The composition of the Central Electoral Commission is also announced Albania goes to the polls on May 26 Yesterday the President set the election date TIRANA - On May 26, Albanians head to the ballot boxes. Yesterday evening, it was the head of state, Berisha, who, by means of a decree issued by his office, definitively set the election date. Thus, the parties’ political preferences have finished “lining up”—just one month ago, after passing the presidential threshold, they presented their ideas and options for the election date at Berisha’s oval table. Ideas which, it seems, have placed the country’s number one and the opposition in the same political camp. On page 3

DURRES - The giant Tarin reservoir in the district of Dur-res has been brought under control. After four days and nights of anxiety and terror—the reservoir dam had burst at midnight on Monday—the situation has returned to normal. The water level has fallen, and just two days later, according to hydrogeology engineers, work to repair the dam may begin. The reservoir’s two outlets, the release canal and the spillway, have made it possible to drain nearly 1.4 million cubic meters of water in just three days. The villagers who had abandoned their homes threatened by the water have now returned and resumed their normal lives. A considerable fund has been allocated by the government for their food supplies, and more money is expected to be released from the state reserves to restore “calm” to the reservoir. Army and police forces, as well as three emergency headquarters, remained beside the residents at all times. On page 7 The breach in the Tarin reservoir

DURRES - The giant Tarin reservoir in the district of Dur-res has been brought under control.

The plane was just about to depart for Istanbul Fire breaks out in the engine[s] The plane was just about to depart for Istanbul Rinas, plane in flames: disaster averted Fire breaks out in the engine[s] TIRANA - Alarm at Rinas airport, and an air tragedy was only narrowly averted. As it was taking off, a “Turkish Airlines” plane caught fire. The plane’s crew evacuated all the passengers—around 80 people—while emergency firefighting vehicles brought the flames under control. While passenger flights to Turkey were suspended, mechanics and specialists worked for two days straight to repair the damage to the plane. On page 7

But yesterday he regained it in Kuçovë Yesterday, the process that stripped him of “Honorary Citizenship”

Yesterday’s municipal decision

No trace of those who drowned VLORE - After a month, the Italian authorities begin searching for those missing since March. The navy’s sophisticated craft, speedboats and specialist divers are now searching the waters of Otranto. Investigations have begun to clear up the mystery surrounding the incident that shook the country. While the tragedy of the missing speedboat is taking an even heavier toll on the families of the 34 people, after repeated searches by the Albanian side, none of the crew has been found. On page 7

. Another world-class literary figure is flying toward Albanian soil. Ernesto Sabato will arrive in Tirana very soon. It seems that the visit of the Latin American writer to the country that gave him its greatest literary prize is now definitely confirmed. Now the first international prize bearing the name of the master of Albanian letters, “Kadare,” will be in the hands of its winner. The 85-year-old writer from Argentina has confirmed his participation in the ceremony organized for this occasion. April was the time previously anticipated by the winner himself for his arrival; now the leading figure of Albanian letters will present the cup bearing his own name to the winning writer. Kadare’s departure from Paris on April 12 will be specifically for this occasion. With the intention of making it a tradition, the first “Kadare” prize began its journey by recognizing Latin American literature. Awarded by the VELIJA Cultural Foundation in November of last year, the International Prize was attributed to Ernesto Sabato’s work. Among names such as Allende, Neruda, Marquez, etc., who have contributed to the literature of Sabato’s country, it seems that only the latter became the target of the Albanian prize. The jury, chaired by Rexhep Qosja, unanimously decided to honor the names of Kadare and Sabato through an award. Recognition for the Argentine, not only from the country of his mother’s origin—“My mother was 50% Albanian,” Sabato would write—but also because of the fame attributed to Kadare. The great Argentine writer welcomed this victory and accepted the invitation to come to Albania immediately after the Prize was announced. The subsequent refusal by the winner himself came because of personal reasons. It was the writer’s son’s death that made the trip impossible. But nevertheless: “I don’t want to close my eyes without seeing the mountains of Albania. I may come after the Albanian winter is over,” Sabato would write to the director of the Foundation that gave him the Prize, Ms. Mira Meksi. Just a few days before Sabato’s arrival in Albania, the “Kadare” Prize is still waiting to pass into the hands of the person who deserved it. The visit to Tirana by the author of “The Tunnel,” “Heroes and Tombs,” or “Abaddón the Exterminator” marks one of this year’s most important events.

Yesterday’s decision by the Municipality The leader of the PS is now No. 1 in Kuçovë “Fatos Nano has contributed to democratic progress in Albania and Kuçovë.” This was the rationale accepted by the city’s municipal councilors for declaring the socialist leader an honorary citizen of Kuçovë. And in the afternoon, at a routine meeting of the municipal council, its chairman, Arqile Mjeshtri, proposed to the 14 councilors present, out of 17 in total, that Fatos Nano be declared an honorary citizen. On page 3

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And PAD is waiting for the “purity screening” The Commission’s response today And PAD is waiting for the “purity screening” PS awaits the candidates The Commission’s response today TIRANË — PS and PAD are waiting today for the publication of the names of the people who will represent them in this year’s elections. Signed by the Commission for the Verification of Public Officials’ Backgrounds, the lists—with 315 candidates for socialist deputies and 30 for PAD—seem set to reopen the process of assigning candidates to the electoral districts where the parties claim representation. On page 3

From the World On page 2

Yesterday — Cup “Tirana” has the final in the bag “Teuta” draws in Vlorë and returns calmly to Durrës: a place in the final also seems more than certain On page 5 From the “Olimpik” - “Tirana” match, 1–3 (photo: H. Pustina)

Italian Championship On page 6

Kavajë, women and children with flowers return disappointed Concert at the stadium, without singers Gjebrea and Gjili, the news was false KAVAJË — Someone had said that a big concert would be held in the city and that Ardit Gjebrea and the singer from Kosovo, Gili, would take part. Hundreds of residents “occupied” the Kavajë stadium. After an hour or even longer of waiting, nobody came from Tirana. Nobody had planned the concert in Kavajë. Otherwise, it was a hoax, or that false reality presented as true in the provinces. Nobody had told the two singers about a concert on Tuesday in Kavajë. In fact, they did not know that, 65 kilometers from Tirana, hundreds of citizens were waiting for them impatiently, with flowers and ready to sing their songs together. The hours passed, and someone said what everyone was thinking: the feelings of Kavajë’s music-loving citizens had been mocked. But the story takes on a different tone, much farther from comedy, when the chief of police in Kavajë says that such a thing may have been organized with the aim of setting the citizens against the police. Fortunately, this did not happen. The “Boses” players began training at the stadium, and the singers saved their songs for another time. Qemal Carra Ardit Gjebrea Qemal Carra Ardit Gjebrea