- The government “washes its hands” by instructing the people to wash theirs - REFLECTION IN THE DAYS OF CHOLERA

KORÇË Time waits for no one The alarm raised by the Albanian press and mass media about the spread of choleraic diarrhoea in the areas of Kukovë and Berat has caused concern among residents here in Korçë as well. For the very reason that here, too, everything is

SHKODËR - MALËSI E MADHE Pollution from rubbish is present. Drinking water is also at risk In fact, every morning it is the focus of attention, and the roads that intersect at this square are watered. Likewise, there is no reason why they should not act, at least now, urgently. The water condition is also alarming—

Gjirokastër Will cholera come down here? Although the latest epidemic is such that it is invoked for dramatic effect by Shkupi itself, in the great tragedies of the Middle Ages; our health institutions and state information [are] behaving as though we were on the eve of a cholera festival. The government, long exposed as incapable even of removing the rubbish that accumulates by itself, along with that produced by the citizens; instead of getting the country on its feet in time, did nothing, when the cases are already sufficiently evident and deaths caused by the disease have saddened entire families and neighborhoods. After the TV reports about the red and black tents [?] that have been here for a few days, in Gjirokastër families in various places have raised the issue; sheep and chickens [?]: from the tents the cousin arrived [?]: the police have concluded [?]; they have signaled them and said that an order had been given for them to be kept under house arrest every night. At the Gjirokastër hospital; when they do not have water to wash their hands, the doctors treating patients say that for several days now a disease from Berat has occasionally appeared, with symptoms of the illness, and that they are dealing with it under its very name. The ministry, which is itself sick, is waiting for the source of infection to turn out to have been imported; like so many other things at this time, but the sight is full, the mind for this people by the municipal dictatorship that has covered the country with rubbish and everything else: we take it at a lower price [?]; now that the evil has arrived, doctors and nurses say that there are cases and outbreaks, but there are none [?]. The movement of people and vehicles must be controlled; that is the government’s duty, but even this difficult task has been left undone! Only the people and families have this in their hands. The well-known culture and tradition can isolate the evil: drink plenty of boiled water; wash hands often; prepare other foods yourselves; limit consumption of foods bought at the market; heed the signs as soon as they appear and go to the doctor, and so on, in this cholera in the age of democracy; if one were to make a sickening comparison with Machiavelli’s work, not to mention the other work by Camilli... THANAS DINO

Yesterday the newspaper RD reprinted an article published on Sunday in the newspaper Republika, which briefly claimed that the newspaper “Zëri i Popullit” had received assistance from the fund allocated to the Albanian press by the European Union as part of the Intereg program. We would like our colleagues at “Republika” and “RD” to be right in their revelations. Indeed, we would thank our colleagues if this reached the right ears, since perhaps in Brussels, too, they use the popular saying, “If it isn’t true, it’s made up.”

One of the largest newspapers in the country [?], “Tribune de Geneve,” donates aid to “Zëri i Popullit.” Yesterday, three IBM computers, six typewriters and other office equipment arrived at the editorial office. The editorial staff of “Zëri i Popullit” warmly thanks the editorial staff and colleagues of the Swiss newspaper “Tribune de Geneve” and expresses its conviction that good relations will be further strengthened in the future. The Editorial Staff

Bulqizë One quarter of residents without shelter More than a quarter of the town of Bulqizë—850 of the 3,000 families in this mining town—are seeking housing. Twenty apartments nearing completion and 40 more under construction are the only “mitigating measure” for providing housing to Bulqizë’s residents, who have come from the mountainous areas of Dibër. The lack of housing, combined with the lack of work and the impossibility of returning to their “ancestral places” because of the lack of land and other sources of livelihood, has effectively left these residents at a dead end, with no hope for tomorrow. In Bulqizë, because of the difficult living conditions, around 150 families have put their homes up for “auction” at the lowest prices in the country. Based on a simple economic calculation, they have asked the municipality to buy their houses and sell them to homeless residents at set prices. The municipality’s request for funds, submitted months ago and repeated several times, has fallen on deaf ears—a deafness that, it seems, will continue. Bulqizë is currently facing a harsh winter, characterized by devastating unemployment, a drastic interruption of sources of work, housing and heating problems, and acute water problems.

The alarm raised by the Albanian press and mass media about the spread of cholera-related diarrhea in the areas of Kukovë and Berat has caused concern and panic here in Korçë as well. [The upper part of the headline is cut off in the image.] about the spread of cholera-related diarrhea and panic here in Korçë as well. This is because the situation here too could become dangerous, not only due to the possibility of crowds of people from across the city gathering in the center, but also because of the deplorable state of the city’s water network and the filth that comes from [unclear]. Throughout this summer, there have been shortages in many parts of the city, as well as in nearby areas such as Ligenas, Pojan and Brestacas, of drinking water. Hydrotechnical specialists say that water shortages lasting for days in various areas are alarming and dangerous, with serious consequences: they cause a vacuum in the pipes and create the possibility of microbes from wastewater penetrating the network through its many cracks; in 10 cases, the relevant pipes have been contaminated. Cases of drinking-water contamination have been identified, and residents served by the pipes have complained to the relevant enterprise. But everything falls on deaf ears. Two years ago, the water-supply enterprise was split into two, one for the city and one for the villages. Instead of this division proving effective, its effectiveness has declined, and drinking water has become a gangrene; everything seems without prospects. But time waits for no one, and no one can gamble with people’s health. At any moment, here in Korçë too, outbreaks of these dangerous diseases could erupt. Greek television reported today that although cases of cholera infection have been identified in Greece, the government has sounded the alarm and taken strict measures to quarantine people and [unclear]. But here, everything bad is spreading: there is a lack of taps, which would make it possible to prevent this infection. M. MEKO

In fact, every morning before people are even up, the city center and the streets that intersect at this square are doused with water. the image.] before people are even up, the city center and the streets that intersect at this square are doused with water. This gives the impression that cleanliness in Shkodër has returned to its old tradition. But no: in almost the entire city there is not a single bin or curbside container for throwing away rubbish! At some locations, this rubbish often begins to decompose because it has been left there for a long time in high temperatures. It is clear how present environmental pollution is in the places where citizens live. The cleaning enterprise says that it knows about the situation, but that this is all it can do because, as it sees it, there is a shortage of the essential vehicles needed to transport the rubbish within a few hours. Shortages in the supply of drinking water have often forced citizens to turn to wells. But these wells have not been disinfected for years, so there is a possibility that their water is contaminated. The Hygiene Directorate has no reason not to act, at least now, with urgency. The water-supply system of Rrjoll in Malësi e Madhe is also in an alarming state. This water-supply system, built 20 years ago, has in recent years been badly damaged by residents of many villages. In dozens of places they have cut the pipes to irrigate their land. Various people have also broken open the junction chambers, with the result that water from this supply system now flows wherever it pleases, for anyone to divert freely. This situation has become quite clear, but villages that had not been short of this water for years have only now realized that it had been supplying water somewhere else, while they themselves had no water. But the question is that, since this water-supply system is not monitored, its water could become a source of catastrophe for the lives of thousands of people. What are those responsible for looking after this water-supply system waiting for? Are they waiting for something undesirable to happen before taking action? MUSA KURTULAJ

Vlorë A dire situation in the village The water reserves of the city of Vlorë are a cause for concern. Some of the water is extremely old. The water-supply pipes are cracked in hundreds of places. Meanwhile, thousands of people have made unbroken connections to the pipes, to supply dozens of homes and kiosks built without permits. It is clear that the current network is in no condition to cope with normal supply to the buildings, and a considerable amount of water is even discharged into the sea. Nevertheless, the water-supply enterprise is trying to keep the population supplied. But the situation varies. While the lower neighborhoods of the city get water at least three times a day, the higher ones, such as the hill of Shtigjeve, go without water for longer stretches. Nevertheless, the water-supply network... (Continued on page 2)

- Do you know who the person is, a former [unclear] in an eastern district of the country, who a few days ago, with admirable preparation and exceptional skill, passed the latest correspondence-course examination at the Faculty of Law with flying colors? - Do you know how many members of parliament are taking correspondence courses at various faculties, and at what point in their studies their respective drivers also sit examinations? - Have you heard of anyone receiving a prize equivalent to winning an admissions competition for higher education institutions?

Peshkopi Two more television channels for the city A notice posted at several locations around the city of Peshkopi, signed by the municipality, invites citizens to contribute toward installing two new satellite channels, which will make it possible to connect to two television stations: one Turkish and one German. At present, the city of Peshkopi receives television signals from Tirana and Shkup, as well as from two television channels, RAI-1 and RAI-2. With the installation of the new channels, the number of stations from which the people of Peshkopi can choose will reach five. A sum of 100 lek has been set for each household to purchase and install the equipment, an amount that will be paid in... (Continued on page 2)

- In Përrenjas, the 50th anniversary of the high school in Reç; the 50th anniversary of the high school in Përrenjas. - A creation fallen in Picar of Tirana; made last year with stones where Latin. They have... [partly illegible] - Comes out... [partly illegible] BRIEFLY... - One lek will be charged by the excursion fares [unclear]. - According to a well-informed source, “Saves” is asking Barri Qeleshit to resign because of a... [partly illegible] from a political standpoint. - After a month on strike, the person arrested during the hunger strike in Shkodër, Mr. Pangal, has been released. BRIEFLY... - The cities of Berat and Berat have been connected to the national and international automatic telecommunications system. - The [unclear] goes to Elbasan to commemorate the 85th anniversary of the National Congress of Elbasan, which was of pan-Albanian importance for the spread of Albanian-language schools. - Regimes and discontent at Uni... BRIEFLY... - Strikes have continued for 10 days at the Italian-Albanian joint shoe factory in Tirana. - The director of the Economic Center for Education in Shkodër has confirmed the difficult situation facing schoolteachers in the villages and the city. The student facilities of L. Gurakuqi University are ... [partly illegible] BRIEFLY... - Blood feuds have struck Shkodër again. The victims are brothers Vebi and Bari Sadiku from the village of Shirq in this district. - At the scientific library of the University of Tirana, with a collection of 700,000 books and 9 branches in various faculties, with the support of the “SOROS” foundation, ... [partly illegible] - Its Faculties of Language and Literature and of History and Geography will continue their studies in the building of the former dormitory of the Industrial Secondary School, about 3 km from the university. - An agreement on cooperation for the development of methodology and research has been signed between the Institute of Statistics of Albania and that of Italy.