is: a mechanism of the party in power, used to manipulate itself and deprive the people of a lawful right. The question that has been asked and will continue to be asked is also a direct one: Who took the various facilities—such as workshops, hotels and small production enterprises, construction businesses, vehicles and heavy transport trucks, fishing boats and high-tonnage vessels, and so on? Nothing was made clear at the press conference, even though the journalists asked questions that struck right at the heart of the matter: what is happening to these assets, built through 50 years of hard work? There is no doubt that privatization will continue this year as it has until now, if not in an even more original fashion, should what President Berisha called making 1995 the year of privatization be put into practice.

At least three arrest warrants were issued a few days ago by the prosecutor’s office of Malësi e Madhe, a reliable source told us today. Specifically, the arrest of three directors of three urban districts is reportedly connected to a file concerning uncovered attempts related to implementation. The source stresses that those arrested were involved in abusing and misappropriating millions of lekë over the past few months. However, the police say that the directors sought for arrest have not been found and have disappeared. It seems somewhat strange that arrest warrants have now been issued for these directors, accused of abuses, when only a few months ago Burimi presented the state’s conclusions in this district and reports praising the good work that had been done. MUSA KURTULAJ

A bandit attack ended with a minor [?] loss: the theft of more than 100 marks. A citizen from Malësia e Madhe was suddenly attacked by unknown persons in the Bajzë area at around 9 p.m. on Wednesday evening. In just a few seconds, they robbed him of the entire sum of marks he had with him, which amounted to more than 100,000 marks. It is reported that the victim was also wounded with blunt objects and rubber truncheons. The prosecutor’s office in this district said that the police had begun searching, but that so far they had no new information, because some of the telephone lines connecting them with the police were not working. Korrup. i -Zëri i Popullit-

For several days before and after New Year’s, the citizens of Vlorë have been feeling the effects of the tragedies caused by ordinary crime, which is becoming extremely alarming. Two days before New Year’s, on the main Vlorë–Skelë road, the “Flamurtari” footballer Gjergj Dema and his brother were shot and wounded. This incident provoked public outrage among all citizens. The precedent constitutes a serious crime. [Continued on page 2] Earlier, while the footballer Gjergj Dema was still on his feet, he was left uncertain and his career was obstructed, with consequences for his prospects. This incident was followed by another, even more heinous crime. On the steps of the Martyrs’ Cemetery yesterday, at 18:30, from a car

Difficulties

In yesterday’s lead article in our newspaper, entitled “The PD parliamentary group on the verge of a complete split,” the fourth paragraph, the phrase “the deputies who defend the fight against corruption” should read: “the deputies who, in order to settle scores between factions within the PD, claim to defend the fight against corruption.” We apologize for this technical error which, having been a slip, gave the words a different meaning. THE EDITORS

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