Mediu: Elections must not be controlled by Meidani

P. 3

Koçi: We are better than the PD

P. 5

Berisha: We want fair elections

P. 3

Local elections unite the opposition

P. 3

META LAUNCHES THE ELECTION CAMPAIGN

META LAUNCHES THE ELECTION CAMPAIGN Prime Minister Ilir Meta is launching the campaign for the local elections in southern Albania, perhaps on the assumption that the Socialists have stronger support there. This weekend, the head of the Albanian Executive, Meta, will specifically travel to the country’s southernmost tip to “win the hearts” of the cities of Gjirokastër, Sarandë and Delvinë. Concern for public service problems such as the supply of electricity and water, and the repair of ruined roads, is said to be the outward façade of the long journey Meta will undertake in southern Albania. Meanwhile, sources close to the prime minister confirm that the real purpose of this visit, which ...

Tirana prosecutor Velaj dismissed

P. 2

Berat, no medicines against

Berat, no medicines against

FARMERS THREATENED WITH NOT RECEIVING A PENSION

The rural population is openly threatened with not receiving an old-age pension. Of 710,000 self-employed people, only 120,000, or 17 percent, pay contributions toward years of service. The dissolution of the cooperatives and agricultural enterprises in which they had been employed has left this very large number of people outside the social insurance scheme. Of course, this is not officially acknowledged, but is due to their failure to understand the benefit of paying contributions toward an old-age pension. Years ago, the government sought a law under which Albanian farmers could make up their years of service by being considered self-employed... P. 8

GREECE CLOSES KAPSHTICË

Chaos at the Kapshticë border crossing. The large influx of Albanian emigrants wishing to return to Greece, where they have been working for years, has created numerous problems at Kapshticë Customs, overwhelming its staff. The long waits near Greek Customs to obtain the entry stamp for Greek territory have reached as much as 10 hours of seemingly endless waiting. Such a wait in bad weather is real torture, and women, children and elderly people have endured this ordeal. Shivering in the cold in front of Greek Customs for hours on end is perfectly normal for Greek customs officers, who indulged their whims during these cold winter days. P. 7

Berat, no medicines against the flu

P. 11

Kukës without electricity for 48 consecutive hours

P. 7

Russia, presidential elections on March 26

P. 10

Protest by Albanians in Brussels, January 5. Hundreds of Albanians protested yesterday in front of the headquarters of the Council of Ministers of the European Union in Brussels, demanding the release of more than 7,000 Albanian prisoners held in the prisons of the Serbian fascist regime. P. 4

CHAMBER OF COM... TIRANA