Fino’s accusation and complaint: Berisha owes me his life, because he could have ended up like Caushe[s]ku. He accuses me of averting civil war

SPECIAL VOICE law and state Smuggling: 12 Kakavija police officers released PAGE 16 Verification of tax officials’ records begins PAGE 6

Vehbi Alimuca, medal for former parliamentary speaker Arbnori PAGE 3

Majko-Orban: Albania, a decisive role in the Balkans Hungarian prime minister: “Changes to the visa regime between the two countries” PAGE 2

NEWS VOICE Treasury chiefs to verify the funds PAGE 6

Encouraging investment and providing incentives through fiscal policies PAGE 6

abc Sali Berisha, the last communist president, overthrown in the first three months of ’97, is undertaking one initiative after another in order to proclaim himself chairman of the opposition Democratic Party. As always, the man who is as red as he is blue is paying special attention to his image, combing the surrounding environment from end to end. Most recently, he has said that, upon returning to power, he will confiscate the assets of the political mafia. It will take time for new elections to be called, while Berisha’s return is even further off; so it is worth saying a few words about this. First, there is no need for the assets of the political mafia to wait for Berisha’s return before being confiscated. The risk of such a delay is almost the same as the criminalization of life in the country, including its political sphere. The consequences became clear from December ’96 to March ’97, when the political mafia—which handed out strange decorations to leaders in the field—took, squandered, and siphoned nearly 1.2 billion dollars of the people’s money into personal fortunes. The reaction to this political mafia was equally clear when the popular revolt pushed the leadership in power into disgrace, after it took up arms to kill people demanding their savings. At the time, no one in the leadership spoke up about confiscating the political mafia’s assets. Of course, this was not done by Berisha’s shouting, but through laws and orders based on those laws. Current Prime Minister Pandeli Majko has recently issued a series of orders to verify the assets of categories of people commonly suspected by the public of corruption. The initial deadline for these orders expires this weekend, and this weekend they are being reinforced with examples of the state’s tough action against the corrupt. And Interior Minister Pecja dismissed a dozen corrupt officials in Kakavija. But Sali Berisha calls these things demagoguery. Of course, there is a big difference between what he wants to do and what Prime Minister Majko is doing. Because Majko’s proposals lack the selective, self-interested character that is clearly evident in Sali Berisha’s initiatives. He thinks he should strike at the “political mafia” once he comes to power. And it is well known what Berisha does when he comes to power: a witch-hunt against his opponents, with sham trials lacking credible evidence and facts. This is because he constantly disregards the laws, or makes them with a particular person—an opponent—in mind; he usurps institutions or creates institutions designed to serve a particular person opposing him. That is why Berisha’s non-institutional initiative, with a timetable that coincides with his return to power so that he can take revenge, is a bad omen. If he truly wants to strike at the political mafia, let him name specific individuals before the prosecution authorities and provide concrete, credible and truthful evidence. Now, while it serves the integrity of this country and the political class that governs it. Otherwise, we will continue to believe that this man does not have the courage to denounce anyone, just as he did when he was the “KRA-JLI” of this country: he did not harm any smuggler, never seized any contraband; what is more, he allowed a massive smuggling operation, now confirmed by international institutions in Vienna, involving the country to which he sent oil to his in-laws at war. From that operation emerged the mafia that still controls more than 60% of the illegal trafficking carried out throughout the country.

Tuesday August 1999 No. 205 (1700) Newspaper of the Socialist Party of Albania Price: 30 lekë. For Greece: 3000dpx

If you come across newspapers without this stamp, call: 270-31, 290-77, 292-20