A more significant increase for senior officials From the President to the worker ANDREA STEFANI TIRANA — Almost two weeks after the government decision was announced, the new salary tables have also reached all offices. Some 173,000 employees in the institutional sector will benefit, in varying degrees, from this pay rise. What stands out most is the increase in the salaries of the highest state officials, creating a wider gap than before between administrative salaries and public office. At the bottom of the new pyramid is the ordinary worker, while at the top stands the President of the Republic. How much the wallet weighs Senior officials Monthly salary (in lek) President of the Republic 37,000 Chairman of the Council of Ministers 37,000 and Chairman of the People’s Assembly 33,000 Minister 33,000 Deputy, President of the Academy of Sciences, Prefect of Tirana, Mayor of Tirana 24,000 Military officers and judges Chief of the General Staff 24,000 Director General of Police 22,000 Commander of the Guard 20,000 Head of the National Intelligence Service 26,000 Director of 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 Attorney General 26,000 Prosecutor and investigator in the General Prosecutor’s Office 18,750 Judge in the Court of Category I and II 15,500 Employees’ salaries by class Class I 3,300 II 3,400 III 3,600 IV 3,750 V 3,900 VI 4,050 VII 4,200 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 Almost a pyramid within itself, inside the larger salary pyramid, includes the directors of directorates, sector heads, branch chiefs, specialists and inspectors of various categories. The middle-level officials in the state hierarchy are paid from the secretaries, accountants, translators, reception clerks and payroll staff of each institution or central department, including the directorate network or the financial police. As the level changes, so does the pay, according to a scale of salary increases ranging from 300 lek to 3,000 lek. For example, a specialist with 5 years of service receives 4,200 lek, while a sector head may receive 9,000 lek. In addition to the government decision, the second pillar of pay consists of supplements to the base salary for different categories of work, such as seniority, managerial responsibility, rank, hardship, or special working conditions. With the budgetary institutions, the cycle of the government’s initiative to raise salaries is completed. Nor have the 200,000 employees of budget-funded enterprises been left out, as well as around 40 percent of the wages in the non-state sectors. In total, almost all wage earners in the country are affected by this increase. This is perhaps the first salary increase carried out by a government decision. Starting from 1 January, an almost automatic mechanism will come into effect for indexing employees’ salaries in line with inflation growth. Under an agreement between the government and the country’s main trade unions, the government undertakes, in discussion with union representatives, to raise the salaries of employees in budgetary institutions to such an extent as to offset the price increase of 24 basic consumer items.

Çashku leaves TIRANA — Two history professors will lead the Albanian Helsinki Committee for the next two years. The new chairman is Professor Kristofor Pidri, with Professor Arben Puto as executive director. The decision was taken after the regular elections for the leadership of KSH, held at the organization’s headquarters in the Cultural Center. On the governing board are Professor Ylli Popi, Viktor Dosti, Maksim Velo. The new structure of KSH is now in force until the Helsinki International in Vienna. (r.b.)

Vëtebuhuri[?] TIRANA — The “Miss Albania 1994” contest has now entered its final phase. On Monday evening, the 19 members of the central jury selected 20 candidates for the title. The selection evening took place at the “Hollivood” disco-bar in the presence of Vera Grabocka, who also this year directed the organization of the show. The actual contest will be held in the studio and next Sunday will be broadcast live on television. Jury members interviewed the girls in order to assess first and foremost their character and intelligence.

8 tons of contraband cigarettes ● Operation by the Financial Police on the border with Macedonia ● The goods had been declared as cotton for pharmacies[?] TIRANA — Tobacco disguised as cotton and brought in with forged papers has been blocked for almost three days at Qafë Thanë by the Financial Police. It concerns 8 tons of Winston and Camel cigarettes, declared incorrectly as goods that were supposed to enter through the Qafë Thanë customs post. The shipment had been declared as “cotton” for pharmacies, but during the inspection of the vehicle with foreign plates, the police and customs found 8 tons of hidden cigarettes. Legal proceedings are under way, and the truck driver and the people connected to the shipment have been questioned. In the photo, one of the vehicles loaded with contraband cigarettes TIRANA — It appears that in April the deceptive scheme of the customs officers is coming to an end; they seized the “strange cotton” and sent the documents for criminal prosecution. It was precisely cigarette smuggling that has more than once landed a young deputy of the Albanian parliament, Arben Lika, in prison. Hiding cigarettes under the name of humanitarian aid is not new. The chairman of the Albanian Youth Forum was referred by the Prosecutor’s Office for corruption. Meanwhile, bringing goods into Albania declared as transit and later “cleared” in Albanian warehouses has been another maneuver of Albanian smugglers. The exception to this rule was two tanker trucks with fuel seized by the Vlora Customs, which, despite transit documents signed, ended up in Lushnje. (p.p.)

He has been accused TIRANA — From the indictment to the prosecutor’s final argument in the “Customs Scandal” trial, the process began on 12 October of this year. Yesterday, for the first time since their arrest, the eight defendants in this case appeared in court in a special room to hear the charges against them, according to the prosecution. Genc Gjukota, Mberim Kemal and two others were in the dock. Regarding Nabil Siblini — arrested on 19 July 1993 — the trial began with charges of “smuggling on a large scale, in excess of 38 million lek, and falsification of official documents,” while the customs officials were charged with “abuse of office.” To reach yesterday’s end of the hearing, the defendants did not need only the money in the indictment, but also the hearing of 41 witnesses and the testimony of accounting experts. Meanwhile, the lawyers’ request to separate Nabil Siblini’s case from that of the seven customs officers was not accepted by the trial panel, chaired by the President of the Tirana Court, Agim Bendo. The process is now at its penultimate stage and part of the mystery of the “customs scandal” has almost been illuminated, although — as prosecutor Gjukota had stated — the scope of the smuggling losses is greater than what is addressed in the indictment, but for the moment other investigations are continuing. Thus today after 2 p.m., the judges in the “customs scandal” trial will also have at their disposal the prosecution’s final opinion. In the quiet courtroom, the defendants will also be given the opportunity — in their final plea — before the verdict, which will ultimately declare these eight accused persons guilty or not guilty. (p.r.)

The other side of the cholera Fish exports: Has the EC imposed a new blockade? TIRANA — Cholera is now also causing economic damage to Albania. Exports of fish and fish products from Albania will be halted by the EU until sanitary inspections are completed. On the basis of an advance notice, the Brussels authorities have decided on a temporary ban on imports of fish from Albania. This has caused concern among Albanian exporters, who had already faced restrictions before. (J.M.)

Final report in November OSCE commissioner arrives in Athens: meeting with Papulias TIRANA — Max van der Stoel’s detailed report on the issue of respect for the rights of the Greek minority in the south of the country is expected to be submitted in the coming months. The news took shape after the meeting that the OSCE commissioner for national minorities held in Athens with the Greek foreign minister, Karolos Papulias. The meeting focused on recent developments in Albanian-Greek relations and on the minority issue. Another meeting was held with the chairman of PBDNJ. In Athens, the OSCE delegation also discussed the latest political processes in the Balkans. (b.r.)

Final measures TIRANA — The day seems to be approaching when Albania will have a second television channel. The idea was put forward some time ago by the leaders of Albanian Radio Television itself and has begun to take shape; almost everything is ready. This issue was also recently discussed at a meeting of the governing council held on Monday, where the purpose of this second channel — Ylli Popa, programme director, explains to Gazeta shqiptare — is to create an alternative network competing with private television stations. Most of the programs on this new channel will be cultural in nature and, initially, the first project envisages going on air with a schedule of about four hours in 24. Its content will mainly consist of cultural programs and films. One idea mentioned by some television executives is also to include a series of programs for young people on this channel. (A. M.)

The guard kills by mistake The puppets begin to perform in Tirana Durrës… is worth millions[?] These are tragic times for the guard. On Monday evening in Nikël, a young man was killed after a shot fired by the guard’s weapon. A new season begins for the puppets at the Puppet Theatre. The first performance was “Pjetër Gjoni”. Brief news from the country’s chronicle and cultural pages.[?]

Bad weather affects the Aegean islands and other Greek areas A total of 14 dead from the rains ON PAGE 2 Party polemics over the referendum intensify The country in the wave of rallies ON PAGE 3

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