ATA News from Albania (96-06-12)

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From: The Albanian Telegraphic Agency (ATA) Home Page at <http://www.telpress.it/ata>

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

CONTENTS

[01] OVER 30 PER CENT OF OSCE OBSERVERS IN PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS IN ALBANIA WERE INVITED BY SP

[02] BBC ANALYST GABRIEL PARTOSH CONSIDERS THE WITHDRAWAL OF OPPOSITION FROM ELECTIONS AS A SIGN OF DESPAIR FOR THE DEFEAT -according to BBC-

[03] DP HAILS EU STATEMENT AND INVITES OPPOSITION TO NEGOTIATE

[04] SYMPTOMS OF TETOVA POISONED PUPILS THE SAME WITH THOSE OF KOSOVA CHILDREN IN 1990

[05] 150TH BIRTH ANNIVERSARY OF NAIM FRASHERI COMMEMORATED

[06] PRESS REVIEW

[01] OVER 30 PER CENT OF OSCE OBSERVERS IN PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS IN ALBANIA WERE INVITED BY SP

The group of nine observers from Norway and precisely :Mariane Oen, Bjorn Engesland, Age Borchgrevnik, Kare Vollan, Erlend Broli, Anne Marit Vjornflaten, Uf Tore Isaksen, Olyvind Dahl and Trond Jensrud are representatives of the Norwegian working youth in a left political grouping that has nothing in common with the Social-Democratic Party of Norway, Albania says.

On May 10, the group of Norwegian observers was attached to the Central Electoral Commission as observers invited by the Socialist Party, that its, after gaining this status 10 days later and precisely on May 20, the OSCE coordinator, Mark Power, appears before the Central Electoral Commission in Tirana and asks to attach as OSCE observers precisely nine observers from Norway invited from the Socialist Party.

After the approval of the OSCE observer status, the nine observers had a double status, first as observers invited by the SP and secondly as OSCE observers, the paper says also carrying the fax according to which the OSCE coordinator, Mark Power Stevens, attaches the nine Norwegians as OSCE observers, invited by the SP. The paper also carries the fax with the names of the nine observers of the Norwegian left who are invited in Albania by the forum of the euro-socialist youths (of the SP).

The two enigmas of this observer group also emerge based on this dualism, Albania comments. "The easiest variant that can consider innocent the OSCE coordinator, also including the Swiss ambassador to Albania (Switzerland holds the current presidency of the OSCE) is that the coordinator himself might have found it hard to find a minimum number of people to come to Albania as observers. And, to fill this void, he addressed himself to the Socialist Party of Albania to lend him 9 "unbiassed" observers. But there is another variant not so much easy for the OSCE coordinator, perhaps, also for the Swiss ambassador of Switzerland to Albania.

This variant has to do with the motives that have made the OSCE coordinator, Stevens, and the Swiss ambassador to openly violate the OSCE norms. And this variant, which would be a scandal of the OSCE, includes the question whether there other OSCE observers secured in the same way," the paper says.

The Norwegian group of observers invited by the SP has drafted the most negative and extreme reports on the May 26 elections.

"The OSCE observers, the Marxist Norwegians, have publicly addressed themselves to world media also including the BBC radio through which they have denounced elections in Albania as unfair, unfree and rigged. The organisation of the Working youth union and other M-L organisations from Norway have old ties, since the 60s, with the Party of Labour of Albania (SP's predecessor). These ties also continued after the death of dictator Hoxha in 1985.

ATA managed to obtain in the newspaper Albania full documents on the falsification of the Norwegian observers' status, legalised by the OSCE coordinator and the Swiss Ambassador in Albania. gen/pas/lm

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[02] BBC ANALYST GABRIEL PARTOSH CONSIDERS THE WITHDRAWAL OF OPPOSITION FROM ELECTIONS AS A SIGN OF DESPAIR FOR THE DEFEAT -according to BBC-

As many other political forces in Albania, the Socialist Party tried to establish connections with its homologous parties of Europe. But, in spite of efforts and change of responsible persons on foreign relations, it remained one of the most isolated parties in Europe, different from socialdemocrats or its eurosocialists.

Its credibility within the country did not went forward. Observers are of the opinion that a number of factors have influenced. SP did not undertook any step to rehabilitate well known figures of Albanian socialdemocracy, as Musine Kokolari or Sejfulla Maleshova. This was made possible by the head of the state, who has also demanded the aid demanded of the European left for the reformation of the Socialist Party of Albania. On the other side, at first it was thought that the evasive stand and the refusal to denounce the past was done for pragmatic reasons, i.e. not to loose the nostalgic part of electorate. This fact was accepted also by the socialist leader Fatos Nano in an interview given last year to BBC from the prison of Tepelena.

Analysts think that the most suitable moment for the reformation of this party would have the period after its defeat in elections of 1992, but this did not happened. And when in its programme Karl Marx had a place again and when at its head incriminated people of the past continued to stay, when intellectuals were not playing any important part, when nearly every phase of economic reform was assaulted, when continuously lack of enthusiasm towards euroatlantic institutions, as NATO appeared and especially lack of reliable options and the fact that its electoral campaign was based mainly on the governmental mistakes, analysts feared that in this case it was no more the problem of tactics but of the viewpoints of its main leaders.

The adversaries of SP say that presently SP has a very limited number of leading socialists. SP could could not attract in elections even the part if electorate disillusioned by DP, who should have been its main target. On the other side, it was thought that nostalgic people of past time did not vote 100 per cent for socialists and a number of electors unsatisfied with the government of DP again voted for the DP. Lack of options and lack of faith did not showed that socialists were an European left force. Likewise, different supporters of other right wing parties voted for DP because of fear that fragmentarisation of votes would contribute to the victory of ex communists.

SP, according to observers, has not changed completely, it has not changed even its -past symbols. "Zeri i Popullit" newspaper continues to have the old name and the first year of its publication. In certain moments, calls in favor of Party of Labor or Enver Hodga do not seem to disturb socialist leaders. During 1980, the British Labour Party started reformation, with the dismissal of extreme left. It was a long and difficult process, but now this opposition party claims almost surely the victory of the parliamentarian elections of next spring in Great Britain.

After continuous successes in all the phases of partial local elections, it has managed to attract also electorate from middle stratum of the society, which in western countries makes the majority.

Finally, analysts thing that may be for pragmatic reasons only, SP of Albania has made wrong calculations in relation to its electorate, which continuous to be in general homogeneous and rigid. For every day that passes the balance between people nostalgic of yesterday and disillusioned electors is naturally in favor of the last group. After the statement of the American government and European institutions for the partial rerun of elections in Albania, it may happened that one day socialists will decide to enter the new Albanian parliament and they will be aware that they had the possibility to be presented by a number of deputies three times higher.

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[03] DP HAILS EU STATEMENT AND INVITES OPPOSITION TO NEGOTIATE

The Chairman of the Democratic Party (DP), Tritan Shehu, welcomed today in an interview with ATA the statement of the European Union (EU) for the continuation of the electoral process in Albania.

"I consider it a statement of understanding which aims at surpassing the obstacles created in Albania by the left leadership," said Shehu adding that: "The statement was also and appeal to the opposition to respect the people's vote and take part in the normal political battle."

Shehu expressed hopes the Albanian opposition would respond to such EU statements. "But it is true that our opposition is so much paradoxical and perverse in its attitudes and decisions. It is true that it has only one goal: to create a bad image of Albania. It has historically been doing this during the last three years and earlier, and, to accomplish this goal, it does not give up any kind of foolery", Shehu said in his interview with ATA.

Responding to the demand of the EU presidency for "all parties to show restraint, enter into a substantial political dialogue and contribute constructively to the implementation of the electoral process aimed at consolidating the respect for European standards and the principles of international law in Albania," Shehu said: "We are open to dialogue, although I consider open the dialogue in parliament, but we also favour a dialogue at round tables."

"However, I have not yet seen a signal by the extreme left. The continuation of this road does harm to the conservative group leading the SP (the Socialist Party) but dialogue will pave the way for its reformation, " Shehu said.

The left opposition parties and the Democratic Party of the Right intend to continue boycott of the vote and call for new elections. The have said they will not participate in the re-run of elections in 17 constituencies, on June 16, either.

A delegation of three left opposition parties left for Greece to urge the Greek socialist government not to recognise the election results in Albania.

The united opposition front, the so-called "Red front" suffered a setback last week when jailed Socialist Party leader Fatos Nano said the decision to pull out of the election was "hasty" and "not at all responsible"

"It was Ceka and Gjinushi that destroyed the SP ," said Shehu referring to the leader of Democratic Alliance Party (DAP) and that of the Social- democratic leader (SDP). "They did this because they wanted to come up at the lead of the "Red Front" and I think they accomplished their aim."

"Now Ceka is trying to eliminate Fatos Nano from the SP leadership. I hold that Ceka, too, will be out of the political ploy if the central-left reformers come to power," Shehu said.

The SDP and DAP leaders stressed that Nano has not a clear image of the reality "due to his isolation in the Tepelena prison". The SP has made no comments about Nano's remarks. But on Tuesday, Zeri i Popullit through several error corrections to give another meaning to the letter by replacing the expressions "not at all responsible" with "wholly responsible".

Asked about this Shehu said:"Today's correction of the Nano letter shows that certain segments of the former secret police control and censor Nano himself. pas/lm/k

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[04] SYMPTOMS OF TETOVA POISONED PUPILS THE SAME WITH THOSE OF KOSOVA CHILDREN IN 1990

The Macedonian doctors diagnose the Tetova students' poisoning as a mixed one.

-Some 110 pupils of the middle Medical School of Tetova were poisoned several days ago at a Struga hotel while on an excursion.

In an interview broadcasted Tuesday on the Albanian TV some patients declare that upon entering the hotel room they felt an unusual smoke but they do not remember what happened later.

The patients say doctors accused them "of taking drugs" and of "parents bringing them something harmful to their health."

A protest was recently held in Tetova regarding the mysterious poisoning of pupils of the Tetova middle Medical School during an excursion to Struga. The protest, in which took part thousands of citizens, was organised by the PPDSH, PDP, PD-PUP, PAD, the Albanian Women League and the Pupils' Council.

The protesters expressed their indignation at this cruel act and refuse cynical, offending and arrogant interpretations of those who considered victims guilty.

The chairman of the PD-PUP, Nevzat Halili, has announced of this poisoning the chief of the U.N. mission, Tore Bog, and the chief of the UNDREPED, Henryk Sokalski.

According to confirmations by the U.N. expert on chemical and biological poisons, Prof. Aubin Hendrix, the massive poisoning of Albanians in Spring 1990 in Kosova was result of the war poison gas "sarin".

In an interview with "Zeri" magazine of Pristine Hendrix stresses that US experts have carried out tests and compiled reports regarding poisoning in Kosova. aca/kei/fh/lm/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[05] 150TH BIRTH ANNIVERSARY OF NAIM FRASHERI COMMEMORATED

Prof. Dr. Bahri Beci Director of the Institute of Language and Literature opened the conference by bringing into evidence the role of the Albanian Renaissance writers and especially that of Naim Frasheri in creating a strong literary trend which managed to introduce a Westward development for Albanian history, literature and culture.

Chairmen of Academy of Science of Albania and Kosova Prof. Shaban Demiraj and Idriz Ajeti attended the conference.

Naim Frasheri (1846 - 1900) is the greatest poet of Albanian National Renaissance, nationalist, thinker and active fighter for Albanian education and culture. His greatest poem is "Cattle and Pasture." He has also written lyrics, children's prose, philosophical and others. His poem "History of Scanderbeg" is considered "his political and poetic will" with open incitement on Albania's liberation from the Turkish yoke. kei/fh/k

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[06] PRESS REVIEW

The paper also carries the article: "Five years since the changing of the name from PL (Party of Labour) to SP (Socialist Party).

Zeri i Popullit says that "SPA in its 5th anniversary: "Fighters of progress and democracy".

The paper carries the EU presidency statement on Albania. It also says that: "The SP has put lock to politics". The social topics include: "AIDS- courage to defend oneself".

Poli i Qendres says: "Electoral battle has surpassed Albania's borders" about the visit of the left opposition to Athens and the contacts of this delegation there. The economic topics include: "Albanian economy in agony:Contraband has now paved its way".

Albania says:"The OSCE scandal (ODIHR) in the May 26 elections in Albania. At least 30 per cent of OSCE observers have been presented by the Socialist Party". The paper also says that:"Political elimination of Fatos Nano demanded".

Tribuna Demokratike also reports on the EU statement on Albania with the article: "EU turns its back on the Red Front". The paper carries the interview with the DPA Secretary for relations with the Public, Ferdinant Xhaferri, entitled"The red Front has no political future".

Lajmi i Dites carries the story of Albanian President Sali Berisha's participation in the UN conference "Habitat II" in Istanbul. It also reports on the visit of a Turkish military medical delegation to Albania.

Rilindja carries a statement of Klaus Kinkel in the EU Foreign Ministers meeting entitled:"Increasingly dangerous situation in Kosova". The paper also reports on the Scientific Conference "Naim Frasheri-National poet" held in Tirana.

Koha Jone carries the press release of the director of the newspaper Koha Jone, Nikolle Lesi, through which he announces his resignation as a director of the newspaper and as a president of SHPK company 'Koha Jone'". The paper says:"Albania needs a compromise".

Liria carries the article: "Albania in a blind-alley".

Sindikalisti says:"Gramoz Ruci seeks asylum in Greece", about the visit of the opposition to Greece.

Dita Informacion says:"After the proposal of Shehi (the DPA chairman) for dialogue - SP: dialogue only under the conditions of the opposition", whereas Gazeta Shqiptare says:"Shell explodes:two brothers massacred".

Ushtria dhe Koha says:"Professionalism and the achievement of the NATO army standards-the main goal of the Albanian army". kei/lm/g

From the Albanian Telegraphic Agency (ATA) Home Page at http://www.telpress.it/ata

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