Fatos Nano places snipers over the crowd of protesters. The state tries to prevent the grand ceremony for the long-bled slain Albanians, in the square against state crime Fatos Nano places snipers over the crowd of protesters. The state tries to prevent the grand ceremony for the long-bled slain Photo: Armando Babani

The opposition denounces the commander of the 2 April massacre The opposition denounces the commander of the 2 April massacre ON PAGE 4 The Chairman of the Elbasan District Council, was confiscated the envoy of the European Community meets with the strikers on the fourth day of the strike The Chairman of the Elbasan District Council, Kuqo, meanwhile stated that Cerma, with the proposal made by the head of government Fatos Nano, Sulma until yesterday untouchable at both local and central level. At a time when the police and FNSH forces were surrounding the PD with members of unit 2 at Qafë-Kërrabë heavily armed with snipers and grenade launchers, the strike leaders continued their action. Likewise, the police and the newcomers in Elbasan had turned the event into a governmental issue. For this reason the chairman of the Elbasan District Council, Fadil Cani, has been heavily criticized by the opposition, which accuses him of being the commander of the 2 April massacre. Fadil Cani appeared yesterday at around 10:30 in the strike premises accompanied by the head of the Elbasan prefecture, Arif Hoxha, as well as by the police officer from Cërrik, named Dorian[?]. During a statement to the newspaper "Koha Jonë", Fadil Cani did not say a single word about the responsibilities of the local and central structures for the killing of three citizens of Cërrik during the evening of 29 December. He even openly expressed his solidarity with the police of the Cërrik station. He went on to blame the opposition for organizing the funeral ceremony of the victims of 29 December. Cerma demanded that the representatives of the PD cancel the protest scheduled for 14:00, which was intended to raise public awareness among the citizens of Cërrik. After the strikers' firm refusal to cancel the protest, Fadil Cani left with a promise to intervene with the local authorities to enable the protest to take place peacefully. Throughout this time, special forces that had arrived with armored vehicles, tanks and heavy weapons had created an iron ring around the protesters. Yesterday's funeral ceremony for the dead of Cërrik took place under heavy police measures. ON PAGE 4

Today, on 09.01.1998, at 12:00, the Chairman of the Democratic Party, Prof. Dr. Sali Berisha, will hold a press conference at the Rogner-Europapark hotel in Tirana. All regional circles of the visual and print media are invited.

The killers are the commissioner of Tropoja and his gang The massacre in Cërrik, where three Democratic Party activists were killed, is fully exposed ON PAGE 3

The company representative does not accept the creditors at the meeting VEA throws out “Deloitte & Touche” The company representative does not accept the creditors at the meeting ON PAGE 5 Alinësua[?], word-slogan[?] voice credits the god of release in prontia trino

The governing coalition fails in its failure ON PAGE 3

The speech of the Secretary General of PD, Ridvan Bode, at the funeral ceremony The speech of the Secretary General of PD, Ridvan Bode, at the funeral ceremony ON PAGE 3

Bega, Ahmeti and Vjësili are consoled by thousands of democrats in Tropoja Tropoja honors the martyrs Bega, Ahmeti and Vjësili are consoled by thousands of democrats in Tropoja ON PAGE 3

Do not let the pen of democracy fade Speech by the Mayor of Tirana, Albert Brojka ON PAGE 3