Yesterday in Parliament, a heated debate Gjinushi opposes Arbnori leaves the session TIRANË - The polemic, now turned into a personal war, erupted yesterday in parliament and involved the Speaker, Pjetër Arbnori, and the Secretary General of the Council of Ministers, Skënder Gjinushi. The debate broke out at the moment when the Minister of Economy and Privatization, Arben Malaj, had reached the last article of the draft budget, where an allocation for the Academy of Sciences was envisaged. That was also the moment when opposition deputy Ylli Vejsiu asked the government to convert the sum for the Academy into money for compensating former owners. Gjinushi came out against this request, saying that “removing such a fund would paralyze many scientific activities.” This intervention immediately irritated Pjetër Arbnori, who entered into personal exchanges with Gjinushi, accusing him of being “some very clever mind.” The two leaders then argued in harsh and almost insulting tones, until Arbnori left the session. The opposition continued its boycott of the session’s proceedings for almost 20 minutes, until the session resumed normally under Gjinushi’s chairmanship. On page 3 Pjetër Arbnori Skënder Gjinushi

The judicial budget is approved for next year The Cassation leader receives less than he asked for Can Brozi overwhelm Parliament The courts’ budget is approved for next year TIRANE - He lost both money and prestige. At least since yesterday, the president of the Court of Cassation, Zef Brozi, can be said to have taken the place of the first “winner” in the trial between him and Parliament. Yesterday, the Assembly of Albania, with 76 votes in favor, approved the courts’ budget for 1998, cutting it by 37 million lek from the amount requested by the Supreme Court itself. All right-wing deputies voted in favor of the sum approved by the government, considering it the “maximum possible” under the country’s general economic crisis. Afterwards, three opposition representatives each delivered a speech. “We too would not want to deprive the courts of some necessary things, but there are far more urgent matters that would require more funds,” said Arben Imami. “The proposed budget is a fair compromise in these conditions,” said Tritan Shehu. Meanwhile, the head of the Finance Committee called on the Cassation representatives in the chamber to “ask themselves whether we should be ashamed that we give Albanians two loaves of bread a day, while we give judges so much money.” Directly or indirectly, this message was also aimed at some articles published in the press in recent days, according to which this committee “has done the math without the innkeeper” for the budget, and has also deceived the public. “Journalists can be ashamed too,” said Hajri Aliaj. On page 3

SHKODER / Wardrobe keeper at Buxholi School. Motives still unclear Killing of 2 relatives headman kills his brothers and fiancée The Minister of Defense revealed yesterday further details about the killing of a resident of Gosfosteri, but sources close to the prosecutor’s office claim that the motives have still not been established. On Thursday evening, around 5:00 p.m., 8 shots were heard. After 10 minutes, relatives found Edmond dead. The dark evening and the double killing outside the village center made examination difficult. Even so, the police managed to determine which weapons were used to shoot the victims and that the killer fled quickly. The search for the perpetrator continues. On page 5

He is convinced that the persecutors forcibly carved their way through Albania’s democracy INTERVIEW Kola: “Let Those Who Are Suspicious Elements” “Let them get it out of their heads, at least those distances of many who try to gangrenize. From these proofs? In short and clearly: those who deny human freedom. They must understand that the soul is not an office matter, but something much greater. A time has come not to hide behind phrases. Therefore, I say it loudly: let those who are suspicious elements go, and who use the name of freedom to build huts of hatred.” On page 3

The school epidemic affects three people Kavajë On page 3

The “hunt” for telephone lines continues On page 8

Tiranë New judge Ilion 5 convicted On page 5

Gjirokastër Deputy Mëkrardihli in a quarrel over the bar Berat On page 3

The draft law arrives in the chamber already “abolished” by the labor code A law that dies before it is even born Billed for the addition of the Collective Assembly TIRANË - New leads on the fate of the amendment requested to change the Labor Code remain open. According to the Minister of Labor, Mebrëm Deliallisi, the draft law reached Parliament on Friday, after being caught up in the “attack” of recommendations from the Labor Consultative Council. She says that such a draft had been prepared in cooperation with independent unions and experts in the field. Nevertheless, members of the parliamentary committee declared yesterday that the draft law had not been put on the agenda at all. This triggered strong reactions, according to which the whole process had been carried out hastily and without transparency. Opposition representatives were also involved in the debate, asking for further clarification on the relationship between the draft and the existing provisions of the Labor Code. On page 5

Journalists sometimes and us too should be ashamed