Only the peasantry has doubts Nearly half a million Albanians will benefit from the increase Who benefits Here are some of the most synthetic indicators of the Government’s draft for wage increases: – Salaries of budget-sector employees will rise by around 30 percent – Salaries of employees in the sector will rise on average by around 10 percent, depending on the type and on the change in the tax thresholds for these wages from 130 percent to 150 percent – For enterprises working on a contractor-supplied materials basis and on rent, wages may rise by up to 50 percent – Citizens’ pensions will rise by 15 percent – No data are available for peasant pensions, but there is a possibility that there will be no increase – Economic assistance for the unemployed by 10 percent Headquarters of the Albanian Bank in Tirana TIRANA — One of the most hopeful issues discussed in recent days has become a possible wage increase for state-sector employees — budgetary and non-budgetary — by the government. The figures for a rise of around 30 percent in budget-sector wages and around 10 percent in the non-budgetary sector have attracted keen interest from these and from around 450,000 employees in these sectors. For a significant share of them, this wage — in fact among the lowest in the market economy — is the main source of livelihood income. It is understandable that there is an even greater coefficient of interest in this issue also among around — according to official data — 280,000 unemployed people who are still waiting for a 10 percent increase in economic aid, their vital hope. In this category could also be included a number of pensioners who are expecting a 15 percent increase. Meanwhile, the information available so far points to the possibility of excluding peasant pensions from this increase. Announced by the press and later confirmed by senior government officials, the news about wage increases, economic aid and pensions has sparked considerable discussion in economic circles. The pressures for a reduction in development reserves regarding the economic benefit that this government generosity will bring are in balance. No one can predict to what extent this wage increase will be able to fulfill its mission of easing the economic difficulties of thousands of people. Can this wage increase, tied as it is to the past — inflation — become “its own mission by chance”? “Points” plan for the destructive effects of price increases. “Calculations” for budget growth and economic security and for instability? The answer? The wage increase will be greater. Alongside the people’s discussions, the debate continues within the Government, which is expected soon to turn this draft into a decision. But before doing so, it will consult the unions, which have long advocated this wage increase, as if to wait for a three-way government discussion. An.St.

Dispute after Siemens’ victory, the Italian consortium that lost threatens to file a complaint with the International Court Rinas, controversy erupts “The Germans have offered higher prices than ours,” accuses the company “Alenia”. The Ministry of Transport calls an explanatory meeting TIRANA — An international affair risks breaking out around the reconstruction of Rinas Airport in Tirana. The tender was won by the German company Siemens, allied with the Austrian company Rogner, but the consortium of Italian companies that lost is asking to go soon before international judges. “We had offered a lower price,” they say at Alenia — “but instead of paying us 50.5 million marks, they prefer to pay the Germans 60 million.” The issue is now also being magnified by the Italian economic press. After the threat of a legal dispute, the Albanian Ministry of Transport has proposed an explanatory meeting with Alenia in the first week of 1994, here in Tirana. In the same Ministry of Transport, the Albanian Telegraphic Agency was also criticized for having recently published a note saying that the game had already been decided and that work at the airport would begin a month earlier. The issue is complex. On 18 August 1993, as the climax of the summer, the tender for the reconstruction of Rinas was opened; only two groups had submitted bids, the German one with Siemens and the Italian one with Alenia (together with Garboli, Inco and Italcantieri). In October, the Italian consortium sent the government a working procedure that begins the procedures for securing credit from SACE. A slow procedure (as often happens in Italy) that ended up favoring the swiftness of the German Foreign Ministry. In fact, Siemens was the faster one; it managed to secure the EMES credit and that was completed, becoming the main reason — at least officially — for their victory. On 6 December Italcantieri wrote an alarming letter to the Italian foreign minister, Andreatta: “We have learned from Siemens’ project manager that they have already sent the first containers to Albania to start the work.” This was considered as meaning the tender had already been closed on 13 December, and it was Alenia that wrote, this time to the Albanian Ministry of Transport, reminding it that the price requested from the Italian companies was lower than the German one and therefore the tender belongs to Italy. But now the matter had already gone this far. On 6 December the Council of Ministers gave Siemens the go-ahead to carry out the works. Alenia replied in sharp tones and sent another fax to Tirana, in which it expressed “great surprise” at the decision taken and added: “As usual in such cases, and given that our offer was certainly the better one, we formally ask for a meeting to better understand the reasons for your decision.” The Albanian Ministry of Transport has announced a meeting for the first week of this year. The most delicate aspect is that of prices: the Italians claim that their bid started from 50.5 million marks, while the Germans had initially offered 75 million. “Someone — who knows who —” the Italian companies claim — “informed the companies that we had lower figures and led them to lower theirs too. And that is not proper, because requests for reductions should be made to all companies equally.” In the future, the meeting at the Ministry could serve to clarify the dispute. p.re.

TIRANA — A military barracks will become the headquarters of the Capuchin religious mission. This mission, arriving in Albania for the first time, has bought a plot on the site of a former military unit in the Nënshkodra area near Shkodër, which is being left for transformation into its new center. Representatives of the Capuchin order — who arrived in Albania these days — also announced a tour of several major cities in the north: Elbasan, Tirana and Shkodër. In those cities they were accompanied by Fr. Preç Pllana? “Such a mission,” said one of the mission leaders, “will aim to prepare a place that will be welcoming for the arrival of the missionaries who will settle here.” According to them, the mission’s name “will be the Capuchin Mission in Albania”. “We have remained enthusiastic about what we found in Albania,” the missionaries — all from Italy — said, and promised that very soon work would begin on reconstructing the purchased building. According to one of them, six missionaries are expected to be stationed there initially and then their number will increase. Meanwhile, local circles have reported that the missionaries have agreed to pay the requested amount for the plot and the purchased building, which once belonged to the army. [?]

SEVEN NEWSPAPERS ARE GIVEN A PRINT SHOP: “DEMOKRACIA” PRESS — In Tirana the deed of donation of the “Demokracia” printing press to seven cooperating newspapers is signed. This act was signed at the headquarters of the newspaper “Rilindja Demokratike”, where for the Albanian side the editors-in-chief of the newspapers, who are also members of the Board of Directors of this printing house, signed. For the other side, Bill Shiko, senior adviser to the International Press Foundation, signed. The gift for the seven Albanian newspapers is made by International Media Found. UNLOADING OF SHIPS BEGINS IN THE PORT OF DURRËS — After a break during the turn of the year, unloading of ships began in the Port of Durrës, mostly loaded with wheat. Currently there are three ships there, with 22,000 and 23,000 tons of wheat, as well as a cement-laden cargo ship. Meanwhile, a ship with wheat from the EC is expected to be unloaded, as well as the ship Partizani. In these days a ship with chromium is also expected to arrive at the Port. Although unloading has begun, the problem remains the cargo, because the equipment with which the grain will be loaded is also expected to be sent. COURSE IN TIRANA ON HEALTH CARE ADMINISTRATION — On the joint initiative of the Albanian Ministry of Health and the Faculty [?] of Medicine and the US Agency for International Development, a new training course for the health service has just started in Tirana, “The medical service [is the] real objective of this course”, which will continue until March of this year. During the course many specialists from university clinics in the US and other countries will speak.

Expansion of the first 5 kilometers approved TIRANA — Very soon the Tirana-Durrës road may be traveled faster than it is at present. Approval has just been confirmed — by the Territorial Regulation Council — for the expansion of this road, one of the busiest in Albania’s road network. A project specially drawn up for this by the Institute of Projects 2 in Tirana provides for the road to be widened to four lanes. The project, which for the moment has been completed only for the first five kilometers, is backed by a government fund of 4.2 million dollars. It also provides, in order to preserve two-way traffic on this road, for a dividing wall to be built in the middle. For the widening of this road and the remaining section, as well as the main access points to the two cities, other financially backed projects are planned. The implementation of these projects for the Tirana-Durrës highway — now with unusual intensity — could make it more comfortable and faster. p.re. Tirana-Durrës road

Rules of elegance for watching the spectacle NEW FASHION The novelty of the event “Around Fate for 12 Nights” TIRANA — The process changes within tradition. As for the tradition we are talking about, this time, what is involved is not the clothing. What is brought into it is modesty, in Albania, as the orientation of the spectacle “Around Fate for 12 Nights”, a successful event of the “great season” launched at the Opera and Ballet. On the basis (sim) 200 lekë it had been written “Valid only for a couple and with evening wear.” Custom is opening the way to enjoyment in an environment that began much earlier to mature, but what was mentioned was bringing the evening visit closer, not in Tirana, but in being borne out of doors? For “evening wear” the showpiece of these evenings, the copy costs 150 for ladies and a dark suit for gentlemen. And this is a rule that exists practically throughout Europe and that has often been at the center of severe social polemics. At the “premieres” of the Ballet Theatre in Milan (for evening events the dress code is plus — or they bring a pseudo-revolution everywhere and before the entrance protest by throwing eggs and the embarrassed sort. In Albania this rule had never been encountered, no one became evening-attired, and this was explained mechanically. According to Nermal [?], for some time now budget workers have known and think they know, and the organizers also think they know […] and what matters is not simply clothing but the financial situation and the will that makes it. [e.bo.] [?]

12,000 soldiers sent to Chiapas INSIDE ON PAGE 2 In Albania, 40 percent of electric power is stolen “Heating with electricity is impossible” ON PAGE 3

DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO SELL? DO YOU WANT TO BUY SOMETHING? DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO SELL? DO YOU WANT TO BUY SOMETHING? This space is free for your classified ads. Send your message no longer than 15 words to one of our addresses: in Tirana: Rruga Bajram Curri, 370. Or in Bari: Viale Scipione l'Africano, 264. State in the message what you are looking for and what you offer, your name and address. SEEKING — I want to exchange the two apartments I own for other apartments in the same community. The current apartments are: 1 room and 1 kitchen, and 2 rooms, 1 kitchen and 1 drying room. These two apartments are on the same floor and can be joined into one. The apartments I am looking for, however, I want them not to be close to one another. Interested parties should contact: Skënder Tahirlari, Lagja 1, Rruga “Dhimitër Kamarada”, Pallati 6, Shkalla 1. Apartment D, Tiranë. FOR SALE OR FOR RENT — a house built in the Italian period in a central location in Tirana. Interested parties should call the telephone number 22309 for information. FOR SALE AND FOR RENT — renovated Italian house in a very central area of Tirana. For information call 22309. FOR RENT — one-room apartment with kitchen alcove. The house is near the third floor on Rruga “Ali Demi” in Tirana. Interested parties should call 29520. FOR RENT — premises at the beginning of Rruga “Dibra”, with a shop in the “Phillips” basement in Tirana. The premises are part of the courtyard of a disco club. Area: 160 square meters. Interested parties should contact telephone number 84710. SEEKING — to rent a house with three rooms and a kitchen in Tirana. With a large yard, with a normal-sized storage room and parking space for two cars. Interested parties should apply at Rruga “Tefta Tashko” no. 98 or call 24126. FOR SALE — a four-door “nori strada” “TOYOTA HY 60” car. Year of manufacture: 1988. The car has air conditioning. Sale price is 8,000 dollars. Interested parties should call telephone number 27972 in Tirana. FOR SALE — a four-door “nori strada” “TOYOTA HY 60” car. Year of manufacture: 1988. The car has air conditioning and five gears. Sale price is 8,000 dollars. Interested parties should call telephone number 27972 in Tirana.