The traffickers’ officials have the protection of the state’s number one ON PAGE 4 Committees kill Bashkim Shkurti The funeral ceremony of Bashkim Shkurti, yesterday in the city of Lushnjë

Two hours before being executed he had given testimony against superiors at the General Prosecutor’s Office regarding a smuggling operation by the former [ ? ] chairman of the Socialist Party in Shkurti Who was Bashkim Shkurti Two hours before being executed he led [ ? ] political in Shkurti Bashkim Shkurti, a mathematics graduate, worked as a teacher for a long time, when during the eruption of the pyramid schemes in Albania, he was put in charge of the financial inspection in Lushnjë, where he uncovered the embezzlement by the former chairman of the Socialist Party in the city of a large sum of money. After more than a month of financial investigation, the Financial Control Directorate discovered that the fund of 96 million lek from the former enterprises of the city of Lushnjë, as well as 5 million lek obtained through embezzlement, had been used abusively. The arrest was made in the room. ON PAGE 2

The Foreign Policy Committee does not want NATO in Albania All the twisted information from the Council of Europe and the OSCE about the election law The Legal Committee rejects the PD’s requests Manipulations and power struggles seem set to rule once again over the olive groves of the Albanian elections Godo: No one has cut short the decision to establish NATO in Albania, he has maintained an anti-national stance ON PAGE 3

ON PAGE 2 We distance ourselves from any terrorist act

The leadership has elected Stijana Irypmin as Vice President of LDG and Donika Siren as Secretary General Democratic women gather the national council ON PAGE 2

The investigative committee, the enigmas and failures of a political show In parliament: The truth according to the Spartaks ON PAGE 8

Maliardis [?], a permanent representative of the Socialist Party General ON PAGE 3

Shërbendani visas for Socialists, raki, 2 zonës suj e tni teqeto, the Socialist secretary of PDS and the mayor of Kisa represent the beginnings The investigative committee, the enigmas and failures of a political show ON PAGE 3

Albania, between state violence and street crime ON PAGE 3

Shurmontone a thousand 100 employees of the sewage and wastewater service Funds for canal maintenance are halved ON PAGE 5

Shpaspas in 8 oceans with little ships from Qifiri i Vlorës ON PAGE 4

According to social indicators, the data on poverty in Albania are alarming ON PAGE 5

The economic crisis forces children to leave school ON PAGE 5

The investigative committee, the enigmas and failures of a political show In parliament: The truth according to the Spartaks ON PAGE 8

Police violence against journalists again ON PAGE 4

Due to lack of material, today’s issue’s news section journalist for the Flag of Centrism and the decision of the Presidency of the PDSh, dated 12 May 1998, no. 110, the official organ of the Democratic Party “Rilindja Demokratike” will publish the full decision in the issue dated 14 May 1998. Those interested should bear in mind that the decision of the Presidency of the PDSh constitutes the official position of the Democratic Party of Albania and that any other comment, analysis or publication on matters arising in connection with the decision does not necessarily represent the position of the newspaper. Editorial office secretary (the text of the statement was taken in part from the Public Relations Sector of the PDSh)