The American currency rises
Yesterday the exchange rate climbed above 100
TIRANA - An unexpected reversal in the foreign-exchange market. The lek, which until recently had “beaten down” the American dollar, has begun to rise again. Yesterday its price on the foreign-exchange market in the capital showed an increase, reaching 100 lekë. And it seems that it is precisely the process of depreciation that has made it more “valuable” and therefore more sought after. It has suddenly become clear that it costs very little to buy the currency, in order to buy with it, and, as they say, it becomes the best store of monetary wealth. At a price that characterizes only the money market, everyone has begun withdrawing their funds from the dollar and smiling at it.
DP demands: “Hajdari stripped of immunity”
Party uproar: “He helped people from the Sigurimi”
After sharp disputes over BSPSH, the parliamentary group responds. Decision expected soon
DP deputies: “Hajdari should be stripped of his immunity”
The group’s request may be considered on Thursday
Hajdari: “If they don’t let me, I’ll hold the congress in the street”
TIRANA - “Hajdari should be stripped of his immunity.” A request for the possible removal of deputy Hajdari’s immunity was made yesterday by a group of Democratic deputies. “His unconstitutional actions, his actions incompatible with the DP’s programme, as well as his violation of the party statute” are some of the charges over which the right-wing politician risks finding himself definitively without his parliamentary immunity. But the accusation weighing most heavily among the published charges is that he “kept security-service operatives within SHIK.” It seems that following the request by his own party members, relations between Hajdari and the DP are taking a different turn, and it is difficult to predict which direction they will go. In any case, being stripped of immunity would mean that Hajdari enters a minefield, from which he must find a way out. But the DP deputy does not hesitate to remind others of the cards he will bring into the ring if there is to be a contest.
On page 3
Azem Hajdari
THE DEBATE OVER THE TRADE UNIONS
Hajdari: “I’ll hold the congress in the street too”
BSPSH headquarters
TIRANA - Hajdari is not giving up on the trade unions. At a meeting with journalists yesterday, the DP deputy was once again outspoken, this time not only against Xheken but also against “corruption throughout the ranks of the Albanian state.”
On page 3
“We uncovered the clandestine migrants’ network”
Large-scale operation stretching from Lecce to Milan
MAJOR ARRESTS OF ALBANIANS
Exchange of citizens
Tirana, the savings bankers
:
Inter, Monaco and Karlsruhe, OK
From the match “Metz”-“Newcastle” 1:1
TIRANA - Hamburg’s UEFA disaster. The Germans have followed the example of their Borussia Mönchengladbach colleagues and were defeated 3–0 in France by Monaco. Inter (5–1 against Boavista) and Karlsruhe (3–1 against Brøndby) are almost certain to qualify for the quarter-finals.
On page 6
Change of judges: Die stops the trial
Tirana, Savings Bank bankers
Lawyer: The contracts can be annulled by a court in civil proceedings, not by the prosecution
TIRANA - An important turn in the trial of the two bankers at the Savings Bank, Tirana, accused of abuse of office. An unexpected change in the judicial panel—one judge has resigned—has interrupted the hearing, which will resume a day later. The surprise also cut short the remarks of one of the lawyers, who had harshly attacked the prosecution. He had tried to argue that no criminal offence had been committed in connection with the sale, on the grounds that the state had suffered no financial damage.
On page 5
Major operation from Lecce to Milan
BRINDISI - An entire network of people who had arrived clandestinely had been put at the service of the illicit trade. According to the Italian investigators’ initial statements, the men were assigned to operate in the drug market, while the women were involved in prostitution and the illegal labor market. The network, “broken up by the carabinieri’s [?] agents, also had a leader of its own. According to the Italians, one of the main contacts in Brindisi was the Albanian D.H.B., from Durrës, who had lived in Brindisi for a long time; another very strong link appears to have been another Albanian, Gj.P., 30, who lived many kilometers farther north than his arrested [?] associate, in Milan.
On page 5
The US veto on Butros Ghali
FROM THE WORLD
The US veto on Butros Ghali
Ambassador Albright: “We do not agree with the Egyptian’s bid for re-election”
On page 2
Seeking the nearly 300-year-old “final resting place” of the religious figure
“The grave of the Jewish saint is in Berat”
Israeli researchers: “We are ready to pay for the research”
BERAT - Israeli researchers are searching in Berat for the grave, more than 300 years old, of a saint of their people. Based on a very old book in English—which describes Jewish settlements—researchers from the Middle Eastern country have begun their search in an area known 400 years ago as the “Jewish quarter.”
With the help of an Albanian citizen from Durrës, the Israeli researchers—as they have stated—will organize an expedition using highly precise information to find the grave of the saint, regarded as the greatest figure of the Israeli nation.
According to the Israeli researchers’ statements, to [?] discover the saint’s grave, they are prepared to undertake the compensation of the owners of 100 houses located in the so-called “Jewish quarter.” The Israelis’ project to discover the saint’s “final resting place” also envisages building modern houses to replace those that will be demolished. According to the Israeli researchers, the saint of their country came to Berat and died there, having previously lived in Vlora.
Berat
Halli Tafa
“No confirmation that Musta has been found”
SHKODER - Still nothing has emerged regarding the mysterious disappearance of border serviceman Bashkim Musta.
The Shkodra police station has insisted on clarifying the matter in connection with the articles in Gazeta Shqiptare dated December 17, in its issue of the [?]: “On 8/1/1996, officer Bashkim Musta left the Pulaj Police post, Velipojë, and to this moment there is no confirmation of his whereabouts. Intensive efforts are under way to find him, and the information given on the dates mentioned is inaccurate.”
The bursting of the sewers closes the school
DURRËS
The bursting of the sewers closes the school
Health authorities: “Students are at risk”
On page 5
Dispute over a bakery: one killed
KUÇOVË
Dispute over a bakery: one killed
The story had begun two years earlier
On page 5
Border killings before the court
GJIROKASTËR
Border killings before the court
Three former soldiers accused over 1990
On page 5
FOOTBALL: EUROPEAN CUPS
Inter, Monaco and Karlsruhe, OK
SPECTACLE
BBC Radio turns 74
The birthday of the information giant.
On page 4
