HELL OF PRISONS / Activists call on public opinion Association in Tirana HELL OF PRISONS / Activists call on public opinion “Help for prisoners” Association in Tirana Prison Capacity Prisoners Theft Murder Injury Rape Various Tirana/1 350 103 16 51 13 - 23 Tirana/2 100 67 27 24 3 - 13 Lezha 300 265 91 123 12 - 39 Kavaja 250 203 101 57 8 21 16 Lushnja 200 34 52 56 1 - 25 Tepelena 50 32 8 15 2 - 7 Saranda 300 180 83 39 8 - 52 TIRANA — “Strict control over everything. Even bodily functions are done on schedule, in dark and dirty surroundings, lack of treatment in caring for prisoners, poor food conditions and drinking water.” These expressions are only some of the consequences of a situation in the prisons presented recently by its activists. “I am very troubled. The “Albanian Association for the Care of Prisoners” has, in its mission, primarily the improvement of the condition of Albanian prisons and prisoners, this very specific category of contemporary Albanian society. The association — approved in December 1993 — has just completed one of its most successful activities. In Tirana it organized a seminar with the heads of the administration of all Albanian prisons. It is a sad picture — it says — of prisons inherited from the dictatorship. As it now appears, a more effective instrument is needed to impose and then a line of relief and, from that, full rights. According to a description presented by the association in the report of the seminar it organized, the 7 prisons currently operating in Albania are still far from the concepts of a truly democratic society regarding prison as a place of punishment, certainly, but also as a place of re-education, where, moreover, human beings live, even if convicted. It is precisely this concept that the association seeks to uphold in Albanian society. “The convicted person — is a human being and must be accepted as such, whether during pre-trial detention or during imprisonment — states the association’s objective — while after serving the sentence, the released person must be able to integrate normally into everyday life like all other citizens.” We will fulfill this objective properly only when we have created a continuous channel of communication with prisoners. They are the ones who should write to us about the problems they have,” one of its leading activists tells Gazeta Shqiptare. Fatos Baxhaku

Clinton also steps in TIRANA — As the return of Albanian refugees continues, concern is growing on the international stage over the frozen relations between Athens and Tirana. It now seems that two of the world’s major powers have decided to intervene diplomatically to extinguish the new source of tension created in the south of the Balkans, long engulfed in the flames of war. On Thursday, Russia said it was ready to act as a third party in dialogue between the two neighboring countries. A few days earlier, the Albanian President himself had expressed support for talks involving a third party. From Washington, President Bill Clinton also spoke out, expressing concern “about the growing scale of the conflict.” The American position was relayed by Greek sources. The Russian proposal for mediation was voiced on Thursday in Athens by the Russian ambassador Valerij Nikolajenko. The Russian position was declared immediately after a meeting between Nikolajenko and the Greek opposition leader, Miltiades Evert. “The country agrees to serve as mediator so that Tirana and Athens can resolve the problems created after the start of the proceedings against the five leaders of the minority organization and after the extreme measures taken by Greece,” Nikolajenko said. Also on Thursday, the Greek government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos published a letter from US President Clinton that he had sent to Greek Prime Minister Andreas Papandreu. According to Venizelos, Clinton expressed “concern about certain procedural issues.” Clinton’s letter was considered by Venizelos a positive sign for Greece. According to the same source, Clinton “expressed concern about the amplification of the proceedings on the human rights front and regarding Greek-Albanian relations.” “President Clinton — added the Greek government spokesman — has assured that Washington has already underlined to Tirana its interest in the proceedings.” According to Venizelos, Clinton wrote in the letter that “the United States of America will continue to call on Albania to respect international norms.” (J. bax.)

TIRANA — “Saccharin out of Albania.” It is a call coming from the Financial Police. Thus, the issue of lemonades imported into Albania entirely from Eastern countries remains under discussion. A few days ago there was a consultation organized with representatives of the wholesale sector, customs, and the Ministry regarding the content of water brought in from abroad. Yesterday the specialists of the Financial Police stepped in, and this time they insist on and demand the blocking of imports of any kind of juice containing saccharin or saccharinates. In the institution’s view, such a product contains a high percentage of the harmful substance. Everything is set out in a letter that the Directorate of the Financial Police addresses to the Ministry of Health, the Directorate of Standards and Quality of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food. Among other things, these bodies are asked to cooperate in the analysis and accurate documentation of syrups — marketed by physical and legal entities within the country — imported from Bulgaria and produced with synthetic sweeteners. Cooperation is also requested from these bodies for the destruction and proper recording of syrups and beverages with the above parameters. Meanwhile, specialists from the Financial Police have also drafted a bill — which they propose to the Ministry of Health to submit for approval to the Council of Ministers — concerning synthetic sweeteners sold as “saccharin.” In its new version, the bill calls for a ban on replacing sugar in domestic products with synthetic sweeteners, a ban on importing and trading any kind of food products containing them, except in cases — by special decision of the Council of Ministers — where they are needed as food for diabetics. An. St.

TVSH loses again TIRANA — The “Benz-Mercedes” from the show “Around Fate for 12 Weeks” will apparently once again bear the “license plate” of Kuçovë. And its owner will be Sadiere Alma Rrapo, the 18-year-old from the “11 Janari” neighborhood. It is expected that Kuçovë, which had filed a lawsuit against Albanian Television, had taken this step. That is also what the Court of Appeals decided, which on Wednesday last week examined the complaint filed by General Director Skënder Brnjas against the Tirana Court’s decision of 13 June ’94. “I have no knowledge of the appeal process — Shpëtim Hasani, a legal adviser at TVSH, told Gazeta Shqiptare — but if the “Benz” is again awarded to the ticket from Kuçovë, we will appeal in Cassation.” Meanwhile, the lawyer for the 18-year-old from Kuçovë, Sadetin Xhafa, confirms that the case was heard on 24 August; in fact, the session was postponed — awaiting the TVSH representative — from 9:00 to 13:30. “The list of these cases had already disappeared by July — Xhafa adds — the Court of Appeal and the Court of Cassation are not obliged to send notification to the parties, and the trial proceeds with the presence of those who appear.” Thus our appearances and the “Benz-Mercedes” of the show were given in full and not to the person in Cassation will uphold the Appeal Court’s decision, then, as Gazeta Shqiptare has confirmed, the other claimant Spartak Kodra from Nizhavci in Pogradec — he will sue TVSH, while the Grand Prize will ultimately go to the roads of Kuçovë. The story of the “Benz-Mercedes” had begun late in the evening of 19 March — when, after a live TV mistake, the ticket of 22-year-old Kodra was deemed not to have been read, and the succeeding ticket, that of Alma Rrapo from Kuçovë, was presented as the winner. After verifying the mistake, the Lottery Commission had returned the prize to the ticket from Pogradec, an action that prompted the claimant from Kuçovë to take the matter to court. And so far he has won, although the “Benz” remains blocked pending a final decision. Edmond Laci

Epicenter in Bitola TIRANA — The frightening shaking of the earth has returned once again. Residents of Tirana and other Albanian cities were at least frightened on Thursday by an earthquake, which fortunately caused no damage apart from the shock — especially on the upper floors — usual in such cases. By Friday evening there had been no report of possible damage. Nevertheless, in Tirana and other cities of the Western Lowlands the earthquake was not felt strongly. According to data from the Geophysical Institute of Rome and the Geodynamics Institute of Athens, the epicenter of the tremors was near Bitola. There the earthquake had an intensity of 6.5–4.5 on the Richter scale.

They escape death LEZHA — A common wasp sting almost cost a life. It happened in recent days in Lezha, where an elderly person and a young man ended up one step away from death after being urgently admitted to the city hospital. Both patients had mild symptoms: swelling and redness in different parts of the body and a high temperature. The news was confirmed to Gazeta Shqiptare by the emergency doctor at the city hospital, Artur Hoxha. According to Dr. Hoxha, aggressive insects are very rare in the area, which is highly favored by very high temperatures. These conditions favor a very large concentration of a kind of toxin in their stings, he said. More than a year ago, two patients from different cities in the country were admitted to this district center. Both suffered from a kind of allergy that had turned acute after a sting. A special and expensive medicine — the only one that could have saved them — had not been found in time. (V. Rd.)

“They favored Greek traders” DEVOLL — The numerous irregularities verified by the Internal Control Service in Devoll concerning building permits or the rental of various properties. The cancellation of the unlawful decisions has been requested, as well as the dismissal from office of the Chairman of the District Council Vladimir Kelo and the Chairman of the Privatization Agency branch Nazif Zufi. In addition, the materials have been sent to the prosecutor’s office for criminal prosecution. In violation of several legal provisions, the district branch of the Privatization Agency leased the Albanian-Greek companies “Industria Ballkanike e Veshjeve SA” and “Albus” the no. 2 garment workshop without following public procedures, thus depriving other competing entities of their rights. The same phenomenon was observed in the case of renting out the “Food Warehouse.” Such illegal actions — according to the Control specialists — were also carried out by the Presidium of the District Council. Beyond its powers, it leased the object known as the “cart depot” to the Albanian-Greek company “Jupiter 2 SA”. And it was this same body that later canceled that decision, transferring the property in question to another Greek firm, “Diamantos”. Serious accusations from State Control employees also target the Chairman of the District Council Vladimir Kelo. According to them, Kelo took 975 square meters of state land, thus benefiting from a much larger area than other families settled in this location. In addition, there are other undeserved privileges. Kelo is also denounced for bribery from citizens for favors he claimed to have done for them. (An. St.)

On the threshold of the Cairo Conference Minister of Health, Maksim Cikuli TIRANA — “Within three decades Albania will have 4 million 250 thousand inhabitants.” The forecast made by Albanian demographic experts was announced during a press conference by the Minister of Health Maksim Cikuli. According to the Minister, the average age of Albanians is 72 years and the ratio between deaths and births is 24 per 1,000. Cikuli spoke to journalists on the eve of the departure of the Albanian delegation to the major population meeting that was soon to be held in Cairo. Minister of Health, Maksim Cikuli

CURSIVE REALITY ELBASAN — An automobilistic “record,” but this time on the railway tracks. And it was by no means a desire for a “record,” but necessity that forced the car driver to undertake such an unusual act. Returning from Cërrik, he wanted to take the shortcut through the Papri area. But he was unable to, because the bridges connecting the two points have not been functioning for more than a year. So Perparim was left with two alternatives. Either turn back, extending the route by another 40 kilometers, or cross the railway bridge that rises nearby for vehicles. And he decided to “take the shorter way” and drive across the tracks. It was a rare spectacle for the villagers who happened to be at the scene of the unusual event. The car managed to move only a few meters with difficulty — nearly like a “locomotive.” But with no success, at the end of the “race” he had to carry the car away for repair. The old saying proved true: “If you buy it short, it turns out long.” Me. Kl.

EXCAVATIONS IN THE ANCIENT CITY OF BUTRINT — For a period of two months, a joint Albanian-English archaeological expedition will carry out excavations in the Butrint area. The purpose of these excavations is to study the culture and development of the different periods of antiquity. The work of this expedition is part of a joint agreement on archaeology signed by Prime Minister Aleksandër Meksi and the Secretary of State for the Home Department of Her Majesty, Douglas Hogg. NEW ALBANIAN-GERMAN ASSOCIATION FOR BUSINESS — Another Albanian-German association for the business sector. This decision was taken during a consultative meeting at the German Embassy in Tirana with its state minister Oto Graf and the Minister of Industry and Trade, Selim Belortaja, the Minister of Tourism Edmond Spaho and the Secretary General of the Chamber of Commerce Rolf Sirlar. The aim of this association is to promote agreements between the two countries in the field of trade. TROPOJË, RAIDS AND INSPECTIONS BY THE FINANCIAL POLICE — 329 fines and seizures for misdemeanors in the Tropojë district are recorded, imposed and signed by the Financial Police. Most of the fines were issued for carrying out private activity without a permit, accusing the use of state resources in the amount of 4.2 million lek. The same applies in the field of transport and the market. Seizures were made amounting to 20–25 million lek. Violations in the transport sector are considered more serious, with irregular documentation for freight vehicles and failure to pay transport taxes.

Pope: “I will go to Sarajevo” On page 2 National team: a moment of hope for Balo On page 3 Football: the Italian Championship starts tomorrow On page 3

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