Excise duties and turnover tax are removed for kerosene and imported gas. New mobile fuel points will be opened HEATING Meksi orders the law-enforcement forces to block vehicles carrying fuel from crossing to the North. From today, only by train TIRANË — The anxiety over electricity has reached the highest levels of government. The outline of urgent measures to deal with the problems caused by this winter’s cold wave was at the center of discussion at a recent meeting. The decisions adopted provide for channeling consumers — through economic mechanisms at last — toward using kerosene, gas and even steam for heating, so as to ease somewhat the strained electrical network that risks collapse. Kerosene has been seen as the “lifeline” for increasing electricity supply from a total blackout. To boost imports, the Government has decided to abolish excise duties and the turnover tax on kerosene. But until now Albanian consumers have not suffered from a shortage of kerosene imports — at every period they have been greater than the country’s needs — but from the miserable guarding of the country’s northern borders. This is the cause of the many consequences, not yet extinguished, as acknowledged by Prime Minister Meksi himself. He orders the law-enforcement forces to block the passage northward of any vehicle — until now the car network has been used most often by smugglers — that attempts to transport kerosene. To meet the needs of the northern areas for this energy source, only the railway line will be used from now on. Meksi has also called for reinforcing the border barriers and the service for blocking smuggling with the countries of the former Yugoslavia. To increase kerosene consumption, the Government decision also foresees the opening of many mobile sales points as well as a reduction — from 8.5 thousand to 4 thousand lek — in the rent for the 20,000 kerosene stoves imported from Germany. Another reserve fuel has not been forgotten, liquefied gas. Along with the abolition of excise duty and the turnover tax on the import of this fuel — which in fact had been almost paralyzed — the Government has not forgotten the interests of the entities that sell it on the domestic market, by changing the ceiling price from 40 to 50 lek per liter. Meanwhile, in some areas measures are to be taken to achieve heating with steam. The decision also includes measures to prevent losses in the electricity network, losses estimated on a huge scale. At one billion a year. Among them is also payment by electric meters for more than 100,000 families through a special World Bank project. The Government also approved the granting of compensation of 500 lek for employees of budgetary institutions, up from the 350 lek that had applied until now. Andrea Stefanī

All goods control posts are ordered to keep watch over the lost "code" The concern reaches Tirana GJIROKASTËR — Concern at the Kakavijë customs post. One of the first posts that stamps goods and trucks — generally customs posts of this kind have very few, usually 2 to 3 — has lost its stamp. Despite numerous searches, so far only the culprit has been found; he is one of the customs officers at Kakavijë, who himself admitted the fact and provoked even the highest customs authorities in the country. Now at all border crossings and goods-control points an alert has been issued, based on the best-known and most valuable feature of the stamp: all stamping operations are to be checked carefully and goods bearing the code of the lost stamp are to be blocked. “In this way — customs specialists explain — at least the possibility of its use for abuse and falsification will be avoided.” The incident, which occurred only a couple of days ago, has set off alarm and concern among the customs authorities in Kakavijë. Reassured — after the customs officer’s admission — that the stamp had not been the object of a deliberate theft but only of negligence, all the criticism has been leveled at the careless employee. The General Directorate in Tirana was immediately informed and sent its own specialists on Tuesday. On Wednesday another meeting was held, where the guilty customs officer again stated that he had lost his stamp while he was outside his office looking for something personal. In such a confession the customs officer has not tried to avoid responsibility, admitting his negligence. Frankly, however, this does not seem enough to save the Kakavijë employee. His superiors are seeking his dismissal from duty, and this matter has also been proposed for the Directorate to take over. The verdict of the latter is not yet known, but it is certain that even from the capital’s office the customs officer is not expected to escape punishment. Ar. M.

Shëngjin: «Clandestine route» TIRANË — Where has the fishing boat "Albatros" ended up? The question has remained a mystery so far in Albania and Italy. Its owner from Shkodër has long stated that it sank in Bari after a storm, and that he was even making efforts to raise it from the seabed. Meanwhile, in the port of Bari there is officially no trace of "Albatros", and no news has been uncovered — although three different answers have been given — so this may turn into one of the typical mysteries of the sea routes crossing the waters between the two shores of the Adriatic. The first signal for the hypothesis that the fishing boat had sunk — registered in the Port of Shëngjin — was given only a few days ago by the official news agency. In a dispatch from Lezhë, the agency stressed that “fishermen from Shëngjin state that this motor fishing boat had been detained by the Italian authorities in the port of Bari.” For the first time the owner’s name also appeared, Xhafer Kraja from Shkodër, who declared: “during a storm the vessel had crashed in the port of Bari and sank.” So far, attempts to recover it from the waters have failed. In Shëngjin, however, they tell Gazeta Shqiptare another version about the "Albatros": “It worked in Shëngjin for about eight months — said Dilaver Nazeraj, its captain, pilot of the small port — until the last time it left Shëngjin on 27 March 1994, around 2:30 p.m. It had 800 kilograms of fish on board. Since then we have received no official signal about its further fate.” Here the captain is registered as Dragan Paliçkoviç and the crew as Croatian nationals, while his deputy is Joško Vukoviç. It is precisely here that new details unexpectedly emerge, shedding light on the fate of "Albatros". Captain Paliçkoviç and his 12 sailors have been accused by its management of illegally crossing the border. The Albanian border police immediately pursued it, even by air, but did it manage to reach international waters? The objective of the fishing boat or its sinking at the end is another mystery. In the port of Bari it would have been officially registered on 17 March and departed from there only one day later. The news is confirmed by Captain Palumbo, of the Italian port authority. Here is another enigma: the captain has sailed, while Dragan Paliçkoviç, sailor. Is there perhaps a similar vessel since last 27 March? For the crew there may be Albanian members still alive? This time not only the vessel, so as not to become like Bari — it is impossible that the Italian authorities here know nothing about the accident and even less about the attempts to recover it. Only the crew’s testimony will be able to clarify the many hypotheses about this maritime घटना. So far every attempt by us to speak with the sailors and the owner of Albatros has failed. Fatos Baxhaku Irfan Rama

Serreqi returns after long treatment Albania’s Foreign Minister, Alfred Serreqi, has returned in improved health — after two months of treatment in the USA. Family sources told Gazeta Shqiptare that Serreqi is now at his office and is free to return to his work. As for the Albanian diagnosis, it has been spoken of only rarely, but it is believed that after the illness his condition required at least six months of rest. Krujë, 25 years in prison for a murder The trial of Nezir Dragoti, accused of the murder committed in October last year according to the judicial investigation of 76-year-old Ramiz Haxhija, his fellow villager Riza Lekë, ended with a 25-year prison sentence. This story — as mentioned in the courtroom — had begun with a quarrel over the trial of 76-year-old Ahmet Rrema. According to the defendant himself — who admitted the serious act and later spoke of remorse and revenge, but only as a way of justifying the deed — the court nevertheless sentenced him to 25 years in prison.

Among them, also a police officer from Fier Durrës, 10 members detained DURRËS — A gang of ten 20-year-old young men, suspected of theft, ends up in the cells of the Durrës Police Commissariat. Among them is also an employee of the Criminal Police in Fier. The sensational arrest was all the more striking because the members of this gang had broken into a vehicle — belonging to a Turkish citizen — taking everything from electronic equipment to Samsung items. According to confirmations from the Durrës Police Commissariat, the arrest of the ten young men was made only a few hours after they committed this robbery. Meanwhile, a search of their homes has also uncovered many other objects, suspected to have been stolen at different times and in different places. And perhaps it was only this “detail” that led the investigation specialists to learn that the youths now in detention belong to an organized gang that had long been operating in the city of Durrës. The only fact that remains somewhat mysterious — perhaps because of the investigation — is the participation of the criminal police officer from Fier and a member of the Durrës robbery gang. In any case, the initial suspicions of the investigation are strong against the accused and now it will be the Prosecutor’s Office that will ultimately decide their fate, as well as shed light on the truth itself. (G. To.)

The “alarm system” is out of action LEZHË — The lack of electricity has created so many problems that everything, even a house with alarms, is affected. From this common situation, someone in Lezhë has suffered it. Perhaps because there was a need for lamb for dinner, the darkness brought even more noise than usual from “madness.” Having arrived from nine o’clock, he left without leaving a trace. A. M. had laid hands on a young owner’s lot, and had set it up as if it were electronic alarm systems. The sheep’s exit from the shed would immediately trigger the alarm in the yard and on the ground floor of the family home. But what about the water outages? A.M. had left it on the wall, but of what kind? (for a short time the lights have not been made undesirable even throughout the time stretched toward electricity) in Lezhë. Thus the sheep has successfully justified the alarm system made for the missing lamb, which has functioned so far out of service even without electricity. (Dr. R.)

Ebola: the new deadly virus On page 2 Albanian prisoners escape from Greece On page 2 Cargo transport drops sharply On page 3

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DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO SELL? DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO BUY? This space is free for you, for economic notices. Send our message/messages, all up to 15 words, to our addresses: Viale l'Africa, Rruga Bajram Curri, 370, or in Bari: Viale Scipione l'Africano, 264. State your name and address in the message. FOR RENT — A small warehouse, 400 m2. It is located opposite the offices of NTPN Shkodër, Durrës. For further information you may call in the evening after 7 p.m. at 235-41, or arrange to meet at the warehouse location from 7 to 2 p.m. every day. AVAILABLE — A 10,000 m2 plot in Elbasan on the border with Komb. the night of Durrit (Narazana area), for different domestic and foreign investors. For further details, you can contact me at telephone number 042/20148 FOR SALE — A 2+1 apartment on the third floor. Interested parties may call 33422 FOR SALE — A used Olivetti computer. Total memory 80,6. With diskettes of Gga, 640 MK. Interested parties may contact 258448 FOR SALE — A 1+1 apartment near the American embassy, with balcony and parking space. I sell it or exchange it for a 2+1 with cash compensation. Interested parties call 041/26-15 or in the evening 237-62 FOR RENT — An 800-1000 square meter warehouse with a yard for parking, in a busy area. Interested parties may call 237-62 with telephone answering service. FOR SALE — Two new buildings. One has 20 rooms and the other 10 rooms. They are on a good hill, suitable for a hotel, offices, disco, etc. With a green yard. Located near the Ardenica-Lushnjë monastery. Interested parties should contact Rr. Milo Papo, c/u No. 28, Lagjja 15 Tetori, Fier, or phone 26-26 FOR SALE — A 2+1 apartment with a 4 m annex, second floor, on “Q. Stafa” street, p.575/9, block 2, ap. 26. Opposite Pro Farma Tiranë. FOR RENT — A private house located on Tefa Tashko street 98, opposite Ismail Qemali school and on the edge of Zhan D'Ark boulevard. The house is surrounded by walls, has a yard and consists of 3 rooms, kitchen, annex, bathroom, veranda and garage. It has a telephone number: 441 26 FOR SALE — A one-room-and-kitchen apartment on “Myslym Shyri” street. The apartment is on the second floor and is located on a parallel street near the Albanian) “Rilindja, DJA”. Tiranë. For more information please call 280 68.

Zattere 1411 - Tel. 0039/41/781611 - Fax 781805 - Tlx 410045 Ferries for Passengers, Cars, Trucks DURRES - BARI - ANKONA TRIESTE - DURRES From DURRËS to BARI: every Tuesday departs at 12.00 every Thursday departs at 12.00 every Sunday departs at 12.00 From DURRËS to ANKONA: every Tuesday departs at 19.00 every Friday departs at 22.00 From DURRËS to TRIESTE: every Wednesday departs at 19.00 every Saturday departs at 19.00 Agency in ALBANIA DURRES: DETARE SHETITORE Tel. 052/22233 - Fax 22911 - Tlx 4148 Agency in ITALY BARI: AGESTEA Srl - via Isidoro 4 Tel. 0039/80/331555 - Fax 330628 - Tlx 810043 ANKONA: MARITIM AGENCY Srl - Via XXIX Settembre, 20 Tel. 0039/71/204015 - Fax 202296 - Tlx 560022 TRIESTE: AGEMAR Srl - Piazza Duca degli Abruzzi, 2/a Tel. 0039/40/363222 - Fax 77723 - Tlx 460050