The Bendo-Fra[?]ëri conflict in the upper echelons of the Albanian justice system follows the one between Zef Brozi and the Prosecutor General. Although the public reasons given to justify these conflicts seem extremely dinnere, the real reasons must be much more serious, and perhaps political. Because, just as in the Brozi case, when politics tried to subjugate justice, in this case too the Minister of Justice is more a political figure than a technocrat. He was appointed Minister of Justice immediately after the failure of the referendum on the Constitution at the end of last year. For his part, Bendo is clearly the person who tried and convicted the chairman of the Socialist opposition, Fatos Nano. In one way or another, both are implicated in the government's two greatest failures in its dealings with the opposition: Nano's arrest and the defeat of the draft Constitution. In any case, for now this conflict is expected to be judged by what repercussions it will have on the work of the courts, which are in any event accused harsh[?]ly of lacking independence and of corruption. A strike by Albanian lawyers is also expected to begin soon, in reaction to a decision by the Minister of Justice. With all these accusations and counter-accusations, dismissals and purges, Albanians' faith in justice and law and order has been seriously shaken. Amid political maneuvering at justice's expense, justice is also being eaten away by corruption, since today's judges' motto is: let us win today, because tomorrow the opposition that comes to power will leave us without jobs. Control the courts, p. 2,4. Hektor Frashëri

Former chairman A. Bendo: “Minister Frashëri convicted of gambling” Interview with the former chairman of the Tirana Court, Mr Agim Bendo Statement by the Ministry of Justice The Ministry will continue to control the courts p. 2,4 Agim Bendo; Hektor Frashëri

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Balldren - Lezhë Last night at 6:00 p.m. Ambassador George Miku, driving his own car, hit a 16-year-old boy from the village of Balldren in Lezhë. The injured boy, Hil Gjini, was immediately taken to the hospital in that city. Ambassador Miku stayed beside the accident victim for about an hour and promised him and his family that he would take him to Romania for treatment. A. R

Statement by the director of the newspaper “Koha jonë”, N. Lesi, regarding a statement published yesterday in “ZP” Yesterday, the newspaper “Zëri i Popullit” prominently published a statement by a declar-? Eurosocialists, describing it as a statement by the old Eurosocialist Forum. Yesterday, the newspaper “Zëri i Popullit” prominently published a statement by a declaration of the old Eurosocialist Forum, possibly viewing it in the old style so that the differences that have arisen within the PS could be excluded. Naturally, “Koha jonë” has no intention of dividing the PS, but we are trying to keep the public informed about the socialists who claim they will take power in the ’96 elections. Moreover, this newspaper, in keeping with the standards of a free and democratic press, gave space yesterday on its second page to the FRESH vice-chairman, Mr Ilir Meta, to present his views. As for the advice the Eurosocialists give us on how we should write, it would be in their best interest to renew “ZP” first, and then, if anyone lets them in, they can “reform” us at “Koha Jonë” too! As for the part of the statement in which the Eurosocialist Forum says that “the moral of all yesterday's ‘show’ (in ‘KJ’) is equivalent to the profit made from selling the newspaper” (!), we must clarify to the 52-year-old Eurosocialist (he is the one who drafted the statement) that, although “Zëri i Popullit” needs to work for a few years to change the age of its readership. As for the advice given in the form of orders, we remind you that “Koha Jonë” is completely independent and does not take such advice into consideration at all, except when it comes in the form of suggestions.

Yesterday, from after 3:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m., police forces and SHIK from Tirana descended on the city of Lezhë. More than 80 police officers who had arrived from the capital in minibuses carried out 12 arrests last night in the city of Lezhë and in the surrounding villages. Among those arrested are Gjovalin Frroku, Viktor Përvathi, and many others. Tirana police, in cooperation with SHIK, entered the city's bars and restaurants in a demonstrative manner, detaining many people. Those detained were immediately taken to Tirana prison. Some of them were held at the Lezhë city police station. Late into the evening, house searches continued, conducted by Tirana police, reinforced by SHIK from Tirana and Lezhë. The reasons for such an operation, which shook Lezhë late last night, are still not clearly known. According to several sources in the city, some of those arrested are suspected of crimes involving murder and robbery.