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Albanian Telegraphic Agency (ATA), 97-02-05Albanian Telegraphic Agency Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Albanian Telegraphic Agency (ATA) Home Page at <http://www.telpress.it/ata>Albanian Telegraphic AgencyCONTENTS
[01] ITALIAN GOVERNMENT COMMITTED TO SUPPORT ALBANIA ON THE ROAD OF DEMOCRATIZATIONTIRANA, FEB 4 (ATA) - By Eva Allushi: Under Secretary of Foreign Affairs of Italy, Piero Fassino, recently met in Farnezina, Italian Foreign Ministry, the Ambassador of Albania in Italy, Pandeli Pasko.The press release issued on this occasion by the Italian Foreign Ministry, says that Ambassador Pasko presented to Fassino the initiatives that Albanian authorities intend to undertake regarding the recent crisis due to the collapse of some financial firms. Fassino has reconfirmed the commitment of the Italian government to support the efforts of Tirana on the road of a greater democratization of the political and economic line in Albania. ake/kei/xh/e Albanian Telegraphic Agency[02] ALBANIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY ON THE EVENTS IN KOSOVATIRANA, FEB 4 (ATA) - The Albanian Government Tuesday denounced the terrorism of the Serbian regime in Kosova and asks the International community to investigate into the criminal killing and the imprisonment of innocent people.In a statement the Albanian Foreign Ministry says that the Albanian Government is following attentively the recent events in Kosova and especially the killing of three innocent Albanians and the arrest of 37 others, political activists and members of the human rights organization in Kosova. "These acts are a further escalation of the Serb repression which continues on the Albanian population of Kosova and are part of the oppressive policy, practice and terror exercised systematically and still going on against the Albanian of Kosova by the Serb regime," says the declaration. It stresses that Milosevic wants to divert the attention of the local and international public opinion from Serbia to Kosova and to terrorize the Albanians of Kosova. Through the statement, the Albanian Government voices its unflinching stand for a right solution and through dialogue of the question of Kosova. For the Albanian government, the preconditions for a dialogue are an immediate interruption of the abuse of human and national rights of the Albanian population and the restitution of all legal institutions and the OSCE monitoring missions in Kosova. The Albanian Government asks the international community to analyse correctly the situation in Kosova and to adopt all necessary measures for the prevention of a further escalation of this situation, which would be a threat to the security, stability and peace in the region. ake/kei/xh/E Albanian Telegraphic Agency[03] PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE ACCELERATES INVESTIGATION FOR AUTHORS OF VIOLENT ACTS IN VARIOUS ALBANIAN TOWNSTIRANA, FEB 4 (ATA) - The Prosecutor's offices in the districts of Lushnja, Berat, Fier, Vlora, Korca, Dibra are working to accelerate investigation into, the identification and to start penal persecution for the people responsible for the acts of violence towards the state property in those districts, during the demonstrations after the collapse of pyramid schemes of the foundations "People's Democracy Xhaferri" and "Populli."As a result of these acts, great damage has been caused to documents and archives of public institutions in the districts and public order has been disturbed thus creating fear and insecurity in the people. According to a report of the Attorney General of Albania, the Fier prosecutor's office has sent to court for the crime of "violent penal acts towards public property," Gezim Kastrati, Gramoz Hazizi, Julian Calamani and in absentia Pellumb Dervishi, whereas the prosecutor's office of the district of Berat has started penal prosecution for Artur Dushi and Kujtim Hoxha. Their trial will be made in the Tirana Court. The prosecutor's offices of these districts are inquiring at short terms to gather proofs for the trial of all the people found guilty. ake/kei/xh/k Albanian Telegraphic Agency[04] ALBANIA WILL HAVE A LAW ON ORGANS' TRANSPLANTATIONTIRANA, FEB 4 (ATA)-By A. Frasheri, Albania will have a law on organs' transplantation. This draft-law was discussed and approved at Tuesday's meeting of the Parliamentary Law Commission.Actually the Albanian health institutions carry out only transplantations of tissues. So far the transplantation of organs has been treated in a very limited way, based on the law "On the service of blood transfusion and control and transplantations". "This draft-law treats the removal of organs in living donors, aiming at protecting the donors in general, especially minors, and others", a report attached to the draft-law says. The draft-law also treats the removal of organs after death. The drafting of the law is based on the experience of the developed countries in this direction, like Italy, Belgium, Spain, the Netherlands, Sweden, the U.S., Irland, Australia and other states. Recommendations made by experts of the Council of Europe have as well been taken into consideration. kei/lm/k Albanian Telegraphic Agency[05] BODY OF KOSOVA STUDENT KILLED IN VUSHTRRI HANDED OVER TO HIS FAMILY WITHOUT ACCOMPANYING DOCUMENTSPRISHTINE, DECAN, FEB 3 (ATA) - The body of the third person killed in the massacre of the Serbian police last week in Vushtrri was brought out of the morgue of the hospital of Prishtine and handed over to his family. The body of Edmond Hoxha had signs of a lot bullets, said his family members.The cars accompanying the coffin of the student, and all the people present for the burial ceremony on the road of Prishtine-Decan, just after it passed the capital up to Fushe-Kosova, has also been accompanied by a long convoy of tanks and automobiles of the Serbian army, which has recently intensified its movements in Kosova. The funeral procession also passed many police check points on the roads of Kosova. Hoxha is the second student killed by Serb police from the Decan commune. Last April the student from Decan, Armend Daci, was killed in Prishtine by a Serb civilian, who has not been convicted of this crime. The Serb killers of Albanians in Kosova are generally not sentenced by the courts of the Serb installed power. Since the demonstrations of 1981 in Kosova, the Serb police, army and paramilitaries and armed civilians have killed over 200 Albanians. Meanwhile Serb projects on Kosova's colonisation continue. Hence, besides the colonies around Junik, a corridor with Slav people in the Kosova - Albania border areas has began to be realised. Thus, besides the iron border under the tight control of Serb forces another demarcation line of the entirety of the Albanian ethnic territories is created. b.j/ag/kei/xh/lm/k Albanian Telegraphic Agency[06] APPEALS COURT RULES DISSOLUTION OF "XHAFERRI" FOUNDATIONTIRANA, FEB 6 (ATA)- By M. Korra,The Appeals Court's jury, headed by judge Rrahman Qinami, decided on Wednesday the dissolution of the foundation "Demokracia Popullore Xhaferri". The court decided to dissolve the foundation taking into consideration the legal proceeding held ten moths ago, April 1996 at the Tirana Court, by judge Luan Daci, which ruled the suspension of the activity of the Foundation "Demokracia Popullore Xhaferri". This file is examined on second instance 10 months after the verdict was taken on first instance by the Tirana Court, following the indictment of SHIK (National Information Service) for the suspension of the foundation's activity, which resulted to be operating based on pyramid schemes. The foundation, created by the end of 1995 by Rrapush Xhaferri, aged 64, from the Lushnja town, filed the request to the Tirana Court to be enrolled as a charitable foundation named "Demokracia Popullore", based in Lushnja and later in Tirana. The judge Florinda Tegu, through a judicial decision, legally recognised the foundation. Only some months later SHIK ascertained that the activity of Xhaferri was like that of a loan-taking company and not of a charitable foundation. In last April's legal proceeding, in which Xhaferri was represented by his son and lawyer, Daci blocked the illegal activity of the foundations considering it a loan-taking company. Afterwards, Xhaferri decided to appeal the case to the second instance, which today decided to dissolve this foundation. kei/lm/e Albanian Telegraphic Agency[07] PRESS REVIEWTIRANA, FEB 5 (ATA) - Rilindja Demokratike under the title "Limits for inflation, assistance for creditors" writes about the round table discussion of the Albanian President Sali Berisha with political forces and the trade unions about the situation created after the collapse of pyramid schemes. The paper entitles its editorial today "Socialists again on the street." The paper writes that creditors of the Foundation Populli started to take Tuesday their deposits from the branches of the Savings Bank. The paper also reports of the meeting of the under secretary of Foreign Affairs of Italy with the Ambassador of Albania in Italy, Pandeli Pasko, under the title "Italian Government supports efforts of Tirana."Zeri i Popullit writes that 24 hours before the firm Gjallica would open its offices for creditors, its president Fitim Gerxhalliu declared he had no money. He also has an exclusive interview with this paper under the title "I have not declared Gjallica has gone bankrupt." The newspaper publishes a news conference of the Forum for Democracy, consisting of some left and right wing opposition parties, under the title: "Main cause of the political crisis, the manipulation of May 26 elections." Republika cites the president of the firm Gjallica, Fitim Gerxhalliu, who told this paper that "I have not declared any bankruptcy for the firm. I have put off the deadline for the money." The paper has also an editorial "Companies do not respect their clients." Republika cites the chairman of the Republican Party Sabri Godo to have said in the round table of the parties with the President, that "Dialogue has value before the government adopts decisions." Albania says:"The mass distribution of money of the two pyramid scheme foundations starts today," as well as "1 188 372 Albanians in the lists of "Xhaferri". The paper says that the "Prosecutor's office ends investigations on the initiators of the fire in Berat". The paper carries the editorial :"What is the 'Forum for Democracy'". Rilindja carries a statement of the Albanian government on the tense situation in Kosova under the title:"An end should be put to violence and institutions be restored". The paper covers the round-table of President Berisha with political parties and the trade unions under the title: "To find a way out of the situation created". Koha Jone says:"Sali Berisha declares failure of Gjallica. Fitim Gerxhalliu arrested. The army 'occupies' Vlora". The paper also says: "The Government pledges only 52 per cent for 210 000 clients of Xhaferri". The paper refers to the news conference of the Forum of Democracy. It says that: "The Forum for Democracy is represented by three ex-prosecuted". Dita Informacion reports on a 50 year old victim of savings from Korca, under the title: "She hangs herself in the bathroom of a rented house". The paper also says:"The distribution of money in two banks begins", as well as "A ferry with cartridges on its board intercepted in Durres". Gazeta Shqiptare cites the president of Gjallica, Gerxhalliu, as saying: "Take all the company assets. Don't wait for February 6". kei/xh/lm/k Albanian Telegraphic Agency[08] UNDP OFFICE HOLDS TALKS WITH SME DONORS IN ALBANIATIRANA, FEB 4 (ATA)-A. Keko,The Office of the United Nations Development Programme, UNDP, organised recently in Tirana the second round table with donors of SME (small and medium enterprises), representatives of the international aid organisations, including the World Bank, the UNDP, the European Union, the Albanian-U.S. Fund of Enterprises, and the German Organisation for Technical Cooperation (GTZ). The UNDP press office to Albania reports that the representatives of these institutions discussed the ongoing progress of the small and medium enterprise business activity with representatives of the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Transport and of the Albanian SME Foundation. The participants in the meeting discussed mainly the coordination of training, improvement of the information system and the possibilities of a further financial aid for the small and medium enterprises in Albania. The participants were greeted by the permanent representative ad interim of UNDP to Albania, Soren Tejno, who stressed that this meeting would serve the strengthening of cooperation and improvement of the performance of foreign donors. a.ke/kei/lm/e Albanian Telegraphic Agency[09] DISTRIBUTION OF MONEY OF "XHAFERRI" FOUNDATION BEGINS IN SHKODERSHKODER, FEB 5 (ATA)- By M.Malja,Two offices of the National Trade Bank's affiliate in Shkoder started on Wednesday, at 8:30, the distribution of the money of the "Xhaferri" pyramid scheme foundation which were frozen in January by a decision of the Albanian government. The director of this affiliate, Agostin Jubani, told ATA that the lists of the people to retrieve the amount belonging to them according to a government decision, by 52 %, for the dates September 30 and October 1, 2, 3, 4, were issued on Tuesday evening. Over 15 000 creditors in this district will retrieve the money deposited in the "Xhaferri" foundation. In the same city, the money frozen from the "Populli" foundation began to be distributed on Tuesday. Some 307 people received on Tuesday 60 per cent of the deposited sum in the offices of the Savings Bank's affiliate, according to the decision of the government commission. s.sh/kei/lm/E Albanian Telegraphic Agency[10] BERATI ATTORNEY'S OFFICE ENDS INVESTIGATIONS ON ORGANIZATORS OF DESTRUCTIONSTIRANA, FEB 5 (ATA) The Attorney's Office of Berat concluded the investigations on the three organizators of destructions and burning in this district, during the demonstrations organized after the failure of the fraudolent pyramid schemes in Albania.The file of 1000 pages of investigative material, with photographs and videocassettes, has reached Tuesday the Tirana Court. The three organizators of destructions in Berati town are: Artur Dashi 21, kujtim Hoxha 42 and Bashkim Meta 34. Two of the defendents have been condemned previously charged of grave penal acts. At Jan 25, 1997, about fifty citizens of Berati, protesting for not having back the money deposited in the pyramid schemes foundations, exercised destructive acts against the town hall, Council of District, Attorney's Office, Police Commissariat, Court and the Democratic Party's seat and in the Taxation office. Dashi called the crowd to enter the town hall and he himself broke the door of the town hall and set fire to the offices and documents. Dashi, Hoxha dhe Meta broke the entrance of Commissariat and set fire to the car of the Chief of Commissariat. At Jan 26, 1997, these persons led the irritated crowd to set fire and destruct other objects of this town. At Feb 15, 1997 will start the judiciary process for these persons. Meta will be judged in absence, because he left in unknown direction, at Jan 26. /eva/KEI/E Albanian Telegraphic Agency[11] CITIZENS' DEPOSITS IN SAVINGS BANK IN SHKODER INCREASESHKODER, FEB 5 (ATA)-By M.Malja,The number of depositors has increased over the last days in the affiliate of the Savings Bank in Shkoder, Northern Albania. "The citizens' deposits during January have increased by 40 per cent, as opposed to the same period last year," the specialist of this affiliate, Gac Gjondreka, says. The decision to raise interest rates for deposits in the bank affiliates has increased the number of clients in this bank and in the affiliates of other banks in this district. Over 300 new clients deposited their money in the affiliate of the Savings Bank in the first days of February. s.sh/eva/lm/k Albanian Telegraphic Agency[12] BERATI ATTORNEY'S OFFICE ENDS INVESTIGATIONS ONTO ORGANISERS OF DESTRUCTIONSTIRANA, FEB 5 (ATA) The Attorney's Office of Berat concluded the investigations onto the three organisers of destructions and burnings in this district, during the demonstrations held after the failure of the fraudulent pyramid schemes in Albania.The file of 1000 pages of investigation material, with photographs and video - cassettes, has reached Tuesday the Tirana Court. The three organisers of destructions in Berati town are: Artur Dashi 21, Kujtim Hoxha 42 and Bashkim Meta 34. Two of the defendants had also previously been convicted of grave penal acts. On Jan 25, 1997, about fifty citizens of Berat, protesting for not getting back the money deposited in the pyramid scheme foundations, committed destructive acts against the town hall, Council of District, Attorney's Office, Police Commissariat, Court and the Democratic Party's headquarters and in the Taxation office. Dashi called on the crowd to enter the town hall and he himself broke the door of the town hall and set fire to the offices and documents. Dashi, Hoxha and Meta broke the entrance of Commissariat and set fire to the car of the Chief of Commissariat. On Jan 26, 1997, these persons led the irritated crowd in setting fire and destructing other objects of this town. On Feb 15, 1997 starts the legal proceeding against these persons. Meta will be tried in absence, because he left to unknown destination on Jan 26. /eva/kei Albanian Telegraphic Agency[13] AMBASSADOR OF SWEDEN PRESENTS CREDENTIALSTIRANA, FEB 5 (ATA) - Today, the Albanian President Sali Berisha met with the extraordinary Ambassador of Sweden in the Republic of Albania, Mr. Torsten Orn, who presented the credentials, Department of the Protocol in the Albanian Foreign Ministry reports.Attending the ceremony of the presentation of the credentials also was the Secretary General of the Presidency, Kolec Topalli./s.sh/kled/mt/sh/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[14] TIRANA COURT DETAINS LAWYER AND NOTARY OF XHAFERRI FOUNDATIONTIRANA, FEB 5 (ATA) By Miranda Kora: The lawyer Aferdita Theodhosi and the notary Shkendije Shehu of the loan-taking company "Xhaferri", collapsed now, with the decision of the Appeal Court on Wednesday, are judged in Tirana Court by the judges headed by Artan Zeneli, under the charge of hiding the documents.In the central office of Xhaferri foundation were missing some documents, needed for the necessary repayment of the creditors of this foundation. The police have detained two days ago the lawyer and the notary. With the request of the prosecutor's office, Tirana Court ruled Wednesday the obligatory measure of showing up in the judicial police, meanwhile that the prosecutor's office continues the investigations./kled/mt/sh/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[15] ALBANIAN COMPANIES SET UP JOINT FINANCIAL UNION TO FACE SITUATIONTIRANA, FEB 5 (ATA) By Eva Allushi: The establishment of a Financial Union, also called the Union of the Albanian Industrialists, was on the focus of the news conference held Wednesday in the Palace of Congresses by the Presidents of four Albanian companies, Vefa Holding, Kamberi, Silva and Cenaj & Co."Under the pressure of the so-called charity pyramid scheme foundations, we were obliged to pay high returns to the creditors", was said in the joint statement of the four companies. The companies agreed to establish a Union at a very decisive moment for the interests of the country aiming to guarantee the depositors, as a precondition to license the first Albanian private bank with entirely Albanian capital. Referring to the establishment of this Union, Vehbi Alimucaj, president of Vefa Holding Company, said that it will be called the Union of the Albanian Industrialists, similar with the Chamber of Commerce and will continue its activity even after the creditors are repaid". "We have not joined the companies, investments or debts, but we want to establish an investment bank with entirely Albanian capitals", continued Alimucaj. The companies also agreed to implement the same norm of interest, despite of the interests signed in the contracts, approximately with the interest rates applied by the Albanian banks. Starting from February 5, 1997, the interest rate will be 36% per year, protecting so the interests of the creditors. As regards deposits in foreign currency, the interest rates will be calculated every month, providing the depositors with an interest rate based on inflation. For February this interest rate will be 2.5 per cent. In compliance with the possibilities of the banks, the companies will repay the creditors according to the lists published by them before-handed, says the statement signed by the presidents of four companies. Greeting the encourage by the state structures for the Albanian business, the companies expressed their readiness to invest in the free economic zones, expected to be declared by the government soon. The four companies called on financial institutions and banks attached to Albania to contribute to the conversion of the investment companies to first private participants in the Tirana stock market. The four companies agreed to establish a consultative committee of experts to coordinate the work./kled/mt/sh/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[16] NOTICE OF INTERIOR MINISTRY SPOKESMANTIRANA, FEB 5 (ATA) - Today, citizens from Vlora gathered in the Flag Square in the center of the town to protest for the money lost in the companies and collapsed foundations "Xhaferri" and "Populli". They were soon joined by many other citizens who were around.As the spokesman of the Interior Ministry reports, after about half an hour some 2000 citizens gathered there, who moved from the Flag Square along the main street of the city shouting slogans "we want our money", as well as slogans against the government. After the protestors arrived near the Skele quarter and tried to turn again to the city by blocking the main street, the police forces intervened to put order. As a result of the intervention, three citizens and two policemen were slightly injured. Later on, the citizens dispersed quietly and no other confrontations have occurred. A group of citizens stayed for about an hour sitting in the stairs of the Flag Monument. The Interior Ministry confutes as untrue and with ill-will aims, the news spread in this city for a killed person and adds that the propagators of these gossips will bear the legal responsibility, ends the notice of the Interior Ministry spokesman./a.ke/mt/sh/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[17] ALBANIAN PREMIER HOLDS INTERVIEW ON SITUATION IN ALBANIATIRANA, FEB 5 (ATA) - "I would say to the creditors of foundations to choose representatives and to control, with regular financial control, with experts chosen by them and by the government in order to be convinced that the frozen money are being distributed", said Premier Aleksander Meksi, responding to a question in an interview with regard to the fact that it is said that these foundations have more money than it was declared by the controls of the transparency commission.Regarding the collapse of loan-taking company "Gjallica", Premier Meksi said that "an assembly of creditors from all the countries of Albania should gather according to the law, to decide how will they operate, to address to the court or to the government. "The government is ready to dialogue, to find the best way to the good of citizens' interest", said Meksi. With regard to the fact that some protesters in Vlora have asked the government today to return the money of "Gjallica" company, to sell state assets and to pay the creditors, Meksi explained that "The government is ready to help, to distinguish the category of citizens who have sold their houses, and are living in rented houses, not to allow them to be sent out of these houses, those who are mostly affected in a way or in another". But the state cannot sell its own assets, assets which belong to Albanians, even to those who want to be compensated, said Meksi and added that if there are assets, as it is in the case of Gjallica, they can be put to work and become profitable if they are managed by the creditors and not by anyone else. Regarding the question that why did the government took upon itself the responsibility of solving the conflict between the creditors and these pyramid foundations, Meksi said "the government assumed to solve the conflict between the creditors of two foundations for a simple reason. By a law of Parliament, their activity was considered a criminal activity. Being a fraudulent activity, either the government or the court had to intervene to solve it". With regard to the plans of the government for 1997, Meksi stressed that in drafting the state budget, the preservation of the macroeconomic stability is very necessary. Regarding the question that will the government be able to keep the inflation in these limits after an increase of the devaluation of lek, Meksi said that a change in dollar stock exchange in all European currencies, the strongest currencies included, has occurred over the last two or three weeks. And this is reflected in a way or in another even in the Albanian currency, lek. "The duty of the Albanian Bank and the Institutions of the credits, banks of the second level is just to monitor selling of lek in the market in order not to let it be bought with a negative effect damaging the Albanian economy, all the Albanian depositors who have trusted their deposits to the Albanian banks", said Meksi among others./kled/mt/sh/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[18] PRESIDENT BERISHA AWARDS ORDER "MOTHER TERESA" TO IVAN DIAS, REPRESENTATIVE OF HOLY SEE IN ALBANIATIRANA, FEB 5 (ATA) - Albanian President Sali Berisha awarded Wednesday the Golden Order "Mother Teresa" to the representative of the Holy See in Albania, His Holiness, Monsignor Ivan Dias.Addressing the guests in this ceremony President Berisha said: "I have invited you in this ceremony to pay pay homage together with You to His Holiness, Monsignor Ivan Dias, representative of the Holy See in Albania, on the occasion of his departure from Albania. Monsignor Ivan Dias came to Albania as a real missioner of friendship and secular cooperation linking the Holy See with Albania, as a representative of his Holiness, Pope Jon Paul II, great and outstanding friend of the Albanian nation and all the people who suffered under the communist regime and gave a fundamental contribution to reconstructing the great religious and divine values in Albania. He is leaving today as a friend who loved Albania and the Albanians will always love him. Monsignor Ivan Dias came to Albania at the time when it was switching from the totalitarian system onto the democratic system, at a time when the Albanian opposition was facing the most savage dictatorship in the post war Europe, while Albania and Albanians were experiencing the great drama of the destructive material and spiritual consequences of the Marxist doctrine, which some 30 years ago set ablaze churches, mosques and masjids in the whole Albania, and imposed state atheism. His Holiness, Pope Jon Paul II, the Holy See and their representatives in Albania, supported step by step and unshakeable the democratic forces in their efforts to topple communism. Communism was incompatible with the real human and divine values for Pope Vojtilje, who had been praying for years for the Albanians and the other nations which suffered under the communist regime, for the Holy See and the Apostolic Nuncio Ivan Dias. Following the victory of the democratic forces, the Vatican, the Holy Father and His representative, the Apostolic Nuncio, have been and are the main supporters of our efforts for the reconstruction of the rule of law, market economy and the country's integration into Europe. Monsignor Ivan Dias, You came to Albania at a time of a real national revival. The Holy Father in his historic visit in Albania, after consecrating the Cathedral of Shkodra turned by the regime into a sports hall and ordained the four Albanian bishops, among whom Monsignor Frano Ilia, who 25 years ago was sentenced to death on the same day in defence of his own faith, said that he experienced in Albania a day of real revival. While you, his representative in Albania, experienced years of a nation's genuine revival and in this revival, especially in the revival of his spiritual infrastructure, you have rendered a precious contribution for which the Albanians will be always grateful. You are leaving Albania today, proud of yourself, His Holiness Pope Jon Paul II and God for the fulfillment of your mission with honour. During the last years the Albanian church not only revived, but also experienced the greatest events of its entire existence, the visit of his Holiness Pope Jon Paul II in Albania in 1993, a visit which was a land mark in the friendly relations between Albania and the Vatican. Albania was the first country in the Balkans to be visited by his Holiness, Pope Jon Paul II. But, during this period the Albanian church had also its first Cardinal, the real martyr of the whole Christianity, his Prince, who through his resistance to communism, honoured the Albanian nation, Christianity and all the believers in the whole world. Hundreds upon thousands of Albanian families, schools, villages, ambulances, sick people were generously helped during these years by the "Caritas", and I avail myself of the occasion to express my profound gratitude to the Holy Seat and all those missioners who organized and realized this care and help. You are leaving Albania these days, country in which the biggest religious faiths coexist in the same heart, These faiths they coexist in harmony, well-understanding and exemplary tolerance in this heart of the nation. I have the special pleasure to award you today the Golden Order "Mother Teresa", of this holy Albanian, who made the Albanian nation known to your country and nation and brought our two peoples closer. May God bless her", President Berisha said in conclusion. /a.ke/kled/mt/ From the Albanian Telegraphic Agency (ATA) Home Page at http://www.telpress.it/ataAlbanian Telegraphic Agency Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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