nr. 54 / 13 janar 2004

The Albanian economy with “cramp”

Amounts go forward, investments backward

Our economy is still a pledge of the destinations that had to be in line and not on the top of the priorities. Trade, services, the income from emigrants, is almost everything important and - somehow - secure that we have for the moment…

The efforts of our businessman for more investments and to raise the produce, find no support in the government, even less in the local government (that have lower possibilities). Tourism went thru a very hard season.

Those few producing businesses that furnish no only the inland market, but have found partners even beyond the Albanian borders, are waiting for help and encouragement, but there is little attention on them… On the other hand, much other income, undeclared (that are supposed to be considerable), that could improve the rhythm and even the nature of investments, are kept locked. Insecurity and the lack of measures of protection, but even the early tendency of the Albanians to keep money in cash, have caused the banks to be set aside and the complicated financial regulators not to work properly.

Only during the 2002, there were 130.7 billion of Leks circulating out of banks. Thinking of such numerals - even though they are controlled - you can imagine the slowness our country is going to enter the economy of trade. On the other hand, the lack of investments - and the “chilling” of the foreign investors - but even the insecurities on the economical development of our businesses keep a modest rhythm. Now it is almost everything unclear, for example: as far as the practice of the Free Agreement with Macedonia is concerned, sectors of the Ministry of Economy speak about prosperity of economy, while the Albanian Bank and INSTAT affirm the opposite.

All the cramp of the economy is mirrored in the pessimistic balances import-export. During July 2003, according to INSTAT (Albanian Institute of Statistics) the income of the products of wood and paper raised from 592 to 723 millions of Leks, as it is 22.2%; that of chemical and plastic products from 1.739 to 2.100 millions of Leks, as it is 20.8%. As soon as the summer passed, there was a new overflow of agro-nutritional and farming products from abroad. In meantime, the agriculture - that gives half of the inner products - is “cold” as the weather, especially the little farms that complain that they have nowhere to bring their products. Just for example, only in Strebleva of Librazhd, this year might perish - just like in the past year - 15.000 quintal of potatoes(?!) The trade of the neighbors helped by the dubious revenue politics and monopolizing tendencies, is competing unceasingly and openly the products of the country, also dictating very high prices.

All of these are exhausting to the economy that, as mentioned above, (there is nothing new indeed), is holding and surviving thanks to the trade, services and the income (decreasing) from emigration.

Vangjush Saro

Crime is dominating

Yes. Albania is the country where crime is growing every day more. There is not even one day when dozens and dozens of crimes are not registered. There are very rare cases in which the criminals are not arrested, and if so they are set free by the tribunals. Albania is uncial in the world where crime is sitting cross-legged, and only in some case of crash between criminal clans in parliament or government, there comes out any prosecutor, minister or high functionary to make known the ugliness of the state and to hide them back as soon as a good job is offered to them. This happened with Fatos Nano two years ago when he wanted to defeat the former Prime Minister, Ilir Meta; this is what happened with the Minister of Public Order, Luan Rama or with the former President Rexhep Mejdani. All three had declared that 90% of the juridical system is corrupted or that the Albanian police are managing and guiding crime. The target of crime and revenge has always been the political opponents of this regime, as one of the ugliest in the world. The democrat Agostin Tom Curri, along with his family, his wife Kristina and their son Enio, on December 5, 2003, faced an anarchist group which attempted to kill them all. A black Mercedes with foreign number-plate, crashed on them at the place called Prroi i Thatë, about eight kilometers from Koplik, shooting toward them, as they were going for a festival to their relatives in Malësi e Madhe. The destiny and God saved them. Our investigations on this unreported case go farer, as the police many times report it to the criminals who finish their job, eliminating them. The family Curri is known in all Albania for their help in installing democracy, and for their anti-dictatorship convictions. Agostin comes from an anticommunist family, interned twice during the regime of Enver Hoxha, on 1978 and 1983. Even during the last years they faced violence and threats, for they were distinguished in many activities and protests against the red communist beast. Agostin Curri was member of the electoral staff of the candidate for Mayor of Shkodra, Professor Artan Haxhi, supported by the Democratic Party, during the local elections of October 12, 2003, while his wife was an observant for the Democratic Party at the voting center at the school “Vasil Shanto”, while even those elections were manipulated by the social-communists on power. They faced pressure, violence, and menaces and didn’t allow manipulations. The anti-dictatorship city of Shkodra isn’t the right place for those gangs to reach their political goals, that’s why it was the most persecuted and violated. Until yesterday over 40 crimes have been reported in the city, since January 1, while many others were not reported, for the democrats do not trust in this state that kills and makes the ignorant.

The correspondent of “Shqipëria Etnike”