Garuli: PR is preparing victory in the local elections

P. 3

Questions in the PD over Doris Pak’s visit

P. 3

Berisha presents the Democrats’ latest positions

P. 5

Prefects backing Majko are dismissed

P. 5

CORRUPTION GIVES BIRTH TO “MAD KILLERS”

CORRUPTION GIVES BIRTH TO “MAD KILLERS” The insane: a “carte blanche” to kill. Being insane brings many privileges, even to the point of getting out of prison. If you obtain a medical report declaring you mentally irresponsible, you bear no responsibility before the law and become untouchable by it. Mad killers have now become fashionable in the courts. The ranks of underage killers and women, who benefit from major sentence reductions, have now been joined by the “insane.” Adolescents or children have often been used to settle scores, since the Court cannot impose the death penalty on them. Now, however, their place has been taken by “mad” killers. P. 6

TIRANA 2000

UNDECLARED WORK IS TAKING OVER ALBANIA

UNDECLARED WORK IS TAKING OVER ALBANIA At present, around 200,000 people are employed in the private sector, but social security contributions are paid for only 50,000 of them, leaving 75 percent, or another 150,000 people, deprived of benefits arising from years of service, or from employees’ temporary or permanent incapacity for various reasons. Last year there were 8 fatal workplace accidents, most of whose victims were not registered with social security and received no benefits from that institution. In these cases, the matter was settled by the employers paying a certain sum of money to the victims’ families. P. 9

ALERT/ILLITERATE TEACHERS ARE EMERGING

ALERT/ILLITERATE TEACHERS ARE EMERGING A large number of families have left our villages, but there is still life in these mountain gorges and plateaus, because many other families, not only in our villages, still have no intention of abandoning the village... We are poor, so to survive we will have to submit to fate... ... We are far from roads,... there is no midwife or doctor... Even the school is being “buried,” because the teachers are illiterate and ignorant... These words come from a letter by a group of residents of the villages of Selckë and Shalës in the district of Tepelenë, sent expressly to “Republika.” P. 7

Gifts for people confined to their homes on New Year’s Eve P. 11 The border crossing with Greece remains closed P. 7 Judicial investigation into forensic experts P. 6 The Land Law should be declared unconstitutional P. 8