The latest proof of Fatos Nano’s complete innocence VITALONE: This investigative initiative cast a troubling shadow over an outstanding act of solidarity with Albania, for which all of Europe praised us. Investigations closed against those accused of misusing and embezzling Italian aid to Albania The company “Levanle Co” and its director Pernjola did not steal The latest proof of Fatos Nano’s complete innocence Italian justice finally tears away the legal veneer of Fatos Nano’s political conviction VITALONE: This investigative initiative cast a troubling shadow over an outstanding act of solidarity with Albania, for which all of Europe praised us. Investigations closed against those accused of misusing and embezzling Italian aid to Albania The company “Levanle Co” and its director Pernjola did not steal KARLO SARXHANA, head of the preliminary investigations section at the Rome Public Prosecutor’s Office, which issued the decision to finally archive the case: “I made this decision because there is no evidence aga-inst the accused. Following the latest checks, the Rome Public Prosecutor’s Office finally closed what was presented as the scandal over Italian aid to Albania in 1991. We recall that in Italy this case was opened at the end of 1992. According to the accusation, former Deputy Foreign Minister Klaudio Vitalone and 12 officials of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs responsible in Rome, who also received the order there is no evidence against the accused,” Mr. Sanxhana told the BBC. “After two years of checks on bank accounts and real estate, nothing illegal was found,” Mr. Sar- added. What is notable in this case is that on 6 June of this year, these same two prosecutors proposed closing the case for a complete lack of evidence. We thought it would be interesting to also get the opinion of the main Italian protagonist, former Deputy Minister Klaudio Vitalone, who said: “I bear no grudge, but only a… Rome Prosecutor’s Office, who made the decision to definitively no evidence against the accused. After banking and real-estate checks that lasted two years, nothing illegal was found. The procedures for disbursing aid were also entirely regular at every stage of the operation.” Until the end of the preliminary investigations, the final decision as to the decision to definitively archive the case. [The upper part of the columns is cut off.] ... ultimately came to me as the decision to definitively no evidentiary element against the accused,” Mr Sarxhana told the BBC. illegal was found,” Mr Sarxhana added. “The procedures for disbursing aid,” he concluded, In the early stages, the investigation was led by prosecutor Evelina Kanale. After she moved to the Ministry of Justice, the case was transferred to prosecutors Vincenco Balbieri and Rafaele Mo...

From 6 to 8 July, the Programmatic Congress of the Italian Democratic Party of the Left is being held in Rome. Invited to take part in this congress, a delegation of the Socialist Party of Albania, headed by PSSH deputy chairman Namik Dokle, left for Rome yesterday. HSSD Press and Information Office »

YESTERDAY IN PARLIAMENT: A few days after Albania entered the Council of Europe, Parliament applies the Statute of the Islamic Conference — It is voted that no goods from Israel be purchased for the construction of a hospital in Durrës — Next week the status of the Council of Europe will be on the agenda of the Albanian Parliament. This was decided at yesterday’s plenary session of the People’s Assembly, after its approval by the Assembly’s presidium together with the chairmen of the parliamentary groups. Then, of the two draft laws postponed last week, only the Ratification of the Agreement between the Albanian government and the Islamic Bank for the construction of a hospital in the city of Durrës was placed on the agenda, while the draft law submitted by MP Majko, proposing an addition to the law “On military service in the Armed Forces of the Republic of Albania,” was not accepted by the session chair; it was left as it had been a week earlier, pending discussion in the committees. The draft law submitted by Majko aims to reduce the military service obligation to only 3 months for citizens (students) who complete higher education while released from work, up to 1 September 2000. It had been decided to put the ratification of the agreement with the city of Durrës on the agenda first. Everything would have proceeded calmly had its text not contained an article that sparked a lengthy debate in the parliamentary chamber. It concerns one of the conditions the bank sets for the Albanian side during construction, restricting the release of the allocated amount by prohibiting the purchase of equipment or materials from the State of Israel and its government for the project (!). Naturally, such a restriction could not pass without leaving its mark on the MPs, who clearly understood its subtext. Before Albania’s membership in the Islamic Conference, undertaken on Berisha’s personal initiative, had even been ratified de jure, the Albanian Parliament had to approve this membership de facto as well, by applying its conditions and statute. For this reason, the Socialist MPs asked Foreign Minister Sërreqi to respond. MP Pashkëpja stated that we still do not recognize the Statute of the Islamic Conference, yet are obliged to comply with its sanctions. Other MPs who spoke, such as Mr. Paloka, Zeneli, Baleta, etc., expressed concern about why such agreements necessarily have to be ratified in the parliamentary chamber… As always when sessions are chaired by Mr. Malasi, MPs’ votes are repeated two or three times. The same happened at yesterday’s session. After an extension was put to a vote, the PD parliamentary group requested a consultation (Continued on page 4)

AFTER JOINING THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE: We entered the Council of Europe last and far too late. Nevertheless, his joy was so sincere that not even the opposition press found anyone willing to put their name to an expression of opposition, despair or anti-Europeanism. There are anti-Europeanists today in the heart of England, France and Germany. There are scientists, politicians, journalists and businesspeople who are launching movements against joining Europe. In Albania, everyone is rejoicing at entering its Council. Only one newspaper, alongside the natural joy over membership in the Council of Europe, did not forget—and with suspicious haste and speed wrote in large, black letters about something that had supposedly befallen the Socialist leaders. Apparently there is mourning because the Council of Europe ignored the “Nano case” and because the “hero of the Socialists” is still a thief. It is regrettable that such labels continue, when even according to the court ruling Fatos Nano was not punished for embezzlement. In any case, everyone chooses their own way and language for political struggle, but turning the sincere victory of all Albanians in joining the Council of Europe into a vulgar attack against the politician admired by the largest opposition party is, in any event, short-sighted. Joining the Council of Europe is the greatest victory on the direct road toward resolving the “Nano case.” Everything else—the claim that this membership was a defeat for ... this case—is ordinary, short-lived political manipulation. It is HOT AIR. The kind that bursts not when you prick it, but simply when you blow on it. The “Nano case” is heading toward a resolution, and no political force or group of people can stop it now—not any diaspora faction or rivals, nor any mob of avengers or violators of freedom. The weight of this avalanche’s roll is not felt much in the opposition’s streets, but the current government feels it very clearly. Its nervousness cannot be concealed even for a four-hour human pause. On 29 June Albania felt joy, but in the PD the anti-Nano propaganda could not hide its concern that the Council of Europe was calling for a resolution. It is not out of place to remind the reader of the “Llukano case” in Bulgaria and its resolution through pe... (Continued on page 3)

A government decision has made 40 former persecuted people the owners of this hotel. The workers are asking the Constitutional Court to annul this decision. The landowners are bringing a case before the court of first instance. The 100 employees of Hotel Rozafa in Shkodër continue to insist that they should become the owners of the property, opposing the government decision according to which this tourism establishment is to be given to 40 former persecuted people. Two representatives of the group of persecuted people, together with a liquidator, appeared at the hotel to take possession of it on the basis of the government decision. But they immediately encountered resistance from the workers. “The police came and did not allow them to carry out any action,” says the hotel union chairman, Mr Arif Murati. “We were informed that you had come to ...” (Continued on page 4)

The Democratic Alliance Party has been accepted as an observer member of the European Union of Christian Democrats at a meeting of this organization held on 29–30 June in Bucharest, Neritan Ceka, President of the Democratic Alliance, announced yesterday at a press conference. Ceka described this event as the achievement of its highest objective as a party, as a party that has not yet taken part in parliamentary elections, but that also faces the legislative bodies. The Democratic Alliance was admitted with no votes against, while the admission of the Christian Democratic Party received two votes against, one of them from Helmut Kohl’s German Christian Democrats. Ceka mentioned an agreement between the Democratic Party of Albania and Greece’s New Democracy, but said there was no reason to consider this agreement suspicious, since its contents were not known. On this occasion, we asked that the Democratic Party also make such an agreement with the two Albanian parties that were at that meeting. But the representatives of the DP could all ... , Ceka said. Later, the President of the Democratic Alliance answered journalists’ questions. Correspondent of «Zëri i popullit»

, the second FRESSH Congress. Around 2,700 young people from Tirana, members of the Youth Forum of this city—1,700 of them members of the Tirana Socialist Party—elected yesterday their representatives to the second FRESSH Congress. Very energetic, but also idealistic, the new team elected by the conference held a few weeks ago shares these views today about the Congress, Tirana, the recent changes in the work and structure of the branch, the FRESSH program and statute, and relations with the Socialist Party of Albania. — What does the Eurosocialist Youth Forum of Tirana represent? — Monika Kryemadhi: The Eurosocialist Youth of the City of Tirana is a powerful structure and one of the most organized branches of the Albanian Eurosocialist Forum. These young people who are members of the Tirana Forum today are the ones who supported the PS before and during 22 March, at a time when many Albanians did not even think of entering the doors of the headquarters of today’s largest Albanian party. The Eurosocialist Youth Forum of Tirana represents those young people who stood up to violence, pressure and all kinds of provocations ... by the party in power on 22 March 26... (Continued on page 2)

FRESSH has no owner! Its masters are young people, students, intellectuals, workers, young businesspeople!

All newspaper distribution agencies in the districts that have signed a contract with the newspaper “Zëri i popullit” must report to the newspaper’s editorial office to settle the accounts for the first six months of the year. The accounts must be settled by 15 July. After this date, newspapers will not be sent to agencies that have not reported. Agency representatives must bring documentation confirming receipt of the newspaper, deposit slips for payments made into the bank, or cheques to be paid at the newspaper’s cashier’s office. Travel expenses will be covered by the editorial office. EDITORIAL OFFICE