Emigrants in the drug trade An American newspaper reports: “They are the strongest in Europe” CARLO BOLLINO TIRANA — They call it the “Albanian connection,” and it has been described as “the newest and most powerful of the mafia organizations directing the international drug trade.” At its helm, thanks to strong alliances with the Turkish mafia, are said to be thousands of Albanian emigrants capable of challenging even “Cosa nostra.” The alarm comes from the United States of America, where investigative reporters from the “Washington Post” have published a dossier of documents about new crime in Europe and the Balkans. The most striking revelation is precisely the role suddenly assumed by Albanian emigrants—in particular those living in Switzerland—in whose hands today lies most of the drugs circulating in Europe. The article is titled “The Winner of the Balkan War: Heroin” and reconstructs the new drug route that opened after war broke out in the former Yugoslavia. “The Turks,” explains Pierre Duc, head of Geneva's anti-drug unit, “have seen the Belgrade route blocked, where until recently most of the drugs destined for central Europe passed, but which is no longer considered a safe route because of the war. And so the Albanians of Kosovo have benefited.” Pierre Duc adds that some of the drugs also pass through Albania, while the rest is transported through Romania and Hungary. This is a fear also voiced by the authorities in Tirana, who have often asked Europe (and Italy in particular) to provide them with more modern equipment to detect drug traffickers. Pierre Duc adds that “the Albanian mafia now controls 70 percent of the Swiss heroin market, and in Geneva alone more than 2,000 Albanians are in prison for drug trafficking.” Albanians have thus become powerful in the heroin trade, causing considerable concern not only to others but also to the Italian mafia. The Washington Post writes: “The new drug route opened by the war in the Balkans has brought new mafias onto the European scene and, in particular, the Albanian mafia. The Italian mafia is seeking to enter the big market by establishing ties with the Russian mafia.” The American newspaper (always regarded as one of the best-informed and most reliable newspapers in the United States of America) also reveals that a high-level meeting was discovered in Berlin a few days ago between representatives of the Italian clan and representatives of the Russian clan, to reach an agreement and curb the power of the Albanians. “‘The Albanian connection,’” says Werner Keuth, head of the Austrian anti-drug unit, “has become the hub of the system, pushing out even the Turkish mafia, which nevertheless continues to hold first place in supply.” Heroin is in fact produced in Istanbul from opium coming from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran. It is then distributed throughout Europe. The discovery in Albania of an opium-poppy plantation—which took place in July in Fier—does not seem sufficient to believe that heroin production may have occurred here and that it was only in transit. It is certain that marijuana is produced in Albania: many plantations have been discovered by the Financial Police in the south and north of the country. Producing marijuana, however, is not the same as producing heroin, because the stakes are lower, but it remains a worrying sign. European anti-drug chiefs have now requested the intervention of the FBI, the famous American law-enforcement agency. The figures are unbelievable: worldwide drug trafficking has a turnover of 420 billion dollars and is becoming the number-one problem for all civil society. A drug shipment seized in France that came from Russia

There are 170 attempted suicides a year and 6 victims in 1993 alone Among those aged 18–25, 80 percent are female Toxicology doctors sound the alarm about this painful phenomenon ARMAND MERO TIRANA — Cases of attempted suicide in Albania are increasing steadily. More than three quarters of these attempts involve young people. But more worrying is the fact that this phenomenon is much more widespread among women. The alarm this time comes from the Toxicology Department at the Central Army Hospital in Tirana. Of the approximately 200 poisoning cases treated in this department, around 90 percent are intentional, with the aim of suicide. “The main causes of this highly concerning phenomenon are social,” Zihni Sula, head of the Toxicology Department, tells the newspaper; “it is also clearly linked to the general level of cultural development, as well as that of the individual.” This also explains why around 75 percent of cases of parasuicidal poisoning—or attempted suicide—involve young people aged 18 to 25. These are individuals medically described as having an established predisposition: people who attempt to kill themselves mainly for emotional reasons. Such was the case in recent days when a high-school girl from Tirana tried to take 40 aspirin tablets and sleeping pills. She escaped death only thanks to the intervention of the doctors in the Toxicology Department. But this high-school student is not the only one to commit this act. Women account for 80 percent of all these cases. The “weapons” chosen by desperate people to end their lives are substances such as medicines—taken in large doses—as well as pesticides and various chemicals. But doctors do not always manage to save them. There have been 6 deaths this year alone. “In most cases,” says Sterjo Karanxha, a toxicology doctor, “the poisoned patients arrive in very serious condition and require intensive therapy.” All cases of intoxication—not only those involving attempted suicide—are treated in the Toxicology Department at the Central Army Hospital, which is also the national acute-poisoning center and serves as a referral point for other hospitals. So far, mainly people who have poisoned themselves or become intoxicated from the capital and its nearby areas have come here. As a result, Albania still lacks a complete picture and statistics covering all suicide cases. But the problem is not limited to cases of deliberate self-poisoning; it also includes those caused accidentally. Doctors are therefore trying to establish links and contacts with various medical organizations. “The marked increase—5 to 10 percent a year—in cases of intoxication makes it essential to expand and raise the standard of care in our department,” says Sula. “Information and health education are extremely important for preventing these cases.”

TIRANA — A mission to Albania by the Directorate General for Italian Cooperation, on the eve of the G-24 meeting to be held in Brussels. On Saturday, Francesco Aloisi de Lardarel, head of the Cooperation Office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and its top officials will be in Tirana. Aloisi, together with architect Ramundo—responsible for Italian Cooperation in Albania—will meet with many authorities, and together they will prepare a list of the country's new needs. The G-24 meeting will be held in Brussels starting on November 16; the previous meeting took place in Tirana. It will deal specifically with Albania's problems.

The government has still not allocated the necessary funds TIRANA — (Ar. Me.) The plan for moving forward still hangs over Tirana. The hope of quickly solving this problem through a tender that would entrust the cleaning of the capital to private companies has been left in limbo. The tender will not go ahead. At least for this year, that possibility is ruled out. The government has not allocated the sum—estimated at around 100 million lekë—that would be given to the winning company or companies to cover the work. Until now, this activity has been organized by the Shkoder Municipality and carried out by three enterprises with 900 employees. Around 90 percent of street cleaning and waste removal is done using primitive equipment. In 1992, only 2 cleaning vehicles and 30 transporters were available here. Meanwhile, around 2,000 cubic meters of construction waste are generated each month. No funding has been allocated to this sector during the past two years. Only at the beginning of 1993—so as to establish special funds—did the cleaning tax begin to be applied, and every person or company carrying out private activity must pay it. It was precisely this dire state of cleanliness in the capital that, several months ago, compelled the Tirana Municipality, in cooperation with the Ministry of Construction, Housing and Territorial Regulation, to organize a tender for waste disposal. Many private Albanian and foreign companies offered to undertake this project. The aim of the tender was to make an investment that would not only enable the city to be cleaned, but would also launch the first stage of industrial waste processing. Now, several months after the deadline set for holding the auction have passed, the Municipality says it will not take place. For now, the competition has been closed to bidders.

INSIDE An entire page devoted to health Advice, in-depth features and curiosities ON PAGE 3

Investigation into infected blood ON PAGE 2

RAIUNO RAIDUE RAITRE Just one antenna is needed for the three Italian state channels A new channel to watch: Rai Tre arrives in Tirana EDMOND LAÇI TIRANA — RAI 3 has also arrived in Tirana. For the first time, viewers in the capital have watched on their screens the channel of the country that now gives them access to three Italian public channels, via the shared antenna. A 10-watt transmitter has now been made available to RAI 3, and from today onward every television set equipped with a UHF antenna will have one more channel. In fact, this was made possible by RAI TVSH’s installation, funded by RAI itself, which signed a contract with the Italian television production company “Tele…” Thus, just 8,725 dollars were enough for RAI 3 to reach Tirana, like RAI 1 and 2. Since it uses vertical polarization, it will make it possible for viewers to watch all three Italian public channels with a single antenna. But what is “RAI 3”? It is a television channel… It now enjoys a special reputation in Italy. In fact, it is considered the most cutting-edge television channel, with high-level cultural programs and journalistic investigations… It is described as the least… before the reform began that depol… …iticized all of RAI — RAI 3 had long been under the control of the PDS (the former Italian Communist Party), and this meant that its programs often… Now, with the… …it is independent. Among its most-watched programs are “Who Has Seen Them?”, about missing persons, “Here in…”, which deals with journalistic investigations…, mafia issues and Italian political life. For cinema lovers, there is “After Hours”, a program broadcast at night… the most… films, which are among the most valuable works of the art form.

PRESIDENT BERISHA DECREES THE LAW ON THE CREATION AND DISSOLUTION OF SEVERAL MINISTRIES — From now on, three ministries—the Ministry of Finance and Economy, the Ministry of Trade and Foreign Cooperation, and the Ministry of Industry, Mineral Resources and Energy—will no longer exist. President Berisha has just promulgated the law dissolving them. In their place will operate the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, and the Ministry of Mineral Resources and Energy. SMUGGLED CIGARETTES SEIZED IN POGRADEC — Pogradec Customs has seized 25,000 packets of “Jugoslavia” brand cigarettes. “They were found during an inspection of a shipment, hidden among crates of beer. It was also established that 2,000 liters of beer had not been declared. The total value of the smuggled goods is 660,000 lekë.” A GROUP OF THIEVES CAUGHT IN SHKODER — The Public Order Police in Shkoder have detained four young people aged 15 to 18. They are suspected of having carried out thefts together at three of the city's hospitals. The value of the damage caused by the offenders is estimated at around 200,000 lekë. Police officers believe that members of this group may also be responsible for several other thefts at state-owned premises. KRUJA CASTLE TO BE THE SETTING FOR A NEW FEATURE FILM — From today, the premises of the “Gjergj Kastrioti” Historical Museum and the square inside Kruja Castle will become the main studios for director Fatmir Koci. Actors Radoja, Bulku and Enver Petrovci will play the leading roles in the new feature film “Nekrologji.”