A further one hundred thousand families are waiting to get larger homes But will the Government's plan be enough to get out of the situation? A further one hundred thousand families are waiting to get larger homes The homeless emergency 50,000 have no home But will the Government's plan be enough to get out of the situation? ANDREA STEFANI TIRANA — The housing issue continues to be a major problem for the current Albanian Government. More than 150,000 citizens are waiting for a positive response from the current authorities regarding the housing applications they had submitted to the previous authorities. “The paralysis of the construction sector, the rise in the price of raw materials, as well as the large flow of people from rural areas to the cities,” Adem Duka, director general at the Ministry of Construction and Territorial Planning, told the Gazeta, “have made the problem even worse.” Of the continually increasing total number of housing applications, 50,000 are from families who have no shelter at all. Among them, 10,000 are distinguished by an even more urgent need. They are former political prisoners and citizens living in buildings which, under the law, must be returned to their former owners at the end of 1995. Faced with this social wound, from which a considerable proportion of legal disputes arise, stands a state that is still economically weak. Nevertheless, it has undertaken to resolve, first and foremost, the plight of the 50,000 homeless people. Great hopes are being placed in an emergency programme to build 10,000 homes, financed by the Savings Bank, which is due to begin at the start of next year. An important part of the plan will be the construction of the 14,000 apartments left unfinished. The state has invested 1 billion lekë in 5,000 of them, so that they can finally be completed by the end of this year. A $5 million loan granted by the World Bank will be used to complete another 5,000 apartments of this kind. The remaining portion—around 4,000 apartments—has been entrusted to economic enterprises. The state has forgiven them the value of the work completed up to January 1993, while also granting them the right to use part of their profits to finish the apartments. Nevertheless, around 120,000 applications remain unmet, and at this pace of construction, housing may remain a festering problem for many years. It seems that the final and decisive role will fall to private enterprise and foreign investment in construction. But while construction is showing signs of revival, foreign investment is nowhere to be seen. “There are many offers from foreigners for construction in other areas,” says Duka, “but the issue of land ownership has become an obstacle to making them a reality.” The crisis in figures THE HOMELESS SITUATION — 150,000 applications for housing — 50,000 families without shelter — 10,000 families in urgent need of housing — 14,000 unfinished apartments CONSTRUCTION INVESTMENTS AND PROJECTS — 1 billion lekë for the construction of 5,000 apartments — $5 million loan from the World Bank for 5,000 apartments — 4,000 unfinished apartments will be entrusted to economic enterprises. — 10,000 apartments will be built under an emergency programme emergency programme due to begin at the start of next year ...channels that during this period the Italian counterparts and the scandal, will return the visit to their colleagues by coming to Albania. These are the first steps in Italian-Albanian cooperation on the scandal—which in fact—concerns both countries.

TIRANA — The visa problem for the Albanian prosecutors has finally been resolved, and they can leave for Italy today. The obstacle—as usual, bureaucratic—had forced the eight members of the Albanian delegation who were due to go to Italy to investigate the aid scandal to postpone their investigative mission in Rome by almost a week. The Italian Embassy in Tirana has now completed all the necessary procedures, after receiving the official request from the Albanian Embassy in Rome and then from the Albanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Albanian prosecutors' new investigative mission in Italy is expected to shed light on many dark areas of the aid scandal. Among the important people expected to be investigated—an assignment entrusted to the prosecution authorities also by the Tirana Court—are former Italian Ambassador Torquato Kardilli and Giuseppe Pernicola, administrator of Levant Co., the Bari-based company at the centre of the scandal. In Italy, the Albanian prosecutors will meet the well-known investigator Evelina Canale, who has been in telephone contact with her Albanian colleagues in recent days. After the Albanian investigation in Italy, Canale, who is investigating the responsibility of the Italians in this scandal, will return her colleagues' visit Italian-Albanian cooperation on the scandal—which in fact—concerns both countries.

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TIRANA — All five members of the Commission appointed by the Council of Europe to examine the existing legislation in Albania have been named. The president will be Guido Gerin, president of the International Institute for Human Rights in Trieste. The same commission also includes Erwin Denin Duchin of the University of Gottingen, Pietro Grilli of the University of Rome, Kjell Torbjorn of the University of Strasbourg, and Anton Prennu-shi of the Institute for Human Rights in Trieste. During this week the Commission will come to Albania to hold its first meetings with representatives of the Government and Parliament. Its main task is to examine the relevant legislation on property rights and freedom of the market.

AMERICAN SOLDIERS HELPED IRAQ AGAINST IRAN — United States military personnel helped Iraqi troops during the war against Iran, when George Bush was president, according to the forthcoming book in England, “The Spider's Web,” written by Financial Times journalist Alan Friedman. According to the author, White House officials also authorized and directed the illegal transport of arms to Iraq. SYRIA HAS REFUSED SECRET TALKS — Syrian President hafez El Asad has rejected Israel's offers to begin secret peace talks: this was stated by Israeli Prime Minister Itzhak Rabin in an interview published by the Spanish daily El Pais. “Syria refuses any kind of unofficial talks,” Rabin says. “I have invited Asad to Jerusalem many times, but he has not agreed to come or to receive me.” 7 NOVEMBER, THREE THOUSAND PEOPLE DEMONSTRATE ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF MOSCOW — Around three thousand people, according to the Interfax news agency, demonstrated on Sunday afternoon in a northern suburb of Moscow to celebrate the 76th anniversary of the Bolshevik Revolution. Nostalgic Communists, especially elderly people, gathered in the Babushkin district, not far from the Medvedkovo metro station, after law-enforcement forces had prohibited them from demonstrating in the central Kaluzhskaja Square (formerly Okstiabrskaja Square), near Lenin's famous monument.

MIRDITË — Children too are now suffering the consequences of the disorder and clashes of interests over property issues. MIRDITË — (p. re.) — Children too are now suffering the consequences of the disorder and clashes of interests over property issues. The premises of kindergartens in more than 50 percent of the villages in the Mirditë district have been occupied by the former owners of the land on which they were built. But the local authorities have been unable to find other premises. As a result, the number of children not attending preschool education has increased. Thus the owners' rights have been restored, but it is unclear who will defend the rights of the children.

BETWEEN RADIO TIRANA AND VATICAN RADIO — A cooperation agreement was signed in Tirana between Radio Tirana and Vatican Radio. The agreement provides for the exchange of experience in journalism, as well as professional and technical training for Albanian staff. Radio Tirana will also begin broadcasting Vatican Radio programmes in Albanian. THE ENGLISH FRIGATE “LONDON” LEAVES THE PORT OF DURRËS — The English frigate “London”, which had arrived on a friendly visit, left the Port of Durrës yesterday. During its several-day stay, the English sailors distributed some aid to hospitals. Meanwhile, 60 of them worked for several days on restoring the electrical network of the befotrofri in this city. The ship was visited by a number of Albanian military personnel from the Durrës division. THE PREMIERE OF THE DRAMA “THE SHORE OF SORROW” OPENS IN TIRANA — The premiere of the drama “The Shore of Sorrow” was presented at the National Theatre in Tirana. The play, written by Teki Dervishi, was directed by Kosovar director Agim Sopi. The leading roles are played by actors Artan Imami, Xheli Tagani, Marjeta Ljarja and Andon Qesari. IN SARANDË, POLICE ARREST A MAN WHO HAD BEEN SOUGHT FOR SEVERAL MONTHS — After several months of searching, Sarandë Police finally managed to arrest Edmond Omeri, 36. The arrested man — who, together with other people, had committed thefts in various shops in the city — had been away in Greece for several months. His three accomplices — whom the police had detained some time ago — have now been sentenced to imprisonment.

DURRËS/Appeal to Italy to treat a child DURRËS — (p. re.) — An appeal from Italy to save a child. His name is Rexhep Salati, he is three years and two months old, and he is at risk of dying in the paediatric hospital in Durrës, where doctors say they do not have the equipment and medicines needed to save him. The child has been struck by a serious illness, “infectious mononucleosis,” and in recent hours his condition has worsened considerably after he also developed bronchopneumonia. He is currently admitted to the intensive care unit of Durrës Hospital, but so far there has been no sign of improvement. His parents have therefore issued an appeal to the Italian authorities through a relative of theirs who lives in Puglia. The appeal has apparently also been broadcast by RAI 3, and interventions are now expected. The boy’s case has also reached the Italian army’s “Pellicano” contingent, which may be able to help (as it has done many times before) transport the little patient to Bari. The “Giovanni XXIII” Hospital in the centre of Puglia has already offered to receive the little boy. For the child, this is one of the best-equipped healthcare centres in southern Italy. The Health Directorate of Durrës Hospital is also showing great concern, cooperating in preparing the medical documents that demonstrate the child’s serious condition. In an effort to resolve as quickly as possible the problem of transferring little Rexhep Salati to Italy, the intervention of “Gazeta Shqiptare” has been requested. For our part, we will provide all the necessary assistance and can confirm that we have already begun the necessary contacts with the Italian Embassy. Children’s hospital in Bari

Incident at sea as Papulias’s visit is expected TIRANA — Another serious incident between Albania and Greece. On Friday morning, a Greek warship entered Albanian territorial waters. “This is a serious provocation that damages good-neighbourly relations between the two countries,” says a statement from the Albanian Ministry of Defence. On November 5 at 9:12, the surveillance units of the Albanian armed forces detected a foreign ship that had violated Albania’s territorial waters. The coastal guards of the Albanian naval forces immediately approached the foreign vessel. It was the Greek warship “Mattis”, which had entered about two miles into Albanian territorial waters. The Albanian coastal guards informed the Greek ship that it had flagrantly violated the waters of the Republic of Albania and demanded that it leave immediately. But the Greek side replied that it was carrying out its patrol duties, and so it continued sailing in Albanian waters. Only at around 10:00 did the Greek ship leave, pursued by the Albanian vessel until the very last moment. Following the numerous incidents that have occurred in recent weeks in various areas of the border between Albania and Greece, this act is considered a very serious provocation. The Albanian Ministry of Defence responded immediately, declaring that “our Albanian naval forces are engaged and ready to safeguard the inviolability of our territorial waters”. The incident occurred precisely as Papulias, the head of Greek diplomacy, is preparing to visit Albania, where issues that have become highly troubling in relations between the two states will be discussed, particularly Albanian refugees in Greece and the Greek minority in Albania. It is thought that this visit will ease the tension that has arisen between the two countries recently.

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Why foreign films on screen? Television cannot afford to buy them Albanian production is considered expensive ON PAGE 2 Success of the Opera and Ballet Theatre orchestra in Italy Italian artists want to perform here ON PAGE 2