Albanian Telegraphic Agency (ATA), 97-05-22

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Albanian Telegraphic Agency

CONTENTS

[01] SP WILL PARTICIPATE IN FORTHCOMING ELECTIONS - Nano

[02] PRESS REVIEW

[03] THE ACCUSED ALBANIANS GREETED WITH APPLAUSE BY PRISTINA CITIZENS

[04] DANGER OF DAMAGING SOWN CROPS FROM GRASSHOPPER INCREASED IN HAS

[05] TRANSLATOR MIRA MEKSI "INTERNATIONAL LEADER IN PROMOTION"

[06] GRENADE THROWN IN A HOUSE - SOMEONE KILLED IN TIRANA

[07] SERBIAN COLONIST STUDENTS IN PRISTINA PROVOKE WITH TCHETNIC SONGS

[08] PRESIDENT BERISHA MEETS INHABITANTS OF ELBASAN

[09] EXPLOSION IN GJIROKASTER

[10] ANOTHER OFFICER DIES AFTER EXPLOSION IN GJIROKASTER

[11] DPA CONFUTES NEWSPAPER KOHA JONE

[12] DECISIONS TO DISCHARGE BANK DIRECTORS NOT INCLUDED IN GOVERNMENT PROGRAMME - DPA

[13] FROM MAY 9 WHEN THE CONSENSUS BETWEEN PARTIES WAS REACHED TO MAY 21 WHEN THE ELECTORAL LAW WAS ACCEPTED

[14] SMALL PARTIES OF THE RIGHT TO TAKE PART IN POLLS WITH JOINT CANDIDATES

[15] TEENAGER DROWNED IN SHKUMBIN RIVER

[16] EUROPEAN COMMUNITY EXPERTS IN LEZHE

[17] SURVIVERS FROM OTRANTO TRAGEDY TO STAGE HUNGER STRIKE WITHOUT LIMIT

[18] SP'S DEMAND FOR AN INTENSIVE MONITORING OF ELECTIONS IS NOTHING BUT AN [EFFORT TO SAVE FACE - Pollo

[19] ARMED GANG SHOOTS AT KAPSHTICE CUSTOMS

[20] THERE HAS BEEN NO TERRORIST GANG HIDING IN BLOCKS OF FLATS IN MEMALIAJ - Mayor

[21] SPEAKER HOLDS MEETINGS IN DURRES, KRUJE, SHKODER AND FUSHE-KRUJE

[22] CHAIRMAN OF PARLIAMENTARY FOREIGN POLICY COMMISSION VISITS ITALY

[01] SP WILL PARTICIPATE IN FORTHCOMING ELECTIONS - Nano

[02] PRESS REVIEW

Zeri i Popullit carries the article "There is no place for Berisha in Vlore", and covers the meeting of Premier Fino with the political parties, under the title "Full international guarantees are requested ." The paper carries the article "The shadows of pyramids will follow Berisha like ghosts". The paper carries the article "Who turned Albania into a Bosnia?" The paper also publishes the article "The star of DP and Berisha fades away", and "Citizens - object of continuous surveillance of SHIK." The paper carries a pronouncement of the Greek Foreign Minister, Pangallos, under the title "The historic chance of June 29 should be not lost".

Balli i Kombit reports on the meeting of the National Council of the National Front Party, and carries a pronouncement of the party chairman Abaz Ermenji entitled "I am not afraid of the threatens".

Republika carries the editorial "Berisha is not invincible". The paper carries the article "The opposition do not participate in elections".

Rilindja paper publishes the article "The future of Albania depends on the political solution of the crisis". It also carries the article "The commune of Ulqin, the target of Monte-Negro power", and the article "The usage of flags is temporarily prevented in Gostivar".

Albania paper reports on a secret plan of the socialists for the radicalization of protests under the title "Vefa should collapse by every means". The paper reports on the compromise reached on Wednesday in the meeting of President with Premier Fino. The paper carries the article "Berisha offers Fino the election commission." The paper reports on the election campaign of Leka Zogu, under the title "No quarrels, but nationalism".

Koha Jone carries the article "SP in elections, opposition splits". The paper carries the article "Forlani guarantees security under the protection of Alba troops. The paper publishes a document (according to the paper) in which it is shown why DP does not tolerate for the 115 constituencies of the "Election Law". The paper carries a pronouncement of the Socialist Leader Nano "I enter the elections, but I want thousands of observers".

Independent paper carries pronouncements of several politicians on the Foresti question (the so-called secret telephone talk between him and democratic leader Shehu). The paper carries the article "In elections only with OSCE".

On the same event, Dita Informacion carries the article "Super speculation or super scandal". It also publishes the article "Election to be held by Europe and USA".

Gazeta Shqiptare carries the article "The parties to Europe: Guard our votes". The paper carries the article "Malaj causes storm in the tops of the Albanian finances"./jz/mt/sh/

[03] THE ACCUSED ALBANIANS GREETED WITH APPLAUSE BY PRISTINA CITIZENS

The trial ended in the third day, to be continued next Monday with the final plea and the decision of the prosecutor.

The observer of the trial of the Fund on the Human Right form Belgrade, Natasha Kostic, expressed her concern for the fact that the act-judge will be done on the basis of the statements pulled out by violence.

The attorneys of the accused said that "the evidence presented by the prosecutor can not prove any kind of penal act" and stressed that "this is an assembled political trial against the Albanians"./ag/b.j/kled/mt/sh/

[04] DANGER OF DAMAGING SOWN CROPS FROM GRASSHOPPER INCREASED IN HAS

Last year, the storm of grasshopper damaged in this district, large surfaces of sown crops and pastures. /a.ke/kled/mt/sh/

[05] TRANSLATOR MIRA MEKSI "INTERNATIONAL LEADER IN PROMOTION"

Meksi, director of the Cultural Foundation "Velija" is known by the Albanian public as translator of works of Nobelists Marques, O Paz, Nerouda, as well as other writers A Dumas, E Sabato, and others.

In the biographic edition, Meksi is mentioned not only for her merits as translator, but also as writer, mainly for the contribution of the establishment of the first private Cultural Foundation in Albania. /jz/mt/Z/

[06] GRENADE THROWN IN A HOUSE - SOMEONE KILLED IN TIRANA

According to the Police Commissariat no. 4, unidentified persons have thrown a grenade in the house of Kulloci./kled/mt/sh/

[07] SERBIAN COLONIST STUDENTS IN PRISTINA PROVOKE WITH TCHETNIC SONGS

"We will kill, we will cut the throat", was the text of one of the songs, heard in the late hours last night from the dormitories of the University, where the Serbian colonist students live.

In the University of Pristine, where the Albanians were forcefully expulsed, the number of Serbs reach some 20 000.

Most of them have come from Serbia, Croatia and Bosnia, aiming at the colonization and violent change of the ethnic structure of Kosova, where 90% of the population is made up of ethnic Albanians./b.j/lp/kled/mt/

[08] PRESIDENT BERISHA MEETS INHABITANTS OF ELBASAN

"We are determined to set forward an emergency programme to overcome the crisis. It is more suitable and the best one for Albania's integration into Europe and consolidation of an advanced Western democracy," he said.

"The socialism of the communists is dictatorship", Berisha said.

Later he admitted the DP errors during the last years which, according to him, consisted in the consolidation of institutions, selection of people and tolerance towards the pyramid schemes.

This time the electoral campaign is held under specific conditions, Berisha told the participants. "Therefore we should turn it into a civic campaign, with all the alternatives contesting in equality."

The best of these alternatives he considered that of the DP.

"We lent the hand of reconciliation, while the March 28 agreement with the southern committees showed that the SP can hardly give up violence," he said further on.

As regards SP's participation in the elections, he hailed its decision to take part in them, wishing "they do not change their mind."

"I don't think Fatos Nano, if elected prime minister, would apply another platform, except that of "new economic mechanism of 1990," he responded to a question. "But, however, we must be sure they can in no way build a socialist market economy," Berisha said. jz/lm/k

[09] EXPLOSION IN GJIROKASTER

The explosion, which according two experts might have been TNT, shocked a large area of the town, shattering the windows of the nearby houses and terrorising their residents. s.ke/kei/lm/k

[10] ANOTHER OFFICER DIES AFTER EXPLOSION IN GJIROKASTER

According to doctors of the Gjirokaster hospital, the victim had received first grade burns during the recent explosion in the army unit of Ramanxa in Gjirokaster town.

The explosion wounded 14 officers, of whom, six were sent for treatment to Greek hospitals.

A few days ago the first captain, Ferdinand Dosti, died of the burns received in the explosion. a.ke/kei/lm/k

[11] DPA CONFUTES NEWSPAPER KOHA JONE

"We deplore the proportions the unscrupulous slander is assuming in the Albanian left press," the DPA says in its confutation.

The DP considers what is said in the article "imaginary slanders" and stresses that "The May 26 campaign of the Democratic Party had the proportions of an organisational work based on western experience."

"Technically we have thousands of arguments through which we can refute the pseudo-document of Koha Jone and which can easily be examined by the press interested," the confutation says.

The confutation also says that "Koha Jone's computer effort to invent a document lacks the sensationally used element as a subtitle, that is, the signature of the DPA chairman".

The DPA Press office reports under its legal responsibility that no instruction has been issued from the chancelleries of this party on passing information through the annals of the Interior Ministry or customs houses.

As regards the "Top secret" inscription used by Koha Jone to cover DP's documents, the confutation says that this inscription "in fact, is not in the practice of the work of the organisational department". a.ke/kei/lm/k

[12] DECISIONS TO DISCHARGE BANK DIRECTORS NOT INCLUDED IN GOVERNMENT PROGRAMME - DPA

"The wave of dismissals in the finance world is a bad omen of other discharges in state administration ministries run by socialist ministers," a DPA statement says.

The Democratic Party, the statement says, regards the latest decisions of Minister Malaj as decisions based on political revenge, which have long since been signaled by the Socialist Party, and which run counter to the March 9 National Reconciliation.

The Democratic Party openly protests against such acts, as it notices that dismissals in the banking system are unmotivated, and more over, Socialist Party financiers and members are being appointed to the vacant places.

"This causes the Albanian finance world to be involved in a political corruption in favor of the electoral campaign of the Socialist Party," the statement says.

The Democratic Party calls on the Finance Minister to stop this wave of discharges and return to work those he has discharged, the DPA statements concludes. s.sh/kei/lm/k

[13] FROM MAY 9 WHEN THE CONSENSUS BETWEEN PARTIES WAS REACHED TO MAY 21 WHEN THE ELECTORAL LAW WAS ACCEPTED

May 12 - The Government has not yet presented to the Parliament its variant on the electoral law.

May 13 - The Parliament includes in the agenda the discussion of the draft law on elections presented by the DP parliamentary group and based on the Agreement of May 9. (The draft from the Government has not yet been presented.) The socialists have objections. DP has applied the maximum of the majority system of 1996 with 115 constituencies and the maximum of the proportional system of 1992, with 40 deputies; it has also made some other changes in favour of the small parties. The minimal level for access to the parliament is reduced from 4 to 3 per cent. The law is approved by majority of votes. The socialists, in the name of some parties, declare they will discuss only on the basis of a draft law on elections presented by the government. They demand renegotiation of the agreement reached on May 9 with the mediation of Vranitzky. The monarchists, christian democrats and social democratic union dissasociate themselves from this.

May 14 - The Government of National Reconciliation has not yet presented its version of the electoral law. President Berisha does not decree the law approved by the Parliament waiting for the draft law from the government. In the evening Premier Bashkim Fino makes a declaration to the Parliament with objections to the law approved by the Parliament but he does not present any variant of the law by the government.

May 15 - Mr Vranitzky returns to Tirana and declares that a combination between the two laws, that of 1992 and that of 1996 (115 deputies elected on the basis of the majority system and 40 on the basis of the proportional,) does not run contrary to the political contract between 10 parties reached on May 9. Vranitzky demands that some amendments be included in the electoral law. According to a demand of the socialist parliamentry group, the Parliament decides to discuss, although out of the normal procedure, the draft law of the government also in the judicial commission. After some hours of debates, no consensus is reached in the commission and the socialist parliamentary group does not attend the parliament session.

May 16, early morning hours - the Parliament continues to discuss the law on elections and adopts it early in the morning. The final variant includes the amendments of President Berisha, all the latest suggestions by Mr Vranitzky and 20 articles from the law presented by the government. The mininal limit of the votes needed to take seats in the parliament was reduced to 2 per cent , according to a recommendation of Mr Vranitzky. The socialists, the independent deputies grouped in the Movement for Democracy and the deputy of Balli Kombetar Party do not take part in the voting of the electoral law claiming that the discussion was "about a law of Arbnori and not about the law brought by the govenrment." (The disagreement was mainly for Article 6 of the law drafted by the government, according to which the elections would be held on the basis of a pure proportional law, in one round of polls. This variant ran contrary to the May agreement between the 10 parties.)

The committees convene in Vlore. Two politicians from the opposition parties, Eduard Alushi of the SP branch in Vlore and Gjergj Zefi of the DAP, attend the meeting. Some participants voice the opinion that their mission must be considered as completed (as the contract on May 9 demanded,) some others asked that their activity should continue, and expressed extreme notes, declaring that they were for an historical march towards Tirane.

In the evening, the President decrees the dissolution of the People's Assembly and sets June 29 as the date for earlier elections.

May 17 - Prime Minister Fino convenes the parties to find a consensus on the electoral law. Through its leader, Nano, the socialists declared that this party "had no need for the a law that favours the small parties." While they present no concrete remarks on the law, the SDP says it does not agree to take part in elections 'with this eletoral law.' "We are for free elections. Nothing hurries us," said SDP leader, Skender Gjinushi.

May 19 - Government Fino presents new draft of the electoral law. DAP, SDP and some other small parties present amendments for essential changes to the law. SDP threatens again "it will review its participation in the Government of National Reconciliation." The fresh continuous amendments by SDP and DAP are criticized by Movement of Legality Party and Christian Democratic Party.

May 20 - President Berisha delegates to the Socialist Prime Minister Fino and the Council of Ministers the procedural competence preceding the appointment of the Central Election Commission.

May 21 - SP is dissatisfied and opposes the division of the proportional system 25 per cent with 75 per cent in favour of the samll parties, proposed by Mr Vranitzky and approved by the Parliament on May 16. Surprisigly, the SP's position is also approved by a small party like SDP. The parties say now that they demand a full monitoring of the poll by the international community.

U.S. Ambassadress Lino and the Italian Ambassador in Tirane Foresti present to the Premier the points of garantee which the international community ensures for free and fair elections in Albania. xh/k

[14] SMALL PARTIES OF THE RIGHT TO TAKE PART IN POLLS WITH JOINT CANDIDATES

The parties reaching the agreement are: "The National Front Party, the Democratic Party of the Right, the Movement for Democracy Party and the Republican Party.

This alliance followed an agreement on June 16 among these parties and according to a statement issued on Tuesday it is open to enlarge the alliance with other formations and political parties.

The formation, according to the MDP leader, Dashamir Shehi, "intends to be amnalternative against the unmerited advance of the left and Berisha's autocracy".

Each party will be proportionally represented with its name and signature and a joint electoral commission will be created with representatives of all parties.

This right wing coalition joined the SP stands on the electoral law.

"We are among those parties that have contested the law and see in the law many risks, and we will jointly decide whether we will take part in the elections or not," Shehi said. kei/lm/k

[15] TEENAGER DROWNED IN SHKUMBIN RIVER

The police are working to find the drowning motives and recover the body. kei/lm/k

[16] EUROPEAN COMMUNITY EXPERTS IN LEZHE

The head of this team, Hans Ditrich, said that the aim of the mission int the Lezhe and Shkoder prefectures is to prepare a report on the political situation, military security, humanitarian and economic issues and the situation at state, health, education and cultural institutions in these two prefectures, after the wave of massive violence sweeping the whole country.

He added that this information will serve the European governments and other western organisations to get to know the real situation in Albania and its needs as well as to encourage the readiness, trust and desire of these countries to offer investment.

The European Community observers' mission started work in Albania in 1992 and in May this year, based on the memorandum signed between the Albanian government and this mission, it extended its activity with five teams all over Albania.

The team also conducted meetings at the town's police commissariat and municipality. kei/lm/k

[17] SURVIVERS FROM OTRANTO TRAGEDY TO STAGE HUNGER STRIKE WITHOUT LIMIT

"The strikers will demand that work to recover the bodies of their family members and relatives continue because it is a period of two months since they were drowned," reports the Association "Mergimtari".

In a meeting with the prefect of Brindisi and deputy prefect of Taranto, this association has demanded that the 16 Albanians who survived from the tragedy and are now in the camps of Italy be provided long-term documents for staying in Italy.

A period of about 3-4 months is needed to recover from the sea the Albanian ship which capsized in the Strait of Otranto on March 28, 1997 after it crushed with the vessel "Sibila" of the Italian Fleet.

Only the body of a woman, 57, from Vlore named Sakine Seko has been identified by her necklace so far.

The filming from the sea depths are now being examined by the Prosecutor in Brindisi, Bruno Giordano, and by the deputy prosecutor Leonardo Leone de Castris, charged with the investigation into the case with the vessel. kei/xh/k

[18] SP'S DEMAND FOR AN INTENSIVE MONITORING OF ELECTIONS IS NOTHING BUT AN EFFORT TO SAVE FACE - Pollo

"There is nothing new inr the demand-condition of Mr Nano for an extended monitoring of the poll by the international community, but it is an effort by SP to save face in the country and outside it," said the DP Secretary General, Genc Pollo.

DP has continuously insisted in a broad monitoring of the parliamentary elections.

The demand for a monitoring of the poll by international organizations was presented by SP and some other parties, allies of SP, as a condition to take part in the ballot.

After these demands were sent to the OSCE envoy, Austrian former Chancellor, by the Albanian Government, the chairman of the SP declared the participation of his party in elections.

Pollo hailed the declaration of SP leader Nano for the participation of his party in the poll, because, according to the DP leader, democracy is achieved with the participation of all in elections.

"The socialist electorate would feel itself again betrayed if SP restored to the road of boycott," added Pollo.

"I am dissillusioned by the fact that the decision taken in the last minute for SP participation in the ballot was influenced by the advice in foreign language. There is no doubt that these advice had a good intention but it would have been in the honour of the country and of Mr Nano himself if the decision was taken independently," said Pollo. kei/xh/k

[19] ARMED GANG SHOOTS AT KAPSHTICE CUSTOMS

After the incident police commissariat forces and investigating group went to the area.

Sources of the district attorney's office say that the incident was a premeditated attack by gunmen in order that the goods be not cleared through the Greek customs. kei/lm/k

[20] THERE HAS BEEN NO TERRORIST GANG HIDING IN BLOCKS OF FLATS IN MEMALIAJ - Mayor

This is said in a confutation by the Memaliaj town municipal council to the reports provided by Deutsche Welle and BBC as well as to the article published in the newspaper Koha Jone on the events taking place in this town on May 17 and 18.

The BBC report on Monday morning says that "An armed group continues to be confined since two days ago in Memaliaj which attacked the commissariat and took hostage for a while a police officer and one of the leaders of the Public Salvation Committee of Tepelene".

"We, the citizens of Memaliaj, who for 36 hours on end experienced the siege and the taking hostage of the town by ordinary criminals and bandits, backed by several police forces, know the truth on these events," the confutation says.

The confutation also says that the policemen brought by armoured vehicles from Gjirokaster, in support of the terrorist criminals, who were established on the town's hills, attacked the innocent population with all kinds of weapons.

The BBC report says that "the local police forces continue to keep under control the group confined in flats".

The confutation of the Memaliaj town Municipal Council mentions as an evidence of the truth on the events, the two rallies of the Memaliaj people, who harshly denounced the siege by the terrorist gangs and expressed indignation at the Tepelene police commissariat, which did not take any action to eliminate them, on the contrary backed them with a armoured vehicle.

"The Memaliaj people recognise no kind of public salvation committee and allow no one to speak on their behalf. They recognise the municipality and the legitimate bodies elected by them," the confutation says.

It says that the people have asked the creation of the police commissariat in the Memaliaj town, which would be independent of that of Tepelene. They have also requested that the criminals who killed a 28-year-old woman and her child and wounded three others be found and punished. s.sh/kei/lm/k

[21] SPEAKER HOLDS MEETINGS IN DURRES, KRUJE, SHKODER AND FUSHE-KRUJE

The meeting focused on the current situation in the country, the political solutions offered by the DP, possibilities to get out of the crisis and the causes for the current economic and political situation.

"The DP has its own errors and bears responsibility for not preventing on time the mashrooming of these fraudulent firms," Arbnori said regarding the pyramid schemes.

Arbnori also met recently with his electors in constituency 5 in Mnele and Gur i Zi, Shkoder district.

He spoke of the construction alternatives offered by the DP against the latest violence, torching and destructions organised by the forces of chaos.

He also met recently with municipality officials of Fushe Kruje and made known to the participants the causes of the latest turmoil that brought about this situation, the Parliament's press department says. kei/lm/k

[22] CHAIRMAN OF PARLIAMENTARY FOREIGN POLICY COMMISSION VISITS ITALY

Pollo met the Political Secretary of the Christian Democratic Party of the Centre (CCD), Pierferdinando Casini, the former Foreign Minister of the Berlusconi government, deputy Antonio Martino, the chief for Foreign Relations of the Democratic Party of the Left, deputy Ranieri.

Ranieri, according to Pollo, said that if the SP wants to remain on the political scene it should distance itself from its old roots, give up ideological inheritance and change the leading group, otherwise it risks to remain a marginal party in the Albanian politics.

In his meetings with representatives of the Pole of Liberty, Pollo received the support of the Italian center right on the politics applied by the DP and its electoral campaign. s.sh/kei/lm

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