Albanian Telegraphic Agency (ATA), 97-05-01

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

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

CONTENTS

[01] DISTRIBUTION OF SOCIAL BENEFITS CONTINUES IN LUSHNJE

[02] PRESS RELEASE OF EMBASSY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

[03] VLORE POLICE INSPECTOR SHOT DEAD

[04] TRADE WITH SHELLS, A SOURCE OF ACCIDENTS IN BERAT

[05] WE LOVE THE ALBANIAN LAND AND ITS PEOPLE-spokesman

[06] PRESS REVIEW

[07] ACCIDENTALLY KILLING HIS WIFE

[08] MEURTRE D'UN CONDAMNE A LA RECLUSION A PERPETUITE A VLORA

[09] ALBANIAN PRIME MINISTER IN WASHINGTON SOON

[10] FIRST CONTINGENT OF AID ARRIVES IN SHKODER

[11] ALBANIAN PRIME MINISTER MEETS EU DELEGATION

[12] TELEPHONE TALK BETWEEN ALBANIAN PREMIER FINO AND FRANZ VRANITZKY

[13] REPORT OF THE ALBANIAN PRESIDENT'S PRESS AND INFORMATION OFFICE

[14] COUNCIL OF MINISTERS DISCUSSES SECURITY MEASURES FOR MILITARY OBJECTS

[15] A LIFE SENTENCED MAN KILLED IN VLORE

[16] ITALIAN HEALTH MINISTER TO VISIT ALBANIA ON MAY 3

[17] LEKA ZOGU VISITS ELBASAN

[18] NEW BANKNOTES ARE ISSUED BY THE ALBANIAN CENTRAL BANK AND NOT BY THE GOVERNMENT - Tusha

[19] PRESS RELEASE OF EMBASSY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

[20] TELEPHONE TALK OF PRESIDENT BERISHA WITH FRANZ VRANITZKY

[21] NO FULL CONFIRMATION ON THE NUMBER OF THE VICTIMS IN SELITE - Burrel

[22] IT IS NOT TRUE THAT 9 PARTIES ARE FOR A PROPORTIONAL ELECTORAL LAW - Bushati

[23] EXPLOSION IN HOTEL MATI IN BURREL

[01] DISTRIBUTION OF SOCIAL BENEFITS CONTINUES IN LUSHNJE

The distribution of social benefits has continued over the past week in the central Albanian town of Lushje. Measures have also been taken to distribute the humanitarian relief aid, expected to arrive from FAO and the International Red Cross.

The responsible of the office of social assistance in the Lushnje municipality, Fitim Korcari, told ATA that more than 2.200 families have received social assistance and lists have been compiled for the families to benefit humanitarian aid from the Red Cross.

At least 3000 families in the town and countryside will be provided with food.

But Mr. Korcari admits that the amount of aid planned for this district is very small. As a district, Lushje has 45.000 families, 22 000 of which are badly in need of it. jz/lm/z

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[02] PRESS RELEASE OF EMBASSY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

After mutual discussion of the issue by both governments, it was decided that the facility was not appropriate for the proposed use. There was no connection whatsoever with the U.S. government criticism of the May 1996 parliamentary elections. If the journalists who have written false and misleading articles about the United States had exhibited a minimum of professionalism, they would have asked for our comments, and included them to provide for accurate and balanced reporting of the question.

In another instance of low-grade, scurrilous journalism, on April 27 Albania (newspaper) published a particularly ridiculous set of lies about one of the officers at the American Embassy, lies that have no basis in fact, despite claims of "evidence".

Usually a newspaper's publisher reads what his journalists submit. This practice of professional journalism must not be followed at Albania because if it were, the publisher would no doubt have remembered his meeting at the American embassy August 1,1996, when he asked the Embassy to help him get money for Albania from the Soros Foundation. Unfortunately, he had not submitted the required application to the Soros Foundation, an independent organisation, for assistance. He only came to the Embassy to complain that another paper had taken the effort to apply and received the funding as a result. This same publisher, of course, has never complained about the United States acting as an intermediary in obtaining $ 1.2 million from the IMF (International Media Fund) to set up the Democracy Printing Press which has directly benefitted his paper, among others.

The United States continues to support the development of a free, independent, responsible press in Albania, one that understands the importance of uncovering and reporting the truth, one that backs its statements with facts and investigative reporting. Only when journalists take responsibility for what they publish will the media progress beyond politically motivated propaganda. Professional journalism is vital to the building of a strong democracy.

* * *

In its today's article entitled "Newspaper Albania supports civil debate", the director of the said newspaper, Ylli Rakipi, says among other things, that in no case has newspaper Albania published any report or commentary on the desire of the U.S. government to use the Sazan Island as a military base. It has been the world media, also including the American one, that have said this. The Albanian press has not yet published such a report.

The same article says that newspaper Albania strongly believes that the U.S. government is interested in supporting the development of e free press in Abania.

"In many cases we have expressed regret that our colleagues of newspaper Koha Jone (mostly because of irresponsibility) made the U.S. embassy dismiss really irresponsible reports and comments on the part of Koha Jone, two years ago", the article says.

However the said paper says that "In no case has newspaper Albania published unbased reports or references." lm/z

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[03] VLORE POLICE INSPECTOR SHOT DEAD

The incident took place last night at about 21.30, at the place called Pusi i Mezinit.

Sources from the police commissariat in Vlore report that unknown men had fired on the Benz vehicle, with the plate number VL 7841 A, killing the police inspector, Valter Harizi, 39, as well as citizen Jonuz Canaj, both from the Armen village of this district.

The gunmen's attack also wounded two other citizens, who are hospitalised and are out of danger.

The Police Commissariat forces are hunting down the authors of the crime. jz/lm/Z

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[04] TRADE WITH SHELLS, A SOURCE OF ACCIDENTS IN BERAT

The trade with shells looted from weapons stores is becoming a source of accidents among the people.

Military, local government and police sources jump at the same conclusion:"Numerous people are dealing with the trade of shells, which are used for melting, as they are made of nonferrous metals demanded by the foreign market".

Six hours after powerful blasts in Palikeshte, the investigation team inspected this area and found large amounts of shells, ready to be transported to other districts.

Traders from Kavaje and Tirana come here to gather the heavy artillery shells. For one kg of shells they offer 30-40 leks. The economic profit of these people is very high, as one filled shell weighs up to 40 kg.

"The shells are taken here, melted in the Kavaja and Tirana foundries and then transported abroad, especially Montenegro," another source says.

The roadblocks are required to check and intercept this ammunition, a thing which has not yet been done.

There are some 1500 depots in the territory of Albania which for many years have stored army weapons and explosives. jz/lm/Z

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[05] WE LOVE THE ALBANIAN LAND AND ITS PEOPLE-spokesman

Question: What is the task of the Spanish troops in the context of the operation Alba?

Answer: Our task is to create safety conditions so that the humanitarian aid can arrive in all the defined places and areas. Our itinerary includes Lezhe, Shkoder and Koplik of the Malesi e Madhe district.

Question: Besides your mission, will you also contribute to other fields?

Question: We are militaries and our task is to carry out the mission specified in U.N. resolution 1101. Unfortunately this mission does not include direct cooperation operations with the police, in health care and other fields. But we have established the first contacts of cooperation with the institutions of prefecture, municipality, commune and police bodies.

Our doctors are currently carrying out medical examinations and distributing (free of charge) medicines to the sick. No one should ever think of our mission as interference in the internal affairs of Albania.

Question: How will your assistance be present in the June 1997 elections in Albania?

We are conscious of the great importance of the free and democratic elections in Albania. Our mandate does not yet include this, however, we know that talks are underway with senior representatives to enable the change of this mandate and in this way to help the elections process. We believe that this will be realised, although this is a political and not a military decision. s.sh/jz/lm/Z

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[06] PRESS REVIEW

In another article the paper says that the Christian-Democratic Party and the National Front Party will support the electoral law of 1992. The paper reports on the arrival of 220 Italian soldiers and says that the U.N. does not consider the modification of the mandate of the multinational force in Albania.

The paper carries a statement of the DP activists meeting of Malesi e Madhe entitled:"The putschists will render accounts some day".

Zeri i Popullit reports on yesterday's meeting of the DP and SP leaders with the article:"DP against compromise". The paper carries the article:"The committees have nothing in common with the criminal bands". Also, the paper carries a reaction of the U.S. embassy entitled:"The U.S. supports the development of a free and responsible press in Albania".

The paper carries the article:"Why do the power-holders fear the Public Salvation Committees". It also carries the article:"The parties round table requires a change of the structures in power".

Republika carries the article:"A general discovers the enigma of the army's desertion" and the article :"S.Zhulali, former Defence minister, indicted".

Balli i Kombit carries the editorial: "Eyes towards patriotism" and the article :"The rightists: by surviving they show that they can govern".

Rilindja carries the article:"Broad autonomy is required for Kosova". The paper covers the news conference of the chairman of the Parliamentary Party of Kosova A. Demaci, entitled:"We are waiting for Rugova to show his position so that we, too, show our own position".

Dita carries the article:"Catastrophe in Burrel, artillery depots blast. At least 28 killed", the paper says. It carries the article "Nano- Shehu talks fail".

Albania carries the editorial entitled:"The committees speak in the SP language". The paper carries the article:"The majority system, the abyss of the socialists". The paper carries the article:"Koha Jone is the mess of Charles Walsh".

It carries the press release of the American Embassy as well as the reaction of the director of newspaper Albania, Y. Rakipi, entitled:"Albania supports civil debate". The paper carries the article:"The SP hour has stuck at anti-genocide".

Gazeta Shqiptare carries the editorial:"The First of May, festivity on ruins". The paper paper also reports of yesterday's massacre in the military tunnel in Burrel. jz/lm/Z

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[07] ACCIDENTALLY KILLING HIS WIFE

Sources of police commissariat 4 in Tirana says that Skender Duraku, 37, inhabitant of the Selite village of Tirana accidentally killed his wife, Lumturi Duraku, yesterday, while he was loading and unloading the gun in the yard of his house.

The police were present on the spot immediately and are working to completely clear up the incident. jz/lm/Z

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[08] MEURTRE D'UN CONDAMNE A LA RECLUSION A PERPETUITE A VLORA

Selon cette source, la victime avait été condamnée à la reclusion à perpetuité pour meurtre et avait quitté la prison au début des troubles.

Le parlement albanais a adopté fin mars dernier une vaste amnistie pour les prisonniers qui étaient libres alors./KLED-LP/sh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[09] ALBANIAN PRIME MINISTER IN WASHINGTON SOON

Accepting the invitation with pleasure, Mr Fino asked the U.S. Ambassadress to convey to the friendly U.S. Government and personally to Mrs Albright his thanks for the invitation. He voiced the conviction that this visit would serve the consolidation of the friendly relations and cooperation with the U.S. ake/kled/xh/sh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[10] FIRST CONTINGENT OF AID ARRIVES IN SHKODER

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[11] ALBANIAN PRIME MINISTER MEETS EU DELEGATION

Attending the meeting were the Minister of Finance, Arben Malaj, the director of the Department in the Council of Ministers, Edmond Leka, specialists and the EU Ambassador in Tirane, E Germano. The meeting focused extensively on the situation in Albania.

Upon the request of the EU high representative, Albanian Prime Minister explained at length the problems that government is facing in the preparation of the infrastructure of the elections, particularly the electoral law.

Mr Fino declared he was facing an impasse created by the opposition stands for the system of elections by the Democratic Party on the one hand, and 9 other coalition parties, on the other. Albanian Premier declared to the EU envoy that he was expecting a consensus among the parties. Otherwise, said Mr Fino, "we would go towards a government crisis."

Mr Rheim declared that the European Union takes into consideration the position and the difficulties in which the Albanian Prime Minister personally and the Albanian Government are at present and it has expressed unequivocally its unconditional support for them.

The message of the Albanian Government is very clear, the EU envoy said to Mr Fino. Mr Rheim stressed that in the meeting in Luxembourg two days ago, the EU Foreign ministers expressed their request that the elections be held as soon as possible.

A special place in the talks took the economic relations between Albania and the EU. The EU representative underlined the fact that an emergent aid for Albania was approved in Brussels. The EU foreign ministers have open the green light to an international meeting of donators for Albania, but Mr Rheim stressed on this occasion that the assistance will come after the political stability is established. ssh/kled/xh/sh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[12] TELEPHONE TALK BETWEEN ALBANIAN PREMIER FINO AND FRANZ VRANITZKY

As the Premier's press and information office reports, the talk focused on the efforts the government is making for the realisation of the earlier political elections on the deadline set in the March 9, 1997 political agreement.

In response to his interest for the measures that the National Reconciliation Government has adopted in this regard, Mr Fino said to Mr Vranitzky that they were making efforts to reach a consensus with all the political forces for the preparation of an electoral law which would ensure a normal conduct of the election process.

The majority of the political parties, said Mr Fino, are converging to a large proportionally basis system of voting, at a time when the Democratic Party continues to insist in the existing electoral law. Also the meeting held on this occasion between the SP and DP did not yield any result.

Mr Fino informed Mr Vranitzky that he would organize this week the last meeting with the political parties to reach a consensus on the electoral law. If this is not reached, then he would be forced to approve the law in the meeting of the Council of Ministers and sent it then to the Parliament. Mr Fino declared to his interlocutor that since the Democratic Party has the majority in the Parliament, together with the approval of the law, he was going to also ask a vote of confidence for the Government.

Mr Vranizky highlighted the efforts of the Government and Premier Fino in reaching a consensus on the electoral law and underlined that this is the only road the bring the country out of the crisis. He stressed that all the political forces and the state legal institutions should make maximal efforts to support that political solution so that the country makes no more backward steps. This would be of grave consequences for the present and especially for the future of the country. During these days, he said, "I have had many meetings with representatives of various foreign governments and institutions to ensure their support for the reconstruction of Albania."

All stress the fact that the Albanian Government should realise as soon as possible the general elections to open the way to the political and economic stability of the country. A government crisis would have rather negative consequences, he said.

Premier Fino informed Mr Vranitzky also of the work the government was making to restore public order. He underlined the fact that excessive debates and politicizing must be eliminated and the local administration consolidated. This would bring a natural dissolution of the salvation committees.

Fino informed Mr Vranitzky that the Albanian Government was seeing the possibility of extending the status of the multinational forces, especially for the protection of some military objects and to ensure the normal functioning of the customs points.

During the talk, Mr Vranitzky confirmed his coming to Albania soon, at the head of an OSCE delegation. ake/kled/xh/sh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[13] REPORT OF THE ALBANIAN PRESIDENT'S PRESS AND INFORMATION OFFICE

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[14] COUNCIL OF MINISTERS DISCUSSES SECURITY MEASURES FOR MILITARY OBJECTS

The press and information office close to the Albanian Premier says that attending the consultative meeting, besides a part of the government cabinet, were also specialists of the Defence, Interior and Finance ministries.

The proposed drafts aim at preventing the grave situations, as was the latest case in the village Selite, the adoption of security measures for the military and state objects and other preventive military and administrative measures. These drafts were discussed by the cabinet members and the experts present in the meeting and will be presented for approval to the Council of Ministers on May 2. ake/kled/xh/sh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[15] A LIFE SENTENCED MAN KILLED IN VLORE

According to this report, the victim was sentenced with life in prison and had fled the jail in the period of the unrest.

At the end of March, Albanian Parliament adopted a broad amnesty for the prisoners who were freed in those moments. kled/xh/sh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[16] ITALIAN HEALTH MINISTER TO VISIT ALBANIA ON MAY 3

The Italian Minister, accompanied by the Albanian Minister of Health, Astrit Kalenja, would meet first with the director of the hospital and the mayor of Elbasan.

Then the Italian Minister is expected to have a meeting with her Albanian counterpart, Kalenja, and other ministry high officials.

At noon, Mrs Bindi will have a meeting in the University Hospital Centre and then in the Public Health Institute in Tirane.

After these meetings, Mrs Bindi will give a news conference in the Health Ministry and at the end of her visit to Albania the Italian Minister will pay a visit to the Vatican Hospital in Tirane. xh/sh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[17] LEKA ZOGU VISITS ELBASAN

Leka Zogu conveyed messages of peace, fraternity and unity for the homeland and the nation.

The chairman of the Legality Movement Party, Guri Durollari, mentioned the monarchy as a solution which would be a salvation for Albania in this difficult historic moment. kled/xh/sh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[18] NEW BANKNOTES ARE ISSUED BY THE ALBANIAN CENTRAL BANK AND NOT BY THE GOVERNMENT - Tusha

The issuing of the new money is made to bring the Albanian banknote to the European standards, said Tusha, adding that this has not to do with problems of inflation.

"The Central Bank has no reason to link in these moments with the Government, the more so when with the increase of inflation, the expenditures of the economy cannot be paid through issuing new money, hence, by putting to circulation a supplementary unjustifiable amount of money," said Tusha.

He voiced the conviction that in the present conditions, Albania needed an international support. "Without an international backup, without the support of the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank or the renewal of the agreements of the projects they have started in Albania and for which, I, as a governor, am waiting for talks, the crisis, if it continues any longer, is difficult to be overcome," said the Governor of the Bank of Albania, Qamil Tusha. kled/xh/sh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[19] PRESS RELEASE OF EMBASSY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

The media have claimed that the U.S. government became critical of the last Albanian parliamentary elections because we were denied the use of Sazan Island. This is absolutely false. First of all, it was the Albanian government, in December of 1995, that offered us the use of Sazan island.

After mutual discussion of the issue by both governments, it was decided that the facility was not appropriate for the proposed use. There was no connection whatsoever with the U.S. government criticism of the May 1996 parliamentary elections. If the journalists who have written false and misleading articles about the United States had exhibited a minimum of professionalism, they would have asked for our comments, and included them to provide for accurate and balanced reporting of the question.

In another instance of low-grade, scurrilous journalism, on April 27 Albania (newspaper) published a particularly ridiculous set of lies about one of the officers at the American Embassy, lies that have no basis in fact, despite claims of "evidence".

Usually a newspaper's publisher reads what his journalists submit. This practice of professional journalism must not be followed at Albania because if it were, the publisher would no doubt have remembered his meeting at the American embassy August 1,1996, when he asked the Embassy to help him get money for Albania from the Soros Foundation. Unfortunately, he had not submitted the required application to the Soros Foundation, an independent organisation, for assistance. He only came to the Embassy to complain that another paper had taken the effort to apply and received the funding as a result. This same publisher, of course, has never complained about the United States acting as an intermediary in obtaining $ 1.2 million from the IMF (International Media Fund) to set up the Democracy Printing Press which has directly benefitted his paper, among others.

The United States continues to support the development of a free, independent, responsible press in Albania, one that understands the importance of uncovering and reporting the truth, one that backs its statements with facts and investigative reporting. Only when journalists take responsibility for what they publish will the media progress beyond politically motivated propaganda. Professional journalism is vital to the building of a strong democracy, says the press release at the end.

* * *

In its today's article entitled "Newspaper Albania supports civil debate", the director of the said newspaper, Ylli Rakipi, says among other things, that in no case has newspaper Albania published any report or commentary on the desire of the U.S. government to use the Sazan Island as a military base. It has been the world media, also including the American one, that have said this. The Albanian press has not yet published such a report.

The same article says that newspaper Albania strongly believes that the U.S. government is interested in supporting the development of e free press in Abania.

"In many cases we have expressed regret that our colleagues of newspaper Koha Jone (mostly because of irresponsibility) made the U.S. embassy dismiss really irresponsible reports and comments on the part of Koha Jone, two years ago", the article says.

However the said paper says that "In no case has newspaper Albania published unbased reports or references." lm/z

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[20] TELEPHONE TALK OF PRESIDENT BERISHA WITH FRANZ VRANITZKY

They discussed the situation in Albania and the progress made towards the coming elections. President Berisha once more confirmed to former Chancellor Vranitzky the indispensable need of the free elections to be held within the deadline set by the political forces in the March 9, agreement.

At present, said President Berisha, the major hindrance for the conduct of free elections, for the setting of their date are the armed committees in some southern districts, which are preventing the legitimate central and local governments in those districts and continue to keep these districts plunged into organized crime, theft, plunder, killings and are forcing the foreign investors to leave.

These committees, directed by left extremists, traffickers and mafia members, do not allow the political activity of the non-left forces, they prevent the distribution of the non-left press in those zones and the free movement of the people. They, said Berisha, with their activity want to make impossible and postpone the setting of the day of elections, thus punishing all the Albanian citizens with a deterioration of their family economic situation, their business, due to the growth of inflation, daily extension of the budgetary deficit, whose solution demands stabilization through new elections for Albania's governing.

These committees, said the President, are reigning amidst chaos and terror in those districts, because the National Reconciliation Government is paralyzed and cannot act against them. This also for the fact that in the March 28, 1997 agreement, these committees were declared as the armed wing or the ally of the main former opposition force of the country, which is presently directing the National Reconciliation Government.

Recently, the government has held a number of meetings with the political forces, on the electoral law, although it is common knowledge that the majority system based electoral law is of international standards and the one which Albania needs so much in this period. In the mean time, the government has not managed to come out with a decision to ask SP to denounce the March 28 alliance with these committees and to bring out of terror and violence the population of those districts, to restore there the public order, peace, security that this the people of these districts deserve.

President Berisha said to Mr Vranitzky that he had discussed these problems several times with leaders and members of the government and with representatives of the political parties.

Austrian Former Chancellor, Vranitzky highlighted the commitment of President Berisha to hold free and fair elections within the deadline set by the March 9 Agreement and the indispensable need of improving the situation in some southern districts along with the creation of the circumstances for a democratic electoral process. ake/kled/xh/sh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[21] NO FULL CONFIRMATION ON THE NUMBER OF THE VICTIMS IN SELITE - Burrel

"Family members said today they have managed to find fragments of the bodies of five people, outside the tunnel, but their exact identification is not yet made," eyewitnesses say.

The April 29 tragic event in the Selite village has seriously shocked the people in Mat district.

Despite demands by villagers, the military experts have ruled out further possible recovering of other victims, because there explosions in tunnels continue and the danger is always present. ake/kled/xh/sh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[22] IT IS NOT TRUE THAT 9 PARTIES ARE FOR A PROPORTIONAL ELECTORAL LAW - Bushati

"It is not true that 9 parties are for an electoral law based only on the proportional law," said the chairman of the Christian Democratic Party, Zef Bushati. "Our party is for the electoral law of 1992." "A part of the small parties, the Balli Kombetar Party, the Legality Movement Party, the Social Democratic Union Party, in the latest round table between the 10 main political parties with the Prime Minister Bashkim Fino said they favoured the electoral law of 1992 with the improvements suggested recently by ODHIR," said Bushati.

According to Bushat, a proportional system based law was supported in the round table by the Socialist Party, the Democratic Alliance Party, the Social Democratic Party and the Republican Party.

Among the suggestions of ODHIR for the electoral law is the lowering of the quotas of representation of the parties in the Parliament up to 2 per cent for the votes won as political subjects, but the relation between majority-proportional systems is not changed, it is as it was in the law of 1992. kled/xh/sh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[23] EXPLOSION IN HOTEL MATI IN BURREL

The motives of the explosion are still unknown.

ake/kled/xh/sh/

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