Albanian Telegraphic Agency (ATA), 97-07-24

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

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

CONTENTS

[01] PRESS REVIEW

[02] FLUX IN BLLATA BORDER CHECK POINT DECREASES

[03] NO MESSAGE FOR KOSOVA AND ALBANIANS BY NEWLY APPOINTED PRESIDENT OF RUMP YUGOSLAVIA

[04] STATEMENT OF ALBANIAN DEMOCRATIC PARTY

[05] MPF CONTINUE THEIR WITHDRAWAL

[06] LEADING STRUCTURES OF PEOPLE'S ASSEMBLY APPOINTED

[07] DP PROTESTS AGAINST NON RECOGNITION OF THE DEPUTY'S MANDATE FOR LEADERS OF CDP AND SDUP - Statement of Albanian Democratic Party -

[08] ALBANIAN PARLIAMENT LIFTS STATE OF EMERGENCY

[09] FROM VERIFICATION OF MILITARY SPECIALISTS IT RESULTS THAT ALONG WITH THE MILITARY PART, BEDS OF MISSILES ARE ALSO STOLEN

[10] REXHEP MEJDANI ELECTED ALBANIA PRESIDENT

[11] OTHER VICTIMS OF SELF-JUSTICE IN GJIROKASTER

[12] PROF. DR. REXHEP MEJDANI ELECTED PRESIDENT OF ALBANIA

[13] PROPOSAL OF SP GENERAL LEADING COMMITTEE TO PRESIDENT OF ALBANIA REXHEP MEJDANI

[14] PROF DR REXHEP MEJDANI ELECTED PRESIDENT OF REPUBLIC OF ALBANIA

[15] PRESS RELEASE

[16] REPORT OF SOCIALIST PARTY OF ALBANIA SPOKESMAN

[01] PRESS REVIEW

Under the headline "Former communists show their teeth in the first day of the official take over," says "Armoured carriers surround parliament." The paper reports on the resignation of President Sali Berisha. It also carried the DP statement "SP is materialising communist revanche" after the DP Secretary General was refused to read a statement in the first parliamentary session. In the Chronicle column the paper says "Smugglers attack police commissariat," referring to a clash in Malesia e Madhe which claimed the life of a policeman. The paper carries the news on the killing of the chieftain of Gramsh under the title "Accompaignier of Namik Dokle killed."

The newspaper Republika says "Guards sue Berisha," and carries the editorial "Parliament convenes, Berisha steps down, Pollo fails." Regarding the parliament, the paper says "Deputies are happy for the parliament started, but not for the mandate."

Rilindja says "New Albanian parliament started work" and "President Sali Berisha resigned." The paper says "Security Council approved elections' conclusion as "acceptable".

Albania says "Berisha steps down, Milosevic re-elected," and "Berisha, hope for dignified Albania." The paper carries the editorial "Installed parliament and executed opposition." It reports "Tirana: new president ready". Under the headline "Statement of the DP Secretary General Genc Pollo which was not read in the first session of parliament", the paper says "DP is not present there where the crime and violence exist." In the column "Daily events" the paper says "Xenophobia in Greece makes Albanians criminals."

Koha Jone says "Resignation! Berisha saves Albania," and carries the editorial "Berisha, the end without honour." Referring to the start of the parliament, the paper says "Parliament starts in mourning. DP like Labour party" and "Parliament and the first speech." The paper says "Agolli did not permit Pollo to speak, DP leader boycotted the hall."

Balli i Kombit says "Albanian United Right in search of his identity" and "New parliament and blue boycott."

Sindikalisti carries an article under the headline "Berisha interrupts the nerve war with winner by resigning. Political spectre of parliament temporarily with blue of the DP, says "Mourning, the first moment of this parliament, too,"

Liria says "New parliament in start. Political battle moved to the defence of legitimacy." The paper carries the editorial "Abuse with the morale of resignation."

Under the headline "Agolli opened the formal session. Pollo is refused to read a statement of protest," the newspaper Gazeta Shqiptare says "Berisha steps down, Nano returns." The paper carries the editorial "Fleeing the stoned city," referring to 1,200 inhabitants of Berat who have fled their city after the stirred up tension between the gangs. kei/ak/

[02] FLUX IN BLLATA BORDER CHECK POINT DECREASES

Dealers of Dibra and other Northeastern areas like Bulqiza, Mat and others, restarted their trade activity two months ago with Macedonia and other states.

Though the customs houses on both sides of the border functions, a new view is noticed.

"There is an increasing decrease of flux in the border," customs police officials said to ATA.

They added that two to three transport vehicles carrying goods and a small number of people passes every day.

They say that a decrease in the volume of work in the customs house was a result of the recent turmoil in Albanian territories in Macedonia, where ethnic Albanians protested in defence of national symbols.

After these events, the Albanian citizens which want to travel to Macedonia have faced difficulties. Macedonian citizens are allowed to go to Albania with an entry visa in the border, while the Macedonian authorities have decided that the Albanian dealers and citizens can take entry visas to the neighbouring state in the respective embassy in Tirana but on a limited period only for 5-7 days.

The same source added that in certain cases they have noticed the return of Albanian dealers and citizens by the Macedonian side though they had regular visas. ake/kei/ak/k

[03] NO MESSAGE FOR KOSOVA AND ALBANIANS BY NEWLY APPOINTED PRESIDENT OF RUMP YUGOSLAVIA

This is considered in Prishtina as a lack of readiness by the official Belgrade to face a solution to the Kosova issue, which tries to see as "in-existent" and "solved within Serbia".

The Albanian opinion in Kosova was indifferent to the election of Milosevic in the post of the president of the rump Yugoslavia because it is a foreign event for Kosova and Albanians which have declared independence. The regime of Milosevic in Kosova is coloniser and occupier which is present here only through violence and terror. It is in Kosova where the newly-appointed president initiated his bloody career for power.

Milosevic inaugurated his candidature for president of the rump Yugoslavia in Kosova with an "armoured flight" on June 25 this year.

"We will not yield before any pressure to give an inch of Kosova," said Milosevic in his old threatening message to the crowd.

On 1987, Serbian nationalist militants had created a "core" to prevent Kosova's "Albanisation". Since the Serbs arrival in Kosova at XIII century like occupier, they had never represented the majority in the province. This led to the lifting of Kosova's autonomy by Belgrade. Two million Albanians in Kosova, over 90 percent of the population, have opposed Belgrade's authority and have peacefully created a parallel government with the imposed Serbian administration.

Kosova, in the East of Albania, like Cameria in the South and Manastiri in Southeast, were separated by the Albanian territories on the decision of the Conference of Ambassadors in London on May 13, 1913. Even Tivar and Ulqin in the West, in the Adriatic coast, were also separated from Albanian territories to join Montenegro. pta/pas/k

[04] STATEMENT OF ALBANIAN DEMOCRATIC PARTY

One remembers that even Adil Carcani of the then Labour party showed himself flexible in 1991 for a same case than the Socialist representative of 1997.

Refusal to give the floor to the opposition representative is another signal that the SP is materialising the communist revanche, the DP statement said. ssh/ak/k

[05] MPF CONTINUE THEIR WITHDRAWAL

"A civil ship "Fenicia" will leave on Thursday with 20 Austrian vehicles and 112 Italian vehicles, escorted by 6 Austrian and 6 Italian soldiers," the same sources report.

The San Giorgio ship is being loaded in Vlore and will leave in the afternoon with 60 vehicles and 180 persons.

All the MPF soldiers will leave Albania until August 12. /mt/sh/

[06] LEADING STRUCTURES OF PEOPLE'S ASSEMBLY APPOINTED

The parliamentary group of the Socialist Party proposed that the Presidency of the People's Assembly be led by a deputy of the Social Democratic Party. On behalf of this party were proposed the candidatures of Skender Gjinushi, deputy of the constituency 107 in Vlore, and Engjell Bejtja of the constituency 80 in Fier. In the post of the deputy Speaker, the Socialist Party proposed the candidatures of Namik Dokle and Ilir Zela.

The deputies elected by majority of votes Mr. Skender Gjinushi to the post of the Chairman of the Presidency of the People's Assembly and Namik Dokle to the post of the deputy chairman.

In today's sitting was also discussed the report of the commission for the verification of mandates and immunity of deputies, presented by the chairman of this commission, the socialist deputy Fehmi Abdiu.

According to the report of the commission, where two members of the democratic Party did not participate, it came out that 150 candidate fulfilled all the conditions to have the mandate of the deputy. Many discussions were held especially about the two candidatures of Zef Bushati (CDP) and Teodor Laco (SDUP), who according to the commission result to have put up candidatures in more than one constituency and are registered in more than one list of the proportional.

With regard to the candidature of the deputy Sali Berisha, the commission said that he is in conformity with the conditions of the legal acts, because he presented on time his irrevocable resignation from the post of the head of the state.

Bushati said he was against the proposal of the commission for the non recognition of his mandate, because he has acted according to the law and has signed a statement in which he withdrew his candidature from the list of the Christian Democratic Party, recognising only the candidature in the list of the Democratic Party, document which have been archived in the Central Electoral Commission and on this basis he was given the mandate of deputy from the CEC.

By majority of votes it was decided that the question for the recognition of the deputy's mandate for Bushati and Laco be sent for judgement to the Constitutional Court./kled/mt/sh/

[07] DP PROTESTS AGAINST NON RECOGNITION OF THE DEPUTY'S MANDATE FOR LEADERS OF CDP AND SDUP - Statement of Albanian Democratic Party -

ADP considers that the non recognition of the mandates for these two deputies is political revenge and open attack against the opposition and the pluralism in parliament.

The non recognition of the mandate of Mr Laco is simply result of the jealousy of Mr Gjinushi against him due to the disobedience through the traps of Fehmi Abdiu.

The non recognition of the mandate of Mr Bushati, whose party is already integrated in EDUC and enjoys the support of the European political structures, is a blow incited by the anti-catholic and anti-European reflex of the socialist majority, ends the statement of the Albanian Democratic Party. /a.ke/kled/mt/sh/

[08] ALBANIAN PARLIAMENT LIFTS STATE OF EMERGENCY

The removal of the state of emergency, is stressed in the report presented on this occasion by a group of deputies of several political parties, represented in the People's Assembly, is enabled because the restoration of order and public tranquility is gradually getting better and because sudden measures are expected in the future by the new government.

The the law on lifting the state of emergency was unanimously approved by all the deputies present in the afternoon sitting of the People's Assembly and enters into force today, at 16:30. /a.ke/kled/mt/sh/

[09] FROM VERIFICATION OF MILITARY SPECIALISTS IT RESULTS THAT ALONG WITH THE MILITARY PART, BEDS OF MISSILES ARE ALSO STOLEN

"The stolen missiles in the depot of Arshilenko, 3 km far from Gjirokaster, are Chinese products, anti-tank and anti-aircraft missiles, respectively of the types HJ-8 and HN-5A, and are of infra-red rays", continues the paper.

15 missiles are stolen out of 200 there have been in the depot, reports the paper, adding that the price of them per peace varies from 10000 to 15000 dollars.

According to the paper, the technic characteristics of these missiles are: length 1 meter, weight about 15 kg and the distance of shooting about 2 km.

The last missile shooting has been launched in January this year in a shooting-range in Kavaje, reports Koha Jone.

Republika, quoting one of the leaders of the division of Gjirokaster, reports that even Interpol is trying to find the special missiles.

According to the paper, the Greek consulate in Gjirokaster declared on Wednesday that it took under protection the military men who are able to use these missiles and as so they are exposed to any possible kidnapping."

"The officers of the 'Laberia' division are trained three years ago in China for using this armament," reports Republika paper.

Military sources reported for the paper that the specialists put an end to the investigations, but they have not reported any preliminary data. /kled/mt/sh/

[10] REXHEP MEJDANI ELECTED ALBANIA PRESIDENT

The Secretary General of the Albanian Socialist Party has replaced President Sali Berisha, who resigned on Wednesday, after being for five years in the head of the Albanian state./kled/mt/sh/

[11] OTHER VICTIMS OF SELF-JUSTICE IN GJIROKASTER

Nexhmije Lani, 50, and her sister Elvira were the victims of a revenge, which began last year between two families in this town.

It is also reported that the citizen Gentian Lani is injured, who is thought to be the possible killer of two citizens, son and father, in this town two months ago. /a.ke/kled/mt/sh/

[12] PROF. DR. REXHEP MEJDANI ELECTED PRESIDENT OF ALBANIA

Attending the voting were 122 deputies, of whom 110 voted in favour of the candidature of Mr Mejdani, proposed by the Socialist party, three deputies were against, two abstained and 7 ballots were considered invalid by the voting commission, made up of 7 persons.

The SP chairman, Fatos Nano, said that "The Socialist Party proposed and voted for a President, who from now and on is not member of our party. Thus, we lost a very important part of our political and party potential, but won a President of all the Albanians," he stressed. /kled/mt/sh/

[13] PROPOSAL OF SP GENERAL LEADING COMMITTEE TO PRESIDENT OF ALBANIA REXHEP MEJDANI

After wishing successes to Prof Dr Rexhep Mejdani in the post of the President of Albania which the new People's Assembly, that emerged from the June 29, 1997 elections, charged him, Me Dokle writes that "the Socialist Party is fully convinced that your election to the post of the Head of State will be a guarantee for the successful accomplishment of your lofty duty as representative of the unity of the Albanian people. It is sure that You will play an important role in the observation of the democratic principles of the state, the freedom and fundamental human rights.

Based on the people's free vote in the June 29 polls, which gave to the Socialist Party the majority in the new Albanian Parliament, on the basis of the Main Constitutional Provisions, Law 7491, dated April 29, 1991, article 28, point 6 we propose to name to the post of the Chairman of the Council of Ministers Mr Fatos Thanas Nano." xh

[14] PROF DR REXHEP MEJDANI ELECTED PRESIDENT OF REPUBLIC OF ALBANIA

Taking part in the voting were 122 deputies of whom 110 votes for Mr Mejdani, proposed by the Socialist Party. Three deputies voted against, 2 abstained and 7 ballots were considred invalid by the voting commission, consisting of 7 members.

Prof Dr Rexhep Mejdani replaced in this post Prof Dr Sali Berisha, who presented yesterday his irrevocable resignation from the post of the head of state.

The newly-appointed chairman of the Presidency of the People's Assembly, Skender Gjinushi, invited Mr Mejdani to make the oath as the President of the Republic of Albania and to take the seat of honour in the parliament hall, a moment which was welcomed with applauses by the present deputies.

After the oath, the newly-appointed President of Albania, Prof Dr Rexhep Mejdani held the speech on the occasion, in which he said among others:

"We must aspire and fight together to recover Albania, to avoid and lower to minimum levels unemployment, crime and corruption, to guarantee the people as soon as possible the joy of life, tranquillity and security, all-sided possibility to develop the free private initiative and the economic and social emnacipation of the citizens, to guarantee through legal ways the local and foreign investments which are so indispensable, a more complete integration in contemporary euro-atlantic structures and in world financial institutions."

On occasion of his election to the post of the head of state, Mr Rexhep Mejdani presented his resignation beginning from today from all the functions and tasks he had in the Socialist Party.

On this occasion, SP chairman Fatos Nano said that the Socialist Party lost a part of its political and party potential, but he added that "we won a President of all Albanians."

Prof Dr Rexhep Mejdani was born on August 17, 1944 and has graduated in the Tirane University, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Physics branch. He also has a diploma for further studies - DEA- in the solid body physics. Since 1976 he has received the title Doctor of Speciality in the Paris University-11 (ORSEI) France, in 1984 he won the title Doctor of Sciences in the Tirane University and since 1978 he has the title of Professor.

He has been a teacher in the university, in the theoretical physics department, then he was the chief of that department and in 1992 Mr Mejdani was appointed Dean of the Natural Sciences Faculty in the Tirane University.

He has published monographs, school texts for students and post-graduates, scientific articles and reports consisting of more than 5 000 pages in Albanian and over 1 000 pages in English published in various international reviews.

Additionally, Prof Dr Rexhep Mejdani has been the chairman of the Balkan Association of Physics, local coordinator of one of the TEMPUS projects, coordinator in the Solid Body Institute in Salonica, member of some scientific councils, chairman of the Board of the Centre of Human Rights Documentation.

Mr Mjedani was engaged in the political field in September 1996, when he was elected Secretary General of the Socialist Party. Mr Mejdani is married, he has two children, a boy and a girl. He knows well English, French, Russian, German and Italian.

The election of Prof Mr Mejdani as President of the Republic of Albania was welcomed with applauses by the deputies present in the hall, except the deputies of the opposition, of the Democratic Party, who were absent. xh

[15] PRESS RELEASE

On this occasion, the President asked Mr Fino that his Government and he continue in their posts until the new government is established.

On the same day, Albanian President Rexhep Mejdani, by decree 1837, dated July 24, 1997, decreed the appointment of Mr Fatos Nano to the post of the Chairman of the Council of Ministers and charged him with the formation of the new Government. xh

[16] REPORT OF SOCIALIST PARTY OF ALBANIA SPOKESMAN

The SPA Presidency charged Mr Pandeli Majko with the task of the SPA Secretary General until the coming meeting of the LGC of SPA. xh

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