Socialists have no prospect of drawing closer to Europe Yesterday, press conference of the leaders of the Democratic Party “With great regret we see the isolation of the Socialist Party,” said yesterday the leader of the party in power. The international superiority that the PD gained precisely on the eve of the campaign has not gone unused by it. “Being the main opposition force, it certainly does not do itself any credit, nor Albania, with this state of isolation,” Shehu’s attack continues. In fact, the contacts of the largest opposition party with European counterparts have not been few, but the PS has not been able to enter the most important bodies. The leaders of this party have denied rumors about their rejection by the Socialist International, while the youth wing of the party has been successful. page 3 Tritan Shehu and Ali Spahia yesterday at a press conference photo G. SHKULLAKU Tritan Shehu and Ali Spahia yesterday at a press conference photo G. SHKULLAKU

The Albanian government reacts: Unexpected decision by the Government of Belgrade “In connection with the decision of the Government of Belgrade to abolish exit visas with Albania, the government spokesperson emphasizes that this decision is in the right direction and is welcomed by the Albanian Government. Free movement of people, which is a key point of the Helsinki Act and other international documents, would serve mutual understanding and the spirit of dialogue in the region.” page 10

The journalist is also suspended from work Polovina prison: “unjustified absence” BERAT - The days spent in a cell have been counted as “unjustified absence” from work for the newly released journalist Ylli Polovina. And it was precisely this argument that was presented to Polovina by the authorities of the school where he had worked for years, seeking to deprive him also of his first profession: teaching. So, only a few hours after regaining freedom, Polovina the man experiences another adventure. In fact, harsher than with the law-enforcement bodies that kept him in handcuffs for days on end or with the judges who fined him. But while the decision of the school officials seems “final”, the reason they chose for firing Polovina creates the most humorous precedent of the authorities’ revenge on the press. Thus the teacher, for whose release from prison 120 colleagues of the journalist from all Albanian press outlets signed, will now have to work not with what he had learned every day, but with their parents. At least to convince them that prison can be anything, but not an unjustified absence. Because the reason for Polovina’s “unjustified absence” has now been understood even by the first-grade children.

“Unfortunately, human rights violations have increased” American congressmen on the political situation in Albania The election law, the restriction of freedom of speech, the violation of citizens’ rights and pressure on the press reached Capitol Hill in Washington the day before yesterday as well. The U.S. Congress Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe has taken the internal political situation of Albania under analysis. “Democratization may be slipping backward and unfortunately human rights violations have increased,” declared the chairman of this Commission, Republican Kristofer Smith. page 5

Germano: “This is the reality I see every day” The EC ambassador gives the accurate figures of the “Eurobarometer” page 2

They give 150 dollars for Polovina and just as much for any other case After their 10-day visit to Tirana

“Methyl alcohol” - the verdict is delivered page 2

Yesterday at the Directorate of Telecommunications in Tirana The day before yesterday at midday, at the Directorate of Telecommunications in Tirana, there was a discussion for more than 2 hours about the dismissal of 6 technicians and engineers who had been ordered a few weeks earlier to install the numbers in “Koha Jonë”. Yesterday the newsroom’s telephone signal was cut off for both numbers 28781 and 28796. So today the reader is not given complete information about what happened yesterday across Albania. This is the fault of the Albanian Telecommunications company, which paid an extraordinarily high tariff. This latest move by segments of the state leaves yet another bitter taste, after the events with the banning and forcible seizure of 33 newspapers by the police, after the detention by the police of all vehicles of “Koha Jonë”, after the violent seizure of the director of “KJ” also by the police, after the daily attacks carried out by the state led by Berisha. THE EDITORIAL TEAM OF “KJ”

The promised car is not given page 6

Last night on the television debate “Eurobarometer” Last night, until 10:40 p.m., TV and a debate program on the latest data from the “Eurobarometer”. In the leading role was Prime Minister Meksi, who, it must be admitted, was quite calm and explanatory on many questions, convincingly unlike the hurried and irresponsible answers of Tritan Shehu, secretary of the PD. The program highlighted many data from the “Eurobarometer” through the words of several leaders of parliamentary parties and some questions from journalists. Despite the good desire to clarify something about these data, the organizers of the program had again not invited any of the country’s major newspapers such as “Koha Jonë” and “Gazeta Shqiptare”, which meant that the questions were asked only by Edi Paloka, who cannot distinguish journalism from street insults. Nevertheless, Meksi, unlike Berisha, tried to explain and not insult; tried to accept and not attack. Apparently Meksi’s points are going up, unlike the president, who is losing every day, almost as in the Referendum. A.M.

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