Bullets fired at the former head of SHIR. Masked men open fire Ferit Tahja, a senior officer in the Ministry of Internal Affairs, is taken to hospital. Car in ditch SHKODER - Assassination attempt on a state secretary. Yesterday at midday, the former head of SHIR was attacked. The motives for the crime are still unknown, while Ferit Tahja is in hospital, out of danger. He headed the intelligence service until two years ago, when he joined the structures of the Prime Minister’s Office. He is currently a senior officer in the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Gang attacks Ministry of Internal Affairs officer. Two bullets seriously wounded him, and only the readiness of a car with Tirana plates to take him to hospital made it possible for his life to be out of danger. The incident took place yesterday at midday near the village of Melgush, a few kilometres from the entrance to the city. The car went off the road and Tahja tried to move. A car with Tirana plates took him and, at breakneck speed, brought him to the city hospital. The senior officer immediately underwent surgery. An hour later, he was out of danger. On page 5 Fear in the vicinity of Shkodra. Mystery surrounds the motives for the crime. Road blocked. Reluctance to help

On page 8 Photo REUTERS Farewell, Diana. Photo REUTERS

NANO: 3 DAYS OF MOURNING AND THE FLAG AT HALF-MAST TIRANA - “We do not know what her last wish was, but we would like Mother Teresa to rest in her homeland,” Prime Minister Nano declared. Meanwhile, in India it has been decided that Mother Teresa’s funeral ceremony will be official and will take place on 13 September. Yesterday, Prime Minister Nano set up a special commission to organize ceremonies in honour of Mother Teresa. From 6 to 13 September, the Albanian flag will be flown at half-mast. 11, 12 and 13 September have been declared days of national mourning. Nano will ensure that the University Hospital Centre and the square in front of the University of Tirana are named after Mother Teresa. The whole world is saddened by the death of the saint of Albanian origin, who dedicated her life to the poorest people of all races and religions. On page 4

Mother Teresa

TIRANA - Sabri Godo extends an invitation. “Let us gather at the Constitution table.” The head of the Constitutional Commission yesterday explained his position on the paths and methods for drafting the state’s fundamental document. The politician believes that the two major parties should lower their weapons and come to the table. A Constituent Assembly does not seem to be an especially favored option for Godo, who says that under the current circumstances the country cannot go to the polls again. On page 2

“After the Constitution, we will vote in the local elections” TIRANA - New elections in March ’98. Parliament leader Skënder Gjinushi has once again insisted on holding elections for local government. From the headquarters of the Albanian Social Democrats, Gjinushi yesterday also declared his conviction that local government in Albania is incapable, and that after the referendum on the Constitution, the country will again go to the polls for local elections. The Speaker’s idea was put forward several weeks ago, although in the camp of the larger party, the Socialists, this proposal has not been received with much enthusiasm. “Early local elections will be held next year,” Skënder Gjinushi told the state news agency yesterday. A few minutes after the meeting of the PSD General Committee, the Parliament leader returned to the subject of local elections. Gjinushi’s proposal to hold these elections came a short time after the Left’s victory in Albania. On the other hand, however, the Socialists, who have won a majority of seats in Parliament, are sending a message of coexistence with local leaders, who in most cases belong to the PD. Meanwhile, a tour of the districts has begun to promote precisely this idea. For his part, Nano has so far not come out in favor of early local elections; just a few weeks ago, he even recalled the regular elections. Gjinushi’s proposal to hold them after March 1998 has meanwhile prompted a sharp reaction from the opposition. PD leader Sali Berisha called Gjinushi’s statement “bad news.” “When Berisha calls it a blunder, it means everything is in order,” Gjinushi replied to the Albanian President. p.re INTERVIEW Yesterday, the Speaker of Parliament’s statement. But the Socialist camp is still silent FIER Violence against nurses

FIER Violence against nurses Fear of reporting On page 6

TIRANA Fire in an apartment building: 2 hours battling the flames On page 5

BERAT He escapes and is caught: The Prosecutor’s Office “lets him go” On page 6

STRIKE ON DAY 19 Arbnori from the hospital: God is helping me On page 3

The heart of the genius of the ball has stopped beating TIRANA - Football is in mourning! Refik Resmja is no longer alive. He fought his illness for a long time and tried always to be as strong as he had once been on the field, but yesterday, at the age of 57, he stopped breathing. We have written about him many times before; we saw him almost every day at this age, alongside our colleagues; we can still see his coach before our eyes, but perhaps we will never be able to forget the greatest figure in our football. Football is in mourning, but it is not alone. These days all of Albania is mourning, indeed the whole world. Diana dies, Mother Teresa’s heart stops beating, and Refik will no longer be among those closest to him. It seems as if some great misfortune had decided that within one week these three people should be taken from the world. They have nothing in common and never knew one another, yet perhaps they are united by the greatness of their lives, their professions, their generosity of spirit, and the extraordinary respect they left behind. Perhaps because of the memories, or of what they leave behind, the funeral ceremonies have been deeply moving. The world’s great figures in London bid farewell to Lady Diana; everyone remembers Mother Teresa, even Pope John Paul II. No one failed to pay tribute to Refik at Qemal Stafa. Albanian politicians were there, from former President Ceka to Berisha, from Teta and Bako to Brojka. Everyone was at Qemal Stafa, where Refik had enchanted people with his magic, where he had perhaps spent most of his life, and where he had earned the respect and admiration of his football colleagues. With tears in their eyes, they all said their final farewells. Resmja, his goals and his game, his career and his story cannot be forgotten. Paying tribute to Refik Resmja at “Qemal Stafa” stadium (Photo: Pllator Hllo)

TIRANA — The EC is against a Constitution drawn up by a Parliamentary Assembly. The first signals have arrived through various channels from the Palace of Strasbourg. “It is extremely difficult for Albania to embark on another electoral adventure.” This is the official view coming to us from Europe, which nevertheless does not rule out an elected Assembly as one of the democratic paths. But it seems the Europeans are not in a position to support yet another Albanian adventure, which would mean, for them, money spent, monitoring, as well as surprises that may come from the small country said to be great. The first signal of the EC’s retreat from the option of a Constitution drawn up by an elected Assembly was brought by Deputy Parliament Speaker Namik Dokle. On page 2

SPORT Defeat in Armenia for the national teams: Hope 0–2 Senior team 0–3 On page 7

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