Appeal Court reduces the sentence of the political attacker ON PAGE 4

Deloitte & Touche challenges the Nano government ON PAGE 5

The “guests” in the University buildings are as poor as can be ON PAGE 5

Numerous raids and arrests in the early morning hours in the anti-communist city

NATO does not rule out the possibility of military intervention in Kosovo. “The visit to Albania is an impetus in bilateral relations and we are managing to establish a corridor in our work” The US increases pressure on Belgrade The United States issued another “very harsh” warning yesterday to Yugoslav President Slobodan Millo- “I made it very clear to Milošević that we are ready to act with the utmost severity if he does not act—

The group of Shkodër Democratic Party MPs responds: The government and the Ministry of the Interior are seeking to set Shkodër on fire again The communist terror entrenched in Shkodër for several months took another turn two days ago with the arrest of one of the leaders of the anti-communist demonstrations of 1990 and 1991 in this city. The detention of Zef Gjini, one of Albania’s well-known boxers and now coach of the Vllaznia club, is entirely political. After setting Shkodër ablaze twice within the span of a year, the Albanian communists are seeking at any cost to provoke another conflagration. With the arrest of Zef Gjini, almost the entire list of those who toppled Stalin’s bust in Shkodër has been completed. The arrests in this city are an open provocation by the government against the anti-communist city. Gjini’s arrest took place after Gjinushi’s visit there and was directly ordered by him. It adds to the large number of others arrested in this city after the February unrest and clearly signals the continuation of the city’s punishment by Nano and his clan. Moreover, the arrests in Shkodër, besides their political character, are now taking on the appearance of religious genocide against Shkodër’s Catholics, known for their unwavering anti-communism. It seems that Nano, Gjinushi and the others have no intention of leaving Shkodër in peace, but want to carry their resentment against the city and its citizens—who brought them down in 1991 and will bring them down again—to its conclusion.

President Rugova yesterday announced the creation of the commission for the parliamentary and presidential elections, which will be held in Kosovo on March 22. This act shows that the inhumane violence exercised by Belgrade has not broken the resolve of Kosovo’s institutions or its political and public opinion to hold the elections by the announced deadline. This is an event of particular importance for all Albanians living in their own territories, but it is just as important for restoring peace and stability in the region. The renewal of the presidential, parliamentary and governmental institutions clearly demonstrates that the Albanians of Kosovo want to resolve their major problems by democratic means. This is precisely why it is clear—as we have seen in recent weeks—that Serbian violence and terror against the defenseless population have shown every politician and diplomat that Milošević has used his last resort to prolong the life of the military-police regime he has imposed in Kosovo. Under these circumstances, not only Kosovo’s elected representatives, but the entire Albanian political class, have obligations as well as historical responsibilities. Fatos Nano and his clique at the head of the Albanian state, through Kreten and a series of political and diplomatic steps, should feel directly responsible for freeing Milošević’s hands to unleash terror and pressure in Kosovo again during these past few weeks. This is an occasion to recall that the state they govern does not belong to their party or clan, but to all Albanians. It is unacceptable that Albanian politics and diplomacy have not, throughout these months since the elections in Kosovo were announced, made even a single statement in their contacts with senior representatives of international organizations or friendly democratic countries. Such silence suggests that the Albanian state considers Kosovo an internal matter of Serbia. This position is intolerable. It is unforgivable that what happened in Rinas was reported in the newspapers, when it became clear that NATO Secretary General Havier Solana was several steps ahead of the Albanian prime minister in accusing Milošević. While Solana stressed to the prime minister that he was right to “wait,” promising a substantial radical response, and that Milošević knows very well what awaits him, Fatos Nano took the opportunity to find an opening to mention the date of the 16th for Shkodër and those massacred in Drenica, Kosovo. He also spoke of the terror inflicted on the children and women massacred in Drenica, Kosovo. Likewise, the statements of the United States are becoming increasingly threatening toward Serbia, while those of the Albanian government, ironically, go in the opposite direction. The Albanian opposition and its forces, despite having done the opposite, stand with national and international political and public opinion regarding the situation throughout Kosovo and the elections there. The DP and the opposition showed that they are so strong that they are the only political forces capable of uniting all Albanians in one place. The worst thing to take from this is that people have become unaware that they share one nationality, one society, one nation, one language, one goal. The most important thing is that they have the right to unite with all Albanians. The European Community, one of the most important organizations, cannot speak for all Albanians in their own territories, because only all Albanians can show who they are. Furthermore, when Kosovo announces elections, this is a great encouragement for the region and all the other international institutions; it is a great encouragement for us, but above all for the Albanians who will vote in memory of the martyrs who fell in Kosovo—women, children and elderly people who endured Milošević’s greatest violence and terror. The opposition’s well-known slogan, “One nation, one language, one goal,” is joined by all Albanians, regardless of political colors. It seems that, not by chance, only a group of political forces have remained outside this unity—those who have neither achieved nor been able to make major advances in the national cause, especially after the tragic events in Kosovo. The national goal and cause is an issue for Albanians as much as it is for the Albanians who must vote by the deadline set by the Contact Group; it is equally an issue for Albanians—not because everyone will vote after it, but to prove that they have earned the right to unity through voting; other moments will be democratic ones. At the Contact Group’s second meeting on March 25, all the diplomats should have before them the list of Albanian politicians newly mandated by Kosovo’s free elections.

Socialists! Persuade the government to leave ON PAGE 3

“Minister Malaj, VEFA’s thief” “We refuse to take the money from the government. It isn’t right. We gave the money to Vebiu.” ON PAGE 5

15 arrested for a murder ON PAGE 4

Let us hurry to help the striking creditors The Union for Democracy today invited all political forces to a joint meeting to resolve the hunger strike by a group of creditors of the “VEFA” company. After a long period of complete government silence, the Union for Democracy took the initiative to hold a joint meeting today in a hall at the “Dajti” Hotel, at 11:00, to help the 45 creditors who have entered the 19th day of their hunger strike.

Specialists are removed, state security returns Revisions to two articles of the Civil Service Law legalize the return of state security to the administration and institutionalize political revenge Specialists are removed, state security returns The government justifies a new class war Revisions to two articles of the Civil Service Law legalize the return of state security to the administration and institutionalize political revenge ON PAGE 2

The decision on the arrest measure against Gjergj Deda was overturned The Court of Cassation ruled yesterday that all the procedures followed so far in keeping the former head of the Shkodër criminal investigation department in prison constituted a serious violation of the laws by which Albanian justice must be governed The decision on the arrest measure against Gjergj Deda was overturned The Court of Cassation rules against the Tirana Court The Court of Cassation ruled yesterday that all the procedures followed so far in keeping the former head of the Shkodër criminal investigation department in prison constituted a serious violation of the laws by which Albanian justice must be governed ON PAGE 4

a corridor in our work to Yugoslav President Slobodan Milošević. They made it clear to him that Washington is ready to do “much more” against him if he and his government do not resolve the crisis in Kosovo very quickly, Robert Gelbard, President Clinton’s US envoy for the Balkans, told Congress on Thursday. not act quickly” to resolve the crisis in Kosovo, Gelbard stated. “I told Milošević that the United States is very disappointed by his stance on the problems in Kosovo,” Gelbard continued, adding: “As of this morning, I am extremely dissatisfied with him.”

Gjata: Parliament is not abiding by the agreement ON PAGE 2