Detained at the port along with an Albanian woman TIRANA—A French director trafficking in icons and works of art? Apparently, this was the suspicion of the port police in Durrës, who yesterday imposed a detention order on Cizja Zhan Zhak Zhyke, 46, and his Albanian companion Juliana Blata, 28. Both were detained at the port as they were attempting to leave Albanian territory, with four icons and two stone sculptures in their luggage. Official sources—the news was also broadcast by state television—stated: “The works of art had been stolen.” Details of the operation that led to the detention of the two have not yet been announced. Official channels have only stressed that both “were trying to take the stolen items out of the country” and that special forces are now searching for the place from which the valuable icons disappeared. The latter may be a difficult task, since there are many Albanian museums where icons are “missing from the roll call.” The Durrës Police Commissariat ordered the detention of both. Zhyke is in fact a French director of Albanian origin, known in the capital’s intellectual and cinematographic circles. He, according to what has been learned, has completed a film in collaboration with Albanian Television. In Tirana, all his friends know him by the name given to him by his Albanian parents, Sizi Zykja. The Albanian-Frenchman has in fact been visiting the Albanian capital for a long time. Filming for his latest movie took place over several months on the southern coast, in Dhërmi. It remains to be clarified whether the director and his companion really were art traffickers. Only the conclusion of the investigation, which has just begun, can establish this. p.re. The port of Durrës

Still questions TIRANA—Questions surround the story of Albanian gold deposited in London. The announcement by official channels, although it made clear that the way is now open for its return, has once again left several questions unanswered: will the Albanian government return the assets confiscated from American citizens by the former communist government? This was the concern raised some time ago. Or has this amount been deducted from the sum that now belongs to Albania? And will the Albanian state pay the compensation awarded by the Hague Court, or has this amount too been deducted from what will arrive in Albania? Something else. In what form will it arrive in Albania—as it currently is, in ingots, bars and gold coins, or converted into money? Has bank interest been calculated for this quantity of gold? Has the dollar’s depreciation been taken into account? And finally, another question: why did the official news channels not explain these matters in detail? Just a “bare-bones” announcement of the news?

Photo H. Pustina

TIRANA—The blue-and-white “ultras” fans’ chants fall silent. For the first time in their lives, they leave the stadium, even though “Tirana” led “Flamurtari” of Vlora 2–1 at halftime. The removal of three or four fans from the stadium—ordered by the security forces—was what caused the abandonment of the entire section of the “Selman Stërmasi” stadium. Before the first half had ended, most of the blue-and-white “ultras” had left the stands in protest, calling on the “Tirana” management to protect them from the security forces, who, they claimed, “used violence against them without cause.” According to employees of the security agencies, the incident—very rare in Albanian stadiums—began when fans in the southern stand started publicly insulting the opposing club. “We can’t come to the stadium to be beaten and mistreated,” members of the “Tirana” Fans’ Association told the Albanian Gazette yesterday evening. Meanwhile, officials from Tirana Police Commissariat 2 said that “the individuals concerned were taken to the Commissariat, where they remained until late in the evening,” and that, apart from a disturbance, no material damage had been observed. Apart from the symbolic fine, against them was imposed a team of...

SHKODËR—“I have forgiven you, my son, although you wanted to kill me.” Only two years later, a priest forgives his attacker. Dom Gigi Guglielmi was wounded in Shkodër two years ago by Francesk Gjergji. Now the latter is serving several years of a lengthy sentence. The priest’s forgiveness, which he has also set down in an official document, may reduce Gjergji’s long sentence by three years. The story has made headlines in the Italian press—it has been covered by the best-known newspapers—but the meeting, held in an Albanian prison, passed almost unnoticed here. The meeting between the two, the assailant and his victim, took place in recent days at the prison where Gjergji is serving his sentence. “If I had not been sentenced, I would not have been in control of myself,” Francesku said immediately after the two embraced, in the prison setting, and then added: “I’m sorry; it would have been better if it had happened to my parents. Even if they give me 100 years in prison, I fully deserve them.” The charges against him were serious: illegal possession of a firearm and attempted murder. The offence was considered to have mitigating circumstances at the conclusion of his personal mission. “I felt as if I had lifted a burden. I had wanted to forgive him for a long time. I only wanted to make it clear that I held no grudge against the young man or his parents, and that my love for him should not be interpreted differently,” he said. Dom Gigi later went to Francesku’s parents’ home, where they welcomed him according to Albanian custom, inviting him to lunch. There was no hostility between the two sides, only warm embraces, as if they had known each other for a long time. When he was wounded two years ago in Shkodër, Dom Xhishtë was engaged in a humanitarian mission intended to help children with intellectual disabilities. From the first moments after his recovery, he had expressed a wish to meet Francesku, but the strict rules at the time had made a reconciliation meeting impossible. Now it has finally become possible, and Dom Gigi, who still has in his spine the bullet that nearly took his life, has set out to remove the burden of resentment from his heart and from the heart of the young man who wounded him. p.re.

For Tuesday’s visit TIRANA—A positive atmosphere ahead of the visit by Greek Foreign Minister Papulias. The Albanian government has said that it welcomes the visit by the head of Greek diplomacy, who will visit the Albanian capital on 13 March 1995.

TIRANA—Berisha’s days at the Copenhagen summit on social development have been busy. The Albanian president took the opportunity to meet a number of representatives and

After three months of investigations A soldier had shot him accidentally TIRANA - The mystery surrounding the killing of the young shepherd from Yzberisht, Tirana, has been solved. This time, however, the investigators attribute the breakthrough to ballistics experts, who—after three months of study—were able to discover that the 9-year-old shepherd had not killed himself with dynamite, but had been struck by a soldier’s bullet. Now

TIRANA - The «race» for second place is widening. With «Tirana» having almost secured the title, the struggle is now heating up among the rest of the teams, from the top to the bottom. In any case, the following standings were produced by the results of Week XX: «Albetrol»-«Partizani» 4-3, «Apolonia»-«Besa» 2-0, «Dinamo»-«Laci» 3-0, «Iliria»-«Elbasani» 1-0, «Shkumbini»-«Vllaznia» 1-0, «Shqiponja»-«Besëlidhja» 2-0, «Tirana»-«Flamurtari» 0, «Tomori»-«Teuta» 1-0.

TIRANA - A positive atmosphere prevails ahead of the visit to Tirana by Greek Foreign Minister Papulias. TIRANA - A positive atmosphere prevails ahead of the visit to Tirana that it welcomes the visit of capital from March 13 to 15. “We have always supported open political dialogue with Greece,” Albanian Foreign Minister Serreqi told the official news agency, “because this is the only way to overcome disagreements and unresolved issues between our two countries.” At the same time, the head of Albanian diplomacy said that domestic political developments in both countries should not affect the progress of interstate relations. Commenting on the visit by his Greek counterpart, Serreqi described it as very positive for the contribution it makes to current developments concerning peace, security and stability in the troubled Balkans.

TIRANA - Berisha has had busy days at the Copenhagen summit on social development. of important figures on the international scene. Reports from Copenhagen mention Swedish Prime Minister Karlsson, Japanese Prime Minister Murajana, Greek Prime Minister Vaclav Klaus, the Emir of Kuwait Al-Jaber Al Sabah, and German Chancellor Kohl. Albania’s economic development and support from developed countries, as well as the worrying situation in the Balkan region, were the issues most discussed between Berisha and his foreign counterparts.

A soldier had shot him accidentally TIRANA - The mystery surrounding the killing of the young shepherd from Zbyrështi, Tirana, has been solved. TIRANA - Zbyrështi, Tirana, has been solved. This time, investigators had been informed that it was ballistics experts who, after three months of study, managed with dynamite, but had been struck by a soldier’s bullets. Now that the accidental perpetrator of this crime has also admitted everything, the story of January 10, ’94 has been fully reconstructed. In an attempt to frighten the young shepherd—who was with his sheep near the guard post of the military unit—a deadly bullet had been fired from the soldier’s loaded weapon. As the perpetrator himself told investigators, fearing that he would be found out, he had urinated on the gun barrel, hoping to get rid of the smell of gunpowder. But he did not know that, of all the weapons at the guard post, only his would be implicated. Once everything had been clarified, the prosecutor of Police Station 4, Arison Puka, handed the case over to the military investigative authority, which is now charging the soldier with “manslaughter through negligence.” (Ed.La.)

Kosovo: the Rector has died PRISHTINË - The Rector of the University of Kosovo, Professor Gazmend Zajmi, has died in Prishtinë. The sad news has shaken intellectual and scientific circles in Kosovo and the Republic of Albania. Telegrams of condolence have been sent from Tirana to Prishtinë by the country’s highest authorities, as well as by his friends and colleagues. The President of the Academy of Sciences, Professor Shaban Demiraj, has expressed public condolences on behalf of the Academy. Zajmi was a distinguished scholar in his scientific field, as well as a tireless worker in the leadership of one of Kosovo’s important medical institutions.

“No” to bus owners from the villages KORÇË - Interurban bus routes in the city of Korçë are being regulated. - Interurban bus routes in the city of Korçë are being regulated. A joint commission of the City Municipality and the Ministry of Transport has selected the owners of vehicles operating on these routes. A recent decision by the ministry calls for the creation of interurban routes between city municipalities and also prohibits vehicle owners from villages from operating on these routes, since the latter have received land in ownership or for use. Of the 45 buses currently in Korçë, only 15 to 20 are to remain, along with 13 interurban routes. el.ko.

SARANDË - A doctor from Sarandë often gives away his medicines free of charge, and after more than 30 patients have “followed” his healing prescription, Dhimitra Dhamekekon is now offering health to all those who cannot meet him. The disease of jaundice—hepatitis—has been described as something that Dr. Dhame can treat with his remedy “within 10–15 days,” bringing the clinical-biochemical indicators back to normal and leading to complete recovery. The curious remedy is [a very clean ...] surrounded by lemon juice, the “miracle” of the doctor from Sarandë, and it should be drunk every morning on an empty stomach, an hour before food. According to Dhame, this treatment is given for only two days, while for those suffering from active chronic hepatitis, “transaminases and bilirubin can be kept under control by using this folk and dietary treatment.” The doctor from Sarandë often gives away his healing remedy, also explaining the free treatment: for children, the remedy should consist of 20 milligrams of [nisaherde?] and two teaspoons of lemon juice, while for adults, ten times as much. (e.l)

After the flooding TIRANË - “I want to help Italy.” This is the special wish of a 50-year-old man from Tirana, who would help the country recover if he had the opportunity to help the residents of northern Italy, who were struck by floods some time ago. Deeply moved by the Italians’ experience of the floods, the Albanian man, who has lived for four years with his Albanian son—the latter having left on the ships under the ’91 agreement—Gjergj Papakristo now wants to repay them. “I am ready to set aside my summer holidays, almost two months,” he writes, “to work in construction in the damaged areas.” (e.d)

Zinë Prishtinë / Kosovo: Today Gazeta TV GAZETA TV Zinë Prishtinë Kosovo: Korçë «No» owners

AZETA TV CHANNEL The return of the curious Mo

Durrës, “city of newspapers” In Durrës, 80–90 percent of the print run of the newspapers arriving here is sold. The people of Durrës evidently have a city that prefers the press. In fact, this is also the result of the work of this city’s Press Distribution Agency—which is run by Agim Memko—and whose activity has been growing. Durrës now has seven sales outlets, compared with three last year, and nearly 14 street vendors who manage to sell papers in Plazh, Shkozet, Sukth, and Shijak as well. Pogradec, a Miss contest The custom of choosing the most beautiful woman in the city has also begun in Pogradec. The show, which the organizers have titled “Mermaids of the Lake,” began here on Thursday. Twelve girls have now begun to feel the excitement of the beauty contest. Singers Aleksandër Gjoka and Redon Makashi were also guests at the concert. Fier, “they don’t repay the loan, homes up for auction” “They have not paid the loan; their homes will be put up for auction.” This is the statement received from the Fier Court and Prosecutor’s Office regarding a phenomenon that has become increasingly prevalent lately: the failure to repay loans. Fier officially counts 23 such cases; some of the borrowers were also managers of private companies, now bankrupt.

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