Albanian Telegraphic Agency (ATA), 97-06-20

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

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

CONTENTS

[01] ROUND TABLE LACKS CONCRETE RESULTS

[02] EXTENSION OF OSCE MANDATE IN FYROM NOT RELATED TO ALBANIA'S SITUATION - Albanian spokesman

[03] EXTRA ITALIAN TROOPS ARRIVE IN ALBANIA

[04] POLICE CARRY OUT CHECKS IN CAPITAL

[05] STATEMENT OF ALBANIAN DEMOCRATIC PARTY

[06] JUNE 29, GREATEST TEST OF ALBANIAN DEMOCRACY - KUKES - President Berisha meets with inhabitants of Kukes -

[07] PRESS REVIEW

[08] STATEMENT OF ALBANIAN DEMOCRATIC PARTY

[09] MEMBERS OF GOVERNMENT VISIT INJURED POLICEMEN

[10] NANO APPOINTS MALAJ IN POST OF MINISTER OF FINANCES OF THE NEW GOVERNMENT

[11] FUND OF WAGES OF STRAVAJ COMMUNE ROBBED

[12] INDEPENDENT INTELLECTUALS APPEAL FOR DIALOGUE AND TOLERANCE

[13] POLITICAL PARTIES CONTINUE ELECTORAL CAMPAIGN

[14] MULTINATIONAL FORCES UNBLOCK ROAD FIER-TIRANA

[15] BANDITS IN GJIROKASTER RELEASE THEIR HOSTAGE - A GREEK CITIZEN

[16] APPEAL OF COUNCIL OF EUROPE FOR ELECTIONS IN ALBANIA

[17] GREEK AID FOR POLICE COMMISSARIT OF GJIROKASTER

[18] CENTRAL ELECTION COMMISSION ON THE ELECTION OPENING AND CLOSING HOURS

[19] KAVEX TOBACCO ENTERPRISE STORMED IN ELBASAN

[20] SUPREME COURT EXAMINES APPEALS BY CANDIDATES WHO ARE REFUSED CANDIDACY BY OFFICIALS' SCRUTINY COMMISSION

[21] NANO NAMES MALAJ TO THE POST OF FINANCE MINISTER IN THE COMING GOVERNMENT

[01] ROUND TABLE LACKS CONCRETE RESULTS

The law approved by the Albanian parliament said that the polling stations will be closed at 21.00 p.m. The DP and other parties agreed to consider this time after international institutions and OSCE asked for an earlier closure to enable them monitor the counting of votes. This change provides more security for commissioners but risks to reduce the number of participants in polls.

Regarding the second issue, the SP did not accept a proposal on votes sharing on proportional representation of 65 per cent in favor of small parties and 35 percent in favor of big parties.

The SP representative Et'hem Ruka said that the SP has presented a new formula which limits the number of deputies in proportional representation.

"It is a system which is based on a German formula which accords proportional with majority representation. According to this formula, the big parties have a small number of deputies and small parties a large one," Ruka said.

The number of deputies, according to the Socialist's proposal, is increased to 6-7 persons more than their total number.

The DP representative Ylli Vejsiu said that the DP accepts any formula which serves the small parties but cannot accept any proposal which is out of the agreement with Vranitzky, former Austrian chancelor.

Ruka insisted that he had presented this formula to small parties and that they have accepted it in principle and it is expected that the DP agrees to this.

The head of the round table, the Republican Sabri Godo has conditioned the signing of a social pact with the approval of the first two demands. pas/ak/E

[02] EXTENSION OF OSCE MANDATE IN FYROM NOT RELATED TO ALBANIA'S SITUATION - Albanian spokesman

Asked about the above statement, the Albanian Foreign Minister Arjan Starova said that such an interpretation is not correct and does not reflect the reality.

"The extension of the OSCE's mandate in FYROM has nothing and by no means cannot be considered related to the domestic situation in Albania. The presence of this mission in FYROM shows the concern and attention of the OSCE to the stability in that country and careful consideration of problems there which are always on the focus of the organisation," Starova said.

Starova added that there exists a tendency to interpret the need of FYROM for an international aid under the light of recent developments in Albania.

"A proof to this is the interpretation of the approval by the U.N. Security Council of a demand to extend the mandate of UNPREDEP as a decision dictated by the developments in Albania, he said.

Minister Starova concluded that the OSCE and UNPREDEP missions have been present in FYROM times before when the situation in Albania was quiet and stabilized thus the extension of their mandate results from the same factors which defined the start of the missions' activity there. ake/pas/ak/e

[03] EXTRA ITALIAN TROOPS ARRIVE IN ALBANIA

These extra troops will join the Italian forces included in Alba mission in Albania.

Soldiers and military carriers were sent to their destination by the FMP command. ake/eva/ak/e

[04] POLICE CARRY OUT CHECKS IN CAPITAL

The police arrested J.B. who has taken a child hostage aiming at obliging his mother to become a prostitute in Italy, and a 46 years old who is an accomplice in a killing.

After a fire exchange, police arrested M. Agolli, 20 years old who has threatened his father using fire arms and has thrown a grenade in his house's garden. Agolli wounded a policeman during the arm confrontation.

Police arrested Gezim Dervishi, 26, in front of Tirana International Hotel on Thursday who was threatening a group of people with a hand grenade.

The police forces have found out areas and persons who disturb order during the night by shooting. Such uncontrolled shootings have killed and wounded over 40 people. ssh/eva/ak/e

[05] STATEMENT OF ALBANIAN DEMOCRATIC PARTY

Communist terror tries to extend aiming at limiting the electoral activity's geography of the Democratic party. Acts of violence and terror in Vlora continue. Democrats in Vlora are threatened not to go to their new party office which is mined by criminal gangs of Zani and Albert Shyti.

Foreign Relations Secretary Leonard Demi who is presenting the candidates for deputy in Gjirokastra has been attacked by fire arms on Thursday. He was threatened by the men of Gramoz Ruci to accede to an ultimatum not to go to Saranda. Demi was charged by the DP steering committee to present the party candidates in Saranda.

Ylli Vejsiu, the DP Organisation Secretary, who was planned to go to Berat, was threatened and obliged to return.

Other leaders of the DP have experienced other acts of violence and terror in other districts of the country, where criminal committees operate.

The Democratic party, seriously analysing such criminal acts, asks the National Reconciliation Government to take measures in order to create possibilities for a free electoral activity for the right-wing forces. The party calls on the OSCE and other international organisations to consider these bandits' acts which aims at sabotaging elections of June 29.

The DP calls again on the Socialist party to prevent its gangs and let the people express their political will on June 29. Bandits who today take sides with it (the SP) and present their candidacy on its behalf and that of its allies, cannot escape the pyramid of crimes they have committed to have a seat in parliament. If Gramoz Ruci and Fatos Nano try to have a new Albanian parliament with criminals like Myrteza Caushi (Zani), Albert Shyti and others, this is simply an obligation criminals and thiefs feel for each other and not the obligation of Albanians who are being terrorised night and day from notorious communist gangs.

On this occasion, the DP asks the newspaper Zeri i Popullit to abandon the language of slanders, concoctions, national anger and division. Albanians who know the history of this newspaper and its founders cannot endure bloody calls in its pages anymore.

The DP reiterates its full belief that the Albanian people are for a free vote and this vote should be protected by all us. It greeted leaders, candidates for deputy and all members and activists for a civil stand they have adopted so far avoiding provocations of communist type. They and all the Albanian electorate know that only the defeated are trying to leave the political scene committing new crimes, the statement said. ssh/eva/ak/E

[06] JUNE 29, GREATEST TEST OF ALBANIAN DEMOCRACY - KUKES - President Berisha meets with inhabitants of Kukes -

President Berisha invited the inhabitants of this zone to vote for the alternative of DP, which he considered as "the alternative of the future for Albania".

"The June 29 is the greatest test of the Albanian democracy", said Berisha. He defined the armed rebellion as "the most amoral and shameful act", and accused the socialists as the authors of this rebellion.

Then, Tritan Shehu, DP chairman, took the floor, as well as Azem Hajdari, one of the leaders of the students' movement in 1990, and the candidate for deputy in Kukes Jemin Gjana and Ylber Vata. /pas/mt/

[07] PRESS REVIEW

Zeri i Popullit under the title "Socialists offer co-governing" carries the speech of the Socialist leader Nano in yesterday's meeting with Tirana citizens at the Palace of Congresses. The paper covers meetings of Socialists leaders with the electorate of Krrabe and Peze.

Referring to Thursday's meeting of 10 parties, Republika quotes Republican leader saying: "We should achieve something necessary for Albanians." In the economic column, the paper carries the article "Should we buy or sell dollars?"

Albania says that the DP has protested to the Central Election Commission and denounced terror of Socialists against Democrats. Under the headline "Tragic balance of the Socialist leader in the recent ten-day period in the South of Albania" the paper says that 28 persons have died and 40 others injured during the recent meetings of the Socialist leader Fatos Nano in the South of Albania."

Independent paper reports on the first page with regard to the electoral rally of the SP chairman, Fatos Nano, held Thursday in Tirana. On the third page the paper cites the social democratic leader, Gjinushi, who hopes the equallity sign is put between June 29, 1997 and November 29, 1944 (day when after the German invadors were dislodged, the communist dictatorship was established in Albania). The paper also reports on the fact that an OSCE group is taken hostage by gangs in Gjirokaster.

Rilindja under the title "Serb-Serb dialogue for Kosova in Belgrade", says "Present regime does not want to negotiate on Kosovan problem."

Koha Jone under the title "Fino topples a party round table" says that prime minister Bashkim Fino left yesterday's negotiations between parties in sign of protest. In its second page the paper carries an article on use of drug in Albania. In another article the paper says that 100 killed and 1000 wounded are registered in Tirana in two weeks.

Tribuna says that the SP strategy is "Fight against the DP, bury small parties." Referring to a failed meeting of the DP in Berat, the paper says that some unidentified persons had warned to massacre those who participated in the rally. Today's editorial is entitled "Berati twins with Vlora."

Dita covers yesterday's meeting of the SP in the Palace of Congresses under the title quoting Socialist leader as saying "We will compensate in maximum the grabbed money." The paper says that former Austrian Chancellor will come to Albania next week.

Balli i Kombit carries the speech of the leader of National Front party in a meeting with Durres inhabitant. The paper presents the candidates of this party in different constituencies in Albania.

Gazeta Shqiptare says "Alba shoots killing a young man." The paper carries in the ninth page an interview with the writer Dritero Agolli, member of the SP steering Committee. eva/ak/mt/E

[08] STATEMENT OF ALBANIAN DEMOCRATIC PARTY

In the statement is also stressed that such letters with threatening content have been sent to the members and chairmen of commissions, DP representatives.

DP, continues the statement, asks from the Central Election Commission to intervene, within the competencies envisaged by law, to secure the life of Mr Leka and asks the justice orders to arrest and put before legal responsibility the criminals who instruct and extend the terror of war among the supporters and members of the Albanian Democratic Party. /s.sh/kled/mt/sh/

[09] MEMBERS OF GOVERNMENT VISIT INJURED POLICEMEN

They met with the police officers Ilia Banaj and Engjellush Pasho, gravely injured during the incident that occurred in Berat, as well as the policeman of the Commissariat no 3 in Tirana, Altin Metani, injured on Thursday.

On behalf of Premier Fino and Government of National Reconciliation, the Ministers appreciated the readiness of police officers to complete their tasks. They estimated the measures taken by the medical staff of the hospital, says the report of the Premier press office./kled/mt/sh/

[10] NANO APPOINTS MALAJ IN POST OF MINISTER OF FINANCES OF THE NEW GOVERNMENT

The Independent paper, which covers this news, reports that Nano meant by this that the current ministers of SP will be the guarantee of the next government. The paper reports that several days ago, Nano declared even Bashkim Fino as the Prime Minister of the government, which will be elected after the June 29 polls. /mt/Z/

[11] FUND OF WAGES OF STRAVAJ COMMUNE ROBBED

According to the police sources, the event occurred on Thursday noon, when an armed gang (it is suspended to have been from Pogradec) attacked the vehicle which transported this fund of 3.5 million leks.

This is the second case the fund of wages for the employees of this commune is robbed. The author of the first case is the person who took the amount of 4 million leks from the bank, and left for Greece.

In the road of this mountainous commune, as well as in the segment of the road Peqin-Pogradec, the robbery of travellers is turned into a daily epidemic. /s.sh/kled/mt/Z/

[12] INDEPENDENT INTELLECTUALS APPEAL FOR DIALOGUE AND TOLERANCE

The dominating idea of this table was that the politicians are not the only solution of the country, but everyone and especially NGO's should fight for the construction of civil society, as the only mean to oppose the mistaken politics.

The intellectuals, NGO representatives, as well as the journalists addressed a message of peace and tolerance, and asked this message be reflected on the Albanian politicians, so that the language of violence is replaced with that of tolerance. /jz/mt/sh/

[13] POLITICAL PARTIES CONTINUE ELECTORAL CAMPAIGN

* * *

The Democratic Party in the district of Fier presented the candidates for deputy Theodhori Sallaku, Shpetim Kastrati, Belul Celo, Vasil Ndreko, Albanian Ambassador in Bulgaria Xhelal Tahiri and Agron Milaj, actually mayor of Fier.

In the constituency of Patos the pedagogue of the Geology Faculty, Fotaq Diamanti, has put up his candidature.

* * *

The chairman of the DP branch of Durres, Ferdinant Xhaferri, candidate for deputy, has held several electoral rallies with inhabitants of Rrashbull, Shenavlashi, the zone of the seaside, which are included in the electoral constituency no 34.

* * *

In the villages of Golem, district of Kavaje, the candidate for deputy of the Democratic Party, Halit Shamata, launched several rallies with his electorate. In the commune of Rogozhine and villages of Lekaj, Sinaballaj and Luz i Madh, Luan Skuqi held electoral meetings.

* * *

The deputy chairman of the Democratic Party and candidate for deputy in the constituency no 4, Ali Spahia, held electoral rallies with inhabitants of villages Mes, Dragoc, Prekal, Ura e Shenjte, etc, of the district of Shkoder.

Spahia called on the inhabitants of this zone not to believe the socialists, those who set Albania on fire, who torched and destroyed Albania to take their chairs, lost with the free vote.

* * *

The candidate for deputy of the Socialist Party, the Defence Minister, Shaqir Vukaj, has launched recently rallies with inhabitants of the villages Vrake, Boric, Shtoj, etc, which are included in the constituency no 2 of the district of Malesi e Madhe (Northern Albania).

Vukaj said that "The alternative of the Socialist Party is being widely support in South and North as well"./eva/kled/mt/sh/

[14] MULTINATIONAL FORCES UNBLOCK ROAD FIER-TIRANA

Today in the morning, by 9:00, a moveable logistic knot of the Multinational Forces, made up of three vehicles of the brigade "Friuli", which came from Vlore towards Tirana, was blocked some 5 km in North of Fier, by a group of 20 persons armed with bombs and Kalashnikovs. One of them had also a light machine gun.

The road was blocked by two cars placed transversally: a Wolsvagen and a Mercedes, which prevented the movement in the direction Fier-Tirana.

After the commander of this moving knot contacted by radio with the commander of the brigade "Friuli", a patrol, commanded by colonel Lops, arrived at the place.

Two "Mangusta" helicopters were sent by the commander of the Multinational Forces. The reinforced patrol surrounded the blocked zone as soon as it arrived to the spot.

Colonel Lops, after distinguishing the leader of the group, called on him to interrupt any king of operation and move the people he had under control. By 10:00 the road was unblocked. /kled/mt/Z/

[15] BANDITS IN GJIROKASTER RELEASE THEIR HOSTAGE - A GREEK CITIZEN

The Greek traded coal in cooperation with an Albanian trader. Three days ago he was caught hostage by a group of bandits of the Tepelene district on the national road Gjirokaster-Tepelene.

As a condition for his release was an amount of 5 million drachmas, and this made possible that the Greek national join his family. ssh/jz/xh

[16] APPEAL OF COUNCIL OF EUROPE FOR ELECTIONS IN ALBANIA

The chairmam of the envoys of the Ministers, the Ambassador of France Jacques Warin and Secretary General Daniel Tarschus expressed their pleasure for the support of the Council of Europe for the decision of OSCE with regard to the holding of the elections within June 29, 1997.

The committee pointed out the fact that the valuation of these elections will be made by the former Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Ms Catherine Lalumiere, the member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Lord Russell Johnston, and by Mr Havier Ruperez of the Parliamentary Assembly of OSCE.

Mr Wallin and Tarschus appealed to Albanian authorities to make every effort they can to cooperate with the multinational force to make everything possible for the holding of these elections and to stop violence throughout the country," says a communique issued in Strassburg on this occasion.

They call on all the political parties that take part in elections to respect the democratic principles and accomplish the commitments they have undertaken to respect the election outcome.

"The Council of Europe," says the communique, "confirms its readiness to contribute significantly to the observation of the elections and to support the efforts of the Parliamentary Assembly in the context of the cooperation established with the OSCE."

Warin and Tarschus also stressed that the Council of Europe is ready to start without delay the application of the programs of cooperation which aim at assisting Albania in the efforts for the rehabilitation of the democratic institutions, judiciary and execution of the law, local and regional government, the education system and the cultural inheritance of the country in cooperation with the new government that would emerge from the fresh elections. kled/xh

[17] GREEK AID FOR POLICE COMMISSARIT OF GJIROKASTER

Sources of this commisariat report that the assistance consists of three cars, five motorcycles, walkie-talkies, police uniforms, bullet-resistant jackets, etc. ssh/jz/xh

[18] CENTRAL ELECTION COMMISSION ON THE ELECTION OPENING AND CLOSING HOURS

According to the law adopted by the Albanian Parliament, the polling stations were to close at 9 p.m. DP and other parties agreed to examine this timetable also because some international institutions and OSCE have asked that the closing hour be earlier in order to allow their monitoring of the ballots counting.

The deputy chairman Klosi explains that within today the last voters' lists will be sent to Italy to be printed within the legal deadline. kled/xh

[19] KAVEX TOBACCO ENTERPRISE STORMED IN ELBASAN

After about 2 hours of gunbattle between the armed group and the private guards of the enterprise, all the equipment and offices were plundered.

According to the same sources, the plunderers tied the guards asking them to bring within 24 hours a several-million amount of money, which they had take from the fund of employees' salaries. The Kavex, which functions in a typical tobacco growing area, was created on the basis of an investment of over 2 million dollars and has employed over 850 people. ssh/jz/xh

[20] SUPREME COURT EXAMINES APPEALS BY CANDIDATES WHO ARE REFUSED CANDIDACY BY OFFICIALS' SCRUTINY COMMISSION

According to the Court spokesman, the Supreme Court decided to revoke the decision of the above Commission for 12 appeals, out of 13 that were made.

The case of Frrok Cupi, Democratic Alliance Party candidate in one of the constituencies of Vlore, was also expected to be examined today, but at about 8.30 a.m., an anonymous telephone call in the secretary's office of the Supreme Court said: "Tell them to decide, but think well before they decide."

Two hours later, at about 10.30 a.m. another anonymous telephone call in the same office, after demanding to talk to the Court chairman or any judge, said: "How do you continue to stay in the Court, there is a bomb planted there."

The forces of order, that arrived right after they were informed, said after the control that no bomb was planted in the court premises.

The question of Frook Cupi was to be examined today, but since the attorneys demanded that representatives of the Officials' Scrutiny Commission be called to give explanations about the causes that led that Commission to refuse from candidacy Frrok Cupi, his case was postponed for the coming Monday. ake/jz/xh

[21] NANO NAMES MALAJ TO THE POST OF FINANCE MINISTER IN THE COMING GOVERNMENT

Newspaper Independent which carries this report, writes that Nano implied that the present SP ministers would be the guarantee of the coming government. The newspaper writes that some days ago, Nano had also declared Bashkim Fino as the Prime Minister of the Albanian Government that will emerge from the June 29, 1997 polls. xh

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