REPORTAGE / Helicopters, divers, searches ... Everything from the scene of the tragedy Horror and tears in Ligen Today Albania mourns the 14 victims LIQENAS - The tears and cries of despair of a mother dressed in black, mingled with the noise of helicopters, opened the macabre “scene” of yesterday morning’s tragedy. On the lakeshore were ministers, senior officials of the Ministry of the Interior, divers and the victims’ relatives. At 7:30, the first boats set off toward the island where 13 students and their teacher, Edmond Mato, had been searching the previous day; helicopters carrying special diving units also took off. The first to set out in a boat were Musaraj and Cikuli, who had been in Ligenas—a village about 40 kilometers from Korçë—since the early morning hours. Fishing boats followed, setting out in groups. The helicopters land and take off every 10 minutes. Every 10 minutes. Everything has now shifted to the lonely island—about one and a half kilometers from the shore—whose beauty had lured the graduating students to their deaths. It is difficult and painful, and everyone’s hopes are pinned on the rocky “fortress,” where preparations for the underwater searches have begun. Ten divers are filling their oxygen tanks, putting on their equipment and getting ready to search. Armand Mero on page 7 A parent’s anguish beside his daughter’s coffin (Photo: Hektor PUSTINA)

FOOTBALL / The men from Durrës are defeated by “Partizani” TIRANA - “Thank you, Partizani.” Silence, tears of joy and then indescribable enthusiasm on the Qyteti i Nxënësve field. Tirana has been declared champion for the 1995-1996 season. At last Tirana has pulled off the great comeback and delivered checkmate to the championship. At the finish, the blue-and-whites did what the men from Durrës had dreamed of for 34 consecutive weeks, but their rivals accomplished it precisely when they needed to. In an atmosphere somewhat unusual for a league match, the “Tirana”-“Alpetrol” game began. The field, which would have been more fitting for a match between former agricultural cooperatives, immediately took on the importance of a field where the champion team would emerge. The match began and ended in an atmosphere that was more friendly than anything else.

A prince’s anguish beside his daughter’s coffin (photo: Hektor PUSTINA) “How I managed to escape the clutches of death” On page 7 A prince’s anguish beside his daughter’s coffin (photo: Hektor PUSTINA)

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Sambists are forced to intervene Play stopped for about 12 minutes Captain Minga lifts the cup Violent scenes at the stadium yesterday On page 6 Captain Minga lifts the cup; Violent scenes at the stadium yesterday

Now vegetables, fruit and vitamins are even more expensive ECONOMY / CPI published On page 3

“Many documents have disappeared” The Tirana Prosecutor’s Office investigations into the embassy events in Tirana in July 1990 have been suspended. The investigator handling the case, after investigating for around five months, was forced to close the voluminous case file, at least temporarily. “The absence of [unclear] in the archives of the Ministry of the Interior. On page 3

From the World The criminals’ trial: The Hague accuses Slobodan Milosheviç On page 2

Kadare: “We are losing our moral values” A meeting between the distinguished writer and intellectuals of the capital TIRANA — A confident tone, at times harsh and penetrating. For almost two hours straight, Ismail Kadare speaks about the people of his country. Just arrived from Paris, the writer analyzes Albanians, their moral crisis, the political struggle whose metastases sacrifice even the most precious values of the arts, the issue of Kosovo, and relations with the public in his country. And, according to him, not everything is shining—starting with the “Nobel” issue, which is still unresolved for him. “It is a power that [unclear] Albanians who have spread like dominoes from one country to another ...” Kadare repeats [unclear] writers. Dozens of letters from Albanians have arrived in Stockholm, asking that he not be recognized as a Nobel laureate and containing all sorts of slander. “I really don’t understand this.” There is also a little room in the conversation for politics. He disapproves of the extreme animosity between the left and the right in the country. “Each side accuses the other of things done in the past, forgetting that many of them took part in them and were among those who saw [them]. This is ... Kadare says — truly politicized and has caused a series of phenomena that have not emerged ...” And, according to him, in support of certain interesting people on one side or the other, calls continue to be made for figures such as Migjeni. “It is true that, in the countries of the world, there are no writers who were collaborators with the regime, but it is incomprehensible why Migjeni, the greatest creator artistically, is still left aside. This is absurd.” Kadare’s focus is on the culture and mental psychology of Albanians. “Today, regarding the historical period as a whole,” he stressed. Nevertheless, for him this is a symptom that cannot be justified by the upheavals or social difficulties the country has gone through or is going through. “The histories of the peoples ... are things of men. So, [unclear] has had the most tragic histories, but the Greeks are not as troubled as we are. There is no reason for us to consider ourselves inferior. We have the most beautiful women and girls in the Balkans, a nature that foreigners envy, and a rich country. There is no reason to lose our humanity, dignity, or pride. I have the impression that Albanians have always lacked moral reference points, and this is a hemorrhage that is not easily understood.” Arlinda Causholli

“How I managed to escape The boatman: