1. How do you assess privatization so far? SKËNDER GJINUSHI CHAIRMAN OF THE ALBANIAN SOCIAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY WE DO NOT HAVE PRIVATIZATION BUT THE APPROPRIATION OF NATIONAL WEALTH Privatization must be based on stable, definitive laws and on laws supported by the majority of political forces. Thus, it was absolutely essential, and remains so, to reach consensus on renewing the laws. I mean here both the land law and other laws relating to privatization. There is a great deal of propaganda about changing the privatization formulas in the future, but we must not forget that once someone acquires property under a particular law, you cannot take it away from them again. The Constitution does not allow such a thing, and a state that starts changing property laws, or takes and gives property as it pleases, would not be very different from the previous state. I think that at this stage the main flaw lies in the implementation of the laws, such as the law on the return of property, and in achieving a broader political foundation for these laws. Those considered good should be supported, while consensus should have been reached on those thought to need improvement. With con- ruption and it is extremely difficult to verify the violations, because the government’s decision itself leaves enormous loopholes. This is also muddled in the meeting with the President, but unfortunately, although it has been raised several times in (Continued on page 2)

2. How should the privatization strategy be developed in the future? GRAMOZ PASIKO, «DEMOCRATIC ALLIANCE» PARTY I WOULD CALL PRIVATIZATION SO FAR THE BASIS OF ADMINISTRATIVE CORRUPTION Answer. The privatization of medium-sized enterprises carried out under Decision 248 of May 1993, as I have said publicly before, was one of the most misguided failures into which the privatization process in Albania has been led. For some time, we had stressed that this kind of privatization would give corruption in the Albanian administration an institutional basis. And this fact is now plain to see. There is not a single privatization board in any municipality or district about which there is not talk of the most blatant corruption. The second consequence, denounced for some time now, is the vulnerability of the pro-

3. How do you assess the meeting held with the President of the Republic? V. PRIVATIZATION MUST BE LEGISLATED BY PARLIAMENT VASIL MELO, CHAIRMAN OF THE BDNJ PARTY 1- If we judge by what has been said and written in the press about this entire first phase of privatization, we are compelled to [text unclear] not only economic, but political, social, cultural, etc. Besides this, another question arises: into whose hands will this wealth go-

Corruption in focus: «The Arsidi File» goes to trial without Arsidi... The biggest political-financial scandal of the Berishian transition returns tomorrow to the courtroom of the Court of First Instance in Tirana, while the days of adjournment have not removed it from public attention. Numerous discussions and debates, conjectures, predictions and even rumours have accompanied it for two years, first and foremost highlighting the government’s lack of desire to uncover the truth and punish the thieves, the corrupt and their protectors. Will the defendants speak? This is the question many are asking. And the prevailing answer is: NO, THEY WILL NOT SPEAK Because they are afraid, because they are implicated, because they placed themselves at the service of corrupt power. That is one opinion. But will the people under arrest agree to bear on their shoulders the heavy burden of having stolen state property and of their major responsibility as accomplices? Will they agree to sacrifice themselves for a power whose end is entirely clear? Cold logic says no. The former prime minister of the technical government, Vilson Ahmeti, cannot accept the serious accusation being made, because he cannot admit to having stolen when the money from «Çana Arsidi» ended up in other people’s pockets. If that is so, surely the others will not agree to remain silent either. ...And without Berisha’s medal It is an undeniable fact. Arsidi gave Berisha a medal two and a half years ago. «The Arsidi File» has gone to trial, taking with it Agron Salinë, Agim Tartarin, Vilson Ahmetin, Ilir Hoïin and Ardian Xhyherin. But Arsidi himself is absent, as is the medal he pinned on Berisha; footage of it can also be found on television in April, during the day’s special broadcasts. Why does Berisha not hand over the medal? Did it come with an honorarium, and what was its value in dollars? What was the value of the medal pinned on Berisha’s chest? Here, then, are some more questions awaiting answers, without which the trial cannot be considered complete and the case cannot be considered closed. How did the Greek shelas(i) leave Albania? ... The Prosecutor General Alush from the criminal college of the Court of Ka-

“I raised several objections, which I can summarize as follows. First, the consultation should genuinely have been broadened so that everyone’s views could be heard. Two parties that are parliamentary groups should have been included in that consultation: the Democratic Alliance and the Democratic Party. These Right-wing [text unclear] parliamentarians should have been invited; they have long been active in the life of the country and took part in the local elections, such as Balli Kombëtar and the Legality Movement. Associations representing the groups directly concerned with privatization, such as those of the politically persecuted and former owners, should have been invited. Then one could say that a consultation had taken place. We went in good faith, not knowing who would be participating. Nevertheless, I asked for the issue to be clarified in its entirety, and one of the matters that interested me most was to know whether, in this future privatization project, the privatizations carried out without auction by the boards—which we have described as dishonorable and corrupt—would be considered valid, and whether these would be deducted from the national wealth fund and ” of political persecuted persons and former owners. Then it could be said one of the matters I was most interested in was finding out whether, in this forthcoming privatization project, the privatizations carried out without an corrupt—would be considered legitimate, fund. (Continued on page 3)

1- Judging by what has been said and written in the press about this entire first phase of privatization, we are obliged to acknowledge that the privatization criteria have not been entirely proper and acceptable, because they left room for abuses, and that their implementation in practice was accompanied by evident injustices and bias that caused concern and dissatisfaction. 1- Judging about this entire first phase of privatization, we are obliged to acknowledge that the privatization criteria have not been entirely proper and acceptable, because they left room for abuses, and that their implementation in practice was accompanied by evident injustices and bias that caused concern and dissatisfaction. Despite this, only a small percentage of national wealth was privatized during this first phase. The figure given is around 5–10 percent; let us call it a “general rehearsal” that will serve as a lesson for the second phase, during which the main body of our national economy, its major branches, will be privatized. 2- We support privatizing the economy, and we support in-depth privatization, which may vary across different sectors and branches in accordance with their specific characteristics. We support in-depth privatization because the private economy has clearly demonstrated its superiority. The privatization of our national economy is a fundamental issue, because it concerns wealth, and various interests gravitate around and become entangled with all this wealth—not only economic interests, but political, social, cultural, and other interests as well. In addition, another question arose: into whose hands will this wealth pass? What will be the face of this new bourgeoisie, let us call it that, or of these new owners, who will direct our country’s economy and consequently also exert a strong influence over the country’s political direction? This must certainly preoccupy us deeply and compel us to be extremely careful, because it concerns the future. Determining the privatization strategy is not a simple matter. We expressed the view that it is essential to establish a commission of specialists for this purpose, to present several options, taking into account the experience of other countries, so that the political parties have basic material before them on which to form their judgment. We stressed that we can present only our party’s political position on this privatization strategy; That the entire process of privatizing the economy must be legalized and institutionalized; all the criteria for (Continued on page 2)

The morning of January 10 marked the first attempted theft of 1995 in the city of Durrës. The Social Insurance Directorate was violently targeted by persons who have not yet been identified. According to the testimony of the area inspector, the perpetrators took advantage of the long-standing absence of law-enforcement officers at this very important institution, which holds all the necessary documentation and the funds for 25,000 pensioners. Seeking to steal the deposited money, the perpetrators easily broke through the outer doors and went inside, but were unable to carry out the theft because all the savings funds had been moved from the cash office the previous day. The escapade ended with the theft of a calculator and several other items, which nevertheless point to an attempted robbery. “We have been complaining for a long time about the extremely difficult conditions at this enterprise,” says the director of the institution. “The local authorities have not paid any attention to this problem. The employees of the savings bank, who work in unsuitable conditions, have also raised this concern.” This warning alone should be enough to wake the local authorities and other competent bodies from their sleep. The matter is still under investigation. MIRELA NDINI

The Independent Trade Union Federation of Employees and Pensioners of Albania is indignant and strongly protests the latest increase in transport and electricity tariffs at a time when wages and pensions are below the subsistence minimum. Participants at the chairman’s protest rally called on the President, the Chairman of the People’s Assembly, and the Chairman of the Council of Ministers to grant them concessions on transport fares, etc. At the same time, it once again denounces the government’s dismissive attitude toward the trade unions when issues vital to the population and affecting living standards are at stake. The Federation’s Chairman PETRAQ TAPIA

Yesterday in Milot, in the Kurbin district, Viktor Nikolli Hoxha, 30, was murdered. Viktor died after being struck in the head by a bullet from a TT pistol on the evening of January 9, in the center of the city of Peshkopi. Kop­shtë. The true reasons for this murder, which has shaken Peshkopi and Milot, are unknown. The killer, as is usual in such cases, has disappeared in an unknown direction. V. D.

Prosecutor General Dragosha sought the removal of Zef Brozi’s immunity on the pretext that he had released from prison a Greek citizen; sentenced by the Court of First Instance in Tirana and the Court of Appeal to four years’ imprisonment, following the decision Prosecutor General Alush Dragosha sought the removal of Zef Brozi’s immunity on the pretext that he had released from prison a Greek citizen who had been sentenced by the Court of First Instance in Tirana and the Court of Appeal to four years’ imprisonment, following the decision by the criminal panel of the Court of Cassation. But what happened? Nobody asks how the Greek citizen left Albania. Who gave him his passport, and who took him to Rinas? Or did Zef Brozi do those things too?

It is a question that naturally arises while corruption, which has gripped today’s imagination, is being discussed. Behind Hajdin Sejdia too lies a major theft, whose uncovering the state never seriously concerned itself with. Who ordered his arrest, and how was he escorted to Rinas? Television broadcast a report showing him in handcuffs. But how was he extradited when the theft had been committed in Albania? Does Mr. Dragosha know what route was followed, and was the procedure applied in his case legal? Did he sign anything as deputy prosecutor general at the time? If he does not remember, let him look at the case file. And let him send a letter to the Minister of Foreign Affairs asking whether there is an agreement on the extradition of criminals between Albania and Switzerland, since the Minister too will answer in writing, if he did not answer at the time. And then Alush Dragosha should tell Parliament whether Hajdin Sejdia’s extradition constitutes a criminal offence or not, because along with him, state employees who had also signed off on the millions stolen from Albanians were extradited from the country. Who signed? Alush Dragosha or someone else?... AGIM MALAJ

5,000 people defrauded, hundreds of millions of drachmas stolen ... await an urgent solution We are a group of representatives of around 5,000 people, mainly from Devoll, who are compelled to turn to you, Mr. President, because our predicament is serious too. Bujar Pana, president of the “Billi-Pog” company, was able to collect—and they collected, either alone or through his representatives—hundreds of millions of drachmas, or, in other words, the hard-earned savings of the people of Devoll accumulated over three years. Pog­radeci’s 5,000 lending families have lost millions, having fallen into Pana’s hands; 6–7 of his bank employees robbed millions and drive around in unregistered cars through the neighborhood. It now turns out that, from November 1992 through May 1994, the company did not begin any commercial activity, while its associates continue to collect money by deceiving people. Finding himself in this situation and facing immense pressure, although in April–May 1994 Bujar Pana, after failing to secure the loan, returned the kuav from the state? (damaged text) … That is the whole matter. ... (Continued on page 4)

Today, 12.1.1995, at 11:00, a press conference of this party will be held at the headquarters of the Socialist Party. Journalists from the press and information organizations, ATSH, radio and television, as well as representatives of the diplomatic corps accredited in Tirana, are invited to attend. Press and Information Office of the SP

CHAIRMAN OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY