...Certain experts have managed to carry out 30, 40 and more expert assessments, which have brought in revenues of 6 or 7 million old lekë. These expert assessments, if carried out in accordance with the requirements of the law, take a considerable amount of time, and they are done during working hours, in state offices and under the protection of state laws. p. 3

. Not even university diplomas or secondary-school certificates have escaped forgery. In Tirana there are “bu- “businessmen” who sell plots of land and land areas using forged title deeds. p. 5

The Constitutional Court ruled that there is nothing unconstitutional about the Ministry of Justice’s decision to test lawyers before renewing their licenses. After a great deal of uproar, the testing of lawyers officially began yesterday. Under a law on the legal profession, all lawyers who have been issued regular licenses must sit qualification examinations in order to continue practicing. The adoption of this law provoked fierce reactions from lawyers. They asked the Constitutional Court to declare the law unconstitutional. “If we do not win our case in the Constitutional Court, we will boycott the testing,” was the lawyers’ decision. The Constitutional Court did not question the law, and the lawyers did not publicly abandon their boycott either. Nevertheless, everything at the Ministry of Justice continued according to the scheduled program. The lawyers from Vlora were due to appear. The special commission, set up specifically to test their colleagues, was made up of judges from the Court of Cassation, officials from the Ministry of Justice, and a representative of the Bar Association, Kleanti Koci. On the first day, however, several lawyers showed up for the examination. By midday, their number had reached eight. Whether these are “strikebreakers,” or whether lawyers have quietly decided to bow before “Justice,” we will see in the coming days. I. Alia

The 61st hearing of the Arsidi trial A lightning-fast hearing in the Arsidi marathon. Just 15 minutes. Yesterday, according to court procedure, it was the turn of the five defendants and their six lawyers to present the defense. But that did not happen. Apparently, prosecutor Qeleshi’s closing argument and the judge’s actions had shocked them. At yesterday’s hearing, the first to speak was lawyer Maksim Haxhia, who is defending Ilir Hoti. He announced: “I have not prepared at all because the case file was kept at the prosecutor’s office and only arrived at the court on Friday, July 14. Secondly,” Haxhia stressed, “under prison regulations we are allowed to meet with our clients for only 30 minutes. This is not enough time to prepare a defense for a trial that has lasted two years and has a case file of more than 20,000 pages.” The other lawyers did the same, although various voices claimed that they were prepared. This point was made by the defense lawyer for former Prime Minister Ahmeti, who said: “I am prepared, but because the others are still unprepared, I will ...” The judge’s explanation did not persuade the lawyers either. A. Çelnika said: “The Court has not prevented any of you from spending more time with your clients in the cell, but it seems that there is no willingness to do so.” Judge Çelnika reprimanded lawyer Sanxhaku, who had also failed to attend the day the closing arguments were presented. According to Çelnika, “Sanxhaku left the country for unjustified reasons, abandoning his client.” In view of Sanxhaku’s repeated absence, Çelnika warned him that he could be excluded from the defense. Çelnika also reported this in writing to the Bar Council. It is said that the delays are intended to ensure that the verdict is delivered after August 1, when the new Code of Criminal Procedure comes into force, because under the new Code statements made during the investigation are not taken into account, only those made in the courtroom, which could lead to the trial starting over from the beginning. At the end, Çelnika ruled that the hearing must begin on July 20 with the defendants and their lawyers presenting the defense. Otherwise, he stressed, the court would impose sanctions that would not benefit the proceedings, but which are lawful when deliberate obstruction of the continuation of the trial is established. B. MALO

Marx, too, is one of those who benefited from the fall of the communist dictatorship. During the time of the “legendary leadership,” he was hardly discussed, while his work was published in censored form; now, it seems, he is emerging in his true “grandeur.” Censored and persecuted by Hoxha’s regime, it seems that in these times he, too, is “living” better days. Marx, this symbol of communist unity, seems to be coming back to life in order to divide the most unreformed parties throughout the East. The spiritual co-heir of communism, not yet revised by any communist party, seems to be turning its gaze...

Marx, too, is one of those who benefited from the fall of the communist dictatorship. “legendary leaders,” he was hardly talked about, order to divide the most unreformed party in the whole of the East. The fellow rulers remember him as a visionary, something no communist party has done so far; it seems that critical scrutiny will lead the former communist party away from its position as the most orthodox in Eastern Europe. While the young socialists do not want him, the old say they have not rejected all of his ideas. Now, in an age of democracy, anyone can take what is good from his thought. F. Engels

Rifkind declares Britain said on Monday that American helicopters are the only means of reinforcing UN troops defending the enclave of Gorazhda, located in eastern Bosnia. British Foreign Secretary Malkolm Rifkind told the BBC that Britain would support military operations to open a route leading to Bosnia’s besieged capital. He said: “Britain will make every possible effort to ensure that Gorazhda continues to remain a safe area in the future,” but added that “it is still not known how patient the American position is regarding the provision of helicopters to reinforce UN troops.” “Neither France nor Britain has its own helicopters on the ground in Bosnia that could be used to defend Gorazhda. So the American decision will be decisive. But we still do not know whether the Americans will move in this direction,” Rifkind said.

Lawyers will be tested by an international commission of jurists based in The Hague—the town crier announced it yesterday afternoon, bowing his head with a grand gesture. Examining lawyers in the middle of Tirana is a provocation aimed at driving Albania out of Europe. The lawyers have decided to go on a hunger strike at the café at the end of the street. “Dardha,” so from tomorrow onward, on this occasion, the accused will be defended by prosecutors. Just like in the old days. Cleanliness—the high virtue of citizens and villagers, workers and intellectuals—is driving us up the wall. We long for the smell of dust and filth. Nevertheless, for this other kind of cleanliness, some health inspector will be fined. Just imagine—if we didn’t have this cleanliness, we would get through the July heat. The war in Bosnia is nearing its end. On this occasion, the International Community will organize festive gatherings for the peace that comes through war. In Macedonia, Macedonians still do not understand where the mule is taking them. According to the rules of the game our people are playing, the day will soon come when the only language there will be Albanian. Caricature illustration bearing the inscription “TOLAN”.

Tomorrow many citizens will be surprised when their documents turn out to be invalid. p. 5

With Mr. Neritan Alibali, Head of Press and Information and spokesperson for PRSH