Infected cows, EU to decide Thursday After the disease in Korçë, aid from Brussels. But neighboring countries have begun a blockade Will Europe close its borders to Albanian meat and other livestock products? So far, everything has remained at the proposal stage, and only on Thursday will European experts in Brussels make their decision on the disease that affected cows in early May in the Korçë area. Not only safety measures, but also aid for Albania. Numerous vaccines will arrive from Brussels to make it possible to prevent any further spread of the infection. Meanwhile, it has been established that the disease did not originate in Albania, but came from abroad, perhaps through imports of various livestock products. Foot-and-mouth disease, which appeared mainly in the Korçë area, had affected dozens of cows. Fever, blisters on the lips and mouth had been the warning signs. Swift preventive measures were taken: sick animals were culled, while the Korçë market was closed. Experts from the European Union also arrived in Albania and spent several days assessing the situation and determining the level of risk. Meanwhile, on the ground, a group of our neighbors set up barriers to food products leaving Albania. First Montenegro, then Macedonia, and later Greece and Italy. On page 3

Unlucky Turkey EURO ’96 Special A hard-fought victory for Italy. Sacchi: “In the second half we were perfect.” Croatia escaped by a miracle. Goran Vlaoviç, the hero of the penalty shootout. Tears in the Turks’ eyes after the match. Even the seasoned referees, whom the newspapers had tipped before the match, did not give them the credit they deserved for handling such a tournament. Betting in England, and in Albania too. Crazy amounts, but their motto is more interesting: “Life doesn’t go on without betting.” On page 6

They were trying to extract the explosive to fish TRAGEDY Two brothers lose their lives in a tragic manner. An Italian wartime shell, left on the seabed since the Second World War, explodes and kills them both. The Çela brothers tried to dismantle the shell to extract its explosive, which they would then use for fishing. One fatal mistake and the “awakening” of the monster caused the tragedy. One of the brothers died instantly, mangled by the sudden explosion, while the other died on Monday evening in Vlora hospital. The tragedy could have been even larger in scale: the shell made a fatal flight just above the surface of the water and passed within a few centimeters of a ferry moored in the port. An explosives specialist says that, in such a case, the consequences would have been unpredictable. The police in the coastal city have recorded dozens of cases of dynamite fishing, not only in the waters of the Ionian Sea, but also in the inland waters of the Vlora district. There have been cases in which fishermen have lost their lives or been horribly maimed by dynamite. On page 5

“We’re Interpol”! They rob a woman of USD 100,000 International con artists. Two people posing as Interpol officers entered the home of a 50-year-old woman and stole 100,000 dollars, which she had saved from money sent by her two sons working as emigrants. “We have information that your children are involved in drugs,” the fake policemen had said. After a meticulous search of the house, they found the huge sum of money. Under the guise of official authority, they took her money. A young local man from Tirana helped them, but the investigation has brought nothing to light. The police have not yet tracked down their fake colleagues. This case should set a record for scams involving police uniforms, after those involving tax and forestry officials… On page 5

Appeal by the EU Presidency The position of the Presidency of the European Union on the elections in Albania has changed little, if at all. A statement issued yesterday shows that the European leadership has once again called on the Albanian parties to sit down at the negotiating table. “We call on them to exercise restraint and engage in meaningful dialogue, so that they can contribute constructively to resolving the electoral process,” says the official position of the EU Presidency. It also expressed satisfaction with the police’s condemnation of the violence in the square. On page 3

TIRANE - The heat has begun to strike, and to strike seriously. People are rushing to dermatologists over spots that have suddenly appeared after an “innocent” trip to the beach; burned, peeling feet; blisters bothering most people; and… finally, a victim of a tragic mishap in the cool waters of Ereni. The high temperatures, almost unusual for this beginning of summer, have sent an unprecedented surge of people rushing to the country’s beaches. Private cars, vans that provide their drivers with their daily bread, and other vehicles available at short notice—anything that could get people away from the cities was useful during these days of the heat’s reign. “Be careful,” well-known doctors have warned. “Cooling off at the beach does not mean lying all day in the scorching sun. It is best to make use of the sun in the early morning hours; after that, exposure during a day like this can cause many consequences.” In fact, the number of people rushing to pharmacies to ask for ointment for burns has risen in step with the number of beachgoers. And truly tragic news has also arrived. An 11-year-old has lost his life while playing in the hot waters of Ereni, as he did at the beach every day. The police are now searching for his lifeless body.

FIER On page 3

BERAT On page 5

VLORE On page 5

The European Union lifts the embargo on British meat. FROM THE WORLD On page 2

Friendship association founded under the flag of Ayatollah Khomeini SHKODER “Selman Ruzhdie is cursed in Albania too.” Fortunately, this is not the decision of any state body, but merely the emphatic statement of one of the organizers of a new association bearing the name of the leader of the Iranian Islamic Revolution, “Ajatullah Khomeini”. The new association was founded during these “heated” election days in the northern city of Shkodër. Although its purpose is entirely charitable, at least according to its founders, it has not refrained from “attacking the enemy of Allah” in a piece written about the well-known Iranian living in Great Britain. According to the founding group, the association—which bears the name of the famous founder of the Islamic Revolution, who died a few years ago—has just one aim: “charitable works”. This was also confirmed to Gazeta Shqiptare by the association’s organizer, Gëzim Jakupi. According to the same source, in its early stages the association is trying to fulfill its objective: to help the country’s orphans and poor people, so that the latter can feel equal to all other citizens. At the end of an initial meeting, the newly founded association said it intends to establish dedicated structures to help achieve its objectives. Its statement concerning one of the most controversial figures in contemporary Iranian culture seems more daring. “Selman Ruzhdie has no place in our country; he will surely cause problems, etc., if he speaks among our people,” representatives of the Albanian-Iranian association in Shkodër told us. Ermal Mlika

On page 3

How the work hemisphere is “shrinking” Official statistics have published figures for the two hemispheres of the world of work: employment and unemployment in the state and private sectors. The figures show that over a three-month period the number of unemployed people fell by 6,000. The number of people in employment also declined, by a smaller amount—around 1,000. On page 7

Vlora