The Ministry of Health blocks the use of the dangerous antibiotic In Italy, «Rocefin» had caused deaths and poisonings FATOS BAXHAKU TIRANE — The story of Rocefin, the killer antibiotic, moves from Italy to Albania, but fortunately without victims, where it was blamed in Italy for the death of two people and the serious condition of many others. Following a report by Gazeta Shqiptare, the Ministry of Health in Tirana decided to ban the use of this medicine in all Albanian pharmacies and hospitals. The story — still not fully explained — of the dangerous antibiotic began only a few days earlier in Naples, when within just 24 hours two patients fell gravely ill after using it. A 61-year-old woman and a 70-year-old woman lost their lives while doctors in Naples were trying to determine the reasons for these deaths. Immediately after the first deaths, Italian doctors banned the use of Rocefin at once and issued an alert for its withdrawal from the market. Together with the Italian Ministry of Health, the police began checks to find the origin of the poisoned people and to determine whether this was a counterfeit drug or an unexpected reaction. In Albania, the news became known a few days later. Immediately after the alert from Gazeta Shqiptare, the Ministry of Health ordered the immediate blocking of Rocefin in the country's pharmacies and hospitals. Sources from the ministry said the measures were taken to avoid any risk to patients, even though no case of poisoning or death has been reported in Albania so far. In pharmacies in Tirana and other cities, Rocefin was one of the most sought-after antibiotics. Doctors and pharmacists said the medicine was often used in the treatment of serious infections. After the ministry's order, the remaining boxes have been withdrawn from circulation and are being kept under control until the matter is fully clarified. Doctors contacted by the newspaper said it cannot be ruled out that the problems were caused by a specific batch or by improper storage of the drug. However, for safety reasons, its use has been completely banned. At the University Hospital of Tirana, doctors are checking whether any patient has suffered consequences after receiving this antibiotic. So far there is no evidence of cases similar to those in Naples. Health authorities have called on citizens not to use any remaining ampoules and to turn to doctors for alternative treatments. The decision by the Ministry of Health has been met with concern, but also with understanding, by doctors and patients. The investigations in Italy are expected to shed light on the true cause of the tragedy. Until then, Rocefin remains banned in Albania as well.

TIRANE — Today is the deadline set by the government for the demolition of illegal buildings in Tirana. More than 2,200 families — according to records made by the District Council — will be forced to abandon their current homes. By means of a report, to be signed by each family, they undertake to move within one month — after demolishing the home where they live and handing over the plot in the condition in which they found it. Otherwise they will be fined — under the laws in force — up to 100,000 lek. Most of the residents affected by this decision are people displaced from the northeastern districts of Albania. Having come to the capital over the last 2-3 years, they have built homes wherever they could and have mainly tried to put up some shack on the banks of the Lana River. Others have built houses in peripheral areas without any construction permit. For the government, today’s deadline marks the end of tolerance for this phenomenon. Official sources said that after the set date, intervention will begin with police forces and with the necessary equipment to demolish the structures that owners do not dismantle themselves.

«Yes, I will defend myself» Will the mysterious «counter-file» emerge? AID SCANDAL / the turn of the accused TIRANE — Silent since 5 March, when the trial against him had begun, today Fatos Nano — after the prosecution had asked for 14 years of imprisonment for him — promises to speak. "Yes, the next day — Nano told Gazeta Shqiptare, immediately after the prosecution's proposed sentence was submitted. Although they had asked for a fairly long time to prepare the defence — on 16 April — Nano's two lawyers have now confirmed that they will present their client's defence, but without giving further details. Thus, for the first time today, those present in the courtroom may hear the socialist leader respond to the accusations, now amounting to 14 years of imprisonment. Under the procedure, pending the final verdict, the judges — after hearing the prosecution’s closing argument — must also hear the defence of the accused party, the defendants Nano, Plaka, Gjini and Hallko. If the other defendants have given extensive explanations about the accusations during the trial, the opposite happened with only Nano’s defence remaining. This is because even last Saturday lawyer Sanchu did not choose to deliver his client’s full defence, justifying it by saying that the files are voluminous and were prepared at the end of the investigation by the prosecution. The content of Nano’s defence also remains enigmatic, while the socialist leader had let it be understood that he might provide details that would shake the trial. Fatos Nano during the trial Nano, while the socialist leader had issued this warning, many circles and "If the Court does not make available the materials we request, I will speak in my own defence, to the extent that this Court deserves." Meanwhile, Nano's lawyer repeated yesterday that during today's hearing in the courtroom there may be unexpected developments and that the defence is expected to make further references to the so-called "counter-file". Meanwhile, the prosecution insists that the evidence presented in court is sufficient to find the accused guilty in this case known as the aid scandal.

4 injured TIRANE — A prolonged burst of automatic gunfire aimed at 4 people is the result of a terrorist incident in Tirane. On Sunday evening — around 8:30 p.m. — in one of the cafés near the center of the capital, close to the Catholic church, an unidentified person entered and opened fire with an automatic weapon. As a result, 4 people were injured and immediately taken to the emergency department of the Military Hospital. Of these, three were hurt without serious consequences, while one is in surgery after being hit in the abdomen by three bullets. The reasons for this terrorist act and the identity of the shooter are still unknown. The injured say they had no opportunity to see him. A.M.

In just a few days The competent authorities carry out checks in bars and clubs In just a few days In Fier, two victims from alcoholic drinks The competent authorities carry out checks in bars and clubs FIER — Two deaths from alcoholism within a very short time span. This is the latest bad news in this city. The victims were Vangjel Piro, 45, and Elmaz Braka, 53. According to the police, both men were found in serious condition after excessive alcohol consumption. Autopsies show that, apart from alcohol-related damage, one of them had signs of poisoning suspected to be linked to unchecked drinks circulating in various venues in the city. Law-enforcement bodies and health inspectors have begun numerous checks in bars and restaurants. Alcohol victims are known as chronic alcoholics. "There is a chance that some of the drinks sold without control may be life-threatening," said local police sources. Meanwhile, the Hygiene Directorate has requested sample collection and the blocking of suspicious stocks until analyses determine their contents. The cases have caused concern in Fier, where in recent weeks other, milder poisonings have also been reported after consuming raki and strong drinks. Enkela Myftari

Initiative TIRANE — Soon the "Atlantic Club of Albania" will also be established in Tirana. This club — in which various personalities from Albanian social and political life will take part — will in the future operate as part of the preparations for the country's integration into Euro-Atlantic structures. It will represent Albania in the International Association of the North Atlantic Treaty, an organization made up of the national clubs of Western countries. The Albanian club will promote awareness of NATO's role and ties with the member countries of the alliance. The initiators of this idea say its creation is also linked to the 45th anniversary of NATO's founding.

TIRANE / The gypsy's original way of cheating The deceived villager reports to the police TIRANE / The gypsy's original way of cheating For a fortune-telling, 100 dollars fly away The deceived villager reports to the police TIRANE — It would have been a lot of money — 100 dollars — and a fortune-teller — even if she had been able to find something in a burning house. All the same, in Tirana, hidden around, the well-known fortune-teller who used to tell people so much about their "fate" — the person grabbed the money in a fortune-telling, thrown into a plastic basket for French television, ending up — this time in the form of a complaint — before the law-enforcement authorities. This concerns a complaint from a villager from Tropoja, who accuses the Roma woman of having deceived her in order to take a 100-dollar bill. In her statement to the police, the woman says that while she was in the capital, she was stopped by two unknown women, one of whom introduced herself as a fortune-teller and promised to reveal her future. After a few words and a quick game with cards and small objects, the woman was asked to place in the basket the amount of money she had with her, supposedly to drive away bad luck. When the fortune-teller left, only worthless paper was left instead of the money. The case has been reported to the police and is under investigation. (va.)

The magazine of the nationwide association is in trouble TIRANE — "Help us bring it out as a magazine." This is the appeal of a group of historians who, thanks to their efforts, have drawn attention to the matter. They are at the forefront of those asking for help from the association, of those trying to secure the money needed to pay for the printing press operation. The list could go on for a long time. The new thing now is that historians have also been added to this list. At a time of great hardship, the Pan-Albanian Association of Albanian Historians makes its concern public. It has no financial means to publish its organ. "Fjala e historianit" — the name of the new organ has long been ready — but so that it may be remembered that a country's history is just as important as its present and that all of us, in one sense, benefit from the good and bad that history has accumulated for us. Therefore, to understand where we are going, we must first know where we were and where we have come from. This is the mission of historians, and to fulfill it they now ask for the help of anyone who is optimistic enough to give it. Otherwise, no issue of the magazine will come out. (va.)

IN PEQIN THE PROPERTY RESTITUTION PROCESS IS INTERRUPTED — The property restitution process has been interrupted in Peqin. The reason for this is the lack of an updated map of the city, since the current one — from 1974 — reflects only part of the city’s present surface, leaving many properties outside the yellow line. Thus, out of the 27 decisions taken by the Property Return Commission for former owners, only 7 have actually been implemented. MALËSIA E MADHE — Residents of the area celebrated the 83rd anniversary of Malësia e Madhe. This major event is one of the key moments in the history of Albania, crowned by the raising of the flag in Deçiç and later in Vlora. Also attending the commemorative ceremony was Pjeter Arbnori, chairman of the People’s Assembly. THE RED CROSS IS ASKING FOR MORE TICKETS FOR ITS LOTTERY — "More tickets need to be issued," is the request submitted to the Ministry of Finance by the Red Cross concerning its lottery. Selling the number of tickets over the course of a month would make it possible to further strengthen this organization and its humanitarian activity. The response given by the office of the Ministry of Finance has remained inconclusive, because the lottery is requested to be strengthened even further and to generate more revenue. SOON IN KORÇA A NEW COMMERCIAL CENTER — Work has already begun on the project for a new commercial center in the city of Korça. This project provides for a contemporary and functional architecture that will also respond to the city’s future commercial developments.

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