The democratic state, having been removed from the hands of the renewed com…nists, after a short pause, has reopened the prison doors for journalists of the free press. After unscrupulous accu… against “Koha Jonë”, the blocking of transport vehicles, threats and re… to shut it down, the attack against the largest newspaper has reached its peak. Exactly two years after 31 January ’94, the day Aleksandër Frangaj and Martin Leka were arrested, Tirana police arrested and sent our colleague Altin Hazizaj to Tirana Prison. Among the accusations made today, this latest one is of a schoolyard level. The 22-year-old journalist Hazizaj has assaulted two unarmed police officers! Yesterday, journalist Altin Hazizaj and photojournalist Gent Shkullaku went to gather information about the conflict that had arisen between residents of an apartment building on the outskirts of Tirana and the police, following the Municipality’s order to forcibly vacate apartments occupied without permission. As soon as they arrived, the police confiscated the photojournalist’s camera, which they still have not returned, preventing him from doing his job. Journalist Hazaj went up the stairs of the building to speak with residents and get their views on the conflict. From that moment on, he was not seen again. In the evening, before his family had even been infor…ed, we learned that our colleague … had ended up in Tirana Prison because he had supposedly refused to obey the police and leave the area, and had beaten the two poor officers. This is not the first time a journalist has fallen victim to police ignorance. Wherever events take place, police chiefs prevent journalists from taking photographs and gathering information. This does not happen anywhere else in the world, only in Albania. In Macedonia, the President was wounded and journalists took photographs from as close as three metres from his car, only moments after the attack; whereas in Albania, 10 families are forcibly evicted from their homes, and the police confiscate cameras and … jail journalists. Such scandals have become routine for the Albanian police, even though no law denies journalists the right to obtain information. And this happens only to journalists from the non-governme… press. The “Koha Jonë” editorial office, convinced that the accusation against Altin Hazizaj is a pre…text to justify this journalist’s arrest, … and to continue the attacks launched recently against this newspaper, protests forcefully and demands his immediate release. On the other hand, we call on the institutions of the Albanian State, if they are … for the free press, to rein in the police forces, guarantee the normal functioning of journalists’ work, and protect rather than assault the free press. If the Albanian State is against freedom of the press, it would be better for it to declare so, and we are … ready to suspend our work as journalists temporarily. The leaders of “Koha Jonë” … demand this declaration from the Albanian government … they do not want the passion and … work that drives journalists to work for … the newspaper to be rewarded with handcuffs and prison. … On the other hand, we call on all … serious political forces to defend the press and guarantee this. They must not remain silent or do … when journalists are obstructed, and so on … and there must be someone to write about them.

“Koha Jonë” journalist Altin Hazizaj arrested 200 former political prisoners forcibly evicted from their homes TIRANA — Threats and brutality to the point of bloodshed. Sixteen detained and four injured and admitted to the Military Hospital: this is the toll of the confrontation between residents of an apartment building in Allias, in the capital, and a group of former persecuted people who did not want to surrender their apartments to the law-enforcement forces. Yesterday ended on a decidedly bitter note for the 200 residents of the building, which for six months has been a “bone of contention” between the local authorities and police forces on one side, and its “clandestine” residents on the other. continued on page 2 Altin Hazizaj; Tirana Prison

The opposition takes up arms, the DP keeps its head down 13 parties warn of a fierce battle page 3

February 1996 …tion of the …ar of the DP …esdhe, … cross… Berisha …its own. This point …had been left as the apple of …among the parties …divided between …the mandates assigned …by the DP for each … …Also, the …that it is invalid …pre-election alliances …not discussed at all. …takes from the DP …finally before …the DP has not fallen …withdraws also from …the constitutional …that cre… …the ending of the mandate …current on the day …of parliament. So… this will mean …at the first meeting …of next year, …the president and …will have a free hand …in the country’s … In the DP’s parliamentary group …agreement that an article on …the deputies’ term …be given a …formula for expiry …formulated as follows: the deputy’s …term ends on the day of …parliament, …his/her duties continue. …a small …the order on TV. …the new …who will …parliament, …are divided among parties …that do not have …that is assigned …general for …the DP will have …representation. Meanwhile, …SD, PBSD, …PR will …the …others. Bene… from the change, PAD, …which until now …had the right to … Meanwhile, as …the result …the DP today will …after the day …the decisions …“Roundtable for …democracy …free elections” …On the …day, the Roundtable …in the law …will decide on …for …in party-political …also …Germany” …has become …of BARÇI

Durrës, following the seizure of nearly 40 kilograms of heroin Two Albanians from Macedonia charged Durrës, following the seizure of nearly 40 kilograms of heroin Drugs: major trial today Two Albanians from Macedonia charged page 7

Construction Police warn residents of Kashar Families: “We will block the national road Tirana - Durrës” Construction Police warn residents of Kashar 700 homes at risk of being demolished Families: “We will block the national road Tirana - Durrës” page 6

PD fulfills only 2 of the 8 demands of the 12 parties MPs call for Berisha page 3

PD cannot make changes without Berisha’s permission The law proposed by PD should not be driven by its fear of losing power page 9

The Constitutional Court approves the “Anti-Genocide” law The legality of the government commission on the Files is not ruled upon

page 2

We inform you that the headquarters of the central editorial office of the newspaper “Koha Jonë” has changed address. We are now located in Neighborhood No. 5, “Sami Frashëri” Street (near the “Petro Nini Luarasi” high school). The newspapers “AKS” and “Sport Ekspres,” the “Koha Jonë” advertising agency, and the “Press Transport” branch are also located at this address. The telephone numbers remain 33274 and 28781.

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Tickets ending in 73 win a prize of 500 lekë Tickets ending in 278 win a prize of 2,000 lekë Tickets ending in 9216 win a prize of 5,000 lekë Ticket number 16/8077 wins a prize of 50,000 lekë Ticket number 17/4030 wins a prize of 150,000 lekë Ticket number 8/3144 wins a prize of 700,000 new lekë

Altin Hazizaj Tirana Prison