Strike ends, 13 people barricaded inside detained by the security forces TIRANA - The farmers of Laknas paid dearly for taking two people hostage. Yesterday, two successive waves of police freed the two people who had been held captive for 24 hours—Idriz Xhumara, a director at the Ministry of Agriculture, and the village headman—and brought all 33 people who had barricaded themselves out, subsequently detaining 13 of them. Thus, yesterday afternoon, the three-week protest by the farmers, who had barricaded themselves while demanding a fair division of their land, came to a definitive end. The harsh response by the security forces to the Laknas strikers had been made clear yesterday morning in a statement issued by the Ministry of the Interior, which had openly stressed that it would take all legal measures to free the two people taken hostage at midday on Monday. Armand Mero on page 3 Some farmers leave the barricade after the police’s first raid (photo: H. Pustina) The high-profile protest by the farmers of Laknas comes to an end. The Ministry accuses: “They were terrorists”

JUSTICE On page 3

Here’s how much a beach holiday will cost Price gouging begins as bookings open. But in the South there are also homes... On page 5

TIRANA - He was questioned for more than 15 hours and then released. This was the ordeal of the editor of RD and Hosten journalist, Filip Çakuli

TIRANA - The Democratic Party and Nea Demokratia are strengthening their relations of mutual assistance. Diplomatic sources—

State Audit Commission: “Everything is now in order, only a few measures” Defense: 14 officials reported Minister’s initiative. Accusation: abuse of office TIRANA—“The Ministry of Defense has acted in accordance with the law; indeed, it has not only reported 14 of its senior officials.” In Ministry of Defense

TIRANA—He was questioned for more than 15 hours and then released. Such was the ordeal of the editor of “Rilindja Demokratike” and, at the same time, director of the satirical magazine “Hosteni”, Filip Çakuli. TIRANA—He Such was the ordeal of the editor of “Rilindja Demokratike” and, at the same time, director of the satirical magazine “Hosteni”, Filip Çakuli. Meanwhile, last night the authorities withdrew from the “EuroRilindja” printing house the copies of the magazine’s issue that was due to come out. It all began at 01:30 yesterday morning, when six people—four in civilian clothes and two police officers—knocked on Çakuli’s door at his home in Kombinat. They then took him with them and, as Çakuli himself recounts, they made several journeys together from the “RD” building, where the “Hosteni” editorial office is also located; apparently this was in connection with the questions put to him. Alarm gripped Çakuli’s family, who were unable to find out where the head of the family was until he was released. Despite searches throughout the capital’s police stations, even with their help, Çakuli did not appear in the detention records. Çakuli’s colleague at “Hosteni”, journalist Naim Noka, met the same fate. “At around 09:30 yesterday morning I was questioned for about seven hours, about the magazine’s issue and its director, Çakuli,” Noka told the newspaper “Shqiptare” yesterday. Another fact concerned the issue of Hosteni magazine. It is said that copies were taken last night from the machinery at the “EuroRilindja” printing house and apparently will not see the light of day. Thus, “Kuzit për praparak” has been uncovered, one of the kazuzolat? in it are… Shkrupin? [partly illegible text] These arrests… [partly illegible text] “Rilindjes Demokratike” within two days… [partly illegible text].

TIRANA—The Democratic Party and Nea Demokracia are strengthening their mutual support ties. Albanian diplomatic sources in Athens have spoken of a series of good results achieved by the DP delegation, led by the party’s Secretary General, Tritan Shehu, during his visit to the Greek capital. Another important contact has thus been added to the long list of positive ones that have taken place between the two countries recently. On page 5

TIRANA—“The Ministry of Defense has acted in accordance with the law; indeed, it itself reported 14 of its senior officials.” has acted in accordance with the law; indeed, it itself reported 14 of its senior officials.” The State Audit Commission has now entered the heated debate surrounding the activities of the Ministry of Defense. It completed yesterday a detailed inspection that its experts had begun some time ago. The “MEIKO” enterprise and several military units were also under its “supervision”. Here are some of the specialists’ answers on sensitive issues concerning Defense. On page 3

Shkodër On page 5

The government approves it as a modern service On page 3

A broken rule changes the judge Another revolution, but a silent one, at the Court of Cassation TIRANA—Another quiet revolution in the Justice system. This time, however, it is less sensational, indeed very quiet. Described as “an important beginning”, the yellow sheet, signed by the Chairman of the Court of Cassation, Mr. F. Brozi, has been posted throughout the entrances used by Albanian chief judges, and even in Brozi’s own waiting room. “Under the law, the Chairman and judges of the Court of Cassation may not meet with the litigating parties, all of whose cases are to be heard soon.” The silent revolution—begun days ago at the Court of Cassation—seems already to have produced its first positive effects. Although the other, more important part has not been written on that small sheet, stamped and signed by Brozi: the measures prescribed for hearings and what the rule entails. According to the notices put up by an employee of the Court of Cassation, if a judge is found to have met with one of the interested parties while a case is ongoing, then the judge is necessarily removed from hearing that case. IMPORTANT NOTICE UNDER THE LAW, THE PRESIDENT WITH THE LITIGANTS WHOSE CASES THEY WILL SOON BE HEARING PRESIDENT OF THE COURT F. BROZI Here is the notice posted on the doors of the Court of Cassation

The winner wants to sell it in order to get married and change her family’s life On page 8

RD and Hosten journalist, Filip Çakuli

Ministry of Defense

Here is the notice posted on the doors of the Court of Cassation