The European Community adviser speaks; Strasbourg’s accusations rejected The European Community adviser speaks: “EC aid in Albania is in order; no fraud” Strasbourg’s accusations rejected TIRANA — (c. ba.) — The story of the aid provided by the European Community in Albania continues to cause concern. Following complaints by Albanian businesses that they had been excluded from tenders even though their prices were lower, the Control Commission has intervened from Strasbourg, accusing the European Community of spending very large sums on transporting grain to Albania and of failing to carry out the necessary checks when the grain arrived in Durrës. And now, from Tirana, Frederick An..., an adviser to the European Community Embassy, responds. “I do not dispute the Control Commission,” he tells the Gazette, “but I say that I am surprised and saddened by the suspicions cast on us.” Saddened, certainly, but why surprised? “In the report published by the Gazette, the Control Commission claims that the cost of transporting grain and flour is 34 Ecu per tonne. That is not what I have found: in 1992, we never spent more than 20 Ecu per tonne to transport grain from the supplying country to Albania. For grain, transport costs are not paid in Ecu but in grain.” “Is it possible that the Control Commission has made a false claim?” “I’m not saying that, but we will now ask for clarification in Brussels.” The Commission also accuses you of carrying out too few inspections... “I am surprised by this too: the Commission has never come to Albania to check. How can it make claims about things it does not know? We carry out three inspections of goods we provide as aid to Albania: one when the goods are dispatched, another when they arrive in Durrës (this is handled by ‘Albkontroll’), and a third, on a random basis, by our team of experts. So far, no irregularity or visible defect has been reported.” A few weeks ago, the Gazette reported irregularities in the prices of raw materials supplied to industry through Italtrend. In this case too, prices were said to be much higher... “It was precisely after the Gazette articles that the European Community’s Control Commission decided to begin an inspection at Italtrend. And everything there proved to be in order.” in order.” … who made the appropriate reports to this police force, and it is now being checked whether a response was received and what measures were taken. Payments of various customs duties are also under review. There are quite a few cases in which customs clearance was not completed within the required deadlines. For this reason, it is being examined whether payment was made even in cases of delay. Following numerous reports of irregularities at many customs points, especially border crossings, customs has become the focus of discussion. The arrest of Thoma Bicolli, former Director General of Customs, has also created tension among the employees of this service. “All this tension,” customs employees say, “is because there are no internal regulations setting out everyone’s duties. Now everyone is afraid of encroaching on a colleague’s responsibilities.” A load of grain transported by helicopter by Italian soldiers

RAI Uno cannot be seen: the relay transmitter has broken down RAI UNO RAIDUE RAITRE TIRANA — For several days now, Rai Uno has no longer been visible in Albania. The first to notice were football fans, who on Wednesday evening were unable to watch the Italy-Portugal match live: fortunately, Albanian television stepped in and broadcast it on its frequency. What happened? The immediate explanation was: the relay transmitter installed on Mount Dajti has broken down. The day before yesterday, technicians took steps to dismantle it and transfer it to the PTT laboratory in Tirana, where they are trying to identify the fault. “We don’t know when broadcasts will resume,” the technicians told the Gazette. “It depends on how serious the fault is.” The interruption has not affected those who can receive Rai Uno’s signal directly from Italy. In less than two weeks, another Rai relay transmitter will be operating in Albania: the one for Rai Tre, which has aroused great interest among Albanian viewers. The revolution in the television sector has finally been marked by the start of RTSH satellite broadcasts and by the new, modern presentation of its news bulletins.

Two people enter the grounds of the Yugoslav mission; a police officer intervenes, but the incident turns into a diplomatic issue. The Yugoslavs lodge a protest note with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs: “This is the third incident.” Police: “They were just two drunk men” DIPLOMACY Two people enter the grounds of the Yugoslav mission; a police officer intervenes, but the incident turns into a diplomatic issue Mysteries at the Embassy The Yugoslavs lodge a protest note with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs: “This is the third incident.” Police: “They were just two drunk men” EDMOND LACI TIRANA — Another mysterious incident on the grounds of the Yugoslav Embassy in Tirana. But this time the mystery lasts only a few hours. Two drunk men — who had climbed over the low wall of the Yugoslav Embassy — gave foreign diplomats the opportunity to submit a protest note to the Albanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Albanian authorities have detained the men, while the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has accepted the note of Acknowledgment? [sic] and the chargé d’affaires of the Embassy of Yugoslavia, which is now represented by Serbia and Montenegro. The incident took place on Wednesday afternoon at around 6 p.m., when two Albanian citizens climbed over the wall of the Yugoslav Embassy in Tirana, which is located on one of its main streets. The police officer on duty immediately intervened to stop them. “It is unacceptable for an armed police officer to enter the Embassy grounds,” Zariç tells the Gazette. “When the invitation does not come from us, this is not normal.” But Fatjon Softa, responsible for the security of diplomatic premises in Tirana, disagrees: “The door was opened by the Embassy staff themselves,” he explains. “Our officer on duty then intervened to remove the two unknown men from the Embassy grounds.” At this point, the Yugoslav Embassy acknowledges only that, after several hours inside the courtyard of the Yugoslav Embassy, the men told Albanian investigators that they had been drunk at the time. “We thought we were entering a house,” was the explanation given by the two men, who were immediately taken to the holding cells of Tirana’s 3rd Police Station. This is the third such case in a short period in which staff at the Yugoslav Embassy in Tirana have protested to the Albanian authorities. On 30 September, there was suspicion that two explosive devices had been placed on the grounds of this embassy; senior officials at the Ministry of Public Order confirmed that they were only two boxes filled with ammonium nitrate, and it was not established that they had been thrown from outside. On 13 October, the Yugoslav Embassy protested about the detonation of an explosive device — which they said had made a loud noise — but this was denied by nearby residents. Based on the initial investigations by Albanian specialists, the noise was classified as merely a firecracker, a training explosive. According to the Albanian authorities, investigations into both incidents are still continuing intensively. The entry of two people into the Yugoslav Embassy had been repeated two months earlier by the entry of a woman — a claim that was denied — onto the grounds of the American Embassy. This woman’s wish “to live for a few moments as if in America” had caused no diplomatic incident. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs headquarters

TIRANA — (e. L.) — Foreign diplomats working in Tirana also have problems with their cars. But this time the cause was not car theft. The Head of Protocol at the Russian Embassy — who rents a home in a neighborhood of the capital — reported to the 2nd Police Station that one of his car windows had been broken, but nothing inside had been taken. It took the police officers only a few hours to identify the perpetrator. The mistake made by 11-year-old Qirimi cost his father, who was charged with “parental responsibility.”

Here is why schools have no books TIRANA — Pupils in the eight-year and secondary school cycles are still not fully supplied with textbooks. A considerable number of schoolbooks are not ready. The explanation is simple: they have not yet arrived from the printing houses. The optimism expressed by the Ministry of Education about this process going better during the current school year than it did last year is beginning to fade. According to the Mihal Duri Printing House, the textbooks Mathematics 4/1 and 4/2, Algebra 1 and 1, French and Biology 12 have still not been printed and are still in process. In general, it is thought that those who are to publish textbooks this year are aware of the need to improve the situation. Printing houses have also submitted most of the textbooks more quickly. …

All the documentation will be examined The Ministry of Finance intervenes All the documentation will be examined Customs under scrutiny The Ministry of Finance intervenes TIRANA — (Ar. Me.) Strict checks on customs are being launched again. This time the Ministry of Finance itself is organizing them. Four major customs offices — those of Tirana, Durrës, Vlorë and Elbasan — are being called to account for their activities. The reconciliation of original forwarding documents issued by customs officers with the declarations of imported goods made by businesses has begun. The aim is to carry out an accurate verification of businesses that have not filed declarations. This issue is also one of the reasons weighing on the customs service. But that is not all. The report by Berim Çe- la, Chairman of the State Control Commission — presented during a parliamentary interpellation a few days ago — speaks of hundreds of loaded trucks that passed through customs without being inspected. Relations with the Financial Police are also under review. It has been said that during the first months of this year, the customs service submitted being checked. everyone is afraid of encroaching on a colleague’s responsibilities.”

PUBLIC ORDER MINISTER MUSARAJ MEETS SCHMIDBAUER — “Special attention must be paid to the fight against organized crime, because Albania is a transit country for arms and drug smuggling,” said Shmidbauer, Germany’s Minister of State, during his meeting with Public Order Minister Agron Musaraj. He expressed the German side’s willingness to provide further assistance to Albania in this field. Musaraj, for his part, highly valued the assistance Germany has given to Albanian specialists and emphasized his wish for Germany to have a special place in Albania’s relations with the world. IN SHKODËR, A MAN KILLS HIS TWO NEPHEWS — Alush Paloka, 52, a resident of the village of Babicë e Madhe, has just been arrested by law enforcement authorities in Shkodër. The reason is that, one day before his arrest, he had shot and killed his two nephews, Dedë and Nd oc Paloka, for trivial reasons. AN ITALIAN DELEGATION FOR COOPERATION IN ALBANIA — An Italian delegation led by Minister Alosi, Director of the Directorate General for Development Cooperation, has visited Tirana in recent days. The delegation met with senior officials of the departments of transport, construction, services and territorial planning, as well as agriculture and food. The aim of the meeting was to gain a better understanding of the Albanian economy’s needs for 1994. “Italy’s aid to Albania will not decrease,” Alosi confirmed during these meetings. “Its structure will change, shifting from emergency aid to assistance for building the economy.”

Gazeta Shqiptare’s initiative of giving readers vintage panoramas of several Italian cities has been a great success. In fact, many people who were unable to find them on the market have asked us to repeat the initiative. Precisely to meet readers’ demand, the newspaper will continue distributing a vintage panorama as a gift together with the paper.

Giacomo Poselli, the first foreign footballer with the regime’s national team… The dictatorship wanted to conceal his nationality. But people applauded him all the same. After returning to Italy, he was never mentioned again. Today he is returning to Albania to collect his brother-in-law’s remains INTERVIEW Giacomo Poselli, the first foreign footballer with the regime’s national team… The brief story of a nameless hero The dictatorship wanted to conceal his nationality. But people applauded him all the same. After returning to Italy, he was never mentioned again. Today he is returning to Albania to collect his brother-in-law’s remains TIRANA — (Ar. Me.) The silent hero of the National Football Team, the Italian Giacomo Poselli, is returning to Albania once again. He is the first and only foreign footballer to have played for the Albanian national team. Poselli guarded the goal for our postwar team in 7 international matches. And no one found out that he was not Albanian; to hide his nationality, the regime’s strategists had changed his name. At all official meetings they called him Xhako, mo Buzell. And people applauded this nameless hero. Nevertheless, after returning to Italy in 1949, his name was never mentioned again. The mystery may have been solved. Poselli remained only in the minds of his colleagues and in the memory of the fans of that time. “I am truly amazed,” Poselli tells Gazeta, “I didn’t expect such a welcome. I came only to accompany my nephew Aldo, who will collect his father’s remains, a victim of the regime. I thought people would not remember that there had once been a goalkeeper named Poselli. But I was wrong.” Which was the first Albanian team you played for? “My first match with an Albanian team was with Vlora. Later I moved to Tirana, after playing with them in the match they had against ‘Sparta, ... of Moscow’.” And then you built a career playing with the national team? “I played for the Albanian national team in the second match of the Balkan Cup against the Bulgarians. Later, also in many other matches; they kept us in Albania to help rebuild the country.” match they had against ‘Sparta’ … of Moscow.” “On the contrary. I have the fondest memories of my Albanian colleagues. As for everything else, I too, like all Albanians, endured the same suffering and consequences. My sister’s husband, the Director of the Bank in Vlora, was arrested and sentenced to death. They sent him to Burrel Prison and forgot him there until he died.”

Matches and predictions for the Albanian championship List of teams participating in the World Cup ON PAGE 3 Super archive of Nazi skinheads uncovered in Germany Everything was organized by computer ON PAGE 2