The opposition opposes the government The increase should be 20% Yesterday in Parliament: From this month the salaries of the budget sector and pensions will increase The salaries of the budget sector and pensions will increase by 10 percent, starting this month. That is what the PD parliamentary group decided yesterday, although the opposition was also in favor of a 20 percent increase. In August, the government calculated that there had been an increase in production in the economy over the three years of its rule and that inflation, instead of the forecast 10%, had in fact been only 0.3% for the seven-month period. The monetary funds gained from the increase in production, and those saved from the money that had been planned to fight inflation, were requested by the government from Parliament to be redirected for its own use. The government’s main objective after obtaining these funds was to raise wages in the budget system and increase pensions by 10%. But the opposition did not agree with this level of wage and pension increase. “We are in favor of wages and pensions being increased by 10, but 20% while maintaining the same level of the budget deficit,” said Socialist MP Anastas Angjeli. According to the chairman of the parliamentary Committee on Economy and Finance, Genc Ruli, who also defended the government’s draft, it is the economic situation and monetary stability that provide the government with the necessary room for this maneuver. “The figure of 10 percent,” Ruli explained, “also contains all the care and prudence that the government must show, because these are increases that have a lasting effect and extend into future years.” Opposing the Socialists’ demand for a 20% increase, Ruli says: “A larger wage increase would create a significant rise in the budget deficit for 1996.” But the Socialists insist on their proposal and give arguments. “The 20 percent increase we proposed is calculated with the existing budget and not with the proposal brought by the government,” says Angjeli. In this year’s budget, approved in the spring, the Socialists had proposed some cuts in spending that were not taken into account by the PD. But these changes were made yesterday. The purpose of these cuts, besides raising wages, was also to increase the investment fund in several sectors. The law approved yesterday also corrects the indicators of state budget revenues, and foresees an increase in investment and credit levels. This law also allows the Council of Ministers to use the reserve fund for investments, something the government requested in order to create possibilities for financing projects under construction and meeting certain needs that had not been foreseen at the time the budget was approved. E.B

An attempt is made to rob the house of an employee of the company “Nikla” Two offensive war bombs are thrown and pistols are fired at citizens An attempt is made to rob the house of an employee of the company “Nikla” Last night, a terrorist act in the heart of the capital Two offensive war bombs are thrown and pistols are fired at citizens page 2

The perpetrators of the barbaric crime are sentenced The two lovers had killed the innocent 30-year-old The perpetrators of the barbaric crime are sentenced Death by firing squad and 20 years in prison The two lovers had killed the innocent 30-year-old The Lushnje District Court yesterday sentenced 40-year-old Arsidh Shani to death by firing squad, and 25-year-old Kimete Belegu to 20 years in prison, both from the village of Bishqethm in this district. In collaboration with each other, they barbarically killed 30-year-old Nexhmi Belegu, Kimete’s legal husband. page 2

She manages to escape death Italian police arrest two Albanians for kidnapping and illegal possession of weapons She manages to escape death She worked as a prostitute, but earned little Italian police arrest two Albanians for kidnapping and illegal possession of weapons Two days ago, the police in Brescia managed to arrest and bring to trial two members of a large group exploiting prostitution. And this thanks to Katerina, a 25-year-old Albanian woman, who, bloodied and brutally beaten, managed to escape possible death. According to police data, Katerina worked as a prostitute in Brescia, but she could not earn more than 300,000 lire a month. This fact terrified her, since the leaders of the mafia prostitution clan constantly demanded, through threats and pressure, that she increase her earnings. Recently the threats intensified, and Katerina was warned that she would be killed if she did not manage to earn more. Thus, two days ago, around 2 a.m., two Albanians who had been controlling her for a while approached her. Used to them, since they were the two men assigned by the clan to take her and send her out from “work” every night, Katerina joined in their laughter. As soon as they noticed that the earnings were again minimal, the two Albanians set upon her in a rage: “You’re no good anymore, you deserve to die and we will kill you,” shouted one of the boys, who had grabbed the poor girl by the throat. The other pulled her. Katerina managed to escape amid tears only by promising that tomorrow she would earn more. Terrified, she refused to go with the two boys, who were pushing her forcefully into the car while hitting her with kicks and punches. Finally, after they had beaten her badly, the two young men pulled out a pistol and, pointing it at her head, forced her to sit in the car seat where another Slavic prostitute had taken a place and was not reacting. Prostitutes in Italy, waiting for clients According to police sources, around 3 a.m. the car stopped at the motorway entrance to pay the toll. It was precisely at this moment that Katerina took advantage, leaping out of the door and going into the toll booth to ask for help. An alarm was raised and the motorway police gave chase. The “Alfa 75” in which the two boys were traveling disappeared, but the police, thanks to Katerina’s account, were able to discover the group members’ place of residence and immediately arrest the exploiter, on charges of “kidnapping and use of a firearm without a permit.” This is the second time that the Brescia police have managed to bring two groups of Albanian girls’ exploiters to trial thanks to Mirela and Katerina, who, looking death in the eye, found the courage to report them. ANXHELA HYSI, Milano

4,800 forgotten children in the capital 3,000 divorced couples evade parental duty 4,800 forgotten children in the capital Criminal proceedings against anyone who abandons a child 3,000 divorced couples evade parental duty p.2

The PS against coalitions Hajdaraga: After the elections, why not! page 3

Tomorrow the democratic persecuted will elect the leadership and the chairman Of 101 voters, 14 are MPs, 31 are government officials Tomorrow the democratic persecuted will elect the leadership and the chairman Who will be the new Kurt Kola? Of 101 voters, 14 are MPs, 31 are government officials page 3

Interview with Mr. Petrit Kalakulla page 7