Another 7 border soldiers also in prison EMBARGO Fuel smuggling from Albania to the former Yugoslavia continues. Tankers carrying out illegal transport are discovered in Shkodër. Police detain 13 people EDMOND LAÇI SHKODER — The breaking of the embargo from Albanian territory toward Yugoslav territory continues. Although in recent times the response of the Albanian state authorities has been greatly intensified, fuel traffickers continue to find ways to supply the land at war with Europe’s blood. But in the latest episodes of this illegal trade, it is clearly apparent that not only smugglers of various forms of oil distribution have been involved, but also employees, even officials of the Shkodër Border Police. Meanwhile, companies that directly handle fuel in Albania are also under investigation by the General Directorate of the Financial Police in Albania; the financial authorities have asked for the termination of the joint contract with the Albanian-Italian company "AIP" — because, according to them — "80-90 percent of its fuel is sent to Shkodër". Immediately after the discovery of six tankers — which arrived empty from the Yugoslav border — Fejzi Tahiri, deputy director of the Muriqani Border Post, was also detained; he is currently suspected of having facilitated the illegal passage of these vehicles toward Montenegro. The leader of this convoy of fuel-smuggling tankers was also sent to prison. According to official sources from Shkodër, the detained persons come from the cities of Elbasan, Vlorë and Posta. A few days earlier — when the passage of two other tankers had also been verified — 5 soldiers and an officer from the Pulaj Border Police Post had been detained, all accused of "having, in cooperation with Albanian citizens, carried out the passage of fuel-smuggling vehicles". Meanwhile — according to the investigations of the General Directorate of the Financial Police — it is suspected that the six tankers blocked after returning from Yugoslav territory had been loaded in Durrës by the Albanian-Italian company "AIP". Regarding this same company — after the verification of other cases as well — the General Directorate of the Financial Police has requested that the joint contract be terminated, arguing that "a large part of AIP’s activity", namely its fuel — around 80-90 percent — is sent to Shkodër, with its final destination beyond the Albanian state borders". A group of tanker trucks during an inspection at customs

16 offenders in the city psychiatric hospital Police disputes fabricated reports ELBASAN — Perhaps this is a unique case where danger comes to the city precisely from one of its health institutions. It concerns Elbasan and its psychiatric hospital. The number of patients in this hospital who — although they were supposed to be kept isolated in wards — have managed to commit serious crimes in the city has now reached 16. Some of them have even done so repeatedly. The latest crime by one of these uncontrolled patients was verified only a few days ago. The victim was a 24-year-old boy, mentally disturbed. The police station is trying to correct this absurd situation. One of the psychiatrists has been placed under investigation. The preliminary charge is "concealment of crime". Many such patients, often very aggressive, have now been given complete freedom of action. The document that proves their irresponsibility, the forensic medical report, risks becoming a kind of "release document" for many elements dangerous to society. These persons would otherwise remain detained for various crimes — Mihal Havari, head of Elbasan Police, tells Gazeta Shqiptare — but they were immediately declared mentally unfit by the Court because, on the basis of forensic reports, they were found to be irresponsible at the moment the act was committed. But in reality, it is a matter of a belated transfer to the hospital while they were moving around freely. A doctor from this hospital has been placed under criminal investigation. So far the doctor is facing the charge of "concealment of crime." According to the Elbasan police report, in murders they had used to freely kill a 24-year-old man in the city streets, at a time when they were listed as being in the hospital. In fact, according to the findings, the doctor should have immediately alerted the police authorities to the patient’s departure from the hospital premises. Meanwhile, it seems that the police have also had disputes with the Forensic Medical Commission in Tirana, the only body that can issue such documents to dangerous patients. "It took our procedure," says Havari, "for this commission to withdraw the report it had issued to a person who had obtained a discharge as neatly as a clever thief and for serious crimes". Thus the police confront the medical profession over Elbasan’s most health-related problems. Not long ago, for one of the active perpetrators of these cases, the author of a monstrous crime that shocked the city, he had barbarically butchered his 27-year-old wife before the eyes of their minor children, on the absurd pretext that she did not know how to cook. A patient in an Albanian psychiatric hospital Mentor Kikia

Suspicion over the ship carrying sugar DURRES — The suspicious ship carrying 3,300 tons of sugar has been seized in the port of Durrës. Once again, the reasons of the Durrës branch of the Financial Police — which carried out the seizure of the ship "Flaminio" — refer to UN Resolution 820, which speaks specifically about embargo incidents. The ship carrying sugar — which arrived in Durrës flying the flag of Antigua — according to officials of the General Directorate of the Financial Police, "has entered suspicious waters." Immediately afterward, investigations were also opened in Germany, Slovenia and Switzerland. The ship "Flaminio" had arrived on Albanian shores on the 29th of last month, while the decision to seize its cargo was taken only the following day. Even after the seizure of its 3,300 tons of sugar — brought in through a shipping company in Durrës — a Slovenian company had taken responsibility for the cargo’s "international destination," says a source close to the branch to Gazeta Shqiptare at the General Directorate of the Financial Police. According to a source close to the branch, Slovenian and Swiss authorities. The ship "Flaminio" had arrived on Albanian shores on the 29th of last month, while the decision to seize its cargo was taken only the following day. So far, none of the 3,300 tons of sugar, after its seizure, has been sold only in Albania and by its Financial Police, but also by other countries. (Ed.La)

Diplomacy TIRANE — "I wish to congratulate you on the success of your high mission, for the good of the Italian people, and I express my confidence that the closeness that exists between the wing you lead and the Albanian government will help the traditional friendship that links our two peoples." It was Aleksandër Meksi, Prime Minister of the Albanian Government, who expressed — through a telegram — his congratulations to Silvio Berlusconi on the occasion of his election as Prime Minister of the Republic of Italy. Meksi also emphasizes that he hopes for even closer cooperation, in the shared interests of the two countries, in the future.

AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE UNIVERSITY OF TIRANA AND THAT OF GENEVA — A proposal that President Berisha had put forward during a meeting in Switzerland with leaders of the University of Geneva has now been made concrete. A cooperation agreement has now been signed by representatives of the two universities, that of Tirana and that of Geneva. For the Albanian side, Rector Ramiz Pashko signed. The signed agreement provides for the exchange of students and teaching staff, joint scientific activities, and assistance from the University of Geneva to that of Tirana. The Albanian Minister of Education, Xhezair Teliti, also took part in the ceremony. MINISTRY OF CONSTRUCTION ALLOCATES FUNDS FOR MUNICIPAL SERVICES IN PESHKOPI — An amount of 6 million lek has been allocated by the Ministry of Construction, Services and Territorial Regulation for the municipal sector in Peshkopi. Part of this sum will be used for paving and drainage of roads. The rest for repairing the sewer system of several buildings in the city. Money has also been set aside for the reconstruction of cemeteries. SARANDE, STOLE 700 DOLLARS: SENTENCED TO ONE YEAR IN PRISON — He stole from a foreign citizen, and now he will serve a one-year prison sentence. The Saranda court has sentenced 18-year-old E.K. to one year in prison. According to the court, the convicted man had stolen 700 U.S. dollars from a foreign citizen. The injured citizen was the representative of an Islamic organization — "World Association of Islamic Aid" — in central Albania in this district.

ELBASAN — The mutilated body of a woman has been discovered. Three days ago — near the national road Elbasan-Tirana — public order authorities discovered parts of a female body, still unidentified, and brutally mutilated by a blow inflicted with some kind of substance, though of the strongest kind; but forensic medicine has not yet arrived. After it was also established that parts of the body had been found in traces, but with suspicion at the scene, intensive investigations by the public order branch have begun in order to determine the identity of this victim — now taken to the city morgue — as well as the possible perpetrators of this barbaric crime. Because of the secrecy of the investigation, no details have yet been confirmed regarding the progress and distribution of the investigative actions within the competent authorities. (e.l)

Clarification requested from Anagnosti TIRANE — The issue of the theft of cultural objects has reached Parliament. Several MPs raised their concerns during the recent session about the numerous thefts that have recently been committed in many important Albanian art and cultural sites. In fact, to address this issue, a special interpellation with the Minister of Culture, Anagnosti, has been requested. It was Alberti Minga who first requested the question session with Anagnosti. Minga, a deputy from the Korçë district, insisted mainly on the most high-profile recent incident, the theft in Korçë of 20 works from the collection of Vangjush Mio. His request was also supported by other deputies. The problem had become worrying not only because of the Mio works case but also because of the theft of a series of other Albanian cultural works in many districts of the country. Icons, paintings, sculptures, and even tomb slabs and monuments from early antiquity disappear and it is not known where they have ended up. And finally, the biggest theft cannot be forgotten: the one that took place at the National Historical Museum in Tirana, where the epitaph of Gllavenica — 13th century — was stolen, one of the most important works not only for art and culture but also for the history and identity of Albania itself.

CURSIVE REALITY SHKODER — The Children's Festival to be organized in Shkodër will feature stronger vocal songs. There will be two young singers from Italy, winners of first prize in the well-known «Zecchino d'Oro» Festival. The song they sang in that successful edition — in last year’s festival — in Italy is «Coccodrillo come fa» (how does the crocodile do it). The two Italian children will arrive in Shkodër together with their chaperone. Overall, the trip to Albania has been arranged by the Albanian-Italian private company «Arsina». The two young artists will be at the Children's Festival these days, where there will also be other participants from all over Albania, as well as from Kosovo. The arrival of the young winners from Italy follows the participation last year of the young Shkodër singer, Alfons Baca, in the famous «Zecchino d'Oro» festival. The father of this child had worked with the help of a special prize for his song «Gjinkalla». Along with the two Italians, the organizers have invited several children from other countries. Meanwhile, the Albanian festival — the 12th to be held in Shkodër — has traditionally been prepared over several days. 24 songs have been selected to compete and work with the choir and soloists has begun. Here is the Italian children's festival «Zecchino d'Oro» Na.Me.

Durrës, the coastline regains its normal appearance They had been placed during the exodus Durrës, the coastline regains its normal appearance The port is freed from barbed wire They had been placed during the exodus DURRES — A symbol has fallen that used to bring to mind painful times for Albanians. The barbed wire surrounding the Port of Durrës has been torn down into the water; it is no longer there. Put up by UBTM at the height of the mass exodus in March 1991, it had been removed over time as an element of persistence in the coastal city’s appearance. Now, with their removal, the city and its coastline have regained a more normal look. In fact, for a long time the wire fence had lost its function. It had stood for years, trapped in a block, in periods that seemed distant. It is therefore, in a new era, a sign that the period of massive departures toward Albania in those lost times has now passed. Many things have changed since then, starting with a greater economic return. This is not only due to the economic opening, but also thanks to the incomes sent by those who managed to escape the chains of dictatorship. Yet there are those who still see the country in danger in search of a "Western adventure". When there are no more wires, then the memory of the barbed wire that surrounded the Port of Durrës will be only a distant memory. pe.re. Entrance of the Port of Durrës

Three days of talks between Yeltsin and Kohl Topics: Bosnia and the withdrawal of Russian troops ON PAGE 2 Everyday clothing at «Moda Pranverë '94» A fashion parade just for the younger generation ON PAGE 3