There will be no early elections. The President: “Only in the spring of ’96” TIRANA - “They tried to form alliances with the Democratic Party, both secretly and openly, but failed.” Did the Socialists also try to forge a secret alliance with the DP? The news has been confirmed by the President of the Republic himself, Sali Berisha. Yesterday the President entered the “battlefield,” launching a fierce attack on the Socialists and reminding his party what it must do to emerge victorious in the tough electoral race, whose contrasts—even with this speech—have now begun to take very clear shape. Berisha insisted once again: there will be no early elections. “The elections will be held in the spring of 1996,” he said simply, prompting an ovation from his supporters. On page 3 President Berisha

Durrës / The ruins of the former factory endanger local residents DURRES - It produced chemicals for many years, but now its ruins are endangering the lives of nearby residents. Pollution and waste from the former Chemical Enterprise in Durrës have now raised the alarm about the danger they pose. The first signs have begun to appear, and there have been numerous cases of skin infections among children and residents who have recently built their homes very close to this veritable graveyard of poisons. Red spots appearing on legs and bodies, and a foul smell that has recently spread from a leather-processing factory that began operating near the former chemical enterprise, have become two factors affecting the lives of many residents. On page 5 Durrësi

Impounded by the police The show Benz is back in “jail” It was driving without license plates

Berat On page 5

Himarë On page 5

Change to the Code: Justice rejects the criticism TIRANA - It was proposed amid debate, and debate continues to surround it now that it has entered into force. The controversies over the amendment to the Code of Criminal Procedure, which erupted in parliament, have become entrenched

KAVAJË - They turned to Allah on the birthday of His prophet, Muhamet A.S. All the people of Kavaja and the surrounding villages, as well as people from the most distant areas, gathered

It was driving without license plates DURRËS - Once again, the Benz from the show “Around Luck in 12 Weeks” has had bad luck. The car at the center of a dispute between a young man from Pogradec and a girl from Kuçova for over a year has once again been impounded by police from the station. This time, however, the reason was different: the car was driving on the streets of Durrës without license plates. The usual incident, though not involving the usual protagonist, happened on Saturday afternoon. This time, the father of the girl from Kuçova was at the wheel of the car without plates, driving around Durrës. That was why the Benz was stopped by a police patrol and then ended up impounded in the station’s parking lot, where it risks a “rest” of one month. Thus, after spending a year in the courtyard of the Palace of Culture and another several months in a “secret harbor,” the unfortunate Benz is once again back in “prison.” s.b

TIRANË - It was proposed amid debate, and controversy is still accompanying it now that it has come into force. The disputes erupted in parliament, have recently culminated in an exchange between the Ministry of Justice and the Albanian Helsinki Committee. The Ministry’s spokesperson, Agim Neza, responded with a special statement to the objections and criticisms issued the previous day by the well-known human rights organization. Describing the statements assessing it as inaccurate and as misinterpretations, the statement calls Helsinki’s conclusions “confusing.” On page 5

KAVAJË - They turned to Allah on the birthday of his prophet, Muhametit A.S. KAVAJË - Muhametit A.S. All the people of Kavajë and the surrounding villages, including those from the most distant areas, gathered in the city center and listened to religious songs and sermons for hours. Yesterday, thousands of people gathered in the center of Kavajë to celebrate a special religious holiday: the birthday of Muhametit a.s. The Kavajë area and the surrounding villages, with a high proportion of Muslims, chose a special way to celebrate. They gathered in the center as loudspeakers broadcast music and religious prayers, which could be heard as far as the outskirts. Qe. Ca Meanwhile, the entire editorial team and journalists of Gazeta Shqiptare take this opportunity to wish Muslim believers a happy holiday and many more years of celebrating this great and significant Islamic holiday!

“They acted against the law; they had no permit” TIRANË—The remains of Shën Kozmai are back in the spotlight, prompting strong reactions. All it took was the unsuccessful attempt by a group of Greek citizens accompanied by several Albanians—who identified themselves as archaeologists—to rediscover the saint’s remains, which had mysteriously disappeared, to spark discussions on both sides of the border. The group’s search was not allowed to continue: the Ministry of Culture ordered it suspended as soon as it was notified by the local population. The news was reported on Voice of America, in its Albanian-language program. Those searching for the remains had set up a camp and continued their search for 12 days near the Church of Libofshë, close to Fier. They spoke to Voice of America. The Ministry of Culture’s spokesperson, Faruk Myrtaj, and the Deputy Minister, Vesel Rizanolli, said that, according to both of them, the group—which was confirmed to include Greek clerics—had violated Albanian legislation and had therefore committed an illegal act. The same source emphasized that the highest authorities of the Albanian Autocephalous Orthodox Church had also been informed about the matter. The Ministry spokesperson, Myrtaj, went further in condemning the act: “A dangerous provocation by fanatical circles of Greek Orthodoxy”—that is how Myrtaj described the unauthorized expedition for Shën Kozmai, according to the source cited above. According to this source, Myrtaj was quoted as saying that “Shën Kozmai is not the saint of Albanian Orthodoxy, and this happened because the whole thing is a provocation by Greek extremists, aided by some Albanian circles.” p.re The Church of Shën Kozmai in Libofshë

Kavajë On page 3 Kavajë Two sisters die in accident On page 3

ANTIDRUG On page 3 ANTIDRUG Devoll: cannabis fields destroyed On page 3

Tepelenë On page 5 Tepelenë Dam at risk of collapse On page 5

Controversy over the Code of Criminal Procedure On page 5 Controversy over the Code of Criminal Procedure Ministry: Helsinki’s conclusion confusing On page 5