TIRANA / The major operation against waste begins. 20 people detained Police blitz after the new decree TIRANA — They had asked for it — perhaps even without paying — and ended up with handcuffs on their wrists. A broad police operation by officers of the Tirana Police, carried out within just a few hours, had led to the detention of more than 20 residents, all accused of “misuse and theft of drinking-water pipes”. But that was not all, because by noon on 26 July, the Tirana police commissariats had summoned more than 110 people, against whom criminal charges will most likely be filed. Meanwhile, the Prosecutor’s Office has begun preliminary investigations, and some individuals have also been made subject to criminal responsibility. Many of them are kiosk owners and shopkeepers, but also heads of households, suspected either of being involved in alterations and contract modifications with the Water Supply Enterprise, or of failing to pay dues for a very long time. The major operation by the Tirana Police began only a few hours after the official media released the notice of the Decree of the President of the Republic, Sali Berisha, which — through a criminal law supplement — significantly toughened penalties for misuse and theft of water, electricity and telephone impulses. Under this amendment, offenders could be fined not only — up to one thousand dollars — but also sentenced to prison. At least that is what the officers of Police Commissariat No. 1 reported. A “special” check — almost unheard of before — in which neither name nor address was requested. But the water tap. By 26 July this commissariat had detained 11 people, who around 11 p.m. were taken to the Tirana Prison. A little later another person also ended up at Commissariat No. 1, accused likewise of “misuse and theft of water”, owner of a business unit in a district of the capital, and the officers of Commissariat No. 2 carried out the same inspection. Out of 57 premises and various facilities, 13 people were fined and 4 others were detained. Meanwhile, a little farther out — in the Bregu i Lumit and Kodër-Kamzës areas — Commissariat No. 3 struck more than 70 families. Villages in Tirana were not spared from this “siege” either, where Commissariat No. 4 detained three people, opened criminal proceedings against 4 others and imposed 24 fines. Damage to pipes and excessive water waste were confirmed above all in the villages of Prusk[?], Zall-Herr, Kus, Shën[?]je, Tapizë, Selitë e Vogël and Fushë-Mezë. But these data concern only the “start” of this major operation, because, as the Ministry of Public Order announced, it will continue further. (e.l.) Police Commissariat No. 3 in the capital

The dramatic account of a teacher from Belsh A plea from homeless family members The flames destroyed everything: “Now we have nothing left from the house... not even a photograph” TIRANE — “I am not asking for mercy, only to be told where one should go in such cases. If we do not manage to obtain a loan from the state, then we do not know how our life will begin to regain normal rhythm.” It is Ibrah[?] Tafani, a teacher in Belsh, Elbasan, who, still bearing the traces of fire on his face, is now telling the story of the disaster that struck him and his family members. Houses burned with napalm. He has lost everything in the house, but now he remembers with longing his photographs, which he calls “sacred memories.” What do you remember from that night? “It was something I will never be able to erase from my memory. A large two-storey house, used to secure a value of 10 million lek, was in an instant turned into a heap of worthless rubble. I still feel as if I hear the piercing cries of women and children. Fortunately there were no human victims.” How did you realize the house was in danger from the flames? “The fire caught us at midnight, when everyone was sleeping. My family — which also includes my two elderly parents, my wife and my two-year-old daughter — lived in a house adjoining that of my brother; only one wall separated us. I remember that the first alarm was given by my brother. After that I ran into the house with my daughter and my two parents. My brother did the same, he has four children. A little later he was also in the house, but it was not possible. Now we have nothing left, not even the photographs, which were precious memories to me.” What was the cause of the house fire? “The experts who examined the site said that the fire was deliberately caused with napalm. On the causes of this attack I can neither answer nor confirm anything. In fact, the way the flames spread shows that it must have been some powerful combustible substance.” What will you do now? “Now we are all staying in another brother’s house, but we cannot continue like this for long. We have filled in the forms for a loan to rebuild the house, but we ask that it be interest-free, otherwise with the salaries we earn as teachers we will not be able to repay it. We also have children. We will never forget that terrible night; we only want the culprits to be found and punished with the full severity of the law.” Fatos Bakhaku

DURRES — Durrës is beginning to “come to life,” but not from the sea water nearby. More than 400 thousand dollars from the state budget have been put at the disposal of the district council for the year 1994. A carefully used strategy, which initially has “dedicated” it to the third-sector funds of Durrës, and then brought it to the first. These days the first tender has just been completed, attracting five firms interested in the water-supply system of the village of “Rinia,” whose financing is about 50 thousand dollars. According to Petraq Dado, Head of the Services Section at the District Council, “immediately after the start of this project, work will continue with the water-supply system of Romanat, for which another around 250 thousand dollars will be invested.” The project also envisages “watering” villages and roads in Ishëm, while the amount made available for them is over 170 thousand dollars. The beneficiary of this project will naturally be the city of Durrës, where improved environmental lighting is expected. For these purposes, local leaders have thought of organizing a giant tender, the financing of which is expected to come from the World Bank.

LEZHE — Severe damage to the forests in Shëngjin. A large part of the pines surrounding the coastal shores in the Vain area have fallen victim to repeated destruction. Thus, in just 4 years, more than 10 thousand trees and pines have been cut down indiscriminately. Meanwhile, other harmful factors are also adding to the concern here. “We are also worried about the major pollution being caused to nature by the rubbish and gases released by the many vehicles circulating along the forest,” says Mr. Shqiptar Xheko Gjolaj, head of the forestry sector, for GSH. This area is a reserve intended for greenery and not for the beach. To save the situation, the Forestry Service directorate is also cooperating with the Public Order forces to establish order and enforce the collection of the fines that have already been imposed on several offenders. Ir. Ra.

GJIROKASTER — It is not only thugs who are returned to Kakavijë. In just one day — Friday — about thirty Albanian women accused by the Greek authorities as “prostitutes” arrived here on foot. Escorted by many Greek police officers, the prostitutes crossed their country’s border late at night and set off to look for something different. Some of them even had backing from a group with the aim of causing trouble while crossing the border. Someone even asked for police support. The expulsion of the Albanian women took place only two days after a “cleansing” police operation in Athens. The operation began in the hotels, lower-class places such as “Brazilia”, then in “Viktoria” and “Mirazh” in “Omonia”, but continued with the same severity around the luxury hotels as well. According to Greek sources, Albanian prostitutes had set up an entire “industry” that brings in considerable earnings from payments, usually around 20 dollars per client. The Greek police action, also backed by the Athens municipality, has meanwhile caused the reaction of Greek hotel owners, who say that income from this activity. Even the conscience has protested against “violations of human freedoms”. (Sh. Ma.)

Film at the Venice Festival TIRANE — One of the films most discussed recently in Albania — Lamerica by the well-known Italian director Gianni Amelio — will perhaps be in the program as one of the Italian films at the prestigious Venice film festival. The news has not yet been fully confirmed, but sources close to Amelio’s set have said that the first preparations are already being made. Filming of the movie — much of it carried out in Albania with Albanian extras — has now been completed and the team led by Amelio is making the final preparations. The film will be screened for the first time in Italian cinemas at the beginning of September, only a few days before the festival begins. Thus Amelio will appear before the highly specialized Venice audience with the shocking images of the mass exodus of Albanians toward the shores of Italy. This year the festival will be held in the city that lies on a lagoon and, together with Cannes, is among the most important for world cinema. Amelio already won a prize in Cannes in 1992 with one of his notable films, The Child Thief. One of the protagonists in Lamerica is precisely the actor who became known in 1992, Enrico Lo Verso. (a. bax.)

IN BRIEF But he is ill in Tunisia ON PAGE 2 IN BRIEF The order for Craxi’s arrest is ready But he is ill in Tunisia ON PAGE 2

A trip to the capital’s water supply ON PAGE 3

— Another innocent victim of road accidents. This time in Patos, Fier district. Vloran Ymeri, a 20-year-old young man, lost his life as a result of a collision with a car. Ymeri, accompanied by some relatives, had been drunk while riding a bicycle near the center of Patos. A “Mercedes Benz” passed very close to him and, being at high speed — as suggested by the first signs from road inspectors — was unable to avoid the fatal collision with Ymeri, who was found lying on the ground with no sign of life. En. My.

Cursive Reality ELBASAN — Sacks of flour sitting in a row in one of the cinema halls. It happened rather unexpectedly in Elbasan. In a film club of “Metalurgu”, property of the film house, hundreds of tons of flour were unloaded opposite. Someone unloaded the cargo and, for some time between the cinema club director and the company workers, it was left to be filled with a use of labour and these of culture. The cinema director himself reacted sharply: “I wanted to ask: what kind of painful government power is this?” — he says — “A high-ranking film official came and ordered it.” The balance sheet of the two halls frequented by the cinema-theatre in the city and by families. The case of “Elbasan” is only one example of how cultural buildings — before being cultural — are used for other purposes. In fact, only very little. In the act, the eye coverings[?] are written and are with the donors of the dues[?] speaking their own names in whose name the walls are written to keep with howls and companions[?] of cells, even the kitchen of the hall after they were made incoming, even mified. (mk.)

IN PARLIAMENT A PROPOSAL TO ABOLISH THE CUSTOMS TAX ON CHEMICAL FERTILIZERS — There are now 25 deputies who have proposed abolishing the customs tax on all kinds of chemical fertilizers. Their proposal has also been examined by the Permanent Commission on Agriculture and Food, where it was stressed that this would be a good help for the further development of agricultural reform, as well as for private farmers, by lowering the cost of chemical fertilizers. KORCE, THE BULGARIAN CULTURE EXHIBITION OPENS — A special exhibition dedicated to Bulgarian culture and its well-known personalities has been set up at the Korça Art Gallery. Its realization was made possible thanks to the frequent contacts that Korça has established with the Bulgarian city of Pogradecit[?]. THE FIRST PERMITS FOR THE EXPLOITATION OF MINES ARE ISSUED — Now the exploitation enterprises of minerals are also regularly subject to mandatory permits for private and state entities. So far the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources has issued 44 such permits. Most of them belong to the chromium corporation, while the others have mainly been for the exploitation of inert materials. ELBASAN, RENTING PREMISES AS A NEW WAY TO EARN PROFIT — Renting out premises has now become a very convenient way of making money for many people in Elbasan. Here it was said that the municipality alone has 200 entities that benefit from the activities. Rents in this city, however, are much lower compared with other cities and range from 5 thousand to 25 thousand lek.

LOOKING TO SELL? LOOKING TO BUY? This space is free for those wishing to see economic decisions. Send your message (no more than 25 words) with the phone number to our address: “Bardham Curri”, 370 near Bar Veliu, Tiranë, TEP[?] center, 264. Tell in your message what you are looking for and what you offer, your name and address FOR RENT — a 1+1 apartment near a room and kitchen (storage), two balconies and with water at every hour of the day, located near the “Kodrave të Fmijve[?]” on “Elbasani” Street, in Tiranë. Interested parties should contact 4020. FOR SALE — a two-storey villa, 6 rooms, 8 garages (warehouse), 400 square meters of veranda. Address: “Mihal Grameno” Street, block 1, no. 61. Interested parties can contact 7704. FOR RENT — a shop of around 71 square meters. Address: “Bajram Curri” Street, Building 121 (near the “Philips” shop). Interested parties should contact the Shabaniaku[?] family, “Qemal Stafa” Street, Building 897, Entrance 2, No. 27 in Tiranë. FOR RENT — a warehouse 5.75 by 3.75 square meters. Interested parties should contact the address “Bardham Curri” Street, Building 260, Entrance 1. FOR SALE — a video recorder, also for rent. Land is also bought and building 460 mark. Located in Durrës with phone number 062/33729 from 7:00-8:00. FOR SALE — a “MAN” truck, 10 tons and in very good technical condition. Price 450,000 lek. Contact in Durrës at phone number 058/58757. FOR RENT or FOR SALE — a two-storey house with 4 rooms on each floor. The yard area is 400 square meters, basement positioned[?]. Contact at address “Daj[?]onoret”, number 44. Telephone 04580 in Tiranë. SEEKING — to rent a room and kitchen apartment of suitable use and condition within the “Ring” in Tiranë. Interested parties should contact there[?].