TIRANA — (O.re.) — The opposition and the majority finally agreed on one point: they categorically and firmly rejected all the demands put forward days earlier by Greek Prime Minister Kostantin Micotaqis as a condition for “normalizing” relations between the two countries. Among the demands presented in Athens was that the Greek minorities in Albania be granted the “rights” Tirana has demanded for Albanians in Kosovo, and that the Greek archimandrite expelled last month for anti-nationalist propaganda be allowed to return to Gjirokastër. Prime Minister Aleksander Meksi responded to Micotaqis with a strongly worded letter, which was approved by all Albanian political forces, starting with the secretary of the Socialist Party, Fatos Nano. Among other things, Meksi raised the issue of Çamëria, a region in Greek territory from which Albanians were expelled during the Second World War, deprived of all their property. The spokesperson for the Athens government responded to Meksi’s reply, reiterating what Micotaqis had said: acceptance of the six demands as the only condition for “normalizing” relations. A “normalization” that, it seems clear, Athens has no intention of bringing about, thereby carrying out the secret strategy which many Western observers stress it may have devised together with Sllobodan Milosheviç. Micotaqis, in

Police operation in a village near Fier Drugs produced in Albania: an opium field discovered Tests confirm: the seized plants contained narcotic substances. Two people are under investigation EDMOND LACI FIER — Drug-producing plants can be grown and harvested in Albania. Beshanaku, a small village 10 kilometers from Fier, has now proved this. The alarm raised over the past two weeks by Nikolla and Alban Shkurti, father and son, who had planted an area with the unusual plant, has shaken the Albanian authorities. Members of the Shkurti family — according to confirmation from the Police — were detained for 48 hours by the Public Order Department and then released by the Prosecutor’s Office. Criminal proceedings against them are continuing, but they remain at liberty. “It is true: the area they planted can serve as raw material for drugs,” says Vladimir Kotorrri, Head of the Public Order Department in Fier. “We have carried out the necessary tests in several laboratories in Tirana and are completely certain that this is opium.” But if this were a private initiative by the villagers, matters could be resolved quickly. “There is another site as well,” continues Head Kotorrri, “similar to the one in the village of Beshanak, but for now, because of the investigation, I cannot make it public.” Fier is the first place to discover that raw material for drugs can be grown in Albania. The surprising fact is that “drugs” are so unfamiliar to Albanians that Albanian legislation does not provide for cases involving the cultivation of plants from which drugs are produced; today, however, this is an evident danger. All the more so when villagers who have only just received land may find it difficult to resist the lucrative offers experienced drug traffickers could make them. Today, Albania, a country rich in sunshine and water — enough for plants that serve as raw material for drugs — is exposed to a new danger. This is a difficult and highly complex problem for the authorities and especially the Police. Until now, assistance requested from specialized organizations in European countries concerned only the danger of Albania being used as a transit country for drugs on their way to other states. A small opium field takes only a little time to turn into a giant plantation. That is how it has begun everywhere. A plantation of opium poppies

SHKODËR — (ar.ça.) — Things have changed at Lake Koman. The villain that eats the sheep is no longer the wolf, but the bear. Over the course of one year, a village in the Shkodër area suffered the loss of 600 head of livestock, most of them killed by this wild animal. The problem is quite serious. In areas such as the Shllak Commune, increasing the number of livestock is the only means of livelihood, since there is not enough land and no transport service. Now, in summer, the livestock are gathered in mountain pastures, but the danger is that the residents are unarmed and can do nothing against bears, wolves, jackals, or domestic dogs. These other “guests” have become more than permanent. These wild animals also pose a danger to people, because they are forced to keep their livestock close to the buildings where they live. For several days, packs of wolves have come close to homes every night in the Bjeshkët e Komanit, so the fear is doubled for both people and animals. Another factor that has contributed to dogs returning to a feral state is the departure of families — because of the Koman hydroelectric power plant — and, naturally, the abandonment that followed. To find food, the dogs from these homes have taken to the forests. And so far, no measures have been taken to restore the situation to normal.

Trafficking in radioactive materials? FIER — (Ed.La.) — The mystery of red mercury — so much talked about over the past two weeks... FIER — (Ed.La.) — The mystery of red mercury — so much talked about over the past two weeks — day after day brings to light traffickers who may pay astronomical sums for the goods

TIRANA — A new initiative in Tirana. The small announcement beside the Cultural Center-

TIRANA — A sect with 15 million believers held its sixth congress in Albania. It is the Congress of the Bektash-

which, as can be seen, makes it clear that Athens has no intention of doing so, thereby carrying out the secret strategy that many Western observers think it may have worked out together with Sllobodan Millosheviç. Micotaqis, in fact, does not change her position even after protests from several Western European countries against her statements, described as “destabilizing”. And along with this reiteration of her incompatibility, another piece of news comes from Greece: last Friday a special commission was established in Athens, headed by Minister of Defense Yannis Varvitsiotis, charged with monitoring and preventing the entry of clandestine Albanians into Greece.

FIER — (Ed.La.) — The mystery of red mercury — much talked about over the past two years — is made public. A notice issued by the official ATSH agency states: “The Oil Geological Institute in Fier became the target of a robbery by several traffickers of red mercury, which is smuggled through a network of traffickers into Greece.” But immediately the Head of the Public Order Department of Fier gives a different piece of news: “No red mercury has been stolen from any of the enterprises in our city.” Whatever the case, the new notice about the Fier episode does not fit the mystery of red mercury, which day after day brings forward traffickers who can pay fantastic sums for the “magic commodity.” Specialists from the Institute of Nuclear Physics explain “that there is no possibility of red mercury existing in Albania. Indeed, even the term itself is not correct. But it must certainly be a chemical compound which, when combined with others, forms what is commonly called ‘red mercury.’” An illegal trade in this radioactive substance between the former Soviet Union and Western European countries has recently been uncovered. In fact, it is also used to manufacture the atomic bomb.

TIRANA — A new initiative in Tirana. The small notice beside the Cultural Center for Children in Tirana has brought many people together. They have come to register for the “Tirana Alley Championship,” a sideline activity organized in this way and almost forgotten, after the spontaneous matches held in Tirana a long time ago. Thus a new initiative has emerged, entertaining but also much in demand now, when the exodus of footballers is frightening their leaders every day. The organizers are enthusiastic because registration has closed and participation is high.

TIRANA — A sect with 15 million believers held its sixth Congress in Albania. TIRANA — in Albania. It was the Bektashi Congress, which has now concluded and brought believers to Tirana from Albania, Kosovo, Macedonia, Turkey and many other countries. The World Chief Dervish, Haxhi Baba Reshat Bardhi, and senior Albanian dignitaries attended. Relocated from Turkey to Albania in 1929, the World Headquarters was unable to exist during the years of the communist regime. Albania is now also considered the world center of the Bektashi faith. President Berisha also awarded decorations to several of the world chief dervishes.

An anniversary is being celebrated: 85 years ago a priest brought the first ball ARLINDA ÇAUSHOLLI SHKODER — This is not a match between two football teams, each with its own supporters filling the stands of the “Vojo Kushi” stadium. They are a group of Jesuit priests from Malta who have shed their priestly robes and are wearing football kits with great style. They are playing against the team from the Municipality of Guri i Zi. This is where they serve and help the residents of the area. It was a match that attracted quite a few spectators, perhaps more than the matches played during the National Championship. Nor were there few goals: four for the team of the Municipality of Guri i Zi and three for the priests’ team. This is the first time that the Shkoder stadium pitch has become the stage for this kind of football, which is in no way inferior to professional football. It is also the first time that a foreign team, if we may call it that, has had so many supporters cheering it on with their chants. It is remarkable that this comes from the time when the first football and the rules of this globally popular game arrived in Shkoder. A curious fact: the person who brought it was a priest from Malta, named Al Gotrude. Therefore, this anniversary could not have been celebrated more beautifully than with this match, in which the opponents smiled at one another with great pleasure.

MEETING IN POGRADEC BETWEEN THE ALBANIAN AND MACEDONIAN MINISTERS OF TRANSPORT — Macedonia’s recognition of the green card for Albanian vehicles, the launch in August of the Skopje–Tirana air route in both directions, consideration of establishing an Ohrid–Pogradec ferry service, and the abolition of visas and fees — a proposal still being considered by the Macedonian government — for citizens crossing from one country to the other. These were the main topics discussed in Pogradec by Fatos Bitincka, Albania’s Minister of Transport, and his Macedonian counterpart, Antoni Peshev. “ULQINI” ASSOCIATION ESTABLISHED IN SHKODËR — To revive the old traditional, cultural, spiritual, and economic ties between Shkodër and Ulqin, the “Ulqini” association was established in the city of Shkodër. So far, the association has documented the presence of about 170 family lineages, comprising 600 Ulqin families in Shkodër. In 1880, Ulqin — following deals made by the great powers — joined Montenegro; nevertheless, today these two Albanian cities are separated only by the mouth of the Buna River. VISIT TO TIRANA BY THE DIRECTOR OF THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF SOUTH AFRICA — Doctor Nok Frich, director of the Geological Survey of South Africa, paid a working visit to Albania. His direct interest in the activities of GJEO-ALB and his meeting with the corporation’s director, Vasili Grillo, resulted in Frich offering assistance with technical consultancy, especially in conducting analyses of Albania’s precious metals and in publishing tectonic and metallogenic maps.

The train of the future: Moscow–New York Croatia, [ribapet]