After the conclusion of the trial, the DP MP speaks out “I was the victim of a political plan” After the conclusion of the trial, the DP MP speaks out Lika convicted but free “I was the victim of a political plan” “I had to be arrested to balance Nano’s sentence before Europe” “I still have documents at my disposal about real corruption” TIRANA - Amid tears of joy and embraces from friends and comrades, Arben Lika savors the first seconds of freedom. Everything happened so quickly and unexpectedly that there is still no reaction visible on his face. He is shaken, almost paralyzed. “I didn’t expect this decision,” he says with difficulty, as the car—which we are traveling in too—drives through the capital toward his fiancée’s house. These are the first minutes of freedom. As we cross the square near the University, Lika turns his head to look at Tirana, a sight he has missed during the seven months he spent in a cell. Then we turn into the entrance to the City of Students. We stop; a sign prohibits cars from entering. A police officer approaches the car window. We ask him for permission to go up. He looks inside and, after looking at Lika, says: “Ah, I know you. You can go on.” Just a few meters farther, Lika’s gaze fixes on one spot: “There, that’s where they arrested me.” The car moves on, and that spot is left behind in the distance, like a bitter memory that must be forgotten. We climb the stairs to the house and meet his fiancée. Arben Lika remains convinced that he was the victim of a political plan by the authorities and of a court decision that was in no way fair. to be arrested to balance Nano’s sentence before Europe,” he says. And why did they choose you in particular? “I had to be eliminated because I said things as I thought them. Also because I had gathered material evidence about corruption and was determined to fight it.” You stated this during your defense, too, but did not produce the documents. What about now? “I did not want to defend myself by attacking others. I will make those documents public at the right time.” After what happened, will Lika remain in the DP? “Yes. It is the party that I helped found, too. Although now—after this split—I don’t know which DP to be with. Nevertheless, I want to continue with the youth platform. Because I think young people will build Albania.” Can you return to Parliament? [The article continues beyond the edge of the image.] TIRANA - A surprise decision by the Tirana Court for Arben Lika. The Democratic Party MP, accused of cigarette smuggling, was released yesterday in the courtroom. The presiding judge, Artan Zeneli, drastically reduced the sentence requested by the prosecutor—10 years—imposing only two years’ imprisonment, suspended. A decision that immediately removed Lika’s handcuffs. According to Zeneli, the sentence was reduced in consideration of Lika’s health and, in particular, the fact that the New Penal Code would come into force very soon. Similar decisions were also applied to the three other people who were in the same dock as Lika, also for smuggling. For Dashnor Shenaj—whom the prosecutor had also sought to sentence to 10 years—the court decided to ... inside and after looking at Lika he says: “Ah, I know you. You may continue.” Just a few meters farther on, Lika’s gaze stops at drives on, and that spot recedes into We climb the stairs, and as soon as the door of his fiancée’s apartment opens, he sighs: “At last.” Now that he is free, how does Lika assess everything that has happened? “It seems serious to me. This is also evident from the procedure that was followed. My associates were arrested a day before the truck arrived. So it was already known that there were cigarettes there. The prosecutor of Gjirokastër opened a case against me at a time when I still had immunity. And after it began, they made a big deal there, declaring that I was caught in the act. Something that was debunked at a trial, where it became clear that there was no report of an arrest in the act. My guilt was never proved in any way. That is why I will appeal all the way to the Court of Cassation to be declared innocent.” But why did all this happen? “I am the victim of a political plan. I was used as a bargaining chip. Since in prison they were only imposing a two-year suspended sentence. A decision that immediately took the handcuffs off Lika. Because of this division—I don’t know which PD I belong with. Nevertheless, I want to continue my political platform. Because I think young people will build Albania.” Could you return to Parliament? “I think that, despite the current circumstances, I should return. But in any case, I have nothing more to say.” What will Lika do in the future? “I want to continue my studies. It is a project on signal processing at one of the European universities. I want to earn a doctorate in electronics.” Arben Lika outside the courtroom (photo: H.Pustina)

TIRANA - A surprise decision by the Tirana Court for Arben Lika.

Union-government standoff continues More than 80,000 workers to protest Union-government standoff continues Today, a 24-hour strike: the battle over wages begins More than 80,000 workers to protest TIRANA - A battle between the unions and the government. Today, the second round of protests has begun throughout the country by workers in four budget-funded sectors, who are demanding a 35 percent pay rise. Around 80,000 people across Albania will not report to work. For 24 hours, classrooms will be empty, telephone lines will be interrupted, schools and power stations will not operate, and in hospitals only emergency services and intensive-care units will be staffed. “The government has every opportunity to meet our demands, so we will not back down.” This is what senior representatives of the Independent Trade Unions of Albania have declared, thereby confirming late in the afternoon the announcement of a general strike. A pause of more than 10 days since the first protest by members of the Independent Trade Union—on April 11 they suspended work for an hour—has not been enough to avert today’s strike. During this entire period, there has been only one meeting between the unionists and the government. But it yielded no results. “If it escalates on Wednesday, as Dashamir Shehi predicts—the result has once again been zero,” one of the union’s leading officials told Gazeta Shqiptare. The unionists insist that a 35 percent pay rise for all four sectors—Education, Higher Education, Health and Telecom—is entirely achievable. The government, for its part, is not backing down from its proposal: the increase will be only 10 percent. And these two strikes are the only result of this standoff. But what if today’s protest also achieves nothing? “We will wait another five days,” the Independent Trade Unions respond, “then the governing councils of each of the four sectors will meet to decide what to do next.” Today, the Education and Health Confederation will also join the strike alongside the unions. “The 8,000 health workers who belong to the Confederation,” Minella Mano, president of the Health Federation, tells Gazeta Shqiptare, “cannot remain separate from their union colleagues.” The Confederation had decided to offer this support on Wednesday, following a meeting with government representatives. Ar.Mel/Ar.Ça

KORÇË - “You took our ball, but we’ll rob your shop.” This is how four teenagers decided to take revenge on the owner of a café in a village in Korçë. But their chosen method cost them dearly. All four—aged 14–15—appeared before the judges, who sentenced two of them to three months’ imprisonment, suspended, and the other two to just two months, also suspended. It had all happened during a game of football. As they were playing against one another, a misdirected kick sent the ball toward the windows of a nearby café. The panes broke and the children’s ball landed inside the shop. Angry about what had happened, the owner kept the ball. The four boys’ pleas could not soften the owner’s anger, and he did not change his decision. The café owner’s insistence also stoked the anger of the four teenagers, who decided to take revenge. After the shop had closed, they sawed through the protective bars and went inside. The abundance of goods tempted them all; they rushed at the chocolate, stuffed their pockets, and then left calmly. The cut bars alerted the owner the next day. He immediately reported the matter to the police station. The police, after launching a search, quickly discovered that everything had been done by the children, who found themselves accused of robbery. Not even the owner’s regret over making the complaint could save them: he had felt sorry when he learned that the perpetrators were children. The judges continued with the proceedings and sentenced them. Elsa Koçiu

Police detain four people after the clash FIER - Two dead and four others wounded. This is the tragic toll of an armed clash, perhaps the bloodiest one in the city that day. By last night ... reliable sources ... told Gazeta Shqiptare at the Fier Police Commissariat—four people had been detained, perhaps ...

FIER - Two dead and four others wounded. This is the tragic toll of an armed clash that took place on Thursday evening, right in the center of the city of Fier. FIER - toll of an armed clash that took place on Thursday evening, right in the center of the city of Fier. It began with a family quarrel, but everything then took on unimaginable proportions, and bullets killed Kujtim Dalipi, 23, and Enver Isufi, 53. Four other people were admitted to Fier hospital in extremely serious condition, while the security authorities immediately cordoned off the scene, at a place known as “Sheshi i Madh” (“the Big Square”), as well as the city hospital. By yesterday evening—as they been detained, perhaps suspected of responsibility for this bloody incident. Two of them were among the wounded, meaning their immediate medical treatment took place in the presence of doctors and security personnel. According to Fier hospital, the quarrel continued near the hospital walls, and only the police’s intervention in stopping the gunfire prevented the number of victims from increasing. Because of the secrecy surrounding the investigation—which is still proceeding intensively—the Fier Commissariat has confirmed only what is in fact also known from eyewitnesses to that evening: everything began with the children and as a game. In any case, until late last night the security authorities continued working to establish the motives behind this almost unprecedented clash, as well as identify the killers of Kujtim Dalipi and Enver Isufi. It was reported that, in addition to bullet wounds, the bodies of the two victims bore wounds caused by knife blows or other sharp objects, indicating the scale of that gruesome battle. (En.My.)

Prison escape: lenient sentences, 4 acquitted TIRANA - Four acquitted and reduced sentences for the 13 police officers who were on guard duty at Tirana prison when 20 inmates escaped. This was the decision issued yesterday by the Military Court, which reduced the sentences sought by the prosecutor in the case by more than 20 years. Immediately after the judgment, the handcuffs were removed from four police officers in the courtroom. “There is no evidence proving that Gjenc Nurçellari, Engjëll Kallulli and Ndriçim Haxhillari committed the criminal offense, therefore the case against them is dismissed,” declared Fatmira Laskaj, presiding judge of the Military Court. Along with them, although found guilty, Halit Aga also left the Tirana Court a free man, in view of his health condition—he suffers from a serious illness. Aga was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment, with two years suspended. Meanwhile, the sentences for the other nine ranged from two years—for Maliq Llapushi—to six months for four police officers. For three others, the Court imposed sentences of one year and 15 months). ar.me. The three released police officers The three police officers released

Hundreds of Albanians from Greece KORÇË - The Easter celebration has “brought back” emigrants from Greece to Albania. For the past two days, large numbers of people entering Albania have been observed at the Kapshticë customs point. There are hundreds of them—this time they are coming of their own accord—people employed in the neighboring country who now wish to celebrate Easter in their homeland. Almost all have obtained a few days’ leave from their Greek employers. There have also been many emigrants at Kakavijë who will spend these days in Albania. Meanwhile, 20–25 buses full of people employed in Greece arrive in Tirana every day from Kakavijë and Kapshticë. Some of them then make their way toward the northern cities.

Lezhë, hunger strike expected LEZHË - Another hunger strike has been announced. This time it is farmers from the Lezhë district who are making demands. Around 400 families from the villages of Mat, Fierzë, Shëngjin, Manati, Tresh, Kodër Mulliri and Pllanë held a meeting about the protest in the village of Tresh. Regarding the protest in Tresh, the farmers have noted that the ownership issue remains unresolved, and stated that land has not been distributed to everyone in accordance with the land law. Others are demanding that the land be returned on an equal basis. (part of the text is illegible)

SHKODËR - “It is not true that 15 people from the Yugoslav minority were detained, much less that they were mistreated.” The Albanian side is responding to the accusation by official Belgrade, which two days ago strongly protested against the “forcible expropriation of the Montenegrin minority in Albania.” These were the internal sources of the Shkodër police authority, who denied Belgrade’s accusation, telling Gazeta Shqiptare that “in the villages of Boriç i Madh and Boriç i Vogël, which are part of the Vraka area, the administrative division of land is simply being implemented in accordance with the law.” In any case, according to confirmed sources, it is true that there have been some problems, since the villagers of Vraka had their old lands recorded in the Shkodër register—and under the law the land was eventually returned to them. But some members of the minority are not satisfied, insisting that the fields belong to them. The rest [of the text is unclear] … only two people from Vraka were escorted to the police station—for the preparation of the commission—but they were released immediately. (to be continued) A. Ca

Criticism after the jokes with Namik Hoti Controversy over the show “12 në Holliwood” TIRANË - They call it an “artistic controversy,” but the truth is that last Saturday’s episode of the show “12 në Holliwood” sparked a lengthy debate within the television station. The jokes by ecologist Namik Hoti, who criticized the television authorities and personalities by making sarcastic remarks about “the origin of the Republic ‘one nearby’,” did not please the television executives. And so a well-structured discussion took place directly between Namik Hoti and Adrian Krasta, one of them “a co-author” of another joint success), judging them for the “slip-up.” As a result of today’s episode, the management must now monitor the freedom being exercised in order to avoid other such misunderstandings. And apparently, those who are murmuring with everyone to predict [the future] will not be “because they are not shared,” Midas and “foreseen,” in order to … (the rest is partly illegible)

The national team in Georgia Sports on page 3 Çeliku: “The process without Arslli” On page 3 PD in opposition On page 3