“Someone today wants to disrupt harmony among faiths” A strong denunciation by the Albanian Helsinki Committee FATOS BAXHAKU TIRANA — A new controversy has arisen in Albania. This time a very delicate issue has become its subject: religion. A reality that is also new for Albanians—who have begun to reacquaint themselves with it over the past three years—it has apparently started to give rise to the first concerns. On Thursday, the Albanian Helsinki Committee distributed an official statement expressing its great concern about certain phenomena which, in its view, “threaten the very concept of freedom of belief and, on the other hand, violate the legislation in force.” In their statement, the Helsinki activists raise several issues that had long been discussed in many circles: Islamic classes are being held in some state schools, which are defined by their status as entirely secular. RTSH is not exempt from criticism either. According to the Helsinki Committee, no kind of religious propaganda should have a place in Albania’s television broadcasts. A state institution where religious rites are held is also mentioned, but not identified. According to the human-rights activists, religious criteria are used in some institutions when hiring people, and aid is often distributed according to the same criteria. “Let us stop religious fanaticism,” the Albanian Helsinki Committee appeals with concern, “because someone wants to disrupt harmony among the religions.” The phenomena being denounced make the question even more pressing: Will there be fundamentalism in Albania, a country where all religious faiths have lived peacefully for centuries? The statement, much discussed by public opinion, which is always sensitive to these issues, has also reached the State Secretariat for Religion, the only state body responsible for relations between the state and religion and for enforcing legislation in this field. Bardhyl Fico, State Secretary for Religion, tells the newspaper his position on the issues raised by the human-rights activists: “The statement surprised me, because, first of all, it was not this committee’s place to issue such documents. It could perhaps have been issued by many state bodies, but not by them. Secondly, before drafting it, they could have consulted us, and we would have clarified many aspects. As far as I recall, what is meant here is a place of worship set up at the Central Polyclinic, where Arab doctors work. I see nothing wrong with the existence of such a place, where nobody is forced to pray. On the contrary, the absence of such a place would be a violation of human rights. The statement,” Fico notes, “certainly also includes points that are valid, such as signs of religious discrimination in the distribution of aid and other matters.” As for one of the most important issues reflected in the statement, the Islamic classes, Bardhyl Fico sees nothing alarming: “Arabic is taught there, but through the Quran. It is just like courses in other languages, and nobody can prohibit them. If state-school premises have been used for this, then the Ministry of Education, which administers them, must take the appropriate measures.” The new phenomena are precisely a source of concern at this ministry. “The existing education law categorically prohibits religious propaganda in public schools,” says Ylli Pango, Deputy Minister of Education, “and the same provision is included in the new draft law. We have received reports of such violations for some time, but they are very difficult to verify, because in most cases such classes take place outside regular school hours. We will continue to monitor the issue insofar as it concerns our school system; the other aspects must be dealt with by other authorities.” Quran study in Tirana

Arrest ordered TIRANA — (Ed. La.) — The two teenagers detained the previous night at Hotel “Dajti” have been wanted by the police since Thursday. The Tirana Prosecutor’s Office signed arrest warrants for the two 18-year-old peers, Endrik Kopliku and Henger Gjelqerimi, on the charge of “theft in complicity.” But after being taken to Tirana Police Station No. 1—where they remained for more than 10 hours—the two friends left for an unknown destination. Until late Friday, no one confirmed the news of their arrest. The order to arrest the young men Kopliku and Gjelqerimi was issued on the basis of the incident on Wednesday on the terrace of Hotel “Dajti.” That was where hotel staff apprehended them as they tried to take various items from the rooms of the personal security guards of former US President Jimmy Carter. After they were taken to Police Station No. 1, a “Nikon” camera, stolen several days earlier from rooms at Hotel “Dajti,” was also found at the home of one of the two teenagers in Tirana. The camera and some pieces of jewelry that had been taken were immediately returned to US citizen Jenice Hewing.

Funding of 26 million dollars TIRANA — (an.st.) Twenty-six million dollars have been allocated for a project to rehabilitate 85 kilometres of roads in Albania’s road network, drawn up in cooperation with the World Bank. Registration of the companies that will compete in the tender for carrying out the project has now been completed. At the same time, the preliminary selection of companies that will participate in the competition has begun; it will be completed in the middle of next month. Around 130 companies have submitted bids, among them six joint ventures. The remaining amount, around 8 million dollars, will be financed by the Kuwaiti Fund. The overwhelming share of the funding is for construction works, while 2.3 million dollars will be spent on machinery and equipment and 0.8 million on technical assistance. Only one company bid for this latter activity. The company-selection stage has also been completed. Of the 42 companies that applied, six have been selected to take part in the next competition. Not only the lack of roads in some areas, but also participation in the competition, which will conclude submitted bids, including six joint ventures and other foreign companies from Italy, Croatia, Slovenia, Germany, Austria and Bulgaria. Of these, 59 companies will compete for the construction component of the project, 29 for supplying the necessary machinery and equipment, and 42 for providing the required technical consultancy. The project, which mainly covers the rehabilitation of roads in the Tirana region as well as some in the Port of Durrës area, belongs to the World Bank, while its implementing agency is the Roads Directorate in the Ministry of Transport. The project has two sources of funding. Eighteen million dollars will be financed by the International Development Association, I.D.A., an institution that finances projects with faster implementation. in some areas, but also the very poor and backward state of the existing network are among the greatest obstacles and difficulties to expanding commercial activity and all economic activity in the country. This is also the main cause of the recent rise in the number of accidents. Poor road conditions also greatly undermine efforts to attract foreign investment to Albania. In this context, the project in question is of great value. The road network covered by its implementation will be rehabilitated to reach a satisfactory standard. As one of the first initiatives of its kind, its success will encourage further investments and projects in this important sphere of economic development.

GERMAN EXPERTS IN SHKODËR TO EXAMINE EXPIRED PESTICIDES — Following an inquiry by the Albanian Government, three German experts arrived to assess the current condition of the expired pesticides. The pesticides—now stored in Shkodër and Bajzë—had arrived as aid from a German company 18 months ago. After inspecting the situation, the German experts said they would only inform the German Government of the conditions they had observed. BULGARIAN CYCLONE CAUSES DAMAGE IN HAS — A powerful cyclone accompanied by hail, on the night of 29 August, caused extensive damage in a number of areas in Has. Damage has been confirmed to 300 hectares of maize, 35 hectares of late-season vegetables, 325 hectares of beans, as well as other areas of vineyards. The worst-affected villages were those in the communes of Gollajt, Helshanit, Perrollajt, Perajt and Ngjecit. Work is now under way to assess the damage to each household. A GREEK LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE DEPARTMENT TO OPEN AT GJIROKASTËR UNIVERSITY — This was decided by the Council of Ministers to meet the need for highly qualified teaching staff in Greek minority schools. The Minister of Education himself commented on the latest decision, which, he said, supported the proposal by the rectorate of “Eqrem abej” University of Gjirokastër. The university has prepared the draft curriculum, drawing also on the experience of its existing Greek-language department. Fifteen students will be admitted in the first year.

Inside

Ministry: “For technical reasons”

KORÇË — (an.st.) — 200 cartons containing 100,000 packs of smuggled cigarettes, worth around 3.5 million lek, have been seized. The seizure was carried out by the financial police branch in the three districts of Korçë. The shipment of smuggled Partner-brand cigarettes — 20 quintals in all — belongs to the Disho company, which operates in the district of Pogradec. Intended to be cleared through customs at the Korçë customs office, the shipment had entered Korçë without completing the necessary customs procedures in accordance with the laws in force, the Directorate of Customs of the Financial Police told Gazeta. Thus, another case has been added to the long list of illegal tobacco trading, which continues to be a priority for smuggling in Albania.

Ministry: “For technical reasons” TIRANA — (fa. ba.) — The request by the “Broadway” company to organize a concert at Tirana’s “Qemal Stafa” National Stadium and in several other cities in the country has been definitively rejected. Yllet Alikaj, Director of the Directorate of External Relations at the Ministry of Culture, confirmed the news to Gazeta. “The request by the Broadway company was rejected for technical reasons,” Alikaj said. A few weeks earlier, the company’s representative, Sadik Pashiq, had met with him and submitted the official request to hold the concert. The request, which did not include the full identities of the singers who would visit Albania, stated that the concert repertoire would consist mainly of lo- [text continues in the adjacent column] ve songs and that the proceeds would go to help Bosniak children suffering because of the war. The concert posters, which had been put up on the walls of Tirana without authorization from the Ministry of Culture, have been taken down in recent days. “From the very first presentation,” Alikaj says, “I was struck by how much Sadik Pashiq promised us, starting with the arrival of singers such as Turner, Sting, Aznavour. It seemed strange to me for a businessman coming from martyred Sarajevo.” A group of accompanying journalists protested to the Ministry of Culture about the concert by the group of Slavic singers. According to them, some of the singers included on the submitted list had taken pro-Serbian positions during the recent ethnic conflict in the former Yugoslavia.

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— by Stella Wilder Aries 20/III 20/IV: If you want to earn the respect of those close to you, try to return to your usual simplicity and remain clear-headed and honest, even when others are tormenting you. Taurus 21/IV 20/V: Do not give in to the desire to be more than the project that is almost finished; assess the situation, check the information available to you, and do not be impulsive. Gemini 21/V 20/VI: You have more than enough at hand to count all the positive things that are yours. Do so without fear of excessive optimism. What others want to force you to do is good for you too, even if it is not always pleasant. Cancer 21/VI 22/VII: You will receive sensible advice, but you will need to use a certain amount of freedom in interpreting it. Do not act prematurely when you are close to completing an important cycle in your private life. Leo 23/VII 22/VIII: Be careful with money, even though it is not the only cause of all the arguments being directed at you. Your instincts and moral principles also require your attention. Use common sense and a little imagination; follow your instincts. Virgo 23/VIII 22/IX: Do not try too hard, because you will have more than one dilemma. A little naivety and determination will bring excellent results. Your greatest fears? They come to you just as you are about to give up. Libra 23/IX 22/X: You are stuck, and getting out will take a lot of work. Someone close to you will offer great help, but you can also rely on the advice of someone who understands what is happening to you. Scorpio 2/X 21/XI: common sense and a little imagination; follow your instincts. Sagittarius 22/XI 21/XII: You will receive unexpected favors and will be able to make the most of them. Do not rush too much with your plans and dreams. A pause for reflection will do you a great deal of good. Capricorn 22/XII 19/I: A chance meeting in the coming days will expose you to new setbacks but also to promising opportunities. It is time to focus a little on yourself as well. Aquarius 20/I 19/II: After experiencing an unexpected turn of fortune, do not despair. Break out of your routine; do not be afraid of new things. The near future will reward your courage. Pisces 20/II 19/III: To succeed, try to focus on an important goal. Cooperation with a friend or colleague will bring you success and profits. Do not set aside the ideas you hold dear.