“Investigations are under way to identify those responsible. Justice must decide” Regarding the events in Shkodra and the March response The Prime Minister reappears before journalists after receiving assurances from Fisheri Yesterday the Prime Minister felt confident before the press and repeated his accusations against the opposition and its leader Nano also spoke about Kosovo. He asked NATO chief Solana for an international conference TIRANA—The guilty? Everyone. The conference facing the city. The first press conference about the news from Shkodra sharply portrayed the people accused of causing Albania’s earthquake during the first months of last year. Neither the institutions nor the supporters of the recent events in the city of Shkodra and in other Albanian cities will be exempt from the full force of the law and the independence of the judiciary. “I will not condemn anyone, but I will not pardon anyone either,” Prime Minister Nano said yesterday, preferring that only the courts have the final word on those against whom there is evidence. Nano avoided direct accusations against his party counterpart Berisha, but said that he had lost his political immunity. “After the lesson of the law and the word of the independent judiciary, these actors in Albania’s destruction will no longer influence Albanian politics.” Nano thus firmly reiterated his political attacks on Berisha, while also making sure to mention that he does not tell the judiciary what to do. Yesterday, the Prime Minister also said he had requested an International Conference in Tirana focused on Kosovo, a request which, according to Nano, had also been conveyed to NATO Secretary General Solana. On page 3

FIER—A policeman from Fier has been brutally killed. A horrific scene on the outskirts of Fier: in the early hours of Saturday, 32-year-old policeman Edmond Feriko was found decapitated. The policeman had first been shot by as-yet-unidentified people, then placed on the railway tracks and mangled by a train. The train driver immediately reported it to the Fier police. He had seen the blue uniform lying on the tracks, but at the last moment was unable to avoid running over the body. Police officers told the director of the Fier police that Feriko was one of their own. He was currently guarding Azotiku. The attack took place as he was returning home to the village near Fier after work the previous day. The killing of Edmond Feriko is the third act of violence against members of the police force this week. Two days ago, a policeman in Vlora was the victim of an attack; those responsible have not yet been identified. In Lushnjë, a policeman standing in front of the District Council was also shot at with a burst of gunfire. On page 9

TIRANA On page 12

Another call for elections Protests return to “Skënderbej” Square TIRANA—Berisha says no to Europe. “We will demand new elections and a technical government.” This is what the Democratic Party leader declared at a rally in “Skënderbej” Square in Tirana. Meanwhile, thousands of people have supported the hunger strike by journalists and former political prisoners. Berisha said that Europe supports democracy in Albania through its advice. But immediately afterward, he called for the government’s resignation and its replacement by a technical government. The rally was attended by the main PD leaders, Pollo, Bode, Hajdari, etc., who called for mass protests. The Democrats have announced that they will protest in the square every day in support of the besieged hunger strikers. On page 2 From yesterday’s PD rally (Photo: Plator Ilo)

ALBANIAN CUP / Vllaznia-Partizani 1:1 TIRANA—It was thought that it would be a tense match and that the Shkodran fans would enter the stadium without being properly organized during the rally that was to take place in the square, but nothing of the sort happened. In fact, thousands of fans were already sitting in the stadium stands from 1:00 p.m., waiting for the match. Memia and Hajdari sat in the VIP stand, but when the match ended, the latter spoke only in sporting terms. On pages 10–11 From yesterday’s Partizani-Vllaznia match, 1:1 (P. Ilo)

THE ITALIANS AWARD HIM THE “CAVOUR” TORINO — Once again, the well-known Kadare puts “Albania” in the headlines of foreign news agencies. The great Albanian writer was announced yesterday as the winner of the annual “Grinzane Cavour” literary award. In the foreign novel category, “The Pyramid,” by the genius of Albanian letters, was selected; it was published in Italian by “Longanesi”. The winners were selected yesterday in the hall of the Carignano Theatre in Torino by the jury, whose members included the best-known names in Italian literary criticism. Along with Kadare, Yu Hua (China) with “To Live” and Candid McWilliam (Great Britain) with “A Cultural Land” also won in the foreign literature selection. These three works by foreign writers, announced as this year’s winners, will be sent to students at seventeen schools, under an agreement between Italy’s Ministry of Education and Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Of these, nineteen are Italian schools, and the remainder are lyceums in Belgrade, Aines, Brussels, Nice, York, Paris, Salamanca, and Moscow. The students will choose the “Superwinner” for 1998 through a test. This super-prize will include an award of 10 million lire, while the other two winners will receive six million lire each. The ceremony is scheduled to take place in June at the Grinzane Cavour council in Cuneu, Italy. Ismail Kadare

The programs, stories about the protagonists, and films you will see during the week GAZETA TV FROM SUNDAY 25 JANUARY TO SATURDAY 31 JANUARY 1998 • A virtual work on the Dürer expedition [?] • Ancient discoveries in [?] • X Files or San Felice [?] Weekly Horoscope “Sister, a lonely twin birth” On pages 5–8

JUSTICE International driving licences under scrutiny On page 12

GJIROKASTËR New hope from UNESCO On page 9

Danish Jukniu, the renowned painter, the man who with his talent and skill has shaped generation after generation of painters, is ill—not as before in Albania, but in a foreign clinic, in Italy. He needs to be sent there and is alone, supported in bed, facing hardship and very difficult circumstances. To save the life of such a man, only 10 million lire are needed. As a group of friends and well-wishers of Danish, we appeal to the entire Albanian public, state institutions, foundations, and all individuals who are able to help, to contribute toward raising this amount. Donations can be made every day at Gazeta Shqiptare, Rruga e Dibrës 370, tel. 62646, from 14:00 to 18:00. An auction featuring the painter’s best-known works will also be organized very soon. The money raised will be used for his treatment as quickly as possible. Please, Vroni, Kristaq Rama, Piro Milkani, Hasan Nallbani, Thoma Thomai, Agim Isaku, Vladimir Myrtezai, Kico Blushi, Edi Rama, Teodor Keko, Armand Shkullaku, Fatos Baxhaku