Kosovrasti breaks down the election budget. Compensation for the committees remains undecided Over three million USD for the elections Ballot papers, boxes, secret booths... here are the expenses TIRANA—The sum that the ’96 elections will cost the Meksi government is over 3 million dollars. Ballot papers, boxes, voter lists, stamps, secret booths, paper and ink, payments for the many committee members: these are just some of the components of the electoral mechanism that have consumed and will consume money. The sum, not anticipated in the government’s reserve fund, will flow into every part of the huge campaign mechanism. According to the local government unit, Njazi Kosovrasti, “a respectable campaign also means serious funding for it.” More than 15 tons of paper have been sent to all the prefectures of Albania. The law on elections has been printed and distributed in 10,000 copies. There will be around 6,000 small ballot boxes. Dozens more tons of paper will be used up by May 26. This is only part of the universe of material resources that will consume the 3 million dollars coming from the state treasury. A ballot box costs 10,000 lekë, a secret booth 20,000, and there are 15 tons of paper, 115 stamps for the election committees, as well as lots of stationery On page 3

NEWS Albania in the illegal network Drug trafficking: “Here are its threads” Former trafficker tells his story On page 5

GJIROKASTËR No political slogans on the ancient walls On page 3

BERAT Hundreds of dollars for dëshët[?]

Berisha in Fier, Shehu introduced in Kavajë DP: after the capital, the attack on the districts begins Ultimatum to the districts Commission’s SOS: “We are very late; send the documentation” “We are late. Send the documentation.” The alarm is being raised this time from the offices of the electoral commission in the capital. The documentation for more than 1,100 selected parliamentary candidates will be voluminous... [?] is to be submitted by midnight today. The Commission names Tirana, Pukë, Tropojë and Gramsh as “punctual”; these districts have completed their submissions. Berisha

Police: “The young killer was insane” Australia, a bloody holiday 34 tourists massacred SYDNEY—Sunday afternoon was one of horror. In Port Arthur, Tasmania, a 29-year-old blond young man with mental health problems killed around 34 people. In addition to the victims, among whom were children, there were also 18 wounded, as well as three hostages, who were also killed. The killer opened fire without any apparent cause or motive on some tourists and residents of the tourist area after getting out of a yellow Volkswagen. A helicopter in summer. … accompanied by a …, he plays the flute in the center of Shkodër and the townspeople give him a small amount of money. The old man has been left alone, but even so he earns his living with dignity, and even by giving something to the beauties of Shkodër. He is dressed in a traditional costume from the highlands south of Shkodër, a costume that may be as old as he is. Every day, accompanied by his grandson—now the only one he has in this world—the old man gives a “concert” for the townspeople, who listen thoughtfully as he plays his flute for almost 15 minutes; then, as if completing a ritual, he falls silent and gazes intently and proudly at his spectators. And they do not hold back. Someone drops a small banknote into the cap the child holds in his hand, someone else gives a little something. The old man nods in greeting and continues on his way, looking for another corner where he can play his flute again. “It’s an inheritance from my grandfather. He left it to my father, and my father gave it to me,” says the old man, who was once a shepherd. Thus, like a piece of living folklore, he continues along the long and difficult road of survival. And he even makes himself useful to others. Ermal Mlika

Story Playing the flute in the street for money SHKODËR—A 100-year-old flute provides a livelihood for two people. It is a scene straight out of a Chaplin film, but naturally with an Albanian “script.” An elderly, frail man—he is 78 years old—accompanied by his 10-year-old grandson, his living with dignity, and even by giving the people of Shkodër a little something beautiful. He is dressed in a ...

Socialists ready “to prevent manipulation” On page 3

Brokaj with the Bulgarian socialists TIRANA - The Albanian socialists “land” in Bulgaria. It was the SP Deputy Secretary-General, Sabit Brokaj, who, “abandoning… ” for a few days the electoral campaign of his party, which had just begun, positively responded to an invitation from his counterparts. On page 3 SP headquarters

“There is a solution” DURRËS - The fleet workers' strike in Durrës continues. Its duration has now “knocked” even on the doors of high-level authorities, who are trying to find common ground with the strikers. On Monday, the head of the National Privatization Agency, Niko Glozheni, arrived in Durrës. But even after talks with the strike committee, the workers announced that they would continue the strike until their demands were met. On page 5

FOOTBALL “Partizani”-“Laçi” 3:0 The Reds now close to UEFA The Italian championship in figures All the information on the latest matches and Italian teams On page 6 On page 5 From the “Partizani”-“Laçi” match

There are 12 cities where all the songs will be screened “Songs of the Season ’96” gets underway The touring show begins. The artists are in Vlora today TIRANA - “Songs of the Season ’96” gets underway. A group of around sixty artists will “stay” in Vlora today, thus beginning the spring tour of our light-music event. Well-known names, as well as eleven newcomers on stage, including Deda, Qerreti, Diko, Nini, …, will sing in more than ten cities announced at the outset. According to the tour itinerary, Durrësi and Korça have also been added, along with the unexpected additions of Mëmalijaj and Bulqiza. Everyone is heading to Vlora, where today at 19:00 the curtain will rise on the spring stage of ’96. The coastal city is thus hosting the event for the second consecutive year, as it has just begun to establish the new tradition of touring the districts. Five cities had enjoyed the songs of the season ’96 up close last weekend; among them, Vlora was one of the first to make its stay part of the story. The artists’ route does not pass only through Durrësi, nor even just through Korça or Fieri. The number of stages where the twenty-one selected singers, together with the works submitted by composers and lyricists, will appear has grown. Among the newly added cities awaiting the artists’ troupe are Mëmalijaj and Bulqiza, as well as distant Tetova. For the first time, such a large light-music group is “enriching” life across the border. Of the twelve, only three will have stages from which the shows will be broadcast, incorporating local attractions as well. A festival with the delicate lyricism typical of our light music, with Zhani Ciko as artistic director, Alqi Boshkajun as coordinator and literary editor, and Alfred Kaçinari as music editor. The script was written by Genc Ymeraj, and direction will be handled by Gergj Rita. The tour begins today in Vlora, then continues over six weeks to Saranda, Gjirokastra and Memaliaj. The singers arriving from southern cities may constitute the first test for “Songs of the Season ’96”, which this time will determine the hits in a different setting. It will no longer be the stage of the Palace of Congresses, but another venue whose name the organizers are still keeping as a surprise. P.re

An ambulance carrying the injured (REUTERS)

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Makes a bomb: kiosk explodes On page 5

Hoxha's works stolen from a warehouse On page 5

CULTURE Europe: The history of half a century in one book The “Dituria” publishing house brings the American Laquer's study to market On page 7

Berisha