The DP leader offered his resignation and proposes: The Prime Minister should also be party chairman The Council rejects the proposal The DP leader offered his resignation and proposes: The Prime Minister should also be party chairman Selami: “Meksi in my place,” then criticizes the Government The Council rejects the proposal Berisha, Arbnori, Shehu: This is not the moment for changes Selami: “The Government has not respected the party’s program for reform” TIRANA - Selami criticized the Government, called for his resignation, and then put forward his proposal: the party chairman should also be Prime Minister; otherwise, the division between the party and what he called the “central executive power” risks continuing. This was identified as the main obstacle to the failure to implement the DP program. His idea is that prudence in the party has led it not to approve its leader’s request. It may be the party Congress that approves the important change to the statutes. All this happened on Sunday at the long-awaited meeting of the National Council. Selami delivered a lengthy report. According to official sources, he “cited facts and figures showing the failure to achieve some of the DP’s objectives and its shortcomings.” Selami’s forceful assertion was accompanied by another equally convincing one. The reason for these failures is “simply the failure to implement a party program,” the DP chairman said. “There has been a gap between the governing institutions and the DP as the party in power, which should be implementing its policies,” he added. Immediately afterward, he put an alternative up for discussion: the familiar arrangement should be adopted whereby the party chairman is also Prime Minister, a system successfully used in many other countries. Official party sources were reserved about his request, including his resignation from the chairmanship. “To make way for the institution and avoid any personal misunderstanding,” he explained his move. The National Council was attended by the country’s President, Berisha; Prime Minister Meksi; Speaker of the People’s Assembly Arbnori; and other important DP figures. Their discussions converged on one point: the significant organizational change should not be made hastily; it should be left to a later time, and at the present moment it would not serve the party. Selami should therefore withdraw his request. It will be the Congress that considers combining the positions of Party Chairman and Prime Minister. The National Council also endorsed the objectives considered most important for the DP this year: building up the police forces; beginning securities-based privatization as soon as possible; distributing title deeds by the end of February; reviewing the law on social assistance to prevent abuses; ensuring compensation for owners; and formalizing the land market. One of the most pressing problems, not only economic, is supplying the population with water and electricity. It is intended to be addressed within the Government’s financial means, but also through privatization. The Government, it was further stated, must increase inspections to ensure that the law is implemented. In general, 1995 was considered the decisive year for legal reform, the year of elections; thus everyone began to put aside their differences for the party in power. DP headquarters Interview Tritan Shehu: “But Meksi remains Prime Minister” TIRANA - “The party must get all its engines running because the elections are approaching: there is no war, only differing opinions.” Tritan Shehu, DP secretary-general, offers a way out of the polemic. There will be no talk of a clash within the party, only of “a constructive debate.” “It is true,” he acknowledges, “that Selami criticized the Government and President Berisha said reforms need to be accelerated. It is a normal analysis.” So the situation in your party is calm? Let’s say it is manageable. But Selami’s proposal to combine the role of party chairman with that of head of government was rejected by the Council. “Yes, some aspects of his proposal were rejected, but the Council has accepted that it is an important idea, and it is too early to discuss it now. It could be discussed at the party Congress in November; in any case, the new system could be a good platform for the 1996 elections. With Selami’s proposal, he sought to link the party more closely with the executive.” If Selami’s proposal had been approved, Meksi would have resigned... “In fact, it was Selami who offered his position to Meksi.” So what happened on Sunday is not a signal from you about the Government? “No, I am convinced that this Government will make it through to ’96 with Meksi remaining in his position. And the party will move forward with Selami remaining in his position.” But perhaps you are a legitimate voice that will carry on until the elections and keep its position. Yes, it will become clearer. DP headquarters. Aleksandër Meksi. Eduart Selami.

Sport Sport Sport Sport Sport Football: Italian championship suspended After the Genoa - Milan incident TIRANA - A sporting “blackout” in Italy. The severe measure—previously put into practice—was taken yesterday by the country’s highest sporting authorities, a few hours after the tragic incident near Genoa’s stadium, where a 25-year-old fan was stabbed to death. The President of the Italian Olympic Committee, Pescante, and the Italian Football Federation, Matarrese, were the two senior officials who reviewed all the acts concerning sporting events—including football—and who will meet again today at 11:30 with Italy’s Interior Minister to decide on further measures against violence in stadiums. The only exception to this extreme measure will be the international Davis Cup match, in which Italy will face the Czech Republic. While the Italian sporting authorities suspend sporting events throughout the country, law-enforcement forces have managed to stop the man responsible for the fatal attack on the fan near Genoa’s stadium. He is 18 years old and is named Simone Barbaglia, a “Milan fan”; he has now admitted to investigators that he committed the crime against the 25-year-old Genoa fan, Spagnolo. As unofficial Italian sources confirm, Barbaglia apparently committed the crime “caught among ten opposing fans and almost blind with rage.” Meanwhile, “fear” drove him to pull a 12-centimeter-long knife from his pocket and stab young Spagnolo, who was heading to the stadium with his relatives. The young killer was arrested at 12:01, bringing the situation in the city where the clash occurred to a halt—as is understood, the Genoa-Milan match had been suspended. Afterward, everything turned into a guerrilla war, forcing Italian law-enforcement forces to block the road to the stadium for Italian fans for several hours. (e.1) Juventus pulls away from Parma ON PAGE 4 A “ready-made” draw for the finalists ON PAGE 3

Durrës, mysterious death DURRËS - It was a horrific death for a 70-year-old man in Durrës. He was found completely charred by flames in the ruins of the “Pranvera” bar, an abandoned establishment near the city’s Central Post Office. No one can say what actually happened in this entirely mysterious incident, which has given rise to all kinds of suspicions. The 70-year-old man—only his first name, Jovan, is known—was a familiar figure to the residents of Durrës. He had come to this city some time earlier from Shkodra and had lived in complete solitude. During the day he wandered the streets, collecting whatever he could to keep himself alive, while at night he took shelter in neglected buildings. According to the Police’s preliminary findings, there are two possible explanations for his death: either he was burned by the fire he lit at night in the ruins of his dwelling, or he was burned through carelessness as he went to sleep. However, no further clarification establishing how the incident occurred has been made so far. Gjo. To.

BERAT - Once again, there have been radical changes at the Berat Police Commissariat. Zaim Keci has been appointed head of the commissariat, replacing Robert Shamoni, who had been appointed to the same post only two weeks earlier. - Once again, there have been radical changes at the Berat Police Commissariat. Zaim Keci has been appointed head of the commissariat, replacing Robert Shamoni, who had been appointed to the same post only two weeks earlier. Along with Shamoni, more than 10 criminal police officers have also been removed from their posts in the city. It seems that several other recent events—tragic incidents as well as other shortcomings noted in the work of the police—have made frequent changes to the leadership posts at this commissariat necessary for the Ministry of the Interior. Just two weeks earlier, new appointments had been made to the posts of head of criminal police and head of the road inspectorate. Ha.Ta

A strict order from the Financial Police TIRANA - The saccharin syrups imported from Bulgaria are to be destroyed. Yesterday, an order from the General Directorate of the Financial Police came into force—a document addressed to the food and confectionery units of all the branches of this police force in the country’s districts. The campaign to destroy syrups containing the synthetic sweetener saccharin, which is not included in what is known as the European Code, is being undertaken for reasons no less important than the further import of these products into Albania, according to the Ministry of Finance. Since then, debate has continued between Financial Police specialists and those of the Hygiene Inspectorate—this time mostly through official correspondence—over the degree of risk these sweeteners pose to consumers. In fact, this risk has led the EC countries to ban the use of many synthetic sweeteners, including saccharin, while in other European countries it is used only in imported products. Financial Police inspectors have been ordered to inspect all retail outlets. Traders who refuse to comply will also be fined. An.Sta

VLORË - Panic along the Vlorë-Skelë road. This time the scene was created by two vehicles, whose occupants... - Panic along the Vlorë-Skelë road. This time the scene was created by two vehicles, whose occupants at 11:00—for several minutes—exchanged bursts of automatic-gun fire while facing each other. Only Fatmir Alla, the 23-year-old who was immediately taken to hospital and was found there, drowned and dead, was injured in the “battle” between the gangs. It is not known...

TIRANA - The Albanian Helsinki Committee has also expressed support for Brozi. In a statement published yesterday, the Committee stresses that “the issue recently raised concerning the removal of the immunity of the President of the Court of Cassation is directly related to respect for the principle guaranteed by the independence of the judiciary.” The statement also explains the significance of the accusations made against Brozi, which, according to the Committee, “are far from violating the constitutional provision that establishes the primacy of the democratic order.” The statement concludes with an appeal to the branches of government “to set aside political affiliations and judge with a sense of responsibility on an issue that could undermine the foundations of the rule-of-law state and compromise the image of the democratic process in our country.”

There are another 265 with 11 For week 21 of Totofutboll, the amount available to the winners was 3,486,766 lek. There were no winners with 13 points because the Genoa-Milan match was not played. There were 7 columns with 12 winning points, each receiving a possible prize of 289,865 lek. There were 265 columns with 11 winning points, each receiving a possible prize of 5,263 lek.

TIRANA - The joint American-Albanian military exercises called Sarex ’95 have successfully concluded. Held near the port of Durrës, the exercises involved difficult operational tasks to be carried out at sea and on land. The American troops were represented by forces from the 6th Fleet, accompanied by Italian and British fighters and a German military aircraft. The Albanian troops—around 600 of them, along with [unclear text]—took part alongside the American troops, together with 6 naval craft, a dredger and several dozen [unclear text]. These were the first exercises of this kind to be held in Albania. A simulated rapid-response rescue during the exercises (photo: P.Omeri)

INSIDE Tirana, Brahms’s music against AIDS ON PAGE 2 Interview: Kiço Blushi on “Lamerica” “Victim of a metaphor” VIRGJIL MUÇI ON PAGE 2

Senior American military official in Albania It is the U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense, Joseph Nye, who arrived in our country together with a 17-member delegation. The aim is to discuss the difficulties in bilateral military relations with Albanian colleagues. Elbasan, trouser factory on strike It has been eight days since the workers at the trouser factory in Elbasan declared a hunger strike. The lack of an employment contract and non-payment of their monthly wages are the reasons cited by the workers. Turkështi’s death, “a suicide” “Xhavit killed himself; it wasn’t murder” He was suffering from a serious illness and had several times been on the verge of losing his sight. He generally carried out the act himself after he had begun to lose his sight. He generally carried out the act himself after he had begun to lose his sight. He had saved the act with a letter he left for his family. No physical evidence was found on the body to determine the nature of the wound from which he died. At the cemetery of the city of Gjirokastër...

Currency Banka Tregtare Banka e Kursimeve Albakred shpk Free market Buy Sell Buy Sell Buy Sell Buy Sell Dollars Marks Lire Drachmas