“You, who are good for nothing else, keep me on your back, for that’s best for you.” Yesterday, “Long live Enver Hoxha”; today, “Long live Sali Berisha” -The Democratic Party, like the Party of Labour, disrupts opposition meetings and rallies So that we have no more victims like Gjovalin Çekini, Berisha must demand and respect the norms of political pluralism Page 3

-N. Dokle: “Tritan thinks the Council of Europe is like the councillors of some municipalities who shout ‘Long live Saliu’” Page 2

Tirana “Customs” trial: verdict on Monday Defendants attack the prosecution’s closing arguments The prosecution’s closing arguments against the 8 defendants in the “Customs” trial are “different” from the defendants’ constant volleys, in which they have attacked the prosecution’s lack of seriousness in handling their cases. Thus Roland Permeti, defense lawyer for the Lebanese businessman Nabil Siblini, who—unlike the other 7, accused of abuse of office—is charged with the serious offenses of smuggling and falsifying official documents, has asked that the amount in the charge requiring him to pay the state 38 million lekë be reduced to 27 million, arguing that the deducted amount belonged to Siblini’s partner or had been settled among the financial obligations. As for the second charge, the lawyer stated: “A foreign citizen bears no criminal responsibility for creating falsified official documents that he made outside the territory of Albania, except in cases where crimes against the state have been committed.” The other defendants, including Thoma Bicol li, former Director of Customs, have followed almost the same “aggressive” line of defense. He asserted that “in no country in the world are cigarettes weighed as described in the indictment.” In any case, at noon on Monday, the Chairman of the Tirana Court, Mr. Agim Bendo, who is presiding over this trial, will deliver the final verdict for the eight defendants, for whom Gjukataj had sought more than ten years in prison. Z.D.

Opinions by Mr. Gaqo Apostoli, Secretary General of PSDSH Page 5

Coach Bajko soon in Greece Page 14

Vera Grabocka enthusiastic about the beauty pageant Page 4