Order issued by the prefect of Tirana. Police patrols are checking compliance. Greece, Romania, Bulgaria and Turkey offer electricity to Albania. EMERGENCY Order issued by the prefect of Tirana. Police patrols are checking compliance. Greece, Romania, Bulgaria and Turkey offer electricity to Albania Only candlelight for the kiosks “Use of electricity in the afternoon is prohibited” TIRANA — Electric lighting has been banned for kiosks in the capital and other premises, while only food shops are allowed to use it, and even then in a very restricted manner. This order by the prefect of Tirana — compliance with which is being monitored by law-enforcement forces and the financial police — has forced the owners of thousands of establishments to seek the dim light of candles. The atmosphere of the energy emergency is now more palpable in Tirana’s streets. There is more darkness, and illuminated shop windows, advertisements and premises are becoming increasingly rare. Immediately after the order was issued by the Prefecture, police minibuses began patrolling, leaving behind more and more lights being switched off and replaced by candles or gas lamps. They have been given orders and cannot allow electric lighting in kiosks and restaurants after 4 p.m. If they find a violation of this newly announced rule, they are required to issue fines. Food shops are exempt, but they too may use only one lamp. Thus the capital’s retail and service businesses are being forced to contribute to easing the energy crisis caused by the prolonged drought by “giving up” their lights. And there are many of them: around 3,000 kiosks, quite a few of which are “bars” that have clearly contributed to the recent rise in electricity consumption. Meanwhile, alongside a slight rise in reservoir levels at hydroelectric plants following the recent rainfall, more optimistic news is coming from the international energy market. In addition to Greece, which has begun supplying electricity to Albania — and will even return to Albania 40 million kilowatt-hours stored in its grid years ago — Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey have also shown themselves ready to help. Andrea Stefani

TIRANA — Accounts of the horrors of the harsh winter of 1991–1992 have returned to Parliament. Speaking on behalf of a special parliamentary commission that had spent a long time investigating the causes of the tragedies that occurred in several districts of the country, its chairman, Sadeddin Balla, presented a report. “The events of those days were deliberately organized by certain individuals, who must now answer to the law,” was the essence of Balla’s report to his parliamentary colleagues. Balla also announced that, on the basis of the information he had managed to gather with the help of research by the members of the commission he headed, the Prosecutor’s Office would be asked to prosecute those identified as responsible and as the principal instigators of the events that had tragic consequences. In the final months of 1991 — one of Albania’s most difficult years in recent times — and in the first months of 1992, crowds driven to desperation by extreme poverty in several districts of the country had attacked state warehouses, looting and seizing food supplies stored there for a long time, while the market was completely empty. During these events, work on preparing festive decorations was disrupted. “We had thought of doing something truly special this year,” Perikli Xhomo, director of the Decoration Enterprise, told Gazeta Shqiptare, “but in these circumstances we are not sure whether we will...

The minor has been missing for days In the photograph, to the right of the car, is the missing child, Rezart Maze MENTOR KIKIA ELBASAN — Mystery surrounds the disappearance of a child in Elbasan. Rezart Maze, aged 10, left home on Monday afternoon. A neighbor had taken him for a ride in his car, and since then he has not returned to his family. The car in which the little boy was traveling — along with ... there was also another neighbor, around twenty years old — left the road and ended up on the bank of the Shkumbin River. The accident occurred at around 6:30 p.m. at the entrance to Peqin. Afterward, the person driving the vehicle and the young man who was in the car, both injured, went to the hospital in Elbasan, while little Rezart was not found near the place where the accident had occurred. The police immediately began an investigation, and by midday investigators had arrested Arben Buzji, the driver of the car. The unusual delay in the matter alarmed the family. Only Rezart’s twin sister had told their parents that he had left in the neighbor’s car. But their concern grew even greater when the child was missing from among the two injured people who were in the city hospital. It was precisely then that the two neighbors began making contradictory statements. “Arben told me that he had dropped the child off in Kusar (a village near Elbasan), that is, before the accident, while the other passengers say the child was in the car until the moment of the accident,” Kujtim Maz[?], the child’s father, told Gazeta Shqiptare. Moreover — according to the parents — the young man said that after the accident they had also gone into the Shkumbin bridges to look for the child in case he had drowned. The police later pursued this hypothesis as well. With the help of divers, they searched the riverbed but found no trace. The following day, alarmed, the family contacted all the hospitals in the districts surrounding Elbasan. Finally, after much searching, a hopeful signal came from the Durrës hospital on Tuesday morning. A nurse answered the phone call from the child’s friends. “A child about ten years old from the city of Elbasan, injured in Peqin,” the nurse said, “was treated at our hospital, and after twenty-four hours, when his condition was improving, a relative took him home.” Here an enigmatic figure enters the story: surely someone the child knew, since they did not report having taken him. By Tuesday night, no “family member” had knocked at the Maz[?] family’s door with the child. The glimmer of hope had faded almost as soon as it appeared. The following day, the family traveled to Durrës to speak with the nurse they had talked to the previous night. The mystery deepened. “Nobody admitted to being the nurse who had spoken to us,” Maz[?] says, “and the registration records do not even list the child’s name; none of the staff knew of any such admission.” In any case, perhaps the police investigation, which began intensively immediately after the incident, will solve the whole mystery hanging over the Elbasan family, now shrouded in mourning silence. Nevertheless, as of Thursday, owing to the secrecy of the investigation, nothing had been confirmed, apart from the fact that at midday that day the driver of the car, Arben Bajzi, had been arrested.

The ministry intervenes Industrial units have also benefited for months... TIRANA — For months, industrial units have also benefited from the electricity “periz” [rationing]. According to the Council of Ministers’ decision, industry will contribute to reducing daytime electricity consumption by around 50 percent — from 13 million kilowatt-hours to around 6 million kilowatt-hours. This is an imposed situation that has made it difficult for several factories or certain industrial sectors to meet their contractual obligations, particularly those with obligations to foreign investors. For two enterprises — the Textile Factory in Tirana, which employs 1,600 workers — intervention by the Ministry of Industry was needed to secure electricity supplies and allow work to continue. This is perhaps a calculated exemption from the emergency limits.

Tirana: more than 500 gas cylinders sold each day TIRANA — Eight thousand tonnes of kerosene have been made available for sale throughout Albania; of these, 2,000 tonnes are earmarked for Tirana alone. “It is now up to the municipalities to collect the quantities they need from the depots,” specialists from the Executive Agency for Energy Resources for the Population told Gazeta Shqiptare, explaining that in this way the kerosene problem can be considered solved. Meanwhile, firewood — abundant this year — continues not to be used for heating. Even in cold mountainous areas, its use remains limited, while people have also not bought sufficient quantities of the heating stoves — whose market prices have risen considerably — that use this fuel. Meanwhile, on Thursday the government invited and entered into negotiations with representatives of the major Italian gas company “Butangas,” which is offering to build the infrastructure for this fuel in Albania. But private companies that sell gas are now in difficulty. They risk having to suspend this activity because of the fixed price of 50 lekë per liter: selling at a higher price would expose them to the sanctions provided for by the decree issued on Wednes... … tons have been allocated only for Tr…në. “Now it is up to the municipalities to withdraw from the depots as much as they need,” Population explain to Gazeta Shqiptare, assuring solved. Meanwhile, firewood — plentiful this year — mountain areas, the use of this fuel is very low. Good news about gas too, although it is used almost exclusively in Tirana: very little in Korçë, Lushnjë and Fier. In the capital, more than 500 cylinders are sold every day. The rush … … in the community, although the depots are … by one of the largest Italian gas companies, now in difficulty. They risk suspending this activity because of the fixed price of 50 lek per litre: sanctions provided for in the decree issued on Tuesday by the President of the Republic. Indeed, one of them has also appealed to the Prime Minister to be exempted from these measures. Ar. Me. … of electricity and V… knowledge and Vitet të RL Munge… as for electricity … was completely empty. During these events, episodes were also recorded in …, such as the one in Rrëshen, … in whose warehouses … burned, with over 30 people alive. Similar events, but fortunately with less tragic consequences, had also been recorded in … Librazhd, Pogradec and Lus… hne. The idea of a temporary parliamentary commission to investigate them emerged from the parliamentary debate that followed immediately, and was later put into practice. Municipal Culture Department. (a. m.)

The decorations in difficulty TIRANA — The capital risks being left without its traditional decorations on the eve of Christmas and New Year. The lack of electricity has prevented work on preparing the festive decorations. “but in these circumstances we are not sure whether...

NEWS FROM ALBANIA Greek attaché allowed The Albanian government has decided to allow the military attaché to return to the Greek Embassy in Tirana. Deputy Foreign Minister Arian Starova met with the Greek ambassador Kristos Caligis and informed him of the decision. “This step,” Starova said, “is being taken out of a desire to move further along the path toward normalizing relations between the two countries.” Food for the Highlands The first food supplies are being sent to the Dukagjin highlands of Shkodër. Since the area is cut off by snow for long periods, two thousand quintals of flour, sugar and sugar are being stored in the warehouses of the commune of Shosh, and ... have secured 58,000 liters of oil. In addition, to make the movement of food supplies during the winter easier, the road to Shosh has also been repaired ... Satellite TV in Kukës too It has been decided to install satellite dishes in several cities around the country. Now Kukës too, at the request of its residents, has received satellite equipment that allows television sets to receive broadcasts from four foreign channels for the first time. The installation and supply were ... carried out by the private company “Pragë,” which provided fairly modern equipment.

The song competition reaches its finish: 14 selected songs on stage TIRANA — The first “hurdles” have been cleared, and tonight the finalist songs of “Fest ’94” will line up to resume the final race for the title. There are 14 songs that have escaped the jury’s sieve, in which 24 other contestants had fallen on the previous nights. They will now take the stage of the Palace of Congresses once again to … award the prizes of the 34th Festival of Song on Radio and Television. The three prizes, which are usually awarded at a festival of this kind, will be assigned after an evaluation by all the juries. This time, both the international jury — seated in the hall — and those … around the country — Korçë, Gjirokastër, Shkodër and Struga — will have equal weight. Each will score the songs on a points system ranging from 1 to 16 for the best song. The only advantage given to the central jury will be in the event that two songs receive the same number of points: in such a case, its vote will be decisive. This year, in addition to the usual prizes, special prizes will also be awarded. One will go to the song that receives the most votes by telephone, while another — awarded by the “Sorros” Foundation — will go to the best debuting group. The fourth and final night will not, however, be merely a competition. Guests and other comedy, ballet and music acts will turn it into a major show, where the atmosphere of revival will not be lacking: it will be brought into the hall by the children’s choir or the “Pax Dei” ensemble. After them, the voices of the presenters Cico and Prela — surprising for their ease and fluency of speech, and perhaps appearing on stage for the first time — will bring this competition to a close by announcing the winning song. ar. me

REALITY KURSIV TIRANA — At long last[?], the majority and the opposition … sat down around a table. The atmosphere was calm: on the left, order[?] united for Vin e gështen, daughter jokes, order[?] for Gëreshi and R.I. Salimi sat opposite Dokle, Arbnori … and sat at the same table with Pellumbi and … Ceka. Godo and Gjiniushi spoke quietly about … chestnut cake. Over pasta, fish and wine … a good … with cream. People at the tables recounted how … politics had passed, recalling episodes, incidents and … looks, order[?] and laughter. The incidents … da e [??]… … They met around the same table with the Speaker of Parliament and his deputy. It is a festive day, but the occasion reminds us, and shows … that beyond ideological clashes, political figures can also be good friends. And this is a fine signal that should be heeded by everyone. The lunch was supposed to remain private, just as it had been arranged and … But it is difficult to keep secret a convivial occasion attended by those present Jo[?]… according to the list: Eduard Selami, Servet Pellumbi, Sali Odo, Skënder Gjinushi, Neritan Ceka, Petrit Kalakula, Vasil Melo, Namik Dokle, Altin Spahiu, Pjetër Arbnori, Shaqir Vukaj. Lunch began with Albanian rak[?] and ended with Italian champagne. The choice of alcoholic drinks, too, is not forbidden on big days. No official discussions took place and, unlike what normally happens in Parliament, these gentlemen did not trade accusations and insults; here they had a pleasant conversation. As is possible in a democracy. New Year’s greetings and reciprocal good wishes. (c. bo.)

TIRANA — “The party has not split”; Laço’s group did not prejudge clear political ties, as it has proclaimed, nor a conflict in the council. At the national [level/conference] it was not only connected with the position on the Constitution; only a few council members followed Laço, while the majority defended the line approved at the national conference — where the leader of the PSD, Skënder Gjinushi, was interviewed for Gazeta Shqiptare about the statements of Laço, who had just left the party and was the initiator of a new social-democratic party. Even several days after the meeting that definitively separated the two, the polemic has not ceased to be heated.

A Chechen makes a Russian general resign ■ Bomb over the Sarajevo market On page 2 The final goals of the year On page 3