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Albanian Telegraphic Agency (ATA), 98-09-01Albanian Telegraphic Agency Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Albanian Telegraphic Agency (ATA) Home Page at <http://www.telpress.it/ata>Albanian Telegraphic AgencyCONTENTS
[01] International community is conscious who is the culprit and victim in Kosova- declares Albanian Foreign Ministry -TIRANE, August 31 /ATA/ - A press release of the Albanian Foreign Ministry, stresses that the Serbian violence in Kosova is continuing to take away lives of innocent people, to burn down houses and destroy numerous villages. Number of the displaced people, says the release, has already surpassed 230,000 people. Most of them, are faced to the lack of food and danger of epidemics, with a continuous threatening of Serb reprisals and what is more with the comming of winter, their situation is being aggravated by every passing day. Hundreds of victims, massacres and collective graves, eyewitnessed by many people in Drenica, Deçani, Rahovec and in the surroundings of Gjakova may seem minor to the great humanitarian disaster approaching to the Albanian population in Kosova. And as for its irony and as a challenge to international community, said the release, Belgrade tries to push away its responsibilities from what is happening in Kosova, by fabricating slanders for so-called terrorist actions of Albanians, or for the implication of Albanian Republic in this crisis. We should remember, continues the release, that "opening of collective graves, which are typical for the Serbian military or paramilitary forces, made well-known in Bosnia, are not in the nature of Abanian people, who are trying to survive in face of Serbian and Yugoslav violence and state terror in Kosova." International community, reiterates the release of the FM, is conscious who is the aggressor and who is the victim. It is necessary that intervention of international community be quick and energetic, in all forms, to save innocent lives of tens of thousands people who are totally in danger, not only by flames of war but even by a humanitarian disaster./das/fh/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[02] Week "Action against mines" starts in DurresDURRES, August 31 (ATA) - By S Gjordeni: The week "Action against mines" started on Monday in Durres. Also present in the opening ceremony were Albania's President Rexhep Meidani and Prime Minister Fatos Nano.At 7 p.m. on Monday, in Taulantia square near the monument of the resistance of the antifascist war, the first day of the week organized by the Committee of Anti-mine Friends (KMAM) centred in Durres, was marked. The ceremony started with the planting of the tree of peace. This week, said the KMAM chairman Besnik Alibali, marks the beginning of mass disarmament of the population, for which this committee has made a detailed plan of measures and will coordinate the work with other non- governmental organizations and state institutions." Participants in the opening ceremony of this week were addressed by the President Rexhep Meidani. Expressing his belief that all those present felt themselves members of the group anti-mine, anti-death, anti-hatred, anti-splits, Meidani stressed that "We want that the land and its underground to hold and produce only good things for the man." Later Meidani spoke of the brilliant example of those who have laid down their lives or have been injured while deactivating mines, stressing that "They have died in a special battle full of surprises and have their names in the altar of the heros of life, humanism and peace!" /das/xh/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[03] Twenty two people from Kosova arrive in HasHAS, September 1 (ata) - Twenty two people from Kosova, mainly children and women, have crossed the state Albanian-Yugoslav border and arrived in Has.The spokesman of the Ministry of Public Order told ATA that yesterday 22 people from Kosove had crossed the border near the police border post of Pashtrik. Members of the group coming from Kosove as a result of the Serb violence and terror were 13 children from 1-10 years old, 6 women and 3 men. Local structures have adopted all measures for their immediate accommodation. More than 300 refugees from Kosova have come to the district of Has so far. /das/xh/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[04] Portrait of "Mother Theresa" in Albanian and Italian stampTIRANE, August 31 /ATA-By A.Pulaj/ - Two proofs of stamps with a portrait of "Mother Theresa", realised by an Albanian painter, Mikel Temo and an Italian painter, will be exhibited in the fair "Fiera del Levante", which will open on September 12 in Bari, Italy.The news was confirmed to ATA by painter Mikel Temo, who has realised the Albanian stamp with portrait of this Albanian Saint, at a time when the proposal for a separate window of the Abanian stamp in this fair, is done one year ago by Italian prime minister, Romano Prodi. Before being exposed in the window of "Fiera del Levante" this proof will be exhibited on September 5, in Tirana, in a great manifestation in the Palace of Congresses, which will be dedicated to the first anniversary of death of Mother Theresa. Until now nearly 350 copies of this stamp with Mother Theresa, with a signature of Mikel Temo are ready, at a time when it has arrived in nearly 3 million copies, the number of copies of the Italian painter. "After the exhibition of these stamps in a separate window during Albanian days in this fair of Bari, these stamps will be spread to post offices to start their use in both countries," said for ATA, stylist Taulant Pustina, one of the organisers of the Albanian window in "Fiera del Levante"./das/fh/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[05] Efforts to recycle the far and near past are fruitless and without perspective - MeidaniDURRES, August 31 (ata) - Albania's President Rexhep Meidani in his address Monday on occasion of the inauguration of the week "Action anti- mine" in Durres focused also on the situation and the political tension created in Albania recently.With regard to this situation created after a decision of the military prosecutor's office for the arrest of six former DP officials, Meidani stressed that not ruling out the political connotations that this event has because of the posts that the detainees have had, "my opinion is that the efforts to recycle the far and near past are fruitless and without perspective," said President Meidani. They are not in the context of the commitments that are dictated by the situation in Kosove, in the context of the commitments to consolidate and affirm the local rule of law, and to make Albania with a contemporary constitution." Meidani called on political forces for more maturity in mutual communication. He said that it was indispensable for the political debates and round tables to respect the democratic division of powers as an indispensable need for the establishment of the rule of law which is following and will follow its road in almost in virgin land. From this ceremony of peace, said Albanian President, "I would like to express my support for the demands of the parties for a transparent, correct, fast and monitored process, or for finding legal spaces to avoid unnecessary tensions which are "blowing" in the country today. Let us leave aside the bad tradition of politicizing everything, said Meidani. "Let what Mother Teresa demanded and which is being repeated frequently these days, be realised, the disarmament of the minds." /das/xh/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[06] 20 Albanians killed and 465 homes torched in Shtime, KosovePRISHTINE, Sept. 1 (ata) - Twenty Albanians have been killed and 465 houses have been set on fire during the Serb offensive which has started on June 14 in the villages of the commune of Shtime, Carraleve, Zborc, recak, Petrove, Mollopolc, Pjetershtice, Belince, Zuke, Karacice, Race e Petrove e Re, the Kosove Information Centre reports.Sources of the LDK branch in Shtime say that among the 10 killed 11 are children, three are women and six are men. The number of the wounded is 23, three Albanians have been arrested and four are missing. According to the same source, Serb forces have torched so far 465 houses in the commune of Shtime. The number of the displaced Albanians who are in the open air amounts to 11 750. /xh/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[07] An attorney in Belgrade sues Adem DemaçiPRISHTINE, Sept. 1 /ATA/ - Attorney Vlladan Batiç, in Belgrade, who at the same time is leader of the Serbian Christian Democratic Party, handed Sunday in the Public Prosecutors Office in Prishtine, a sue against Adem Demaçi, representative of the KLA, said the Kosova Center of Information (KCI), referring to daily newspaper, "Daily Telegraph".Batiç declared to the above newspaper that "Adem Demaçi's activity has time, that has moved from field of political fight in those of worst criminality." He accuses Demaçi, because "in different cases, many places and different ways, especially through local and international means of information, has incited grave penal activities." Batiç has also sued Demaçi, according "Daily Telegraph", about penal actions against constitution, endangering of territorial unity, destruction of military forces of defence and of inciting military uprising, terrorism and genocide./das/fh/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[08] Koshtunica: Kosova issue needs a foreign judgementPRISHTINE, Sept. 1 /ATA/ - The situation in Kosova will lean toward a foreign judgement, said Vojislav Koshtunica, leader of the Democratic Party of Serbia, said Kosova Center of Information (KCI).According his words "we are moving toward a situation" which reminds us constitutional solutions of 1974, may be with wider rights for Kosova than at that time. Koshtunica said that it is necessary a foreign judgement, so that Kosova remains within borders of the FRY. He stresses that such a foreign intervention is present even now, by remembering how situation developed at the end of Dayton talks./das/fh/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[09] CE supports in three main directions institutional reforms in AlbaniaTIRANE, Sept. 1 (ata) - By E Metaj: The reform in the civil service, the managing of public expenses and higher efficiency of the State High Control are the priorities of the assistance of the European Commission for the Institutional Reform and Public Administration in Albania.According to sources at the Albanian Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Trade, the CE aid for these three sectors is so important because they are essential for the functioning of the state and are linked with the well administration of the foreign funds which are delivered or promised to Albania in the form of grants or credits. Among the steps to be undertaken in the civil service are the creation of the Commission of Civil Service and the Secretariat, the adoption of the law on the creation and functioning of state institutions and the setting up of an Inter-ministerial Group for the Reform in the Public Administration. The State High Control has valued as important the drafting and presentation of the first financial and procedural report for the state budget of 1997, while in the context of the management of public expenses, the adoption of the new organic budget has played the main role. The meeting of the above conditions will open the green light to a broader support by the European Commission for the Institutional Reform and Public Administration in Albania. /xh/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[10] More than 30,000 Albanian houses and shops destroyed by Serbian offensivePRISHTINE, Sept. 1 /ATA/ - During the Serbian military operations in Kosova, which started from February 28 until August 30 of this year, there are some 700 people killed and more than 800 others are declared missing, and are believed to have been killed, some 10,000 others are maltreated, mainly civilian, where dominate women, old people and children, said Kosova Center of Information.During the same period, the Serbian offensive was spread in some 15 communes in Kosova (Skenderaj, Gllogoc, Deçan, Gjakove, Kline, Rahovec, Malisheve, Peje, Vushtrri, Mitrovice, Suhareke, Ferizaj - Shtime, Lipjan, Prishtine, Prizren and Istog) where have been shelled, plundered, burned down or damaged, 26,200 houses, 1,716 trade units, 7,269 other objects and over 60 schools, it is said in a press release of Independent Trade Union of communal activities in Kosova, while 405,259 people are violently displaced by their houses./das/fh/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[11] Tirana currency ratesTIRANA, Sept 1 (ATA) - By D. Koça: In the early trade of the Savings Bank on Tuesday the exchange rates of foreign currencies against the lek were stable. A dollar cost 149.1 leks while a German mark 84.4 leks.Following are the buying and selling rates of the foreign currencies against the lek. Currency bought sold US$1.00 149.1 leks 151.9 leks German mark 84.4 86.6 Italian lire (1000) 84 88 Greek Drachmas 48 50.2 /ak/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[12] Greek embassy: Yzberisht company has not guarded residences of Albanian authoritiesTIRANA, Sept 1 (ATA)-By I. Luto, The embassy of the Greek Republic to Albania, through a press release on Tuesday, confuted the news stories carried by several newspapers in Albania that Greek soldiers have guarded residences of Albanian state authorities."The Greek embassy in Tirana wants to categorically confute these news," the release says. A few days ago, Rilindja Demokratike, organ of the Democratic party (opposition), in an article on the rally held by the DP in front of the Prime Minister's office and Government residence, in which Prime Minister Nano lives, says that this residence "was guarded by Greek soldiers of the Yzberisht company". The confutation of the Greek embassy says among other things that the Greek company is in Yzberisht in the context of a bilateral Greek-Albanian agreement which in August 1997 was ratified twice by the Albanian Parliament. /mima/lm/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[13] Armed men block national road near Lazarat villageGJIROKASTER, Sept 1 (ATA)-By H. Cani, The national road near the Lazarat village, some three km south of Gjirokaster, has been blocked by armed men since 14.30 on Tuesday.The chief of the police station in Gjirokaster, lieutenant-colonel Edmond Stepa, told ATA that the situation is vary grave as armed men who, certainly are related to the road blocking, have infiltrated into the long line of vehicles, making the intervention of the armed forces difficult. Stepa said that police forces from Permet, Tepelene and Sarande have arrived in aid of the Gjirokaster police and others are expected to arrive. In the nearby hills, persons who have taken up fighting positions, shoot in the direction of the national road with various weapons. /s.sh/lm/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[14] Institute of monuments asks for Butrint's moneyTIRANA, Sept 1 (ATA) - By K. Shehu: Thousands of dollars collected by the tickets sold in the last years to domestic and foreign visitors visiting the antique city of Butrint seemed to be missing, Artan Shkreli, director of Institute of Culture Monuments, said to ATA.Shkreli and a working group of the State Control visited the city of Butrint recently. The Institute of Monuments and that of Archaeology signed recently a draft agreement envisaging that both institutions would share the income collected by the visitors. They are planned to be used for the restoration of the culture monuments. Shkreli said that "since '93 to '97 no income has been sent to the institution. An amount worth one thousand dollars has been collected only during the first six-month period of 1998. "Given that a ticket for a foreign visitor is two dollars, some $50 thousand are thought to have been collected during '96 when Butrint was visited by some 25 thousand foreigners. mima/ak/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[15] Parliamentary commissions discuss issue of Kosova refugees -Deputy Prime Minister Fino and Ministers Teta and Milo attend-TIRANA, Sept 1 (ATA)-By Y. Pata,Three permanent commissions of the Albanian parliament on Tuesday had a preparatory meeting for the special session due on Thursday regarding the issue of the Kosova refugees. Today's meeting was also attended by deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Local Government Bashkim Fino, Minister of Public Order Perikli Teta and Foreign Minister Paskal Milo. Sabri Godo, head of the parliament's Foreign commission, read the conclusions drawn after his visit last week to Tropoje, where most of the Kosova refugees are found. "The government should draft concrete plans for their housing and the level of the executive's representation in this district should be enhanced, " said Godo. Meanwhile, Fino presented the measures taken by the government regarding housing of the refugees and normalisation of their life in every aspect. Fino said that the Government, along with the UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), will soon take actions to house the refugees at fixed places and for this Fino said that nine warehouses of the state reserves in Puke and Mat are ready and will be adjusted with the UNHCR funds. While ministers Teta and Milo presented the measures taken by the ministries they run regarding this issue. Teta spoke of the measures adopted for the improvement of the border police performance while Milo made known the contacts with the international organisations which Milo considered "institutionalised". The floor was also taken by speaker of parliament Skender Gjinushi and deputy speaker Namik Dokle who asked from the government that the work programme to be approved by Parliament should be more detailed and precede the winter, which will make more difficult the situation of the refugees. The government's plenipotential in Tropoje, Taulant Dedja, heads of the local government of the prefecture as well as various deputies discussed this issue as well. A special sitting of parliament is scheduled to be held on Thursday, exclusively on the issue of refugees, and a programme of measures presented by the government is also expected to be approved. /lm/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[16] New school year partially starts in KosovaPRISHTINE, Sept 1/ATA correspondent Behlul Jashari reports that the new school year began in Kosova (90% of the population are Albanians) on Tuesday, in nearly half of the eight-year schools, because of the numerous destructions and damages on schools by Serbian attacks.Over 400 000 Albanians, mostly children have left their homes, villages and cities bombarded by the Serbian forces since the eruption of the armed conflict in Kosova. Some 150 000 of them are homeless. In the Decan commune, where 12 out of 14 eight-year schools have been burnt, the new school year has not started. For the same reasons classes cannot begin either in the communes of Skenderaj, Malisheve, Gllogoc, Kline, Rahovec or in other communes of western and central Kosova. The new school year has not begun for the pupils of the eight-year school of Novoberde, in Prishtine suburbs, either, as the school has been turned into a military barrack for the Serb forces. /mima/lm/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[17] Police sue organisers of DP illegal gatheringTIRANA, Sept 1 (ATA) - By Th. Thanasi: Police directorate of the Albanian capital brought a legal suit on Tuesday to the Tirana prosecutor's office against Sali Berisha, the leader of the Democratic party (DP) and Genc Pollo, deputy leader, accusing them of "organising the illegal gathering on August 31", a spokesman of the prosecutor's office said to ATA.He said that police did not intervene and accompanied quietly the protesters to avoid possible confrontations. Special forces built up defensive cordons around important institutions. The August 31 gathering was monitored by representatives of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). The DP had declared that it would use all means to topple the coalition government headed by the prime minister Fatos Nano after the recent arrests of its former six senior officials under the charges of crimes against humanity which, according to the DP, were of political character. The Albanian prime minister Fatos Nano told on Friday the government meeting that he would ask for an international monitoring on arrest procedures for the above six senior officials. mima/ak/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[18] Bailiff's office, important link to establish justice - deputy ministerTIRANA, Sept 1 (ATA)-By E. Koraqi, Deputy minister of Justice Artan Hajdari, at a working meeting on Tuesday with the bailiffs from all the districts of the country, asked responsibility in executing decisions, to avoid any manifestation of abuse or of law violation, the spokesman of the Ministry of Justice told ATA."The bailiff's office is an important link in establishing justice in a democratic state. They ensure a greater support for the executive," said Hajdari. The participants at the meeting also discussed the preparation of a regulation which will define the way of operation and organisation of the bailiff's office, which should be independent from the court. Today's meeting was held in the context of approving the Government's programmes for fighting corruption. /mima/lm/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[19] Turkish state minister visits TiranaTIRANA, Sept 1 (ATA) - By E. Xhajanka: A Turkish delegation headed by Yucel Seckiner, the Minister of State, arrived in Albania on Tuesday at the framework of an economic cooperation between Albania and Turkey.The Turkish minister is expected to sign a draft protocol of the fifth session of the Albanian-Turkish inter government commission for economic, trade, industrial and technical cooperation scheduled for September 3 in Tirana. Seckiner was received by the minister of Agriculture and Food Lufter Xhuveli, who is the co-chairman of the session. /ak/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[20] Gayer interested in KESH cooperationTIRANA, Sept 1 (ATA) - By M. Pupa: The German association "Gayer" presented on Tuesday electric equipment for low-tension energy distribution at specialists of the Albanian power generation and distribution firm (KESH).The German firm acquainted the KESH specialists with some projects in the energy field and offered its equipment through long-term credits. Gayer is created in 1911 and operates in some countries around the world such as Russia, Czech Republic, Poland, England and others. It covers the demands of 750 affiliations and power distribution companies in Germany. The KESH specialists, who got acquainted with the Gayer offers, would decide to cooperate on different power projects. At the framework of the strategy of privatisation of power sector, powerful energy corporations of different states have expressed their interests to participate in this process. /ak/ 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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