REFERENDUM The propaganda campaign ends at midnight today. More economic problems for polling stations. Seals and forms are kept under police guard. From tomorrow politicians fall silent And foreign observers desert TIRANË — The referendum takes place tomorrow, and so does the propaganda battle. Political forces now have only the last few hours left to make their views known to the public about the alternative of yes or no, or more power or not, amid the tension of recent days, with each party appearing to have more votes than its opponents. Above all, the parties still seem to be facing economic problems concerning the polling stations. Despite the fact that allocated funds have been set aside for them, there have been delays in completing the preparations. As a result, several polling stations lack essential equipment. The Constitution and its approval in the referendum have not been in vain. The results of these political efforts, at least as far as statements are concerned, will only crystallize on Sunday, when the final word — at the ballot boxes — will belong directly to the people. Otherwise, today marks the closing of the political parties’ “chapter,” and opens the chapter of voting, especially the implementation and respect of all legal procedures within it. Precisely for this reason, the highest Albanian authorities have also temporarily called on international organizations, saying they are welcome to observe these votes closely. But so far at the Central Commission — where the request is submitted and, if approved, a special certificate is issued that allows the observer to enter anywhere — no one has arrived. In fact, early announcements suggest that the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe and the European Community have decided to stay away and not send observers here either. The exact reasons are still unknown, but among the most widespread hypotheses is that for these organizations the more important issue is that Albania may become a constitutional state, not the way in which that Constitution is approved, which on their side is considered an internal matter for Albanians themselves. A absence that, on the other hand, shows the international community does not doubt the voting procedures. Meanwhile, preparations for polling stations have begun in all cities. But in many of them difficulties are being encountered in purchasing the necessary equipment — chairs, tables, even pens and candles — for use in case the electricity goes out — due to lack of funds. From Tirana, the government announced that Wednesday morning was the final deadline for budget subsidies for the needs of election day. Up until the day before the vote, when the heads and secretaries of the commission will be handed over. Armand Mero

Financial Police raids also against smuggling Italian tires and three Macedonian trucks seized TIRANË — There are still companies and merchants who hesitate to display — as required by law — the price lists for the items they sell. And this has been the reason why many of them in various districts of the country were left with fines issued by inspectors from the Financial Police. About 90 individual businesses or commercial firms distributed across 10 different districts have been fined, with the total amount reaching 255,000 lekë. According to reports, the cases were forwarded by the branches of the financial police service — specifically from the districts of Pukë, Krujë, Tropojë, Shkodër, Përmet, Durrës, Korçë, Ersekë, Tiranë and Burrel — to the General Directorate of the Financial Police. This concerns a requirement imposed by the law “On Prices and Tariffs” on all commercial entities. They are required to display in a visible and aesthetically arranged place the wholesale and retail sale prices for all items they trade. But apparently there are entities that leave a loophole in this rule which, according to specialists, serves among other things to clearly identify fiscal obligations. The highest number of such violations was found in Përmet, where 23 individual businesses were fined 46,000 lekë. In that same city, two firms were also fined 7,000 lekë. In Pukë as well — where 15 merchants were fined 45,000 lekë — the number of violations was not insignificant.

Foreign Ministry protest TIRANË — The deterioration of relations with Greece has now also affected the draft Constitution. In a statement issued on Wednesday afternoon by the Albanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the government said that Athens had publicly transmitted “inaccurate concerns” about a part of the Albanian constitutional draft in order “to influence Albanian public opinion.” According to the Greeks — represented and the Secretary-General of the UN — the problem arises from Article 24 of the draft Constitution, which, according to the Greek interpretation, affects the “Greek ethnic minority in Albania.” The Albanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has called this position an “unacceptable interference in internal affairs.” The statement stresses that the Albanian Constitution is “the sovereign will of the Albanian people” and that “no one has the right to impose formulations.” It further adds that Athens cannot make bilateral relations conditional on the approval of an Albanian fundamental law.

SALI BERISHA, President of the Republic “Let us vote for the Constitution, rise above career interests, look to history, continue along the path we chose, and unite. In this way we will do ourselves and the future honor.” SERVET PËLLUMBI, Deputy Chairman of the PS “We will vote for this Constitution. It is not a democratic mechanism that saves the country from a dictatorship.” SKËNDER GJINUSHI, Chairman of the PSD “The referendum is a great challenge; December 1 gives the minority a kind of chance in Parliament. Consensus is not reached in the street, but at the table.” EDUARD SELAMI, Chairman of the PD “The new Constitution is a democratic testament that will open the way for Albania toward Europe” VALET XHAFERRI, Chairman of PBKSH “Yes, because the Constitution establishes competition and plurality in Albania” ALEKSANDËR MEKSI, Prime Minister “With the approval of the Constitution, Albania will become part of the European family” LUAN HAJDARAGA, Deputy Chairman of the PS “No! The Constitution is not for Albania, not for its future. It is the constitution of the current power’s force.” ADEM DEMI [?] “You will say Yes to the Constitution, you will say No to those who for 50 years sought to have no Constitution” RIGHT DEMOCRATIC PARTY “There are many contradictions in the Constitution; let us return it to Parliament to be corrected” AZEM HAJDARI, PD Deputy “Albania, the Constitution, and the national question will win on 6 November” GRAMOZ RUÇI, Secretary of the PS “We would agree with the Constitution, we would agree with the Referendum, but only if it had first been approved in Parliament”

TIRANË — It seems that President Berisha’s long march across Albania ahead of the referendum on the Constitution will end in Tirana. This afternoon in Skënderbej Square, Berisha will hold a rally with the residents of the capital. As in the many meetings he has held in recent days throughout the districts, here too “the issue of the Constitution will be the main problem on which the President will focus.” President Sali Berisha

— Although he had new “tires,” he still ended up stranded on the road. The episode concerns Italian citizen Antonino Toville from Messina, from whom 505 “Pirelli” tires were seized at the Port of Vlorë. A few moments after the ferry “Linea Lauro” passed through — and after a thorough inspection by Financial Police officers — it was verified that Toville had not declared to the customs authorities the true quantity of 895 new tires, but only 390. According to Financial Police inspectors, the seized goods — destined for a company in the Albanian capital — are worth around 20,000 dollars. (St. Ma.)

— Financial police have seized a warehouse, tonela. At one of its sales outlets located in the city center, 1,400 dollars were blocked as well as various undeclared items. Along with them, two vehicles were stopped for further checks. The report also mentions other cases of fiscal violations in the capital.

The Tirana office opens TIRANË — The famous international company “Scania” now also has its own representative office in Albania. And it is the company “Xhia” — which has just inaugurated its office — that together with other specialists will also have the mission of representing “Scania” in Albania. The main purpose of this office, first of all — which carries out activities in the field of international transport, telecommunications and other production — will be investment. It will set up a service center for the repair of “Scania” trucks, which have been in Albania for about 30 years. Among the most important activities of “Xhia” at the outset will be participation in the tender for securing equipment for the Port of Durrës as well as in the project to establish the mobile telephone system in Albania.

Krujë, the vibrio spreads KRUJË — The cholera epidemic in the Krujë district is persisting. There is also another person — a resident of the village of Murqinë — who has fallen into its clutches. Meanwhile, there are 8 sick people in hospital with symptoms that make it suspected that they have fallen victim to the dangerous vibrio. The specialists’ decision has made it a fact that those affected by the epidemic or suspected cases come from different areas of the district. Among them, it is also noted that those affected by cholera are now appearing in the hospitals of the Krujë district. At the time when the first cases of the epidemic were verified, some of the patients had been brought for treatment to the hospitals of Tirana.

With a six-thousand-dollar ice cream TIRANË — A 5-year-old girl from Tirana changes her parents’ lives. She has even stunned them — but also “babamë” u sa shpresherë e sëmura — because to buy the “millionaire” ice cream she had to go in very deeply, but also to break through. Since the evening of 28 October 1994, 5-year-old Nida Nunka has been crowned as the winner of the grand prize of the “Mars” lottery, although the ticket numbered 0016351 held the dreamed-of fortune of the “Nunka” family with the new “Fiat” vehicle. EDMOND LAÇI Perhaps because Nida made the “toy” — in the shop she had asked her mother for the ice cream “that goes with the different colors of children” — she now wants to play with the “ice cream car,” as she has also nicknamed it. “I don’t like cars,” says the spoiled little Nida — “I only want daddy to buy me a little bicycle.” A desire that had been exaggerated up to seven days earlier, but now her father — unemployed for two days — can fulfill. “I had never dreamed of buying a car,” says Nikollaq, the little girl’s lucky father, for Gazeta Shqiptare, “and I don’t even know why I haven’t had anything to buy. Anyway, if I have a good urge, I can even sell this gift from God. So, with just 4 ice creams, the life of an entire family changes. In this little sleep and the sweetest dream, everything that has been gifted has made a stir. It seems that with great zeal, the path of the “whim” of the company “Mars” was followed. As were the parents, who had promised her an ordinary children’s gift. Nida Nunka with the car she won (Photo A. Babani) Nida Nunka with the car she won (Photo A. Babani)

— A seizure of around 184,000 lekë for irregularities observed in several private and state-owned companies engaged in forestry exploitation for timber in the Përmet district. Checks by the financial police branch found a lack of financial documentation concerning the revenues realized. This created the possibility for some of these companies not to settle their obligations to the state budget. For this reason, financial police inspectors seized the amount of 184,860 lekë.

A law defines their status After approval by the Government, the draft goes to Parliament TIRANË — Soon, the status of the veterans of the Anti-Fascist War will also be defined by law. The draft has passed through the government and now only Parliament remains to have the final word. This draft will determine the order of the persons who will enjoy this status, their rights, and the legal avenues for obtaining it. At present in Albania there are — according to an official announcement issued by the Ministry of Defense together with representatives of the veterans’ associations operating today in the country — around 24,000 people who benefit from the 10 lekë law for their war martyrs. With the entry into force of this new law, the number of people who will receive this veteran status — according to the new criteria it establishes — is expected to rise to about 30,000. The status will now be granted not only to those who fought against the occupiers, but also to others who contributed to the liberation of Albania, such as people enrolled in detachments, battalions and guerrilla units, members of the anti-fascist youth and women’s organizations, political prisoners, those who took part in armed propaganda in liberated areas, couriers, informers and movement leaders. The status will also be accompanied by a number of material and social benefits. The rights that veterans will enjoy under the new law include additional pensions, special health care, priority in housing and in a series of public services. The government is seeking through this law to provide a “final assessment” for those who took part in the war for the country’s liberation. (V. Me.)

Storm in Egypt, more than 400 dead ON PAGE 2 Costner and Rourke, two film divas in trouble ON PAGE 3

Fier, knife kills in the middle of the market The 23-year-old Aleksandër Malena ended up in hospital, but could not be saved. In the intensive care unit of this hospital, it was confirmed that the young man had been struck several times with a knife and that the rapid bleeding had damaged his heart. The घटना occurred before lunch in the center of the livestock market in Fier, when unknown persons beat the victim Malena to death. Investigations by the law-enforcement authorities have begun. The Israeli Ambassador in Tirana Having left his residence in Rome for a few hours to come to Tirana, the Israeli ambassador for Albania, Avi Pazner. “The time has come for Israeli investors to return to Albania,” Pazner stated at the official meeting held at the Albanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs with Deputy Minister Starova. “Razma” travels to Drlanovë The chief editor confirmed the movement of 40 tourists from Shkodër — mostly former athletes and workers of the “Vllaznia” Club — toward the tourist spot of Drlanovë, 230 kilometers from Sofia. What is interesting is that many of the tourists from Shkodër will, for the first time, travel to another country outside Albania. This interesting opportunity was secured by the Tourist Association “Razma”, which for a long time has been linked with its Bulgarian counterpart “Baco-kro”.

Kadare’s grief, his mother dies