Albanian Telegraphic Agency (ATA), 98-02-16

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

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

CONTENTS

[01] Explosion blows up in town hall, governor's, SP offices

[02] Arrest order issued against armed group accompanying DP deputy

[03] Savings Bank officials and policeman arrested in Tropoje

[04] New chief of Tirane police commissariat appointed

[05] Book devoted to first Albanian settling in Italian soil

[06] Candidate for Kosova president launches election campaign

[07] New chief of police commissariat appointed in Lezhe

[08] Albanian Democratic Party provides another version for Milot event

[09] Greek President invites Albanian President for an official visit to Greece

[10] Democratization of Serbia - a condition for solution to question of Kosove - Serbian Resistance Movement leader

[11] SP: We're waiting request by Prosecutor's office to lift Hajdari's immunity of deputy

[12] Democratic Union Party, a DP ally, takes part in Constitution Commission meeting

[13] Ceka to inform Parliament of event in Shkoder

[14] 76 per cent of Albania's state budget on health sector at the disposal of hospitals system

[15] A delegation of Albanian Ministry of Justice leaves for Britain

[01] Explosion blows up in town hall, governor's, SP offices

Sources of the local police said that TNT explosions occured at 00.04 a.m. in an interval of two minutes, damaging the offices of the city town hall and the meeting hall of the local SP division.

The windows of the "Çajupi" hotel and the surrounding houses were shattered by the explosion, but no other damages were reported.

An investigation team went to site to deal with the case while the local police officials have replaced two police guards who were on duty during the night.

Sources said that the policemen had noticed unusual movements five minutes before the explosion but it was too late to neutralize the wrongdoers. ake/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[02] Arrest order issued against armed group accompanying DP deputy

The court says that on February 14, 1998, in the space of two hours, 17.30 - 19.30, these persons, in collaboration with one another, violently reacted, by the use of weapons, against the Lezhe and Kurbin police officers, who were on duty at the two districts' roadblocks.

After checking the spot the police found two Kalashnikov assault rifles, a shotgun, two defence grenades, four detonators, 135 pieces of cartridges.

Five vehicles, among which a "Toyota" of the Agricultural Ministry has as well been sequestered. /s.s/das/lm

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[03] Savings Bank officials and policeman arrested in Tropoje

Early February 13, armed and masked men, after taking the director of the Savings Bank's local affiliate hostage, have managed to rob 60 million leks found in the bank's safe. /s.s/lm/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[04] New chief of Tirane police commissariat appointed

Presenting the new chief, head of the Tirane Police Department Fadil Canaj said: "These changes are made in the context of the new police structure in the capital," adding that "no job is permanent and estimations are made according to the results attained".

Ndreu, who replaced Albert Dervishi, graduated from the Public Order Academy in 1987. He has worked as a commissariat chief in Mirdite and Lezhe. /s.s/das/lm/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[05] Book devoted to first Albanian settling in Italian soil

He went there as the leader of military units to help the King of Naples. Due to his skills he managed to become the general governor of Sicily and Calabria.

His sons, Vasil and Gergj, were appointed to high-ranking posts in the Naples army.

The book "Il primo albanese" written by the scholar Jaho Braho was published in Italian language by the "Grafiscena Brindisi" Publishing House.

Renes, the author said, is from the old and noble family of Buse in Hajmel, Shkodra. Family's crest is kept in the antique house of Renes, Calabria. This family has been a strong basis for Albanians who had emigrated to Italy earlier. ake/das/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[06] Candidate for Kosova president launches election campaign

None has the mandate to accept a solution without considering the will of the Kosova people, she said.

If she wins the elections of March 22, Luljeta Pula-Beqiri promised to constitute the parliament of Kosova, despite pressures from Serbia and other countries.

She spoke of a new government and a real dynamism of the political movements in Kosova, an ongoing political and diplomatic offensive. bj/pta/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[07] New chief of police commissariat appointed in Lezhe

Bushi replaces Major Pjerin Ndreu, who has been appointed chief of the Tirane police commissariat 1.

Bushi graduated from the Order Academy in 1981 and completed a six- month post university course for order police.

He had been commander of the Lezhe police unit, for the '82-'92 period, while in '93 was dismissed because of the reform, based on article 24/1.

In August 1997, Major Pal Bushi, returns to police as commander of police unit in Lezhe.

Now, by order of Interior Minister Neritan Ceka, major Bushi has been named chief of Lezhe district Police Commissariat. /s.s/das/lm

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[08] Albanian Democratic Party provides another version for Milot event

In a news conference on Monday, the DP leaders presented a video- cassette with which they wanted to prove that police had attacked the car of Hajdari, after he and his people were returning home from Shkoder where they "had attended a soccer match." The press close to the DP wrote on Sunday that Hajdari was in the northern city for a meeting with the electorate.

The views of the cassette were not clear and in his explanations Hajdari focused on the shots heard and his words demanding that a declaration be made to him before the control. He said that he had asked his escort men to film the event.

Since September, DP has boycotted the Parliament and the DP chairmen of the parliamentary groups have not taken part in the meetings of the commissions.

Hajdari said that as Chairman of the Parliamentary Defence Commission he should have been escorted in relays.

"These events will have a powerful impact in the decisions of the DP National Council," said Berisha, DP chairman, with regard to a possible DP's participation in the Parliament, and considered as a way out of this situation the adoption of measures for those who are responsible for the event and its investigation be made by foreign investigators and judges.

"If these measures are not taken, we shall adopt our approach," said Berisha. "We will try find the truth to the end and will make efforts until we topple the government," added the DP chairman.

According to him, the event was a prelude of the Sunday TV debate on the report of the Commission Ngjela, where Hajdari would prove through facts who were the authors and the actors of the Albanian tragedy of 1997.

Pollo said that there was not a weapon or a bullet in his car, and this was supported by other DP leaders.

DP demanded the resignation of the Interior Minister, Neritan Ceka and of the SHIK Chairman, Fatos Klosi, who, he said, was in the spot.

Reports from the Interior Ministry say that a group of armed people, gathered round Hajdari after a soccer match, provoked local police forces in Shkoder and later, by demonstrating their force of arms, had threatened the lives of police by breaking through a police roadblock.

Then police forces had formed another roadblock in the entrance of the city of Lac to stop the marching of the armed gang, the Interior Ministry told ATA. The gang has found itself encircled by police reinforcements that arrived from Lezhe and Mirdite.

Sources of the Interior Ministry said that at 2 a.m. on Sunday the armed people led by five DP deputies had not responded the call of police to hand down their arms. The members of the gang were detained last Sunday morning. xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[09] Greek President invites Albanian President for an official visit to Greece

According to the press and information office of the Albanian President, the message writes among others that "the visit will give a new impetus to our relations and will strongly contribute to the consolidation of the existing relations of friendship and the cooperation between our two peoples and countries." /s.sh./xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[10] Democratization of Serbia - a condition for solution to question of Kosove - Serbian Resistance Movement leader

The delegation, which was led by Momcillo Trajkovic, chairman of the so-called "Movement of Serbian resistance," and the Serbian bishop Artemie presented the platform to the U.S Congress and the State Department, according to the same source.

Trajkovic and Artemie condemned the use of police violence and repression and the terrorism for the realisation of the political aims in Kosova, the source says.

They demanded that "Albanians renounce their maximal demands for secession" and be "involved in the political life of Serbia."

The Serbs' delegation will also meet U.S. President Clinton's special envoy, Robert Gelbard to discuss the platform, the report says.

The situation in Kosove with its 90 per cent Albanian population, has been tense in the recent weeks with a great number of incidents.

Ibrahim Rugova, leader of the Albanians of Kosova, denounced on Friday the "uncontrolled violence of the Serbian authorities with the aim of sowing fear among the Albanian population as the elections are nearing."

"Legislative" and "presidential" elections, which are not accepted by the Belgrade authorities, have been demanded to be held on March 22, 1998 in Kosova.

The Albanians of Kosova, with its autonomy curbed in 1989, are working actively for the independence of the region which they have unilaterally declared a "republic" in 1991, with Ibrahim Rugova elected President a year later. /p.ta/mima/xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[11] SP: We're waiting request by Prosecutor's office to lift Hajdari's immunity of deputy

"We represent a political group and not a judiciary" said Majko, adding that "we are ready to examine a possible request by the Prosecutor's Office."

"SP demands from the judiciaries that, conformed to the law, they observe their competence and not allow that street pressures and those from gangs behind them and protected by their immunity harm the efforts and work of the coalition Government which has a plebiscitary mandate and the future of the Albanians," said Majko.

"SP condemns and publicly denounces the DP deputy, Azem Hajdari for illegal acts which go beyond the equilibriums of a national and of his mandate as a deputy to the People's Assembly," said the SP Secretary General. "SP condemns all those DP leaders who come out as defenders of incriminated people, thus proving of their double relations."

The socialists consider the recent events as part of the destructive course and against the spirit of national conciliation that DP leadership is seeking to follow. "SP calls on the DP realistic part, said Majko, to disassociate from the incriminated clan in that party's direction."

"SP denounces the latest events before all international organizations as acts which seek to sow destabilization and tension in the country and the region, to prevent international aid for Albania and to block all political and financial initiatives of the international community for this country," said SP Secretary, Pandeli Majko. /s.sh./xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[12] Democratic Union Party, a DP ally, takes part in Constitution Commission meeting

"We are committed to take part in all meetings of the Commission, but I represent here the Democratic Union Party and not the Union for Democracy, " said in the meeting the representative of the DUP, Hajri Mandri who was there on behalf of the chairman of his party, Remzi Ndreu, member of the Commission, but who could not come for health reasons, said Mandri.

Participation of the DUP in the Commission was hailed first by co- chairman Sabri Godo, and later by other commissionaires.

According to the agenda related with some remarks for the procedures and the composition of the Commission, Mandri said: "The Commission was appointed by the majority, thus avoiding the round table initiated by the Republican Party; the ratios among the parties may be corrected, in conformity with the percentage of votes won in the elections, although we, as a party, are satisfied having one member in the Commission."

"We are also of the opinion that after the Commission, the draft must be sent Constitutional Assembly and then in referendum, but not in the Parliament," said Mandri, "because the parliament was elected in an extraordinary way and does not represent, according to us, the proper proportions of the electorate."

Sabri Godo opposed this idea saying that the Assembly and the Commission exclude each other.

It is the first time that a member of the DP-led opposition takes part in the meeting of the Commission; at the beginning, present in the hall of the meeting in the Palace of Congresses was also the deputy chairman of the Christian Democratic Party, Halil Theodhori, but he left before the meeting started saying to reporters that he was there for reasons not related with the Commission. /s.sh./xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[13] Ceka to inform Parliament of event in Shkoder

Albanian lawmakers demanded in the Monday parliamentary session that Interior Minister Ceka must inform the deputies about the event in the same day.

Some of the deputies asked that also the Attorney General, Arben Rakipi must inform the parliament about the event, while the chairman of the Socialist Party Parliamentary Group, Pandeli Majko suggested that judiciary needs time to complete the investigation.

"A report by the Interior Minister on the event of Shkoder and that of Gjirokaster (where two bombs have blasted, one in the town hall and the other in the SP headquarters) is indispensable, but as far as the judiciaries are concerned, we must leave them space to continue their work, " said Majko. xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[14] 76 per cent of Albania's state budget on health sector at the disposal of hospitals system

"This part of the budget will be used to purchase medicaments, to pay the debts and on food in the hospitals," Prifti said.

"The purchase of new equipment and completion of the reconstruction of the hospitals will be funded by foreign donors and various programs," he said.

In the mean time, said Prifti, efforts are underway to complete the construction of a new maternity home in Tirane, one in Lushnje and a hospital in Durres. /s.sh./mima/xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[15] A delegation of Albanian Ministry of Justice leaves for Britain

The delegation, consisting of chiefs and specialists of prisons in Albania, will profit from the British experience in this field and will discuss with British specialists the possible aspects for bilateral cooperation.

During the visit to Britain, Mr Hajdari will also meet with representatives of the Department of the British Judiciary. /s.s/mima/xh/

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