In three years there have been 132 cases Sexual crime continues to be a concern Here are the figures The number of sexual crimes in the last three years: Year 1993 (first 9 months) 40 sexual crimes, of which: - 31 cases involving violence - 6 cases involving minors - 2 indecent cases - 1 incest case Year 1992 62 sexual crimes, of which: - 45 cases involving violence - 13 cases involving minors - 4 indecent cases Year 1991 30 sexual crimes A sensational case of violence, so much discussed in America: Lorena Bobbit cut off her husband's penis, after which he has remained in constant turmoil TIRANE — The phenomenon of sexual crimes in Albania remains worrying. While in the structure of crimes during 1993 a percentage decrease was observed, for sexual crimes — which account for nearly 5 percent — the situation has practically not changed. Thus, after an increase in 1992 of almost 100 percent compared with 1991, the situation appears to have remained almost the same: during the first nine months of the year, sexual cases were reported. Another notable aspect of these crimes — positive this time — is that in 100 percent of the cases the law-enforcement bodies managed to identify the perpetrators. Especially in the structure of these crimes, the most serious and frequent acts have always been violent sexual relations. Thus in 1992 they accounted for about 75 percent of the total, a ratio that was maintained almost at the same level during 1993 as well. These are precisely the crimes for which the heaviest sentences have been and are imposed. Thus, in 20 cases — nearly the first nine months of 1993 — the penalty was from 10 to 20 years of imprisonment. Sexual relations with minors occupy second place in the structure of sexual crimes. Over the last two years they have reached the figure of 20 convicted cases. The most serious case remains the one that occurred in 1993, where a minor girl was left paralyzed. But that was not enough for the criminal. After that, the main accused allegedly strangled the girl — she was only 9 years old — and threw her into the river. This time justice showed no mercy: the criminal was sentenced to death. His execution took place on 11 December. Once again it was this ugly crime that effectively opened the black curtain of criminality for 1994 as well. This time it was a 12-year-old girl from Shëqi i Madh in Fier, who became the victim of the macabre passions of a 24-year-old boy from the same village. And all this had happened on the morning of the first day of the year. Now these crimes are also joined by cases of incest. While in 1992 there was no such case, in 1993 only one was punished. There are also few crimes classified as indecent. Over the last two years their number was only 6. p.r.e.

The Ministry denounces: «land is also being sold» TIRANE — There are signs of a new situation in agriculture regarding farmland. Many villagers have begun selling it illegally. The alarm this time comes from the Ministry of Agriculture, which has immediately denounced this dangerous phenomenon. "So far we have received reports about cases of sale of agricultural land" — Aleksandër Mara, Director of the Directorate of Agriculture, told Gazeta Shqiptare — "these notifications come to us from many different districts of the country, but mainly from the northeastern areas." However, so far there has not been a single case caught in the act, because the agreements were made between the parties without the documents being submitted to a notary. According to Mara, this phenomenon has occurred mainly with people who were not former landowners, and the fear that the real owner might appear pushes them to act this way. Another cause is the many departures of villagers. Moving to the city, they leave the land in [...] "This is an illegal act, because there is still no law on land" — the Ministry of Agriculture states in a worried announcement — "therefore we consider it necessary to make public opinion aware that these actions are punishable and involve serious legal responsibility and must be blocked immediately". Ar.Me.

Clashes in the chamber between deputies Imami and Musaraj Special commission for the killing of Çekini TIRANE — The creation of a Commission that would investigate and explain the circumstances of the killing of 26-year-old Giovanni Çekini in Shkodër was the solution that made it possible for the afternoon session of Parliament in 1994 to continue. For a moment everything got out of control and Speaker Arbnori, who was also chairing the session, was forced to interrupt it. It was the chairman of the PD parliamentary group, Sali [?], who immediately after Arbnori’s opening remarks had proposed the establishment of a commission to verify the Shkodër घटना, a proposal that was not opposed by anyone. It seemed that events would take a normal course when, after the proposal of the eighth independent deputy and member of the PAD — and Arbnori’s approval — Parliament observed a minute of silence for the victim from Shkodër. But apparently the accused denunciations [...] about the latest cases set Parliament ablaze. Thus, once again, it is a tragic event that took place in the northern city of Shkodër that dominates the life of the Albanian Parliament. Its proceedings could not escape debates over the tragic killing of young Çekini. At a final moment of the session, after the end of a rally that the Democratic Alliance Party had held with its supporters in the city of Shkodër, there were moves at the very least to accuse fish for its involvement in the motivations and power with actions that have created dangerous links between criminals and politics. On its part, the PD — clashed over Shkodër published in the press — which is slanderous and unfounded, rejected the accusations made by PAD while at the same time seeking the help of the justice authorities. All this bitter polemic and the mutual accusations between the political forces seem to have created even greater confusion and uncertainty in public opinion about the true case of Çekini’s killing. The tension seems to have been so high that it could not fail to enter the Parliament chamber, forcing it to set up a Commission made up of representatives of all parliamentary political forces. It will try to analyze and explain the causes and those responsible for the event in Shkodër. A meeting of Parliament Andrea Stefani

TIRANE — 57 tons of powdered milk have been blocked in Tirana by employees of the Standards Office of Region No. 1. The quantity imported by an Albanian private company was declared by specialists to be outside the standards for use. "The milk was coarse powdered milk and its solubility level was lower than the standard," specialists from Region 1 explained to Gazeta Shqiptare — "it was precisely these two elements that forced us to suspend the placing of this product on the market." The powdered milk had been produced in Russia and then exported to Belgium, from where it had been purchased by the Albanian company.

In four days three people have lost their lives ELBASAN — The toll of human lives in road accidents continues to rise steadily. More than 20 people were injured in the district of Elbasan within the space of four days, and at least three people have died. Of these, three lost their lives in the middle of two and an eight-year-old child. Thus Elbasan has become a place that records 33 deaths from accidents, apparently in this part of the road, which are increasing. The injured who had the accident — a few days ago — on the Elbasan-Librazhd road appear to be out of danger, after the passenger bus left the road and crashed into rocks. But doctors are still not certain about the victims of this incident, although all the injured were taken to the Hospital of Librazhd. Two days after this accident there was another tragedy involving an eight-year-old child in a car. Then, at midday on 13 January, another tragic accident was recorded after the collision of two cars: the toll was two dead and five seriously injured. The condition of the injured is now also critical and doctors — at the Surgical Hospital of the city — are cautious about any optimism for their lives. In the same place — on the highway connecting the city with the Metallurgical Combine — on the 15th, another car crashed into a heavy truck, seriously injuring one of the drivers. "With the exception of the accident that occurred at the exit of Elbasan — they explain in the Traffic Police — all the others are the fault of the drivers of the vehicles." According to these employees too, the accidents that caused two human victims happened precisely on one of the best roads, not only in Elbasan, but in the whole country. "The cause — they told Gazeta Shqiptare — has been vehicles in the hands of incompetents, and several times they are even driven by drunk people, which leads to terribly high speed, at least for the conditions of our roads." Me.Ki.

The 70-year-old man was still working His employers found him dead in the kiosk he was guarding TIRANE — "To work in old age means also to die." A 70-year-old man from Tirana was found lifeless yesterday morning; he died while in the kiosk where he worked as a guard. Investigators — from the Capital City Police Commissariat — have concluded that the death was natural. Thus, the adventure of living ended up taking this elderly man’s life. No one was able afterward — neither the employers, nor even the thief who often attacks other people’s property — to reconstruct the moment of the 70-year-old, who perhaps for many hours, alone and on duty, fought with death. Now everything has only kept the event in view, when — instead of the words "everything is in order" — there, on the crates, death of others, the guard slept, never to rise again. Fortunately, from the thieves "who had been flying" from the guard’s "sleep".[...]

Nearly half a million dollars are still uncollected from nature destroyers: out of 900 criminal cases, only sixty-two have been judged Forest Police accuses: «The Prosecutor's Office does not punish the guilty» TIRANE — The unpunished value of the forests destroyed in Albania reaches nearly half a million dollars. Thus, the fines paid are also insignificant compared with the massive damage. For this reason the General Directorate of Forests accuses the justice authorities — which, according to them, do not punish the guilty. "Only 62 out of the 900 criminal cases committed during 1993 have been judged," declares Fenoll Hoxha, deputy director of the Directorate of Forests, to Gazeta Shqiptare — "on the part of the persons prosecuted, they must pay the value of the timber. When the 10-day deadline passes, it becomes an enforceable title and should be pursued by the forestry authorities, which, however, is not done." Besides the uncollected amounts, which worry the specialists of the Forest Police the most, there is the fact that by not punishing the guilty, the phenomenon is repeated in the same way. Forest Police officers often find themselves powerless. They continue to be without protection. There have been several cases — in Lushnjë, Peshkopi, Pukë and Kolonjë — in which even these employees have fallen victim to wrongdoers. Armand Mero

THE FOURTH PROTOCOL OF ALBANIAN-GREEK ECONOMIC COOPERATION IS SIGNED — The signing of the protocol of the fourth stage of Albanian-Greek economic cooperation was the concluding act of the visit of the Greek Minister of Finance Papantoniu to Albania. In this protocol, which on the Albanian side was signed by Minister Bode, the construction of a road axis Durrës-Vlorë-Kakavijë-Kaninë, the project for building a hydroelectric power plant on the Vjosë River, the allocation of 234 thousand dollars from the Greek credit, as well as the elimination of the final double tax are envisaged. THE DRIN RIVER FLOODS HUNDREDS OF HECTARES OF LAND IN LEZHË — Hundreds of hectares of land have been flooded in Lezhë by the waters of the Drin River. The flooding mainly affects agricultural areas sown with wheat as well as the Besëlidhja neighborhood of this city. To prevent further damage, several pumping stations were put to work, which lowered the water level. However, the movement made efforts to create the reservoir. SHQIP BOOK EXHIBITION IN TIRANA — 400 book titles are presented in an exhibition organized in the premises of the National Library by the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports. The titles belong to Albanian-language publications produced in the last two years, when the publishing houses’ activity entered the privatized market. Many of the exhibited books are masterpieces of Albanian and world literature that had not been published on the market. J.mn lum

Today’s match of the week: Tirana-Vllaznia The penultimate minutes of the Second Tour ON PAGE 3 Europe abandons talks on Bosnia The resignation of the mediators is demanded ON PAGE 2