Chairman of the Sedin: Lawyer Alesi is not being told by PD No change in Government “Evidence is needed for the composition” ANDREA STEFANI TIRANA — Apparently the submission of prosecution documents, implicating former Defence Minister Safet Zhulali as well as former president Ramiz Alia in the same case, has temporarily defused the government crisis. Yesterday, the representative of the socialist parliamentary group Arben Malaj openly called for the prosecution of the former Defence Ministry and other officials for arms trafficking, at a time when the country was under the UN embargo against former Yugoslavia. At the same time, this lawsuit also calmed the wave of speculation about a reshuffle of the government cabinet. “Evidence is needed for the composition,” President Sali Berisha declared yesterday, dismissing talk of imminent changes in government. “It is not a matter of names, but of causes and evidence,” the head of state implied. Against this backdrop, political tension has once again shifted to the debate over weapons and state responsibilities. The Socialists have insisted that there must be no double standards in the investigation and that the documents must be made public. On the other hand, officials from the majority have called for no political judgments to be made before the legal verifications are completed. Whether there will be further procedural developments in the case against Zhulali and Alia remains to be seen in the coming days. For the moment, the government seems to have avoided an immediate crisis. Secretary of the Democratic Party, Eduard Selami

Sport The champions are moving toward the title in Italy and in Europe. While in England, Nottingham Forest’s steady improvements contrast with the disappointing Juventus side A Sunday with little football and a few surprises closed the last round in the Italian championship. The strongest side of the 17th week was Milan, which with its win against Napoli reconfirmed its place at the top of the standings. Parma remains very close with a steady run, while Juventus disappointed once again. In England, Nottingham Forest continues its positive run. On Monday morning, the sports front was dominated by analysis of the matches and anticipation for the coming week. The main attention remains on the title battle, where Milan seems to have found a better rhythm than its direct rivals. The teams chasing the top are trying not to lose ground, but the last week showed clear differences in form and efficiency. On sports page 11

In Shkodër, collectors’ thefts are denounced by the security service At the 1010 culture fair, which opened the day before yesterday in the Italian city of Bari, Albania is present with its own pavilion. The Albanian participation has been presented by a group of artists and cultural institutions. According to the organizers, this presentation aims to create a broader bridge of cooperation between Bari and Albania. The accompanying photo shows a moment from the Albanian pavilion, where visitors stop in front of the exhibited objects. Interest in Albanian cultural heritage appears to be considerable. According to the first announcements, this participation has been seen as a good opportunity to promote cultural values and to open new contacts for cooperation.

Abuse: “Is this public disorder?” 1,000 lek fine for the naked Italian beachgoer VATOS XHAXHU TIRANA — A fine of 1,000 lek has been handed down to an Italian citizen who was caught bathing naked on the beach of Durrës. According to the police, he violated public order rules and was punished with a fine. The punished man himself objected to the measure, claiming that he had offended no one. The incident caused different reactions among holidaymakers and local officials. Some called the police action excessive, while others supported it, saying that public norms must be respected. The photo next to the news item shows a woman on the coast.

The 1943 massacre in Sarandë Albanian exhibition in Motola The absence of wheat in ice

From Tirana to Bari • From Bari to Tirana From Tirana to Bari arrival frequency 1-4-5-7 10,17/11,20 from Monday to Sunday 1-2-3-4-7 19,00/20,00 from Monday to Sunday FROM BARI TO TIRANA arrival frequency 2-3-4-6 08,05/09,05 1-4-6-7 11,40 15,30 from Monday to Sunday 5. 11. 20/12,30 3-Wednesday / 4-Thursday / 5-Friday BARI FARES (round trip) SPECIAL FARE (round trip) TARIFF APEX 278 usd. excursion fare 280 usd. Excursion fare 380 usd. NOTE: special tickets are sold only from Tirana special tickets are sold only in Tirana Special fare is non-refundable Special fare and APEX fare cannot be used on other itineraries Information and reservations at IATA agencies or companies: AMERICAN EXPRESS TRAVEL SERVICES (AMEX) TIRANA HOTEL DAJTI Tirana BARI TIRANA arrival frequency 1-4-5-7 10,17/11,20 1-2-3-4-7 19,00/20,00 60-09-00/10,00 BARI arrival frequency 2-3-4-6 08,05/09,05 1-4-6-7 11,40 15,30 5. 11. 20/12,30 BARI FARES (round trip) 2-Friday / 3-Wednesday / 4-Thursday / 5-Friday AMERICAN EXPRESS TRAVEL SERVICES (AMEX) HOTEL DAJTI Tirana Bari, 658/209476 fax (080) 521 30 27 • Tir. (0040) 42 33 627 • fax 530 08 • Tirana via Sparano, 160 Bari 70121 Italy