“Pesticides before the German Parliament” ENVIRONMENT Operation in Shkodër by the ecological association «Greenpeace», which is sending the first 15 tons abroad. Alarm raised in Milot. The new dossier denounces another major risk The stages of the scandal TIRANE — The pesticides arrived in Albania in 5 different shipments. — The first shipment (265 t) was sent to Durrës by ship in November 1991. — In spring 1992, two trucks set off for Durrës, and two other shipments arrived by train. The first shipment (17 wagons containing 192 t) was blocked at Bajzë station. The second (15 wagons and an untraced quantity) was sent to another destination. The exporting company requested compensation of 100,000 marks for transport costs. — On 6 January 1993 the Albanian Minister of Health asked the German government to repatriate the waste. — A second request was made on 19 November 1993. For Germany, the exports had been regular. CARLO BOLLINO SHKODER — Greenpeace activists are fighting against the pesticide scandal in Albania. The waste in the name of Shkodër, blocked in a train wagon stopped at Bajzë station, loaded with pesticides imported from Germany, then loaded onto a truck carrying 15 tons of that poison, is now being transported to Bonn. With a plan that has so far been secret: “Our project — one of the Greenpeace leaders tells Gazeta Shqiptare — is to destroy this poison in front of the German Parliament.” A protest form that is not unusual... normal for an organization that, in the defense of the environment, has challenged the whole world. The history of the Shkodër pesticides — according to a dossier prepared by Greenpeace — really seems like a road full of thorns. Even though the poisons produced from those 480 tons of toxic material risk not being the only ones threatening Albania: “Left over from 1991 and 1992 — the dossier continues — Greenpeace responsibility — in Albania the European Community, under the Phare programme, has imported another 3,600 tons of pesticides that are now expiring.” In two confidential documents obtained by the organization itself, the European Union and Banco Rotero had advised Albania to use the pesticides within 60 days (perhaps also to dispose of them) because destroying them at expiry would cost much more (around 600,000 lekë per ton). Greenpeace’s “blitz” in Shkodër (which literally means “Green Peace”) was not only used to remove the 15 tons of poison. The technicians of the “southern kask” put in writing a secret note about the 17 wagons blocked at Bajzë station and containing a total of 197 tons 300 tons. Other parts have been distributed to various warehouses in Durrës, Milot, Fier, Shkodër and Lushnjë. Checks carried out on 15 February in Këlmend show that in this area too “the risk of pollution is very high”: “The barrels are in very poor condition — reads the Greenpeace report — their contents must be poured out immediately into a toxic dump without worrying about the environmental consequences.” The most alarming situation appears to be that of Milot, where — in a military warehouse — 80 tons of pesticides are stored. The poison story began at the start of 1991, when the authorities realized that the pesticides coming from the German firm “Schmidt-Cremer” in the form of “humanitarian aid” and intended for the state enterprises Agroteknik for Albania were in reality chemical waste that had to be safely disposed of. To solve the problem, the German company continued exporting the poisons. The Germans claimed they were acting on the basis of a contract signed with Neritan Kodra, an official at the Albanian Ministry of Agriculture, who apparently had reached this agreement without informing his superiors. A large part of the 40 tons consists of expired pesticides, or of a quality banned in Europe. This gift for Albania represents a very large business for “Schmidt-Cremer”. Destroying that toxic shipment would have cost no less than 4 million German marks. Among the 25 types of pesticides that arrived in Albania — many of them stored in former East Germany — are also very dangerous substances such as “Toxafen” (trade name Delicia Firbal emulsion or Meliapol aerosol knz), banned by the European Community as early as 1993. One liter of the substance would have cost the entire Albanian forests and one million marks cubic water in warm conditions. At Bajzë station there are almost 6 lorries of «Greenpeace» loaded with pesticides in the port of Bari The «Greenpeace» truck loaded with pesticides in the port of Bari

Around 70% of the pipes are worn out Almost 2,000 cases of poisoning just during 1993 Around 70% of the pipes are worn out Drinking water still at risk of contamination Almost 2,000 cases of poisoning just during 1993 TIRANE — The drinking water issue in Albania continues to be a worrying problem. Contamination keeps appearing in many parts of the country. The result has been hundreds of poisonings and illnesses during 1993 as well. Worsening this situation are the worn-out pipes and unauthorized urban works, especially those near sanitary distribution areas. There were nearly 2,000 victims of contaminated water throughout Albania in 1993. This number is almost 1.2 times higher than that recorded in 1992. The most common cases were intoxications and diarrhea. It was precisely contaminated water that sent people to hospital, some of them in serious condition. Such was one of the cases that occurred in Tiranë in September last year, involving a resident of the “Qemal Stafa” district — the contamination had affected an entire block of apartment buildings — who remained in intensive care for several days. The lack of regular water supply remains one of the main factors in this situation. This shortage — typical of summer — has now become almost normal even in winter. Added to this is the damaged distribution network itself. Nearly 70 percent of it remains badly worn out. Something dangerous is also happening to our citizens because only seven are worn out. “These two factors — Bujar Reme, a specialist in the Primary Health Directorate at the Ministry of Health, tells Gazeta Shqiptare — create a severe sanitary situation, contamination of drinking water.” But beyond the worn-out condition, the existing distribution network is also burdened by a series of failures to respect technical standards. Drinking-water pipes run alongside sewage pipes. Throughout the country there are almost 22,000 metres, technical conditions violations, first of all in the water-supply and sewer networks. “This situation — says these technical intervention needs for the network — Reme explains — as well as collections of drinking water from other sources of poor quality.” Another factor is now contributing to the pollution of drinking water. This time it specifically concerns the construction of special warehouses for protection near sanitary protection pits (the water purification points appear to be cluttered), which risks affecting water quality at the source. “This problem is becoming quite worrying — Reme stresses — in Tiranë and Elbasan housing construction is being observed at distances of around 5–10 metres from water supply facilities, thus creating sources of pollution.”

UNAUTHORIZED CONSTRUCTION CONTINUES IN BURREL — Unauthorized construction continues in Burrel as well. So far about 70 such cases have been identified by the urban planning section of this city. Despite the measures taken — the Territorial Regulatory Council had decided long ago to demolish them — as well as the many fines imposed, the phenomenon has still not been stopped and continues to operate. THE INSTITUTE FOR PUBLIC MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRATION IS CREATED — For the first time in Albania, an Institute for Public Management and Administration. The institute — created with foreign assistance — will aim to train managerial specialists in the state sector in management. Through its courses, which will begin in the second week of March, orientation in contemporary methods and practices will also be provided. Initial funding for this institute has been provided by UNDP with 600 thousand dollars. COOPERATION AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES AND THE “SKENDERBEU” FOUNDATION — A Study Centre and a long-term project are the first fruits of the cooperation agreement between the Academy of Sciences and the Italian Foundation “Skenderbeg”. It will deal with the study of Albanian and Italian science, the drafting of projects and the possibility of implementing them in the Albanian economy.

Today, the first issue TIRANE — Boxing will now also have its own newspaper. “Ring” — this is the name of the newest paper to join the press market — will appear for the first time today. It will have 6 pages and will be published once every two weeks. “Ring” will include selected material from the history of boxing in Albania, from current developments and from the world ring scene. Its staff is made up of ring master and writer Ahmet Golemi, and sports journalist Kastriot Ahmati. Ri.La.

After Tiranë, also Durrës and Fier TIRANE — New arrests in the customs scandal. After Gjirokastra and Tiranë — the two cities where, according to last week’s “blitz”, 11 people were arrested — the wave of arrests has reached the customs offices of Durrës and Fier. Among the newly arrested are also two Greek citizens, while before Monday the smuggling charges — for which they are accused — concerned not only cigarettes this time, but also fuel. After this, the official report will publish in full the list of names of those arrested so far, while the customs scandal is still being investigated intensively. Thus Diamand Diamandi, Thoma Dilo and Viktor Laboviti — from the Gjirokastra Customs — were arrested, as well as Xhem[?] Hani and Sami Shuajli from the Tiranë Customs. Seven merchants from these two cities also ended up in prison. Meanwhile in Fier, for cigarette smuggling — “Cooper” — the citizens from Vlora, Mentor Mustafaraj and Thoma Doko, have been arrested, while the brothers for whom they are suspected, are also accused of 150 thousand dollars. The detainees here are accused of the crime of smuggling, even of trafficking and large groups. They are Martin Curri as well as the Greeks Kristo Katrapodis and Vangjelo Janis, who in cooperation — according to the Prosecutor’s Office — had tried to bring a tanker with fuel into Albanian territory, partly evading customs duty.

The patient has dreamed for 3 years of the surgical operation A woman, a great secret, a hope The patient has dreamed for 3 years of the surgical operation 25 minutes to save a life A woman, a great secret, a hope PESHKOPI — She would be happier if she did not know that behind her anxiety there is also the fear of death, which is even more painful. But someone had told her the “peak” of her fate, only 25 minutes of the famous “By-pass” surgical operation, and so she had wanted to go and escape from her cardiac ischemia that continues to weigh on her. It had been three years. A resident of Peshkopia, she lives with the dream of those 25 minutes, even though she has now also learned that “By-pass” requires a lifetime of support and a sack of foreign money. The hopeful story of the 25 minutes of life is kept secret by a woman from Peshkopia, who does not tell anyone about her long ordeal — her heart condition. She continues to go out into the street, walks downhill, even though her breathing is short and her chest hurts a lot, as long as it is not understood that she suffers. And the people around her continue not to understand and perhaps never will learn, but if some foreign woman, someone with a higher power, would “save” her in just 25 mi[?]nutes... (B.L.)

SHKODER — Shkodër now also has its own supermarkets. For the first time in this city, local residents have the convenient opportunity — in addition to shops and public markets, to buy various articles — this time with a level of aesthetics and culture that is still not very widespread. The first, stylish one belongs to the joint company “Fati-Italb”, which has now replaced one of the bars near the centre of Shkodër. The supermarket — which sells more than 1,000 items — is made up of four sections: food, cosmetics, alcoholic beverages and detergents, all of very high quality. (Na. Me.)

Another ten thousand «blue helmets» for Bosnia If they do not arrive immediately, war may start again ON PAGE 2 Financial resources will be secured by residents’ assemblies Joint ownership of apartments. Implementation began in March ON PAGE 3

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