HYGIENE / Livestock diseases in many areas of Albania One person dies after becoming infected HYGIENE / Livestock diseases in many areas of Albania “Beware of the meat” One person dies after becoming infected The areas at risk TIRANA — (ar.Me.) - Here are some details on the spread of the diseases: Investigations carried out this year have found that brucellosis is widespread mainly in the southern areas: Saranda, Delvina, Vlora, Gjirokastra and Tepelena. In September-October in Vranisht, Vlora, of the 4,000 small livestock animals tested, only 96 tested positive. In Gjirokastra, 8 animals tested positive; they have not been buried for lack of funds. In Delvina, 38 of 2,722 animals were sick. In Vlora, meanwhile, 70 of 10,000 animals tested positive. In the northern areas, a major spread of tuberculosis has been observed. This is borne out by tests recently carried out in Lezhë, where signs of the disease in cows were at a very advanced stage. In Laç, 13 animals tested positive and have still not been slaughtered. In Mirditë, only 4 of the 11 animals that tested positive have been slaughtered. ARMAND MERO TIRANA — “Beware of meat and milk” is the latest warning, this time from the veterinary authorities. Cases of animals infected with several very dangerous diseases have just been identified in many areas of Albania. But the spread of livestock diseases also puts people at risk: one person in Saranda has died as a result of this infection. Investigations are continuing, but the lack of funds for culling has meant that many animals found to be sick have not been killed and buried. They are called zoonoses—the diseases that pass from animals to humans—and in Albania they have put human lives at risk as well. There are several: tuberculosis, brucellosis and anthrax, which have spread to worrying levels in Albania recently. “Investigations into these diseases are continuing,” Veli Stafa, a specialist at the Veterinary Directorate of the Ministry of Agriculture, tells Gazeta Shqiptare, “and several cases have been discovered.” Thus, in the villages of Saranda, two people were infected with brucellosis in the summer of this year. One of them died. Brucellosis is a disease affecting cows and sheep, and in humans it causes fever, severe headaches and even sterility. Tuberculosis is also widespread in Albania. This disease, which existed before as well, is now increasing further. “In cases recently examined in several areas of Lezhë,” specialists from the Veterinary Research Institute in Tirana tell Gazeta Shqiptare, “very clear signs of this disease have been confirmed, especially in cows.” The alarming fact is that in many cases, even when animals have been identified as infected, they are not buried. Thus the livestock continues to be kept alive and its products consumed. This is precisely the route by which viruses from animal diseases pass to humans. Nevertheless, every district has slaughterhouses where meat inspections are carried out. But cases of uninspected sales, or animals being consumed by their owners, cannot be ruled out. Specialists advise the public to make sure the meat they buy bears an official stamp from the health authorities. All butchers must have a certificate guaranteeing the wholesomeness of their goods. The same problem, perhaps even more worrying, exists with milk. To protect against infections, it is essential to boil it thoroughly, doctors add. The difficulty of maintaining continuous health surveillance is considerable. In many provincial towns there are no collection points for this product, so villagers sell it without it being tested as required, and they themselves cannot check whether or not the animal is sick. It is time to issue an appeal: people should be more careful now, before the situation becomes unmanageable. They are called zoonoses—the diseases transmitted from animals to humans—and in Albania they have even put lives at risk. There are several: tuberculosis, brucellosis and anthrax, which have become worryingly widespread in Albania recently. “The investigations into this disease in Tirana, tells Gazeta Shqiptare. “Very clear cases of this disease have been confirmed, especially among buried. As a result, livestock continue to be kept alive and their products consumed. This is precisely the route through which viruses from animal diseases are transmitted to humans. The risk is very high. In almost many cities, there are no collection points for this product, so Albanians sell it without submitting it for the necessary tests, and the person buying it cannot know whether the animal is sick or not. Now is the time to appeal for greater care, before the situation becomes uncontrollable. This process of returning properties—which as in the past. “I don’t ... ... apparently to protect them from possible damage as well. It seems as if the process of returning properties to their treatment, almost as in the past. “I don’t ... ... the return of properties to their former owners, with new residents—members of the diplomatic corps or international organizations—has populated the mansions of the former block leaders. Meanwhile, the former owners the dictatorship had banished them. And the problem where its former owner lives today

The question of the “Block” buildings where the regime lived comes to the fore Former owner stages protest “Hoxha’s villa is mine” But the Government Services Commission replies: “The expenses incurred by the state had to be determined” ANDREA STEFANI TIRANA — “Enver Hoxha’s house is mine. In 1945—after my father was imprisoned—we were forcibly driven out of this house, which was confiscated ‘for the needs of the leadership’ together with the real estate. Today, 48 years later, we do not understand why there is reluctance to return this property to us, when we live in very poor conditions and our ownership of this building has also been recognized by the Municipality.” Elisabeta Biçaku—one of the members of the family claiming ownership of the villa where the communist dictator lived for many years—tells Gazeta Shqiptare of her concern over the delays in the case. The issue of the group of villas in central Tirana, known as the “Block” of the communist leadership, has thus returned to the fore. Although the leaders of this Block have long since ended up in prison, the “Block” for which they were so heavily cursed has remained almost untouched; it is even still guarded by soldiers, perhaps to protect it from possible damage. It seems that the process of returning property to former owners—which is being carried out under a law passed by Parliament in April ’93—has no force in the case of this group of villas, which continue to receive special treatment, almost as in the past. “We do not understand why, to resolve the issue of these villas,” specialists from the Property Restitution Commission at the Tirana Municipality told Gazeta Shqiptare, “a commission of this kind has been established under the Directorate of Government Services. In our view,” they added, “this is an act against the law, which strips the Municipal Commission of its authority.” But the Directorate of Government Services replies: “We are talking about some 30 villas,” its director, Fatos Fortuzi, explains to Gazeta Shqiptare, “formerly administered by the Reception Directorate, most of which are in Tirana and Durrës. The special commission was set up to calculate the value of the investments the state made in maintaining these properties. That work has now just been completed. A separate file has been created for each villa.” This material has now been sent to the Prime Minister’s Office, while the Municipal Commission wants to have it at its disposal. “If the estimates are handed over to us,” they say at the Tirana Municipality, “we will need only 10 days to complete the procedures for returning the properties.” Meanwhile, new residents, other diplomatic staff and international organizations have occupied the premises of the former members of the Block. The former owners, meanwhile, wait with hope and anxiety in the shacks to which the dictatorship had thrown them. And the issue remains unresolved. In the photo: Hoxha’s villa and the shack where its former owner lives today

ARB N O RI SUMMONS THE GREEK EMBASSY SECRETARY — “The selection of people for the Thessaloniki seminar was entirely political,” Pjetër Arbnori, Speaker of the People’s Assembly, told Tolupas, the Secretary of the Greek Embassy. Arbnori’s statement concerned the non-participation of representatives of PDSH in the seminar organized by the International Center for Economic Rights, held in Thessaloniki. From Albania, only representatives of PS, PSD, PAD and PDNJ had been invited. Including Greek representatives at the cabinet, who had been informed by the Greek Embassy’s government counterpart, the embassy said: “I apologize for whatever responsibility is mine.” DEMOLITION OF UNAUTHORIZED BUILDINGS BEGINS IN FIER — Demolition of unauthorized buildings has also begun in the city of Fier. Seven kiosks and shacks located near the city center were knocked down and demolished by residents. These are only the first actions, because, according to statements by the Municipality, these operations will continue until all the illegal structures spread throughout the city have been demolished. The same process has previously taken place in Tirana and Pogradec. TRANSPORTATION PROBLEM FOR DURRËS TEACHERS RESOLVED — At last, teachers in Durrës can travel without difficulty to their workplaces. The district Education Economic Center has made several private buses available to teachers working outside Durrës. BERAT LIBRARY RISKS HAVING NO MONEY TO BUY NEWSPAPERS — The Berat Library is deeply in debt and the district Treasury is providing it with no funds. The reason is that this library no longer has any money to buy books. It therefore owes the city’s bookshops around 300,000 lekë. It now risks being unable to buy even newspapers.

BELGRADE — The trial of 19 Albanians accused of wanting to prepare an armed uprising opened in Pristina on Thursday. The defendants belong to the “National Movement for the Liberation of Kosovo” and the “People’s Movement for the Republic of Kosovo”. This province is still part of Serbia (together with Montenegro, within the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia) and is populated by residents who are 90% of Albanian origin. The defendants brought before the judges had, according to the indictment, organized armed cells of three to five members, who were then supposed to fight against the occupying forces.

Skëndo: “The medal belongs to me” EDMOND LAÇI TIRANA — “I will win the medal in this duel.” Marsel Skëndo, the first Albanian millionaire, speaks just minutes after the Court rejected his request to challenge the detention order. “In any case, I stand by the only statement I have made to the press, to Gazeta Shqiptare,” says Skëndo, “that regardless of today’s decision, in a democratic state one may be suspected, accused, tried and acquitted at least ...”. Marsel Skëndo was arrested and sent to Tirana Prison on 28 October of this year, on the charge brought by the Tirana Prosecutor’s Office: “Forgery of official documents.” Before the Court, he and his two lawyers asked the Tirana Court to overturn the detention order or change it to house arrest. “For two reasons I cannot evade the investigations,” Skëndo explains. “First, because here in Albania I have a business that employs around 200 workers, as well as investments in various fields; and second, the Tirana Prosecutor’s Office had accepted a sum of 1.5 million dollars as bail—the same as the value of the aircraft—and during this time I have traveled abroad four times.” But Skëndo’s request, with lawyers Tetozani and Haxhiaj—the former Prosecutor of the Republic—acting for him, was not accepted by the presiding judge, Uk Cena. “The Court deems it reasonable that all the evidence,” Cena read in his ruling, “is sufficient to warrant detention.” The prosecutor in this case had also previously asked the Court to uphold the decision issued two months earlier by the Tirana Prosecutor’s Office. Thus, 40 days after his arrest, Skëndo returns once again to the cells of Tirana Prison, while retaining the right to file a separate appeal against the latest decision of the Tirana Court.

Berisha and Kuçan comment TIRANA — (p.re.) The opponents of Albanian President Berisha on the closing of NATO’s doors to Eastern Europe ... TIRANA — (p.re.) The opponents of Albanian President Berisha on the closing of NATO’s doors to Eastern Europe and the other countries of Eastern Europe. “We think some of these countries are pushing to become members of NATO.” The President ... joined ... with Slovenian President Milan Kuçan ... during his visit to ... in Albania — “...”. The meeting between President Berisha and the Slovenian president

Once, another was shot The zoo cages are being repopulated TIRANA — (Ar.M.) Tarzan’s friends are returning to Albania. A few days ago, a monkey came to live at the Tirana Zoo. In this way, it will keep company with its two numerous friends, the lions, who are also housed in this zoo. For now, the monkey is shut in a cage; perhaps soon it will begin its climbing about. The Zoo’s restructuring project envisages a small island designed for the famous imitators. Thus, it will retain the conditions its colleagues had many years ago. One of them is even said to have learned to drink and smoke cigarettes. But in Albania, good behavior and discipline have always been essential requirements for monkeys. Otherwise, the punishments imposed were also quite severe. One of them suffered this fate — he was being kept for tests at the Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology in Tirana — after, during a quarrel, he had killed a fellow monkey. He was sentenced to execution by firing squad, accused of the crime of premeditated murder. However, the executioners allowed his eyes to be closed first.

VLORA / Now deported Illegal departure: three Italians arrested VLORA — (p.re.) They are suspected of organizing the clandestine trafficking of Albanians near the shores of Puglia: three Italian citizens were detained by the Police in Vlora on Wednesday. The head of the group is Mario Bar..., 41, from Naples. He had a powerful motorboat, of the kind usually used by cigarette smugglers. With him were two men from Brindisi, Giuseppe Penucci, 34, and Cosimo Pupino, 61. All three had anchored the motorboat near the rocky shore. They are suspected of waiting there to take aboard Albanian nationals who intended to leave Italy illegally. According to reports from the Brindisi police headquarters—which has established a connection with Interpol—Mario Bartatolo has been placed on the ... list. There is no news about the two men from Brindisi, who must certainly have been released. For a long time now, Italian smugglers have been offering their cooperation to Albanians who intend to emigrate without visas. Each crossing to Italy by motorboat costs a little over 1 million lire.

Italy, the Lega Nord party in the eye of the storm Bossi challenged, Miglio under investigation ON PAGE 2 The Albanian Cup begins Two derbies in 7 days Bushi leaves Tirana again ON PAGE 3

In the photo, Hoxha’s villa and the shack where its former owner lives today