After Kolumberg’s criticism in Strasbourg, hope and optimism return Selami: “I have spoken with the parties: everyone here is with us.” Support also from many European governments Hours of waiting and hope. Today, in the grand hall of the Palace of the Council of Europe here in Strasbourg, a decision will be made on Albania’s admission to the great family of modern Europe. Hours of waiting because the criticisms voiced on Tuesday evening by the Swiss rapporteur Domenik Kolumberg before the Legal Affairs Committee came as a cold shower to everyone: reactions from the Plenary Assembly are now being anxiously awaited, as today’s vote there will deliver the final decision. The predictions, in fact, are optimistic, and it is thought that in the end the fear of waiting will be replaced by victory.

A father from Elbasan makes a horrifying accusation TIRANA - A killing through false magic. They promised him a miracle and then left him with everlasting grief. “The swindlers killed my child for 5,000 lekë” — this was the anguished cry of a father from Elbasan, whose two-month-old son paid with his life for handing over a fistful of worthless money to two people who, according to relatives, had passed themselves off as folk healers. The Xhullos’ family is now laid in the ground; it has thus made a grave accusation, the consequences of which, they say, are also being suffered by around four other children. On page 5 Hospital center in Tirana

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Last night he had been accused of “crimes against humanity” Merchant Hanxhaku in prison The methyl alcohol case returns TIRANA - A sensational arrest in the capital. This time the central figure is Skënder Hanxhaku, one of the best-known Albanian merchants, who two years ago had been accused in the “methyl alcohol” case. And in

INTERVIEW

Three Albanian teams in the UEFA competitions TIRANA—Albania with three teams in the UEFA competitions. After Tirana and Teuta, the third team will be Partizani. This was the latest announcement from senior officials of continental football. On July 12, in the European capital of football and history. The officials of the three clubs have also been invited. UEFA has asked the Albanian teams to confirm their participation. It then requested the teams’ shirt colors and the completion of the participation forms. Albanian football is once again returning to European Cups with three teams. Tirana, Teuta and Partizani will be the teams traveling in September to play against European teams to be determined by the July draw. The announcement arrived at the Football Federation’s offices a few days ago, and UEFA’s offices have taken charge of the matter with the three Albanian teams that won the League and Cup trophies and the team that finished second in the recently completed football season. While Tirana and Teuta won these two trophies, Partizani, which finished third, benefits from the fact that the Durrës team, although placed second, will play in the Cup Winners’ Cup, automatically giving the capital’s team the chance to participate in the UEFA Cup. After receiving official confirmation from the Albanian clubs, UEFA also asked to be informed of the clubs’ respective colors. Once the official formalities were completed, UEFA sent each of the three Albanian clubs an invitation for two representatives to attend the draw, scheduled for July 12. However, only Teuta will have the advantage of playing directly in the Cup Winners’ Cup. Although Tirana are the champions, under the new formula UEFA is using, they are obliged to play in the UEFA Cup, perhaps in a preliminary round. Partizani may also have to play such a round. This will be decided on the basis of the coefficients previously established by UEFA. Uvil Zajmi

Hospital center in Tirana TIRANA - Sensational arrest in the capital. This time the person in question is Skënder Hanxhaku, one of the best-known Albanian businessmen, who had been accused two years ago in connection with the “methyl alcohol” case. At two in the evening, Hanxhaku was escorted by officers from Police Station No. 2 to Tirana Prison, under an order signed by Deputy Chief Prosecutor Genc Gjokutaj. The new charge against Hanxhaku refers specifically to Article 73 of the new Penal Code, an extremely serious charge concerning “crimes against humanity.” E. LAÇI on page 3 Police Station No. 2 in Tirana

INTERVIEW “I would like to stress that in the recent exercises we held in the Peloponnese involving the Albanian, Greek, Romanian and Bulgarian armies, the Albanian side demonstrated good preparation. I would also like to stress that the armies of our two countries must cooperate with the Western armies.” From Athens, ARIAN ÇANI on page 3

PROSECUTOR / Among the witnesses is also Blerim Çela On page 3

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Reported by SHIK Now the Editor-in-Chief of “Populli” Reported by SHIK Another journalist indicted Now the Editor-in-Chief of “Populli” TIRANA - Yet another journalist has been indicted. This time it is the Editor-in-Chief of the daily “Populli Po,” Arban Hasani, who has been charged. It was one of our articles published in the newspaper “Populli Po” that stated that his name appeared on a blacklist dated March 26, ’95—but the newspaper’s author was the first to become the subject of an investigation, also by the prosecutor’s office, which began yesterday morning at the Tirana Prosecutor’s Office. The report was filed by the National Intelligence Service—publicly described as “A police officer arrested for the murder of Gojvalin Çekini.” Published on the front pages, among the names of writers front pages, among the names of writers arrested for the murder of Gojvalin Çekini. The writer arrested by “SHIK.” The Editor-in-Chief of “Populli Po” is one of them. The article in the newspaper was prepared with. It stated that at the top of the list of people suspected of the murder of Gojvalin Çekini was the daily “Populli Po,” while the investigations in the newspaper were prepared with. From Tirana up to the chief journalist of the Prime Minister’s Office, ZI. Luan Rama had been fined by the chief journalist for nearly 1,000 dollars [?]

The Holy Book was being taken out of Albania Two Macedonians detained The Holy Book was being taken out of Albania Smuggling the Quran Two Macedonians detained DIBËR - Smuggling the Quran. Taking the holy book of Muslims out of Albania means... ending up in prison. The episode in question, never heard of before, took place on the Albanian-Macedonian border, across which dozens of copies of the Quran had been attempted to be taken. The protagonists are two Albanians, but with Macedonian citizenship, who had arrived in Albania from their place of residence, Dibra e Madhe. On Tuesday afternoon, at 40-quarter [?], A.B. and Q.I. were detained by the Albanian border authorities and then taken to the premises of the Dibër Police Station. The curious episode had occurred on Monday morning, while a quantity of Quran books was being transported from Albanian territory toward Macedonia. According to the initial confirmations received from the Dibër Police Station, the two Macedonian citizens also had plastic sacks with them, perhaps to use on the other side of the border for religious ceremonies. The motives for this Quran-book smuggling are not yet known, but one possible reason may be precisely the inability to pass this “merchandise” regularly through the legal border-crossing points linking Albania and Macedonia. In any case, the Dibër episode—more curious than troubling—adds religious books to the list of smuggled goods for the first time. Edmond Laçi

On page 9 Vlorë Trafficking: an Italian arrested On page 9 Investments Conference in Tirana On page 3