The Government seeks to reduce tax liabilities Individuals will pay less to the state A bill submitted to Parliament seeks to amend the law on personal income. The aim is to combat tax evasion. HOW INCOME WILL BE TAXED Taxable brackets | % | Maximum withheld Current system 4,000 - 10,000 | 10 | 600 10,001 - 20,000 | 15 | 1,600 20,001 - 30,000 | 20 | 4,100 30,001 - 40,000 | 25 | 6,600 over 40,000 | 30 | - Proposed system 5,000 - 12,000 | 5 | 350 12,001 - 25,000 | 10 | 1,650 25,001 - 40,000 | 15 | 3,900 over 40,001 | 20 | - TIRANA - The state will take less from employees’ personal income. A bill approved by the Government and submitted to Parliament for approval calls for changing the tax rates on the various categories of individuals’ income, substantially reducing them compared with the current law. According to finance specialists, the proposed changes aim to distribute the tax burden more fairly, broaden the tax base and simplify tax structures for better administration. The bill proposes that personal income up to 5,000 lekë should be exempt from tax, instead of the current minimum tax-free threshold of 4,000 lekë. It has also been proposed that, in addition to the existing exemptions, interest earned on Treasury bills and income from securities issued by the Government should be exempt from tax. At the same time, the bill seeks to expand the scope of taxation by including, alongside the currently taxable categories—wages, remuneration for individual services, and income from renting buildings, land and other property—“all types of personal income, whatever their source.” A comparison between the existing taxable personal-income categories and those proposed shows a substantial reduction in tax rates. Thus, while 600 lekë currently goes into the state budget on a salary of 10,000 lekë, under the new system a salary of 12,000 lekë will be taxed at only 350 lekë. Almost a halving of the tax burden is also evident in the other brackets of this type of income. For income of other kinds, the tax rate is standardized at 15 percent. At the same time, unlike the current law, which requires people to declare only income above the minimum tax-free threshold, the bill apparently requires every individual to declare income, whatever its level, in an effort to prevent tax evasion. Andrea Stefani Amand Mero

Contacts with PR TIRANA - Another well-known figure in contemporary Italian politics is preparing to come to Albania. Gianfranco Fini, leader of the “Italian National Alliance,” may be a guest of the Albanian Republican Party in February. The news was confirmed by the Republicans’ chairman, Sabri Godo. “We agreed back in December on a possible visit by Fini to Albania,” Godo said, “and it would have taken place then if he had not been busy with the many matters created by the government crisis in Italy. Now Fini will also have to wait for his party’s Congress, so that he can be freed from his heavy workload; we hope to have him among us toward the end of February.” Contacts between the PR and the “National Alliance” have been established for some time. The Republican chairman himself met with members of Fini’s staff in the final months of last year, and the two parties on either side of the Adriatic have had cooperative relations for some time. f.b.

A special page The big horoscope for the new year continues: love, money, health. Tomorrow, everything about the sign of Gemini A special page 1995 forecast: today it’s Taurus’s turn The big horoscope for the new year continues: love, money, health. Tomorrow, everything about the sign of Gemini WHAT WILL 1995 BE LIKE? TIRANA - The 1995 forecast prepared by horoscope experts continues. Today’s forecast is for those born under the sign of Taurus: for them, 1995 seems to be a year full of... opportunities. Gazeta Shqiptare will publish a special page every day devoted to the 1995 forecasts for each zodiac sign: predictions about love, money, health and work. The horoscope symbols were specially drawn for Gazeta Shqiptare by a talented Italian painter, Cosimo Giuliano, and are therefore unique. Tomorrow we will publish a whole page devoted to Gemini.

The mystery of the trembling ground is explained POGRADEC - The mystery of the trembling ground is being explained by the phenomenon of a similar kind... - The mystery of the trembling ground has been explained. The phenomenon, in which the ground is often felt to shake in the village of Blacë in Pogradec and which had caused widespread concern among residents of the area, is no longer something to fear. According to specialists at the Seismological Center in Tirana, this is not an earthquake: “The tremors recorded in Blacë are not dangerous,” Eduard Sulstarova explained to Gazeta Shqiptare. “They are caused by the collapse of some underground cavities. These cavities, formed as a result of karst processes, can no longer support themselves and cave in.” The Blacë phenomenon first appeared in Albania as slight tremors in August 1993. Since then it has occurred several more times—in April and November 1994—and most recently in recent days. “For the residents, this is unsettling,” Sulstarova says, “but it presents no particular danger.” In fact, the tremors are so slight that they are not even picked up by earthquake measuring instruments. According to Sulstarova, the cracks and fissures observed after the tremors are noticeable only because the structures had been there for a long time and had not been properly maintained. a.m.

He will also be received by Berisha TIRANA - The famous Mr. Bean will meet Berisha in Albania. The well-known actor has finally decided to visit Albania, following an invitation from the British Embassy in Tirana. A packed program has been drawn up for the actor’s visit, which will begin on Thursday, January 19, with his arrival at Rinas Airport. Visits with state dignitaries, a live television show on Friday, January 21, and charity visits to several health centers are the main items on the program for Mr. Rowan Atkinson’s visit to Albania, which will last until January 22, the day on which Mr. Bean will meet more than 3,000 of his “fans” at the “Asllan Rusi” Sports Palace in Tirana. (f.b.)

(photo H.Pustina) The capital is experiencing one of the biggest floods it has ever seen. An “ocean of mud” has covered entire roads and squares in Tirana, severely disrupting the normal movement of people and vehicles. This photo was taken yesterday near the National Stadium. The mud, present everywhere, has given the Albanian capital a distinctive color.

An inflatable boat rescued by a Greek ship TIRANA - They had dreamed of reaching Italian shores, but suddenly found themselves in danger amid the sea waves. Fortunately, a Greek ship rescued them, ... at sea ...

VLORA - An Italian fishing boat has fallen into the “net” of Vlora’s financial police. According to sources at the Vlora Port Captaincy, the “Acquario” was detained at daybreak on January 10 while fishing in Albanian territorial waters, very close to the mouth of the Vjosa. It may also face other charges: fishing less than 30 miles from the coast and at a depth of less than 50 meters. The crew will have to pay a fine of nearly 3,500 dollars and leave in Vlora the entire cargo of 80 quintals of fish seized on Tuesday. The Italian vessel was escorted to Vlora by a military patrol boat from Sazan. Sta. Ma.

TIRANA - They had dreamed of Italian soil, but suddenly found themselves in danger amid the sea waves. TIRANA - They had dreamed of Italian soil, Fortunately, a Greek ship rescued them and took them to Corfu. Such was the fate of 19 Albanians who secretly set off on Monday evening from Vlora toward Italy in a rubber boat, but were capsized by the sea waves and the overloaded vessel. At risk of drowning, they were transported safe and sound to the Greek island by a Greek ship flying the Panamanian flag. The news was confirmed by foreign news agencies. All 19 survivors—15 men, two women and minor children—were admitted immediately to the island’s hospital for precautionary reasons, where they were also given the necessary assistance. According to the Greek authorities, the survivors are in good condition and will soon return to Albania (p.re.).

Elbasan, accident on the highway of death Another life has been claimed by the highway of death: the road from the Metallurgical Complex in Elbasan. It was 24-year-old Florian Hasanllari, riding a bicycle, who was hit by a car coming from behind. The impact was so severe that it caused his immediate death, and he was taken away urgently. The victim was the 8th person to lose their life on this stretch of road. Gjirokastër, school thieves caught The robbers who had been taking the walls of the town’s high school, which is still under construction, have finally been caught. After education officials became concerned that the walls were not rising, police intervened and detained two young men, D. Z., 25, and K. A., 29, as they were stealing the bricks.

Yesterday in Shkodër, another victim SHKODËR - Once again, blood and grief in the villages of Shkodër. This time it is 47-year-old Rrok Hila who has fallen dead from bullets fired by a fellow villager. It happened yesterday at around 16:30 in the village of Kukël in this district. According to police sources in the largest northern city, the killer has been identified but immediately fled in an unknown direction. The same source says he is T.B., 49. The incident took place in the center of the village. According to eyewitnesses, T.C. fired a gun at his victim, killing him instantly on the spot. According to what the two men’s fellow villagers have said, there had been a fierce argument between the assailant and the victim around midday yesterday. T.C. considered yesterday’s victim to have stolen his livestock. The murder has caused great sorrow among the villagers of Kukël. Ha.Ta.

In Berat, an assassination attempt against a 25-year-old BERAT - A burst of automatic gunfire, and the young man’s body immediately fell to the ground. Sokol Veles[h]nja, 25, from the “Dëshmorët e Kombit” neighborhood in Berat, became the victim of an attack carried out by two young men, his fellow townsmen. The motive for the killing is suspected to have been a dispute over a girl. Veles[h]nja was shot in the billiards room of the “Tekstilisti” cinema club. The bullets struck him in the upper part of the body, causing his immediate death. The two perpetrators of the crime—A. Sh. and A. D.—quickly fled in an unknown direction.

The capital is experiencing one of the biggest floods it has ever seen. An “ocean of mud” has covered entire roads and squares in Tirana, severely disrupting the normal movement of people and vehicles. This photo was taken yesterday near the National Stadium. The mud, present everywhere, has given the Albanian capital a distinctive color.

Chechnya: diplomatic “ice” between Russia and NATO “Moscow must put an end to the massacre” ON PAGE 2 Privatization banknotes arrive in Albania The securities phase will begin in February ON PAGE 3

Currency Commercial Bank Buying Selling Albakrediti Buying Selling Free market Buying Selling Dollars 94.30 96.00 95.60 96.40 96.00 96.20 Marks 60.15 60.00 61.00 61.60 61.30 61.50 Lire 57.20 59.00 57.50 57.80 57.70 57.80 Drachmas 38.30 39.15 39.00 39.40 39.10 39.20