Investigations into the Army: Were they going to use chemical weapons? Experts single out 10 files in the mountain of documents at the Ministry of Defence The Ngjela Commission in action: March could have been even more terrible TIRANA — “Toxic warfare agents were taken out and prepared for an attack against the population.” This is the latest confirmation coming from the Ministry of Defence, while Spartak Braho and Maksim Hasani—members of the “Ngjela” commission—have examined toxic warfare agents (LHL) from the days of March. “The major accusation has taken shape, and it is thought that within January 1998, former senior officers of the Ministry of Defence will be questioned for further clarification.” On page 9 TIRANA — Prime Minister Fatos Nano is ready to seek his acquittal from the Albanian justice system. The Ministry has secured new evidence, not presented in the previous trial, which will reopen the case. On page 3 Flee towards Vlora Police stop The beginning of the protests in Lushnje (Photo: Plator Ilo)

TIRANA — the case. On page 3

Police stop

INTERVIEW TIRANA — The profession: Santa Claus! One Santa Claus has made almost all parents change their shopping route, their ... for their children. By the Agimi apartment buildings, to everyone’s delight, he spends eight hours a day dressed in the traditional red suit. A cotton beard and moustache help him remain anonymous. But if you get close, you’ll see that he is far from old age. A new profession, a desire to be seen, or simply a bet among friends? Why did you decide to work as Santa Claus? I’ve always been drawn to Santa Claus. That’s how I got the idea of dressing up like this in the run-up to the holidays. But the desire lasted only the first day. Standing alone for a few minutes every day isn’t easy. So I made an arrangement with the parents to get 5,000 lekë (old lekë) a day. What do you do during the rest of the year? I’m a student. Haven’t your friends teased you when they saw you dressed like this? Teased me, no. But they laughed. They found the idea amusing. ... everyone gets excited when they see me. There are also passers-by who can’t resist making some remark, even an insulting one. What is the strangest request the little ones have made of you? “Uncle, will you come to my house?” That’s what children usually ask me, but my purpose here is promotional. I have to attract the little ones so they’ll take photographs with me, which cost 400 lekë. I also have a sack of presents that I don’t give away ... Then, when I meet up with my friends and they have something different from me, I’ve got my pockets full. Another year, I’m nearby, and with the decorated shop windows everything still seems like a makeshift scene, and I try to make my role as convincing as possible. Students from the Academy have performed completely undressed on stage and the others haven’t commented on them. That doesn’t mean that they... What do the little ones ask you? “Uncle, will you come to my house?” That was what children usually asked entice the little ones to have their photograph taken with me; the photos that I give not only to those who take a photograph, but also to others who seem especially sweet to me. Are there any who want to know who you really are? To them, I’m Santa Claus. Sometimes I don’t agree to take off my moustache or my hat. I’ve also brought a sack of presents. I want them to believe that Santa Claus brings presents to all children every year. What do you wish for 1998? More people who like to play. Miriam Koliqi

Farewell to a year

ELBASAN — Elbasan police have stopped nine Kurds who were attempting to flee towards Vlora. They were taken to the police station together with the three people who were to transport them to the coastal city. The group of 15 Kurds headed towards Tirana included six men and nine others, among them a woman. One of them, a former police officer, was armed with a pistol and a police radio. Ylli Osmani, an older man, had waited for the group of nine Kurdish emigrants at the Qafë Thanë checkpoint. After booking two taxis in advance, they set off towards the municipality of Tirana together with his own car. It all happened on Sunday morning. All three cars were stopped at one of the roadblocks in the city of Elbasan. On page 9

VIPs pessimistic about 1998 too TIRANA – Farewell to a bad year. Albanians want to part once and for all with a year of unfinished realities and misery. This is the wish being voiced these days by everyone, from senior politicians to sensitive intellectuals, from street cleaners to the child who, instead of flowers, gathered eggshells to make a vase of hope. But while everyone says they will never again encounter a year like this one, many also have their own grey optimism about ’98, which will bring nothing new. “If we do not put our finger on the wound of ’97, we should not expect much from ’98.” With these words, Teodor Keko and his fellow writers are trying to uncover the rosy optimism of Albanian politicians. The harshest is director Agolli, who finds it difficult to see hope and faith in ’98. “I see nothing that would convince me that ’98 will be our construction site and our explosion,” says the poet of verses and prose about hope and pain. On page 3

LUSHNJE / NEW YEAR’S CELEBRATION FAILS TO AVERT TRAGEDY LUSHNJE – Tragedy over a turkey, just three days before New Year’s. A verbal dispute was followed by gunfire, and as a result four members of one family were killed. The horror and panic recounted by the many witnesses to the incident have not yet allowed them to recover. The perpetrator, according to police sources, has been identified and a search has been launched for him. It seems the last days of this year cannot pass without leaving behind the memory of a tragedy experienced over 365 days by a small people. Among the many violent killings, the one in Lushnje was the worst. Near the railway station are several houses built in recent years. Their residents have mostly worked in agriculture and, more recently, in raising turkeys. But it seems that the fear of theft has grown among them. It was 6:00 in the evening when a man entered the yard of a house with a gun in his hand. He demanded that the family hand over their flock of New Year’s turkeys, but they resisted at length, determined to protect their property. The husband and wife, together with the wife’s brother and the elderly woman of the house, did everything they could to prevent the theft of their only possession. But the aggressor took no notice. When he was unable to take the flock of turkeys, he responded by opening fire. The Kalashnikov bursts killed Petrit Koko-ja, 43, his wife Lutfije Kokoja, 42, and his brother-in-law Përparim Tahahullha, 34, on the spot. Bullets also seriously wounded the elderly woman of the household, who later died in hospital. The bursts of automatic-fire gunshots alarmed the whole area. People, terrified and panicked by the gunfire, tried to hide wherever they could, while the perpetrator of the tragedy quickly fled, taking advantage of the people’s confusion. Police forces were notified and arrived at the scene only a few minutes after the tragedy had occurred. The three victims were taken to the hospital morgue, while the injured woman was taken to the resuscitation ward. Police sources confirm that the perpetrator of the massacre has been identified, a confirmation based largely on witnesses’ accounts. According to police, he is accused of a number of other crimes involving robbery. In any case, for the outskirts of the city of Lushnje, Saturday evening’s incident was a painful one. At first glance, the killing of four people over just a few turkeys seems absurd, but witnesses and, subsequently, the police confirm that robbery was at the root of the dispute that later turned into tragedy.