Among the long list of kiosks, booths, dairies, sanitary facilities, etc., which meet the criterion of investments worth over two billion dollars made in Albania during the PD’s former government, another important investment has mistakenly been forgotten, one for which TVSH also gave a special and fairly lengthy report. It is a windmill built in the district of Lezhë under the party’s direct supervision. This is a highly significant indication that Albania has been brought to the same level as Holland and the other Low Countries. The Investment Spokesperson.

Economic overview 1994 FOREIGN TRADE: Imports nearly four times higher than exports. While the private sector is decisive in imports, it accounts for 48 percent of exports. During 1994, exports reached approximately 13.4 billion lekë, while commercial imports amounted to approximately 51.9 billion lekë, resulting in a trade-balance deficit of 38.5 billion lekë, or nearly four times the value of exports, confirms the statistical bulletin on the principal economic indicators for the past year, published by the Institute of Statistics. The role of the private sector of the economy in exports, the bulletin states, has been growing, and during 1994 it accounted for around 48 percent of the total value of exports, while in imports this sector is decisive. In 1994, around 78 percent of commercial imports were supplied by the private sector of the economy. Traditionally, Albanian exports have been dominated by goods in the group “Minerals, fuels, electrical energy,” especially chromium, ferrochrome, chromium concentrate, liquid bitumen, etc. In 1994, increases were recorded in the “Textiles and footwear” group, as a result of increased exports produced with customer-supplied materials. In the structure of commercial imports, more than 50 percent consisted of goods in the groups “Food, beverages, tobacco” and “Machinery, equipment and spare parts.” Food and humanitarian aid also played a considerable role in our imports; these were concentrated mainly in food consumer goods, machinery and equipment. More than 50 percent of this aid came to our country through Italy. Italy and Greece are the main countries to which Albanian goods are exported. More than 50 percent of the total value of exports is realized in the three [countries]. During 1994, exports to the USA and Germany also increased. The principal countries from which Albania imported goods during 1994 were Italy, Greece, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Germany and Turkey, which together accounted for more than 80 percent of the total value of commercial imports. It is quite clear from the indicators above that the Albanian economy, despite having one of the highest rates of development in Europe, is strangely consuming a great deal while producing very little itself. DEDE KOLA

The “Vrioni” scandal is a scandal involving Albanian finances Dylber Vrioni, who violates the Constitution, threatens us with the press law The “Vrioni” scandal is a scandal involving Albanian finances DYLBER VRIONI, DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER AND MINISTER OF FINANCE, REPORTS AND TAKES ON DUTIES AT THE ITALO-ALBANIAN BANK Dylber Vrioni, who violates the Constitution, threatens us with the press law - Article 35 of the Constitutional Provisions says: A member of the Council of Ministers may not hold, apart from the mandate of an MP, any other state or professional function, nor participate in the governing bodies of economic and commercial organizations. 2. “Approval of the Agreement between the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, Banca di Roma and the Albanian National Commercial Bank. Mr. VRIONI informs the Shareholders that Banca di Roma, B.K.T.SH. and E.B.R.D. signed an Agreement on 21 December 1994. After discussion, the Shareholders unanimously: RESOLVED that the Shareholders expressly and irrevocably authorize and approve the Agreement signed on 21 December 1994 between Banca di Roma, B.K.T.SH. and E.B.R.D., and expressly authorize any transfer of shares resulting from this Agreement. AT THE SAME TIME, RESOLVED to waive their pre-emptive right to subscribe for the shares to be sold to the E.B.R.D., in accordance with Article II of the Agreement. IT WAS ALSO RESOLVED that Mr. VRIONI and/or Mr. PANCANI, General Director of B.I-A, be authorized to submit and execute on behalf of the Company any contract or document necessary to complete and carry out the transactions mentioned above. Facsimile taken from the minutes of the meeting dated 21.10.1994. The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance of Albania, Mr. Dylber Vrioni, has recently responded, specifying four meetings and the same number of attendances by Mr. Vrioni at these meetings... mentioned above. “I have received no remuneration from this bank while I was an MP or Minister of Finance,” Mr. Vrioni reiterated yesterday in a threatening reply addressed to “ZP,” which, fortunately, was published in “RD.” This response comes this time as a rebuttal to a document—the official reply from the Italo-Albanian Bank—published on Sunday in “Zëri,” which showed that Mr. Vrioni had been paid in dollars in his capacity as President of the Bank’s Board. But today, without wishing to call a “liar,” we reaffirm that Mr. Vrioni received money, or more precisely was paid in dollars by the Italo-Albanian Bank, and that at the very least he is not telling the truth. The Bank’s reply says that Mr. Vrioni received 2,000 dollars as a fixed annual sum and 200 dollars for each Assembly meeting, specifying four meetings and an equal number of attendances by Mr. Vrioni. The document itself contradicts Mr. Vrioni. But yesterday, as on 30 March 1995, Mr. Vrioni tried to find room to defend himself by invoking a time period. The Deputy Prime Minister specifies “while I was an MP or Minister of Finance.” Leaving aside the now superseded argument about the 2,000 dollars, let us turn to the 200 dollars paid as reimbursement for attending meetings. At least, we can say that the last 200 dollars were paid to Mr. Vrioni while he was Minister of Finance. We are talking about 21 December 1994, the meeting held on that day, its minutes and the participation of the Albanian Minister of Finance, as shown in the relevant record. In other words, on 21 December 1994, Mr. Vrioni had been Minister of Finance since 4 December 1994. But these sums are not what place at the center of the scandal. From the outset, we have stressed that the scandal is unconstitutional. Everything concerns Mr. Vrioni’s appointment to the post of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, a post which—under the Constitutional Provisions, Article 35, paragraphs one and three—is incompatible with any other post, especially one of a commercial or economic nature. Mr. Vrioni knows this very well, which is why he avoids answering this point. “Meanwhile, upon my appointment as Minister of Finance, I notified all the main parties participating in this Bank that I was leaving my position as Chairman of the Board of this bank,” Mr. Vrioni says. But on 30 March, “Zëri” confirmed with the Bank that it had received nothing official from Mr. Vrioni concerning this. Meanwhile, they brought us to “Zëri” the minutes of the Shareholders’ Assembly, and we reiterate that at this meeting—on 21 December 1994—Mr. Vrioni appeared as President of the Bank, while also serving as Minister of Finance. So, if upon his appointment as Minister on 4 December 1994 Mr. Vrioni informed the Bank that he was leaving, why did he attend the meeting on 21 December 1994 while holding the post of Minister of Finance? In connection with this, “Zëri” again presents another facsimile document today—an extract from the minutes of the 21 December meeting. to complete and carry out the transactions mentioned above,” it says, and it is clear that Mr. Vrioni was assigned duties to carry out in the subsequent period, relating to transactions involving a highly important matter: increasing the Bank’s capital. “Zëri” is very interested today to know whether the Minister of Finance of Albania carried out these duties assigned to him by the Italo-Albanian Bank. Finally, it is at least impo[?]… (Continued on page 3)

All the Albanians who saw their Prime Minister on television were convinced that he was in very good health. Not only that, they also learned the secret of his good health, which Meksi himself revealed at Reiz Cica’s press conference. When he was a boy, it seems Meksi liked to run around. Thinking that the Prime Minister’s appearance before the cameras would cause a big stir among the public, yesterday we were compelled to seek the opinions of several different groups of people, and we were not disappointed. AN UNEMPLOYED PERSON: I didn’t listen to him at all. As soon as he stopped talking about macroeconomics, about “GDP” and things like that, I dozed off, wondering what he would come out with, and then I fell asleep. A VOTER: That Meksi is fantastic. He deserves a toast, except my wife wouldn’t let me drink because she was afraid I’d get drunk and break the television. A LECTURER: Apparently Berisha will keep burning Meksi until he sees how much he’ll speak; he makes him come out and speak like that, the way he does. A FORMER EMIGRANT: What can you expect from a prime minister who is a former [??] in Meksi’s condition? He wasn’t even able to protect his friend, whose car was protected[?] at the German embassy. Are we asking him to protect our car? His friend paid for the car, and they took his house too. A VILLAGER WHO DOESN’T DISTINGUISH: I know him personally; I told them that Ndroqi is in this corner. A MOTHER WITH MANY CHILDREN: I felt sorry for Meksi when he said that he too needed protection from criminals’ “Kalashnikovs.” A YOUNG MAN SITTING ON THE SIDEWALK: Leka doesn’t entertain me at all; last night he seemed very bored. I was expecting a laugh. He’s amusing on his own when he pretends to get angry. A HOMELESS MAN: Bravo to Çiço. He really did take my house in Meksi’s film, but he also left him speechless. Meksi had given the questions beforehand, and the prime minister knew them even better than Çiço himself. Likewise, Çiço knew the answers better than Meksi himself. They each made only one mistake. The first time, Meksi forgot the order of the answer, and the other time he suggested to Çiço what question he should ask. A SOCIAL ASSISTANCE WORKER: Meksi’s words moved me deeply, so I spoke with the neighborhood social assistance association, and unanimously we decided to give up our assistance for three months so that Meksi can buy bulletproof shirts. A TRADER: I had already held our prime minister in high regard, but last night he took me along, and you heard what he said: “Politics without reservations, without any limits toward the foreigner.” That’s great, brother. What do we need borders and reservations for with foreigners? Everything in the marketplace, everything for the marketplace. A PEDESTRIAN: For a long time I had my doubts about Meksi, about how much he agrees with Sali, but last night, when he spoke about November 29, I was completely convinced. It was not merely an unintentional slip, but a deliberate attack against our party’s program. Written down as I hear them, BEQIR SKRELI

The new comedy “Fali i tersit” The comedy “Fati i tersit” is being performed for several consecutive nights at the “Migjeni” Theatre in the city of Shkodër. The play was adapted and staged by Elez Kadria, with roles performed by the best-known actors in the theatre company, such as Bep Shiroka and Ymer Bala, as well as its youngest actor, Edmond Halilli. The comedy is being enjoyed by theatre lovers.

The largest square in Peshkopia, the one that had the honorable name “Nazmi Rushiti” and has been the most sought-after venue for mass gatherings in recent years, has now turned into a dumping ground for rubble and garbage. The non-spontaneous dumping of garbage and refuse (which has long exceeded a thousand tons) takes place in broad daylight, under the indifferent gaze of the territorial planning council and the long line of police officers and officials responsible for public health, etc. It is not done with handcarts, but with large, self-dumping trucks weighing 7–10 tons. So far, rubble and garbage have completely occupied more than a quarter of the square.

Librazhd experienced a tragic event in recent days. On the town’s main promenade, 24-year-old Pellumb Çota was killed after being stabbed six times. Çota’s death was the result of a quarrel that began between him and L. Zharri at the town’s billiard hall and then contin[?]ued in the street.

District councils heading toward… dissolution The prevailing view at a meeting held by the Shkodër prefecture in cooperation with the Soros Foundation on local-government issues was that the district councils had now fulfilled their mission and had no future. In addition to five prefects from several prefectures across our country and the Minister of Local Government, Mr. Kosovrasti, the meeting was attended by Mr. Xhejms Ferr, Deputy Director of the Institute for Local Government, based in Budapest. Many attendees supported the idea of dissolving the district councils and establishing sub-prefectures. They also referred to a survey conducted by the Soros Foundation, according to which 68 percent of respondents said they were against the continued operation of the district councils. However, some opposed the tendency to eliminate these councils, defending their continuation with reduced powers. In any case, it remains to be clarified whether this meeting was dictated from above or was simply an initiative of the prefect of Shkodër, so that it can be judged how much consideration will be given to the suggestions made here. We recall that district councils are elected, whereas prefects are appointed by the government.