THE FEAST OF SHNA NDOUT / More than 200,000 people visited the holy site yesterday But 2 more pilgrims die in accidents Record number of worshippers at this year’s ceremony. Not only Catholics flocked to the holy place “where miracles happen.” Berisha also attended. LAC - The great pilgrimage has “taken over” the shrine of Shna Ndout. Joy, worship, cheer, prayers to the Saint, reverence—the atmosphere of testimonies is difficult to describe with a single word. “More than 200,000 people took part in yesterday’s ceremony,” official sources declared. Looking at the endless procession climbing the mountain, the figure seems entirely plausible. The line of people touching the walls of the sacred mountain and then making the sign of the cross continued without stopping for even a minute. Present at the ceremony, led by Bishop Rrok Mirdita and the country’s highest authorities, including President Berisha, Chairman Arbnor and the Ministers Sër- [text continues in the adjacent column]... While the festivities moved forward, people were struggling with death in the hospital. Yesterday, one of those injured in Mirditë died. Meanwhile, news came from Shkodra of another serious accident, which had one victim. “Yesterday’s procession of Catholic pilgrims was among the most crowded in recent years. In this crowd, hundreds touched the walls and then made the sign of the cross; people who had been paralyzed and ill for a long time, carried on the shoulders of their relatives; parents praying for their children: all believers, hoping that the Saint’s miracle would come true, as it had for many others before them. Shna Ndou himself—who lived in the 13th century—according to Catholic tradition, experienced hundreds of miracles during his lifetime. ‘The sign of the cross made with his own finger on marble, the deadly poison that caused him no harm, the reattachment of a severed foot’—these are some of the miracles told of the Saint. Shna Ndou View of yesterday’s ceremony at the holy site (photo: A. Dhumiri)

The full account for Amnesty TIRANA - “Weapons from Albania to the kingdom of genocide, Rwanda?” At least, that is the allegation raised in the annual report of the international organization “Amnesty International.” The serious claim and an appeal to all authorities to stop the “secret traffic” of weapons to Rwanda were published in the final version distributed yesterday. News agencies had circulated the first version of the report the previous day, in which Albania’s name also appeared. Yesterday, Prime Minister Meksi himself denied such a request. “Weapons may have gone there by any route,” Meksi said yesterday in response to a BBC question; “there is no point in trying to justify yourself by attributing such actions to this or that country.” On page 3

The Arsidi trial Former Governor of the Bank: “The money given to Ars id had significantly increased inflation” - Today it is [their] turn to explain

Tirana, yesterday’s latest victim The 30-year-old had nearly $100,000 in his bag TIRANA - Another crime in the world of dollars. This time, the “hunt” for money changers has made 30-year-old Pirro Paloli its victim. The young man, riding his bicycle, was returning from his daily work. As residents of the surrounding area—the apartment block opposite “Qemal Stafa” high school—report,

Elbasan

Nearly $100,000 in the 30-year-old’s bag TIRANA — Another crime in the world of dollars. The “hunt” for money changers has this time claimed as its victim 30-year-old capital resident Pirro Paloli, just a few meters before he reached his home. Robbed — by armed and masked assailants — after they shot professional money changer Paloli just once, they took the bag, which is believed to have contained nearly 100 thousand dollars, and left almost unnoticed. The victim had no chance of surviving and, according to the Public Order authorities of Police Station 2 in the capital, was unable to reach the doctors alive. A few minutes later the city’s main intersections were immediately blocked, although, because of the secrecy surrounding the investigation, until late last night investigators confirmed nothing, especially about the team tasked with identifying and catching the perpetrators of this crime. It all happened yesterday afternoon — around 15:00 — while the victim, Paloli, was riding his bicycle home from his daily work. As residents of the area around the apartment-block complex opposite “Qemal Stafa” High School say, a few minutes earlier the burst tire of a vehicle had “heralded” the death of their neighbor. Fooled by the earlier noise, no one came to the windows again when, this time, the bullet from a “TT” pistol took a life. According to the investigators’ experts, 30-year-old Paloli — a father of two young children — was shot only once, at very close range and in the front of the face. Although the investigation is continuing intensively, it is believed that the victim’s bag contained nearly 100 thousand dollars, currently considered the sole motive for this crime. All the more so when one learns that the robbers had targeted victim Paloli before. And that afternoon, at the place where money changers usually practice their profession, the dollars were “flowing” more freely.

He had killed a father because he would not give him his daughter After two years, he turns himself in He had killed a father because he would not give him his daughter The romantic story of a crime After two years, he turns himself in TIRANA — He had killed in the name of love, married the victim’s daughter, and returned two years later to the scene of his bloody deed. Since June 10, ’95, the wife of 21-year-old Spartak Tare has had to endure not only the memory of her father — stabbed to death in a quarrel over her — but also the arrest of her young child’s father. One day after returning from Italy, the killer of Hysen Mema — July 4, ’93 — turned himself in at Tirana Police Station 2, thus adding a new, quite unusual and tragic story to the love stories of the Albanian capital. Today, what ought to be read in the pages of a romantic novel can be found only in investigators’ reports: after two years, they have returned to an old crime that had gone unpunished by Justice. On July 4, ’93, during a quarrel, young Spartak Tare had stabbed to death his future father-in-law, over his daughter. And these chapters, instead of clothing the people of the two families in white robes, suddenly covered them in a darker color, black. Detained by the Public Order authorities and haunted by the tragic ending of his love story, young Tare disappeared from Albania for nearly a year. He returned in ’94 — once again in the name of love — solely to ask for the hand of his former girlfriend, the woman whose father he had killed for her. But the dream lasted only until death had “evened the score”: after having a daughter together — the hateful [wording as printed] daughter of the victim — his bloodstained conscience brought young Tare back to Albania. “I am the killer,” and he ended up in the cells of Tirana Prison... Edmond Laçi

SHKODËR — Police operation against fuel smuggling with Montenegro. — Police operation against fuel smuggling with Montenegro. Eight tankers — each with a capacity of 15 thousand liters — were seized on Tuesday at Bregu i Bunës, while they were waiting to be filled with smuggled fuel. The inspection operation also covered the border area of Malësia e Madhe at Gashaj; a large quantity of goods and a tanker in which the fuel was being stored were seized...

Tirana’s Chief Military Prosecutor asks the judges to sentence him Today Hoxha’s trusted man awaits the verdict Tirana’s Chief Military Prosecutor asks the judges to sentence him “Another six months in prison for Gradeci” Today Hoxha’s trusted man awaits the verdict TIRANA — He has been in chains for three years and, after being sentenced to four years in prison, yesterday prosecutors sought another six months; nevertheless, he has still been unable to leave the pretrial detention cells. A rare ordeal for 73-year-old Sulo Gradeci, the man who for many years served the life of communist dictator Enver Hoxha. And Gradeci has once again climbed the steps of the Tirana Court, this time only to hear the charge of misappropriating state property through abuse of office, in the amount of 229 thousand lekë. In this case, only a few months ago he had been sentenced to just one year in prison by the capital’s judges, in a decision that was later strongly protested by the Military Court of Appeal. “Another six months in prison for Sulo Gradeci.” This was the request made in yesterday’s closing statement by the capital’s chief military prosecutor, Petrit Shehu, who nevertheless withdrew the civil suit against Gradeci. In any case, the verdict will take several more hours to determine Gradeci’s future. Because even if the judge does not believe him innocent and imposes the same sentence sought by Chief Prosecutor Shehu, Gradeci would then return to his family on July 8, ’95. Otherwise — if Gradeci is left with only the first sentence — that would mean another set of handcuffs coming off, while he would at the same time become an unusual figure among Albanian prisoners, having spent a year in pretrial detention cells. (e.l)

The draft is ready for Parliament

Former Governor of the Bank: “The money given to Arsdi had significantly increased inflation” - Today it is Ardian Xhyherti’s turn to explain On page 3

On page 3

On page 5 Mystery Gunfire at the border with Greece On page 5

On page 2 Economy Energy privatization: draft bill ready On page 5 Berat Police have launched “Comb” operation On page 5