Tomorrow: The trial of the five before the Court of Appeal European Parliament resolution page 3

According to a news item from the Ministry of Education broadcast at midday by Albanian Radio and Television, the start of the New University Year has been postponed until 10 October. Unable to obtain direct confirmation for our newspaper from the Ministry of Education or from the Rector of the University of Tirana, Mr. Rajmond Sharko, we were able to speak by telephone with Mr. Burim Husi, Vice-Rector of this University, who also said that he had received no prior notice from the Ministry of Education, but had heard the announcement on the radio and informed the Faculty Deans. Students who had just begun arriving from the districts to settle into the dormitory buildings were informed by the wardens, either verbally or by notices, to report to the buildings to be accommodated after 10 October. There is no direct confirmation from the Ministry of Education for the newspapers, since Saturday is an official day off for all government departments, but it is a fact that the dormitories began emptying, including of the few students who had already arrived. Among the reasons for postponing this University Year—which must be said is an unusual postponement—is the unsuitability of the teaching facilities, some of which are undergoing repairs, such as the repair of the facilities of the Faculty of Economics, etc. The possibility that the university year has also been postponed because work on the facilities of the new University of Vlora has not been completed should not be ruled out. It is expected to be inaugurated in these days in the presence of the country’s highest-ranking dignitaries, and perhaps the Ministry of Education postponed the start of the New University Year at other universities in the country as well, in order to coordinate the start date. Another reason may be the possible reactivation of the cholera epidemic in some areas of the country. Meanwhile, the news broadcast on Radio and Television gives as the reason for the postponement the fact that the facilities for accommodating students were not put into operation on time. A. NIKOLLA

Shkodër One currency exchanger killed and another wounded More than 100 thousand dollars stolen from them page 3

Gjirokastër Legalization of Albanian emigrants in Greece demanded Four-point proposal by Greek left-wing progressives page 3

Socialists and Social Democrats oppose it After more than two and a half years, the Draft Constitution has been approved. Thus, the project debated in Albania will finally reveal itself. But discontent has immediately surfaced. Apart from members of the PD and some specialists, no other participant in the Constitutional Commission has been satisfied with the prepared draft. Nevertheless, as decided by this same commission, the draft has been sent to the Presidency and Parliament for discussion. But the uproar made by the political parties over who has the right to approve the Constitution—the Parliament or the Constituent Assembly—has not been enough. The draft, together with its comments, has provoked an immediate negative reaction in many party circles. This is because the constitutional draft was approved on the evening of the 29th in a “concentrated strike,” leaving many of its most delicate points undiscussed and giving rise to suspicions that it had been approved “on orders from above.” The first to give the signal was MP Gjinushi, who, one day before the final decision, said: “Nothing of the debate held in the Commission has been reflected in the final document. Thus, all its work to date seems to have been useless and worthless. This clearly shows that the commission drafting the Constitution is controlled from outside and is completely under dictation...” Nevertheless, the suspicion had existed much earlier. But only recently has it found the expression that was being sought. It is known that only the approval of the Constitution would take Albania into the EC. All the recent political developments within the PD have shown that the draft must be approved (continued on page 3)

NATIONAL LIBRARY TIRANA