INTERVIEW Azem Hajdari: “The files law is an urgent necessity” “The law on opening the Sigurimi files must be passed urgently; otherwise, misinterpretations in the media aimed at discrediting politicians will continue” On page 3 Azem Hajdari

The government approves the rules for the draft “Anti-trust” law A new law to regulate the market Abuses to be fought, consumers to be protected Dominant positions in control of the Albanian market are prohibited. Excessively large enterprises will be split up. TV and the National Bank are exempt TIRANA - Albanian antitrust legislation has now been drafted by the government; it is expected to be discussed in parliament. Soon, Albania’s legal framework will fill a gap that has until now existed in the rules on competition and fair play in the market. The Ministry of Transport and the German GTZ drafted what is perhaps the most important bill of recent months, which will regulate the Albanian market according to international standards. The law clearly defines the market, as well as the forms of its control. The aim is clear: to prevent the creation of dominant positions in the market capable of harming weaker traders and, at the same time, to protect consumers from abuses and violations of the law by traders themselves. On page 2 Government headquarters

Controversy erupts SHKODËR - The debate over the rights of national minorities has shifted to northern Albania, and this time in the opposite direction[prerë]

Berisha: “He seriously violated the law” Councillors protest: “It is not a fair decision” FIER - The President has dismissed two senior local government officials. The Chairman of the Fier District Council, Romeo Bitri, and his counterpart[prerë]

Krujë - A peaceful handshake and blood fe[prerë]

Albania’s historic goal TIRANA—The Albanian national team will not be missing from today’s Euro football challenges. Compelled to play the Euro 96 qualifiers, the red-and-blacks have a chance to achieve the first positive away result of the “Bajko era.” Meanwhile, after holding several training sessions in Tirana, where a number of regular players were absent, the Albanian coach has left his final tactical preparations to be made in Moldova. Although there have been only one or two acclimatization training sessions scheduled at the stadium in the Moldovan capital, Kishiniev, the Albanian coach has settled on the likely lineup. Called up for the first time is Durrës defender Alliu, who has excelled at the end of this season. Also returning is Bano, the former Partizani defender of the 1990s, currently one of the regulars in the LU-[?] shqip team, which competes in the second division. Whatever the reason for calling up these two players to the Albanian national team, the sports media have regarded it as a surprise and a very positive move. For unclear reasons, the prominent Tirana striker Fortuzi is absent. On page 3.

TIRANA—The Albanian national team will not be missing from today’s Euro football challenges.

SHKODËR—The debate over the rights of national minorities has shifted to northern Albania and turned in the opposite direction. “The Slavs of Vraka are newcomers.” SHKODËR—The northern Albania and turned in the opposite direction. It is Albanians in Montenegro who are protesting the claims made by the association of the Slavic population living in the Vraka area of Shkodër, demanding recognition of full rights as a national minority and reciprocity with the rights they themselves enjoy today in the neighboring state. This protest has recently occupied a prominent place in the local press of Montenegro. Indeed, Montenegro’s opposition has also taken a stand against it, albeit for entirely different interests. The first to rise up against “Moraça” was the Democratic League in Montenegro, which opposed its claims for the rights of Montenegrins in Albania. Referring to history, Albanians across the border have argued that “the Montenegrins who today populate the Vraka area are not on their own land. They came down as farmhands and benefited from the lands of Albanian nobles.” Montenegro’s opposition has also come out against “Moraça,” although its objections stem from interests that ultimately lead to the denial of the rights of Albanians in Kosovo. As the newspaper “Liberali” writes, “raising one’s voice in defense of the rights of Montenegrins in Albania also revives Kosovo’s political demands to seek national rights for itself.” In fact, the request for reciprocity between the rights of Montenegrins in Albania and those of Albanians living on the other side of Lake Shkodër had been made officially some time earlier by the Montenegrin President in a letter addressed to Berisha. Ylli Pata

FIER—The President has dismissed two senior local government officials. Berisha: “He seriously violated the law.” FIER—The of the Fier District Council, Romeo Biti, and his counterpart in Skrapar can no longer remain in their posts. Both have been dismissed on the same grounds: “for serious violations of the law.” These are the first two dismissals from the long list of requests previously made by the State Audit. Sixteen others, who were given advance warning some time ago, are now waiting to meet the same fate if the President acts as he has said he would. On page 2 The Presidential headquarters

. KRUJË—A peaceful handshake brought a century-old blood feud between the families to an end in just a few minutes. A police officer took it upon himself—and succeeded—in reconciling the two large clans of the Krujë Highlands, from the village of Nol: the Murati and Karaj families. The story began a hundred years ago, when three or four people from each family were killed. The strict laws of the Kanun obliged their members to take blood revenge—a practice that prevailed in many Albanian families—and led to death after death. On page 2

TIRANA—Kavaja and the two other teams currently in the first division of the football championship may perhaps return to playing in Serie A. This is a proposal by Teodor Laço, Minister of Culture and Sports, which may come to fruition this year. In a letter sent to the Football Federation concerning the upcoming football championship, he sets out his proposal. The proposal is for the next championship to have 18 teams. Under the decision already made, three teams have been disqualified: Besa of Kavaja, Iliria of Fush-Krujë, and Laçi. The federation’s measure at the time was taken after the intervention of UEFA specialists, who had demanded that Albanian football be played under the most basic conditions: in proper stadiums. The proposed change would entail a “revolution” in the structure of the championship. The rules for selecting the teams will now have to be determined. So far, only one team is assured of a place in the first division: Kastrioti, which won its last second-division match against Skënderbeu. What happens next? The three teams relegated from Serie A—Besa, Iliria, and Laçi—will remain. If so, who will be the 18th team? These are all questions the Federation will resolve if Laço’s proposal—and the government’s as well—is accepted. I.R. Following Laço’s proposal, the final decision rests with the Federation, which must assess whether this change is feasible and how it can be achieved. The proposal comes at a point when it had already been decided—at the start of the season that has now ended—that the next championship would be played with 14 played under the most essential conditions: in proper stadiums. The proposed change appears to require

It happened on Monday in government offices; the Civil Registry seal was stolen It happened on Monday in government offices. “Encore” in seal thefts. Civil Registry seal stolen. TIRANA—Another institutional theft took place on Monday in government offices. While the Municipality’s work remains blocked today by the absence of its seal, another sensational robbery has taken place in government offices on Elbasan Street. This time, the thieves targeted the Civil Registry seal for administrative units 1, 2, and 3 of the city of Tirana. The directors of these units, as well as social assistance and tax offices, are housed together at a single site on Elbasan Street. Late on Monday night, this building was the target of a gang of burglars. As a result, more than thirty offices in the building were ransacked by mysterious thieves. According to official sources, the thieves used a stairway located in the building’s basement to get inside. They then broke open the doors along with their locks. The burglars entered another newly built floor. Among the valuables reported stolen were bags and money, including cash taken from the safes of the tax and social assistance offices. However, the value of the stolen goods and money is insignificant compared with that of the Civil Registry seal. The stolen seal—the second within 24 hours—is extremely valuable, since it stamps important documents relating to registration for identity papers, property matters, marriages, hospital admissions, and other matters. For now, nothing has been made known about the perpetrators, who remain unidentified. Meanwhile, chaos and disorder characterized the day yesterday at Tirana Municipality. Work has ground to a halt, and many letters and decisions have remained without the city’s official stamp, bearing the clock tower, because of the stolen seal, which has been in mysterious hands for two days. The new seal, somewhat different from the one that was stolen, was supposed to have come into use, but apparently it was not yet ready. so.bal.

Elbasan, hospital appeals for a solution to the problem . “Sentenced to confinement in psychiatry, they are threatened by rivals who remain free.” ELBASAN—The Elbasan Psychiatric Hospital is at risk of becoming an arena for threats between criminal groups. “Patients who have been criminally charged by the Justice system and are now confined in its wards may fall victim to their rivals, who are still at large.” The alarm has been raised by the institution’s own directors, who have informed representatives of the Ministries of Justice and Public Order, as well as other services. “They may become targets of attacks by groups with whom they have previously been in conflict. Therefore, we must establish protection in another, safer place,” the hospital’s directors have proposed. Threats have already reached some of these patients, and the proposal has been submitted to the highest state authorities. “Their presence in this hospital has no effect,” Roland Berisha, the institution’s director, told Gazeta Shqiptare. He also made another proposal: “Apart from biological treatment for the patients and psychological treatment,” Berisha explains, “keeping patients in complete isolation, without contact with people close to them or with their surroundings, has no therapeutic effect; thus, they are destined to deteriorate completely. Indeed, not only physically but psychologically as well. They send [unclear], one for deafness. Indeed, the [unclear] of this state cannot help [??] the human being.” The history of this problem began two years ago: at the time, the court initially set these people free. It was the police station that protested until it managed to have them confined. There are currently 27 people staying behind the iron gates; the last two—responsible for macabre cases—had arrived from prisons earlier. Me.Kj

INTERVIEW . Tatarella speaks about illegal migrants. TIRANA — “Establishing contacts with Albanian politicians and preparing Fini’s visit to Albania: that is the purpose of my visit.” And the troops in Puglia? “Just a side measure.” The person speaking to Gazeta Shqiptare is Giuseppe Tatarella, Chairman of the Parliamentary Group of the Italian National Alliance party. Rez[?]ar Xhaxhiu on page 3

Laço: “The documents of the PPSH grassroots organizations should also be examined” Selami: “I will support Gjinushi” On page 3

Football. Laço proposes [cut off]

Bosnia. Papulias meets Karaxhiç, but a solution is still far off. On page 2. Gjirokastër. Glina in proceedings over labels. On page 2

Football. The first leg of the Cup final is in Italy today. On page 2