A special decision of the Government This is how prison suffering will be compensated Vouchers for former politically persecuted people TIRANE — By now, property compensation for politically persecuted people also includes additional monetary awards, lifetime pension, wage compensation, land, premises and other forms of material benefit — and this has been put into figures. A decision taken by the Council of Ministers a few days ago has defined the amount of compensation for various categories of former politically sentenced and persecuted people through vouchers and cash. Under this decision, the first tranches of vouchers — not previously used in the Albanian economy — will be distributed to people sentenced by the communist regime to deprivation of liberty or who had remained in hiding within the country because of persecution. Those sentenced to internment or expulsion and Albanian citizens who once held foreign citizenship and lived in concentration camps set up specifically for them also benefit from this form of compensation. For every year in prison, these categories of people will receive compensation in the form of vouchers worth 120 thousand lekë. In addition to the right to sell, deposit or exchange the vouchers, they are also granted the right to participate in auctions in the process of privatizing state property. In addition to compensation in vouchers, the decision also defines the amount of cash compensation for certain categories of former political prisoners. Thus, those who have served more than 10 years in prison and are currently over 50 years old can receive cash compensation for the prison days above 10 years, up to a maximum of 200 thousand lekë. Likewise, political prisoners who have served more than 20 years of deprivation of liberty — regardless of age — may receive compensation for suffering in cash, but not exceeding 250 thousand lekë. Cash compensation — but no more than 300 thousand lekë — may also be received by that category of former political prisoners who, on the date of entry into force of the decision in question, can prove with a forensic medical report that they are disabled in the first and second group. Political prisoners who are currently over 55 years old may also receive part of the cash compensation, but not exceeding 100 thousand lekë. Meanwhile, the decision provides for several exceptions, such as: women who belong to this social group. Regardless of age or the length of the sentence, they — at their own request — may be compensated in cash, but not more than 200 thousand lekë. For persons who have lost their lives or are mentally ill because of persecution, compensation will be paid in cash in the amount of 200 thousand lekë. All expenses for implementing this decision will be borne by the state budget. Government headquarters An. St.

In Freiburg traces of his activity in Albania Will the Nazi be extradited? Former Albanian partisans demand the trial of Kopps, who is being pursued for crimes of the Second World War TIRANE — The case of Reinhard Klopps, a former Nazi officer who served in the Abwehr — the German Wehrmacht's secret service — and who is now wanted by Interpol in South America on charges of war crimes also in Albania, has reached Albania as well. Former partisans have reacted and the first testimonies about evidence of Kopps's activity in Albania are beginning to emerge. "If he has committed crimes against the Albanian people, he must unquestionably answer before the law. The Albanian authorities should request Kopps's extradition, as other countries are doing," said Dilaver Poci, Vice-Chairman of the National Committee of Veterans of the Anti-Fascist National Liberation War, to Gazeta Shqiptare, expressing his organization's position on this delicate issue. For Poci, such a stance by the Albanian authorities would be doubly important. First, it would bring a war criminal before the bench, which is a duty before justice, and second, it would help teach the younger generations and today's youth to emulate [?]. Meanwhile, there is no proof that the Albanian state has, over these last forty years, sought the extradition of any Nazi war criminal. In the Central State Archive, the specialists shrugged helplessly. No document exists in the country's most important archival institution on this issue. "Perhaps there may be something in the Archive of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs," they say here, but the latter is not open to the general public. A few years ago, on the role of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a group of experts thoroughly studied the pages of original German documents in order to form an accurate idea of the number of victims caused by the Nazis in Albania. Then that number turned out — according to German documentation itself — to be about 18,000 people. But nothing had been said about the perpetrators of these killings — at least up to that point. Klopps's name was not a completely unknown figure to Albanian scholars of the history of this period. One of the most active researchers in this field, Muharrem Dëzhgu, came across this name with considerable care in a place in his country, in Germany. "Yes," says Dëzhgu, "I have seen documents about his activity in the Military Archive of the city of Freiburg. There is a rich German documentation there on the War, and among them one of the most frequent names was that of Klopps." Visit to the extermination camp TIRANE — Representatives from many European states commemorated the victims of the infamous concentration camp in Dachau on this day. Among many countries, Albania also participated — through a veteran — a country that has 200 sons and daughters of its own in the gas chambers of this camp. The purpose of this institution — Dachau has long since become a museum in honor of all the victims — and the new ways that need to be built to convey to younger generations the message of rejecting any kind of dictatorship, were among the main issues discussed by former fighters of the resistance against Nazism, many of whom are among those who survived the Dachau inferno. The problem of historical truth about Nazism and its many victims — and all this common discussion in our times, when the Nazi swastika has often been displayed quite openly in the streets of Europe. (fa. bax) Fitos Baxhaku

The Nano case TIRANE — Socialist leader Fatos Nano will once again appear before the judges, this time at the Court of Appeal. Thus, after about 50 days — and after the appeals against the Tirane court ruling were filed — Nano and the other defendants in the Italian aid scandal will be in the courtroom on the fourth floor of the Court of Appeal on the morning of next Monday. As in the first trial — where the presiding judge was the President of the Tirane Court, Agim Bendo — this time too the chair of the judicial panel has been entrusted to the President of the Court of Appeal, Prel Martini. The only perhaps unexpected episode — after the official announcement setting 23 May as the date of the appeal trial — concerns the fact that Sokrati Plaka will also be tried together with Nano. Gjin H. Halkon. Although found guilty, Plaka had been released immediately at the end of the first trial, while his three colleagues were sent back to the Tirane Prison, even with heavy sentences. Nevertheless, the fact that he is also being tried on appeal shows that Sokrat Plaka — even though he is already at home — is determined to seek the acquittal he had declared from the very first-instance trial. Meanwhile, the appeals by Nano, Gjin and Halko take on a different significance, since they are also burdened by many other legal charges. (p.r.)

BERAT, THE ART GALLERY IS TURNED INTO A MARKET — Instead of paintings, various works of art are displayed; now in the premises of the Art Gallery in Berat, clothes, agricultural products and also different fruits are exhibited. Left neglected since the authorities removed their creations from this Gallery, now without doors or windows — it has been taken over by traders who have set up their stalls inside. SARANDE, RESTORATION OF THE CHILDREN'S HOME COMPLETED — The restoration of the Children's Home in Sarande has now been completed. The work for this was financed by the World Islamic Relief Organization, which had offered 65 thousand dollars. However, this organization will continue its support, spending almost 30 dollars a month for each child. Some time ago it had also helped in the restoration of the Children's Home in Shkodër. MALESI E MADHE, NUMBER OF CHILDREN WITH DISTROPHY AND RICKETS DECLINES — The number of children with rickets and those suffering from dystrophy in Malesi e Madhe has fallen significantly. Only from January 1993 to April of this year, only 108 cases were recorded. This figure is lower compared with that of the earlier years. According to specialists, this change is due to improved living conditions and children's nutrition. SHKODER, NEW CENTERS FOR LEARNING FOREIGN LANGUAGES — Two new centers for learning foreign languages were inaugurated in Shkodër, both donated by the Soros Foundation. One was for the "Martin Barleti" library — for English and French — and the other for the "Luigj Gurakuqi" University for English.

ELBASAN — The court investigation of the four young men accused of stealing trucks from the village has come to an end. — The court investigation of the four young men accused of stealing trucks from the village has come to an end. According to the law-enforcement bodies — which had made it possible to detain the perpetrators — the highway robbers, about a month earlier, had stolen trucks and their loads, which they had to take to "be unloaded" for others. Meanwhile, following a report from a Bulgarian driver — whom they had snatched while he was moving [?] with a robber's sign [?] — the Peqin police blocked a group of seven people, who in their activities had also used fictitious blockades at the intersections of railway and road crossings. (Me. Kl.)

The Ministry proposes measures Attendance at 8-year schools has fallen sharply TIRANE — There will be almost 700 teachers who, although next year they will no longer show up at the schools where they teach. This will come as a result of the Ministry of Education project, which provides that in 300 eight-year-cycle schools across the villages of the country the system of combined classes will be used. "The category of teachers that this project-study will include — says Bashkim Berisha, director of the 8-year Education Directorate in the Ministry of Education, to Gazeta Shqiptare — will mainly be those who teach in professional parallel classes that are in areas, in any because of the teaching needs in this area". The reason for this Ministry proposal is the phenomenon of school dropouts, especially among boys, mainly in the villages and highland areas of the country. Currently, in many districts 20-30 percent of pupils do not attend classes. The data obtained show that the number of attendance is such that now, even with the supplements, the minimum number of participants does not allow it to be set at one per class. Points. Points [?] on this basis are now thought to be removed from village classes and combined classes used. In these latter classes, pupils of the upper cycle but from different districts will be together. Me. Kl.

Diplomacy TIRANE — There is a noticeable improvement in relations between Albania and Greece. The spokesperson of the Tirane Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed his satisfaction with the now clear position of the Greek Foreign Minister Papoulias regarding Tirane's invitation to visit Albania. Only a few days earlier, Seregi had proposed to his Greek counterpart Papoulias talks in Tirane to settle the disagreements that arose after the border incidents recorded recently. The two ministers had then met in Zurich, where the first positive signals were given that the two Balkan countries were moving toward improving relations.

MEETINGS OF THE SOCIALIST DEPUTY CHAIRMAN IN TEPELENE — The Deputy Chairman of the Socialist Party, Ilir Meta, held several meetings with activists and members of his party in Tepelene. Gjemaj [?] and also in the village of Izvor. The political situation in the country had become tense at the moment, as Polumbi said, who also stressed the specific demands of the Socialists for easing the burden. The Deputy Chairman explained during the meetings also the position of the party he represents regarding relations with Greece. According to Polumbit, the PS line is that both countries must rise above the recent cross-border incidents in order to create a climate of understanding!

CURSIVE REALITY EDMOND LACI TIRANE — A special day for children's masks is being requested in Albania as well. The initiative comes precisely from the special Commission at the School — in which several ministers take part and whose goal has benefited the smooth running of the plan for celebrating Children's Day, based at the Tirane Municipal Council and the Education Directorate, have decided that 25 May should be from 1 June — the 25 May of children. Now one had to finish one in the 47 eight-year schools of the capital and see the organizations culminating, and in the premises of the Children's Cultural Center — 350 winning masks were selected, which will also be presented in the final on 25 May. UNICEF — which sponsors all the activities within the framework of 1 June — has planned that around 500 hours be awarded for the three best prizes, both for the best masks and also a special prize for the category of disabled children. "We want to inaugurate a special day for children," says Jorgo Papingji, from the Tirane Education Directorate — the activity is mainly based on the imagination of the children themselves, which gives results, but also the "actors" of their masks. "Although the final day of the children's masks will be next week, the unusual atmosphere of this festival was felt already in the selection held on Monday afternoon. More than 1,000 little ones came to the Children's Cultural Center — as they imagine themselves — and walked among fairy-tale figures and heroes of their age."

Gjirokastër GJIROKASTER — Thieves do not stop even in the face of the heavy arsenal of Albanian culture. This time — since they have not succeeded elsewhere — the thieves have attacked the ancient bronze-cast cannons that are currently located in the castle of Gjirokastra. The assault of the "barbarians" of art on the castle began on Friday morning. First they dismantled the cannons from the concrete base on which they stood. They pushed them toward the castle walls, then they threw them down from behind and one of them, with the others' help, tried to show himself in front of them. But the ancient cannons that centuries ago protected the town were defended by a citizen. Happening to be near the scene, after seeing everything he alerted the law-enforcement bodies, which intervened quickly and stopped those who would have caused a very great loss to the history of Gjirokastra itself. The attempt — fortunately this time unsuccessful — to steal items is one of the many things thieves do in the castle of Gjirokastra and in the Museum of Weapons. In previous cases several old weapons and in some instances icons have disappeared. So far, the authors of most of these thefts are still unknown. p. ne.

More people die in Russia in peacetime An everyday tragedy ON PAGE 2 The right diet to stay in shape Secrets to getting rid of fatigue ON PAGE 3