The False Apocalypse
Page 23
Afterword
Early elections were held on 29th June 1997, and these were won by the Socialist Party and its allies.
Sali Berisha, having lost the elections, remained leader of the opposition for eight years. In 2005, his Democratic Party won the elections and he became the country’s Prime Minister. In 2009, when this book was finished, he was appointed Prime Minister for the second time.
After the 1997 elections, Rexhep Meidani became President of Albania, elected for five years. After completing his term, he stood for the leadership of the Socialist Party, but did not win. At the time of writing, he enjoys the status of a former president, writes in the newspapers, and teaches at the university.
Skënder Gjinushi, after the 1997 elections, became parliamentary speaker. He subsequently became Education Minister in the Socialist governments. He still writes for the newspapers, and is respected as a former parliamentary deputy.
Neritan Ceka became Interior Minister after the opposition victory in June 1997. He was elected a deputy in two parliaments in coalition with the Socialist Party. At the time of writing, his small party, the Democratic Alliance, has now entered a coalition with Berisha’s party.
Preç Zogaj became Meidani’s adviser for a while. After several years in coalition with the Socialists, he transferred, with Ceka, to a coalition with Berisha’s party. He has written several books about the development of democracy in Albania.
Pandeli Majko was elected a Socialist Party deputy in 1997, and became Prime Minister for a short time in 1999. He has also been defence minister. He is currently a Socialist Party deputy.
Paskal Milo became Foreign Minister in the government that emerged from the 1997 elections, and was a deputy in three parliaments until 2008.
Foresti remained Italian ambassador to Albania for only two months after the agreement of 9th March. In May the Italian Government was obliged to recall him after the Albanian press published transcripts of recorded conversations between him and Tritan Shehu, the chairman of the Democratic Party, which exposed his efforts to rescue Berisha and also to subvert the work of Franz Vranitzky. This obliged the Italian Government to recall him. It is still unknown which secret service gave to the Albanian newspaper the recordings in this scandal, which was christened ‘Forestigate’.
Charles Walsh left Albania and according to unofficial information was declared persona non grata at the request of Ambassador Lino. He started working at the United States’ mission to the OSCE in Vienna.
Edi Rama returned from Paris at the start of 1998 and became Minister of Culture in the Socialist-led government. Two years later he became mayor of Tirana and later chairman on the Socialist Party, a post he retains at the time of writing.
Blendi Gonxhja became Edi Rama’s chief of cabinet when he was appointed Minister of Culture, and deputy chairman of the municipality when Rama became mayor of Tirana. He later fled abroad following accusations of corruption in the city hall. He is now a private businessman.
Arben Kumbaro returned to Albania after staying one year in France. For a short time he became adviser to one of the Socialist ministers of culture. He had been active as a theatre producer. He now teaches drama at the Academy of Arts.
Zani Çaushi, after a time at large, continued his serial murders among rival gangs and was arrested and sentenced to life imprisonment. At the time of writing he is still in gaol.
Kurt Kola became director of the Institute for the Victims of Political Persecution, and remained in this post for several years.
Daut Gumeni, after the 1997 elections, became an adviser to President Meidani. He was later consul in Ioannina and subsequently at the Albanian Embassy in Croatia. He was removed from the embassy after Berisha became Prime Minister. He now works as a translator and journalist.
After the victory of the Socialists, Fatos Qorri was offered the post of director of Albanian Television, which he did not accept. He continued to work as a freelance writer and journalist, as he still does today as he finishes this book.
About three thousand people died in the events that followed the agreement of 9th March, although this figure has never officially been confirmed.
THE END
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