More substantial increases for senior officials The President to the worker ANDREA STEFANI TIRANA — Now, two weeks after the government decision was announced, more complete information has also arrived concerning the wage increases in budget-funded institutions. And around 173,000 employees of these institutions will benefit from the increases to varying degrees. This time too, the wage increase—which will take effect from 1 October—will be differentiated, apparently aiming to give priority to activities involving more highly qualified and responsible positions. The most substantial increase, around 24 percent, will be at the top of the pyramid, where the salaries of employees of senior state bodies, other central institutions, and people of a certain rank are placed. This salary category includes senior state positions such as those of the President of the Republic, the Prime Minister, the Speaker of the Presidium of the People’s Assembly, ministers, members of parliament, and other senior state officials and officials of the relevant institutions. The minimum salary in this group, which includes around 2,000 people, is 11,970 lekë. An increase in pay of the same amount—around 24 percent—has also been set for employees of Radio Television, Ag[?]... [text continues outside the frame] How much the wallet weighs Senior officials Monthly salary (in lekë) President of the Republic 37,000 Chairman of the Council of Ministers 33,000 Chairman of the People’s Assembly 33,000 Minister 26,000 Member of parliament, President of the Academy of Sciences, Prefect of Tirana, Mayor of Tirana 24,000 Military and judges Chief of the General Staff 24,000 Director General of the Police 22,000 Commander of the Guard 20,000 Chairman of the National Intelligence Service 26,000 Director of the Financial Police 20,000 President of the Constitutional Court 28,000 Member of the Constitutional Court 23,000 President of the Court of Cassation 28,000 Member of the Court of Cassation 23,000 Prosecutor General 26,000 Prosecutor and investigator at the General Prosecutor’s Office 18,750 Judge in Category I and II district courts 15,500 Employee salaries by grade Grade I — 3,000 II — 3,075 III — 3,075 IV — 3,075 V — 3,150 VI — 3,250 VII — 3,300 VIII — 3,375 IX — 3,450 X — 3,525 XI — 3,680 XII — 3,890 XIII — 4,090 XIV — 4,280 XV — 4,280 XVI — 4,475 XVII — 4,895 XVIII — 5,105 XIX — 5,340 XX — 6,030 XXI — 6,695 XXII — 9,000 A breakdown of wage increases for each institution or central department, including the army, public order, justice, and the Financial Police. With the change introduced, the minimum salary in the military sector—including compensation for the increased prices of food products—becomes 3,000 lekë a month, while the maximum (that of the director of the directorate), is 4.2 times higher. The salary of a soldier, pupil, and student will be 295 lekë a month, while that of a reservist soldier will be 87 lekë a day. With the budget-funded institutions, the cycle of the Government’s initiative to raise wages comes to a close. Nor have the 200,000 employees of non-budget state-sector enterprises, such as oil and chrome, been left out. In addition to a 10 percent increase in their average wage, a decision announced by the Government a few weeks ago grants enterprises in this sector the right to reward employees with up to 70 percent above the average wage after they have met their fiscal obligations to the state. Perhaps this is the last wage increase to be implemented through Government decisions. Starting on 1 January, the almost automatic mechanism for indexing employees’ wages in line with inflation will come into effect. Under an agreement just signed between the country’s main trade unions, the Government undertakes, in consultation with union representatives, to raise the wages of employees in budget-funded institutions by an amount sufficient to compensate for price increases in 24 basic consumer goods. ...districts and central institutions. The minimum salary for this group, which includes 2,000 people, is 11,970 lek. An increase of the same amount — that is, about 24 percent — has also been set for employees of Radio Televizioni, the Albanian Telegraphic Agency, and 1,000 employees in education and culture. For around 173,000 employees of budget-funded institutions, classified into 22 occupational or job groups, the average salary increase will be about 9 percent. This too is, so to speak... ...a sort of pyramid within the larger salary pyramid, comprising directors of directorates, heads of departments, branch chiefs, specialists, and inspectors in various categories. These middle-ranking officials in the state hierarchy are followed by clerks, accountants, translators, referents, and down to drivers and warehouse workers, ranked on the lowest rungs or grades. The minimum salary in this 22-step pyramid will be about 2,700 lek, up from 2,400 lek. Meanwhile, the maximum monthly salary will rise from 7,200 lek to 9,000 lek. The Government’s decision sets out in detail... from drivers all the way to the drivers or warehouse workers placed on the bottom rungs or in the lowest classes. The minimum salary on this 22-step scale will be around 2,700 lekë, up from 2,400 lekë. Meanwhile, the maximum monthly salary will rise from 7,200 lekë to 9,000 lekë. The Government’s decision sets out in detail... in detail, as well as the pay increases for employees according to their categories. Thus, for example, for a magistrate, the increase will be... decision sets out in detail...

Çashku leaves TIRANA — Two history professors will lead the Albanian Helsinki Committee over the next two years. The new chairman is Professor Kristofor Shabani. The executive director is his colleague, Professor Arben Puto. The decision was made following the regular elections for the new KSHH leadership, held at the organization’s headquarters in the Cultural Center. The governing board includes Professor Ylli Popa, Viktor Dosti, and Maksi Velo. The new structure of the KSHH is now in line with that of the International Helsinki Federation, based in Vienna. (f.b.)

Self-beauty? TIRANA — The “Miss Albania ’94” contest has now entered its final stage. On Monday evening, the 19 members of the central jury met the 20 candidates for the title. The selection evening was held at the “Hollyeood” disco-bar in the presence of Vera Grabçe, who also directed the organization of the show this year. [text continues outside the frame] The jury members interviewed the girls to assess, first and foremost, their character and intelligence.

Seized 8 tons of smuggled cigarettes • Financial Police operation on the border with Macedonia • The goods had been declared as cotton for pharmacies TIRANA — Tobacco disguised as cotton. This is the latest attempt to bring smuggled goods through Albanian customs. At the Qafë Thanë customs post, 8 tons of Winston and Camel cigarettes were recently intercepted as undeclared goods in the entry documents. The news was confirmed to Gazeta Shqiptare by the General Directorate of Customs. In the declaration submitted to the customs office, the truck driver, Sh. A., claimed that he had brought pharmaceutical cotton from Macedonia in transit to Croatia. But instead of raw material for pharmaceuticals, customs officers found bales of cigarettes bearing famous names on the world market, Winston and Camel, goods highly sought after in the Albanian market because of the high profit margin, which increasingly drives Albanian traders to seek them as a source of profit. The Qafë Thanë incident is an “ordinary” business case, but apparently it ended in a deceptive ruse against the Pogradec customs officers, who seized the “strange cotton” and forwarded the documents for criminal prosecution. It was cigarette smuggling that sent one of the youngest members of the Albanian parliament, Arben Lika, to prison a month ago. Hiding Arda cigarettes among humanitarian aid could not save the Chairman of the Albanian Youth Forum from the prosecution’s corruption charge. Meanwhile, bringing goods into Albania declared as being in transit and then “clearing” them through Albanian warehouses has been another maneuver used by Albanian smugglers. Two fuel tankers seized by the Vlora Customs Office were exceptions to this rule: although their documents listed them as in transit, they ended up in Lushnjë. (g.p.) TIRANA — From the indictment, nine accused ... [text continues outside the frame] A smuggled shipment of cigarettes pictured

TIRANA — Tobacco disguised as cotton. This is the latest attempt to bring smuggled goods through Albanian customs.

The guard kills accidentally This time the guard acciden- tally killed a person. His victim was precisely Gjoualin Nika, the inspector who had in fact come to intervene to protect him, after an argument with two other citizens. Pjetër Gjoka, the 52-year-old guard of the Construction Enterprise, was there and shot at his “opponents”; he shot Nika dead. Puppets begin to perform It is the new season for the Puppet Theatre troupe. And for the first time the puppets have begun performing some very successful plays: “The Boy Who Lost His Watch” and “Joy Misunderstood.” Indeed, the latter, as predicted, is seen as a success for the troupe, with potential across the whole country. From Albania it may be possible to... [lower section unclear] Durrës, a garden- kindergarten worth millions There are tens of thousands of lekë ...

RTSH: the second channel will begin soon TIRANA — It seems the day is approaching when Albania will have a second television channel. The idea floated some time ago by the leaders of Albanian Radio and Television has now begun to take shape, and it seems that everything is clear. The issue was also discussed recently at a meeting of the governing council, which convened on Monday morning. “The aim of this second channel,” Ylli Pepo, spokesperson and program editor, explained to the newspaper, “is to create an alternative network that competes with the current one.” According to the chairman of Albanian Television, this conference would create an alternative network and a complete ... [text as printed is unclear]. Initially, the project under discussion envisages that the second television channel will begin with a four-hour program (from 18:30) until 22:00. Its content will mainly consist of cultural and educational programs. In the future, it is thought that broadcasts of news from ... will also be included [passage unclear]. At the same time, the current Television channel, the second channel — perhaps it will again feature programs that support ... — would achieve revenues for the state from the state’s revenues. According to the source ...

A total of 14 dead from the rains ON PAGE 2

The country in a wave of rallies ON PAGE 3

The other side of cholera TIRANA — Cholera is now also causing economic damage to Albania. The export of fish and other Albanian seafood products to European Union countries risks being blocked once again. According to preliminary reports, the members of the doubtful pair will not lift the measure adopted at the end of September, which was set to remain in force until October 31. Indeed, now that cholera has also reached Bari, Italy, this measure may be extended for some time longer. Nevertheless, growth and benefits can hardly be in one...

Final report in November TIRANA — Max van der Stoel’s detailed report on the situation and respect for the rights of the Greek minority in Albania will be made public in the middle of next month. The news was confirmed by Stoel himself — CSCE Commissioner for Minorities — during his visit to Athens in recent days. He added that he intends to continue contacts with both countries and with representatives of the minority. Stoel’s visit to Greece took place immediately after the meetings he held last week with senior Albanian authorities and the Greek minority in the southern regions of Albania. The Commissioner’s meetings in Athens continued with Foreign Minister Papulias, who reiterated Greece’s intention to seek understanding and cooperation on this issue. “The resumption of dialogue with Tirana,” Papulias said, “marks ... [text cut off/unclear]

The accused take the stand TIRANA — From indictment to closing arguments. The Prosecutor’s Office will conclude its role in the “Customs Scandal” trial today, a proceeding that began on October 12 this year. For the first time since their arrest, the eight defendants in this case will hear today how much the charges against them “cost,” according to the prosecution’s representative, Genc Gjokutaj. One of the year’s most sensational trials is thus nearing its end, stemming from a story that is still unfinished and that had sent major Albanian and foreign traders, as well as several of Albania’s highest-ranking customs officials, to Tirana prison. Those appearing today at 4:00 p.m. at the Tirana Court will be Nabil Siblin, the Lebanese cigarette trader behind “Cooper,” Thoma Bicolli, Xhemail Hani, Thoma Dio, Sami Shaupi, Viktor Laboviti, and Diamant Dimanti, the accused. They are expected to hear the closing arguments against them. For Nabil Siblin — arrested as far back as July 19, ’93 — the case began with charges of “large-scale smuggling, involving 38 million lek, and falsification of official documents,” while the customs officials were charged with “abuse of office.” Reaching the conclusion of the judicial investigation — on Sunday, October 23 — required not only reading the indictment, but also summoning 41 witnesses and dozens of accounting experts. The two fuel tankers seized by the Vlora Customs Office, which, although documented as being in transit, ended up in Lushnjë, are also part of the case. (g.p.)