More than 60,000 teachers and doctors protest against low wages Today the two largest organizations of Albanian workers, the Trade Union Confederation and the Independent Trade Union, which represent more than 60,000 teachers and healthcare workers, have gone on national strike. The “Meksi” government declared this strike illegal some time ago, although it affected the two most sensitive sectors of Albanians’ social life. On the other hand, Albanian teachers and doctors are the lowest-paid people in the Government’s budgetary system. Today the schools’ doors are closed to pupils, while the sick are waiting for Meksi to raise doctors’ salaries, so that they will have to pay as little as possible out of their own pockets... —Reports from our correspondents in Tirana, Elbasan, Durrës, Mirditë. Page 4

Found guilty but released on probation I expected to be acquitted by the court Arben Lika speaks to “KJ” after his release Page 2 The trial of Arben Lika has ended

Less than 9 years in prison for the 13 police officers—4 of them are released Yesterday at midday, the verdict was handed down for the 13 former officers of the Tirana Prison Service who were on duty on the night when 20 prisoners escaped, on 15 January of this year. The sentence imposed by the presiding judge, Laska, was reduced to almost a quarter of that requested by prosecutor Bici. Four of the accused enjoyed their freedom yesterday. The verdict handed down yesterday at the Tirana Court found 9 of the 13 former employees of the capital’s prison guilty of violating service regulations, resulting in the escape of 20 prisoners. Only 9 years’ imprisonment in total for the 9 guilty police officers was the sentence signed by Mrs Fatmira Laska, presiding judge of the military court panel. Former police officers Genc Nurcellari, Engjëll Kallulli, and Ndriçim Haxhillari were released from the courtroom. The latter was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment, with two years suspended. Of the sentences handed down, the lowest is 6 months and the highest 2 years’ imprisonment. Maliq Llapushi, the assistant officer on guard on the night of the great escape, was the only one whose sentence was increased from 1 to 2 years, which is also the highest sentence imposed. Closing the case against the 13 police officers also marks the opening of the case against 6 of the 20 participants in the sensational escape who have been captured.

Yesterday: National meeting of the DP At yesterday’s meeting of the DP’s national assembly, President Berisha spoke to those present about the duties facing DP activists in defending the ideals of December, which were set out in [unclear] and democratic freedom. The chairman stressed Berisha’s determination and spoke and discussed the focus on work to restructure, renew, and revitalize the DP’s structures. The entire discussion at yesterday’s DP assembly meeting concerned preparations to withstand the return of neo-communism to power. To this end, the meeting assigned specific tasks for implementing the new scheme for distributing the press, as well as other propaganda tasks. Nothing more and nothing less, yesterday’s meeting of the DP assembly had, “de jure,” the effect of ushering in an electoral phase, except for the fact that Berisha has not declared himself [unclear] until the elections. A special place at the meeting was also given to the fight against the opposition. Regarding the attack on the opposition, the defense of the ideals of December, the restructuring, renewal, and revitalization of the DP’s structures, as well as the possibility of neo-communism returning to power—all of which Berisha and the other speakers discussed yesterday—you will read the opinions of representatives of political parties tomorrow.

Rugova: I understood Berisha’s request for Athens to mediate as a UN recommendation Page 3