The visit is part of a program to influence refugees who might volunteer to transfer to Albania from the camps in the FYR of Macedonia. This is part of the overall contingency planning for the return of refugees to Kosovo. Most of these NGOs plan to return to Kosovo as soon as possible and have begun individual organizational preparations. At Neprosteno camp, a serious problem concerning the drinking water supply was reported. Test results indicated a high nitrate content in the well supplying water to the camp.
Water now has to be supplied by tankers.
Other wells are being tested and, depending on results, the piped water supply will be restored by next week. The German aid agency THW turned over to the Macedonian government on Wednesday water and sanitation trucks. Two buses transported 90 people selected from families staying at a factory which accommodates 400 persons. A total of 1,874 refugees in the FYR of Macedonia left on Wednesday for third countries under the humanitarian evacuation program. They went to Austria, Canada, France, Germany, Norway, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States.