Albanian Telegraphic Agency (ATA), 98-12-23

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

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

CONTENTS

[01] U.S. hails Albanian Government/opposition talks

[02] Albania GNP increases to 10 percent in 1998

[03] Customs police find out dealers evading tax

[04] Politicians must not intervene in judiciary - Tirana

[05] Greater amounts of Albanian chrome exported in Italy

[06] Turkey weighing 35 kg sold to 200 thousand leks

[07] Thousands of Albanian emigrants return home for New Year

[08] Tirane youth to dance 12 hours nonstop in International Cultural Centre

[09] Charity festive concert for orphans and Kosove children

[10] Tirana currency rate

[11] Heavy snow blocks national roads in northeast, southeast Albania

[12] Albanian Ambassador presents credentials to president of Cyprus

[13] Police undertake effective operation

[14] First National Conference on Public Health to be hold in January 1999.

[15] Soros donates three chemical laboratories for Sarande schools

[16] "We will support any meeting which serves situation in country and national issue," Bushati

[17] Quality control eliminates expired food products worth 51 million leks

[18] "Ocalan" issue has nothing to do with Albanian government, Foreign Ministry statement

[19] General Attorney Office has not asked Sali Berisha arrest

[01] U.S. hails Albanian Government/opposition talks

"We view this as an extremely positive first step in healing the political cleavages that have stymied Albania's reform process amd efforts to seek integration with the larger European community. We urge all parties to maintain the positive momentum from this encounter, and we look forward to more concrete developments. We would hope that the student strike, for example, could be resolved quickly through good-faith discussions. It is our hope that the Democratic Party will begin the last year of the of the 20th Century as a full participant in the Albanian parliament - the Albanian people deserve no less," ends the statement of the U.S. Department. /dast/xh/

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[02] Albania GNP increases to 10 percent in 1998

The latest estimation shows an increase of 10 percent of GNP. The same sources said that agriculture and construction had a positive effect on this increase, which is not only stopped but calculations show an increase of production during 1998 some 2 percent higher than in 1996. /dast/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[03] Customs police find out dealers evading tax

During the first 20 days of December a large quantity of goods was imported to Albania, but a number of dealers tried to avoid clearance and did not declare the quantity of imported goods.

Customs police managed to find out a large number of firms which did not pay customs tax and fined and confiscated their goods. /dast/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[04] Politicians must not intervene in judiciary - Tirana

Last Monday, after a meeting with PM Majko, the DP leader, Berisha declared before the press with regard to the question of Hajdari that they had agreed in the meeting that the investigation be made by a special prosecutors group which might be elected by the Albanian parliament.

According to Tirane chief prosecutor, the creation of this group runs counter to the constitutional laws.

"Article 148 of the Constitution says that the Prosecutor's Office is the structure that carries out penal prosecution and represents the side of the charge in the court, and the same article continues that "The prosecutor's office is directed by the Attorney general," stressed the Investigation chief.

Hence, the conditions for the investigation are controlled by the Attorney General. No investigation can be made out of this control, explained Tirana.

"Politicians must not intervene in the judiciary. They must understand the indispensability that the judiciary must work independently and that there is no reason to act the opposite way," stressed Agim Tirana. /dast/xh/

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[05] Greater amounts of Albanian chrome exported in Italy

The production of chrome concentrate amounted to 19 156 tons while that of iron-chrome to 27 700 tons. The amounts of iron-chrome have been mainly exported to Italy.

Actually, the Ministry Public Economy and Privatization, in cooperation with specialists of chrome industry have completed a study for the reconstruction of Albkrom, by removing from the structures of the society all objects which bring losses.

During the first quarter of 1999, all objects which will resist the restructuring of Albkrom, will pass through privatization, by giving to licensed subjects permit for use and production. /dast/xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[06] Turkey weighing 35 kg sold to 200 thousand leks

Eyewitnesses at the market said that the rare bird for its extraordinary size gathered a number of curious people from morning to noon who were bargaining over the price.

A local trader said that the turkey was so big that it tried to attack people when they approached it.

The area called Perparim in Elbasan is known for the rearing of turkey. The unusual weight and the quantity of flesh is also affected by the food given to them. They are also fed with olive. /dast/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[07] Thousands of Albanian emigrants return home for New Year

The sea travel lines have started their "gold season" whose climax is on Dec.25 and ends at the beginning of January when emigrants leave Albania for the countries where they work and live.

The most powerful state Italian-Albanian agency, Adriatica-Taulantia has finished the booking of tickets for Albanian emigrants to come to Albania for the celebrations at the end of the year for its three ferry boats which leave from Bari, Trieste and Ancona. So far, a great number of emigrants have arrived in Albania, about 1200 on Monday, 1000 on Tuesday and so on.

According to sources of the sea travel agencies in Durres, the number of the Albanians coming from other countries to have Christmas and New Year with their families, is expected to be higher than last year. /dast/xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[08] Tirane youth to dance 12 hours nonstop in International Cultural Centre

Beginning with evening hours of Dec.30 until Dec.31 in the morning, the alternative nonstop music will invite capital youth in the International Cultural Centre.

Sources from the Ministry of Culture told ATA that "the realisation of the concert is an idea of the Minister of Culture, Edi Rama."

According to them, "the concert will not be within the boundaries of the concerts normally held in Albania. It has no platform, words or humor, but simply foreign and Albanian alternative music."

The activity will be funded by Delta Publicita and Albanian Radio- Television, while the Ministry of Culture will cover 80 per cent of the expenses. /dast/xh/

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[09] Charity festive concert for orphans and Kosove children

"The money from the concert will be given to orphan and Kosova children in the district of Durres," organizers of the concert told ATA.

The concert is organized by the Youth Centre and the Town-Hall of Durres and taking part in it will be actors, singers and humor representatives of Albania.

Organizers are convinced that the concert will be welcomed by artlovers of Durres not only for its artistic level but also for the human mission of the artists. /dast/xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[10] Tirana currency rate

US$1.00 costs		139.30
German mark		 84.00
Italian lira (1000)	 84.00
Greek Drachma (100)	 49.40

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[11] Heavy snow blocks national roads in northeast, southeast Albania

A spokesman of the Public Order Ministry said to ATA that the main roads leading to Kukes, Diber, Bulqize, Korce and Pogradec and road axes in these areas were blocked due to heavy snow.

The vehicles should use chains, the spokesman said.

Road police in cooperation with local road directorates are trying to secure possible movement of vehicles in national road axes. /dast/ak/

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[12] Albanian Ambassador presents credentials to president of Cyprus

The President of Cyprus, says a report of the press department of the Foreign Ministry of Albania, voiced his pleasure to welcome the first Albanian Ambassador in Nicosia. He pointed out that the relations between Cyprus and Albania have strengthened more and more on the basis of friendship, understanding and cooperation.

"Cyprus," said President Klerides to Albanian Ambassador, "is following with great interest the developments in your country and particularly the efforts for the establishment of a modern state, with its final objective the full integration of Albania in European organizations." Mr Klerides voiced the full readiness of the Cypriote party in these efforts.

Taking part in the ceremony for the credentials was also the Foreign Minister of Cyprus. /dast/xh/

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[13] Police undertake effective operation

Chief of the local police station, Edmond Kule said to ATA that 73.5 percent of the crimes have been uncovered or 49 out of 68 crimes committed. He said that even the order police and the border one have been effective in their operations.

The Saranda police have intensified cooperation with the Greek border police recently in fight against crime and trafficking such as drugs, weapons, stolen cattle in the Greek territory and others.

Albanian and Greek border police chiefs are due to meet in Corfu to coordinate work in fight against crime and trafficking. /dast/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[14] First National Conference on Public Health to be hold in January 1999.

"The Health Ministry has drafted several programs, but is the drafting of a health policy with a 20 year vision, with a set strategy and system, which is to be otherwise called "the constitution in health sector", is a necessity for the Albanian health sector the Minister of Health, Leonard Solis, told ATA on Tuesday.

Solis said that two principle documents on Albanian health ministry are adopted so far in the pharmaceutical and stomatologic sector, but the investing in the health sector for all, and especially in the prevention of the deceases, is very important. So far, in our country is decided the fund for each person in the health sector system. It is worth $ 40, but important is to know how and where to use it in order to prevent the deceases, added Solis.

He added also that on this occasion is decided to be held in Tirane, the first national conference on the Public Health, where is to be approved the principle document of the health policy in Albania, but due to the responsibility and hard work that should be carried out, this meeting is to be organized during the first days of 1999.

This is the most important collaboration between the Ministry of Health and the World Heath Organization, because there is to be appointed the long term strategy and the principals on which the perspective of the development of public heath sector in Albania is to be supported. /s.s/A.A/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[15] Soros donates three chemical laboratories for Sarande schools

These laboratories are part of the project of AEDP programs for Saranda district. Despite the install of several libraries recently AEDP has also assumed this project, the AEDP representative for Sarande, Delvine and Himare, Xhorxhi Vasili told ATA on Friday.

According to the same source a study on developing the practical ability of the pupils through the laboratory work is being carried out.

According to AEDP sources in this city, the value of each of the laboratories is more than $ 6.300.

Saranda is one of the 13 districts included in the AEDP projects for 1997. Soros foundation supported the education in Sarande for the first time in 1995 by setting up an informatics laboratory in the general high school "Hasan Tasini" /lh/A.A/

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[16] "We will support any meeting which serves situation in country and national issue," Bushati

"Any meeting, which will serve the national interests, such as the Kosova problem and easing of the political tension in the country will have our support," the chairman of the Christian Democratic Party, Zef Bushati, told ATA on Wednesday.

In the meeting Majko-Berisha, which was held behind closed doors and lasted two hours, different issues were discussed, also including the relations between the ruling party and the opposition, the demands of the striking students, the issue regarding the murder of the former DP deputy, Azem Hajdari, as well as the Kosova question. /lh/mt/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[17] Quality control eliminates expired food products worth 51 million leks

During this period are realized 14 677 controls in different levels of producing and commercial subjects of food products and their producing activity is blocked due to the shortcomings evidented.

Some 107 administrative shortcomings are seen so far and they are fined with 5000-100000 leks, while their value in total is calculated to be 1,8 million leks.

Through the controls, and analyses done on the products, is made the elimination and blocking of more than 2 200 kv with different food materials, which have resulted to be expired, with a value of 51 million leks. /lh/A.A/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[18] "Ocalan" issue has nothing to do with Albanian government, Foreign Ministry statement

The Albanian government has not talked and has no intention to talk with anyone about an issue which has nothing to do with it, press and information department close to the Foreign Ministry reported.

Such a report has been also released on 15 December 1998, because several foreign news agencies announced the news that there is a possible chance for the extradition of the Kurdish Communist leader, Abdullah Ocalan in Albania, a country to which both Italy and Turkey had no objection.

There will be no extradition of Abdullah Ocalan in Albania, even if this country is chosen as the state that would solve the diplomatic crisis between Turkey and Italy, the press office of the Albanian Foreign Ministry stated. /s.sh/mt/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[19] General Attorney Office has not asked Sali Berisha arrest

The Albanian Premier, Pandeli Majko, has received a letter from the Chairman of the Committee for International Relations of the UN Representative Room, on December 18, in which was expressed the concern "regarding the recent announcements, according to which the Albanian Prosecutor, Arben Rakipi, has threatened with arrest the Albanian ex-president Sali Berisha."

In connection with this issue, the General Prosecutor, expressed his regret that he got acquainted with this letter only through press.

According to the spokesman of the General Attorney Office, the Head- prosecutor, wrote a letter to Mr.Gilman where despite the "thanks for the interest the distinguished American congressman payed to Kosova issue," is also aimed its more exact iterest, because "there were no true facts" in the letter addressed to the Prime Minister.

"For the sake of truth and not because of fright or withdrawal, the General Prosecutor declares that he has not asked the arrest of Berisha, but he has been summoned in an inquiry session to be familiarized with the accuse, and to be asked under the charge of "organizing the armed uprising of September 14 in Tirane" and this does not make a procedural action foreseen by the law to arrest this citizen. /lh/A.A/

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