Laço’s appointment as Minister of Culture contested Government, PSD also leaves Gjinushi: «The coalition is over» The Social Democrats do not consider the post assigned to them in the new cabinet to be theirs TIRANA — Another political force has left the governing coalition after the appointments of the new ministers. Now it is the Social Democrats who have reacted strongly. It is their chairman Gjinushi who told Gazeta Shqiptare about their new political position. The coalition between us had not been working for some time. Now I think that it is the one that has really reached the end." On the other hand, the government’s Minister of Culture and Order, still in office and nominated by PSD deputies, Teodor Laço, has started work in his post, indeed regarded as a representative of the Social Democrats. On Monday an official statement from PR made public the decision that Godo had communicated to Meksi on Sunday. The two old allies of PD are no longer in the government “line.” This appears to be turning into a one-color government. Gjinushi reacted sharply to the latest changes. "Nobody asked us about our proposals — said the chairman of PSD — neither anyone from PD nor even Teodor Laço himself, with whom I had not been in contact for some time. The coalition could have gone forward if the majority itself had responded to our proposals for improving the running of the country and for the proper functioning of the coalition. As for the proposals to expand the coalition, they were only a farce." So then, which political force does the current Minister of Culture in the Government represent? "Only Teodor Laço can know that — Gjinushi answers — certainly he knew it then when he came out in favor of the Constitution, which was rejected by the Referendum of 6 November. For us one thing is clear: he does not represent our Party." Laço himself — at the center of criticism from part of the leadership of his own party — has already started working in his new post. From his office at the Ministry of Culture he denies the rumors spread about the new party he is said to be planning to form. On Monday too, consistent rumors had spread about the approval of this party by the Ministry of Justice: people had even spoken of its possible name: the Albanian Social Democratic Union. Such a move would bring a new political force into the governing coalition with PD. Monday was the first working day for the new ministers. A brief greeting from the Prime Minister and then immediately discussion of the many issues accumulated over the previous week — this was the entire ceremony for the new ministers. Almost at the same time, only a few hundred meters away — at the Palace of Congresses — the dialogue among the parties began on consensus over the Constitution. No concrete result was achieved this time either. Almost everyone — with the exception of one parliamentary group, excluding the PPD — firmly insisted on the positions they had already expressed for a long time. (f.b) On Monday morning the new ministers took part for the first time in the regular meeting of the Government. On the left, among the other colleagues, is the new Minister of Industry and Transport, Albert Brojka (Photo: A.Bani)

Explosion at midnight. «Chateau du Bois» flattened Terror in the restaurant The last owner dies amid the flames TIRANA — At daybreak on Monday, "Chateau du Bois" — the famous venue opposite the "Petro Nini Luarasi" gymnasium — had turned into a place of terror. Firefighters who arrived immediately after the loud explosion — perhaps caused by the presence of gas cylinders — were this time unable to save either the venue or the life of the person who was inside at that moment. The owner of the venue, 31-year-old Naim Bajziti, died in the flames; a few hours later he was due to receive officials from the Enforcement Office. One possible circumstance, according to investigators, may explain the origin of the incident. From the danger of the many flames, the residents of the building were able to escape; on the ground floor of which for a long time there had been the venue called "Chateau du Bois". The first mystery clarified by investigators from Police Station No. 2 of the capital was the identification of the victim. It seems that since Monday morning, in the silence left by Bajziti, everyone had been talking about "Chateau Du Bois." It must have been a night of terror for 36-year-old Bajziti, burned alive in the fire, the causes of which have not yet been clarified. The forensic examination found no signs of violence on his body, nor anything else suspicious that would indicate that the victim — forced by other people — was unable to escape death. Perhaps the explosion of the gas cylinders brought everything to an end, even though the interior of the venue was entirely built of pine wood. But the mystery that the specialized investigators from Police Station No. 2 are now trying to shed light on is the cause of this fire. An important detail is now under investigation. For days, "Chateau Du Bois" had also been part of a legal dispute, in which the former owners of the venue and the tenant, lawyer Bajziti, were facing each other. However, the investigators state that in this civil dispute, which had been marked by conflict, no signs of confrontation or threats had ever been observed. The greatest mystery concerns why, precisely at 3 a.m., the victim Bajziti — the only person who had the keys to the venue — was there at that exact moment. All the more so because until about 1:30 that night the restaurant’s outside guard had also been there. A few hours after the tragedy at the venue — which had been closed for days — employees of the Enforcement Office of the Tirana Court were to appear as well. This is perhaps the key to the mystery of the night of terror. (Ed.La.)

The first festival One week of rock music in the capital TIRANA — The powerful sounds of the guitar and the lights of the sky have opened the first festival of "Albanian rock" in the capital. It was the two music groups "ARB" and "Fish Hook" who, taking to the improvised stage in the "Demokracia" square of the Student City, launched an activity intended to become annual. Rock songs and melodies will continue to fill this square throughout the week — named "Youth Week" in memory of the four young people of the December 1990 student movement — during which various music groups from all over the country will perform in turn. The "rock" festival will also be accompanied by other youth activities. Students from the Academy of Arts have opened an exhibition of paintings. Meanwhile, another exhibition will feature photographs from the events of December '90.

Specialists: «The fault lies with the anticyclone» Record drought in Albania: not seen for 40 years The water level of rivers and lakes drops sharply TIRANA — An extremely unusual drought for this pre-winter period. Nature seems to be trying to record the driest autumn ever. Since 12 November, not a single drop of rain has fallen in Albania. According to the data recorded every day at the Synoptic Station in the capital, in the northern part of the country rainfall has been absent since the end of October. Specialists say this situation is linked to the presence of an anticyclone positioned over Central Europe, but they predict that the first rain will begin in the coming days. Such a lack of rainfall is considered rare in all districts of our country over the last 40 years. The figures given to Gazeta Shqiptare by the Institute of Hydrometeorology show that only four times — specifically in 1953, 1957, 1967 and 1986 — did it not rain during the first and second half of December. Autumn has already entered the first week of December and the first clouds are still not appearing. The shortage of rainfall has also had its effect on the hydroelectric system. The level of Lake Fierza has fallen to 250 meters, while its maximum and minimum levels are 295 and 238 respectively. The inflows of the Drin, recorded on Sunday, have also fallen to 148 cubic meters/second, 40–50 cubic meters per second, whereas the average inflow for this time of year is 200–230. (d.b.)

The photo archive moves house Moving camera to preserve the Marubi treasure SHKODËR — Strict security measures for the famous Marubi photo archive. A new building and moving cameras will henceforth keep watch over the great cultural and historical treasure inherited from the Shkodër artist. Everything will be made possible within a short time by the institutions that have been dealing with this issue for some time. According to the planned project, the 400,000 original prints of the photo archive will be moved from the place where they have been kept for years — the Marubi museum-house — and transferred to a new building near the city’s Art Gallery. Here they will always be under the watch of several small moving cameras that will operate 24 hours a day. The new protection measure for the photo archive is an important event. It will not only play a role in safeguarding this treasure, but will also bring this asset back before the public, after it had long been closed because of attempted thefts in recent years.

CURRENTS REALITY Sponsor even for getting married ELBASAN — The phenomenon of sponsorship has reached even... weddings. The first example — as far as is known the only one so far — took place this past weekend in Elbasan, where the wedding ceremony of the two Jetmirs was found and went on amid noise and bustle — held in the city’s "Shkampa" hotel, its organizers call it "urxhe mi j etër" — and had important guests, among them the chairman of the Agrarian Party, Pjeter Arbnori[?]. The two young people, Drira Kororri[?] and Spartak Abdullai, after having been provided for in marriage with help at home, had decided to get married. The orphan association — their only family — in order to ease the expenses of this wedding, which took place in a venue that is no longer considered a free honor, turned to Elbasan’s commercial firms for help. Here the news of the boy’s wedding has also and and the first aid arrived immediately. In solidarity with them the city had not been seen for a long time. On Sunday the merchants found the wedding day. Along with them more than 100 guests gave life to the joy of life in "Skampa". That night had turned into one with so much solidarity for anyone who has the means to help those in need. (Me.Ki.)

Prefect: «It is illegal, but there should be no violence» The "flooded" strike again Kukës, 100 people in a hunger protest KUKËS — The Kukës families whose lands were flooded by Lake Fierza return to a hunger strike and take refuge. Since Saturday, about 100 people have been locked inside one of the halls of the city’s House of Culture. The demands are mainly the same as those presented during the strike they held in June of this year, which later ended with an agreement with the government. Now the story repeats itself. A petition signed by the strikers calls for compensation for the property, the relocation of the families to central Albania and the handing over of new houses directly to them. "I support the strikers" — the Kukës prefect tells Gazeta Shqiptare, after meeting them on Saturday — "but I do not agree with the method they have chosen, especially at a time when the government is moving toward fulfilling their demands." But the prefect’s objection goes further: "The strike is illegal. No prior notice was given, as required by law." So then what position will he take if he chooses to involve the police? The prefect answers regarding the possibility of police intervention: "I do not want to predict the use of armed forces. This problem can be solved through talks." a.in. In the photo the building where the June strike took place

Prosecutor: "23 years in prison for the killer" A 23-year prison sentence has been requested for Asllan K., the man who killed a relative of his with a shotgun. According to the indictment — prosecutor A. Leka has asked the court to hand down this severe sentence — the evidence shows the full guilt of the accused and indicates that the crime of Mursat Kazazi was committed intentionally. The case is now expected to move to the defense. Throughout the proceedings, the accused has declared that he was drunk and that it had never been an accident. Even later, the judges who will deliver the final verdict. NATO team in Tirana A team of NATO representatives is visiting Albania. According to the Alliance’s statement, the heads of the delegation, Shpëtim Bellaiish[?] is as a meeting takes place as a guard. Bellkashi Military delegation of the Atlantic Alliance. The members of the group have held talks on the standardization of NATO uniforms. Meanwhile, the delegation has also held talks on military exercises. MPs at conference The duration of the Conference of Parliamentarians of Northern Europe and Albania began today and ends tomorrow with two meetings and hearings in which the state of development in the country will be discussed. The MPs of the two countries will deal in particular with regional cooperation and economic relations.

IN THE INSIDE NATO worries President Yeltsin «The danger of cold peace» ON PAGE 2 The Beatles’ "return" Success after 25 years The group’s songs on the English radio ON PAGE 3