PD and PS deputies approve the law For three hours, Parliament deliberates on liberalizing buying and selling Late last night, Parliament passed the Law “On the sale and purchase of land.” Despite protests by right-wing forces, which had organized a petition bearing thousands of signatures, the deputies passed the draft bill. From the petition signed against the law on the sale and purchase of land On page 3

Politicians’ first reactions TIRANA - “As surely as I know that I will die, I am equally sure that this law does not belong in Parliament.” Rrapo Danushi reacted harshly to the approval of the law on the sale and purchase of land. Sabi Godo, leader of the Republicans, expressed his approval yesterday of the passage of this draft law. “I thank the PD,” he said, “for keeping me outside this parliament all this time, where unimaginable things are happening.” On page 3

THE ARSIDI TRIAL — Hoti, Tartari, Xhyheri sentenced THE ARSIDI TRIAL Hoti, Tartari, Xhyheri sentenced “Ahmeti alone is innocent” Former Prime Minister released Court reduces sentences for the others Protagonists in the “Arsidi” trial On page 5

PS: “Everything is being done to keep Nano in prison” The government seeks to replace two articles concerning the merging of sentences The first negative signs have appeared after the historic “divorce” of the old Criminal Code from its entirety. Just a few days after June 1, ’95, the government is forced to amend the Law “On the Entry into Force of the Criminal Code,” approved on May 30, ’95. According to Socialist Deputy Speaker Servet Pëllumbi, the draft law is being introduced so that “Nano may be forcibly held hostage by the present-day state.” The legal expert and Socialist deputy Fehmi Abdiu said yesterday that “the amendments to the Criminal Code are being made in order to prevent Nano’s appeal from being brought before the Court of Cassation.” On page 5 Yesterday, at the PS’s extraordinary press conference

The signed agreement eases the burden on the government’s coffers TIRANA - On the day after August 31, 1995, Albania will “wake up” without foreign debt. The news became known following an announcement by V. Vroni, the Deputy Prime Minister of the Albanian state. The agreement was signed yesterday between the government’s number two, who is also Minister of Finance, and the contact group of banks that are creditors of Albania’s private foreign debt. The portion that will be paid by the Albanian state, around 20% of the debt, will also come from the pockets of international financial organizations, in the form of grants or aid funds. Under the agreement signed yesterday between Vroni and the committee of creditor banks, Albania will pay only 20% of its foreign debt. This means that, out of 500 million, the Albanian state will pay only 100 million dollars. Thus Albania has benefited from a substantial reduction in the amount to be paid, a reduction in fact greater than the scenario and threats faced by Eastern Europe over debts of this kind. The largest reduction previously agreed before the one with the Albanian state had been that with Bulgaria or Poland, which were to pay only 44% of the amount owed. According to sources, this agreement was reached after years of interest being owed to the banks, which had for years been paying a large sum in connection with Albania’s debt. The green light has thus been given for Albania to participate freely in other negotiations and seek further agreements, now in normal relations with the international financial community. 43 million dollars from B-24, 25 million from the World Bank and 11 million from the IMF make up the grant and aid fund that these institutions are providing to help the Albanian government pay the remaining debt.

The new law TIRANA - Military training is resuming for Albanians. Now every citizen—men and women—will be required to perform six weeks of reserve military service each year. This is what Parliament decided by passing the law “On the Armed Forces.” There is no change to the duration of compulsory army service, but the age range is changing: it is being extended to six weeks a year for conscription, from ages 18 to 27 to ages 19 to 32. On page 3

KAVAJË - A day of miracles in Kavajë. A patient who had suffered from epilepsy for years was cured. KAVAJË - A day of miracles in Kavajë. A patient who had suffered from epilepsy for years was cured in the early hours of Saturday morning. The citizen was [unclear in source] on Friday night by a folk healer. A second “miracle”—this time a human one—occurred in another village in Kavajë: a wheelchair given by the Association to an elderly man, who had been confined to his home for 18 years with amputated legs, enabled him to return to society and get around. The first miracle happened three days ago, on Friday night, when a patient who had been unable to move for many years was cured. The folk healer Olja Karrifli cured an epileptic patient after [unclear in source] in the mouth for an hour, [unclear in source] the two Orthodox [unclear in source], and in the churchyard. Thus, among many others from Durrës, Tirana and Lushnja, a [unclear in source] gathered at the village’s only church. Many elderly people and children gathered in the square to await the cure; the patient’s body [unclear in source] his fate, which had still not [unclear in source]. The miracle happened [unclear in source] of the new day. On page 5 Qemal Cara

ELBASAN - A fake check at the bank, “dollars take flight.” - A fake check at the bank, “dollars take flight.” The State Control Service uncovered the fraud. The culprit was a fake check that caused 10 thousand dollars to disappear from the cash desk of the Elbasan Commercial Bank. The sum was withdrawn back in April 1994, but the surprising truth was discovered only two days ago. On page 5

Incident on Lake Shkodër SHKODËR - An incident at the border with Montenegro. Yugoslav guards fired their weapons four times in the direction of Albanian territory, near the Buna. This happened in the area of Reci, where a police speedboat was passing, towing two fuel tankers seized for smuggling. On page 5

Traffic chaos Macedonians block the border at Qafë-Bllacë On page 3

One killed by lightning On page 5

A concrete appeal from Durrës On page 8

Yesterday the prosecutor announced the sentencing request TIRANA - “A two-thousand-dollar fine and compulsory publication of the Supreme Court’s decision.” This is the request made by prosecutor Petrit Hamzati concerning the editor-in-chief of “Populli Po,” Arban Hasanaj. The charge presented yesterday in the prosecutor’s closing statement under the “Law on Defamation”—two out of eight [unclear in source] of the year—refers to the publication of inaccurate news. The proceedings against Hasanaj began before SHIK was sentenced for an article published in ’95 under the title “Arrested for the alleged attempt to murder Gjanin Cekini”. Together, the editor-in-chief and the two articles [unclear in source] the prosecutor will request [unclear in source] in the proceedings, once the SHIK content [unclear in source] and the court’s final decision is also issued.

Brozi’s appeal to his colleagues The head of the Court of Cassation speaks at the Tirana conference yesterday TIRANA - “Judges, cast off your fear.” The appeal was made yesterday from the podium of the Third Judicial Conference being held in Tirana. The President of the Court of Cassation, Brozi, addressed all his colleagues, calling on them to protect their professional standing and unite in the fight against injustices and interference that undermine the independence of the Judiciary. Once again, the head of the Court of Cassation sharply attacked and accused certain sections of the executive and political powers of using violence against the courts and judges. On page 3 Zef Brozi

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