Fields between Lezhë and Shkodër flooded Damage to livestock and buildings Fields between Lezhë and Shkodër flooded Huge storm in the North: railway destroyed Damage to livestock and buildings LEZHË — A powerful storm hit Lezhë and its surrounding villages on Tuesday. Torrential rains — lasting for several hours — covered entire areas and then burst into flooding in the town. Roads were blocked and the Lezhë-Shkodër railway line suffered damage that made the regular operation of train traffic impossible. The rains caused damage to houses, livestock and other agricultural structures in the villages of Zadrima, one of the most agricultural areas, over 24 hours. According to senior district officials, the damage caused “is greater than that of the November 1992 flood.” The flooding began during the night. The heavy rainfall caused a rapid rise in the water level in the Bacel-Lezhë Upper Marsh, which burst within a short time. The force of the small streams, created by the large amount of rainfall, also acted on the railway embankment. At 5 points, the water eroded it, carrying away the gravel. The storm did not spare the town either. Rains that fell for several hours on Tuesday morning — and the torrents coming down from the mountain — burst into Lezhë’s streets as well, causing many activities to be shut down. The town’s schools were closed and classes suspended. According to the District Chairman, Gjergj Gjoni, the creation of this situation was also helped by other factors. “Illegal constructions built in the area above the town — Gjoni tells Gazeta Shqiptare — have damaged the old drainage channels. Also, the weak geological structure of the area created serious hydraulic problems. For this reason we have informed the Government several times and we think it is appropriate to carry out a study that verifies these hydraulic problems in Lezhë.” Ir. Ra. Bad weather begins

After President Berisha’s proposal PD, PR: “It is a step that develops democracy.” The opposition: “In this way the current Constitutional Law should be recognized” After President Berisha’s proposal Referendum, controversy erupts among the parties PD, PR: “It is a step that develops democracy.” The opposition: “In this way the current Constitutional Law should be recognized” TIRANË — A controversy erupted immediately after President Berisha’s position; groups from the largest parliamentary parties met to define their line in Parliament regarding the referendum law. The positions once again are completely contradictory, ranging from superlative praise to serious accusations. For the Democratic Party, approving the Constitution by referendum is the best solution and fits the country’s political conditions. “It is a rational solution and an attempt to find real possibilities for balancing the political forces that exist in Albania — Tritan Shehu, Secretary General of the PD, told Gazeta Shqiptare — the other possible solutions cannot succeed. Parliament cannot secure a two-thirds consensus. The idea of a Constituent Assembly did not succeed. For us two factors are important: first, that the country has a Constitution and second, that it be as European as possible.” The referendum idea has also been supported by the chairman of the Republicans. “The referendum gives the will to the people — said Sabri Godo — and thus it is the road of democracy. It is unquestionably a positive step.” They do not share the same opinion in the opposition camp. For the socialists, the idea of using a referendum as a way to adopt the Constitution constitutes a deviation from the rule and an insult to the constitutional law still in force. “It is clearly stated here that it is article 126 of this law, that the process of discussing and examining the draft takes place at the end. According to this latter provision, the government’s initiative — and therefore also for the Constitution — belongs to Parliament. Serious accusations also came from the Democratic Alliance. “The idea of a referendum is an anti-constitutional and anti-institutional idea — declared Arben Imami — because it violates the constitutional law and because it aims to set the people against the legal institutions. It is the path used by the extreme left and the extreme right to come to power.” To the accusation, Tritan Shehu himself responds: “The opposition’s goal in opposing this idea is to show that the political force currently in power in Albania cannot give the country a Constitution.” Exodus alarm in Durrës DURRËS — The dream of a “rich Europe” continues to gnaw at Albanians’ minds. A false rumor spread in several districts of the country that “a new exodus is being prepared in Durrës” led dozens of people to flock to this city on Monday evening. Groups of residents of 15-20 people — all between 16 and 25 years old — from Elbasan, Lushnja, Çerrik and Peqin gathered in the city streets and at the port from Thursday, believing it would take them to the Italian coast. It was the intervention of the forces on Tuesday, and it spread further into the city of Durrës. Here too groups of people — non-residents of Durrës — were seen, mainly concentrated in places near the Port: the Train Station, the Printing House and near the “Teuta” beach. According to the first data and from the testimonies of the people themselves, it is believed that the origin of this false rumor was Elbasan. In fact, during Monday and Tuesday, a large movement of cars with plates and ... was observed. Gë. To. Police stop groups of youths

Strasbourg resolution Death sentences Year Decisions '89 13 '90 5 '91 6 '92 14 '93 7 TIRANË — The issue of death sentences has once again returned. This time it emerged in all its force a few weeks ago in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, which on Tuesday spoke out for its definitive abolition in Europe, indeed throughout the world. The European position was expressed in a resolution approved by the overwhelming majority of representatives of the 32 member countries of the Assembly. The resolution mentioned the European countries that still practice the death penalty. Albania appears on the list of countries with observer status in the Strasbourg institution, alongside Belarus, Latvia, Moldova, Russia and Ukraine. According to members of the Council of Europe, it is deeply shocking that in Europe 59 people have been legally “given” death and 575 others are waiting in anxiety for the moment of execution. Once again Albania is present here with the ten people executed last year. The Council of Europe resolution also makes a direct call to European countries. According to it, the courts, parliamentary bodies and special committees should study the appropriate measures for abolishing the death penalty. In 1995 an international conference will be organized to examine the measures taken. But in Albania a definitive solution to this problem seems likely to be difficult. None of the parties has fixed in its program the outlook for the issue which, with Strasbourg’s latest resolution, has been brought into debate. Nearly all the main political forces find it hard — not to say impossible — to think of a political decision on this. Perhaps if some of the serious demands linked to the state of public order were removed, it would be easier to speak about abolishing it. In short, the Albanian political parties are torn between two sides of the death penalty. Which of these sides will weigh more than the other, we may perhaps have the chance to see during the progress of the Penal Code that will soon be completed. Fatos Baxhaku Death sentences Year Decisions '89 13 '90 5 '91 6 '92 14 '93 7

TIRANË — “This is a political revenge that I am suffering only because I worked near Enver Hoxha.” Thus began his defense statement before the military judges, the 73-year-old Sulo Gradeci, who for many years had been at the head of the people charged with safeguarding the dictator’s life. Arrested on 7 July '92, Gradeci had appeared in his trial — which began on 2 September '94 — charged with “abuse of office” and “theft of state property,” accompanied by a debt of 33 thousand dollars. Now, after Gradeci’s defense, it remains for the lawyer’s defense to state its final opinion on Gradeci’s guilt, leaving the judges to deliver the final verdict. (e. l.)

At the ECOFIN meeting TIRANË — It now risks turning into a “Sisyphean ordeal” what European experts from the ECOFIN economic committee — the committee of senior economic and finance officials of the European Twelve — were trying to do in order to grant Albania the 35 million ECU loan for the balance of payments. On Tuesday, once again, the Greek representative, the Deputy Minister of Finance, opposed his colleagues. Once more he was following a firm no from Athens to the granting of the loan. The announcement was made by international news agencies, which did not analyze the candidate’s statements for the reasons behind his position in Brussels. But from the previous positions of Greek diplomacy, it is not difficult this time either to identify the reasons: the contradictions with Albania regarding the process involving the members of “Omonia”, which is being heard these very days by the appeals court in the Albanian capital. (o. re.)

COURSE REALITY EDMOND LAÇI TIRANË — The phrase in Albania “wedding fashion” spectacle. And for the first time in our newspapers the publishers have also found a certain place in our media where it is later written that an ordinary Albanian woman’s wedding and their future. But more than being officially crowned by a general — who has settled in “partner” to be a primary person, the family members and those who are “closest relatives up to the”, thus, the fullest feelings culminated in the “defect”. On a television or photographic apparatus the first photographic apparatus of a short American, Bob Durhem, is suggesting the first for Albanian weddings. More and it leaves with a remembered wonder and the approach of the beginning of the envy[?]za — in ceremonies of the lla[?]s “at the side”. The American has been asking enough for the wedding, there had to be some “scenes” left, Harkoni, who in the role of the wedding director had me! They are built by the profession Ashomov[?] of a “business” car[?] and is asking to invite the couple of the pri[?]me wedding’s qit[?] for a little with his “disco”. And the wedding Sunday and the reinforce[?] have burst into a “duel”, the scene of the fi[?]rst wedding and for a little on TV, leaving no possibility for everyone. Also asking about their first success in Albania and the leading.

The head of the Police flees Haiti Before Aristide’s return ON PAGE 2 Agricultural production increases compared with 1993 240 thousand property deeds distributed ON PAGE 3

Elbasan, a “boom” in the steel industry The ban on exporting raw materials for its production has brought a development “boom” for the Albanian steel industry. Without harming the possibility of domestic production. In just the first nine months of '94, the Elbasan Steel Combine increased by over 2 thousand tons glass, steel. 12 times higher than the same period the previous year. According to the combine’s commercial director Koli Kormb[?]at, the quality of these figures shows the high trend of Albanian steel, mainly from the East. Laç, a pole for 1,000[?] lekë The TV viewers of Laç will now have a pole worth 1 “voldshëm”. It was a fund of 12 thousand dollars — provided by the Municipality — that made possible the installation of this television station, which made it possible to watch many Italian, German or Turkish stations. Besides the private company "Elektronik Co" which again assembled stations in Laç, the Copper Plant also helped, which with its funds produced a wooden structure that supported a special 11-meter television mast. As part of these improvements, the commune of Mamurras and Fushë-Kuqe are also included. Civil Aviation discussed The draft law “On Civil Aviation in the Republic of Albania” has been discussed — perhaps for the last time before being sent to Parliament. Two Permanent Commissions of the People’s Assembly discussed this important draft law, while the Minister of Transport and Communications, Fatos Bitincka, was also present.

LOOKING TO SELL? LOOKING TO BUY? This space is free for your economic notices. Send it in a sealed envelope within 14 days of the 15th to one of our addresses in Tirana: Rruga Bajram Curri, 370, or in Bari: Viale Scipione l'Africano, 264. Please tell us precisely the type of goods you are looking for and offering, your name and address FOR RENT — A villa on the beach of Durrës (at the Railway, near the Durrës Hotel) with twelve rooms and other facilities, two floors. For more detailed information you can call in Tirana at no. 9572 at any hour of the day and then 202 or after 16.00. FOR SALE — A house with a yard in Durrës, near the cinema “Iliria”, in “Vaso Pasha” street. Contact in Tirana by phone 25722, every day and 32646 after 16.00. EXCHANGE — An apartment with two rooms and a kitchen, annex and spacious basement in the block with first-floor water, near Shkolla e Kuqe, for an apartment with two rooms and a kitchen, inside the ring road and not on the first floor. Interested parties can call 42108, Tirana. FOR RENT — A shop with an area of 30 square meters. Address: Rruga e Dibr[?]s, near Ila Optik. Tel: 2486 and 42200, EXCHANGE — An apartment, two rooms and a kitchen, annex and spacious basement, located behind Shkolla e Kuqe, for an apartment with two rooms and a kitchen inside the ring road and not on the first floor. Interested parties can call 42108, Tirana. FOR SALE — Near the University Bookstore, 2 rooms, kitchen, third floor, price lek 2,20,000. Address: Rruga "Luigj Gurakuqi", no. 6, tel. 42515, Tirana FOR SALE — Near the New Bazaar, four main rooms, 1 room, kitchen, annex, first floor, price: lek 1,800,000, address: Rruga "Luigj Gurakuqi" no. 6, tel. 42515. FOR RENT — A villa on the street of [??], 6 rooms, 2 bathrooms, furnished or empty, water 24 hours, equipped with an electric generator. Address: Rruga "Luigj Gurakuqi" no. 6, tel. 42515, Tirana.

with the catamaran GOLUBAYA STRELA DURRES BARI DURRES with the CATAMARAN GOLUBAYA STRELA IN 3 AND A HALF HOURS Departs every day from DURRES at 17.00 from BARI at 09.00 Fare 45 USD For information and reservations: At any travel agency or at: TEAM ALBANIA shpk. GEMINI MARITIME AGENCY DURRES - Durrës Train Station, 3 Tel. 0355-52-2035 - Fax 0355-52-3741