US studying the law. Italy threatens to withdraw its troops Parties meet at the Government. They again call for changes to the law: constituencies, lists, commissions TIRANA - The United States is concerned about the fate of the Albanian crisis, while Italy is threatening to withdraw the forces of the “Alba” mission, and production has issued an ultimatum to the Albanian forces to reach agreement by Sunday. The State Department has stated that, since Vranicki’s latest visit, no signs of an agreement between the political parties have been seen. “We will review the electoral law in order to reach a final judgment,” said Xhim Suigert, director of the Office for Southern and Eastern Europe, while calling on the parties in Albania to cooperate fully with Vranicki, who has made intensive efforts to reach an acceptable law that responds to all the demands of the Albanian political parties as well as concerns about holding free and fair elections. “Washington is sufficiently concerned that the law was approved without the participation of the opposition parties.” Meanwhile, Dini has called for further modifications to the law: “It must satisfy all the parties that are in the Government.” Like the OSCE envoy, Suigert, speaking on behalf of the State Department, has described the actions of the Albanian parties as political games; for weeks they have been discussing the matter without managing to find common ground. “Washington is concerned by what we are seeing and, as Mr. Vranicki told us, by the political game—the electoral game—that all sides are playing for short-term political gain over an extremely serious issue affecting the future of all Albanians and requiring everyone to take highly responsible positions. But unfortunately,” the senior US official added, “no such change has been observed during the past 24 hours.” The issue of elections will determine the level of support for Albania. Suigert has also warned of this, openly backing the Fino government as the sole positive factor for international support: “For this assistance to continue, it is very important that conditions be created for it in the country, and elections are the right way to create the conditions for that. It is vital to have a fair electoral law.” Italy has taken a tougher stance, making its support conditional on the existence of the Fino Government. The Prime Minister holds a meeting. Agreement on the campaign on RTV and the role of SHIK The President rejects the proposal to modify the electoral constituencies: “There is absolutely no question of reviewing them.” On page 2 The parties at the round table ask the PD for Berisha to put forward new amendments that will make the law acceptable to everyone. On page 3 Çeka: “Either the law or Berisha. Otherwise this country has no future.” Politicians insist: “With this law, we will not enter the campaign.” On page 3

The President rejects the proposal to modify the electoral constituencies: “There is absolutely no question of reviewing them.”

The parties at the round table ask the PD for Berisha to put forward new amendments that will make the law acceptable to everyone.

Çeka: “Either the law or Berisha. Otherwise this country has no future.” Politicians insist: “With this law, we will not enter the campaign.”

VLORË Committees: “Let us not allow any more [?] of the [?]” The South awaits political developments in Tirana On page 3

THE ROUND TABLE Nano calls for changes: PD stands firm Shehu: “I asked that we sign a social pact” On page 3

THE HEAD OF THE GUARD’S LOYALIST TIRANA - Berisha miraculously escaped an armed attack that several people, whose identities remain unknown, at least to the general public, organized against him at midnight between 12 and 13 March, during the terrifying events in Tirana. One of the President’s loyalists, himself also a protagonist in that event, told a Kosovo journalist the details of that night, when Berisha felt the danger of death so close. Who were the two people killed near the Presidency? Who were their companions who managed to escape? Who organized the first assassination attempt against Berisha? Why has the President himself never spoken about that event? This story will be revealed in this issue ...

FOOTBALL Battle for Kavaja, alarm in the Government

FOOTBALL European Cups: Albania out On page 7

The road to Përmet, a paradise for bandits people PERMET - Masked gangs continue to terrorize travelers. Robberies, looting, and numerous shots fired at the prey and victims of these gangs. Their members, armed to the teeth, have so far gone almost entirely unpunished, and are all adolescents. “Many of them even operate under the influence of narcotics.” The bridge at Kar- dhigit, destroyed with explosives, is now another problem and threatens Greek imports. Most of the “masked men” are drugged adolescents and young people Kakavijë

A house has been riddled with bullets On page 5

Security measures for the wounded in hospital On page 5

They had left during the March exodus On page 5

CREDITORS OF “SUDE” WARN THE GOVERNMENT AND THE PRESIDENT “The money or we won’t vote” Was Sudja a pyramid scheme? TIRANË - “If our money is not returned to us in full, we will not take part in the elections.” A delegation representing thousands of creditors of the bankrupt company “SUDE” issued an ultimatum to Albanian politicians yesterday. Another obstacle to organizing new elections is emerging. And it appears not to be political, but rather related to one of the main concerns of thousands of citizens: widespread dissatisfaction over losing money in so-called pyramid schemes. In tomorrow’s issue, the creditors of “SUDE” express their dissatisfaction with the indifference this political leadership is showing toward the critical situation of people who have lost their money. “We have appealed several times to the previous Government. The Pëllumbi Government. We have repeated our appeals and also addressed the President; we have made a request to the President. For six months we have been [cut-off section] no concrete answer about resolving our problems,” the document issued by the creditors states, among other things. And there are several mysteries they want clarified. Where did the money go? What will happen to those who have lost their homes? And what about those who have lost all the money they invested in businesses they built themselves? The creditors of the “Sude” company say it was not a pyramid scheme, despite having been declared one. One of their arguments for this is that Sudja operated for five consecutive years without any disruption in payments to creditors. “Why did this happen in November 1996?” one of them asks. There is also another accusation from the creditors, concerning the signing of the magical company. They claim that in the last 3–4 days, before the bankruptcy, the company finally managed to gather one of the last [unclear text] being transported to a house with [unclear text]…

MICROSURGERY From Darkness to Light “EYE MICROSURGERY” in Moscow Just like the 300,000 patients who leave the walls of this institute—6,000 of whom are from 100 countries around the world—with their eyesight restored, this is also the only opportunity for you, o [unclear: surgeons?] in Europe. This is so that you can acclimatize and [unclear] near this institute. Now the agency of this Institute is also operating in Tirana. In addition to consultations, it provides examinations and surgery, inspection, visits, and services in [unclear text]. “[unclear: WE ARE WONDERFUL TO EVERYONE?]” This is the [unclear: motto?] of director, academician CHEJODOROV, and his colleagues at the scientific and technical complex “EYE MICROSURGERY”