REPORT A government committee uncovers new fraud. Suspicions over dozens of cases of babies who are illegally transferred from one family to another or disappear The mystery of the missing children Another adoption scandal ARMAND MËRO TIRANE — The adoption scandal in Albania erupts again. The results of the inspection carried out by the Adoption Committee give truly shocking figures. Dozens of newborn babies appear only on scraps of paper — it is not known where they ended up. Have they disappeared? Have they been sold? For now the facts uncovered leave scandalous responsibilities, which in turn open wide paths for possible hypotheses. Perhaps this is only the tip of a story that could be described as one of the most tragic to have occurred in Albania in recent years. "I cannot give all this a precise name," Dr. Hilmite Mara, Chairwoman of the Adoption Committee at the Council of Ministers, tells Gazeta Shqiptare, "but the many cases of blatant violations of the law show that abuse has taken place." The irregularities uncovered are countless and of various kinds. They cover a time span going back to 1991. But what is worrying is the fact that many of them also occurred after March 1992, when adoptions were banned by law. The documentation held by the Adoption Committee provides chilling information. At the Children’s Home in Durrës alone there are 65 suspect cases which the Committee is now checking. There are 65 children whose fate is unknown: were they taken away, did they die, or were they taken by their parents? But no kind of evidence, neither life nor death, proves this. Throughout the country the number of suspect cases is believed to be higher, and with each passing day more are being uncovered. Are all these victims of indifference, incompetence, corruption, or a macabre trade? The preliminary report states that "all these practices have placed the functioning of state institutions under serious question." If some babies really died and no accurate records were kept, that alone would amount to a serious scandal. But in cases where children disappeared or were adopted illegally, then the story becomes even more serious. The Committee is investigating several lines of inquiry. According to its sources, there are suspicions about cases in which children were declared dead but in fact were given up for adoption; cases in which babies were taken abroad with false documents; as well as cases where identity data were altered. Discrepancies in registers, missing files, and suspicious signatures have been found. This story involves health institutions, children’s homes and civil registry offices. Among the names mentioned in the inspection documents are institutions in Tiranë, Durrës and Shkodër. The investigation continues and, according to the Committee, may lead to criminal liability for some employees. This is one of the most serious social scandals of recent years. Its consequences are measured not only in numbers, but in human lives and in entire families that may have been deceived. For many of the mothers and fathers involved, the answer to the fate of their children remains unknown.

On average, every private or state unit has been penalized One year of work by the Financial Police TIRANE — More than five million dollars, intended for the state budget, come only from the fines and seizures carried out by the Financial Police during 1993. This was announced by the institution — the summary of one year of work against smuggling and financial violations. The total value of fines and seizures according to the report reaches 5,437,782,900. The report mentions numerous interventions at customs, checks on private and state entities, and seizures of goods without documentation. In some cases various goods were confiscated, while in others substantial fines were imposed. According to official data, the operation affected almost all districts of the country. RECORD OF FINES AND SEIZURES DURING 1993 (in lekë) BRANCH OF THE FINANCIAL POLICE | TOTAL DECISIONS | FINES AND SEIZURES TIRANË 4544 43.842.000 BERAT 3718 4.390.000 BULQIZË 1260 4.646.000 DEVOLL 571 4.889.000 DELVINË 647 884.500 DIBËR 1362 5.319.700 DURRËS 1848 74.790.500 ELBASAN 2069 23.272.600 FIER 3221 12.682.000 GRAMSH 482 7.364.700 GJIROKASTËR 3664 6.831.000 HAS 105 182.000 KAVAJË 1923 12.828.600 KRUJË 2001 6.017.500 KORÇË 2889 39.163.300 KOLONJË 541 2.009.900 KUKËS 888 1.712.100 KUKËS 543 3.064.800 LAÇ 1057 7.413.000 LEZHË 1450 6.371.400 LIBRAZHD 1123 3.336.100 LUSHNJË 1871 9.995.000 MAT 772 4.700.000 M. MADHE 1001 2.787.500 MALLAKASTËR 840 7.521.000 MIRDITË 615 5.216.500 PEQIN 1192 3.303.500 PËRMET 901 3.945.800 POGRADEC 1567 8.231.700 PUKË 464 1.237.200 SARANDË 2374 28.858.100 SKRAPAR 721 1.484.200 SHKODËR 2813 69.001.000 TEPELENË 981 2.619.000 TROPOJË 695 5.561.400 VLORË 5818 117.550.500 TOTAL 55801 543.782.900 The report underlines that the smuggling phenomenon remains worrying and that part of the measures were taken in cooperation with customs branches and the police. It is also noted that in some areas trade activities with Italy and Greece, as well as movements in ports and border crossings, had a major impact.

GJIROKASTËR ETHNOGRAPHIC MUSEUM Blocked by former owners — The Ethnographic Museum of Gjirokastër has been blocked by the former owners of the building, who have now locked it, according to the officers of the Culture Section of this district. They state that the owners of the building located in the "Palorto" quarter insist that it be recognized as their property, and have even turned to enforcement proceedings at their own expense. The future fate of the Museum remains particularly unclear. SARANDË, 16 YEARS IN PRISON FOR A RONIST — Thus very close to an offensive by a group of police officers, one of whom had also caused a serious injury. After the event that occurred in the village in the recent past, the Court of Sarandë sentenced the defendant S. Hoxha to 16 years and 6 months in prison. According to the indictment, "Habilaj had attempted to kill on purpose the police officers on duty in Sarandë, while also carrying a weapon without a permit." MINISTER BERISHA SCHEDULES A VISIT TO ATHENS — Alfred Serreqi, Albania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, will travel to Athens on 14 February this year. According to official sources, Serreqi’s visit will take place within the framework of the political dialogue between the European Union and third, non-member countries. According to the same sources, Serreqi’s working visit to Athens will take place after an invitation from the Greek Foreign Minister, Karolos Papulias. It is also this authority that in the early hours of Thursday also represented Greece in the Council of Ministers of the European Union, in its capacity as president.

Selami "Very close to the Council of Europe" TIRANE — "Everyone told us that Albania has no problem whatsoever in being definitively admitted to the Council of Europe; it is simply a procedural matter." Eduard Selami, Chairman of the PD and of the Albanian delegation at the proceedings of the last Session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, immediately after returning to his homeland expressed his conviction — in a television interview — that Albania is now quite close to its request. "Apart from Albania," Selami stated, "none of the other countries were accused in the final reports because of the problems they have in their own countries."

The new law has now entered into force TIRANE — Salaries have started to recover from the fall. In these days all budget-sector employees will also receive the new supplements. The Council of Ministers decision provides for an average increase of 27.7 percent. The scope of this decision also includes Parliament, the Government of the Republic itself and the Presidency of the Republic. The average salary of employees in pre-university education rises by 29.1 percent, while in health care it rises by 28.5 percent. For state administration categories, the increase varies according to function. In education and health, the supplements are presented as one of the measures to soften the effects of inflation. There will also be increases for central administration employees, the judicial authorities and other budgetary structures. At the same time, the salaries of MPs, ministers and senior state officials also increase. According to the decision, the new salary levels come into force immediately. Economic experts stress that the measure will have a limited impact on purchasing power if price growth continues at the current pace. Nevertheless, the government presents it as a necessary step toward social stability.

With a sign in hand they had collected fines The three swindlers were stopped by real police officers LAÇ — Poor inspectors (?) a police checkpoint along the national road near the town of Laç. It had happened one month earlier during a roadside inspection, reported the Criminal Police based near Fushë-Krujë. Three young men, with false documents and wearing police jackets, had set up a fake checkpoint and were stopping vehicles while issuing fines. To convince drivers, one of them was holding a traffic sign in his hand. After complaints from drivers, the real police intervened and arrested the three perpetrators. During the search, forged documents, a police sign, and a sum of money collected from the illegal fines were found. According to official sources, the young men had no connection with the law-enforcement structures. The घटना has caused surprise in the area, not only because of the boldness of the perpetrators, but also because the scam had lasted for days without being discovered. Investigations continue to see whether the arrested men committed other similar acts.

Bosnia final offensive 10,000 foreign soldiers Heading toward territorial division ON PAGE 2 Dilemmas of the banking system Difficult to obtain credit Investments are not encouraged ON PAGE 3

Buy and sell DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO SELL? DO YOU WANT TO BUY SOMETHING? This space is free for you for commercial notices. Send your message no longer than 15 words to one of our addresses: In Tiranë: Bajram Curri Street, 370. Or in Bari: Viale Scipione l'Africano, 264. Indicate in the message what you are looking for and what you offer, your name and address. SELLING a one-room apartment with a kitchen nook and balcony. The apartment is on the second floor in the farm "Çlirim", Fier. This unit is sold together with 1000 square meters of land, according to agreement and at the buyer’s choice. The land is planted with wheat. The price will be reasonable. Interested parties should contact the family of Astrit Shehu, N.B. Ciflik, Fier. SELLING a two-story house, with two spacious and usable basements. Each floor of the house has 6 rooms and two bathrooms. The house is newly built and has a very large volume. It is located on "Gramoz Pashko" street. Price 1.200.000 [?]. Interested parties should call the number 2220, Tiranë. SELLING a house in Lezhë with two rooms and a kitchen nook and balcony. Interested parties should contact the following address: Laga e Re, "Gurakuqi" street, building 12, 4th floor, apartment 121, Lezhë or in Tiranë, "Ali Pash Gucia" street no. 71. FOR RENT a basement, with an area of around 150 square meters. Interested parties may call 24710, Tiranë. SELLING a house, one room and kitchen, with corridor, nook and balcony, of very large size. The dwelling is on the first floor and has running water. Address: near the Office of Public Order in Vlorë, 1 km north of the cable car (?) of Vlorë. Interested parties should call the number 7328, Tiranë. SELLING a "Tatramat" washing machine, very little used. Interested parties may contact the address: "Arkitekt Kasëmi" street, building 56, apartment no. 9, Tiranë.