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Albanian Telegraphic Agency (ATA), 98-08-03Albanian Telegraphic Agency Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Albanian Telegraphic Agency (ATA) Home Page at <http://www.telpress.it/ata>Albanian Telegraphic AgencyCONTENTS
[01] At least eight Albanians killed in DrenicaPRISHTINE, August 2 - ATA correspondent in Prishtina Behlul Jashari reported that at least eight Albanians were killed and many others injured in Drenica, which in the late Sunday continued to be under the attack, terror and blaze of large Yugoslav army and Serb paramilitary as well as police forces who were using cannon, surface-to-surface rockets and other heavy artillery weapons, according to sources on the ground.Serb forces start pounding Polac, Llaushe, Marine, Shtutice, Rakinice, Buroje villages, Drenica region, early on Sunday. cela/ak/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[02] Patrol forces intercept 17 dinghies with 600 refugees aboardDURRES, August 3 (ATA) - By Gezim Kabashi: 17 dinghies with some 600 refugees aboard heading for Italian shores were intercepted on Sunday night by the Italian-Albanian forces of the Guardia di Finanza at the west of the Sazan island.14 of them are been pursued until the Albanian shore, while three others managed to deviate the patrol motorboats but were stopped at the Puglia coast after the Italian patrol was informed by the Durres command mission. A spokesman of the Guardia di Finanza mission said to ATA that from 22.30 p.m. on Sunday until 05.00.a.m. on Monday three patrol motorboats have spotted at a 0.5 to 4 mile distance west of Sazan island 17 dinghies trying to head for Southern Italy. Favourable weather and relatively short distance have lured traffickers to run dinghies with 30 to 40 refugees mostly women and children to Italy, the spokesman said. Four patrol motorboats of the Guardia di Finanza have intercepted 52 dinghies with some 1.500 refugees aboard in the last 20 days. Most of them leave Vlora coast as the distance between the two shores is the shortest some 50 miles and the illegal organised traffic is greater. ake/pas/ak/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[03] New cement plant to be constructed soonSHKODRA, August 3 (ATA) - By M. Malja: A new cement plant will be constructed soon in the village of Mes, five km from the city of Shkodra by the German company "Spacelift Engineering L.t.d", Osman Deltina, Director of the local Gjeoalba, said to ATA on Monday.The European Union has accorded $125 million for this plant which will have up-to-date technology. Its annual production will be one million tons cement. Deltina said that the raw material is near the construction site and according to geological studies 40 million cubic meters of limestone and 6 million tons of clay will be enough for the plant to work as much as fifty years. Some 700 workers will be employed for the construction and the plant is expected to end within 18 months. ake/pas/ak/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[04] Serb offensive continues in DrenicaPRISHTINA, Aug 3 - ATA correspondent Behlul Jashari reported that the Serb offensive against Drenica, northwestern Prishtina, continued even today (early on Monday).Many Albanian villages have come under the fire of artillery, rockets propelled launchers and other heavy weapons of the Serb police and army forces. Many forces are attacking Llausha and other villages, sources from Skenderaj said. The Kosova Liberation Army (KLA) and the Albanian population have been organised in self-defence and are continuing resistance. Serb forces have killed at least eight Albanians and injured dozens of others, mostly women and children during Sunday's attacks on Drenica while thousand of residents fleeing attacks have passed the night in mountains. pta/pas/ak/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[05] Social center of professional qualification inauguratedPROGRADEC, Aug 3 (ATA) - By H. Balliu: "Ebu Bekr" social center for the professional qualification of the "Relief" Islamic Association, which has been operating in the city since 1992, was inaugurated on Sunday in Pogradec, southeastern Albania."Relief" is one of the first associations which started their activity in Albania in the transition phase. Its aim is to turn it into a center of culture, knowledge and tolerance. Some 200 registered persons come daily to attend different courses such as tailoring, foreign language and computer. 385 women and young women have finished the tailor's courses while 72 others are still attending them. 56 persons have finished the English courses since 1996 and 65 others are still learning English using Oxford methods. The center is increasingly working in the health sector especially the pediatrics. Head of the town hall Bashkim Myrtezai said that the opening of the center is another event in the city therefore our duty is to open new jobs for these people who attend the courses. This is the second social center of professional qualification inaugurated in the city of Pogradec after the one inaugurated days before by the "Nehemia" German foundation. Present at the ceremony were Secretary General Daut Gumeni, Korca Prefect Bardhi Aliçkolli, Birmigham-based "Relief" association president Hanni El Bana, guests from Struga and Veleshta of Macedonia and others. ake/ak/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[06] Massive displacement of Albanian people towards VushtriPRISHTINE, Aug 3 (ATA) - Massive displacement of Albanian population towards Vushtri started after an intensive bombardment of the Serb military- police forces who launched a military offensive in central Kosova against the villages of Drenica on Sunday, the Center for Information in Kosova (QIK) said.The same source said that residents of Polaci, Llaushe, Krushec, Vitak, Çubreli, Jashanice, Kotorri, Radisheve, Kline, Rakinice and other villages are heading for Vushtri. pta/pas/ak/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[07] Serb forces continue torching, destruction in Malisheva communePRISHTINE, Aug 3 (ATA) - The situation in commune of Malisheva is the same after the Serb military-police offensive which caused many casualties, injured and missing among Albanian civilians, the Center for Information in Kosova quoted Isuf Bytyçi, head of the commission for the Democratic League in Kosova (LDK) division in Malisheva as saying.The sources said that Serb forces continue to torch and destroy houses of Albanians while thousands of Albanians from Malisheva villages who had fled their houses are living in open air for the seventh day in succession. The efforts of organisations and associations of Malisheva to take the Albanians killed in the region through the mediation of the International Red Cross had failed. A Serb warplane threw leaflets late on Saturday calling on Albanians to return to their burnt down and destroyed houses. Recently, Serb snipers, positioned in high buildings in Malisheva town, have opened fire on Albanian residents who came to see their houses. Two old women who dared enter the town on Sunday to learn about the fate of one of their relative Haxhi Ramizi, were not allowed by the police. A contingent of humanitarian aid provided by the International Red Cross, which is necessary for the Albanian population who have run short of food and medicaments, arrived in Malisheva on Saturday. pta/ak/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[08] Albanian radio television pays delayed bills, urges budget increaseTIRANA, Aug 3 (ATA) - By Flora Nikolla: Directorate General of the Albanian Radio Television (TVSH) has paid a considerable debt to Telecom, Power generating and distribution firm (KESH) and Water distribution enterprise Directorate during September 1997 to June 1998, sources of the TVSH directorate said to ATA on Monday."The paid debt TVSH owed to KESH is estimated at 130 millions of Leks, to Telecom at 17 million leks and millions of leks to the directorate of water distribution enterprise," Sefedin Çela, RTSH vice Director General said to ATA. This debt includes delayed bills which this institution has failed to pay. The amount of money or 600 million leks has been paid by the budget accorded to RTSH by the Albanian parliament. This debt payment has prevented normal functioning and daily activities in the institution. The RTSH board has presented a request to the Albanian parliament asking for a reconsideration of the budget for 1998 and a supplement of 120 million leks. /pas/ak/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[09] Onufri realises for the first time the Gold Fund of World LiteratureTIRANE, August 3 (ata) - By Nora Zela: Onufri is realising for the first time in Albania the publication of works from the "Gold Fund of World Literature," sources of the Onufri Publishing House, one of the most successful private publishing houses of the recent years, told ATA.On the basis of a careful selection directed by the renowned writer Ismail Kadare, specialists of this publishing house are working so that this series of publications be put on sale as soon as possible. "The books will be selected from the best world literature which might have been published in Albanian or not and belong to various trends of literature," the Onufri President Bujar Hudhri told ATA. The list of the books is not yet finally determined but Hudhri said that the first book to be published will be "Dead Souls" by the great Russian writer Gogoli and translated into Albanian by the master of translation Dhimiter Pasko (the writer known in Albanian literature with the pseudonym Mitrush Kuteli.) The particular feature of this series of publications is the high typographic quality. Sources of Onufri say that "all the books in this serious of publications will be accompanied with a preface written by Ismail Kadare, who has been recently working to choose the title of the publication. Onufri will realise this job in cooperation with the Foundation "Bardha." /f.n.pas/xh/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[10] Albanian parliament adopts agreement of Albania-Greece cooperation in medical sectorTIRANE, August 3 (ata) - By Rudina Xhuvani: Albanian Parliament adopted these days the agreement of cooperation in medical sector signed on May 1998 by the Albanian Minister of Health Leonard Solis and his Greek counterpart, Constandinos Geitonas.After adopted by the Albanian Government and Parliament the agreement will also be approved by the Greek Parliament in September, the spokesman of the Albanian Ministry of Health, Artur Rada told ATA. According to him, on the basis of the agreement, the Albanian and the Greek parties will expand their cooperation in the field of health and will encourage the exchange of experience through the development of joint research programs, information for the public health, hygiene, border cooperation to prevent epidemics and their spreading, The agreement stipulates that over 300 of the total number of the Albanian patients who will get medical treatment in the Greek hospitals, will receive medical assistance free of charge. Other points of cooperation are some scholarships for qualification for Albanian doctors, nurses and officials of the health sector administration. The agreement also forecasts the stablishment of sister relations between hospitals and cooperation between the National Organization of Medicine Control of Greece and the National Centre of Medicine Control of Albania in the pharmaceutical field. /a.ke/xh/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[11] Meeting with leaders of border communes in KukesKUKES, August 3 (ata) - By Riza Hoxha: The continuous aggravation of the situation along the state border of Albania, 45 km from the district of Kukes (Northeastern Albania) gathered on Monday the chairmen of the communes of the border area in the Kukes district council.The chairman of the district council, Shefqet Bruka told ATA that the meeting established a better coordination of the work of the state structures on the border line. Participants in the meeting laid the stress on the work of the communes to avoid incidents, which have been frequent recently, and to adopt the necessary measures to accommodate any eventual influx of people from Kosova. The leaders of the communes said that the Serb army has already laid mines along the whole border and blasts in the villages of Kosove are being heard. They were concerned of the lack of telephone communication in five border communes of the Kukes district and demanded urgent solution of the problem by state structures. /ake/pas/xh/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[12] Vlora has profited 10 % of fund for roads rehabilitationVLORE, August (ata) - By H Koci: The city of Vlore (Southern Albania) has profited 10 per cent of of the total fund earmarked on a nationalscale program for the rehabilitation of the roads. This was confirmed by the Albanian deputy minister of Public Works and Transports, Kujtin Bejtja in a meeting held in the town hall of Vlore with the local mayor Neki Dredha. Bejtja stressed that 18 million lek from 170 million lek of the the state budget fund allocated to rehabilitate roads of Albanian cities, were given to the southern coastal city of Vlore for the rehabilitation of the road segment, called Transbalkanic. The fund, along with 10 million lek by the local town hall, makes half of the total value of the investment for that road, with some other 20 million leks to be granted by the Phare Program. The rehabilitation of the above mentioned road segment, 2.6 km long and 10 meters wide, is part of the important investments for the rehabilitation of the roads in the city of Vlore in the past two months. During this period, all main roads leading to the city up to Uji i Ftohte area have been greatly improved. /a.ke/pas/xh/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[13] DP declares war on narcotic plantsTIRANE, August 3 (ata) - By P Shuteriqi: The Democratic Party of Albania declared war on narcotic plants, Genc Pollo, DP secretary said in a news conference on Monday.Pollo labelled narcotics as "rose" as they call the present governing coalition, thus imitating some Italian opposition parties whoh in a plenary session of the House of Deputies on July 21, qualified Albania as "an open port of narcotics." Referring to some statements from circles of the Italian policy, the press director in the Foreign Ministry of Albania, Sokol Gjoka, said that "these are opinions of a small part of the Italian politics which have been refuted by the politicians of the governing majority who are continuing at the same rate the cooperation with Albania. In the mean time, the Albanian Government too is tackling with the problem of narcotics and fight against it. Some days ago in a meeting of the Committee of National Security Politics, Albanian Prime Minister Fatos Nano ordered structures of the Public Order Ministry, National Information Service and other structures to intensify the fight against narcotic cultivation and drug-trafficking. /y.pa/das/xh/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[14] Number of students from Kosova and other Albanian-speaking areas doublesTIRANE, August 3 (ata) - By P Shuteriqi: While in universities and other higher schools in Tirane and other districts registration of the students who will compete to attend higher studies has started, official sources from the biggest university, that of Tirane, confirm that the number of the would-be-students from Kosove and other Albanian speaking areas beyond border of Albania has doubled.It is forecast that the number of the first-year-students to be registered in Albanian faculties will be 7 per cent higher than last year, Tirana University Rector, Marenglen Spiro told ATA on Monday. During 1997-1998 academic year, Tirane University was attended by about 8 000 part time students and 5 000 full time students. More than 2 300 youngsters were registered in the university last year. /a.ke/das/xh/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[15] Approval of Draft of Constitution, one of priorities of Government - Deputy Prime MinisterTIRANE, August 3 (ata) - The situation in Albania and some of the priorities of the Government in the present situation were in the focus of the meeting that Albanian deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Government Coordination, Kastriot Islami had on Monday with the U.S. State Department envoys, the director for Southern and Central Europe, Larry Rossin and the director of the Office for Albania, Andrew Hyde.According to the Information and Media Department in the Council of Ministers, Islami stressed in the meeting the approval of the draft of the constitution as one of the priorities of the work of the government. Pointing out the efforts of the government to encourage the opposition to take part in the drafting of the constitution, Islami said that the legal procedures for the adoption of the constitution will be strictly observed. With regard to the situation in Kosove and the increase of the number of Kosovars coming to Albania, Islami said that measures are being adopted to face the situation in the North of Albania before winter comes. The U.S. envoy in Kosove, Gelbard, and Ambassador Hill, said Rossin, are making efforts to draft a status of autonomy for Kosove, acceptable for all parties. Islami spoke of the measures the government has adopted in the fight against corruption, reformation of police staff, the macro economic stabilization of the country, etc. Rossin highlighted once more the decisions adopted by the Albanian Government to control the difficult situation in the northern zone of Albania, the consolidation of the public order structures, its approach towards the crisis in Kosove, considering it not as an act of weakness but as an act of wisdom and farsightedness on the part of the Albanian Government. /s.sh/das/xh/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[16]Albanian Telegraphic Agency[17] Albanian Foreign Minister meets senior U.S. State Department official, RossinTIRANE, August 3 (ata) - By Irena Luto: The political director for Central and Eastern Europe of the U.S. State Department, Larry Rossin confirmed today the support of his government for the approaches of the Albanian governmenton the stabilization of the situation in Kosove, press and information department in the Albanian Foreign Ministry said. Referring to the situation in Kosove and the acts by Albanian diplomacy, Rossin considered the stance of the Albanian government on this question as very "constructive." Then, the talk between the chief of the Albanian diplomacy and the delegation led by Rossin focused on the situation in Kosove and on a possible solution to the crisis, with regard of which Rossin said that the efforts of the U.S diplomacy have been frequent, hence referring to the mission of Ambassador Hill and the State Secretary Albright. Minister Milo presented officially to the U.S. delegation the measures adopted by the Albanian Government to face any provocation by Belgrade to include Albania in the conflict, measures which the U.S. officials hailed, along with the efforts of the Albanian Government to stabilize the situation in the country. /y.pa/das/xh/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[18] There is no military solution for Kosove - U.S. diplomat, HillPRISHTINE, August 3 (ata) - ATA correspondent B Jashari reports: "There is no military solution for Kosove" was the message "for all parties" by U.S. diplomat Christopher Hill in a statement for reporters made in Prishtine today. "The Serb offensive marks a regress in the efforts to find a political solution," declared the U.S. diplomat engaged with Kosove question, Ambassador in Skopje, Cristopher Hill.The U.S. is ready to take part in a political solution to the question of Kosove, said Hill, stressing "the need of a political negotiating process in Kosove." U.S diplomat said that "we are deeply concerned for the people who have moved, the refugees" as a result of the Serb offensive, the violence and insecurity. He warned that "in the coming days I will deal with the ways of bringing these people back in their homes." "I think that we are on the eve of a humanitarian catastrophe if we do not secure the return of the people in their homes. Therefore, the international community is worried of the security of these people," said Hill. The U.S diplomat Hill talked with reporters after a closed-door meeting with the President of the Republic of Kosove, Dr Ibrahim Rugova. /la/das/xh/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[19] Fassino in Tirane on ThursdayTIRANE, August 3 (ata) - By I Luto: Italian Deputy Foreign Minister, Piero Fassino arrives in Tirane on August 6. He is expected to have talks with senior state officials and representatives of Albanian parties, said on Monday the press director in the Albanian Foreign Ministry, Sokol Gjoka.According to the agenda, Fassino will meet with Albanian President, Rexhep Meidani, Prime Minister Fatos Nano, Foreign Minister Paskal Milo, parliamentarians and party leaders in Albania, said Gjoka in his weekly news conference. The Italian diplomat will lead the Commission for Italian-Albanian Economic Cooperation. /y.pa/xh/ From the Albanian Telegraphic Agency (ATA) Home Page at http://www.telpress.it/ataAlbanian Telegraphic Agency Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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