The singer speaks after the incident: I have nothing to do with those people TIRANA - Is Ardit Gjebrea under investigation for trafficking women to Italy? Prosecutors from the district prosecutor’s office confirmed yesterday that they would investigate the incident that took place the day before yesterday at the home of the well-known singer, when a half-drunk person punched the father of the singer-songwriter. Apparently an ordinary incident, the case has carried a major accusation. “Gjebrea sold my sister in Italy”—this was the fateful phrase, which will be ignored neither by police investigators nor by those from the Prosecutor’s Office. The materials are now ready; they are only waiting to be placed in an open case file. “If the person who struck Ardit Gjebrea’s father reiterates his accusation that his sister was sold in Italy last year, then the matter will be investigated, including the possibility of trafficking women for the purpose of prostitution,” an investigator said yesterday. He did not want to comment further before all the circumstances of the event had been clarified. At around 6:30 p.m. two days ago, Artur Canaj broke down the outer door of Gjebrea’s home and struck his father, Pëllumb. Although covered in blood, the latter did not file a complaint, while the police, who intervened immediately, detained the aggressor. Investigators now have an incident, a detained person, and a still-mysterious story on their hands. Yesterday afternoon, Gjebrea told Gazeta Shqiptare from Athens that he did not wish to have anything to do with those people and did not want to say more about this story. Prosecutors explain that the submitted material is at the study stage and that the points of the investigation will be precisely determined very soon.

Teodor Laço: The truth about the summer that brought pluralism Teodor Laco The discussion about R. Alia in your newspaper seems interesting and justified to me. A politician who has been in the highest echelons of his party and the state for half a century—both while alive and after death—continues to be felt and to leave a mark through his public image. Because he always has sympathizers, disciples, enemies, and opponents. The most zealous in trying not to exclude him from politics are the recruits. So, whether we like it or not, R. Alia continues to remain present in Albanian politics. This also explains the reasons for the interest shown by the Italian journalist De Mattéis. In Alia’s interview, what struck me was the rather implicit, yet direct, suggestion (this is in keeping with his style) that if, at the August ’90 meeting with Tirana intellectuals, they (Berisha, Kadare, etc.) had asked for political pluralism instead of pluralism of thought (which had been his battle for nearly ten months), how would he have decreed it ... To refresh R. Alia’s memory a little: the letter was written by former party secretary Nexhati Tafa, demonstrating genuine civic courage and responsibility. F. Gami brought and commented on her reply on July 18, ’90, but left that meeting entirely unmoved by the critical and protest spirit that still persisted. Commenting on the letter would be repetition, because I published a lengthy article about Alia’s public image a short while ago in the magazine “Blic.” The emphases in the article are mine. Read on page 2

Debate in the cultural world The Writers’ and Artists’ League is seeking to privatize the building. To this end, it has submitted a request to Ylli Bufi’s Ministry to begin the procedures. This move has provoked the Ministry of Culture’s “anger”; sources there speak not only of a categorical “Stop” to this initiative, but also of calling into question whether this League should continue to exist. On page 2 Edi Rama I do not know how true the idea of privatizing the building of the former League of Socialist Realist Writers and Artists is, just as, on the other hand, I do not know—assuming this is true—how it was possible for an absurdity of this kind to become a subject of discussion. I say this because, at least as far as I am concerned, there should be no discussion at all: that building must cease to be what it is and become, as soon as possible, a genuine cultural institution. The same goes for the League itself, which must find other forms of funding, since it no longer needs to live under the state’s wing. The era of writers and artists living off state salaries must give way to an era of free competition. The licenses issued by the Party of Labour, according to which one person is listed as a writer, another as a director, another as an actor or painter, solely to artificially create a “broad cultural environment,” must be invalidated, just as the system that spawned them is being invalidated every day. The state can no longer decide who is an artist or a writer today; that must be determined by the free competition of ideas and the market.

NEW ELECTIONS/ After lengthy negotiations, the opposition’s proposal prevails Reactions in the PS: The state gave ground The President: The PD will have greater weight on the commission NEW ELECTIONS/ After lengthy negotiations, the opposition’s proposal prevails Meidani sides with Berisha Reactions in the PS: The state gave ground The President: The PD will have greater weight on the commission TIRANA - Berisha reaches an agreement with Meidani on the local elections, with OSCE’s Daan Everts, described by Nano as “more Albanian than Albanians themselves,” playing the key role in the compromise. A presidential decree stipulating that decisions in the Central Election Commission be taken by a two-thirds vote led the PD to put all its disputes over the elections behind it and agree to submit names to the CEC. For two days, Everts went back and forth between the PD headquarters and the Presidency, finally managing to resolve the impasse that was hindering the normal conduct of the partial local elections. The agreement between the President and the leader of the PD concerns how ...

MOURNING IN BURREL TIRANA - Two police officers are killed while on duty. In the late hours of Wednesday, masked assailants opened fire on the blue uniforms as they patrolled the national highway between Baz and Burrel. The attack by unidentified assailants claimed the lives of Sabri Neli and Baftjar Stafasani. Following this shocking incident, Minister Teta arrived in the northeastern city yesterday at midday. On page 4

GAZETA e Durrësit DURRËS - Education in Durrës? It needs tourism, fishing and cooking. According to the Director of Education, the coastal city should specialize for the future. Specifically, the subjects taught should be based on those that will support the city’s tourism activities. This also emerged from the national seminar held in Tirana, which concluded in Durrës. On page 8

GAZETA e Shkodrës SHKODER - They number no more than 100, standing on the pavements of a T-shaped street this morning. Packed tightly together, they count banknotes, do their “sums” on small electronic calculators, give and take money, and ask whether there is any currency to exchange. On page 6

[Visible portion of the paragraph:] and accept the submission of the names to the CEC. For two days in a row, Everts went back and forth between the DP headquarters and the Presidency, finally managing to resolve one of the issues agreement between the President and the head of the DP concerns how decisions should be made in the CEC, where the aim will no longer be to secure a majority of votes, but two thirds. And if this failed twice in a row, a third vote would be held under OSCE supervision, for which a simple majority of votes would suffice. Meidani

Exams begin for people in the Justice system TIRANE - Testing for all judges. The black robes will once again test their knowledge in the schoolroom. Minister Kondi explains that all those who fail this qualifying exam will have to say goodbye to their status as jurists. This procedure will not only assess their knowledge of the laws, but will also reduce excess positions in the Albanian Justice administration. The tests will be prepared and evaluated by a commission selected by the Justice Council. On page 4

GAZETA e Vlorës VLORE - The OSCE takes charge of disarmament in Vlore. Envoys from Tirana met yesterday with non-governmental organizations, which they have invited to compete: whoever presents the best idea for disarming the population will be paid and will put the winning project into practice. The disarmament initiative came from OSCE Ambassador Daan Everts. On page 7

GAZETA e Tiranës TIRANE - Intentional and unintentional injuries, premeditated or even premeditated murder. In the end, detentions, arrests, trials and sentences, for a thousand and one crimes. For the most heinous crimes, but also simply for carrying a firearm without a permit. So much commotion, so much noise that we had almost completely forgotten that licensed firearms are also a thing in Albania. No one knows that every month in Tirana at least 20 firearm permits are issued by each of its police stations. Can you also get a permit for a firearm? Strange, but there is indeed another possibility in this country: to be armed, yet at the same time not have to fear your knees turning to jelly as soon as a police officer appears in front of you. On page 5

The second Albanian-Serbian meeting today KUKES - Serbs close the Morina customs post indefinitely. More than 30 vans belonging to Kukës street vendors were turned back yesterday morning after they were not allowed to cross into Prizren. The Serbian border authorities gave no clear reason for this action. The Kukës traders feel they have been hit hard, since one of their oldest means of making a living—their businesses in Kosovo’s cities—has been cut off. As the city receives the latest news, Minister of Council of Ministers Leonard Solis has also arrived in Kukës. He said he had been assigned by the Government to see what condition the hospitals in Kukës and Has were in. After the inspection, Solis was satisfied, and is expected to visit the rest of the North soon. On page 12