Order to shoot at the border with neighboring countries Tension rises along the borders. Berisha’s protest sent to Boutros Ghali At the border with Greece From our newsroom KAKAVIJA — The number of Albanian refugees forcibly returned to their homeland must have reached more than 9,000, according to the latest reports from an international news agency. The reason is the expulsion from Albania—at least the previous one—of the Greek cleric Hrisostomos Maidoni, accused by the Albanian authorities of “anti-Albanian chauvinist propaganda” and of the unrest that followed between the Albanian police and members of the Greek minority in Gjirokastër. “There will certainly be a Greek reaction to this event,” Greek Prime Minister Konstantin Micotakis told Athens television cameras. On Monday, for the first time, the Greek Embassy in Tirana did not issue visas, and many of the refugees returned from Greece yesterday complained of mistreatment and said they had been expelled from Greece even though they held valid visas. The first returnees also arrived in Tirana, protesting against the conduct of the Greek police. Relations between the two countries remain tense despite increased diplomatic contacts aimed at improving them. Albanian President Sali Berisha has sent a letter to the President of the United Nations, Boutros Ghali, vigorously protesting the mass expulsions of Albanian emigrants from Greece by the Greek authorities. At the border with Macedonia From our newsroom DIBER — “As of today, an order has been issued for Albanian border forces to open fire even if the slightest part of Albanian territory is violated.” This was stated, among the offices, by Safet Zhulali, the Albanian Minister of Defence, before the body of Major Hajrulla Tollja, who was killed during an incident on the Albanian-Macedonian border. In response to the killing of the senior Albanian serviceman and the wounding of another man by two bullets, the Albanian Foreign Ministry reacted angrily: “Albania will in no way tolerate such pressures and criminal acts in the future, which infringe upon its statehood and national sovereignty.” According to sources at the Skopje Police, “the Macedonian border guards fired while the Albanian soldiers attempted to enter Macedonian territory illegally.” A version wholly unacceptable to the Albanian authorities, who stress that “the criminal act of murder was committed on Albanian territory.” The high medal for bravery and the title of Martyr of the Fatherland for Major Tollja show that no one in Albania can accept the responsibility attributed to Macedonian circles. The latest killing adds to 9 others recorded in just one year along this border, as well as 13 cases involving injuries. Albania, which had previously recognized the neighboring Republic of Macedonia, voted against its membership this time without some [?]. Two of the Albanians expelled from Greece on Sunday CARLO BOLLINO Albania has a characteristic that makes it unique in the world: its own people live beyond its borders. More Albanians live beyond the borders with Kosovo, Macedonia and Greece, and in a situation of international peace this should help reduce tensions. Today, on the contrary, the borders are in flames, showing that the turmoil reigning in the world is still great and that peace is a bubble. — Well! — In just a few hours, tension has risen along three quarters of the Albanian border. As if the Kosovo area alone were not enough—where people are often shot at and killed—Albanian guns have now begun firing along the Albanian-Macedonian border too. There are conflicting accounts of the exchange of fire involving Albanian troops, which took place on Friday evening. The incident is political and extremely serious: the Albanian ministries—citing reports from Peshkopia—ordered border forces to open fire on the passage of a Macedonian military convoy. Nothing happened on the Greek border during the night of this Monday. Over the past 72 hours, Athens’ Minister of Public Order has ordered a large-scale “crackdown” operation against 9,000 Albanians, many of them holding valid visas, all of them immigrants seeking work. It seems the response was the immigrants’ expulsion and that of a group of Orthodox people who lived in Gjakovë, a place where they preached religion, spoke of division and of “Greater Greece.” These are signs that are all the more troubling when they occur in this part of the planet, where the fate of the whole world seems to be at stake. What will the International Committee do now? Will it intervene with an authoritative diplomatic initiative, or remain a spectator? Will it protest the expulsion of 9,000 young people? Will it return again, lose time over something else, overlook these cases too, waste time and decide to act only when it is too late?

Two of the Albanians expelled from Greece on Sunday

Charge: insulted Berisha The chairman of the National Unity Party is under investigation EDMOND LACI TIRANA — “House arrest” for Idajet Beqiri, chairman of the Albanian National Unity Party. The Tirana Prosecutor’s Office has also opened criminal proceedings and charged him with “slander and insult directed at the President of the Republic, Sali Berisha.” The charge refers to an article published in the newspaper “Kombi”—the PUK’s publication—on 22 June 1993, entitled “Mr Berisha, you are the murderer of all Albania,” written under the pseudonym Arbër Kastrjoti. According to Beqiri, “President Berisha himself” filed the complaint with the District Prosecutor’s Office. Confirming this information to the newspaper, Fatmir Fagu, prosecutor in the investigative section of the Tirana Prosecutor’s Office, said: “His house arrest will continue until the criminal proceedings are concluded.” But the day before yesterday, on the first day this decision was implemented, Chairman Beqiri was still at the party headquarters at the crossroads in Tirana. “Although my home is in Krujë,” Beqiri told the newspaper, “I will serve the Prosecutor’s measure here in my office.” He publicly admits that he is the author of the article for which he is accused. “In the original article, the words ‘murderer of Albania’ are in quotation marks...” Idajet Beqiri continued. The PUK chairman also has no intention of hiring a lawyer because, according to him, being a jurist, he will defend himself better.

“Xhamllëku will be called Franz Josef Straus TIRANA / Old names return FATOS BAXHAKU TIRANA — As of yesterday, many of the capital’s main streets and squares will bear new names. Now, the names so familiar to Tirana residents will reappear on the street signs: “Rruga e Durrësit” or “Rruga e Elbasanit”. This was decided by the Tirana Municipal Council at its latest meeting. The decision was made on the basis of a proposal submitted some time ago by the Municipality’s Culture Department, which also explained the reasons for the change. First of all, although many names had been changed, citizens of “Konferenca e Pezës,” from the center to the city ring road, will once again call it as before, “Rruga e Kavajës”. The rest will continue to keep its old name. “Kongresi i Përmetit,” the street that in recent years has become the capital’s main commercial artery, will simply be called “Rruga e Durrësit”. “Rruga ‘Labinot’” will become “Rruga e Elbasanit,” and “Bajram Curri” Street will be called “Rruga e Dibrës”. From now on, the boulevard “Shqipëria e Re” will bear the name of the patriot Curri. Another city boulevard will be called “Ismail Qemali”. Until yesterday it bore the name of a French communist, Marcel Cachin. As for the street The decision was taken on the basis of a proposal put forward some time ago by the Municipality’s Secretary for Culture, who although many names had been changed, in everyday speech residents continued to refer to the streets as their fathers had, using the old traditional names. Some did not even know the names assigned recently. Other reasons: many street names, moreover repeated from one city to another, were often the names of activists who had no connection whatsoever with the city of Tirana, and many names, following the latest changes, no longer retained their original meaning. Many streets will have their names changed following the Municipality’s latest decision. The list of names will evoke prominent figures from Albanian and world history, while the old tradition of naming streets after the cities they lead to has also been preserved. The main section of today’s street ... ... caused by Tirana at its latest meeting. Culture, who of today’s street ... Curri” will be called “Dibra Street.” From now on, the boulevard “New Albania” will bear the name of the patriot Curri. Another boulevard in the city street named after the Tirana martyrs Myslym Shyri, it has been decided to preserve its name along the section connecting Tirana’s main boulevard—the name “Boulevard of the Nation” will not change—to the ring road. The remaining section will be named after the well-known patriot from the capital, Murat Toptani. The names of many squares and intersections will also change. Here is what they will be called: Karl Topia (Zogu i Zi), Sulejman Pasha (the square near the “Partizani” cinema), Giuseppe Garibaldi (the square at the entrance to the Textile Combine), President Wilson (New Tirana Square), Mustafa Qemal Ataturk (21 December Square), Franz Josef Straus (the square called “Muhallekuy”), General Nikols (the state official in the hills by the Artificial Lake, from the Geological Faculty to the “Liqeni” restaurant).

Yesterday in Albania — Artur Gëzim Daka, the 17-year-old killed during the democratic movement in February at the United School, was declared a “Martyr of Democracy” by the Tirana Municipal Council. The report prepared for the occasion also describes the activity of the young man from Tirana as that of an anti-communist who strongly supported the democratic movement from its beginning until the moment he died. He also took part in all the demonstrations and in the toppling of the bust of dictator Enver Hoxha.” The proposal to honor the fallen youth was submitted by Neighborhood 22 and the Tirana branch of the DP. ALBANIA’S DONORS’ CONFERENCE FOR EDUCATION — From 6 to 8 July, Albania’s Donors’ Conference for Education will be held in Tirana. Official Albanian sources stress that the event is intended to secure greater assistance and support for reforming and consolidating our education system. The Albanian Ministry of Education, the United Nations Development Organization, UNDP, and UNICEF are involved. Government organizations and various foundations will also take part in this assistance. “DISKOBARI I ARTISTËVE” INAUGURATED IN TIRANA — The Italian-Albanian initiative to establish a disco bar for artists has been inaugurated. Located in Tirana’s Palace of Culture, the disco bar was presented on its first day to senior Albanian officials: Pjetër Arbnori, Aleksandër Meksi, Alfred Serreqi, as well as representatives of the Diplomatic Corps accredited in Albania. All the employees who had previously worked at the Palace of Culture club now work at this cultural and commercial center. “Toki is a beautiful development center,” said Gesu Basha, director of the institution. On the Italian side, the investments were made by Giovanni De Gennaro.

Why very old and pornographic films are screened in the capital’s cinemas Is Albanian cinema in crisis? If you take a tour of the capital’s movie theaters, you will agree. At the “17 Nëntori” cinema, a screening of the program “Bobi” in a new story is showing; at “Agimi,” films from “Family on the Road”; at “Republika,” “The Port of Unbridled Loves,” etc. Other cinemas: the film “The Iron Superman,” while at the “Ali Demi” cinema, the film “Hercules Against Rome.” These are very old films, but their production is not limited to pornographic stories. It is true that the screening of pornographic films is a concern—not only as a sign of freedom after 45 years of their prohibition (following the collapse of the system), but also because of the consequences for children’s education. This also coincides with many erotic advertisements and an ever-growing number of pornographic magazines in Albania. Meanwhile, according to the latest information from the competent authorities, which indicates that children are trying to bring about reforms, it is ... to show pornographic films, many of them also in the context of ... magazines with erotic content to minors. These are standards that are in force in all the world’s democracies. But this is not the main problem. On the contrary, this is a matter of producing quality films. There are talented directors and actors living in Albania, but their art is being forced to go up in flames because of the severe economic difficulties affecting this sector too, which in fact prevent film production. A cinema ticket costs too little to cover the costs. One solution could be the foreign market. As many directors have brought out, it would be very important and beneficial—for everyone—to start programs involving international cooperation. This would make it possible to find funding and establish Albanian cinema. At the same time, it would give audiences in our cities’ cinemas the pleasure of a beautiful film on the big screen. Porn star, Moana Pozzi

Kurds plant bombs in Turkey again Oil discovered in Albanian waters The Arab world protests after the summit in Iraq

I have been a regular reader of this newspaper ever since it first appeared in Albania. It is the first European newspaper to enter Albania after 48 years of communist dictatorship. Albanian readers have welcomed it because of the wealth of information it provides about politics, the economy, medicine, sport and culture in Italy and around the world, as well as the private lives of various people in politics, the arts, sport and other areas of life. I wholeheartedly thank—although I think I am very late—the entire team working in Tirana and the team working in Bari, Italy. The publication in Albanian of two pages from this newspaper has made me happy, and I warmly congratulate you on the initiative you have taken to double the number of these pages. May God bless you and may you fulfil this wish as soon as possible. Once again, I wish you every success in your work. On this occasion, I also send greetings to my uncle Xhevdet Qyqja, who lives with his family in Tirana. (Naim Qyqja — Tirana) Through this letter I would like to send greetings to Agron Sula, who works as a football coach with a youth team in Italy. His work is commendable, and he works with great passion. A former coach of Flamurtari and the Albanian national team, he graduated from the sports coaching school in football and specialized in Italy. I send greetings to his first former coach with the women’s team, now a physical education teacher in Tirana, Sotir Sefo. I wish Agron, his wife and his two daughters, who live with him in Italy, good health. I wish him further success in his work as a coach, and hope that soon his work and passion will serve Albanian football. (Sotir Seferaj — Tirana) On the occasion of Suora Angela’s birthday, Entela from Shkodër wishes her a long and happy life. Keeping in your memory the days we spent together, I hope we can meet again soon; this time, I hope we will meet in Albania. I also wish you success in your noble and humane work, which makes you ever more respected. I embrace you with longing. (Entela — Shkodër)