OSCE, ECHO OF THE INTERNATIONAL POSITION PAGE 3

HERE IS THE LAW THAT PROHIBITS MONEY LAUNDERING PAGE 10 NATIONAL LIBRARY TIRANA

MEIDANI AND MAJKO INAUGURATE THE START OF WORK TO REBUILD THE BASE PAGE 7

OCTOBER LOWER THAN SEPTEMBER, 55 KILLED PAGE 2

ITALIAN AND ALBANIAN PROSECUTORS, A JOINT FIGHT PAGE 2

MAYORS AND MUNICIPAL COUNCILS BEGIN SABOTAGE PAGE 12

PRIORITIES: HIGHER EDUCATION, ARCHIVES AND MUSEUMS PAGE 11

WHAT TVSH OFFERS: THE STRETCHING OF A DAY’S BROADCAST PAGE 13 PRICE FOR GREECE, 250 DPX

META AND ANGELO START THE FIGHT, WE WILL SINK THEM

TIRANA—The smuggling fleet continues to grow. After publishing yesterday the names of the ships involved in the illegal trafficking of cigarettes and coffee, yesterday the Ministry of Finance made public the names of other ships engaged in the same activity. This time, however, they are carrying another product favored by smugglers: fuel. According to the Ministry of Finance, at least six ships have been identified on the basis of original documents received by the ministry from Eurocustoms data. For years, these ships have been bringing oil to the ports of Durrës and Vlorë while evading tax obligations. “TEDI,” “FATI,” “FROSI-NA,” “TEUTA,” “ARBERI,” and “ANATOLI-B” are the ships that the Ministry of Finance named yesterday in its initial response. Finance officials say these ships have a fake hold on their upper deck, while large tanks concealed inside carry oil, gasoline, benzene, etc. They take advantage of the dead hours between 10 p.m. and 4 a.m. to unload at the port of Durrës. It is precisely during this period that Customs is not operating; customs officers even leave the port premises altogether. The ships dock and, using the powerful pumps they have on board, empty oil or gasoline from their tanks directly into the tanker trucks lined up on the piers. According to Finance officials, this activity has been going on for some time. The Albanian paperwork is completely clean. This is because all these ships, along with others, approach the port of Durrës and dock there, declaring that they have no cargo. And, at first glance, that is exactly how it appears. They load in Patras, prepare documents stating that they are to load or unload in Bar, Montenegro, and arrive at the port of Durrës declaring that they are empty. In most cases, the standard phrase they tell the Albanians is: “We couldn’t find cargo in Montenegro.” Yesterday evening, Finance Minister Anastas Angjeli repeated his stern declaration that he would use every lawful, institutional, and practical means in the fight against smuggling. He said that if the ships fail to meet their tax obligations and disobey the orders of the police and customs police, then the state has the right to fire at them. “Even to sink them,” Finance Minister Anastas Angjeli warned yesterday.