The number one man in law and order, Çelo, has flown to Athens A riot broke out last night at Tirana Prison. Four guards are being held hostage. Political motives, too Hino: “What? He had asked me for three days’ leave to go to Fier; I didn’t know he was going to leave” TIRANA - Erosion at the Ministry of the Interior. Belul Çelo has left Albania and the post of Minister of the Interior. At 11 o’clock he departed from Rinas aboard an “Olympic” plane and travelled to Athens. Sources at Rinas say he was alone, without anyone accompanying him as a driver. Meanwhile, after the news broke, Prime Minister Fino said that Çelo had asked him for three days’ leave because he was going to Fier to rest. It is not known whether his trip yesterday to the Greek capital has added to the number of high-ranking officials who have fled, or whether it was simply a private trip and he will return once the leave granted by his superior is over. Meanwhile, confirmation has arrived from Italy from its Ministry of the Interior, stating that Agim Shehu and Xhahid Xhaferi had travelled on tourist visas. TIRANA - Riot at Tirana Prison. Four internal security police officers, prison guards, have been taken hostage by inmates in the new rehabilitation unit 313. In exchange for their release, the prisoners have issued a list of demands and managed to contact Albania’s highest justice authorities, including Justice Minister Spartak Ngjela and Director General of Prisons Dalip Zhanbolli. Two prisoners, accompanied by dozens of police officers and two special-forces units, entered the prison director’s office to discuss their demands. Better living conditions in prison, the possibility of special visits once a month with their wives, and the provision of a video television set. But for Justice Minister Spartak Ngjela these were only pretexts. In the evening, Ngjela said: “By voting for the PS, they hoped that something would change for them after the elections and perhaps they hoped they would be helped out of prison, but there are laws in Albania and such a thing cannot happen.” It was 9:45 p.m. when a revolt broke out at Tirana Prison among around 180 convicted prisoners and detainees. They managed to take hostage four police employees serving inside the prison and did not let them leave. Using knives and other makeshift implements found in their cells, they blocked one of the prison’s internal gates; within minutes they had formed a united group and joined together. Meanwhile, the prison went on full alert. Within ten minutes, Director General of Prisons Dalip Zhanbolli arrived at the scene, followed by Tirana Police Director Pashk Tusha. Special forces surrounded the entire prison complex and ordered that no one be allowed in through the “Demokracia” printing house. Then Justice Minister Spartak Ngjela also arrived at the rehabilitation unit. Of the two options put forward—storming the prison by force or negotiating with the leaders of the revolt—the latter was preferred. Two prisoners left the cells where they had been barricaded with the others and went up to the building’s second floor. Under the strict surveillance of police officers and special forces, they handed over a handwritten list of their demands, which were mainly economic, and received assurances that they would not be harmed. Half an hour after the revolt broke out, the situation was under control. Zhanbolli says that after the prison break in March, within three or four days they will be in a position to make this the third prison to offer better living conditions for inmates. Meanwhile, the revolt’s leaders asked for just 30 minutes to decide and continue [?] calmly and in an orderly manner, promising to release the four police employees. At 10:30 p.m., the situation was fully under control. Lorenc Vangjeli Although the official result of the parliamentary elections has not been announced, television channels, news agencies and newspapers have reported the flight of the Minister of the Interior, two generals, as well as a number of senior judicial officials. A few months ago, the first minister, General Luan Mëhilli, Deputy Minister of Defense Zhukali, and Governor Luniku had left, plunging the sectors entrusted to them by At dheu into complete chaos. Perhaps there will be other departures which, although they may lead someone to seek asylum, are indicative of the harshness, extremism and corruption of Albanian politics. Perhaps these traits of Albanian politics explain why they all “took to their heels” the moment they were ousted from power? There is no doubt that this flight is an expression of fear of the victor’s revenge. But how well-founded is this fear, and what is its nature? Because the departure was quite justified TIRANA - An exodus from the Ministry of the Interior. And the Minister of the Interior, Belul Çelo, is also leaving Albania. At 11 he departed from Rinasimajevon for the “Olimpikut” and traveled to Athens. Sources at Rinas say he was alone, with no one driving him.

Andrea Stefani Indeed, flight has been a traditional epilogue for Albanian governments of this century. In Albania there has been room only for the victors. Whenever politics has reached a crossroads, on the eve of invasions or the culmination of uprisings or revolutions, crowds of politicians defeated in the political battle—kings, ministers, generals—have been seen fleeing around the world, leaving their “beloved” homeland as a testament to the absolute rule of their opponents. And we believed that this expulsion, this exile of political factions, was a feature of an era of fierce struggles for power, an era that ended with the wind that swept away the Berlin Wall. Sadly, that is not the case. Eight years have passed since then, and the “flight” of senior officials continues to herald the arrival of another storm of power. But, unlike birds, the migration of Albanian politicians has never managed to herald the arrival of spring. And yet, even when pluralism and the rotation of power are written in large letters on the state’s flag, in Albania familiar figures in Albanian politics continue to behave as they did at the end of World War II, when the partisans were coming down from the mountains. Some of these fugitives were collaborators, and the victors were separated from them by the logic of war. Others understood that they would become victims of the absolute rule of communist power. But now there is no communist power. So why flee again? Are they fleeing war or the vote? It is difficult to accept fear of traditional political revenge as the reason for this haemorrhage. It is true that bare forms of such revenge—dismissal from a job or position, for example—have occurred and may occur again. But it would be wrong to explain the flight of former officials today by their fear of the “partisans.” It seems to us that, more than a matter of politics, this flight of those in power is a matter of justice, both for those who flee and for every citizen of this country. These dignitaries are conscious of the “wrongdoings” they have committed, or they do not trust the justice system they themselves created. Or they fear the violations they committed “in the name of the law” and have no faith in the justice system they themselves created. They may have committed no such sins, but fear political manipulation of the justice authorities, which they should know better than anyone. In any case, whatever the motive for the flight of these undignified dignitaries, it has nothing to do with people’s freedom and is a form of treason against the homeland. Socrates, even though unjustly sentenced to death, refused to leave Athens, solely so as not to break the law, “because the state would be harmed.” If they are honest, even if they have made mistakes and committed no crimes, former officials should stay and defend their own dignity and that of the state they governed. They will have all honest public and political opinion on their side. But if excessive party or clan zeal pushed them into unlawful acts, harming ordinary citizens or the opposition—both of whom are as valuable to the state as the ruling side—then they must explain themselves before the state with the same courage that characterized them when they “attacked” in its name.

AFTER THE ELECTIONS On page 5

TIRANA On page 8

Shehu: “We want the elections to be repeated” TIRANA - “We will demand that the elections in the South be repeated.” The DP yesterday declared, through the words of Pollo and Shehu, the Democrats’ demand for the elections to be repeated. According to DP leaders, in many areas there had been pressure and violations involving electoral commissions, as well as candidates for parliament. At a press conference, the two senior DP officials specified that the DP would not contest the elections as a whole, but had the right to take the irregularities observed in many parts of the country to court. This was the DP’s first political position after Sunday’s elections. According to Shehu, the runoff means another second battle for the DP, and he has assured that the DP will win a great deal in the second round. On page 2

The Referendum adventure continues TIRANA - “Our votes have been manipulated.” This was the statement made by throne claimant Leka Zogu at yesterday’s press conference. “I heed the people’s decision, but not manipulation,” said the symbol of the monarchy. Court officials are claiming victory, while presenting figures that contradicted those presented by the socialists the previous day. Meanwhile, Leka has also conveyed his concerns to Vranicki in a letter sent yesterday. On page 3

Yesterday thousands of people demonstrated in favour of the republic VLORA. On page 8

Italian authorities prepare for the return of Albanians ITALY. On page 3

LAS VEGAS - Tyson has thirty days to defend himself. “The purpose of all this is punishment, but only that; he is also to be tried, and he has apologized, as will be explained by a special commission.” This was stated during the hearing opened in Nevada. Thirty million dollars earmarked for him have been frozen in an American bank, and he will answer for everything he has done. “It is true that I made a serious gesture, but I am not the only one. At least I hope to be punished for this incident of mine,” declared the man who became the greatest champion in professional boxing, Mike Tyson, at the press conference. Evander, I’m sorry; you are the champion and I respect that fact. On page 6 Tyson’s shameful scene

SHOW . Tinka Kurti: 40 years of life with Tana’s hair. On page 4

TURKEY . Jillmaz: I will form the government within 12 days. On page 7