At 9:00 a.m. the judges will announce the verdict After 40 days of investigation at the Tirane Court TIRANE — It has finally become beyond any doubt that only the 100 invited guests will be able to attend directly and in person the Tirane Court’s decision on former President Alia and the three former top party and state officials of the regime. Today at 9:00 a.m., as announced by the notice issued with the authorization of the Presiding Judge — a final decision will be made on the guilt or innocence of Alia’s empire. Only a few hours remain and the charges will have to be converted into years in prison, or other measures that only the judges can deem appropriate. Thus, after exactly 40 days of this trial, the cycle of investigations and proceedings against the bloc leaders and the regime’s top officials is also almost definitively closed. Beginning with Hoxha’s widow, then with the first ten bloc members — now all tried and sentenced — the trial of Alia and the remaining former officials may be the last chance for Albanians to see their former leaders once again, heads bowed, in the dock. Meanwhile, even a trial in absentia now seems impossible, since nearly a month ago the Prosecutor’s Office discontinued the investigations against Enver Hoxha, Mehmet Shehu, Kadri Hazbiu, Beqir Balluku and many other former leaders, on the grounds of "absence of the subject or completion of the absence of the subject of criminal prosecution". As in the other trials against Hoxha’s and Alia’s "empire," this time too none of the defendants accepted responsibility for the "crimes of the regime." In many cases the "show" of the defense also served as a "meeting" of the former communist leaders with their personal admirers, while the accusations were "matched" with the punishment always without the "conviction" of those who would suffer it. This time as well — at least after the prosecution’s closing argument — Alia’s request and that of the other defendants was nothing but "not guilty." Today the judges must choose between this request and the prison sentences demanded by the prosecution: Alia 10, Marko 10, Stefani 8, Çela 7, Ramiz 6. Isa G[?]arca [?] 5 years with 5 years suspended, Myftiu 5 years with 5 years suspended, Mino 4 and Haderi 3 years of deprivation of liberty. The enigma will be solved shortly. At 9:00 a.m. the verdict...[e.l]

Decision by the Municipality of Elbasan ELBASAN — In Elbasan, a number of food products have been confiscated and then destroyed as dangerous to consumers’ health. The decision was taken by the city hygiene institute branch, which, after conducting analyses, ordered the destruction of 5,530 cans of chicken meat that had long since passed their expiry date. Meanwhile, hundreds of kilograms of fish[?] have been found which — according to hygiene specialists — posed an infection risk because of the abnormal conditions under which this merchandise was stored and sold. Such cases had already been verified earlier in Elbasan. Within a three-month period, the Municipality has confiscated 68,000 eggs and a large quantity of salami and other food products exposed to the risk of spoilage. Hygiene specialists told Gazeta Shqiptare that such checks are now carried out regularly. Me. Ki.

VLORE — The number of speedboats that will dock in the Port of Vlora has increased at a galloping pace. A good part of the speedboats are not registered with the Port Authority. The number of those already registered is already more than triple the number officially listed in the other Albanian ports. Moreover, their appearance gives rise to suspicion. Faced with the ever-increasing luxury of speedboats — many of which are used for the illegal trafficking of clandestine migrants toward the Italian coast — the law-enforcement authorities remain unable to provide effective law enforcement and control. The financial police, it is said, still does not have any vessel of its own, while the police have only two such vehicles. S.M.

A decisive match also for Ireland and Norway WORLD CUP Italy coach Sacchi (standing with a cap) worried on the eve of the match with Mexico On page 3 Everything about Albanian football On page 4 The football market in Italy On page 5 About USA '94 predictions and results

Tirane — One of the most active advisers to U.S. President Bill Clinton during the recent election campaign for the presidential elections and now working in the White House administration is in Albania. The well-known American politician, Claude A. Taylor — invited by the "Association for Free and Fair Democratic Elections" — has for several days been holding meetings and contacts with politicians and local government leaders, as well as with ordinary people, answering them with the old questions of American democracy. The contribution of voters in the political life of the country, relations between government structures and elections, policy for preserving the environment — these have been some of the main points of the lectures Taylor has given to a group in the country. The American politician has also prepared a special study dealing with all these problems, which he says are the most important for Albanian democracy.

Positive statements from young people Results of a Red Cross survey TIRANE — The statements of young Albanians about blood donation look promising. Meanwhile, this process — although paid — has experienced a very noticeable decline in recent years. A survey organized by the Albanian Red Cross with 200 people, mostly young, shows that more than 52 percent of adults have a strong willingness to give blood voluntarily. The purpose of this survey — Didika Shehu, a specialist at the Red Cross, tells Gazeta Shqiptare — was to test public opinion and raise awareness about this very important issue, which has still not been carried out as it should through payment. The main groups covered by the survey were young people. "For two reasons," Shehu explains. "First, because younger ages are more predisposed to support a new idea, and second, because they must be the future volunteers after the indicators that make up quality are higher at these ages." In fact, this survey is part of a broader program undertaken by the Red Cross regarding the issue of blood donation. The aim of this program is to create special teams of volunteers who will be the main arteries of the hospital’s supply.

TIRANE — A serious incident has occurred in the village of Mbresht in Fier. After a quarrel in a bar, two brothers from this village — Arjan and Sami Hoxha — fired an automatic weapon at the owner of the bar — Faslli Zere — severing his left arm and causing him an almost fatal wound to the lung. As official sources report, this act was only the prologue to a long-running story. The two brothers had reported the owner Zere on other occasions as well, repeatedly complaining about working behind the bar where they had been drinking. After the burst of gunfire fired at Zere from the bar, the two Hoxha brothers hid the weapon and managed to take cover somewhere. But soon the police action punished them for the act committed and did not last long. After Fier, the two have been arrested and will now await the decision of Justice.

UN: “They have occupied a hill” SHKUPI — Serbia has taken an aggressive stance in recent days toward Macedonia, and its troops have refused to leave a position on a hill inside Macedonian territory. That was said by UN officials and diplomats. According to the UN, about 12 Serbian soldiers entered 100 meters beyond the Macedonian border line on a hill that, for Macedonia, is land at an elevation of 150-260 meters within their territory. "For them we can say — said the United Nations spokesperson in Shkupi, Ibrah[?] Broun[?] — it is Macedonian territory." Recently the Serbian soldiers have been concentrated in the position on Straza Hill, about twenty kilometers north of the Macedonian city of Kumanovo. The border between Serbia and Macedonia The incursion, said the spokesperson, is the latest in a series of incidents in which Serbian soldiers have threatened Macedonian and UN forces patrolling the border. "We do not think it started as a military threat, but if we gather all the incidents, a pattern will emerge," he said. "If we were to sound the alarm, no, no, not for concern. Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro) has recently denied all kinds of border violations.

DURRES, THE WINNERS OF THE TENDER FOR CITY CLEANING ARE ANNOUNCED The solution to the waste-cleaning problem in the city of Durrës is also moving forward. Out of 5 competing firms, the winners have been announced to take on this job. For this tender the City Municipality has made available 93 thousand dollars, with which 2 trucks for cleaning and 300 bins for garbage disposal will be bought. LUSHNJE, FINANCIAL IRREGULARITIES IN THE FORMER AGRICULTURE BASE — Numerous financial irregularities in the former Agriculture Base in the district of Lushnje. Its co-owners Tomori Idallari, Idallari Tosun Lanatopi, are accused of having sold assets and agricultural machinery — acquired several times at prices far lower than the official ones. Likewise, the proceeds obtained at the expense of the state were used to buy objects, they bought them from the state, or they put vouchers into circulation. KUKES, THOUSANDS OF CUBIC METERS OF WOOD HEAD TOWARD ROT — Another crisis is added to Albania’s forests. Now, in addition to illegal cutting, there is also the risk of wood rotting. More than 6 thousand cubic meters of timber — trunks, mine props and firewood — in the forests have not yet been transported and are heading toward complete destruction. DIVJAKE, FISHERMEN CAUGHT WITHOUT A LICENSE — Three fishermen have already been caught by the financial police while fishing without a license. All three persons processed have been detained by the police because they did not have the required permit. Meanwhile, the alarm over the illegal hunting of fish species appears, for crimes and diseases there is also for a fish[?] frozen[?] used[?] with laboratory use of the type with harmful poison

Controversy at the National Theatre: Accusations from a group against the Directorate After returning from a festival in France ON PAGE 2 Dispute among the Twelve at the Corfu meeting Who will replace Delors? ON THE LAST PAGE

FIRST COMMUNIST MAYOR IN FORMER EAST GERMANY — The first communist mayor in a large city of the former German Democratic Republic was elected in Hoyerswerda, a locality in Saxony. The 52-year-old communist, Berhardt, defeated the Christian Democratic Party rival, Martin Hennes, by 50.9% of the vote against 49.1% for the latter. BOSNIA: MUSLIM OFFENSIVE IN THE NORTH — The Bosnian army continued its attacks in the Doboj region, in northern Bosnia, where it is pummeling the Serb armed forces. According to Muslim authorities, 30 Serb soldiers have been killed and 43 captured. ALBANIA, THE WANTED MAN FROM THE BANKAPOLOA CLAN ARRESTED — Carabinieri in Catania have arrested in Korkuarin Françesko Di Gracia, 28, suspected member of the mafia clan Santapaola, at the center of charges involving dozens of murders. Di Gracia, considered a senior figure in the Santapaola clan and a key man in the Mories[?] area, was arrested by Carabinieri from the Catania unit in cooperation with the Palermo squad. YEMEN, NO CEASEFIRE, ADEN UNDER FIRE — A life of fighting in the Arrauil[?] district and many buildings were severely damaged. During the day, Islamist forces shelled the positions of the southern army defending the city with mortars.

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