The Governing Council votes unanimously; Socialist representatives also vote in favor Albanian Radio and Television changed only the top of its hierarchy yesterday. Bardhyl Pollo, until yesterday only Director of Domestic Radio, has climbed to the highest rung in the hierarchy of the only electronic media outlet in Albania. S. Balla on page 3 The Radio and Television building. Above, the new director Pollo Yesterday, the decision of the senior body under the direction of the chairman of the mass-media commission, Uran Butka

INTERVIEW On page 3

Doctors sound the alarm : The rat poison is killing people TIRANA—Instead of rats, the poison is killing people. Fostoksina, the poison used against rodents and the “light fly,” is increasingly causing numerous deaths and, in particular, has become the most widespread means of suicide: just last week, three women lost their lives because of this product. The alarm comes from Toxicology specialists, who are now calling for this medication to be withdrawn from circulation or for its sale and use to be controlled. On page 5

REPORTAGE More moments of tension near the water-supply dam Bovillë: women’s protest begins They demand the release of the 28 detainees TIRANA — Stones, angry women’s faces, roads still blocked, and police forces still deployed on the dam that will supply water to the capital. Calm has still not returned to Bovillë, despite the police’s forceful intervention. Both sides are waiting for the release of the 28 detainees. “They told us our husbands would be released on Wednesday,” says Hamide Tafa, the village teacher and the person appointed by the mothers and women to represent them in talks with the authorities.

Company complaint: 14 cases of piracy so far TIRANA — Beware of counterfeit Coca-Cola. More and more of it is circulating in Albania: it looks just like the original Coca-Cola produced in Tirana, but it is actually an imitation that puts consumers’ health at risk. The complaint comes from Coca-Cola Sh.p.k. of Tirana itself, which has contacted the Ministry of Agriculture to report this troubling phenomenon. It will soon also turn to the judicial authorities. “We are ready to do everything,” Giancarlo Mattazzi, Coca-Cola’s administrator in Albania, confirms to Gazeta Shqiptare. “We want to protect our company’s interests, relying above all on the agreement, and we can help protect the health of Albanian consumers. I do not believe this counterfeit drink meets the sanitary and hygienic requirements laid down by law.” But how can real Coca-Cola be distinguished from the counterfeit product? “You have to be attentive, a little careful,” explain the experts at the plant near Vorë. Some imitations are very poorly made. There are also counterfeits of “Fanta,” the orange drink also produced by Coca-Cola. The most widespread method of imitation is to use the original product’s label, modifying it to... Coca-Cola Albania has identified a total of 14 different types so far, all circulating on the Albanian market. The names are similar: counterfeit Fanta is labeled with names such as “Santa,” “Panta,” or “Fantasy.” “This is commercial fraud,” Giancarlo Mattazzi warns again, “although it is very serious that our label is being copied. But even more serious is the fact that one drink has also copied the number of the bottle [?] (an indication of the product’s quality), while in another case they used our [unclear] all around, which have international registration and are therefore protected from imitations throughout the world.” This is the case of Lis-Cola, identical in every respect to Coca-Cola, even in the label. The only difference is the cap: it says “orangeade and lemonade” in colored lettering. “From the reports that have been made... [unclear] were damaged. The time of the authorized author by us.” These counterfeits, the letter sent to the Ministry states, enter the market and reach consumers, creating problems for food-product inspections and for consumer health. The letter therefore calls for the spread of this phenomenon to be stopped and for all necessary measures to be taken against lawbreakers. p.re Coca-Cola trucks

Tirana Municipality decision against loanwords The Tirana Municipality’s decision against loanwords “Businesses without foreign names,” but owners are opposed TIRANA—Foreign names for businesses? The Municipality of Tirana is against them. But the initiative it announced two months ago is encountering opposition from the owners of the “older” businesses. The “newcomers,” meanwhile, have no chance of “salvation.” The names of businesses that are to be opened will be approved by a special committee, which will “judge” their choices. Following the decision concerning the walls and names of these businesses, the municipal culture section has taken another measure, but one that will be difficult to implement, at least in existing businesses. The mayor seemed to be saying “no” to foreign names too, but the lettering from far away—and perhaps not infrequently unsuitable—on kiosks, businesses and shops remains. The decision in question was approved around two months ago. It requires names to be assigned to shops and kiosks that are already “nameless,” something that has in practice encountered many difficulties, which may make it impossible to implement this measure quickly. From now on, however, anyone wishing to open a shop or business must first consult the special committee set up by this section before deciding on its name. Nevertheless, local officials consider it difficult to put this decision on business names into practice, given the challenge of identifying words that are not recognized as existing in the Albanian language. A little farther from us, in France, this issue caused many problems for French officials when they introduced a similar decision. As part of its initiatives, the Culture section at the Municipality is expected to publish a brochure about the businesses operating in Tirana. The brochure will contain all the material needed to provide better guidance for commercial activity in the capital and will serve, in particular, to improve coordination between the Municipality and the various entities operating in Albania’s central city.

Rains pour into homes and businesses BERAT - Berat has been struck by the fury of the weather. The storm that swept through the city on Monday afternoon flooded everything: torrential rains turned into powerful streams that swept through the streets, carrying away rubbish and soil. Water entered the ground floors of houses and shops, while frequent power cuts accompanied the entire duration of the storm. On page 5 Berati

BERAT - Berat has been struck by the fury of the weather. The storm that swept through the city on Monday afternoon flooded everything: torrential rains turned into powerful streams that swept through the streets, carrying away rubbish and soil. Berati

On page 7

Police: Here is the record of the fight against crime On page 3

Cell phones used as mail will be blocked On page 3