- Title: ALBANIA: ALBANIANS RUSH TO SELL BLOOD
- Date: 30th January 1997
- Summary: TIRANA, ALBANIA (JANUARY 30, 1997) (RTV - ACCESS ALL) 1. SV NURSE PUTTING ON GLOVES 0.12 2. CU DONOR ABOUT TO GIVE BLOOD 0.15 3. LV/SV/CU DONORS GIVING BLOOD (8 SHOTS) 0.58 4. SCU ALBAN NURCE, 23, SAYING "WE ARE POOR. I HAVE NO WORK. I HAVE 2 CHILDREN AND NO MONEY FOR BREAD" (ALBANIAN) 1.09 5. SLV MAN GIVING BLOOD 1.11 6. CU NEXHMIE MYFTERI, 38, SAYING "I GIVE BLOOD FOR ECONOMIC REASONS. WE HAVE THREE PEOPLE IN THE FAMILY AND THIS IS OUR ONLY INCOME" (ALBANIAN) 1.26 7. SV/CU BLOOD IN BAGS (2 SHOTS) 1.37 8. SV PEOPLE HOLDING UP THEIR MONEY / COUNTING THEIR MONEY 1.58 9. LV EXTERIOR BUILDING WHERE BLOOD BEING GIVEN / MAN COMING OUT THROWING HIS MONEY IN THE AIR 2.02 Initials S3, p3 Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
- Embargoed: 14th February 1997 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: TIRANA, ALBANIA
- City:
- Country: Albania
- Reuters ID: LVA7ASAAQDLMH993UOKFWMBYLN4D
- Story Text: INTRO: Poverty stricken Albanians are queueing up at Albania's main hospital to sell their blood for money after many investors lost their life savings in a pyramid saving scheme.
The rush for Albanians to sell blood on Thursday (January 30), comes fast on the heels of protests that have gripped the Balkan state for the past three weeks after a get-rich-quick pyramid saving scheme crumbled.
Albanian President Sali Berisha said on Wednesday that some of the money frozen in failed savings accounts would be returned to the thousands of investors eventually, but he could not guarantee that they would get all their money back.
Thousands of people, facing total ruin have been protesting in one of Europe's poorest states. Ironically, some of those waiting outside the hospitals are the same people who sold their blood in order to buy into the scheme in the first place.
The Albanian Blood Donating Committee said numbers of blood donors have risen considerably with up to 40 donors turning up each day, seeking to earn money.
Donors get up to 250 Leks (about 24 U.S. dollars) for half a litre (1 pint) of blood.
Trade union leaders pledged to carry on peacful street protests until a comprehensive solution had been found to the investment fund scandal, which is believed to affect almost every Albanian.
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