The Prison Administration rejects the request Marije Nano, after a sudden illness, died yesterday. Her son Fatos, who is serving his sentence in the high-security prison in Bënçë, Tepelenë, was informed of this misfortune yesterday afternoon after a trip from Tirana by Gramoz Ruçi, Ilir Meta and his eldest son Sokoli. By midnight last night, the authorities had not allowed Fatos Nano to take part in his mother’s funeral. Dokle and Pëllumbi last night at Thanas Nano’s home photos A. Babani Berisha still silent after the request made by the vice presidents of the SP p.2

KJ journalist Gëzim Ashimi brutally beaten and left bleeding DEVOLL - He was summoned to the Devoll Police Station for an explanation, and as soon as he crossed the guard officer’s threshold he was left bleeding by state police officers. That is how the Korçë correspondent of the newspaper “Koha jonë”, Gëzim Ashimi, was forced to begin work yesterday. In this way, too, this police station has lined up behind President Berisha’s general call to his officials that press inaccuracies should be answered properly in court and not by ending up under fists. The Devoll police had no opportunity to refute what journalist Ashimi had written, since they themselves admitted that the truth was exactly as reported, but they beat him for having written that truth. Ashimi was beaten treacherously yesterday as soon as he entered the police station. The beating was triggered by an article dated 8 December titled “Caught red-handed, the police find,” regarding which the officer claimed he had been “enraged” but not defamed. Right inside the station entrance, the journalist was not asked for any explanation, but the officer who had been caught red-handed, and who claims to have been humiliated, took it out on the journalist as if he had sent the policeman to bed for shameful acts. None of the other police officers intervened to restore calm and maintain order within the walls of the station, even though the officer in question, before beating Ashimi and leaving work precisely after being “caught red-handed,” had been there. The attempt to remove him bleeding from the police station was blocked several times; the duty officer even used force to push the journalist back from the road into the police station. He was then kept isolated for two hours so that the journalist would not come out bleeding into the street. Meanwhile, the police chief contacted the journalist and, without being concerned about the unlawful mistreatment, gave Ashimi a lecture not to write against the President of the PD. Considering the brutal and criminal beating and unjust bleeding of journalist Gëzim Ashimi, the editorial staff of the newspaper once again strongly protests against the systematic violence that the police use against journalists while they are performing their duty. It is immoral for the uniform and the authority that citizenship gives you as a police officer to be used to violate free speech for personal reasons, all the more so when it happens to concern a journalist’s article that contained no inaccuracies. “Koha jonë” calls on sectors of power to respect the norms of freedom, ensure the exercise of the journalist’s duty, and control the law-enforcement forces, which have replaced refutation with institutional violence. Even in notable cases of sacrifice in response to police demands, the station had been found ready to intervene to calm tempers; today, because of the police’s own violence, it is being forced to publicly denounce a temptation for the opponents of power. ALEKSANDËR FRANGAJ

Will Parliament approve the creation of “free zones” After 5 years of debate, the Council of Ministers approves the draft law Will Parliament approve the creation of “free zones” The “Meksi” government calls on Ramiz Alia for help After 5 years of debate The Council of Ministers approves the draft law page 3

Yesterday the PD celebrated 12 December Berisha presents his party’s electoral platform Yesterday the PD celebrated 12 December 5 years of pluralism and the PD Berisha presents his party’s electoral platform Only Vënciu and Çonxhe were invited by the founders of the PD, who now lead the PAD. Majko, Legisi and three of the “five” from the SP, Aliko from the PSD, and all the leaders of the other parties were invited to yesterday’s meeting. The guests from the SP, PSD and PAD did not go to the meeting, while the leaders of the other parties took part. page 3

Yesterday in Paris: the draw for the France ’98 World Cup was held GROUP 9 1/ GERMANY 2/ PORTUGAL 3/ NORTHERN IRELAND 4/ UKRAINE 5/ ALBANIA 6/ ARMENIA In the presence of many personalities from world sport, the 172 participating countries each took their place in the relevant groups according to continents. The 49 European countries have been divided into 5 groups of 5 teams and 4 groups of 6 teams. Albania is in Group 9, a group headed by Germany, a team that is a permanent fixture in world and European draws with Albania. Our group also includes Portugal, Northern Ireland, Ukraine and Armenia. The most interesting group was considered the second, where Italy, England, Poland, Georgia and Moldova will meet. The sixth group pitted the Czech Republic and Slovakia in a “derby.” For more on the European zone draw, read page 4 The FIFA secretary general and former French football star Zhut Fontaine during the draw for the ninth group, in which Albania is placed photo Reuters

Today, Berisha has the chance to show that he is President Today the mother of the imprisoned leader of the SP, Fatos Nano, is being buried. A death somewhat sudden, and for a mother always a heavy blow. Perhaps for Berisha this would be his last act to show that he is truly a humane person, that he is the President of everyone. Of course, the President cannot and need not attend every death that occurs in the country he governs. He goes where death is very painful or where, beyond the pain, death for Berisha takes on a sublime meaning. Naturally, this also applies to those with whom he shares the same profession: politics. Since he is President, he is also such for politicians. In addition to the rule of human courtesy, the President should not only have brought Fatos Nano to bury his mother — the most human thing in this world — but also to express condolences to the family of his political opponent. With this act Berisha would show that he is a human being, that political struggle does not extend to death. The President’s action might not be very consoling for the family of the deceased woman, but at least public opinion would understand that the head of this state is also a politician, a diplomat, and a human being. With this act, Berisha would gain more than Nano himself would lose. NIKOLLË LESI