The trial of the fraud involving an enterprise of the Ministry of Defence reaches court. The prosecution extends the charges to Bulgaria... The calendar of the great fraud TRIAL The fraud involving an enterprise of the Ministry of Defence reaches court. The prosecution extends the charges to Bulgaria... The trucks of the scandal This is how 380 thousand dollars vanished The calendar of the great fraud From Tirana to Sofia The Ministry of Defence had been in a position to put up for sale two trucks and one trailer in good working condition EDMOND LACI TIRANA — At least there are two sets of documentation that can cause everything to collapse in court. In one document, the evidence is added. This is how one of the accused in this case began the story, in the trial against “zyrjesa[r?] Sali Kupi, former Director of the Export-Import Enterprise Mieco”, elected on 8 February of this year after the charge of “abuse of office”. Monday’s trial thus began to shed light on the truth about the mystery of the thousands of dollars received last year by the Bulgarian enterprise in exchange for supplies that have still not arrived for the Albanian army. It was the first day of this trial, which also confirms that the Tirana Prosecutor’s Office has now filed a civil suit — through the Ministry of Defence — with the Industrial and Commercial Arbitration Court of Bulgaria against the fraudulent company, “Bolt 1990 Petrov”. There are three contracts of the enterprise “Mieco”, which carries out the foreign trade of the Ministry of Defence — with two different Bulgarian firms, the cause of the scandal that has arisen over time. According to the indictment — and the testimony also supports it — the biggest fraud was committed by the Bulgarian company “Bolt 1990 Petrov”, which since May '93 was recorded in the joint protocol as “must return 300 thousand dollars to Albania”. Meanwhile the other Bulgarian company, “Defender” — which is also obliged for 67,000 dollars — the fraud lies only in the quality of the goods it was to deliver for the Mechanical Combine of Poliçan. “The accusation against me is unjust,” Kupi told the military judges, and he also stated that the contracts he signed on behalf of the Mieco enterprise provide guarantees that thousands of dollars will be returned to Albania by the Bulgarian firms. Meanwhile, the prosecutor’s office brought the case against him with the charge of “abuse of office”, deeming his actions lawful in criminal terms, the examination of offers, the a priori trust — for the seriousness of the contracting firms — of the former officials Abazha Sadogjari and Bulqari, Bashkim Rama, a moll[?]shtër director with the German manufacturing company and the acceptance of the Bulgarian commission agent firm, as well as the failure to secure a favorable contract, given the non-fulfilment of commitments by both sides. In particular, the trial begun in Tirana can never have the importance of the one expected to start soon in Bulgaria. There are still 367,000 Albanian dollars there. TIRANA — The story of the great fraud by the Bulgarian company began precisely in the first days of February '93, when the Ministry of Defence of Albania informed the enterprise “Export-Import Mieco”, which handles the foreign trade of this Ministry, to buy 100 transport trucks. Here is the calendar — day by day — of this still unfinished story: 26 February '93 — The Albanian enterprise “Mieco” signs in Sofia a contract with the Bulgarian company “Bolt 1990 Petrov”, which was to play the role of intermediary for the purchase of dozens of TFA trucks at 3,500 dollars each, from a German company. 10 March '93 — The Commercial Bank of Albania, after 9 letters sent by “Mieco”, transfers to the account of the Bulgarian company “Bolt 1990 Petrov” the sum of 300 thousand dollars, the first part of the amount that had to be sent there where the supply was to begin. 5 May '93 — After repeated delays by the Bulgarian company, the enterprise “Mieco” cancels the contract with “Bolt 1990 Petrov” and in the joint protocol — signed on this occasion — it was provided that the Bulgarian company would return the 300 thousand dollars after three days. But more than 300 days have passed and the Bulgarian company still holds, despite having issued promissory notes in Albania and acknowledging that the contract with it has been broken, the sum of 300 thousand dollars. A sum that has long been missing from Albania and that quietly cost this country’s citizens dearly. (Ed. La.)

Alarm in the cultural world: «A special police force is needed» In Kukës, a German buys 130 ancient coins from villagers. Each piece was paid for at only 50 marks. Later searches were useless: the foreigner had already left FATOS BAXHAKU TIRANA — Albania’s ancient heritage has continued to be damaged. The signal this time comes from the north of the country — in Kukës — the event took place during the past month — but has only now been made known — a German citizen managed to easily gather 130 ancient coins and take them abroad. 120 ancient coins were bought from local villagers for 50 marks each. In Germany, what he spent is utterly ridiculous. This sad story begins at the start of September. Then a former employee of the Archaeological Museum of Tirana, a teacher from Kukës. “I have 120 coins — he said openly to the researchers — and I will give them to you for whatever you value them at.” At the Museum, this did not lead to anything because he could not pay the large sum requested. After that, the Kukës teacher was never seen again. Only after the competent authorities were alerted were his traces discovered, by which time the coins were no longer in Albania. Thus began their long journey to the exhibitions of Europe. It later turned out more precisely that the German citizen had taken advantage of the peasants’ poverty. “They were not mine — the teacher later stated when put against the wall — the coins had been found by several villagers in different places.” Another case of theft was recently reported further north as well. Only a few days later Parliament would approve the law on the protection of cultural property. At the Centre for Archaeological Studies, its director Namik Bodinaku expressed his concern to Gazeta Shqiptare. “In recent times we have called for the creation of a specialised body for the protection of cultural heritage. This would be one of the necessary measures to prevent the destruction and theft of this kind. Only a specialised police force with full powers could help this problem in a meaningful way. This has now become a necessity.” From the Archaeological Museum of Tirana, in a postscript: the electronic equipment of the alarm system has begun to function and there have been self-activations. At least this thief will have a much harder time.

Diplomacy US Ambassador in Tirana TIRANA — Joseph Lake, the extraordinary and plenipotentiary ambassador of the USA to Albania, was received by President Berisha and presented his credentials to him. On the Albanian side at this ceremony also took part the deputy foreign minister Arjan Starova. On his side, the American ambassador was accompanied by other diplomats from the Embassy. Lake is the second American ambassador in Albania. He replaces William Ryerson in this post. His appointment to this position was announced earlier this year. It has been reported that for some time Lake has been taking an intensive course in the United States to learn the Albanian language

In Krujë 12 suspected infection cases KAVAJE — Concern and fear in Kavajë. The large number of vehicles that on Monday rushed toward the hospital doors bringing sick people has spread cholera panic in the city. Those admitted are from the surrounding villages — Vil-Bashtovë, Luz, Kryevidh and Ballaj — and all had the same symptoms: vomiting and diarrhoea. Some doctors have been sent urgently to the hospitals in Tirana. Meanwhile, 24-year-old Myrte Xibraku — mother of two children — has died. Although fear prevails among the citizens — under the impact of vibrio, until Monday’s arrival no one could explain precisely the reason for this rush to the hospital. The doctor on duty told Gazeta Shqiptare that there were suspicions of cholera. However, in view of the reports coming from the village of Ballaj — the source from which the admitted patients seem to have come — the fear of cholera appears to be giving way to another suspicion: intoxication. All of them had attended a funeral feast in this village on Saturday, where they had eaten lunch together. And the idea that the meat consumed may have been sick — or preserved without much care — has spread, and another hypothesis widely discussed among doctors. In its favour is also the fact that their symptoms were limited only to vomiting, while diarrhoea — another sign of cholera — was absent. So the balance of hypotheses leans more toward the possibility of poisoning from meat. There is even another suspicion. The intoxication may have come — again through the meat — but from the copper vessel in which it was cooked. But while in Kavajë cholera remains only a fear, in Krujë it continues to send more people to hospital beds. 12 villagers from Mazhe and Sukth have been added to the list of people affected by vibrio. The situation in the hospital looks alarming. Although the first sick patients have begun to leave, others arrive every day with cholera symptoms. (Q. Ca.) (M. Ar.)

Meksi in Durrës for the referendum Ex marzi in one and Prime Minister Meksi, at the meeting organised by the Municipality of Durrës with the city’s residents to discuss the 23 November referendum on the Constitution, Meksi recalled that the referendum should be seen as a democratic process in which the people are the ones who have the final word. The miners conclude the contract with the Government A new agreement has been signed these days between the miners and the Government. The Federation of the Miners’ Unions and the General Confederation of the Free Trade Unions of Albania have signed the collective labour agreement with the Ministry of Mineral and Energy Resources. Burrel, a gang of [?]thieves uncovered A group of thieves was uncovered by the Police and detained in Burrel. The three members of the gang, aged between 20 and 26, had carried out several robberies in this city. A substantial amount was also found in their possession. Hand games: latest results Dinamo leads the group, while the new champions create a surprise, in the women’s matches 17: 26: 16 D"[...] [?] 18. Vllaznia — Partizani 19. Tirana — Studenti 20. Elbasani — Skënderbeu 21. Minatori — Dinamo 22. 17 Nëntori — Besa 23. Partizani — Vllaznia 24. Tirana — Dinamo

Sarandë, a police sweep SARANDE — They are two new “victims” of the plant “Cannabis Sativa”. This time, however, it is not a matter of casual users of the herb, nor even of Albanian farmers, but precisely of two traffickers — now arrested by the law-enforcement authorities of Saranda — as they tried to cross the drug by sea with the purchased load from the domestic market. A trade denounced for a long time and now very much present. It was perhaps the arrest of Hekuran Shuaipi — involved in this episode and considered a crime — that led the police to the trail of the two traffickers. Together with the two of them, and toward the Greek border, Pleuta Kola from the village of Xarrë had also set off, while in their “bag” were found 6 kilograms of “Cannabis Sativa”, a plant intended for the production of marijuana. The arrest of the two traffickers thus adds to the alarm over the spread of this phenomenon, especially since the price of narcotic substances on the foreign market shows that in Albania it has a much lower price. (P. re.)

Tragedy in Elbasan ELBASAN — It was a tragic plunge into a ravine by a mini-tractor. The result: two dead villagers. It happened in a village in Elbasan — Belsh — on Saturday afternoon. The two victims were very young: 33-year-old Reshit Mehalla and 24-year-old Hekuran Kalemi. They had set off to return after a tiring day’s work. The details of the serious incident are still unknown. So far no one has seen the scene of the event. Some fellow villagers who had taken the return road saw the mini-tractor lying in the rocks and beside it two lifeless, motionless bodies. Both villagers were taken immediately to hospital, but medical help was useless. No one was able to bring the two villagers back to life. According to the doctors at Elbasan hospital who assisted them on that day in the attempt to save them, one of them had arrived at the hospital already dead, while the other villager died after two hours. (Me. J.)

CURSIVE REALITY TIRANE — Their daily work began at night. After finishing vehicle service in their enterprise, they also repaired and washed the mail bags. They did not leave work. No, they kept going, even at greater intensity. Quickly and in silence they started another activity. For years they used the property to free up various kinds of packaging: acoustic tiles, sheets of glass, bed sheets, etc. In the neighbourhood the employees did not start with the company truck, pau[?] ... more seriously than sometimes they had used — besides machinery and empty space — also its paper. But the boring adventure of the three printing-house employees did not last long and ended with a pleasant clash. It was the specialists from the control office of the Postal Directorate who denounced the typographers’ “exhausting work” outside working hours and decided that they should no longer work. In many words, they dismissed them. (Ar. Me.)

Macedonia, the opposition demands cancellation In Greece everyone comes out a winner ON PAGE 2 The report of the Albanian Helsinki Committee “The minority enjoys rights” ON PAGE 3

The Soros Foundation has also launched a special programme for young people, which aims to develop the initiative of young men and women up to the age of 25. This programme aims to encourage and develop the intellectual abilities of young people for an open society through the encouragement of independent and open thinking among its youth. In particular, the Youth Programme aims to encourage the participation of young women, tolerance toward vulnerable groups, to undertake various projects, and to support different cultural activities. The funds distributed by the Aid Programme are based on several initiatives from youth groups, even independent ones, apart from those of other organisations. Above all, the Aid Programme is focused on supporting new and diverse projects. Various activities that can be supported • Discussion clubs • Language classes or lessons • Artistic group • Sports club • Business associations and their activities • Local radio • Humanitarian activity • Educational activities • Artistic activities, etc. The allocated funds can be used for • Books • Equipment • Transportation expenses within the country • Subscriptions to foreign magazines How to apply For each project that interests you, you must fill in an application at the address of the Youth Committee at the Foundation’s office. These applications can be collected from the Foundation Secretariat. A Youth Advisory Board has set the budget to review all submitted proposals. The Youth Board consists of eight members. For information: We are in the process of interviews for support from a foundation supported by Soros. For information, write to the Soros Foundation with the contact persons. Rruga "Myslym Shyri" 34/6 Tirana. Tel. 42 12 31. They can discuss with young people and provide more additional information and the application. SOROS FOUNDATION