The Otranto government continues the drowning of Albanians ON PAGE 4

The case of the dismissed judges goes to the Constitutional Court ON PAGE 4

The director shuts the door on the strikers at the Medical Faculty ON PAGE 5

Government officials line up to loot the assets of rentier companies They looted the Albanians’ deposits. Banks, counters for government officials ON PAGE 5

Deçani and Drenica in a military iron ring

Antoneta Luli elected chairwoman of the Democratic Women’s League The 3rd Congress of the Democratic Women’s League held its proceedings. Also participating were the chairman of the DP, Sali Berisha, and other senior leaders of the DP and the Union for Democracy ON PAGE 2

Bode and Hajdari meet with residents of the Capital

Genc Pollo and Ferdinand Xhaferi meet residents of Sevaster

The bait for Meta is ready; Blushi’s rise is being prepared Photos: Nano is preparing Blushi’s catapulting and rise to the heights of the Socialist Party. Socialist, while taking preventive measures against possible factionalists who could cause him problems in the party. The chairman of the Socialist Party and the Albanian prime minister is seeking to leave his nephew Ben Blushi not only the wealth that comes with the post of government spokesperson, but also a political career. Official Skopje announced yesterday the new Albanian socialist prime minister, with the names of Majko, Meta and Blushi once again raised. The “group of pioneers” for Nano, the wing of the politics of change close to the prime minister, no longer matches his grandeur, despite the considerable surprise that Ilir Meta is also part of it. Among those who were known opponents of Nano and fiercely accused the prime minister’s “book” clan, Ilir Meta is now, not by chance, alongside supporters who draw up attacks against him. “Pandeli Majko, during the difficult times of the motion, is remembered as the best-known troublemaker among his chairman’s straight-legs, who turned red more than Nano himself when many anti-motionists ... Meanwhile Blushi, then at the newspaper “Koha jonë”, is known as the inventor of the term “Koha jonë”, “book” for everyone who defines Berisha,” for all those who “come out as ... when a prisoner is released. But what is this new wing in the PS that is being presented? The Socialists’ campaign? First of all, Meta’s inclusion among Nano’s pioneers is not simply a matter of mention, which happens and is caused every 30 years? By taking advantage of Meta’s incorporation into this party, where does Nano think he will gain political ground? And then, the state secretary who finds himself at the forefront of Meta’s departure? A game to sideline factionalists and finally settle accounts with the anti-motionists The announcement of the PS’s new wing is the second phase. By presenting it as a network close to himself, Nano intends to win Meta over by kindness, forcing the latter to willingly give up the leadership of FRESH and the direction of the Tirana Socialists. Justifying this with the occupation of the post of state secretary, Nano is waiting to take away from Meta his name among young people and his Euro-socialist support, so that he can then cast him out of the Socialist Party’s inner circle. Sources close to the prime minister say that once Meta has voluntarily given up leading FRESH, it will not be difficult at all for Nano to suppose the state secretary’s decision, leaving Meta to content himself only with a deputy’s immunity for the little time remaining until the new elections. Thus, very soon Meta will lose not only European Integration, but also his integration into the Socialist Party, where he will suddenly find himself like a fish out of water, watching Nano’s nephew, Ben Blushi, rise impossibly high. Meanwhile, the latter will have no problem rising simply because he has become ... when he sees Nano looking gloomy, but above all to ... the Party Director. By presenting the “new wing” as the alternative for change, Nano seeks to get ahead of the negative moves that the group pressed against him might make, as it has proposed creating a faction. He has begun to anticipate the verbal clashes of Blushi and the others, setting them against Nano to take Majko’s place. This suits Majko and Meta, while trying to ... ... according to Blushi’s ironic little heart, which can be marketed as serious for a while. This whole story is expected to end very soon with Meta’s own help, as lately he has shown that he can be left with only a drop of water when it comes to his career. It seems the times have passed when the leader of the Euro-socialists refused the post of deputy prime minister for Foreign Affairs so as not to lose his parliamentary mandate, suspecting a dirty game by Nano. With this game, Nano hopes to prevail over the factionalists, whom he will brand as fanatics, setting them against the political voices of the “group of pioneers,” while after casting Meta aside he hopes to eliminate the anti-motionists’ final scenarios as well. This is because the FRESH chairman is considered Nano’s toughest opponent, while he has no problem, for example, with Hajdaraga, ... and securing continuity by distinguishing the trigonas, and likewise with someone else whom he has doubled for the banana field. Killing two birds with one shot, Nano seeks to heal the wounds of those recently dissatisfied with the government changes and the unfair distribution of smuggling footage, and to deal with long-standing opponents, while fortifying the iron circle of leadership with members of his own family. The scheme presented by official Skopje is truly muddled, as are the names chosen to remove the protagonists from their roles, although some will be victims and some winners.

Bode and Hajdari meet residents of the Capital Bode: Only a new political solution would save Albanians from the misery and deep economic and political crisis into which the country has sunk ON PAGE 3

The Interior Minister promises he will not imitate his predecessor. The resignation of the Justice Minister is demanded, as incompetent and corrupt “I will leave of my own accord, and I will not wait for others to force me”

Nano also takes the facility police away from Tirana Municipality ON PAGE 3

Economic assistance: The budget is reduced, the number of certificates increases ON PAGE 5

Genc Pollo and Ferdinand Xhaferi meet residents of Sevaster Compensation and the return of land and other property was a process left unfinished by the rebellion, Pollo said, calling on the government to respect, during the major privatization, former owners who have the documents in their possession ON PAGE 3

Berisha and Pollo meet the Chairman of the Movement for the Understanding of Peoples

Albanian families terrified by Serbian soldiers’ bombardment of homes

Prize list for the draw of May 3, 1998, of the National Tele-Bingo MINI-BINGO PRIZE All tickets with No. 2834 win the MINI-BINGO prize worth 4,000 lekë. They qualify to compete for the Grand Prizes: TICKET NO. 2834 SERIES 145 TICKET NO. 2834 SERIES 166 TICKET NO. 2834 SERIES 104 The 3 winners listed above will compete among themselves next Sunday, May 10, 1998, to share: AN APARTMENT; A VEHICLE; A TOURIST TRIP. SUPPLEMENTARY PRIZES All tickets in Series 171 win the third supplementary prize, worth 60 lekë (regardless of ticket number). All tickets in Series 190 win the second supplementary prize, worth 180 lekë (regardless of ticket number). All tickets in Series 169 win the first supplementary prize, worth 300 lekë (regardless of ticket number). Winners of the SUPPLEMENTARY and MINI-BINGO prizes may collect them at any TELE-BINGO and TOTO-FUTBOLL sales outlet. Winners of the grand prizes must contact the NATIONAL TELE-BINGO immediately at tel. no. 414-29. For the next draw, 100 sets numbered from 201–300 have been put on sale.

Antoneta Luli