The shipment seized in Italy was bound for Durrës Financial Guard operation still shrouded in secrecy 1,320 cases of «Marlboro» were worth 2 million dollars TIRANA — The truck was carrying a valuable cargo: 13 tons of contraband cigarettes, worth as much as 3 billion lire. The shipment seized in Italy was bound for Durrës 13 tons of contraband cigarettes seized Financial Guard operation still shrouded in secrecy 1,320 cases of «Marlboro» were worth 2 million dollars TIRANA — (p. re.). The truck was carrying a valuable cargo: 13 tons of contraband cigarettes, worth as much as 3 billion lire. The Italian Financial Guard stopped it at the border with Switzerland, but according to the driver's documents, this merchandise was destined for Durrës. Here is one of the many international mysteries that directly or indirectly involve Albania. After 38 kilograms of heroin seized in Macedonia, which was supposed to reach Durrës and then be transferred to Italy, it is now the turn of cigarettes. The 1,320 cases of ”Marlboro” came from Antwerp, Belgium, and the traffickers had hidden them behind another pile of goods. In fact, the invoices did not mention cigarettes, but “various goods.” The investigation is being conducted under a strict veil of secrecy, officials of the Financial Guard say, because the investigating officers must not be compromised. Thus the name of the driver, who was to import the valuable shipment into Albania, has not yet been released, nor have the names of those reported so far to the Italian police investigation authorities been made public. At a press conference held in Milan, it was only explained that these were people “linked to criminal organizations and to very well-known figures in Italian crime.” Not long ago, another shipment of cigarettes — this time also coming from southern Italy — was seized in Puglia while awaiting dispatch to a still-unknown foreign country.

Dismissal of directors proposed ANDREA STEFANI TIRANA — Complaints have been filed with the Prosecutor's Office, fines have been imposed, and the dismissal of the directors of two enterprises has been proposed. All this followed an inspection carried out by the Financial Police Branch of the Fier district at several enterprises in the oil sector in Patos. The inspection found that the drilling and extraction enterprises and the Patos Mechanical Plant had purchased various types of valves from the ASV company in Tirana at inflated prices. In this case, decision number 400 of the Council of Ministers was violated. Under that decision, every purchase made by state enterprises from the private sector must be carried out after review by a special commission of no fewer than three bids. These types of valves could have been purchased more cheaply from the Nafta Impeks enterprise. The difference in the purchase price is around 388,700 lekë. Similar violations were also established at NN Marina, where sheet metal was purchased from a private supplier at 58 lekë per kilogram, while the same item was offered by the Nafta Impeks enterprise at 36 lekë per kilogram. The difference in the purchase price is calculated at 1,085,590 lekë. Some of the sheet metal purchased exceeded the enterprise's needs and was resold to other enterprises and private individuals. The same situation was also found at N.N. Patos, which had purchased steel pipes from the Tringa company in Tirana. Financial Police officers suspect that these violations of the law were committed for personal gain. It seems that the Levante Co phenomenon — manipulating sale and purchase prices for illicit profits — is becoming widespread in the Albanian domestic market as well.

TIRANA — The scene resembles a familiar sequence from the much-watched film in Albania, “Catia”. The actors have changed; this time they are real people, residents of a neighborhood on the outskirts of Tirana. And, absurdly, the script has changed: this time the Police have demolished their homes because they were unauthorized. This family, now sadly surveying its demolished home, is one of 17 affected by the operations of the Tirana Municipality Commission for the Demolition of Unauthorized Buildings. This is a scene that could be repeated another 1,700 times, the current number of unauthorized constructions in the capital.

SEMINAR OF ALBANIAN CARITAS IN DURRËS — The seminar organized by the Albanian Episcopal Conference concluded in Durrës. The seminar, which began on October 4, was devoted to the theme ”Pastoral care of love in the local church”. The Apostolic Nuncio, Monsignor Ivan Dias, ambassador of the Holy See, also attended the opening of the seminar. During the three days of proceedings, a round table was held on the theme ”Albania today”, at which various papers were presented. AT THE SKOPJE FAIR, ALBANIAN CIGARETTES WIN MEDALS — They return after a long period with international awards for Albanian products. Four gold medals and one silver medal for cigarettes produced in Durrës. These were the awards given to the Albanian pavilion at the annual fair held in Skopje, Macedonia, from September 28 to October 2. Albania presented goods from its light industry at the fair. ”Diamant”, ”Gent”, ”DS”, and ”Iliria” were the award-winning cigarettes, even though, according to some findings reported by the Ministry of Health, ”Gent”, ”DS”, along with several other cigarettes circulating on the Albanian market, exceed EC standards for the sale of cigarettes. ALBANIA AND KAZAKHSTAN ESTABLISH DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS — Foreign Minister Seregi and his Kazakh counterpart Toulenat Suleimanov signed an agreement establishing diplomatic relations at ambassadorial level between Albania and Kazakhstan. PARLIAMENT'S WORK PROGRAM FOR OCTOBER APPROVED — Parliament's work program for October was discussed and approved. The draft laws to be debated were presented, including those ”On the press” and ”Taxes on imported goods”. During this month, Deputy Prime Minister Kopliku and Finance Minister Ruli will also appear for interpellations.

TIRANA — Antonio Marchini Camias, Italy's representative in Albania, was awarded the ”Mother Teresa” Medal. The medal, conferred by the President of the Republic, Sali Berisha, was presented on the occasion of his departure from Albania. At the ceremony held for the occasion, President Berisha expressed his high esteem for the dedication and valuable assistance Camias had provided in advancing democratic processes during his two years in Albania.

TIRANA — A packed schedule of meetings with some of Turkey's highest-ranking officials awaited Meksi during his official visit to Ankara. As on previous occasions, the agenda included problems relating to the further development of cooperation in every possible field and the extremely tense situation in the Balkan region. ”The meeting with the Turkish Prime Minister,” Meksi said after his talks with Çiller, ”was very fruitful. We discussed issues of mutual interest, economic and cultural relations, and other areas between the two countries. During Meksi's visit to Ankara, the acute problems of the situation in the Balkans following the outbreak of conflict in the former Yugoslavia were also discussed. ”The situation is alarming for everyone, but especially for the Albanians. In Turkey we find a friend of all Albanians and of Albania,” Meksi said.

An unbelievable blunder in a travel guide published this year TIRANA — (an. st.) “The Albanian Government prohibits the entry of tourists who do not comply with the existing requirements regarding appearance and clothing. The following styles of dress are prohibited: miniskirts, maxi skirts and extravagant trousers.” This passage is taken from one of this year’s editions of the Travel Information Manual (TIM), published by the international aviation association IATA. It throws any Albanian back to the 1990s, when movements to “revolutionize” the entire ideology reached their peak. In fact, the newspaper’s authors are not recommending a return to the past, but are talking about the present. In the preface to this manual, which is available throughout the world, the aim is to inform tourists about their journeys and the expectations of the travel industry, providing accurate official information on government travel regulations, procedures and restrictions on air travel for nearly 200 countries. It is truly hard to believe that the above information provided by TIM was obtained from official sources in the Albanian State. On the other hand, however, it is difficult not to trust the manual’s authority, all the more so when one sees that it was published in Holland. And yet, the lack of accuracy is years old. Such misinformation, disseminated through the manual in 200 countries around the world, seriously harms the efforts of Albanian diplomats to improve their country’s image. Could this false information also be one of the reasons foreign investors are reluctant to come to Albania?

The Chief of the General Staff of Turkey visits Albania An alarming signal from a Belgrade newspaper TIRANA — The Chief of the General Staff of the Turkish Army, General Gjyresh, concludes his visit to Albania today. The senior Turkish officer visited Albania at the special invitation of Albania's Chief of the General Staff, Lieutenant General Vasho. Gjyresh is accompanied in Albania as the first senior official from a foreign army to visit the country immediately after its transition to a democratic system. During his first visit, Gjyresh also visited strategic facilities that had until then been kept strictly secret. For the first time during his visit, television broadcast footage of the naval base at Shëngjin. In the current context of events in the former Yugoslavia, Gjyresh's second visit is of particular importance. Turkey has always been very attentive to the course of conflicts in this troubled region of Europe. Indeed, the situation on Albania's borders with the former Yugoslavia remains tense because of Serbian repression in Kosovo. The Serbs themselves acknowledge this situation. According to an article in the Belgrade newspaper ”Borba”, ”the Kosovo border area with Albania, near Gjakovë, is the hottest border in Europe.” INSIDE Russia: Eltsin now challenges the Republics Two governors dismissed Press blocked Boris Eltsin ON PAGE 2 University regulations: five strict articles Attendance becomes compulsory Controversy erupts ON PAGE 3

Everyone dreams when they sleep. This is an entirely normal fact, except that sometimes dreams are so beautiful or so bad that they leave you amazed and bewildered when you wake up. But dreams can also be “warnings,” that is, they may contain a premonition, a warning of what might happen in the future. Every week, “Gazeta Shqiptare” offers its readers explanations and interpretations of the objects and situations most commonly dreamed about. NUN Psychological interpretation: In general, this image contains a strong sense of guilt in the person dreaming (especially if the dreamer is a woman): a desire to atone for a sin committed and to have the purity of a nun. Such a figure may represent a feeling of suffering, pain, or resignation. Predictions: If the person dreaming is asleep, the vision of a nun foretells a prosperous future; if the dreamer is a man, the dream suggests unfaithfulness to his beloved; if the dreamer wears a nun’s clothes, a great love is beginning. CARPETS Psychological interpretation: In psychology, a rug often covers and envelops; it represents a woman, and for this reason the same applies to a carpet. It can often symbolize our desire to hide a fault or a problem. The carpet is the façade we are compelled to maintain so that our true state of mind does not show. Predictions: This vision foretells that secrets must be kept hidden. TURTLE Psychological interpretation: The turtle is one of those primitive animals that today remind us of distant, timeless eras. This dream also highlights a fear of survival and a lack of skill in carrying out projects; in women, it may also express a fear of becoming pregnant. Predictions: Secret intrigues being plotted behind your back. TABLE Psychological interpretation: The table is connected with one’s emotional situation. A well-laid table, for example, expresses a sense of social ease and a rich and varied life and mood. The same cannot be said of an empty, bare table, which expresses loneliness. If the table is round, with plates and pots piled up, the dreamer is concealing a desire to escape the romantic situation, which has already reached its final stage. Predictions: A table set with everything needed is a good omen for happy days full of enjoyment; in contrast, a cleared table signals something beautiful and happy, but if the table breaks or is overturned, the predictions are bad for the whole family.