Banker Helfer: Here is the state of Albanian banks ON PAGE 5

A long list of people questioned in connection with the Shkodër incident ON PAGE 4

Crime holds the city of Elbasan hostage ON PAGE 4

What lies behind the “Axis” of the Commission for the Verification of Figures?

On the 22nd day of the hunger strike, a third party is proposed to resolve the crisis “We are in favor of inclusiveness, as Mr. Nano also says, and we agree to a third party to resolve the problem,” says hunger striker Luan Daci The OSCE said on Thursday that a third party may be necessary to resolve the conflict between the government and the jurists, who have been on hunger strike for more than 20 days. The OSCE ambassador in Tirana, Daan Everts, said that the hunger strikers he spoke with on Wednesday evening agreed to an outside third party to resolve the conflict and warmly welcomed his proposal to bring in a group of foreign experts to professionally assess the demands of the strikers, who have decided to sacrifice themselves in defense of independence. There are two sides, and the OSCE “must also learn about the willingness of the Albanian government, and to what extent it is prepared to meet the strikers’ demands.” “The area of disagreement is very small. The matter should be addressed professionally, and the articles of the law on the reorganization of the justice system should be examined to see whether there is room for improvement. The disagreements are not irresolvable; the problem has to do with the lack of political dialogue,” Ambassador Everts emphasized. The jurists’ strike has become an international concern. The meeting of the Political Bureau of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe is expected to take place in Strasbourg in the coming days to consider support for the demands of the hunger strikers, who are fighting for the independence of the judiciary in Albania. The head of the jurists’ strike, Luan Daci, said that the jurists had reached a compromise with the OSCE and the Council of Europe to accept certain conditions and the articles of the law that guarantee the independence of the courts. Daci stressed that there had been no six-month courses in Albania, but accelerated courses lasting 14 months, from which 420 jurists graduated with diplomas that were not challenged by a government decision. “We are in favor of everything that is good, and Mr. Nano too, and we have [unclear] for a third party to resolve the problems,” Daci said, adding that the jurists had been and remained in favor of dialogue with the government, which was ready for dialogue. Jurist Lazër Sallaku praised the [unclear] contribution of the strikers in their contacts with the OSCE, as well as their [unclear] meeting with the OSCE ambassador in Tirana, Daan Everts. “We hope for a solution through the ambassador’s mediation,” jurist Sallaku said.

The condition of the former hunger strikers is worsening From the meeting between the striking jurists and the European Troika delegation

The new budget. Public-sector employees will get increases of only 6 to 10 percent The salaries of senior government officials will rise by as much as 200 percent The new budget. Public-sector employees will get increases of only 6 to 10 percent. The government is robbing pensioners of their money. The salaries of senior government officials will rise by as much as 200 percent. Poor Albanians are losing all hope in the government, while government officials show no scruples in enriching themselves. The new state budget provides for only a negligible increase in public-sector salaries, while government officials will be rewarded with 200 percent of their current salaries. According to sources from the Prime Minister’s Office, teachers and pensioners are expected to receive a laughable increase of 6 to 10 percent in their meager pay, while the president, the prime minister and other government officials will double their official pay packets. Teachers, pensioners and other public-administration employees can now be completely clear that this state has fallen into the hands of an unscrupulous gang of thugs. The fact that they are doubling their own salaries at the expense of their citizens’ poverty is all the more infuriating because everyone in Albania now knows that senior government officials do not wait for payday to line their pockets. There is plenty of evidence that Nano, Fino, Çeka, Gjinushi and Brokaj run smuggling and other illegal trafficking operations, take tender money and siphon off half the aid money intended for Albania. But apparently their greed is still not satisfied: they want to milk everything that has come within their reach during their temporary rule. The new draft budget is the clearest proof that this government does not deserve to remain in power for another minute, since the prime minister, his ministers and other senior officials are enriching themselves with the money of pensioners and poor Albanians. A.GJ.

Firm in their demands, the hunger strikers are facing a decision to cut off all contact with the outside world, as the eight lawyers in Tirana have done The condition of the former persecuted hunger strikers is worsening. The protests will escalate starting today From the meeting between the striking lawyers and the European Troika delegation ON PAGE 2

Nano has declared that 270 million dollars out of the 600-million-dollar aid package have been “disbursed” to Albania, but so far, apart from the increase in government officials’ salaries, Albanians have not seen a single cent ON PAGE 3

Elbasan’s right condemns police violence The chairman of the “Balli Kombëtar” party is beaten by the police Representatives of the “Balli Kombëtar” party condemned police violence at the strike by parties of the right-wing spectrum, as well as the policy the police had pursued against the party’s chairman for Belesh at their own offices. After explaining the reasons that led to the arrest of the chairman in Belesh, Fatoss Balli, the party representatives said that this violence was not merely a violation against the party, nor just a property dispute with the nephew of the chairman of the “Balli Kombëtar” party, but involved something more collective. According to them, the claim was that the SP MP Ndriçim Hysa, of this Balli group, had said: “They are supporting Aleko Gjergon and will help him; if you ask Hysen Selton, you’ll regret it.” It was precisely this political pressure that subsequently led to the assault and arrest of the chairman of “Balli Kombëtar.” This was also one of the many points in the statement signed by right-wing representatives and anti-communist associations, against the communist revanche and in support of the strikers’ union. The round table, initiated by PLI, aimed to continue political dialogue and find common ground for concrete action and the most effective possible cooperation in the Elbasan region. Another important point was the defense of the Albanian Autocephalous Orthodox Church, an issue raised by the Democrats. The communist revanche, purges in the administration, the police and SHIK were among the issues set out in the final statement. In the end, all the parties and associations agreed to organize a large rally at the “11 Nëntori” Cinema venue, to raise awareness among the people of Elbasan about the situation in this city. A place where, under socialist rule, violence, crime and poverty are increasing, while wages and pensions remain where they were a year ago. Regarding this point, the “Balli Kombëtar” party offered several reflections on the idea and the preliminary bilateral talks. The round table of the right-wing parties will continue its cooperation.

Italy concerned about Balkan horse-trading ON PAGE 3

Breaking news Our people, both young and old, welcomed the news of the doubling of the salaries of senior government officials and the President of the Republic with indescribable enthusiasm and joy. “Long may they live!” exclaimed thousands upon thousands of unemployed people and pensioners, interviewed and shown on television, offering their wishes, as has long been the custom of this ancient and hospitable people. Some pensioners were ready to give up the pension that barely helped them get through the days, so that the government officials’ salaries could be restored, while one unemployed person expressed a wish to work for a few days solely to contribute to the salary increases of the prime minister and president. Now our government officials will no longer be poor and worn out, struggling to get on and off planes as they try to impress the world. From now on, our government officials will not be forced to engage in smuggling or collaborate with criminals to supplement their low salaries; instead, they will eat and drink with dignity, at the Rogner too, a place they have avoided until now. Petitions have arrived at the government from many districts across the country, warning that they will go on strike if government officials’ salaries are not refreshed in the near future. In several cities, the news that the salaries of ministers and the prime minister were doubling turned into a nationwide popular celebration, accompanied, as tradition dictates, by [unclear] and bread and bombs, as reported by local media in Mallakastër, Elbasan, Tirana, Shkodër and Gjirokastër—not counting the dozens of injured. We do not know how long this celebration will continue or how many will be poor tomorrow, but, as they say, a living creature does not yearn for meat when it is condemned to die. A pensioner, at the very moment of death, was given the joyful news, lost his strength and fell to the ground, overcome by emotion. “Let my pension for this month, 20 thousand lekë, which I will not live long enough to spend, be added to the Prime Minister’s salary of one and a half million lekë, to make it a round one and a half million. And…” “Our man closed his eyes in peace, for he had left his last wish…” …the increase in government officials’ of their current salaries. According to sources at the Prime Minister’s Office, civil servants between 6 and 10 percent of their meagre pay, while the president, pay packets. Publication of the decision, which is expected to be formalized shortly, has caused widespread discontent, especially among poor Albanians, whose numbers are growing by the day. This is perhaps the most irresponsible decision taken by the Nano government in recent days, because it is incomprehensible that the prime minister should double his salary while pensioners cannot even afford to buy bread for 15 days, and other public-sector employees are on the brink of survival on the wages they receive.

Nano ready to legalize Milloshi’s and Mosko’s parties ON PAGE 3

Yesterday, the celebration of brotherhood and peace filled the mosques of Tirana, Shkodër, Elbasan, Pogradec, Berat, Korçë, Kukës, etc. ON PAGE 5

The opposition will be freed from the darkness and hooliganism of information ON PAGE 3