Waiting for privatization for eight months The Agricultural Mechanics Plant a victim of looting TIRANA — After two years of halted production, the Agricultural Mechanics Plant in Tirana (UMB) has been turned into a graveyard of iron. An invisible hand has systematically and shamelessly looted the bronze and copper movable parts from dozens of metal-cutting machines — presses or hammers — as well as pneumatic ones — and has ripped from the workshop floors the cables from the electrical network. Hundreds of steel dies, which once served to shape parts, have disappeared as if by magic, along with the machines' electric motors. Even the bricks from the walls or the roofing sheets on some buildings are no longer there. Everything that is left appears stripped down to a rusty metal skeleton. It is like an evil spell. It has made the revival of work at this plant — even if it is privatized tomorrow — almost impossible, despite the fact that it used to supply all Albanian villages with agricultural tools. This is the massacre of a "property" left without an owner and apparently turned into prey for copper traders or other metal thieves. Specialists from Vunë think that some of the looted parts — some of which weigh as much as one ton — may have ended up at the scrap collection points in the Metallurgy and Kombinat of Elbasan. It is hard to believe that the thieves acted over such a long period without being noticed, while guards were being changed at the entrance to the site. This makes the problem even more serious. So where did this plant's equipment go? We are talking about national assets worth more than 40,000 dollars that, since privatization, have become a form of plunder. But it seems the "saviors" will arrive far too late and only to attend the burial of the victim. Only five days ago the privatization file for this plant arrived — they told Gazeta Shqiptare at the privatization subcommittee of the Tirana Municipality — and it contains such gaps that, with this, the plant's managers immediately set out to protect the enterprise from technical thefts and looting of the plant premises. "We ourselves have guarded these things because, once ownership is claimed, the owners will be sought. We have raised the issue with an Economic Prosecutor's Office at the Municipality. And while the Plant waits amid privatization and the bureaucracy that drags behind it, dogs have been thrown into its territory. One of the Plant's buildings has been opened by an owner for a year for an Italian firm. Guarded by private police from an owner for drinks on ice. A few meters further on, the ruin continues..." Andrea Stefani

Journalists in jail: a solution that serves no one CARLO BOLLINO TIRANA — Two journalists, Aleksandër Frangaj and Martin Leka, the editor-in-chief and an editor of the newspaper "Koha Jonë", have been arrested. They ended up in prison after publishing an article about the replacement at the Ministry of Defence "to disarm the Army officers". Frangaj has been accused of authorizing the publication of an article that violated state secrecy, while Leka — the author of the article — has been accused of defamation. So both are being held responsible for an offense committed in the exercise of their work as journalists. Exactly one year earlier Frangaj had been arrested for the same reason: for publishing a report (considered "alarmist") about the movement of tanks toward Albania's northern border. The two events have many common aspects, but one fundamental difference: one year earlier, there was not yet a Press Law, which is now in force. That is, a law that does not even provide for arrest or prison sentences for press offenses. In fact, the draft law submitted to Parliament did provide for imprisonment of up to one year, but the deputies (all the deputies) deleted this part of the bill, providing only for a very high fine (up to 8,000 dollars). So even Parliament — that is, the highest expression of the people's will — concluded that a journalist does not deserve to be arrested. Why? The reason is simple: because the journalist, by informing, fulfills a public duty. He sheds light on the state, revealing the betrayal done to journalism, a measure of a society's tolerance. For this very reason, the degree of press freedom existing in a country is one of the first elements distinguishing a democracy from another regime. We have read the arrest warrant for Frangaj and Leka, however we are not in a position to assess the criminal reasons that led to their imprisonment. But that is not the issue: whatever a journalist does — in the exercise of his profession, of course — cannot deserve prison. Because the arrest of a journalist always creates an atmosphere of suspicion and a spreading fog, after which all the efforts made by governments and by entire groups of people trying to build a democracy risk being wasted. All this, besides being unjust, is also inappropriate. If a journalist defames by writing, in good faith, false information, it is right that he pay: he should pay in economic terms, as the Press Law provides and as logic also dictates. But when a journalist violates a secret, what happens to him? Here too the Law answers: he must pay a fine (the Law provides for a fine, not imprisonment). In this case, logic speaks of something else: is the journalist really the author of the breach of secrecy, or is he merely the messenger? It is the journalist's duty to publish the secret. Bob Houard and Karl Bernstein would never have brought about the resignation of a President of the United States if they had limited themselves to publishing the police bulletin instead of uncovering the Watergate scandal. They — precisely for that — received the Pulitzer Prize, the highest award for journalists in the whole world. We do not want to make comparisons, but what matters is the meaning: the journalist has the moral and professional duty to dig, investigate and uncover. But at the same time, inevitably, he must respect people and always write only the truth.

Arrests also for two officers They have been accused of «spreading state secrets». Had they provided the document? TIRANA — Two more officers have been arrested in the "Koha Jonë" scandal. Thus, on the day after the publication, the facsimile of the secret document from the Ministry of Defence — signed by Minister Zhulali — appeared on the front page of the Tirana edition with four people involved. Within 16 hours, by yesterday morning, two people had been arrested — for the same criminal case, but with different charges — Aleksandër Frangaj, editor-in-chief of the newspaper "Koha Jonë", and its journalist, Martin Leka. During the investigations, an arrest order was issued for officers Foto Lvaj and Bashkim Feta, members of the Tirana military unit. According to the statement of the Ministry of Defence on this case, Llçaj and Feta are accused of spreading state secrets. Although the investigations into this case are still ongoing, it is certain that the military personnel — now arrested — are suspected of being the people who, through their action or inaction, enabled the newspaper to obtain the secret order of Minister Zhulali, sent to the FA personnel. And while the officers who suffered the consequences are accused of "spreading state secrets", the journalist who commented on the facsimile published in the 21 January 1994 issue is arrested on another charge: "The unknown person has defamed in this article, reflecting in it data that are false," stated among other things the arrest warrant handed to journalist Martin Leka. The breach of state secrecy, this time, is attributed to Aleksandër Frangaj, editor-in-chief of the newspaper "Koha Jonë" because — according to the arrest decision — "by opposing the fulfillment of the regulations, he unlawfully allowed the publication of parts of the order of the Minister of Defence, an order which constitutes a state secret". Meanwhile, a few hours after the arrest of the two journalists and the two officers, the Ministry of Defence issued an appeal to parliamentarians: "In order to safeguard national interests, the Ministry of Defence, in addition to the strict observance of the legal provisions related to military secrecy, will seek the legal accountability of all persons — military or civilian — who spread information of a secret nature." (E.L.)

30 percent drop out of school Children go to work instead of school ELBASAN — Serious concern about the schooling of children in the Elbasan district. Around 30 percent of them have abandoned school benches. The children — who are of compulsory-school age — have left their studies to do work that is heavy for their age. This harmful phenomenon has spread mainly in rural areas. Economic reasons are what have pushed many parents to force their children to leave school. Financial hardship — especially in large families — leads children to engage in all kinds of work, mainly in agriculture. But this is a problem that has existed for a long time, and "Current attendance can be considered satisfactory," says R. Qatipi, head of the Education Office, for Gazeta Shqiptare — "since in the villages the school has the same 40 percent attendance and that too sporadically." Although there is a Presidential Decree that provides for administrative measures and fines, at present it is almost not being enforced. "This decree is not complete," said the head of the district Education Directorate — "it sets out the measure but does not specify who will enforce it, that is, who will collect the fines, because for now the villager has no connection with the state." However, the application of fines in various cases has shown that it is quite effective. Thus in the Labinot area or that of R. Qatipi, the overall percentage of students has improved greatly. On the other hand, the situation has worsened in the areas where no measures have been taken. The same concern had been raised some time ago in the district of Mati. In that area — during this year — 700 pupils who had not shown up in school were recalled. In Mati this phenomenon had also been repeated a year earlier, when an even larger number had not attended compulsory education. Mentor Kikia

TIRANA This is the second incident in the month of January Thieves tracking the Chinese The foreigners had their video camera stolen TIRANA — Another theft at the premises of the "Arbëria" hotel. This time the thieves entered through one of the room doors of the hotel and took valuables from inside. The victims were two Chinese citizens — after booking the room, they had left a video camera inside, as well as many other personal belongings. Thus, within January, Hotel "Arbëria" became the target of thieves twice, who were able to bypass the hotel block's security. The theft from room 104, booked by the two Chinese citizens, was discovered on the evening of 28 January. According to the initial investigations, the perpetrators entered the room using a spare key held by an employee. In any case, it has not been clarified whether the thieves entered only to take the video camera or were looking for a larger amount of items. In the evening one of the victims reported the matter to the police. A few days earlier, another theft had occurred in the same hotel, where a bag with documents and currency had been taken. The police have launched an investigation. [?]

Government Toxic waste banned TIRANA — A decision of the Council of Ministers taken at its latest meeting aims to prevent the damage that industrial waste may cause to the environment and to people. The decision, which seeks to strengthen the existing Law "On environmental protection", provides for the introduction of control and management of hazardous waste and residues. It encourages the use of technologies that produce as little waste as possible and also bans — perhaps a lesson from the bitter experience of pesticides brought from Germany — the import of hazardous waste. Asthma sufferers, it takes very little to heal That annoying lump in the throat ON PAGE 3 The Serbs warn of the final assault Against the West that protects the Muslims ON PAGE 2

STRICT POLICE CHECKS FOR ROAD TRAFFIC IN SHKODER — More than 50 fines were the result of the road traffic inspection on Saturday by the Traffic Police in Shkoder. The fines were imposed mainly because of speeding violations as well as carrying out unauthorized maneuvers. To verify compliance with traffic rules, the police carried out checks on the main streets of the city. IN THE LEFT COLUMN THE EL. POWER. ELECTRIC ENERGY IS LOST — The amount of unpaid electric energy in the Mati district has increased by 50 percent. The figures are also high in the large amount of unpaid energy — about 30 percent — while the rest belongs to state-owned activities. Inspections carried out by the relevant authorities have uncovered violations: theft through a modified device [ ? ] DIFFICULTIES AND OBSTACLES FOR THE PROPERTY RETURN PROCESS IN THE FIER DISTRICT — Various difficulties have hindered the swift implementation of the property return process in the Fier district. Thus, at present, out of 2,200 requests, 220 have been granted. Obstacles have included cases where two or three requests were submitted for the same plot of land, or conflicts between the urban planning authorities and former owners who are demanding the return of the land, regardless of the city's zoning plan.

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