“The draft law approved by the Council of Ministers sets financial limits for the financial treatment of military personnel. It defines length of service for pension purposes and length of service for supplementary pension benefits. Length of service for military personnel under this draft law is set at 20 years for women and 25 years for men. The draft law specifies the categories of those who benefit from the contributions military personnel have made during their careers. A total of 5,780 military personnel in the Ministry of Defence system will benefit from the approval of this draft law. The financial cost for 1999 alone will be 490 million lekë. With the approval of this draft law, Albanian military personnel will deserve the prestige due to them and the place they hold in building the modern society of a democratic state.” PAGE 3

Tragedy in Fier. Father kills his 22-year-old daughter PAGE 16 KASINA E LIDHJEVE [ ? ] [?] natur(al) Telephone 052 23 363

Majko: It is unforgivable that administration employees spend their time in an excessively unproductive way PAGE 2

THE VOICE OPINION Tirana, within May 2000, with 11 municipalities 11 municipalities, each with 15,000 families; 120 neighborhoods with 5,000–6,000 residents. Authority is delegated to 1,562 councillors in 120 neighborhoods The village produces and sells, but pays no taxes SPECIAL FEATURE, PAGES 6, 7, 8, 9

The Bank of Albania has monitored and continues to monitor monetary developments in the country, aiming to achieve the objective set by law: achieving and maintaining price stability. The latest reduction, by 2 percentage points, in the minimum interest rates on lekë deposits at state banks took into account the latest developments in several key indicators, which in May–June 1999 turned out as forecast at the beginning of the year. Thus: * The Consumer Price Index has fallen considerably since the beginning of the year, reaching its lowest level on record at the end of June 1999 (-3.6% compared with June 1998 and -28% compared with May 1999). With this rate of inflation at the end of June 1999, achievement of the annual inflation target (7%) is practically assured. * This decrease has resulted in high positive real interest rates on deposits accepted by second-tier banks; * Despite the substantial increase in Albania’s population following the start of the bombings in Yugoslavia, total money growth is estimated to be within the forecast made in May 1999, and the ratio of money outside banks to total money is 27.4%, lower even than the 29.5% forecast for the end of 1999. * On the other hand, despite events in the Balkan region, the exchange rate of the lek against the major European currencies and the dollar has appreciated considerably throughout this period, demonstrating stability even at the present time; * Following a period of enormous growth in lending activity by second-tier banks during the first quarter of this year, the Bank of Albania aims to encourage lending to the economy by further increasing the private sector’s demand for money, and believes that lowering interest rates will encourage private banks to extend loans. The Bank of Albania will continue to monitor monetary developments in the future, seeking to maintain the balance between savings and investment. *Information from the Central Bank of Albania on macroeconomic indicators