The causes and consequences of the latest emergency Specialists confirm the serious state of the reservoirs in the hydroelectric plants: solutions are now being studied From 10:30 p.m. in Tirana and many other cities, electricity supply will be cut off. Tension and long queues outside bread shops. Problems in banks and in telephone communications Technical situation TIRANE — The turbines of the Ulzë and Shkopet hydroelectric plants on the Mat River are no longer turning, and the same threat hangs over the dire state of the plants in the Drin River cascade. And the measure taken at the end of the year across all thermal power plants and the power network for energy imports. Albania, which years ago had managed to export as much as 2 billion kilowatt-hours, has been placed under a very strict regime and electricity consumption has been reduced. At the Albanian Energy Corporation (KESH), officials say there is concern about the situation at the hydroelectric plants of Fierzë, Koman and Vau i Dejës. The inflows of the Drin River have fallen to a daily average of 20 cubic meters per second, from 255 cubic meters per second, which is the long-term average calculated for December over 40 years. KESH specialists even say that at times this inflow has been as low as 6 cubic meters per second. As a result, the water level in their giant reservoirs — Fierzë, with a capacity of 2.4 billion cubic meters; Koman, 600 million cubic meters; Dejës, 500 million cubic meters — is constantly at alarming levels. Thus at Fierzë the reservoir water is only 3 meters above the minimum level. From 239 meters, which is that level, the water has fallen to 242 meters. The same phenomenon applies to Koman — minimum level 160 meters and the water has fallen to 169 meters — and to Vau i Dejës, where the water has fallen to 73 meters while the minimum level is 60 meters. To save these hydroelectric giants, which generate around 80 percent of the country's energy, from complete paralysis, last week all the other smaller hydroelectric plants such as Bistrica or Selita, which produce around 600 kilowatts a day, were brought into operation. Alongside them, all thermal power plants have also started working — despite the high economic cost — and they produce around 3 million kilowatts a day. Even so, it is completely impossible for the country to meet the demand and ensure 14 million kilowatt-hours are normally consumed during the day without risking the water level in the reservoirs of the three hydroelectric plants falling even further. This is why a strict daily energy-consumption regime has been introduced, reducing it to around 6 million kilowatt-hours a day. Chronicle of disruptions TIRANE — Bakeries without power have once again brought long bread queues back to the country. Outside shops, where until a few days ago everything had been running calmly, moments of tension were recorded on Sunday and Monday. To cope with the situation, electricity rationing took effect nationwide on Monday. According to a preliminary schedule prepared by the central authorities for all districts, the energy quotas available have been set by local councils in the districts, which have fixed the hours during which their citizens will or will not have electricity. In Tirana, the population will be supplied with electricity only twice a day. According to an official announcement distributed through official communication channels — electricity will be cut off for Tirana residents from 5:00 a.m. to 7:00 a.m. The next encounter with the long-awaited electricity will be later, at 4:00 p.m. — and only until 8:00 p.m. The same announcement ensured that electricity would be supplied for 24 consecutive hours to the most important points in the capital: hospitals, maternity wards, bread factories and buildings where important equipment is installed. Others — including small private bakeries — must wait until the much-anticipated rains begin to fill the lakes in the north. For Shkodër, the supply schedule will be from 7:00 to 9:00 and then again from 4:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. Supplies will be planned according to the parameters of the Vau i Dejës transformer, the city’s main supplier. The hours were set at the municipal council meeting held on Saturday. Shkodër will guarantee its 33 bread bakeries a supply of electricity, so that the confusion seen in recent days can be avoided. The news of the alarming shortage of water in the reservoirs of the hydroelectric plants and the resulting lack of supply has immediately caused many problems. The first and strongest pressure from the crowds was seen at the bread shops on Saturday. Long queues of people waited in the cold of this winter for the supply of the country’s most consumed commodity: bread. There were also major difficulties in international telephone connections and in newspaper production and printing; the main central station in Tirana was powered by a generator of only 4.5 kilowatts, just enough to keep a few essential devices running. Power cuts have caused major disruptions in banking activities and urban transport. Queue for bread (Reuter photo) Albania seeks energy on foreign markets TIRANE — While signing the European Energy Charter Treaty, Albanian authorities are trying to increase electricity imports by using the lines connecting the Albanian energy system with the international network. Power from Greece has just begun to arrive, while hopes remain of securing electricity imports from other countries. In 1974 two lines were built, one Vau i Dejës — Montenegro 220 kilovolts and the other Bistricë-Greece 150 kilovolts. In 1985 a 400-kilovolt line Elbasan-Greece was put into operation and in 1988 the 220-kilovolt line Fierzë-Prizren. And while the lines toward Greece have begun to bring in electricity — among other things there are also 40 million kilowatt-hours deposited by Albania in the Greek network back in 1991 and now to be withdrawn — it is hoped that the lines toward former Yugoslavia, currently blocked by embargo sanctions, will also begin operating. Permission has just been obtained from the embargo authorities for their use, and it is hoped that energy will be transited from Bulgaria, Romania or other European countries. Likewise, through the lines connecting to Greece, energy is hoped to be imported from Turkey. (An. Ste.)

After cholera TIRANE — Immediately after the announcement of the cholera outbreak, the electricity emergency breaks out. Two difficult crises coexist with one another, and once again: both were foretold. We all knew the water situation depended not only on the winter weather and the blue sky; we knew that the same thing would happen with electricity as well. But what has been done in the country to avoid the state of emergency? Why has the hydroelectric system in the country, which gathers enormous quantities of water for energy, fallen almost to the minimum limit? Why have the billions of dollars promised by international investors remained only words? Why, at the time of cholera, did we ask forgiveness in the streets for bread shortages? Now we — at least — ask forgiveness in the long streets and for turning back to the bread they needed and standing in queues while at home in darkness and cold, waiting for those who are at fault to apologize. (c.b.)

CORPSE — The body of an Albanian is confused with that of a Slovenian on the Hamburg — Slovenia air line. F. Çuka, 28, from Durrës, dies in a car accident with his own car in Hamburg. A refugee for 4 years, he had never returned to his family. At the time his relatives were expecting him for Christmas, the tragic event still occurs. But instead of their son’s body, the parents receive the body of a Slovenian at home. Loved ones had to wait another three days in order to give Çuka the final honors and accompany him to the cemetery. (g.t.)

The crime had occurred in August '93 SHKODER — Today the two persons who caused the shocking murder of the police officer sit in the dock. The Military Court will question the 20-year-old V.G. and the 32-year-old L.V. regarding the suspected murder of S. Sokoli, who worked at the Shkodër Police Station. The trial will also be the final decision for the two accused and carries great weight. During this time, light will be shed on the circumstances of the murder. August of last year was the final month in the life of the police officer, Sokoli. While riding his bicycle to work and, as he was called, at the Wood Combine, three people attacked him with batons. They brutally killed him and took the service weapon from his lifeless body. The Shkodër criminal police immediately launched a search for the three people in an intensive operation. They managed to catch two of them. Their accomplice — who is suspected of having been the main perpetrator of the policeman’s death — is now wanted by Interpol. Meanwhile, during the trial, the Military Court will seek to uncover the motives that led the unknown men to massacre Sokoli, causing great pain to his family and colleagues. (Me. K.)

VLORE — They are protesting because of a shortage of equipment and many technical garments. It is the inspectors of the criminal police in Vlorë who raise this issue in a letter addressed to the police chief. Because there are no vehicles, the officers in the precinct have to leave using their private cars and cannot follow in pursuit, often day after day. The maritime police are in the same situation. The existing vehicles are out of service, with the exception of two that have been found broken and then assembled. As a result, this fact would particularly strengthen full control over Albanian waters. (s.m.)

"Martyr of democracy" a former electrician Ismail Muça, from the village of Pellumbas in Tirana, is posthumously awarded the medal "Martyr of Democracy". Accused two years ago as an anti-communist [??] over land issues in his village, he died without seeing the law changed. In recognition of his fall in the line of duty, the medal was handed over to his family. The law also supervises science The draft laws on science and technological development were debated and discussed at the meeting of the People's Assembly; the deputies of the standing Law Commission asked for clarification, as requested by specialists, so that the draft law on science could be prepared as soon as possible and submitted for parliamentary discussion. Korça will have a new water supply system With its own funds, Korça will build several water supply systems. This was decided by the district council at one of its meetings. The local investment plans include the construction of these water supply systems in Voskopoja, the village of Ligenas and Qatrom i Qufashës, to bring them more water more quickly; the private firms and enterprises that have also undertaken to asphalt the Korçë — Moravë road have been designated as well.

The former owner reclaims the building according to the law TIRANE — The property storm has also reached the special districts. On Monday they were forced to leave their worn-out offices of the Muslim Community. The enforcement decision was clear and the owner had to take back the building that belongs to him under the law on restitution and property. Hard at work, as if for the first time, the Community employees and its believers have since yesterday moved from the place of worship to their private offices, where they have worked for the first time in many years for the revival of religion. The Islamic Community, housed in this building since the first months after the granting of religious freedoms, had seen the modest offices designed and developed by architects into one of the community’s important centers. Pilgrimages to Mecca, the design of the reconstruction of many mosques and other charitable places, have been among them. Departure from the building of the Islamic Community (Photo A. Babani)

The peninsula championship will begin in 1995 The decision was taken at the sports conference in Constanţa TIRANE — Albania will also host the next Balkan boxing championship. Scheduled for October next year, this event will be held for the first time in our country. The decision was taken on Sunday at the conference of the sports federation of the Balkan countries, held in Constanţa, Romania. The proposal of the Albanian delegation was accepted by all participants. The Balkan boxing championship has not been held for four years. "I am very optimistic about the sporting results at the end of this championship" — says Skënder Kalem, secretary general of the Albanian Boxing Federation, for "Gazeta Shqiptare" — but the organizational measures must be considered seriously. Boxing began as a sport in Albania in the 1920s, while the first national competition was held in 1947. In 1963 boxing was banned as a sport, and only in 1991 did it regain official status. At present there are 17 boxing clubs in our country — private and state-owned — which have so far involved around 180 boxers. Meanwhile, the number of people training in this sport has now reached over 250. (J.G. Pl.)

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