THIS WEEK IN ALBANIA, FEBRUARY 2-8, 2008

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SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR/SCE
DEPT OF JUSTICE FOR OPDAT, ICITAP

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON PGOV PREL PHUM AL

SUBJECT: THIS WEEK IN ALBANIA, FEBRUARY 2-8, 2008


1. (U) The following is a weekly report prepared by Embassy
Tirana's local staff to provide political and economic context and
insight into developments in Albania. These updates will supplement
post's DAR reports and reporting cables.

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POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS
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2. (U) "RODNEY KING" LIVES ON (LESS VIOLENTLY) IN ALBANIA:
Albanian police are caught in a scandal familiar to the American
public -- caught on videotape abusing their position. Two videos
taken by local citizens surfaced on the popular television program
"Fiks Fare," a satirical investigative television journal, showing
police officers abusing citizens. One traffic cop hit an offender
over the head with his hand-held traffic-directing sign, dismissing
protests of the bleeding victim (a recent emigrant returning from
the UK) with "Take your papers and leave." The second tape
involved a new officer who cursed and challenged two men to a duel
when they protested a parking ticket.


3. (U) Despite substantial recent efforts by the government and
international community to improve police training, technology
caught these officers in action. Authorities reacted promptly,
arresting one and suspending all others involved in the two
incidents. The police spokesperson called publicly on citizens to
report cases of police misconduct and vowed to take similarly firm
action in the future. However, some note that the public's
preference to pass information such as these video tapes to the
media rather than official outlets (such as the 24-hour hotlines
against corruption and abuse operated by the police and the Prime
Minister's office, or the police internal investigative service)
shows a continuing lack of trust in public institutions. When the
media presents such evidence widely and publicly, action is usually
taken swiftly to counter the charges. However, outside the glare of
the cameras, citizens often fear further corruption or abuse against
the accuser.


4. (U) MYTHS, LIES, AND CONSPIRACY: In Albanian society and
politics there are always a few conspiracy theories ruminating
around the edges. These myths, spread through the many and
opinionated recognized media outlets, as well as by word of mouth,
thrive in post-communist society.


5. (U) Media, however, is the main perpetrator of the conspiracy
theories, some which prove to be true, such as the rumored collapse
of the pyramid schemes in 1997, while others remain unsubstantiated.
The most famous involve major figures: George Soros' "real agenda"
for Albania; Edi Rama's colorful past in Paris; and political or
financial alliances between the major political actors. Last
summer's presidential elections sparked the well-known theory that
arch rivals Sali Berisha and Fatos Nano had a pact to elect the
latter as president so that the former could retain the Prime
Ministry. The most current iteration of this is a supposed pact
between opposition leader Edi Rama and Prime Minister Berisha to
divide up and maintain separate spheres of influence in return for a
public truce.


6. (U) Major political actors often influence the media outlets
that defend their particular political persuasion to direct and hold
public attention, and conspiracy theorists would argue their real
goal is to deflect the public from the most pressing issues. With a
wide range of publications, each using facts and rumor to support
the views of its major stakeholders, the media represents the
spectrum of biases. News in Albania can often be opinion supported
by fact, rather than the other way around, the perfect environment
for conspiracy theories to flourish.

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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS
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7. (U) ACTION ON IPR VIOLATIONS: The government's Intellectual
Property Rights (IPR) Office announced a strong new campaign against
pirated materials this week. In unannounced inspections across
Tirana, the government confiscated thousands of illegal DVDs and CDs
and fined the violating sellers $100 (the maximum provided by law).
The action is part of a country-wide plan to raise awareness of
property rights and to force vendors to register their products with
the IPR Office. In the coming months the office intends to take
legal action against offenders in a joint effort of police and
customs authorities.


8. (U) Albanian law protects copyrights, patents, trademarks,
stamps, marks of origin, and industrial designs. In 2003, the GOA
passed an anti-piracy law, which required television stations to
broadcast only those shows and movies which they had legally
licensed for broadcast. Unfortunately, enforcement remains

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incomplete and violations of copyright, trademark, and other
intellectual property rights are still common. Pirated copies of
DVDs and CDs, imported from other countries, are readily available
for purchase and rental across the country. The government's new
campaign against violators will be a welcome effort to improve
implementation of existing laws.

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ARTS AND CULTURE
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9. (U) PORTRAIT OF AN ARTIST: TEDI PAPAVRAMI: Tedi Papavrami is
Albania's famous child prodigy. He began study of the violin at age
four with his father, Robert Papavrami, a renowned violin teacher.
At eight he performed Sarasate's "Airs Bohemiens" with the Tirana
Philharmonic Orchestra and three years later the First Violin
Concerto by Nicolo Paganini.


10. (U) In 1982 he received a scholarship from the French government
to study at the French conservatory, a rare and unparalleled
opportunity during communist times. Papavrami went on to perform
throughout Europe, Asia, South Africa and Israel with major
orchestras. In a tour of Japan he performed the lengthy and
intricate "24 Caprices," considered one of the most difficult pieces
written for solo violin. Papavrami is one of the few artists to
play the 24 consecutive "capricios" in concert. In addition, he is
acclaimed for his interpretation of the complete Bach Sonatas and
Partitas, presented in concert near Paris. Papavrami plays a violin
custom made by Christian Bayon.


11. (U) A versatile artist, Papavrami acted opposite Catherine
Deneuve, Natassja Kinsky and other stars in the French TV film "Les
Liaisons Dangereuses." His talents also include exceptional
linguistic abilities; he is Fayard Publishing's official translator
of the works of the lyrical Albanian novelist Ismail Kadar.


12. (U) QUOTE OF THE WEEK: "Stop this nonsense. I am in Greece
seeking the return of the stolen sculptures to Albania. This is
what should concern you. This is the newsworthy item." Minister of
Culture, Ylli Pango, responding to a journalist's inquiry as to why
his 17-year-old son drives his father's official Volkswagen Touareg
every day to school.

WITHERS