5 police officers and 20 residents were injured. Dozens detained Tirana, the “illegal” residents protest. Yesterday morning they blocked the Tirana-Durrës highway and clashed with the police “After an hour of clashes, the ‘uprising’ of the northeastern residents was quelled. ‘We will defend our homes at any cost. They are the only property we have in this world; we have nowhere else to go.’” TIRANA - A bloody clash between the police and protesters in Laprakë, Tirana. A decision by the Municipality of Tirana to demolish several houses built without permits by residents from northeastern areas has provoked their fierce reaction. Yesterday at seven in the morning, around 150 residents erected a barricade on the Tirana-Durrës highway using gravel, trees and burning car tires. The villagers’ protest brought traffic to a halt on the country’s largest road artery. A large police force immediately arrived at the scene and clashed with the protesters for around an hour. Men, women and children, surrounded by special forces, defended themselves by throwing stones at the police. The police responded in kind. Five police officers and around 20 residents were injured in the clashes. Around 20 others were also taken to the police station. After an hour, the police cleared the road. Meanwhile, raids began on the houses nearby. The police pursued many protesters who had run away among the [unclear] where buildings had been erected. Traffic remained blocked for several more hours. The traffic chaos continued until around 11. The villagers say they will defend their homes. “Why didn’t they stop us when we built them,” they say, “but are demolishing them now, when we’ve been living in them for three years?” (Photo: P. Ilo) On page 5 BERAT Islamists in court against the socialists On page 5 One of the demolished houses (above); a girl injured yesterday

His automatic rifle is taken from him SARANDË - A police officer was attacked after midnight on Monday by a group of unidentified individuals and seriously wounded with a knife. They left him in serious condition, with a chest wound, and also took his automatic rifle. The officer was on duty at the branch of the Savings Bank. The perpetrators have not yet been detained. On page 5

Blood feud TIRANA - From Albania to America to escape revenge. After living illegally for more than a year, hiding from the bullets of a rival seeking revenge, a young man from Tirana embarked on an adventure. Although he felt safe, he set off for America. But even in the final moments of his stay in Albania, the fear of revenge did not leave him. “Help me, I’m in danger. Listen to me all the way to Rinas Airport.” This is how he appealed to the police, who provided him with a car carrying police officers until he boarded the plane. Perhaps for the first time, an Albanian is “escaping” under police supervision. Going to America—a dream that, it seems, all Albanians have—but for the young man from Tirana this was more than just a wish. A year earlier he had been the victim of an armed brawl. Automatic-rifle bullets had left him half-dead. His friends had brought him back to life, but the consequences were severe. The young man was left paralyzed. Even after this, the assailants had not left him in peace. “Death”—that was their warning to him. After that, the young man began living illegally. For a whole year he stayed shut inside his home, or in the few homes he visited accompanied by his friends. In this situation, as the shadow of death seemed to knock at his door at every moment, he had made his decision: to leave Albania to escape death. And he chose America as a land of peace, where the shadow of the killers would no longer follow him at every step. After arranging private surveillance and everything else he needed, he set off for the airport, the final stop. But even for this journey he did not feel safe, so he asked the police for help. “They’re following me; they could kill me even at the very last moment.” A police van accompanied him to Rinas, until he boarded there and left the runway behind. A man who has left and will never return, leaving behind [unclear] that were no less terrible than death. (m.k.)

Mejdani: “I don’t see any trend toward a new party” Politicians’ meeting. Concern over the elections for the Presidium Yesterday, the prosecutor Ganaj’s request

40,000-lekë vouchers in circulation TIRANA - More than 1 million and 700 thousand vouchers with a nominal value of around 60 billion lekë will begin to pour into circulation from November 1 of this year, for

Yesterday, prosecutor Ganaj’s request TIRANË—More than a century and a half in prison for the genocidaires. That is what prosecutor Shkëlqim Ganaj requested yesterday for nine people accused of crimes against humanity. A full 183 years in prison: that is the sentence the prosecution has proposed for the leading figures in the group of accused charged with crimes against humanity. A sentence of 25 years each was requested for Gërgini, Bajraktari and Domi. Cuko, Haderi and Vero were each asked to receive 20 years, Beqiri 18 years, and Abazi and Tafa 15 years each. A harsher proposal was made for the five defendants being tried in absentia. Meanwhile, among those present in the dock, Abazi and Tafa were the “most privileged.” They had admitted the charges and expressed remorse for what had been done during the communist years. In any case, the decision on the prosecutor’s proposals will be made on Friday by the judicial panel, chaired by Mehi Bejti. On page 5

TIRANE—The PS opposed the faction section within their party. After a meeting yesterday between Poj, Hajdaraga, Meta, Vukaj, Dizdari, Sinani and Angjeli, a veil of suspicion has been lifted within the PS. Will there be a new party born out of the PS? “I have not observed any tendencies in the PS to create another party,” Mejdani Poj said, declaring that “there will be no split in the PS.” On page 3

TIRANE—More than 1.7 million vouchers, with a nominal value of around 60 billion lekë, will begin to be issued on November 1 this year, enabling Phase II—the final phase—of mass privatization, which will continue until the end of 1999. TIRANE—More than 1.7 million will begin to be issued on November 1 this year, enabling Phase II—the final phase—of mass privatization, which will continue until the end of 1999. This time, the Savings Bank branches will distribute 40,000-lekë vouchers for the first time, alongside the 20,000-lekë vouchers. The Bank of Albania will no longer issue privatization vouchers worth 10,000 or 15,000 lekë. All age groups eligible to benefit in this new phase of privatization will also be entitled to use all the unused vouchers they received in the first phase. Meanwhile, the procedures will remain the same as those applied up to now. On page 7

TIRANE—The Albanian Football Federation is against violence in stadiums. Twelve weeks for Behar and eight for Çuko. That was yesterday’s proposal, which is expected to be made public today. Farewell to UEFA for last year’s champions. Bayern München have left the UEFA title vacant after losing 3–0 in Spain to Valencia and winning 1–0 in Germany without glory. Klinsmann misses a penalty. On page 6

TIRANE—Yesterday, Alen Celalaj was injured in an accident during the filming of “Bolero.” On page 4

Guests at the chief policeman’s wedding fired shots KUKËS—Shots rang out at the wedding of the chief of the Malësia e Madhe police station, but the wedding guests ended up at the police station. An order from his colleague in Kukës—where the wedding was being held—magically brought the numerous gunshots to a halt. Not only that: he also notified the central authorities and the Ministry of the Interior, and further measures are now expected against the chief policeman of Malësia e Madhe, who broke the law and turned his wedding into a real battle. It happened last Thursday in Kukës. In keeping with unwritten tradition, guests at the wedding of I. S., chief of the Malësia e Madhe police station, wanted to celebrate by firing their guns. For several minutes, the guests fired pistols and automatic weapons. The shots could be heard throughout Kukës—the wedding was being held at a local venue called “Zabel.” But before long, a van carrying law-enforcement officers intervened and took several of the guests to the police station. The Kukës police chief had previously called for people not to fire guns at weddings, and this time he did not spare even his fellow officer in uniform. The Ministry of the Interior was also informed about his [sic], but so far no response from the General Department of Public Order had been reported. The city of Kukës and its villages have become a problem because of the unusual way weddings are celebrated: endless gunfire from wedding guests, which at any moment can also lead to unlawful [sic] acts. “A few days ago, when the German ambassador visited Kukës, the city police chief had called for an absolute ban on firing guns at weddings. Today’s case showed that he will not tolerate these dangerous practices.”

Federation:

On page 5

On page 5

ATHINE—Prime Minister Simitis has incorporated his changes into the cabinet. On page 2 Kostas Simitis