The UN’s annual economic report is published TIRANË - Albania has been ranked among the countries that recorded unexpected economic growth during 1995, exceeding the forecasts made by international institutions. This is shown by figures in a recently published annual report by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe. The document examines economic developments in Europe—Western, Eastern, and Central—during the past year. On page 3

ANTI-GENOCIDE / At 10 o’clock, nine former senior officials in the dock The former Bloc leaders: even the death penalty? Trials begin today. They face more than 15 years TIRANË - Albania’s “Nuremberg” begins today at the Tiranë court. Nine former senior leaders of the Party of Labour will sit in the dock; the law provides for a sentence of no less than 15 years in prison, up to and including the death penalty. At ten o’clock, in the court’s two large chambers, the two groups of former Bloc leaders, accused of genocide and crimes against humanity, will face the prosecutors. While the pairs of prosecutors and judges who will preside over the two trials have already been announced, some of the court’s staff have put the finishing “touches” on the chambers where the proceedings will be held. The defense lawyers speak Lawyers: “No genocide was committed here” “We will seek to have the genocide charge dismissed, since the accused have not committed the acts covered by this article of the law, and we will also request that the interned witnesses be brought into the courtroom,” says lawyer Luan Shehi, who represents Muho Asllani and Sul Bushati and warns of a fierce battle between prosecutors and defense lawyers. On page 3 The accused of genocide in court

A parent’s appeal: “Find my daughter” On page 5

Car bombing: two young people die

“Most of them are intellectuals”

According to an American poll TIRANË - Optimism in the PD ahead of the upcoming elections. The results of an American poll, made public yesterday by the Democratic Party, sho- PD headquarters

PAD selects commission members Yesterday in Tiranë, the Electoral assembly of the liberal democrats A response is awaited regarding Gjinushi PSD passes the test: leaders “clean” “Joy” in the social-democratic camp following the arrival of responses from the Figure Verification Commission. Of the 108 parliamentary candidates PSD had submitted for the “cleanliness” test, only [sic] on Thursday, to be elected or not. The long list of candidates includes some of PSD’s most important figures, while the name of the most [sic] of this party, Skënder Gjinushi, is missing. Neritan Ceka

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On page 5

On page 5

TIRANA - The PD is optimistic about the upcoming elections. TIRANA - The PD is optimistic about public yesterday by the Democratic Party, indicate that it has an advantage over its main rival, the Socialist Party. According to figures from USIA (the U.S. Information Agency), which are published only for government officials, “the PD will get 49 percent in the elections, compared with 20 percent for the Socialists, according to the poll.” OPINION ANALYSIS On page 3

From the World Israeli bomb over Beirut: 29 dead More than 200,000 leave their homes On page 2

CULTURE CULTURE CULTURE Ahmet Zogu: “The great loner” who played among the Powers Ushtelencës’s book discusses the King’s diplomacy On page 7 Ahmet Zogu’s marriage to Geraldina Published for the first time

Lushnje, they were wanted LUSHNJE - A police sweep in Lushnje targeting thieves and criminals. A Lushnje police operation put a full 13 people, who had long been wanted, behind bars yesterday. They face charges of theft in complicity, murders, and millennium [?] robberies. The numerous reports from citizens of Lushnje had kept the police on alert for some time. After gathering extensive information, the police carried out a blitz operation and managed to put behind bars the largest group ever caught in this city. On page 5

On Tuesday, a train will take Shkodra’s faithful to Saint Anthony Temporary church for Easter Orthodox families gather SHKODËR - It is the newest church in Albania and perhaps the most unusual. It is made entirely of wood, its height exceeding three storeys, while inside its walls are such that it can comfortably accommodate 200 people. This was the sacred wish with which Shkodra’s Orthodox faithful celebrated the Resurrection of Christ on Saturday. It is a temporary church, says Father Aleksandri, because Shkodra’s Orthodox will have another one, newer and larger. “He comes from an Orthodox family, but I lack the cult of faith in this, since Orthodox families are few in number.” On Saturday evening, the church took on all the dimensions of a real and magnificent celebration. While Shkodra gains a new place of worship—the city already has the Church, the Cathedral and the Orthodox Church—another gift will arrive for Catholics. There will now be a special train for them. This is what the Railway Directorate has decided, to help Catholic worshippers from Shkodra, Lezhë and many northern areas who will go to celebrate the feast at the church in Laç. A special railway service will begin operating on Tuesday on the occasion of the “13 Tuesdays of Saint Anthony.” For 13 consecutive Tuesdays, many worshippers from Shkodra will travel to perform their religious rites at the Church of Laç. It has been decided that the Passenger Train will leave Shkodra at 04:40 in the morning and, after making the Shkodra–Laç journey, return at 10:30. This service will greatly ease the weekly journey for hundreds of people. It seems the Railway Directorate’s decision was also influenced by an incident some time ago, when two carriages carrying worshippers became detached from the Tirana–Shkodra train. From the Easter celebration (photo: H. Pustina)

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On page 3