Denunciation / Dark stains also on the white coats Cikuli: “Some doctors take money” Denunciation / Dark stains also on the white coats Healthcare, corruption alarm Cikuli: “Some doctors take money” TIRANË — “Doctors are corrupt too. It is only the Minister of Health, Maksim Cikuli, who this time, after those statements, is promising us a hard line against them. The tone is strong and firm, and it has the support of the Albanian Doctors’ Order, and corruption in healthcare is truly more alarming,” explains Poro, president of this Order, to Gazeta Shqiptare — the reports keep increasing, and we have even identified concrete cases.” The storm announced for some time — a few months ago the highest representatives of Health had told Gazeta Shqiptare that they were preparing a major campaign against corruption — has now broken out. Minister Cikuli’s statement, weighing as a shocking assertion, is also a serious accusation: “There are doctors who take money in hand.” Is this spread due to the doctors’ own financial situation? Cikuli rules that out: “Doctors have never had money, but have always served with professionalism.” he replies to Gazeta Shqiptare and adds “all those people have lost medical deontology and it characterizes every doctor.” The corruption alarm has now also been sounded by the Doctors’ Order. There are several verified cases, but dozens of reports have arrived. “We have also taken measures — Poro says — but now our reaction will be harsher. We can revoke the right to practice the profession.” Letters and accusations against many doctors are now coming from patients. They say that for years they had been offered gifts just so they would carry out an operation, but in the end they back out and everything remains a bargain. On the other hand, it is also these same people who are now feeding this corruption as if it were the most normal thing in the world. “What is shocking — Poro says — is that now giving bribes to doctors is becoming a reflex.” Poro, will there be a solution to this problem? According to Cikuli, one way out could be the medical insurance law. Everyone will pay their share and will not be forced to give money to the doctor. Poro foresees another direction, saying that the law on doctors’ professional ethics is being prepared and will also define harsh sanctions against this phenomenon. Armand Mero

Tiranë — The Military Hospital in Tirana has become a real concern. For a long time, water has been one of the biggest problems for doctors and patients. “The situation is worrying — Gramoz Hodo, deputy director of this hospital, tells Gazeta Shqiptare — here water comes once every 24 hours, or not at all. In fact, it has now been several days since it last came.” The system built specifically for this hospital — one of the largest — which was supposed to ensure a regular supply, operated only 6, while the entire supply from the city was cut off. The concern keeps growing — now it has blocked the full activity of the hospital. A.M.

Three months after the arrest of five leading figures “They aimed to alter the borders and carried out orders from foreign intelligence agencies” Three months after the arrest of five leading figures The “Omonia” file in court: charges of treason against the Fatherland “They aimed to alter the borders and carried out orders from foreign intelligence agencies” TIRANË — The “Omonia” file is finally being sent to the Tirana Court. And precisely after three months of investigations, five of the main figures of “Omonia” are now before the judges. They are Theodhor Bezhani, Vangjel Papakristo, Panajot Mato, Kosta Qirjako and Rakli Siro[?], whom the Prosecution accuses of having organized it — “for jointly committing the crime of treason against the fatherland in the form of activity aimed at altering the borders of the Republic of Albania as well as in the form of placing themselves at the service of carrying out the orders of a foreign intelligence service.” This is a charge that carries a penalty from ten years’ imprisonment to life, and for three of them it is also combined with unlawful possession of weapons. According to the lawyers, today the defendants were informed of this indictment. Thus the investigations, begun on 21 April of this year, came to an end after three months, on the day when the five leading figures of this “Omonia” were also arrested. One of them — Iliri[?], initially accused together with Bezhani, Papakristo, Mato, Qirjako and Sirmon — has now had the charge dropped. Meanwhile, the five main defendants — at least until this Friday — continued to deny their guilt, arguing that “the camp[?] had no attempt to overthrow the Albanian government”. According to official sources from the Ministry of Public Order — April ’94 — the “Omonia” figures had been arrested because not only unauthorized weapons were found, but also a lot of anti-constitutional material and documents. Now — as the investigations have ended — it will be the judges who will publicly shed light on the mystery of this activity. (e.l.)

The illegal goods are worth one million dollars DURRËS — Nearly 50 tons of mushrooms are caught in the embargo “net”. During just this week, the Durrës Financial Police has blocked and seized 8 shipments that arrived in Albania from Macedonia, but which — according to accurate information — were sent precisely from Serbia. The shipment is reported to have also blocked 8 other vehicles of this highly unusual goods — as the heads of the Financial Police tell Gazeta Shqiptare — the value reaches about one million dollars. According to the same source, the mushrooms loaded in Serbia were supposed to transit through Macedonia and Albania, with Italy as the final destination. However, accurate information made it possible to enforce United Nations Resolution 820 on the embargo, since such shipments had previously managed to pass unnoticed. (Ed. La.)

Air transport TIRANË — The joint venture that kept the Albanian airline company Albanian Airlines afloat has been “broken.” The Austrian side — by Friday evening its decision was final — has left the company. The Tyrolean Airways decision has put the company in serious difficulty, and it has decided to suspend flights starting 31 July. “We hope that the period of suspension of flights will not last too long; we are trying very hard to find another partner with whom to continue the activity, and we are even approaching foreign companies as a third party,” Albanian Airlines told Gazeta Shqiptare in Tirana. So far, according to official sources, it is very likely that the aircraft abandoned by the Austrians will be transferred to “Albatrosport”. One of the reasons given by the Austrian side was also the circulation tax, which they said was very high, and the deficit created by the company. The shutdown of Albanian Airlines will undoubtedly create difficulties in the movement of Albanian passengers. Another company, for other reasons, may perhaps suspend flights for some time. Although it has not yet been fully confirmed, from 1 August the “Ada air” planes will go to Montpellier for inspection and technical maintenance. p.r.

SARANDË — Rothchild will finance a long-term excavation and restoration plan in Butrint. The agreement between the well-known English foundation and the Archaeological Institute of Tirana has been signed at an official ceremony in the ancient city, attended by senior Albanian and British officials including the Albanian Prime Minister Aleksandër Meksi and the British Foreign Secretary for Botrint, Hogg. For the first five-year phase, the English government will allocate more than 70,000 dollars.

Inspectorate: “Do not trust them” SHKODËR — “Beware of swindlers who do not come from the authorities, but from the Shkodër electricity department. Its employees are now concerned about a phenomenon that has taken on worrying proportions. Different people, presenting themselves as its employees, have been showing up at city households asking for cash rewards, often even in large amounts. A phenomenon that damages not only the work of this inspectorate but, above all, the Shkodër families themselves. Now the inspectorate has warned families: “Be careful when you trust those who present themselves as electrical inspectors. In every case check the identity card, which is signed by the head of the department. Anyone who presents himself as one of our inspectors and does not show this card is a swindler trying to profit unfairly.” So far the swindlers had used other tricks, pretending to be police officers; now it seems they have decided to try a new way to achieve dishonest gain. (p.r)

After a death FIER — He jumped from the third floor of his home but was saved by the rapid intervention of doctors. The causes of this event have not yet been fully clarified. According to initial opinions, the young man A.R. from Fier is believed to have tried to kill himself after a nervous breakdown caused by the death of his spiritual mother. In fact, a few months earlier the young man had lost his brother in a serious car accident. Since then his mental state had been getting worse. He is now in hospital out of danger, but with multiple fractures.

Rwanda, the cholera tragedy, 300 dead a day On page 2 President Yeltsin signs the decree on privatizations On page 2 Albania, major battle over tobacco prices On page 3

GAZETA TV ITALIA 1 Federica no Festivalbar

SOMETHING TO SELL? SOMETHING TO BUY? This space is free for your economic announcements. Send your message of no more than 15 words in a sealed envelope to our addresses: in Tirana: Rruga Bajram Curri, 370, or in Bari: Viale Scipione l'Africano, 264. Tell your message, what you want and what you offer, your name and address FOR RENT or FOR SALE — a two-storey house with 4 rooms on each floor. Yard area is 400 square meters. Brodeu with usable [space]. Contact at: Rruga 4 Deshmoret, number 44. Telephone 42586 in Tiranë. WANTED — a good secretary. Must know English, have sufficient knowledge of computer use, have good organizational skills, not be involved in any political party, and have an interest in publications in general. Contact the Association for Democratic Culture at telephone number 42350, or report in Tiranë on 25 July at the address: Rruga “Dëshmorët e 4”, entrance 39, in Tiranë (“grapa German Embassy”). WANTED — 5 marra to rent a 2-room apartment with kitchen on the first floor, preferably inside the “Ring Road” in Tiranë. Interested parties should contact 42796. FOR SALE — a 1-room apartment with 1 kitchen in Laprakë, also furnished for rent. Contact phone number 33172. FOR RENT — a 25 by 4.5 square meter shop, with a 40 by 2.5 square meter basement, with parking space. Contact at: Rruga “Hoxha Tahsin” (former pharmacy 6), Tiranë. FOR RENT — a 2-room apartment and 1 kitchen with an area of 65 square meters located near the “Agimi” buildings in Tiranë. Contact at: Rruga “Hoxha Tahsin” number 60. FOR RENT — an office of 80 by floors in the city of Korçë (former Hotel Borova). It is located in the center of the city, in the main square, near the Monument of the Unknown Soldier. For information contact in Tiranë at the phone numbers 2777, 1311. In Korçë contact Marka P[?]o, Rruga “10 Dhjetori” no. 18. EXCHANGE — a 1-room apartment with 1 kitchen and annex, second floor, located at the combined school. I will exchange it for a 2-room apartment with 1 kitchen that should be in the area of the “Dinamo” stadium or “21 Dhjetori”, with a difference in price. Contact phone number 2821. FOR SALE — a self-discharging truck with a capacity of 29 quintals, Fiat OM type, in very good condition, customs duty paid. Price is 920,000 lekë. Address: Dosta Kokoshi, Rruga “Kongresi i Lushnjës”, no. 22 (“21 Dhjetori”) in Tiranë.

ELBASAN-POGRADEC EXCURSION TRAIN — A new railway line for the residents of Elbasan began operating on Saturday. From the weekend, an express train will travel to Pogradec, thus helping holidaymakers and those who most prefer the beach by the lake. CRIMINAL CASE AGAINST THE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF OF THE NEWSPAPER “SARANDA” — The district Prosecutor’s Office has opened a criminal case against Neki Cika, editor-in-chief of the local newspaper “Saranda”. According to sources from the Saranda Prosecutor’s Office, Cika is accused of “insult because of duty.” Against the Mayor of the city, Llambo Dati. It was the latter who sued the journalist, who, by denouncing theft, is writing an article in his newspaper. THE PREFECT OF VLORA IS PRESENTED — The Prefect of Vlora has been presented during a ceremony in Vlora. He is Baki Shehu, known for his managerial activity in “Albpetrol” of Patos, dismissal of Vlora and director in production included in the districts of Vlora, Sarandë and Delvinë. NEW SENTENCE FOR MP PESHKËPIA — The independent MP Peshkëpia has once again been sentenced to a two-year ban from taking part in parliamentary work. The decision was taken by the Office of the People’s Assembly in response to Peshkëpia’s stance some time earlier. THE INSPECTORATE REQUESTS THE DISMISSAL OF THE DIRECTOR OF THE “DINAMO” PLANT AND A REDUCTION IN WORKERS — The conclusions of the management of the “Dinamo” plant have been verified by the Control Commission, fine in goods inspection of the Machines [?]-“Dinamo” plant fine in goods inspection of the Machines and the Plant. As for two employees of the control body, the dismissal of the director and a reduction in staff has been proposed. According to a notice from the Tirana branch of the State Control, the enterprise had also carried out some transactions at prices lower than market prices, and had also played with prices higher than market prices by appropriating them in the accounts, for which no documentation has been found.

Zattere 1411 - Tel. 0039/41/781611 - Fax 781805 - Tlx 410045 Ferries for Passengers, Cars, Trucks DURRES - BARI - ANCONA TRIESTE - DURRES From DURRES to BARI: every Thursday departs at 12.00 every Sunday departs at 12.00 From DURRES to ANCONA: every Tuesday departs at 19.00 every Friday departs at 22.00 From DURRES to TRIESTE: every Wednesday departs at 19.00 every Saturday departs at 19.00 Agency in ALBANIA DURRES: DETARE SHITETERORE Tel. 052/22233 - Fax 22911 - Tlx 4148 Agency in ITALY BARI: AGESTEA Srl - via Liside, 4 Tel. 0039/80/331555 - Fax 330628 - Tlx 810043 ANCONA: MARITIME AGENCY Srl - Via XXIX Settembre, 20 Tel. 0039/71/204915 - Fax 202296 - Tlx 560022 TRIESTE: AGEMAR Srl - Piazza Duca degli Abruzzi, 2/a Tel. 0039/40/363222 - Fax 77723 - Tlx 460059