Fear for 3 people who received blood from an HIV-positive donor Plasma taken from the donor infected by the virus had been routinely used until after April TIRANA — Fear and concern for three people who received blood from the 31-year-old man from Tirana who was found — a few days ago — to have AIDS. The necessary tests will urgently be carried out on all three to establish whether they have been infected with the virus that causes the terrible disease. According to specialists, the time that has elapsed since the blood was received is now sufficient for the test used to detect AIDS to determine their status conclusively. The discovery of the fifth case of AIDS in Albania has this time, rightly, triggered a new alarm. The fact that the HIV-positive man was a regular blood donor — and that many others may consequently have fallen innocent victim — has immediately set the medical authorities in motion as well. The last time the 31-year-old man from TIRana donated blood — about four months ago — was in April; according to specialists, he was infected through sexual contact (he was homosexual). Since then, checks carried out in hospitals by specialists from the AIDS office have found only three people who received blood from the HIV-positive donor. These people — one from Tirana and two others from the met[?] — have now been identified and will undergo special AIDS tests and examinations. “The tests to be carried out will show whether these people have in fact been infected,” Besim Nuri, Deputy Minister of Health, explained to Gazeta Shqiptare, “since the period needed for antibodies to develop in a person who may have the virus has now passed. This period lasts at most from one week to two months.” Identifying these three people, although they themselves will be anxiously worried until the special tests are completed, is, on the other hand, reassuring news for dozens of others who, while hospitalized for various illnesses, were required to receive blood. In fact, in recent days, immediately after the news was published, many people have turned up at hospital ward entrances, concerned and seeking information about the matter.

Majority-opposition dispute TIRANA — “The so-called absence of a Constitution cannot be allowed to create room for the violation of citizens’ rights, because the Charter of Fundamental Human Rights and Freedoms exists and was adopted in full conformity with the provisions of the European Convention ‘For the Protection of Human Rights.’ ” This, in essence, was Prime Minister Meksi’s response to Socialist MP Abdiu’s argument that “the absence of a Constitution creates dangerous opportunities for the violation of human rights.” It seems that the summer season is the most suitable time for Parliament to discuss the draft Constitution. As before, debate among MPs about the world of the Law of Laws has flared up again. And once again it is the PS MPs — last summer they walked out of Parliament for about two months over the same issue — who have now called Prime Minister Meksi to an interpellation to explain progress on drafting the Constitution. And once again, the same arguments and counterarguments were put forward by both sides. On one side, PS MPs again stressed the urgent need to present the draft to Parliament and accused the commission responsible for preparing it of delays and deliberate stalling. Meksi — this time speaking as Chairman of the special commission for drafting the draft Constitution — rejected these accusations and even blamed the PS for the obstacles it had created to resolving this important issue. Meanwhile, he reiterated the PD’s determination to draft the Constitution as one of the primary tasks in its program. It seems that the passage of the months this year has not brought the draft of the Fundamental Law any closer; it remains on the horizon of the new legislation. In fact, at the beginning of 1994, the impression was created that the much-discussed document would soon be presented to Parliament for consideration. It was Parliament Speaker Arbnori himself who declared to Gazeta Shqiptare in January this year: “The Constitution will soon be presented to the Albanian Parliament, and the fundamental chapters have been prepared.” It seems that the final two chapters and the final provisions are what the Preparatory Commission has been unable to complete for more than six months, something that would bring an end to many debates, doubts, and mutual accusations.

WORLD CUP ’94 Two matches for the first semifinalists World Cup USA ’94 trivia On page 3 On page 3 The «Azzurri» training ahead of this afternoon’s match

The «incident» explained BARI — Moments of tension and concern on Thursday morning between the Albanian delegation led by the Minister of Local Government, Rexhep Uka, and the Vice-President of the Region of Puglia, De Lucia. The incident arose from a

TIRANA — “Thank you, Clinton.” This is how Serreqi, the Albanian foreign minister, greeted Bill during the meeting in Warsaw.

«They have occupied our premises»

BARI — Moments of tension and concern on Thursday morning between the Albanian delegation led by the Minister of Local Government, Rexhep Uka, and the Vice-President of the Region of Puglia, De Lucia. BARI — Lucia. The incident arose from a major blunder by De Lucia, who “accused” Minister Uka of failing to respect the agreement between the two countries in the roads and transport sector. The reference was to the project, which still needs to be financed by the European Bank, to build the Durrës–Skopje–Istanbul highway, much sought after by the Albanian authorities. But De Lucia accused the Albanian delegation of supporting the construction of a highway to Greece, which would therefore harm Puglia’s interests. The position of the Italian regional authorities was entirely unfounded, and it was only late in the evening, during a second meeting, that words gave way to discussion. The first meeting, in the morning, ended on extremely heated terms. The “Interreg” project, which is to finance one of the two highways, provides financial contributions for Eastern countries (and therefore Albania too) and for other neighboring countries. The problem is that the European Commission — also under pressure from Greece — has not yet decided whether to consider Italy a country bordering Albania as well (they are separated by the sea), whereas it certainly considers Greece one.

TIRANA — “Clinton, thank you.” With these words, Sereqi, the Albanian foreign minister, greeted Bill Clinton, President of the United States, during their meeting in Washington, expressing Albania’s gratitude to him for the support America has given it during these years of transition. And the American president responded to Sereqi’s thanks by saying: “Albania deserves our attention and help. You have achieved a great deal in a short time.” The Albanian foreign minister then gave an overview of the country’s political and economic situation. He attached particular importance to Albania’s position on respecting the rights of national minorities. “There is a small Greek minority in our country, but there is no problem concerning this minority, since it enjoys all rights in accordance with international standards.”

TIRANA — The agreements recently reached between the Agency for the Control of the Trade in Art Books (AQTLA) and the Turkish College in Tirana are heading to court. The conflict was caused by a contract signed several months ago by the School Book Agency — which AQTLA says is illegal — granting the Turkish College the right to use facilities belonging to AQTLA, namely a warehouse and garages. The matter has gone so far that the Turkish director even sent his own security police to threaten AQTLA. “All this is understandable and unjust — Izvi Tota, AQTLA’s director, explained to Gazeta Shqiptare — the contract signed by the School Book Agency is illegal. According to the urban development plan approved by the Municipality, these facilities belong to us. So now let the courts resolve this matter.”

Tirana Hospitalized after a spider bite TIRANA — A spider bite almost cost a 33-year-old farmer his life. While lying in a field at night, watching over his land, the farmer from the Durrës area was bitten by a dangerous spider. The mild initial pain — which he did not take very seriously — was later joined by severe difficulty breathing. His condition worsened further, and he even began to lose coordination in the movements of his limbs. It was only the intervention of doctors at the Toxicology Center in Tirana that saved the unfortunate farmer from that small bite, which caused him enormous distress. Ar. Me.

The woman survives TIRANA — After almost five hours of continuous surgery, doctors finally managed to remove a tumor weighing more than 21 kilograms from the body of 38-year-old Suzana Tafa. The successful operation was performed a few days ago by Edmond Çeliku, head of the surgery department at Tirana Hospital. Tafa, who had come from Shkodra, had been suffering for over six months from a large mass that had formed in the lower abdomen (an ovarian tumor, or what is otherwise known as a cyst). Having previously been examined by an American surgeon and a gynecologist, she had received the negative response that there was no hope. But her hopes were revived when the specialists in Tirana finally took on her case — after the operation, her condition was very good. a. m.

PRIME MINISTER MEKSI MEETS WITH DELEGATION FROM SAUDI ARABIA — “Saudi-Arab interests will serve to develop projects and programs of interest to the Albanian economy,” Prime Minister Meksi said, among other things, during his conversation with the delegation from Saudi Arabia. Prince M. Bin Saud Bin Abdulaziz Saud — who headed the Saudi Arabian delegation — assured Meksi that all projects signed by both sides would be implemented within a short time. GRADUATION CEREMONY AT “LUIGJ GURAKUQI” UNIVERSITY FOR 270 STUDENTS — A ceremony for 270 graduates of this academic year was held in the auditorium of “Luigj Gurakuqi” University in the city of Shkodra. Along with faculty members, students, and parents, Illaz Vroni, Prefect of Shkodra, also attended the ceremony. The attendees enjoyed applause and a concert by the “Prek Jakova” musical instrument quartet and the “Marin Gropa” artistic ensemble. A PERSON SUSPECTED OF COMMITTING THEFT ARRESTED IN DELVINË — Police arrested Genc Petri Dervishi, a citizen of Delvinë who had previously been declared wanted. Dervishi — sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment in Berat — is accused of stealing property belonging to his wife, who is a teacher by profession. He committed the criminal acts in the districts of Delvinë and Gjirokastër. NATIONAL CAMP FOR SCOUTS AT THE BLUE EYE — Around 170 scouts from 12 districts of the country will take part in the second national camp, being held at the Blue Eye. The camp was organized by the national leadership of the Albanian Scout Association. Those attending the camp organized a large group of scouts to be guided on nature walks and camping trips, with experiences in Qiparo.

A witness recounts the Germans’ massacre VLORE — The mass grave contains the skeletons of 80 Italian officers massacred by the German army in 1944: they belonged to the “Perugia Division” and were condemned to die, because they were shot while preparing to return to their homeland by sea. The mass grave has been located by the Italian Ministry of Defence’s [??], led by Major Cantore Ciro, and excavations to collect the remains will begin soon. It is in the village of Kuci, 98 kilometres from Vlora, and the discovery was made possible by an elderly Albanian woman. She is 80 years old and witnessed the massacre. “The Italian soldiers were arrested between Saranda and Porto Palermo,” the woman recounts. “They had a white flag and surrendered without weapons. They were left [??]—what she remembers are terrible scenes of war: the Germans led the soldiers away, sometimes cutting off their legs or heads, and then displayed that ‘trophy’ in the villages of the area to show the Albanians—who often supported the Italian soldiers—what fate would await them too. It was the same woman who told Major Cantore that 115 soldiers had been shot and then buried in three mass graves. Two graves had already been uncovered in 1962 and 1963 by a commission of the Italian Ministry of Defence led by General Bandini. At that time, the remains of 55 Italians were found. Now, only 30 years later, the location of 80 more soldiers has been discovered. Further excavations are expected. Italian soldiers during the war Italians. soldiers has been discovered. Further excavations are expected.

Tirana

PORTUGAL SPAIN MEDITERRANEAN SEA ALGERIA Ouahran • Constantina Seven Italian sailors slaughtered in Algeria They were on a merchant ship ON PAGE 2 With Russia, the Naples meeting becomes G8 Yeltsin: a great success ON PAGE 2

We would like to inform you that only a few days remain before the end of the competition Gazeta Shqiptare is holding for unusual homes of female journalists from the country’s various districts, particularly in the cities of Durrës, Gjirokastër, Korçë, Shkodër, and Pogradec. Requirements: age 19–32, have completed higher education, know one foreign language, have permanent residence in their city, and have a telephone number. Participants must prepare a 30-line article on a subject of their choice and submit it in person by July 15. Submissions should be delivered to the Tirana editorial office, at “Aleksandër Cungu” Street, 370 deri, on every day except Sunday, from 17:00 to 19:00.