Yesterday, Socialist press conference: SOS from Europe and the USA PS accuses: "Police violence" "More than 30 of our activists have been detained" "The security forces have mistreated PS activists" — this was the statement made by the Secretary General of the Socialist Party, Gramoz Ruçi. "Free elections in Albania are being compromised," he stressed. TIRANA - "More than 30 people detained and mistreated by the security forces" — this was the alarming claim made by the Secretary General of the PS, Gramoz Ruçi, who at a press conference did not hesitate to level sharp accusations at the PD and Berisha, saying that they are "compromising free and democratic elections in Albania". The Socialists once again appeared extremely confident of their electoral triumph. The opposition's rhetoric has labeled the elections of 26 May as "an expression of a certain victory". Two PS leaders stated that in Kukës, Lezha, Burreli, Vlora, Dibra and Vora, and in the south in Gjirokastër and Sarandë, police force violence is being used. The message from the meetings of the Albanian left-wing leaders is that the PS will win decisively on 26 May. "The names of around 50,000 voters in Tirana are missing from the electoral lists." This concern of the Socialist Party was made public yesterday. Along with it, there were also strong criticisms of the Tirana Municipality for not publishing the voter lists on time. On page 3 PARTY

Searches continue for another victim Tragedy on the Lake: two more bodies found Balkan divers also arrive in Prespa From the search to recover the bodies (photo: H. Pustina) POGRADEC - Two more bodies of the people from two drowned vehicles were recovered from the depths of the icy waters. After all efforts, Albanian divers, assisted by Greek and Macedonian ones, recovered the bodies of the two girls who were still missing from the roll call: Vjollca Muço, 22 years old, Zdravka, and Shpresa Dumo from Pemenji. The bodies of the two unfortunate girls have been transported by the host families to their own families. Two more victims remain to be recovered from the depths of the waters of Prespa, and two other families remain broken by grief. The story of the girls who "did not pay" had made a great impression not only because of the serious and absurd blow that had struck them, but also because of the individual human stories. On page 5

DURRES The maritime fleet suspends the strike On page 5 FIER Threatened a house with a shotgun: arrested On page 5 BERAT The Osum River brings up the bodies of two young people On page 5 TIRANA "Arkond" once again today before the judges On page 5

ENTERTAINMENT "Benetton" paraded last night in the capital On page 7

Yesterday in Tirana, Austria's Foreign Minister The Austrian right wing: "It's OK with the PD" TIRANA - Austria says "yes" to reforms in Albania. With this message, Austrian Foreign Minister Wolfgang Shussel arrived yesterday in Tirana. During the seven hours he spent in our country, the head of Austrian diplomacy shook hands with Berisha, Meksi, Serreqi and Shehu. Bilateral relations, the elections of 26 May, the situation in Kosovo and the Balkans — these were the topics of the political talks between the Austrian top diplomat and Albanian representatives. A visit that comes as a message of friendship, with Shussel in Tirana, President Berisha. Berisha and Shussel (photo: H. Pustina) On page 3

"Duel" of political slogans FIER - A battle of slogans in Fier. In the late hours after midnight, sympathizers of left-wing political groups, with a campaign of paint on different walls, "aesthetically" attack their respective opponents. Like on a carousel, people from one side and then the other replace one another. Moreover, even that is not enough: it is not just a matter of exchanging their own slogans, but also of crossing out the opponents' slogans. Socialists, democrats, peasants, liberal democrats — in every national bloc, in Albania the party and the very small spaces for party-based slogans remain. And without them, believers too have been swept in. Some young evangelicals had written: "Heaven is open to you, choose it!" Municipal decisions, but also Albanian law, do not allow such a display of painting. Perhaps the false idea that life ends after 26 March has awakened such an unimaginable degree of political rivalry. In Korçë, the police removed slogans such as "Euro-socialist supervision" from the walls, while in the evening, accompanied by the Durrës police station, young people were laughing after carrying out the same act. In general, slogans often speak for a party and for winning the next campaign. But often their own logic gives rise to the fact that with them everyone loses, aesthetics are lost, and thus the cities of ours become even more neglected. Hurma Rredhi

Owner of "Agron" leaves Albania Citizens denounced the jewelry dealer. After that, the judges ordered the blocking of the "Agron" shops, but their owner had hidden the gold before leaving. Citizens denounced the jewelry dealer. After that, the judges ordered the blocking of the "Agron" shops, but their owner had hidden the gold before leaving TIRANA - Another Ajdin Sejdi flees from Albania. The owner of the jewelry store "Agron" has left Albania, taking with him one million dollars borrowed in usury from various citizens in Tirana. After several complaints to the Tirana Court, the judges ordered the blocking of the jewelry goods until the problem is resolved. On page 5

From the World On page 2

Saves the woman from the shackles of prostitution They had kidnapped her at the time she was waiting to give birth to a child TIRANA. One day in March someone enters his house in Albania and kidnaps the 19-year-old woman. Just a few days earlier she had given birth to a child. In the last moment, he had much grief and had lost his mind. So it did not last long. This is where the long and defiant adventure of the 25-year-old young man begins. Certain that the abduction is the work of the broad circle of prostitution, he sets out as a candidate for Italy. For a month straight he searches from north to south of the Apennine peninsula, with a photo of his wife in hand, in a desperate attempt to find some address or trace of her. Days later he would return like thousands of migrant clandestines. Tired, almost extinguished, disfigured, in torn clothes, turned into a frightening skeleton — he had lost 30 kilograms in weight — he finally decides to cross the police station door. With a sad voice, now without hope, he asks to tell his unbelievable story. By now completely hopeless. For another month the police officers, searching for the missing girl, find her photographed while holding her husband in conversation. They find her in Caserta, in a large group of prostitutes. She was working on behalf of one of the most dangerous Albanian gangs, which had taken her husband with them in disguise and would use him for the same purposes. Under constant surveillance. At first the woman denies that she has been identified, but only one phone call to the letter of life would change her condition. He, accompanied by the chief of the Italian police station and the escape on the road, among the people who kept the 19-year-old woman and four other girls enslaved. They confirm that the husband was a member of one of the most dangerous organizations, which transported them by boat to make them drink in prayers. She was working on behalf of one of the most dangerous Albanian gangs, which had taken her husband with them in disguise and would use him for the same purposes. Here ends the story of the loving couple from March. Their first innocence after the violent war ended in commitment. All the people who worked on it made an effort, very committed. He is now in a safe place, because there are witnesses to many facts. It is still unknown whether the child of this extraordinary relationship can be born, but it nevertheless remains blessed and ardent “të mosjes mint uakua, lumturi”. Arlinda Causholli

On page 6

offers a job position for: 1. Veterinarian in the Department of Epidemiology, Anthropozoonoses Section. Requirements: - Age under 35 years. - Grade average above 8.5 - Knowledge of a foreign language: English. - Candidates with knowledge of epidemiology and anthropozoonoses in our country are preferred. 2. Electronic or Electrical Engineer for equipment maintenance. - Must have graduated from the Faculty of Electronic Engineering or Electrical Engineering. - Must have work experience of more than 5 years. - Must know English. Those interested should submit their documents to the Institute of Public Health by 20.05.1996.

organizes the admission exam for students for the 1996 - 1997 school year, which will be held on Sunday, 2 June 1996 at 10:00. Students wishing to take the exam should appear in person together with the documents listed below in order to register: - 2 photographs - Birth certificate accompanied by a photograph - Grade report for the eighth grade or a certificate of average grade signed by the school principal Registration will continue until 30 May 1996 at the address Turkish College "Mehmet Akif Ersoy" (former electrical high school), Tirana, Tel: 042 348 95.