There are 1,500 Albanians who have lost their lives abroad This year alone, 112 coffins arrive There are 1,500 Albanians who have lost their lives abroad They return from exile dead This year alone, 112 coffins arrive EDMOND LAÇI TIRANA — The dream of Albanians to emigrate abroad continues to claim lives. This dream—natural, yet suppressed for four decades by the communist regime—is now also claiming its victims. Nearly 1,500 emigrants have died in many European countries and have been identified so they could be returned to their families in Albania. This has been happening since the first exodus in July 1990. But just as many—more than 1,000 other Albanians—are believed to be missing, since they have had no contact with their relatives for a long time. From January of this year through September, Albanian families have buried their relatives 112 times, people who died in various countries they had gone to in the hope of a better life. The victims of emigration, a new phenomenon for Albanians, have now become a painful reality. The situation is made worse by the fact that the Albanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has no funds to bring all the bodies of deceased emigrants back to Albania. Many such victims have been fortunate enough—at least to reach their homeland—because charitable organizations, various Albanian communities, or even churches paid the costs. “If only to make this painful process easier,” Ahmetaj of the Diaspora Directorate of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs tells Gazeta, “we are working to consolidate Albanian associations and communities in many different countries.” The costs really are prohibitive: transporting the body of an emigrant from Hungary to Albania alone costs 400 dollars, while the same procedure from Germany costs 4,500 German marks. In Switzerland, a coffin costs 3,800 francs, while sealing it in zinc, the doctor’s attendance, and keeping it in the mortuary add another 100 francs per day. Repatriating two Albanian citizens who had been hit by a train in Switzerland cost a full 13,000 Swiss francs. Another problem is speeding up visa procedures for drivers from the Ministry of Construction, who have been assigned to transport the bodies by road. The most lives have been claimed in Greece, where the number of emigrants who have died over the past two or three years is believed to have reached 900. Meanwhile, in Italy most deaths appear to result from various accidents. Among Albanian victims abroad there are also other exceptional cases: friends of an Albanian emigrant killed this year in Germany suspected a neo-Nazi crime, although this has not been confirmed so far. Others, especially in Switzerland, have fallen victim to disputes between groups distributing drugs. The Albanian dream of emigration has other victims too—but this time at the hands of Western justice. According to Kuj-cret Kraja, an employee of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, more than 2,000 Albanians are currently in prisons across Europe. Victims of emigration “A total of 112 Albanians have been returned dead to their homeland, for the period from January to September of this year alone. The largest number of victims was repatriated in August, when 24 cases were recorded. All of them came from only three countries: 14 bodies from Greece, 8 from Italy, and just 2 from Germany. Mass returns of victims were also recorded in January and June: 18 cases; 17 in April, 14 in May, 9 in February, 7 in March, and 4 in September. Only one case was recorded in July, also from Greece. Greece is also the country where the largest number of Albanians have died. In the first eight months of this year alone, 70 bodies were returned from various Greek cities. Italy comes after Greece; in the same period, 22 deceased emigrants were returned from there, while the number from Switzerland reached 6 and from Germany 5. Deaths of Albanians and their return to their homeland have also occurred from Romania, with two cases, and from Hungary and Turkey, with one case each. The figure of 112 victims also includes three Albanian citizens killed on the border with the former Yugoslavia.”

TIRANA — Doubts remain about Monday’s explosion in the courtyard of the Yugoslav Embassy in Tirana. An investigation has immediately been opened Yugoslav Embassy: mysterious explosion Serbian diplomats: “A loud explosion” Some nearby residents deny that anything of the kind happened TIRANA — (Ed. La.) — Doubts remain about Monday’s explosion in the courtyard of the Yugoslav Embassy in Tirana. Embassy employees immediately reported the incident, which they say was caused from outside the grounds of the mission. Meanwhile, Albanian official sources, citing the intensive investigation, have not yet provided the necessary and definitive explanations about the circumstances of the incident. According to residents of the apartment building opposite the Yugoslav Embassy, no such noise was heard near the premises on Monday at around 9 p.m. “The explosion was quite powerful and loud,” the Yugoslav Embassy’s Cultural Attaché, which now represents the republics of Serbia and Montenegro, tells Gazeta. “The colleagues who immediately went outside also smelled gunpowder.” The embassy employee also acknowledges that no one was injured and no damage was caused to the building, because, according to him, “the mission’s courtyard is quite large.” The Cultural Attaché of the embassy also spoke about the 30 September incident, when staff had discovered an attempt similar to the one on Monday evening. Regarding the 30 September incident, a senior Albanian Police official stated that only two boxes filled with ammonium nitrate had been found. According to him, the best experts are investigating the circumstances, although so far there is no indication that the boxes were thrown from outside the Embassy grounds. In the days after the incident, many residents living nearby immediately denied that a powerful explosion had taken place inside the Yugoslav Embassy. “Four years ago,” they explained to Gazeta, “the explosion made a huge noise and even shook our windowpanes. On Monday, however, no such noise was heard.” Residents of the neighborhood spoke of a similar incident that had also occurred at this embassy several years earlier. At that time, the Albanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs had described such an act as “completely untrue and carried out by the embassy’s own staff.” Despite the differing claims, criminal proceedings were immediately opened regarding the new incident. Albanian experts—as the Yugoslav Embassy also acknowledges—already have all the physical evidence collected immediately at the scene. Although the investigation has only just begun, the initial hypotheses refer only to a cause—more likely an explosive device—rather than an explosive charge being prepared.

SKOPJE — The damage to the premises of the Albanian representation was described as an “ugly act” by Albania’s Consul in Skopje, Macedonia. SKOPJE — (p. re.) — The damage to the premises of this representation was described as an “ugly act” by Albania’s Consul in Skopje, Macedonia. According to sources in Macedonia, many windows in the building of the Albanian Representation in the country were damaged after being struck from outside. Following the incident, Consul Leoni-dha Mërtiri immediately protested the act to the Macedonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He also publicly criticized the negligence of the country’s authorities, who had not responded for months to the legitimate request to provide security for the Albanian mission. This adds a new incident in Macedonia, whose admission to the CSCE Albania has opposed.

MINISTERS SERREQI AND ZHULALI: “URGENT NEED TO SEND INTERNATIONAL OBSERVERS TO KOSOVO” — “There is an urgent need to send international observers to Kosovo,” Albanian ministers Serreqi and Zhulali stressed at both meetings they held with Zhak De Banst, Chairman of the General Directorate of the European Community Monitoring Missions. The meetings discussed the important role of European Community missions in preventing the conflict in the former Yugoslavia from spreading. The Albanian representatives expressed concern about the worsening situation in Kosovo. IN GRAMSH, FINANCIAL POLICE ARREST TWO — Two forestry officials in the Gramsh district are accused of large-scale theft of timber worth approximately 4.2 million lek. The complaint against the two accused was made by the district Financial Police. During its inspection, the police discovered falsified documents. The falsifications mainly concerned the cutting, collection and distribution of firewood, as well as the falsification of transport distances. FOREIGN COOPERATION ON GAS IN DELVINA — The gas-condensate field in Delvina is attracting the interest of foreign investors. IF. DC, the International Fund of Phelrave, is among them; it will invest in repairing around 20 kilometres of the pipeline carrying gas from the field to the Azotiku plant in Fier. An inspection by the American company “Shevron” found that the 170-kilometre pipeline is damaged and cannot withstand the required pressure.

A high-school student has been arrested in Pogradec SHKODËR — (ar. ça.) — The killer of the elderly woman found with her throat cut by a knife on Sunday in her home in Shkodër was arrested within a few days. In a joint operation, the police of Pogradec and Shkodër arrested 17-year-old Gentian Bardullari in Pogradec on Monday evening; he is the victim’s grandson. The motive for the murder—which outraged the residents of Shkodër—is currently believed to have been the 5,000 lek in savings that the grandmother kept hidden at home. The mutilated body of 67-year-old Eftali Sterkaju was found in her home on Sunday morning. The police, alerted by a neighbour of the victim, immediately suspected her grandson, Bardullari. In fact, inside the building there was no evidence that the killer had forced his way in from outside. The apartment door showed no signs of being broken or of any other use of force. The key to the elderly woman’s home was usually placed on the electric meter outside the main door. Only the people who lived in the home—the victim’s son, his wife, and the grandson—knew this. The murderous grandson had been living for some time in his grandmother’s home in Shkodër. He was in his third year at a vocational secondary school in the city. He was known among his peers for his aggressive behaviour and practised karate. Bardullari was found at his parents’ home in Pogradec and offered no resistance to the police officers who had come to arrest him. Caught by chance SHKODËR — He had been wanted since an attempted murder in January this year and was caught during a chance police check. Hajredin Haluca, 30, was caught while travelling on the Pukë-Koman road in a “Ford” car with Tirana licence plates. Special Police forces were carrying out checks along the road to stop members of a group of eight who robbed vehicles travelling late at night. Only two brothers from Shkodër were stopped from this group; they were also found with automatic weapons that they were carrying without permits.

TIRANA — The second phase of the restructuring of the Albanian Army has been completed. This was announced in a speech delivered by President Berisha at the ceremony inaugurating the Army’s Eighth Division, held in Tirana. As with many other areas, the army has undergone a process of transformation to adapt to changes in Albanian society. The first step was the reintroduction of military ranks. Now, as Berisha also stated, the restructuring has been successfully completed, and the army has returned fully to its barracks, adapted to the new conditions of democracy.

An elderly couple. They are separating, but make up (fa.bax.) Television programs cause trouble, especially now that there are so many channels. They can even cause such problems that a marriage—and a couple who have been married for a long time—comes close to breaking up. Perhaps the strangest thing of all is an incident that happened a few days ago in the city of Tirana, where an elderly married couple even took the matter to court, having ... [the text at the cut-off edge is not fully legible] Tirana, while I want to tell you that I watch all the RA1 channels. I am passionate about them and cannot easily give them up. Besides, at my age it is the only entertainment there can be.” The “television quarrel” did not lead to a separation. The judges understood that this was not a serious enough matter to grant a divorce. After some counseling, the two elderly spouses made up and, as they left, somewhat shyly, promised the judges they would not do it again, at least not over the television. It is still not known which channel the elderly couple chose to satisfy each other’s television tastes. Perhaps they bought another television, too.

Somalia: Congress creates problems for President Clinton The aircraft carrier “Lincoln” has arrived ON PAGE 2 Students unhappy with school regulations Meeting of the Student Union and FRSH ON PAGE 3

HAVE SOMETHING TO SELL? WANT SOMETHING TO BUY? Soon, in “Gazeta Shqiptare,” you will have free space for your classified ads. Send your message, no longer than 15 words, to one of our addresses: In Tirana: Bajram Curri Street, 370. Or in Bari: viale Scipione l'Africano, 264. State in your message what you are looking for or offering, your name and address. LOOKING TO RENT. I am an employee of the state administration and need a home to rent in Tirana, even a studio apartment. For a period of 6 to 12 months. Interested parties are asked to call telephone number 93339. FOR RENT: a house on the second floor behind the “Shqipëria Sot” exhibition. It has two rooms, a kitchen and a ... . Interested parties should contact Dyl-bore Patosim at telephone number 26996. FOR SALE: a house in Durrës Beach, only 70 meters from the shore. The house has 6 rooms, 3 bathrooms and a 600-square-meter plot. Interested parties should call telephone number 264-66. FOR RENT: a house in Velipojë. It is an apartment with 2 rooms and a kitchen. The house is furnished and has hot water installed. It is on the second floor. Interested parties should contact the owner at: “Aleksandër Mojsiu” Street, Building 6/3, Telephone 345-69. RENT a house in Verona. It is an apartment with 2 rooms and 1 kitchen. The house is furnished and also has hot water. the address: “Aleksandër Mojsiu” Street - Building 6/3, Telephone 345-69.