A document states: “The court decisions are unjust” The report of the President of the Court of Cassation, accepting the socialist leader’s request for a retrial, was submitted yesterday: Proceedings on 26 July “I demand that Nano be free.” The repeated request—by Nano and his lawyers—is sensational this time. For the first time, an Albanian judge is asking for the handcuffs to be removed from the hands of the imprisoned socialist leader. And not just any judge, but the President of the Court of Cassation himself, Zef Brozi, who yesterday addressed nearly 200 lines to his colleagues, asking them to declare unjust, at the Plenum of the Court of Cassation—which will convene on 26 July ’95—the finding that he was guilty of “appropriating state property through abuse of office.” Court of Cassation Fatos Nano On page 3

The agreement abolishes the 40 DM fee University degrees will also be standardized The Albanian-Macedonian border will be freed from officials collecting the 40-mark fee. The news was confirmed by Selami, chairman of the Albanian Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, who has just returned from Skopje. Talks with his Macedonian counterparts have also reached another conclusion: the standardization of university degrees in the two countries. On page 3 Border crossing with Macedonia

Cassation replies to the Prisons Administration Stefani and Mino will soon be out of their cells too TIRANA - “Alia’s release was lawful.” This statement was reiterated yesterday in a reply sent by the Court of Cassation, whose judges yesterday confirmed to Gazeta Shqiptare the answer urgently awaited by the General Prisons Administration: “Implementing the Amnesty was not within the competence of the Court of Cassation,” Brozi said yesterday. “In that trial, therefore, we expressed our opinion and ruled only on the merits of the case brought by Ramiz Alia and the others, without applying the reduction of the sentence or the amnesty period to the length and type of their penalties.” On page 5

On page 7

18 cars impounded; they had not paid customs duty VLORA - Immediately after the State Audit’s sensational report about phantom cars and their first registrations, the Vlora Police Commissariat ordered the seizure of 18 vehicles found to have forged documents. They had entered through border crossings while evading customs checks. The seizure was ordered by the head of the Vlora Police Commissariat, Sokol Mulomani, after the appropriate checks of the vehicles’ documents. All 18 cars—mainly vans and passenger cars—had in fact been impounded three weeks earlier. Following a police inspection conducted on 22 and 23 June, two people had been detained on suspicion of responsibility. Subsequent checks confirmed these suspicions. On page 5 The city of Vlora

The 16-month-old dies VLORA - Tragedy in the city of Vlora. A 16-month-old baby became the victim of an accident. The innocent child was struck by a speeding motorcycle and lost his life. The little boy was thrown into the road from the stroller where his mother had left him. Meanwhile, the young man riding the motorcycle sped away and disappeared without leaving a trace. The police are searching for him, but as of yesterday there had been no success in catching him. The incident happened on Thursday evening. The child’s mother, M.B. Mazik, had left the stroller standing and was getting ready for work in Skele. It all happened completely unexpectedly. The noise of the approaching motorcycle did not alarm the mother—cars and motorcycles flying past at speed have become a normal occurrence not only in Vlora but everywhere—and she continued walking calmly. But unfortunately, the unimaginable happened. The motorcycle, travelling at an insane speed, came so close that it snatched the innocent 16-month-old from the stroller. The impact was terribly strong, and the child’s death was immediate. He died instantly. Neither the mother’s heart-rending screams nor the horrifying sight of the child moved the young man riding the “Gaxhiva” motorcycle. The 24-year-old continued on his way as if nothing had happened. At the same bullet-like speed that had killed the little child, he fled without leaving a trace. The police arrived at the scene immediately. But their swift intervention could not solve anything. The child was already dead and the person responsible for his death had disappeared. Nevertheless, the police continued searching for the heartless 24-year-old.

Elbasan, prosecutor delivers closing argument On page 5

Yesterday in Tirana TIRANA - The PD youth forum enjoyed a festive atmosphere yesterday. The forum’s membership in DEMYC brought together hundreds of young people in one of the halls of the Palace of Congresses, where they cheered joyfully. The head of state himself, Sali Berisha, also greeted the festive gathering. For the delegates of the PD youth forum, Albania’s entry into the Council of Europe was yesterday—as they put it—“an integration of young Albanian democrats into the forums of the European community.” On page 3

On page 3

On page 2

BERAT On page 5

Fier On page 5

Doctors copy his beard and rob people Italicized reality TIRANA - Look carefully at the photograph and try to identify the person: it is Sami Matoshi. His hair and beard, almost identical, have become known throughout Albania. Apart from appearing in photographs and in one of the cases, he has been mistaken for one of the doctors by people who know him. “There are often fraudsters who use my name,” warned the well-known doctor, Sami Matoshi. “As I have said in my appeal to the public, the person in question is going around Albania exploiting my name. Recently, they have been taking advantage of people’s trust, asking for money and other things.” These are Matoshi’s words about his lookalikes, who risk damaging his reputation in different parts of Albania. Matoshi’s lookalikes, among other things, use his name and pose as doctors, robbing people and frightening them. “They are dangerous people—do not believe them.” Matoshi says that he has confronted these people, who have caused him trouble; in some cases, he has met them, and the doctor has helped people and eased their pain. Today, one fraudster is doing this in an even more brazen way. Their disguise is based on Matoshi’s features, which makes it easy to copy him. But it is very dangerous. This other “liar” was an old and very large acquaintance. Matoshi says that, when he sees his imitators, he will confront them. Sami Matoshi Sokol Balla

Four gold prospectors discovered An unheard-of incident in the villages of Përmet PËRMET - “Gold fever” has reappeared in southern Albania at the end of the 20th century. They were searching for gold in their village using a special machine, and the police stopped them and took them to the police station. The strange incident occurred in recent days, involving four people, almost all locals. On 13 July, police stopped them for illegal activity (after all, searching for gold deposits is a state monopoly). Criminal police escorted to the station the citizens Agron Merko, 32, from Këlcyra; Mihal Jaupaj, 36, from Stërmbec; and Memo Zo, 43, from Delvina, who were caught with a device that detects precious metal. The “tool found” was a “Goldov” model. The “gold fever” phenomenon is not appearing for the first time during this period. Some time ago, gold prospectors were caught around the estates of Ali Pashë Tepelena, where, according to legend, his treasure is hidden. Earlier stories, however, were based on some event, even if only a tale. That cannot be said of the latest case in the village of Stërmbec. The prospectors’ “gang” consisted of four people, almost all locals. On 13 July, police stopped them for illegal activity; after all, searching for gold deposits is a state monopoly. Criminal police escorted to the station the citizens Agron Merko, 32, from Këlcyra, and Mihal Jaupaj, 36, from Delvina, who were caught with a device that detects precious metal. The “tool found” was a “Goldov” model.