The PD denounces the political degeneration of the justice system, as well as the violation of fundamental freedoms and human rights in Albania PD denounces the political degeneration of the justice system, as well as the violation of fundamental freedoms and human rights in Albania In two years in power, they created political courts and prosecutors’ offices The Democratic Party of Albania has once again denounced the political orientation of the Albanian justice system and its degeneration into a political prosecutor’s office and court. The Deputy Chairman of the PD and chairman of this party’s parliamentary group, Mr. Genc Pollo, accompanied by MPs Vejsiu, Cikuli, Dajçi and Uldedaj, presented yesterday, at a press conference held at the PD headquarters in Tirana, an overview of the work of the justice system during the two years the country was governed by the left-wing coalition. ON PAGE 3

Skënder Gjinushi helps the gang boss escape from the hospital. The massacre takes place only three days after Nano’s visit to Vlora ON PAGE 2 A bloody brawl at the neighborhood bar “Skelë.” The owner and his uncle are killed, along with Myrteza Çaushi’s right-hand man, “Luçiano” Zani and “Luçiano” at one of the court hearings in Tirana

One of Tirana’s best-known private television stations became the spokesperson yesterday for Zani’s gang, responsible for the bloody massacre in Skelë, where three people lost their lives and the gang boss himself was lightly wounded. Television station «Klan» put itself entirely at Zani Caushi’s disposal and presented as true the version of the Vlora gang leader about yesterday’s massacre, setting an example that may be unique in the entire history of the world press. At a time when news of the killing of three people was rapidly spreading throughout the country—including the death of Zani Caushi’s right-hand man, as well as the wounding and subsequent arrest of Zani Caushi—Klan ignored all official and unofficial sources of information, serving the public instead with what the Vlora gang boss himself said about the incident. Viewers of «Klan» in those parts of Albania reached by the private network’s signal had the “fortune” of watching not only a live interview with Zani Caushi, in which he said he had absolutely nothing to do with the massacre, but also of reading on-screen subtitles for a long time reporting that only what the Vlora gang leader said was true. By trampling on every norm of a normal press, Tirana’s «Klan» even rejected the official version of the Albanian Telegraphic Agency, which cited police sources. That report, too, was a bare-bones account that did not fully clarify Zani’s gang’s responsibility in the shocking crime in which three people lost their lives. But «Klan» reached the height of professional ugliness when, in its news item delivered in subtitles for television viewers, two victims of Zani’s gang, who were in their own bar at the time of the crime, were called assailants, while «Luciano» and Zani himself were portrayed as their victims. By abusing the screen in the most unscrupulous way in favor of a gang notorious throughout the country, the private television station «Klan» stained itself with a black mark that will be hard to erase, even if its entire staff works up a sweat trying to do the opposite of what it did yesterday. It is unprecedented in the entire history of the press for an outlet to base its news on what a bandit says after being arrested at the hospital—let alone at the hands of the police—following a massacre in which three people lost their lives. It is appalling for a television station to call people who died on the threshold of their own home “assailants” and “killers,” after they were attacked by the best-known bandits not only in Albania but throughout the region, while portraying their killers as victims. On this matter, television station «Klan» showed the same eagerness to help the Vlora gang boss as the Speaker of Parliament, Shkëndër Gjinushi, who has long-standing ties of friendship with Zani Caushi. And just as the Vlora MP influenced Zani’s arrest at the hospital, «Klan» also tried to polish the image of the wounded criminal, who says he had no hand in the incident, by giving his “alibi” airtime on «Klan» television. By becoming the spokesperson for the Çole gang, the people at «Klan» showed that, like their idol Fatos Nano, who visited Vlora three days ago, they are interested in bringing back to Albania once again the winter of 1997, when the country was ruled by armed gangs, the most prominent of which was Zani Caushi’s. Last night, Albanian television viewers had the chance to see the severe distortion practiced by that part of the Tirana press that considers itself independent, even though it is not only sustained by the illicit financing of political-mafia circles, but also has the audacity, on a particular occasion, to become a direct spokesperson for the gangs that roam Albania’s streets every day.

AFOR reaffirms this mission’s long-standing position

The officer kills a mother...

AFOR reaffirms the long-term presence of this mission “We have no plan to reduce NATO forces operating as part of the AFOR humanitarian mission” ON PAGE 3

The thugs had demanded protection money from the owners, but pulled their weapons on them because they did not get the money At least three people were injured in an incident that took place yesterday at around 8:00 in front of the “Bafshuat” bingo hall. ON PAGE 2

Tragic incident in Elbasan ON PAGE 2

Tirana’s mayor says: “The Construction Police have the authority to remove unauthorized kiosks” The government’s zeal for demolishing kiosks is immoral when it does not begin by demolishing the unauthorized buildings belonging to those in power. The Municipality is run by democratically elected officials, and that is why the government wants to pin this case on the DP, Brojka said. ON PAGE 5

The junior partners in the coalition threaten to bring down the “Majko” cabinet ON PAGE 3

Thirty-four rank-and-file customs officers were dismissed yesterday. Following cooperation between Angjeli’s Ministry and SHIK, it was concluded that all of them were corrupt and involved in smuggling in Albania: the 34 rank-and-file customs officers. Meanwhile, the senior customs officials, as always, have emerged from these dismissals unscathed, being entirely honest people. The dismissal of customs officers under Angjeli’s signature is the latest in a series of purges carried out by the Socialists in the customs service, ostensibly in the name of fighting smuggling. Meanwhile, the real motives are the fierce struggle among smuggling clans and the filling of customs posts with other people close to the clans in power. B.K.

Today, 290 days since the murder of the December Leader Every day that passes since the murder of Azem Hajdari, the symbol of democracy and pluralism, proves the involvement of Fatos Nano’s government in the aftermath that, at its height, shook the entire Albanian world. The government of the former communists, which leaves the criminals who took the life of the December Leader free and undisturbed, shows Albanians that they have been and remain on the side of the killers, who have names of their own but are untouched by those in power. Democrats and all Albanians who loved and honored Azem Hajdari can never tolerate this crime. The government must either publicly declare and bring the criminals to justice, or publicly declare that it itself committed the murder of Azem Hajdari.

Tirana, June 30 /Enter/ The Association of Albanian Journalists will convene its second Assembly on July 2, after more than six years of paralysis in its work. According to the Association of Journalists’ statutes, the Assembly is convened by one third of the members of the Executive Board, which decided to call it for July 2, since the Association’s current leaders have paralyzed its work. Under the statutes, the Chair of the Association of Journalists is elected once every two years and for no more than two terms, whereas the current chair has never been elected and has been appointed to the position since 1993, with a temporary mandate of nine months. One of the members of the Assembly’s Organizing Committee told the Enter news agency that 34 delegates representing all press organizations, as well as members of the Association of Journalists, would attend the Assembly. The Assembly will elect the Association’s new leaders and its new Executive Board.

On Thursday, 8 July 1999, at 10:00, the Special National Assembly of the Democratic Party will hold its proceedings at the Opera and Ballet Theatre in Tirana.

Zani and “Luciano” at one of the trial hearings in Tirana