Godo is no longer chairman. Enough with the old guard The Republican leader gives way to Fatmir Mehdiu TIRANA - After two and a half months of conflict, VEFA finally opened its doors yesterday to government representatives. Its administrators begin work today, after Alimuçaj was compelled to cooperate with them. For their part, the government representatives assured VEFA’s president that they would help the company improve its financial situation so that it could repay its creditors. An understanding was reached after a five-hour meeting between representatives of the Government, VEFA and the creditors. Both VEFA’s people and those of the Government were satisfied with the outcome of the meeting. The creditors, too, are pleased that an agreement has been reached—but they still have one question: When will we get our money? On page 3 TIRANA - Sabri Godo is stepping down as party chairman. “The PR has moved away from its old leadership.” Fatmir Mehdiu takes his seat. The “old man” of the Republicans’ announcement that he was withdrawing from the race for the chairmanship came as a surprise. “The PR needs new faces; I have other commitments.” That was all Godo said, assuring people that he would remain active in politics, but also in the background of the PR. Godo and Mehdiu at the PR Congress On page 3

Yesterday the administrators began their inspection Peace between the two sides. The Government has withdrawn its threats and lawsuit . Peace between the two sides. The Government has withdrawn its threats and lawsuit. THE STRANGE PEACE TIRANA - VEFA and the Government have finally managed to make peace. At first glance, it seems as though Alimuçaj has surrendered unconditionally, since he has accepted everything that for two and a half months he had sworn to oppose, even before the International Courts. Indeed, the man who until recently had said that he would never leave the management of his company to government representatives has asked them to stay at VEFA even after the foreigners arrive. By accepting them, he spares himself a summons to the prosecutor for failing to comply with a government decision. Alimuçaj has also saved VEFA from the start of bankruptcy proceedings, which, under the existing law, would have placed it at the very bottom of the list for repayment. Perhaps, to persuade himself to accept the administrators, Alimuçaj also recalled the ancient proverb advising people not to toy with the Government. For the Government, VEFA’s inclusion on the administration list is no small success before the IMF and the World Bank. To achieve this, it had to issue a special decision concerning ... Children forced to leave school. On page 2. TIRANA - Sabri Godo ... VEFA, freeze its bank accounts, and appear before two different courts to defend its arguments. The conflict, which for so long seemed impossible to resolve, was settled through a two-hour discussion. What the “magic” key to reaching an understanding was remains unclear. Alimuçaj’s people say the key was Alimuçaj’s generosity and understanding. Government representatives say the key was the irrefutable arguments about the role of the administrators. But neither Alimuçaj’s generosity nor the strength of the Government’s arguments arose only yesterday. What had always been missing was dialogue. Alimuçaj to Finance officials: Welcome. Arapi: We reached an understanding The illiterate arrive

Children forced to leave school On page 2

It was magnitude 3–4 TIRANA - The earthquake has shaken Albanian soil once again. Anxiety and fear gripped the southern areas of Albania last night, close to midnight. An earthquake measuring 5.6 on the Richter scale shook various parts of the south of the country, where it was felt most strongly. There is no information about damage, only ground shaking and fear. According to information from ATSH, last night, on 5 November at 22:11, the service of the Seismological Institute of the Academy of Sciences recorded an earthquake with an ML magnitude equivalent to 5.6 on the Richter scale. It was further established that the epicentre was 450 kilometres southeast of Tirana, in the area above the Gulf of Corinth in Greece. The earthquake was again felt at intensity 3–4 (EMS-92) in various areas of southern Albania, but caused no material damage. There is still no information as to whether or not the earthquake caused damage in the neighbouring country. p.re.

Active accusation by the socialists KUÇOVË — “Bashkim Fino has abandoned us.” KUÇOVË — “Bashkim Fino has abandoned us. Every time we have invited him to come, he has always found an excuse.” This time, dissatisfaction has come from the socialists in Kuçovë, a city that gave the current deputy prime minister more than 90 percent of the votes on June 29. In its active denunciation, the PS socialists asked above all for Fino, who, they said, had again found a reason not to come. Aktiv has sharply criticized the head of Tirana and accused people in the Justice and Police bodies of being corrupt.

TIRANA — Electricity bills will be collected with the help of police officers. This solution comes by decision of the Albanian Electric Power Corporation following the situation created by many citizens’ refusal to pay their monthly electricity bills. As ATSH reports, a joint plan involving the electric police and the regular police will be used to carry out this plan. KESH Deputy Director Veli Mulraj said yesterday: “By the end of 1997, payment of electricity bills by various debtors will be completed by compulsion.”

SHKODER — On page 5 SHKODER Political motive in the murder of the head of armaments On page 5

KORÇE — On page 6 KORÇE Dormitory residents on strike: The fee is too high On page 6

DURRES — On page 5 DURRES The military fleet remains in Italy: No money On page 5

TIRANA — The Islamic holiday of “Nata e mirë” revives the tradition of pilgrimage to the city’s cemeteries. What was most distinctive this year was the presence of flower sellers all along the road from the Kombinat area to the entrance of the cemetery. The large number of worshippers who had set out on their journey that day cannot be said to have found in the cemetery the peaceful surroundings they had hoped for. At a time when even the simplest grave costs no less than 200 thousand new lek, the sight of cows nearby, shamelessly eating the grass growing among the graves, greener than the leaves, raised doubts among the deceased’s relatives about how the cemetery plots were being maintained. In addition to the theft of marble slabs, there was also their deliberate damage, which has compelled many families to introduce, for the first time in the cemetery, the practice of fencing and locking their final resting places. TIRANA — The Islamic holiday of “Nata e mirë” revives the tradition of pilgrimage to the city’s cemeteries, drawing thousands of citizens from early in the day. They were surprised by the warm Wednesday weather, as their procession headed toward the two largest cemeteries in Tirana.

TIRANA / Trial of the former MP accused of the attack postponed again Hajdari in court with police Defense: If he does not come, the charges will be dismissed TIRANA — “Azem Hajdari and the other witnesses must be brought to the courtroom by force.” This was yesterday’s decision by the court in the trial of former MP Mazreku. Following Hajdari’s public refusal to testify in this case, yesterday’s hearing was left suspended. On Monday, judicial police officers are expected to escort the witnesses requested by the prosecution to the courthouse. The witness stand was once again empty in the trial of Gafurr Mazreku. At yesterday’s hearing, too, Azem Hajdari and the four other Democratic Party MPs, summoned as witnesses by prosecutor Kokoshi, did not appear in the courtroom. At the start of the hearing, the prosecutor in the case asked for the MPs’ statements, recorded during the investigation phase at the Prosecutor’s Office, to be read out. Mazreku’s defense disagreed. “The law does not allow statements made at the Prosecutor’s Office to be accepted as evidence. If Hajdari and the other MPs do not appear in the courtroom, these pieces of evidence must be dismissed,” lawyer Rizai Icka said. The defendant himself also objected. The former Socialist MP did not agree to the statements being read and accepted as evidence. The panel of judges withdrew to consider prosecutor Beqir Kokoshi’s request. Ten minutes later, Judge Fatmira Laskaj announced the decision, adopted by a majority vote. “The judicial police are ordered to bring the witnesses requested by the Prosecution to the courtroom by force,” Laskaj declared at the end of the hearing. The next hearing will take place on Monday. Azem Hajdari has stated at recent press conferences that he will not appear in the Mazreku trial. The court summonses sent to his home were not signed for by the wife of the MP, who was wounded a short time ago. Notifying the four MPs summoned as witnesses has also been a problem, as they do not live in Tirana. The absence of the Democratic Party parliamentary group from Parliament has made it difficult to send the court’s invitations to accurate addresses.

On page 4 Gjebrea and the group Projekt Jon

It was magnitude 3–4 Earthquake in Greece, Accused the Socialist activists Kuçova PS: The police will collect SHKODER Political angle to the murder

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