Albanian Telegraphic Agency (ATA), 97-06-08

Albanian Telegraphic Agency Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

CONTENTS

[01] FRANZ VRANITZKY ARRIVES IN ALBANIA

[02] ALBANIAN GOVERNMENT CONDEMNS TERRORIST ACT AGAINST PRESIDENT

[03] SP HAS COMMITTED NO INFIDELITY TO SMALL PARTIES

[04] DEMOCRAT LEADER SHEHU RULES OUT POSSIBILITY FOR A BROAD BASED COALITION GOVERNMENT AFTER ELECTIONS

[05] ALBANIA'S PM FINO HAS NOT DISCUSSED ELECTORAL LAW IN HIS GOVERNMENT

[06] NINE POLITICAL PARTIES TO DISCUSS PARTICIPATION IN ELECTIONS

[07] ALBANIAN MILITARY UNIT PARTICIPATES IN JOINT DRILL OF NATO AND PARTNER COUNTRIES

[08] INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY WILL PLAY ITS ROLE IN THE ELECTORAL PROCESS - VRANITZKY

[09] NATIONAL LEADING COUNCIL OF ALBANIAN SOCIAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY CONVENES

[10] ODHIR CONCERNED OF THE POSSIBILITIES OF POLL MONITORING THROUGHOUT ALBANIA

[11] OSCE SPECIAL ENVOY FOR ALBANIA VRANITZKY MEETS WITH ALBANIAN PRIME MINISTER

[12] CENTRAL ELECTION COMMISSION DEMANDS ASSISTANCE OF HELICOPTERS OF ALBA TO COLLECT ELECTORAL MATERIAL

[13] PAINT OF THE SEAL FOR ELECTORS CAUSES DEBATE IN CENTRAL ELECTION COMMISSION

[14] MEETING BETWEEN PRIME MINISTER BASHKIM FINO AND OSCE SPECIAL ENVOY FRANZ VRANITZKY

[15] ACTIVITY OF ALBANIAN DELEGATION IN FOREIGN MINISTERS' MEETING OF THE CEI MEMBER COUNTRIES

[01] FRANZ VRANITZKY ARRIVES IN ALBANIA

According to the OSCE spokesman, Vranitzky will see the preparations for the parliamentary elections, expected to be held on June 29.

Vranitzky will meet with OSCE experts, as well as with leaders of main political parties, with the general of "Alba" mission, Premier Fino and President of the Republic, Sali Berisha. /kei/mt/k

[02] ALBANIAN GOVERNMENT CONDEMNS TERRORIST ACT AGAINST PRESIDENT

During an electoral meeting in Shkallnuer village, district of Durres, held on June 4, a terrorist attempted to throw an offensive grenade in the tribune where Berisha was speaking.

The Council of Ministers, through a decision, asks the international community to extend the mandate of the Multinational Protection Force for a period of three months. /kei/mt/k

[03] SP HAS COMMITTED NO INFIDELITY TO SMALL PARTIES

The chairman of the parliamentary group, Namik Dokle, tells that these parties have said before in a statement they were against the law.

"As SP has a parliamentary group and the right to address to the Constitutional Court, we made a request to this court to regulate this absurdity," said Dokle.

After the decision of the Constitutional Court, according to which the small parties will participate in an electoral contest that offers equal conditions for all the parties, the other parties were very angry with the socialists.

The Constitutional Court decided on Saturday to make invalid that point of the election law by the Parliament, which envisaged that the small parties have to divide among them 75 per cent of 40 seats according to the votes won from the proportional, considering it "anti-constitutional".

In the afternoon, all the small parties convened in the office of the Republican chairman, where they discussed for several hours and threatened to boycott the elections and the government.

After a meeting of Fino with the parties' representatives, the Republican chairman said for the "Voice of America": "I believe that the Premier was interested in finding a solution. A consultative meeting will be held tomorrow with specialists in the constitutional field and will discuss reaching an agreement, otherwise, a very critical situation is likely to be created.

According to Godo, everything reached in these two months is blown up. While the socialists consider impossible a new modification. /sk/kei/mt/k

[04] DEMOCRAT LEADER SHEHU RULES OUT POSSIBILITY FOR A BROAD BASED COALITION GOVERNMENT AFTER ELECTIONS

Shehu presented to the former Austrian chancellor Vranitzky the readiness of his party to contribute to a calm electoral situation presenting once more this party's request for the possibility for a free movement of the politicians in all the country's areas.

Shehu described as a 'paradox' the fact that DP cannot hold electoral campaign in some cities "where the committees dominate."

"We demanded an intensive international monitoring of the poll on June 29," said Shehu referring to his meeting with Mr Vranitzky.

Regarding the approval of some amendments to the electoral law by the Constitutional Court on June 7, and the place that this issue had in his talks with Mr Vranitzky, Shehu said that this law favoures the small parties," expressing at the same time his surprise for the request of the SP parliamentary group which, according to Shehu, "has previously raised its voice in defence of the interests of the small parties."

One of the topics of Shehu-Vranitzky meeting also was the government which will be formed after June 29 elections.

"The possibility for the creation of a coalition government of a broad basis is totally ruled out," said the DP leader, referring to a government based on electoral alliances, which it has already realised in the "Union for Democracy."

Shehu was of the opinion that after the elections, the opposition should play a greater role in the country's life, which may be made possible through "parliamentary, and non-parliamentary control as well as through nongovernment structures." kled/xh/sh/

[05] ALBANIA'S PM FINO HAS NOT DISCUSSED ELECTORAL LAW IN HIS GOVERNMENT

The decision of the Constitutional Court was taken after the request of SP and the Government which rules out the possibility for many small parties to be represented in the Parliament as much as possible.

"The indictment has not been presented for discussion in the Government meeting," said Interior Minister Behlul Celo when he was asked by ATA, but only at the end of the meeting it was said that the Constitutional Court had accepted the Government indictment.

Today afternoon the parties will discuss again with the Prime Minister the decision of the Constitutional Court. Many of these parties have threatened they will leave their posts in the Government for National Reconciliation. kled/xh/sh/

[06] NINE POLITICAL PARTIES TO DISCUSS PARTICIPATION IN ELECTIONS

"These parties have the conviction that this decision breaks in a complete manner the consensus reached for the elections and for the setting of an understanding of all the political forces for the future of the country," says a statement, signed by nine political parties.

The signer parties are: The Republican Party, Human Rights Union Party, National Front, Social Democratic Party, Democratic Alliance, Social Democratic Union Party, Christian Democratic Party, Right Democratic Party, and the Movement for Democracy Party.

The first eight parties are signers of the political contract of May 9, which says that the election law should be a mix between the majority system and proportional representation.

The Constitutional Court decided to make invalid that point of the election law by the Parliament, which envisaged that the small parties have to divide among them 75 per cent of 40 seats according to the votes won from the proportional, considering it "anti-constitutional", after an indictment of the Council of Ministers and the Socialist Party.

According to the decision of this Court, the small parties will take as many seats from the proportional system as the number of ballots they will win according to the percentage of the votes in 115 constituencies. So, the small parties will run in an electoral contest, which offers equal conditions for all the parties.

In the statement of the parties it is said that the Constitutional Court does not have the right to reject the system of elections, as well as to draft laws or complete legal voids through its decisions.

In the statement, as a result of the decision of the Constitutional Court, the parties consider violated the Accords of March 9 and May 9.

The Democratic Party condemned on Saturday through a statement the initiative of the Socialist Party to the Constitutional Court, because the SP request is a punishment for the small parties, and it considered ridiculous this act also for the very fact that it was SP that made the original proposal of this formula.

The chairman of SP parliamentary group, Namik Dokle, told the "Voice of America" that these parties have said themselves in a statement they were against the law times before. /mt/k

[07] ALBANIAN MILITARY UNIT PARTICIPATES IN JOINT DRILL OF NATO AND PARTNER COUNTRIES

This military drill, which will be launched in the state of Louisiana in USA, aims at preparing troops for peace-keeping mission and giving humanitarian assistance in cases of natural calamities.

"The drill is an exchange of experience and will serve to strengthening the cooperation at mutual interest between the armies of NATO countries and partner ones," said the Defence Minister, Shaqir Vukaj on Sunday, in a brief ceremony on the occasion of the departure of troops.

The Albanian military unit is made up of some 40 soldiers and officers.

In a talk between the U.S. military man, lieutenant Carrigan and Minister Vukaj, was stressed once again the resolution of Albania to integrate in NATO and other euro-atlantic structures, meanwhile that Carrigan said that "NATO is pleased for the participation of Albanian troops in this military exercise."

This is the third time that Albania participates in a military drill of this kind in USA. /s.sh/kei/mt/

[08] INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY WILL PLAY ITS ROLE IN THE ELECTORAL PROCESS - VRANITZKY

"June 29th will not mark the end of the political chapter for Albania, on the contrary, it will be the starting point of a new political chapter for this country," said Mr Vranitzky.

He appreciated the contribution of the international community regarding the latest developments in Albania, adding that this community "will continue to play its role in the preparations for the electoral process."

He highlighted the monitors' mission as "a fraternal assistance" towards the Albanians and as an assistance that OSCE gives to one of its member countries, adding that the OSCE countries have responded positively the request for short-term monitors in Albanian polls.

One of the most important issues of today's talks with Albanian authorities, according to Vranitzky, were those of the logistics, because electoral materials will be distributed in time and OSCE will ensure many of such material from other countries. He was of the opinion that the emergency state must be lifted "at least on the election day."

Vranitzky said that he had asked the political parties to address the people with a declaration in which they express their common will in the future.

"The Albanian political parties have now started negotiations for the signing of a social pact," he noted, expressing his opinion for the indispensability of a cooperation between them.

Franz Vranitzky stressed that the political parties, through the May 9, 1997 contract have expressed their commitment not to contest the report on the elections by the international coordinator, who will be named within the next ten days.

"We are concerned about the violence in some parts of the country and my appeal is that physical violence is not a profitable contribution, it is unacceptable and inadvisable for the future of Albania," he said.

Recalling the May 9 agreement, Vranitzky said that "the political parties voiced their commitment not only to eliminate the violence abut also to prevent it."

Concerning the presence of the ALBA mission, Vranitzky said that "it will help during the electoral process and its preparation," explaining that as the election day approaches, this force will also carry out security operations. He considered as important the request of the Albanian Government addressed the U.N. Security Council to postpone the mandate deadline of this force in Albania after June 28.

Vranitzky said that the OSCE current chairman, the Dutch Foreign Minister Petersen, will define within 10 days the coordinator of OSCE and the CE for the ballot in Albania.

During the conference, the second director of ODHIR, Jerard Stoudmann, reported of the activity carried out so far by the observers in Albania and of some requests to Albanian authorities related with the observation of the deadlines for the security and distribution of the necessary material base for the electoral process.

So far, ODHIR has ensured 1001 permanent monitors but it is also working to ensure temporary observers as well.

With regard to the program of observation on the day of elections, Stoudmann said that the observers will be sent to the areas with "a great density of the population" and to the "most delicate" zones if security conditions will allow it. kled/xh/sh/

[09] NATIONAL LEADING COUNCIL OF ALBANIAN SOCIAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY CONVENES

"The Leading Council voiced once more the conviction and the optimism that the SDP will be represented with a strong group of deputies in the coming Parliament, group which will influence in the courses of the Albanian policy, serving the country's stability and the consolidation of democracy," says the report of the SDP spokesman. ssh/kled/xh/sh/

[10] ODHIR CONCERNED OF THE POSSIBILITIES OF POLL MONITORING THROUGHOUT ALBANIA

"We aim to monitor in the zones with a great density of population and in delicate zones if the security conditions allow it, " said director of ODHIR Jerard Stoudmann in a joint news conference with the OSCE special envoy Dr Franz Vranitzky in Tirane Sunday.

So far ODHIR has ensured 1001 permanent observers but it is working to ensure temporary observers as well.

With regard to the presence of 6500 troops of the Alba mission, Stoudmann said that " this force will assist during the electoral process and in its preparation and ODHIR does not send teams if not accompanied by these forces."

"We decided and chose the option that elections be held despite the presence of the zones with problems," said Vranitzky referring to the southern zones of Albania.

An ODHIR team was not allowed by a group of armed people to stay more than 10 minutes in Saranda. kled.xh/sh/

[11] OSCE SPECIAL ENVOY FOR ALBANIA VRANITZKY MEETS WITH ALBANIAN PRIME MINISTER

The OSCE envoy Vranitzky demanded by Fino, according to the latter, that all the political parties must make a social pact, but he has also presented a request for DP-PS cooperation after elections.

"There was a proposal," said Fino in a televised interview, "regarding a cooperation I have mentioned before, a cooperation between the two big political parties, DP and SP, not only before the polls but also after the June 29 elections."

According to Fino, Vranitzky has demanded that the Parliament be reconvened to discuss the state of emergency and the latest decision of the Constitutional Court regarding the small parties.

Fino also discussed with Vranitzky the coming conference on Albania's economic recovery, due in July in Rome.

"Vranitzky feels now himself at home in Albania. I have nothing to ask from him, because he knows the situation in Albania so well," said Mr Fino. kled/xh/sh/

[12] CENTRAL ELECTION COMMISSION DEMANDS ASSISTANCE OF HELICOPTERS OF ALBA TO COLLECT ELECTORAL MATERIAL

"Taking into consideration the difficulties in communication during the election day, we have sent today a request to the Government asking it to assist with its helicopters and those of Alba mission for the transportation of the electoral documentation," told ATA the members of the CEC Pellumb Cela.

Many roads in Albania are blocked and transportation in some of the southern zones of it is very difficult. kled/xh/sh/

[13] PAINT OF THE SEAL FOR ELECTORS CAUSES DEBATE IN CENTRAL ELECTION COMMISSION

DP representatives in the commission according to its representative, Ylvi Kallari, have demanded that if OSCE does not ensure these materials within the deadline, this must not be an obstacle for the elections to be held on June 29, 1997.

"We are not against the seals, although this is not included in the electoral law, but we want, differently from the Socialists, that even if this is not realised in time by OSCE, the elections must be held," he said. kled/xh/sh/

[14] MEETING BETWEEN PRIME MINISTER BASHKIM FINO AND OSCE SPECIAL ENVOY FRANZ VRANITZKY

Mr Fino expressed his satisfaction that thanks to the joint efforts of the Albanian Government and Dr Vranitzky, the electoral process in Albania has started and the country is going towards elections. Nevertheless, continued Fino, an aggravation of the electoral situation is being noticed at a national level. The terrorist acts, especially in Tirane, aim at reducing the participation of the electorate in elections at a time when Albanian police are only ascertaining the acts of violence.

Then, Mr Fino spoke of the concerns that are related with the realisation in time by OSCE of all the logistic basis for the polls and the creation of the conditions for the monitoring of the ballot with the gretest possible number of observers.

Along with the extension of the mandate of the Multinational Forces and the increase of the number of peace-keeping forces by all the participating countries, Fino asked for a more active role by them in the conditions of the local situation. The Multinational Forces should be more active in the main national roads and customs points, whereas during the polls they must secure the election process until the final documentation is sent to the Central Election Commission.

The state of emergency and the reduction of the opening hours of the polling stations are very important problems which have to do not only with the transparence of the elections but also with the creation of a climate of understanding between the political forces and the electorate.

"In my opinion the question is related only with the political will. Just like on May 26, 1996 when President Berisha decreed on the election day the extension of the opening hours of the polling stations, this year too the lifting of the state of emergency may be decreed or the opening hours of the polling stations may be reduced."

Fino and Vranitzky had a full understanding on the fact that the government must work to prepare the Conference of Donators for Albania's Economic Recovery.

"The elections of June 29 will give a political solution to the crisis," said Fino during the meeting and there must be no losers but only winners from the elections. The parties in position and those in opposition after the elections must establish such relations of cooperation so that all the Albanians feel themselves members of the great process of the economic and institutional recovey of the country, of the construction of a genuine rule of law, said Mr Fino. He added that the integration of the country into the great European family, by perfecting the gains and reparing the weak points depends on the relations between an open position and a constructive opposition.

Further on, Mr Fino demanded from the international community, as is envisaged in the May 9 Political Contract, to name the international personality that would make the final valuation of the transparence of the June 29 elections.

Former Austrian Chancellor Dr Franz Vranitzky expressed, since the very beginning, his satisfaction for the increase of the authority of the Government for National Reconciliation and Prime Minister Fino, a fact which was also noticed in the celebrations in the Hague for the Marshall Plan and the meetings that Mr Fino had the chance to hold there.

Concerning the local situation, Dr Vranitzky noticed a gradual progress related with the beginning of the electoral campaign by all political forces, despite the pending questions.

Mr Vranitzky voiced the conviction that the political forces would continue their work to reach a great social pact for a calm electoral campaign, free competition of alternatives throughout the country and incontestable polls outcome.

Mr Fino and Dr Vranitzky exchanged opinions extensively on various aspects of the electoral process. xh

[15] ACTIVITY OF ALBANIAN DELEGATION IN FOREIGN MINISTERS' MEETING OF THE CEI MEMBER COUNTRIES

Zeri stressed the importance of the June 29 elections for Albania. In the second part of that session Albania signed the Instrument of the Central Europe Initiative on the Defence of the Minority Rights.

The ministers hailed the signing by Albania of the CEI Instrument for the defence of the rights of national minorities. They encouraged the efforts of all the political forces in Albania for the coming elections in June 1997 and expressed the CEI readiness to make its contribution to the monitoring of these elections, hailing the participation of four of the CEI member countries in the Multinational Force deployed in Albania, and highlighting its assistance.

During his stay in Sarajeve, Mr Zeri also met with deputy Chancellor and Foreign Minister of Austria V Schussel, deputy Foreign Minister of Italy, P Fassino, Foreign Minister of Bosnia-Herzegovina, J Prlic, that of Croatia M Granic and other personalities.

Participants in those meetings expressed their interest and concern for the present situation in Albania and discussed the ways to assist and support Albania, particularly in the organization of free and fair elections./ssh/kled/xh/sh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency Directory - Previous Article - Next Article