TRAFFICKING An illegal market discovered in the capital’s university district. In Vlora, a child is in danger of dying. And a survey shows... Drugs among students “4 out of 100 have tried it” In confidence It is better to keep on living CARLO BOLLINO TIRANA — Institutions had sounded the alarm some time ago. The search for drugs is being felt in Albania as well. And while the Police track the drug market in the “Studenti” district and save a ten-year-old child who had been drugged in Vlora, a survey carried out to test the effects — the first on this subject — confirms that the problem exists. The Independent Center for Sociological Studies Eureka interviewed 400 Albanian students and asked how many of them had ever used any kind of drug. The result is alarming: 4.3% admitted having tried it at least once. In particular, 0.8% of those interviewed stated that they had used drugs “very often”, 2% “often”, 1.08% “rarely” and 2.15% “very rarely”. Others, 95.7% of course, denied it. We hope they did not lie to the interviewer. But the same survey reveals another worrying element. Of the 400 students interviewed, 322 consider drugs a problem of “no importance whatsoever”. On the contrary, the issue would deserve more attention. The major alarm is sounded precisely by the latest investigations carried out by the Police. I read that one of you, young people and students, has been arrested for returning after buying drugs. A few months ago another one of your peers, whom you would not have considered a failure for using, offered it. And he was saved because of a deal made by means of nothing and has been arrested for having risked, or imprisonment. I read, from a survey that should be conducted by experts, that more than 4% of young Albanians have “tried” drugs. Some do it “very often”, others only “rarely”, but it does not make much difference. Drugs are a secret, because they begin as a fascinating temptation, but turn into a trap. Everyone, without exception, begins by saying: “I’ll do it just once.” Then everyone, without exception, assures: “When I want to, I’ll stop by myself.” Then there is something else that is known: they lie, because drugs make liars. I read — from the same survey — that almost everyone does not consider drugs a problem of any importance. So why? If even a feeling linked to drugs is an enemy, the child of youth, curiosity, the desire to try what is forbidden, dreams. Is it us? Do we know about trying the forbidden? Do we do it? Perhaps, when very young, a person has within him curiosity, the desire for what is forbidden? perhaps in us it is strong? does a person like prohibition? shall we condemn? Life? Is drug use temptation? or is it a moment for us? does man experience it? and if drugs are only trade? or prison? before the city? in fact they live it. In Tirana, the first drug market has been discovered. The traffickers had organized it in a simple room, in the heart of the “Studenti” district. When the police carried out the inspection, they found a young law student who was taking a large amount of drugs. Most likely, during this raid he would not have been alone. In the operation — the most important carried out by the Tirana Police Commissariat in the fight against drug trafficking — three people were arrested. The student, R.A., then Astrit Arif Muçollari, an assistant doctor, and Fatmir Sejdai [?], the bag, a teacher who, instead of giving himself to service, preferred to sell it to students. A profitable business: an ampoule that in a pharmacy cost 5 lekë was being sold on the illegal market for 700 lekë. The police found in that quiet university room more than 200, worth more than 1,400 dollars. But from Vlora comes an even more unbelievable piece of news: there, the father and son, Mediu and Aleksandër Alushi, were arrested because they injected an uncontrolled quantity of drugs into a ten-year-old child. They wanted to experiment with the effects. The boy risked dying because of the absurd game of the two men. A story that admits no comment. c.b.

“I sent the envelope to the newsroom” There had been 74 copies duplicated at the Ministry of Defence In the trial of the journalists Leka and Frangaj, officers state TIRANA — The order of the Minister of Defence, Sait Zhuli, had not been photocopied only in 74 single copies within the premises of this ministry. Thus, for the first time, the mystery of the “document” was publicly revealed in defiance of Minister Zhulali’s request, from his office to the hands of the readers of the newspaper “Koha Jonë”. A mystery accompanied by the accusation of “disclosure of state secret” and which about a month earlier had sent two senior officers of Military Unit 1060 and two journalists of the newspaper “Koha Jonë” to the cells of Tirana Prison. Signed by the Minister of Defence, Sait Zhulali, and duplicated by the secretariat staff in 74 copies, the order had been intended for distribution throughout the country. According to today’s testimonies, each copy was signed by the head of the Minister of Defence’s secretariat — who had also written 12 additional copies by hand for a state body. The world. During the trial. In the foreground Romeo Liçaj and Aleksandër Frangaj and Bashkim Feta and Martin Leka (Photo: HEKTOR PUSTINA) According to the testimony of the officers and in Unit 1060, which means it also concerned the 75th copy of this order, which only a few hours later — through the public, it had been delivered to the newspaper “Koha Jonë” — would have been sent in an envelope containing “Yes, I took it out of the unit myself on the evening of 1 January, and only in the morning did I send it by post” — the defendant Romeo Liçaj stated in court. Head of Chemistry at Military Unit 1060 in the capital — after photocopying it in a kiosk near the “Tirana” hotel, I put it in an envelope and gave it to a person sitting inside a car in Leka’s parking area, who undertook to take the envelope to the newsroom of the newspaper “Koha Jonë”. That is how the newspaper and its readers came to possess — at least according to the defendants’ version — Minister Zhulali’s order. The publication of the facsimile of this order and of journalist Leka’s commentary piece were only the final acts of a story that would end in a sensational trial. Now that light has been shed on the mystery of the journey of the “minister’s order” from above to the ground, it remains to be seen what will happen next. (E.d.L.)

Many irregularities found TIRANA — Positive balance for the State Control Commission. Hundreds of administrative measures, dozens of fines and discovered financial discrepancies are the result of a year’s work by this body. A series of budget institutions, districts, municipalities, communes, branches of the Financial Police and customs, as well as state and joint enterprises, were subjected during 1993 to specialized inspections. More than 2,500 checks were carried out, identifying shortages and losses amounting to 102 million lekë, as well as violations of financial discipline worth 147 million lekë. At the same time — according to the Official Press Agency — there are more than 600 persons for whom this body has requested various measures: administrative measures for 938 persons, dismissal for 33 others and fines for indirect responsibility for 130 persons. Meanwhile, for another 130 persons, criminal proceedings have been requested for an amount reaching 4 billion and 90 thousand lekë. Of this total, the largest share — over 3.5 billion — is made up by a denunciation concerning a joint enterprise. This enterprise had been created in cooperation with an Italian company, “Frascino”. Meanwhile, 340 million lekë will have to be paid into the state budget as a result of incorrect calculations of obligations to the state.

Special chair for family medicine Curious project of the Faculty of Medicine TIRANA — The project for the new structure of the Faculty of Medicine has been completed. From now on, becoming a doctor will not depend only on years of schooling. According to the project, studies would also be followed by a long period of specialization. The new system will provide that admission to Albanian medicine will be through a competitive examination after 6 years of university studies divided into two phases. The first phase — lasting three years — includes the preclinical cycle during which students will acquire general knowledge. The second phase, also 3 years long, will consist of the clinical cycle, carried out at the University Hospital Center. After that there will be 4 more years covering the specialization cycle. “Our aim is for specialized doctors to have a faculty,” says one of the professionals of the University of Medicine to Gazeta Shqiptare, “that the country should have in hand evidence, because we can no longer do without modern assistance.” Meanwhile, for the specialization of doctors, the movement toward “increasing completion with modern knowledge” has matured, and this has been necessary. European communications will make it possible to establish links with foreign faculties in Shkodër, Vlora, Gjirokastër and Korçë. Thus, 4 local doctors from these branches who go abroad for specialization will benefit from stable study opportunities. The project also foresees the establishment of a chair of Family Medicine. For the first time in Albania there will be special doctors who will care for health problems in family communities. Thus, with two years of specialization, it will be possible to produce 50 family-service doctors per year. (Ag.Yn.)

INSIDE An Israeli commits a massacre of Palestinians in Hebron During prayers, 63 dead ON PAGE 2 Construction market grows Prices do too 2,500 licenses issued ON PAGE 3

DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO SELL? DO YOU NEED SOMETHING TO BUY? DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO SELL? DO YOU NEED SOMETHING TO BUY? This space is free for you for economic notices. Send your message by post (no more than 6 lines with 15 words on each line) to our address in Tirana: Rruga Barrik. Curr. 370, or in Bari: Viale Scipione l'Africano, 264. State in the message what you are looking for and offering, your name and address. I AM LOOKING TO RENT a house with two or three rooms, preferably with a yard here on this property for one car. We are an Italian couple, the house is needed for one year. Contact telephone number 26466, Tirana. I RENT a quiet and nice private room, below some shops and the center of Tirana, with kitchen, with yard. Interested persons should call telephone number 042 24666. I RENT a small private house with two rooms, bathroom, yard with an area of 240 square metres, as well as a garage-storage space of two metres. The house has a telephone line. Interested persons can call 426 021, from 9.00 to 14.00. I SELL a plot of land with an area of 650 square metres. Address: Rruga Thana Ziko, building 65/3, staircase 1, apartment 21, Tirana. I RENT an apartment near the Durrës restaurant, second floor, with two rooms and a kitchen with sides and a balcony. Address: Lagja 49, Rruga “Ferit Xhajko”, building 89, staircase 1, apartment 4, Tirana. I SELL a house, ground floor with a kitchen, on the first floor, on the main road (national road), in front of the house there are 50 square metres of space for a shop, which is connected to the shop with an entrance onto the road (100 square metres in total). Address: Altin Djaxhita, Lagja Salo Hali, II, Rruga “Vasil Shanto”, building 986, Shkodër. I RENT a two-storey house in Rruga “Riza Cerova”, rr/no. The house is new, has three rooms, a kitchen and two verandas on both floors. It has a yard where two vehicles can be parked. Contact the telephone number 270 48, Tirana. I RENT a house in the center of Tirana, newly rebuilt. Interested persons can call: 20339. I RENT OR SELL a warehouse with an area of 18 x 6.5 metres, in the city center. The building is constructed with blocks and is sold together with the land. Address: Lagja “Bul Papri”, building 126, Elbasan. Tel. 20 66

IN SHKODËR, THE THEFT OF THE HIGH-VOLTAGE CABLE INTERRUPTS GEOLOGICAL SEARCHES — The geological searches have now been interrupted, as has the high-voltage cable in Karrë. Its conductor took 130 meters of cable with him. This theft caused the work of the chrome drills and the normal work of the geological expedition to be suspended. This expedition had for some time been carrying out several study-related searches in the district. THE GOVERNMENT APPROVES THE REPAYMENT OF ALBANIA’S PUBLIC DEBT — The government approved the repayment of Albania’s public debt. Its repayment — under the general agreement of the Paris Club — will be made on the basis of 1996 and will be carried out by the government. The interest that will be applied will be 1%, excluding late-payment interest. These debts — constituting part of the external debt — are owed by Albania to Germany, France, Austria, Italy and the Netherlands. All the debts amount to 11.5 billion lire. A 32-VOLUME COLLECTION BY FRENCH WRITER MARGUERITE YOURCENAR PUBLISHED IN ALBANIAN — Marguerite Yourcenar has been published on the Albanian book market. Published by the “Durësi” publishing house, a new volume of her novellas has come into circulation, titled “Oriental Tales”. The work has been praised in France as “the mystery of the Orient, the layers and figures of the magic of ancient Mediterranean times”. In all, it is a brief approach, yet one very close in time to her work. The translation was done by the well-known writer Moikom Zeqo. THE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF ALBANIA PROTESTS AGAINST THE SEIZURE OF THE BUILDING OF THE ACADEMY OF PRISTINA — According to a memorandum approved by decision at this end of the 20th century, in the local center that would be undertaken for the occupation of a counter-movement to Serbian advances. Violence against intellectuals has been used. The Academy of Sciences of Albania, professors and researchers in Kosovo — have protested and strongly condemned the act. In its declaration, the Academy has called on world opinion to react against these unlawful actions.

Zattere 1411 - Tel. 0039/41/781611 - Fax 781805 - Tlx 410045 Ferries for Passengers, Cars, Trucks DURRËS - BARI - ANCONA TRIESTE - DURRËS From DURRËS to BARI: every Tuesday departs at 22.00 every Thursday departs at 12.00 From DURRËS to ANCONA: every Sunday departs at 12.00 From DURRËS to TRIESTE: every Wednesday departs at 19.00 every Saturday departs at 20.00 Agency in ALBANIA DURRËS: DETARE SHETNORE Tel. 052/22233 - Fax 22911 - Tlx 4148 Agency in ITALY BARI: AGESTA Srl - Via L.di[e?], 4 Tel. 0039/80/331556 - Fax 330628 - Tlx 810043 ANCONA: MARITTIMA AGENCY Srl - Via XXIX Settembre, 20 Tel. 0039/71/204916 - Fax 202296 - Tlx 660029 TRIESTE: AGEMAR Srl - Piazza Duca degli Abruzzi, 2/a Tel. 0039/40/363222 - Fax 77723 - Tlx 480059