ATA News from Albania, 96-10-21

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

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

CONTENTS

[01] DP CANDIDATES WIN IN ALL MUNICIPALITIES OF ELBASANI PREFECTURE

[02] DP WINS MAJORITY IN LOCAL ELECTIONS

[03] SCHEME OF THE MASSACRE IN VEFA SUPERMARKET IN TIRANA UNCOVERED

[04] FOREIGN OBSERVERS OPINIONS ON ALBANIAN LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS

[05] DEMOCRATIC PARTY WINS 61% OF MUNICIPALITIES AND 54% OF COMMUNES

[06] PRELIMINARY DATA ON ELECTION RESULTS IN SARANDA AND DURRESI

[07] FOREIGN OBSERVERS OPINIONS ON ALBANIAN LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS

[08] PRELIMINARY DATA ON ELECTION RESULTS IN KORCA AND BERAT

[09] COUNCIL OF MINISTERS APPROVES DRAFT-LAWS AND AGREEMENTS

[10] TURKISH OBSERVERS VALUE ELECTORAL PROCESS OF OCTOBER 20

[11] ALBANIA HAS MADE A STEP AHEAD ON THE ROAD TO EUROPE

[12] OCTOBER 20 ELECTIONS, AFFIRMATION OF MAY 26 ELECTIONS

[13] ELECTIONS WERE FREE AND NORMAL - French Embassy

[14] SOCIALISTS CLAIM ELECTIONS WERE NOT FREE, BUT THEY WILL FACE RUN OFF BALLOT

[01] DP CANDIDATES WIN IN ALL MUNICIPALITIES OF ELBASANI PREFECTURE

Referring to these sources, candidates of DP have come out victoriously in Elbasani, Cerriku, Belshi, Peqini, Librazhdi and Perrenjasi municipalities.

Town halls of Librazhdi, Perrenjasi and Cerriku were run by Socialist party representatives.

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[02] DP WINS MAJORITY IN LOCAL ELECTIONS

DP sources report that its candidates have won the majority of votes in big cities and communes as well. So it is confirmed the DP victory in Tirana city with around 60 percent, in Kavaja around 90 percent, in Durresi town hall, six town halls of Elbasani prefecture, in Shkoder, Kruje, Lac, Berat, Lushnje etc.

Albanian President Sali Berisha, addressing thousands of citizens, gathered in front of DP headquarters, after congratulating the DP victory said: "I am very proud because in the presence of hundreds of foreign observers, the Albanian people showed its democratic culture, its commitment towards freedom. By all means it was a deserved victory, because Albanians have voted for the achievements of these years. They showed their great historical wisdom.

This victory is also a wise verdict of the sovereign people and towards them, who tried to misuse the free vote, such a thing should and could not happen. I express my deep gratitude to those, who casted their ballots for the DP for the first time.

I was and remain convinced that the DP alternative is and will be an open one. Those who voted for DP have rendered a great contribution in its consolidation. pas/gen/sh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[03] SCHEME OF THE MASSACRE IN VEFA SUPERMARKET IN TIRANA UNCOVERED

TIRANA, OCT. 20 (ATA) - Today's newspaper Albania carries the scheme of the massacre in Vefa supermarket on February 26, 1996, which caused the death of four people and injured 30 as a result of the explosion of a bomb placed by the terrorist organization "Albanian Justice Revenge."

According to the paper, from the technical point of view the action started by Roland Shyti, the cousin of two leaders of the organization, Leart and Orik Shyti, the sons of the former Albanian Interior Minister under the communist regime, Hajredin Shyti.

According to investigation and testimonies by members of the organization recently arrested, the aim of this action was to cause terror.

Roland Shyti had managed to find the tritium in an engineering military unit in Lushnja town thanks to cooperation with a military. The tritium was hidden in the house of a doctor, Genc Peza who is also detained.

As a collaborator in the organization which has committed over 26 grave crimes, Peza took upon himself the task to prepare the bomb and hide it in his home as a unsuspected person.

Placed in an Italian car bought in Durres, the triton was sent to the centre of Tirana.

According to Albania, all the detained rule out the possibility that the objective was the Vefa company, to which the supermarket belonged, or its president Vehbi Alimuca, whose name the defendants could not even recall well.

Regarding the involvement of Klement Kolance, the son-in-law of the former dictator Enver Hoxha, in the activity of the organization (he is under charges of keeping at his home the money stolen by the organization,) the paper writes that he has met illegally Hajredin Shyti in the prison of Benca, under a false name.

The investigation made so far prove of many meetings of Orik Shyti, the gang chief, with Kolaneci, which the wife of Kolaneci has described as part of the work of her husband as an architect.

At the beginning Pranvera Hoxha, the wife of Kolancei and the daughter of Enver Hoxha, declared that the 600 thousand dollars in the safe of her husband are fruit of his several year work. Later, she said that there was little money in the safe, as much as were needed to pay the workers of her husband.

Now the case is being handled by the General Attorney's Office. kei/xh/sh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[04] FOREIGN OBSERVERS OPINIONS ON ALBANIAN LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS

The foreign observers, who have just returned from their observing missions in many cities of Albania, say that, in general, the electoral process they monitored was regular and that the irregularities noticed minor.

The member of the German parliament, Karl Franker, tells the "Voice of America" that he noticed the elections were well organised without any difficulty.

"In all the polling stations, the German observers have also contacted the socialist commission members and they, themselves, as direct participants in the voting process, were satisfied with the way the elections were organised", Franke said.

The German deputy airs the view that whatever the election outcome, the good organisation of this vote marks a significant victory for the Democratic Party in power. He says he cannot say what the voting results are but what he can say is that the majority of the electors openly express their desire "for the same leadership, both at national and local level".

Meanwhile the Italian parliament deputy, Nicandro Marinati, tells the "Voice of America" that everything in these polls was regular and this can well be proved with many and many documents".

The Italian deputy says that he had only noticed an irregularity in the polling station 31 in Lushnja. He adds that "such minor irregularity is also acceptable in Italy". Marinati holds a joint statement of the electoral commission which shows that this irregularity was immediately corrected after the commission's intervention. Further on, he says that in Tirane, Vlore, Fier or Lushnje he saw a regulation also comparable to the neighboring Italy.

"I hold that at last Albania has found the genuine road to democracy. Albanians are marching ahead towards a democracy at its the best levels," the Italian deputy says. l.t./pas/sh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[05] DEMOCRATIC PARTY WINS 61% OF MUNICIPALITIES AND 54% OF COMMUNES

The DP candidates have scored a convincing victory also in the elections for communes. Sources say that the Democratic Party has won 54% of the communes as opposed to 3.8% of the Socialist Party. Some 18.5% of the communes will hold a runoff poll while 24% of them have not yet issued their results. kled/lm/sh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[06] PRELIMINARY DATA ON ELECTION RESULTS IN SARANDA AND DURRESI

Meanwhile, SP representative in Konispol municipality has won by 51%. The representative of the Human Rights Union Party (HRUP) has won in Livadhja commune, DP representative in Markati commune has won by 60% of the votes.

In Xara commune the Socialist Party and the Democratic Party will face a run off ballot, in Ksamili commune the DP and HRUP will face a run off ballot, while in Lukova commune DP and SP will face the run off ballot.

According to the sources of the electoral commission near the council of Durresi district, 45 km from Tirana, some 65% of electors voted for the DP candidates.

DP candidate for Durresi Mayor, Mehmet Rakipi, won 70% of the votes, candidate for Sukthi Mayor Sali Sadik Berisha won over 50%. While the SP and the DP will hold a run off ballot.

The DP won five of the six communes of the district, as well as some 66% in Rashbull, 70% in Katundi i Ri, 70% in Ishmi, 65% in Gjepalaj, 60% in Xhafzotaj, while in Maminas commune the SP won by 55% of the votes.

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[07] FOREIGN OBSERVERS OPINIONS ON ALBANIAN LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS

The foreign observers, who have just returned from their observing missions in many cities of Albania, say that, in general, the electoral process they monitored was regular and that the irregularities noticed minor.

The member of the German parliament, Karl Franker, tells the "Voice of America" that he noticed the elections were well organised without any difficulty.

"In all the polling stations, the German observers have also contacted the socialist commission members and they, themselves, as direct participants in the voting process, were satisfied with the way the elections were organised", Franke said.

The German deputy airs the view that whatever the election outcome, the good organisation of this vote marks a significant victory for the Democratic Party in power. He says he cannot say what the voting results are but what he can say is that the majority of the electors openly express their desire "for the same leadership, both at national and local level".

Meanwhile the Italian parliament deputy, Nicandro Marinati, tells the "Voice of America" that everything in these polls was regular and this can well be proved with many and many documents".

The Italian deputy says that he had only noticed an irregularity in the polling station 31 in Lushnja. He adds that "such minor irregularity is also acceptable in Italy". Marinati holds a joint statement of the electoral commission which shows that this irregularity was immediately corrected after the commission's intervention. Further on, he says that in Tirane, Vlore, Fier or Lushnje he saw a regulation also comparable to the neighboring Italy.

"I hold that at last Albania has found the genuine road to democracy. Albanians are marching ahead towards a democracy at its the best levels," the Italian deputy says. l.t./pas/sh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[08] PRELIMINARY DATA ON ELECTION RESULTS IN KORCA AND BERAT

The DP has won in the municipalities of Devoll and Leskovik while the SP in the Erseka municipality. Likewise, the DP has won in seven communes in the Korca district while five will face a runoff. The communes of Vithkuq and Moglica have not yet provided reports.

In the Pogradeci district the DP has won in four communes, while four will hold runoff vote.

The DP has won in five communes in the Kolonja district and in three communes in the Devolli district.

Sources from the Berati district electoral commission says that the DP has won in the voting for the Berati city municipality and for Ura Vajgurore. Likewise the DP has so far won in eight communes. The DP has won in the Lushnja city municipality and in six communes.

In the Skrapari district the ongoing results speak of runoff vote between the DP and SP in the ballot for the town halls of Corovoda and Policani as well as for the Bogova and Gjerbesi communes.

Meanwhile, the SP has won in the ballot for the Kucova town hall, whereas the DP in the commune of Kozare. kled/lm

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[09] COUNCIL OF MINISTERS APPROVES DRAFT-LAWS AND AGREEMENTS

The ministers also approved the draft-law on "Dental health Service", which stipulates that for the ages under 18, the dental service expenditures will be covered completely by the state budget. The state budget will also cover the dental service in hospitals as well as categories of invalids and veterans. Although the dental service for the ages above 18 years of age is privatised the state will be the regulator of all the activity determining the organisation, operation and service regulations as well as the structures which control and have the power of punishment in cases when law violations are observed.

The ministers also agreed to a series of cooperation agreements. The agreement between the Republic of Albania and FAO on the project "Service of Information and Fish Marketing for the Eastern European countries", was approved in principle. The agreements "Aid in Commodities VI" and "Aid in Commodities VII" between the RA and the government of the FRG" were as well approved. pas/lm

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[10] TURKISH OBSERVERS VALUE ELECTORAL PROCESS OF OCTOBER 20

"Everything went on very well, said Cicek. The ballot boxes were sealed, representatives from all the political parties were present in all the electoral commissions, the ID was checked and the police forces who maintained law and order stayed outside the polling stations"

"Our observers were devided into three-person teams to monitor the electoral process in some areas of northern, southern and eastern Albania, and in all the polling stations everything went on in conformity with the election law, added Cicek."

Invited by the Albanian Speaker, Pjeter Arbnori, the Turkish observers team, made up of five political parties in the Turkish Parliament, arrived in Albania on October 17 to monitor the process of the local elections.

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[11] ALBANIA HAS MADE A STEP AHEAD ON THE ROAD TO EUROPE

Claus Francke, deputy of the CDU of FR of Germany, said that the EDU observers' group had visited many polling stations and had noticed full regularity of the voting process. He said that none of the commission members had complained.

"We observed seriousness also in vote counting," Francke said.

"The local elections were a further step in carrying the democracy ahead", said the representative of the Austrian People's Party, Wolfgang Grossbruck.

"I participated in the first May 26 elections and would say that both in the first elections and in these ones for the local government, I noticed no violation of the voting rules. I emphasiSe that these elections were peaceful and orderly", he said.

The representatives of the British Conservative Party, the representative of the British Democratic Union and the representative of Spain provided their assessmentS on the October 20 elections at the news conference.

The final conclusion of the EDU observers' group is that the elections have been regular and conform the laws in force and that no violations to the voting procedure have been noticed. pas/lm/Z/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[12] OCTOBER 20 ELECTIONS, AFFIRMATION OF MAY 26 ELECTIONS

Berisha expressed the profound respect for the Albanian electorate, (which, according to the figures provided by the DP voted by 75 per cent) and for the foreign commissioners and observers.

Berisha described the May 26 elections result as "the birth of the best child of Albania, although with some complications. These complications were eliminated with yesterday's elections," the Albanian President said.

The DP chairman Tritan Shehu provided in the conference party partial results of yesterday's local government elections. He said that 75 per cent of the Albanian electorate had taken part in the voting.

The DP won in 61 per cent of the municipalities whereas 33 constituencies will hold runoff vote. At commune level the DP won over 58 per cent of the communes and 18 per cent will face runoff, Shehu said.

Shehu spoke of a higher result of the DP in these elections as opposed to those of 1992.

Asked about Albania's relations with the OSCE, President Sali Berisha said that:"Albania is determined for a very close cooperation with this organisation. We regard the OSCE as our organisation and very fruitful, Berisha said.

Asked about the time of holding the new elections, Berisha said that they will be held at the beginning of the coming millinery. jz/pas/lm/Z/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[13] ELECTIONS WERE FREE AND NORMAL - French Embassy

Four functionaries of the embassy, in the role of the French government observers, visited 15 polling stations in different districts of Albania.

"We stayed there until the polls closed and the ballots were counted and we noticed no violations or irregularities by the election commissions, " said Stanislas Mrozek, first secretary of the French Embassy.

"The French Government will listen to our opinion and judgment on the elections. We think that by living here, knowing the Albanian people well and being independent politically in the our function and viewpoints, we shall convey a rather realistic report on the polls, said Mr Ambassador.

"I am so pleased to see that democracy has progressed in Albania. As a friend of Albania, France shows a great interest in your country considering Albania as a state which is playing a great role for the peace in the Balkans," Mr Champant told ATA.

According to reports from DP, in the municipal elections held last Sunday, this party won in at least 37 municipalities (including Tirana) of 64 that are altogether, and in 159 communes out of 310 throughout the country. Whereas the participation of the voters was about 75 per cent. kei/xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[14] SOCIALISTS CLAIM ELECTIONS WERE NOT FREE, BUT THEY WILL FACE RUN OFF BALLOT

"We are of the opinion that these elections were not free and fair, but we will follow the situation in process, and will continue to fight in those communes and town-halls in which we will face the runoff ballot," said SP Secretary General Rexhep Mejdani in a news conference on Monday.

Mejdani, together with the SP Secretary, Namik Dokle and the Presidency member, Kastriot Islami, expressed some remarks related to the poll turnout, and accused DP of vote-rigging.

The SP press release on this occasion ran that "the Sunday elections were not free and fair, and the SP would gather all the necessary materials to denounce them."

"The opposition parties have reached the conclusion that the political parties in the last two elections have not competed with a single party, but with the state," says the statement.

"In many cases, SP deputy chairman and SP commission members were left aside during the ballots counting process by DP members in the commissions," said Mejdani.

According to reports from commissions, many election commission deputy chairmen have signed the polls documentation without any remarks. The polls turnout is valid when documents are signed by the deputy chairmen, SP representatives, as well.

Through the declaration, "SP calls on all political subjects, commission and local and foreign observers to contribute honestly to making evident and discredit this new electoral farce."

The first opinions by foreign observers and observers of the CE, EDU etc., are almost the same. They confirm that the latest elections in Albania were completely free and fair and that democracy in this country is going towards its complete consolidation.

Asked if the partial polls turnout (according to which DP has won 61 per cent in municipalities and 58 per cent in communes) are more a result of manipulations which SP is claiming, or due to a small percentage of the electorate who voted, Mejdani said: "If the percentage were larger, the results would not change so much, I think. I don't want to prejudge but a greater percentage in the voting would raise the possiblity for a vote- rigging."

According to preliminary reports, participation in the October 20 elections was about 75 per cent. kei/xh/k

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

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