Albanian Telegraphic Agency (ATA), 99-10-23

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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] Albania, Greece to increase cooperation

[03] Currency exchange-rate in Tirane

[04] World Bank gives $1 million for the drainage system of the Maliq field

[05] South Korea company ready to provide credits for Albanian infrastructure

[06] GSC of SP meets to elect chairmanship and secretaries

[07] Some 17,523 billion leks for the budget deficit

[08] Albanian government plans 10% growth of pensions and wages in 2000

[09] EU finances infrastructure of justice system

[10] CISPEL presents the new programs at Fiera Fair

[11] Phare program grants 14 million Euro for Albania

[12] SP General Steering Committee votes for secretaries

[13] Bell moulded out of shell casings to be set close to ICC in Tirana

[14] Rally of "Union for Democracy" in Skenderbej square

[15] Meidani demands increase of Italian investments in Albania

[16] General Ruth to visit Albania

[17] Albanian Ministry of Information trains spokesmen of ministries and prefectures

[18] State budget, greater profiteer of foreign credits

[19] Shkodra authorities ask for opening of Greek Consulate in this town

[20] Greek Ambassador suggested opening of Greek Bank in Shkodra

[21] Four Albanian painters taking part in exhibition "Behind the Wall" in Stockholm

[01] Press review

Koha Jone, independent daily,

"New party against Nano and Berisha". Opposition in SP and the expelled from the DP begin projecting cooperation. "Malaj confronting Dokle for SP Secretary General". The General Steering Committee of the Socialist Party to elect new chairmanship of the party with 17 members. "DAP in revolution as well". The latest development in the Albanian politics to be discussed at the General Assembly of the Democratic Alliance Party. "Quarrel in police about reporters". Three-month analysis of the Tirane Police Department made yesterday.

Gazeta Shqiptare, independent daily,

"Nano pardons anti-Nanos". The General Steering Committee, elected two weeks ago, was legitimised at yesterday's closing session of the SP Congress. "Berisha:"We have nothing against Nano". DP chairman Sali Berisha has lowered tones against his political opponent, SP head Fatos Nano. "State deepens its debts". According to official data from the Finance Ministry, the state deficit has amounted to 34,6 billion leks over the first nine months.

Shekulli, independent daily,

"Poci's colonels quarrel". The absence of Public Order Minister Spartak Poci at the police analysis in the capital tensioned its chiefs yesterday. "Congress, meeting against Majko". The latest session of the SP Congress yesterday legitimised the General Steering Committee, elected two weeks ago. "Dokle, Secretary General". Parliament's deputy speaker Namik Dokle yesterday agreed to put forward his candidature for SP Secretary General, confronting deputy Arben Malaj. "Berisha-Nano secret alliance". DP "rebel" deputies accused their chairman of agreement with SP chairman Fatos Nano.

Albania, national daily,

"New dance of Nano". "Republican party against opposition rallies". "Vejsiu: secret alliance between Berisha and Nano.

Zeri i Popullit, daily of the Socialist Party of Albania.

"Nano: Socialists, we are here to win". "Analysis to improve governing" "Some 100 customs workers, last wriggle".

Rilindja demokratike, daily of the Democratic Party of Albania,

"Rallies in Tirane". "Trial also against DP thiefs".

Republika, daily of the Republican Party of Albania,

"Berisha-Nano silent agreement" "This is why economic reform failed in Albania". /lm/

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[02] Albania, Greece to increase cooperation

According to sources from the Ministry for Economic and Trade Cooperation, this session will aim at encouraging cooperation in trade, tourism, infrastructure, mines, health, education and science.

Albania and Greece are expected to disucss especially increase of cooperation in the context of regional initiatives, such as the Stability Pact.

Greece has been engaged in Albania in several investments, whose values is estimated at over $100 million. This amount has been invested by around 200 Greek companies which are operating in Albania.

Greece is the second trade partner of Albania. During 1998, imports from the neighbouring country have been $239,7 million and Albanian exports $29,8 million.

Several Greek banks, such as the Greek National Bank, Tirana Bank and Alfa-Credit Bank have also expanded their activity in Albania. /dast/lm/

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[03] Currency exchange-rate in Tirane

Foreign currency exchange rates:

Currency Buying Selling US$ 132 132,5 DM 72,1 72,3 ITL (1000) 72, 7 73 GRD (100) 42,8 43

/lm/

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[04] World Bank gives $1 million for the drainage system of the Maliq field

The project, according to the Ministry Agriculture specialists, aims at rehabilitating and draining 5200ha land and improving some 12 000ha land.

Some 2200ha land were flooded and some other 3000 hectares. were damaged last years in this field.

Given the situation, the project forecasts to deepen the Devoll river bed for a distance of 2.2km along with its main channels. /dast/gs/

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[05] South Korea company ready to provide credits for Albanian infrastructure

At a meeting with Minister for Public Works and Transport Ingrid Shuli, representatives of this company expressed readiness to invest in road, air and sea ports infrastructure.

The South Korean investors said that after familiarising themselves with these sectors they would implement several projects with credit value worth around $50 million each.

They said the credit will be long-term and at lower interest rates than the credits provided to Albania so far.

They discussed in detail projects of developing the seaports of Durres, Shengjin and Vlore as well as certain financed segments of road corridors, which have not been financed. /dast/lm/

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[06] GSC of SP meets to elect chairmanship and secretaries

After presenting the agenda of the first meeting and reading the names of all members of the GSC of Sp, the meeting continued proceedings without reporters presence. /dast/lm/

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[07] Some 17,523 billion leks for the budget deficit

Out of the total deficit of 34,636 billion leks, the domestic deficit was 12,199 billion leks and the foreign deficit 22,437 billion leks.

Domestic budget deficit financing is also realized by varying the state budget, securing incomes from the privatization etc.

The incomes from privatization in Albania, which financed the budget deficit for the nine months of 1999, were 493 million leks. /dast/gs/

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[08] Albanian government plans 10% growth of pensions and wages in 2000

This request was submitted to IMF mission, which recently arrived in Tirane, but still the mission did not make any comment on the request of the Albanian government.

If the IMF approves this request, it would be the second consecutive year the budget wages and pensions would grow with 10%.

The pensions increased by 10% in January 1999, whereas the budgetary employees wages increased on May 1 in the same year. /dast/gs/

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[09] EU finances infrastructure of justice system

These funds, which amount to EURO 2 million, will be used to rehabilitate Courts in Elbasan, Korce, Vlore, Durres, Gjirokaster as well as the Appeals Court in Tirane where operations were recently concluded.

European Union funds will be used also to provide these institutions with office equipment, the above mentioned sources report.

Meanwhile, operations in the Ministry of Justice are being conducted to realize the project worth EURO 140 000 to provide the computer network for this Ministry.

Ministry of Justice possesses funds to construct also the new building of Tirana's Court. /dast/so/

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[10] CISPEL presents the new programs at Fiera Fair

CISPEL has realized several projects in Albania, among which the "1000 buses for the peace" was one of the most important and had the financial support of the Extraordinary Aid Commissariat.

CISPEL currently is working on supplying with equipment the mechanic workshop of buses in Tirane by the end of the year.

This company intends to operate in Albania in the field of public services improvement in several cities of the country. /dast/gs/

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[11] Phare program grants 14 million Euro for Albania

For this aim were signed on Saturday the finance memorandums on Cross- Border Corporation between Albania and Italy and Albania, Greece with the sum of 7 million Euros each.

The general objective of Cross-Border Cooperation Program is to encourage the cooperation between the border regions of the European Union and the neighboring countries of the Central and Eastern Europe, and help these regions cope with the specific development problems.

This program helps Albania decrease the social-economic problems between it and the neighboring countries of Italy and Greece and will affect the development in general.

The '99 program is focused in the strengthening of transport infrastructure as well as in the priorities in the water supply sector, started by the previous Phare programs. The '99 program is as well connected with the regional economy and foresees to finance regional studies and projects. /dast/A.A/

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[12] SP General Steering Committee votes for secretaries

The KPD members have actually passed the voting procedures for the posts of four SP secretary. The candidacies for the post of secretary general are Malaj and Dokle, for the post of secretary of foreign relations are Arta Dade and Ben Blushi, for the organization secretary Petro Koçi and Kastriot Islami while the candidacies for the post of secretary of public relations are Ilir Zela and Luan Rama.

The secretaries who will be elected will automatically pass into the SP leadership. Afterwards KPD will vote for 13 other members of SP leadership.

KPD has a total of 119 members. Some 80 out of them were elected by the congress, 38 are SP chairmen in districts and one is the chairman of Euro-socialist Forum. /lh/A.A/

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[13] Bell moulded out of shell casings to be set close to ICC in Tirana

The bell of peace, blessed by the Pope John Paul II, has been moulded out of cartridges' shell casings that children from Zadrima, Lezhe, have gathered under direction of Blinisht parish and the region teachers.

The bell of peace will toll for the first time in Tirana, in the dawn of the new millennium during a massive demonstration with the participation of the children from all over Albania.It will represent the symbol of Peace for Albania, the region and wider.

Albanian President Rexhep Meidani has thanked Blinisht's parish and the pupils of the zone for the great work done to transform their initiative into a pan-national educative movement for values of peace and humanism.

Meidani has also appreciated the idea of the peace bell relay race in several cities of Albania before it will be set in Tirana and has asked the Ministry of Education to include schools in this worthy movement. /dast/so/

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[14] Rally of "Union for Democracy" in Skenderbej square

"Our protests will be continuous and their main aim will be the creation of a government on a wide spectrum and holding precocious elections in the country", the chairman of the Democratic Party, Sali Berisha, said.

He called on all opposition political forces to cooperate for the fulfilment of their requests.

Further, protesters were directed to "National Heroes" avenue and stopped in front of the council of ministers' headquarters where they chanted slogans against the government.

DP and its allies seemed to have given up the policy of road protests, proclaiming as constructive the alternative of dialogue with opposition. "The Union for Democracy" started is protests on the streets in September 1997 up to September 14, 1998, the day when state's primary institutions were violated by the crowds. /lh/so/

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[15] Meidani demands increase of Italian investments in Albania

The press office close to the presidency reported that Meidani visited some of the fair pavilions and got acquainted with the fair economic data.

In all the meetings Meidani held during this visit he demanded the increase of Italian investments in Albania, either in the form of small and middle enterprise or in the form of big businesses. He expressed his conviction that several Italian investors will get conscious even through this fair on the existence of normal conditions for investments in Albania.

My conviction, said Meidani, is based on the fact that a historical tradition of commercial exchanges exist between the two countries. Here in the fair we met representatives of an association established since 1880, and which had ancient relations with Albania.

The President of the Republic highlighted the horizontal cooperation, Puglia-Albania region, in the context of the cooperation between the two countries, but he considered as important even the vertical cooperation between the areas of north Italy and Albania.

During this visit Meidani was accompanied by the Albanian ambassador to Italy, Leontiev Çuçi. /lh/A.A/

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[16] General Ruth to visit Albania

Referring to the press and information office close to COMMZ (W), Zone of Western Communication, General Ruth will hold a press conference at COMMZ(W) headquarter in Tirana in the second day of his visit.

This is the second visit of General Ruth in Albania. His first visit was in the beginning of October, where he was accompanied by COMMZ (W) Commander in Albania General Pietro Frisone.

American General Robert Ruth was also present in the ceremony of handing COMMZ (W) command to General Luigi Chiavarelli by General Pietro Frisone, organized in October 15 in Rinas. /lh/linda/

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[17] Albanian Ministry of Information trains spokesmen of ministries and prefectures

The seminar was organized by the Ministry of Information in cooperation with the International Republican Institute (IRI).

The Minister of Information, Musa Ulqini held the topic "Transparence in governing and communication with media and the public" in which he stressed the need of governing transparencies as significant indices of a democratic government and of the communication with the press. "We are committed to construct an open system of the Government communication with the media and the broad public at central and local levels," said Ulqini.

The U.S. expert of IRI, Daniel Calingaert explained the aims of communication with the public so that it understand that the government policies influence in the individuals.

While Gregory Magnoni, IRI expert, director for communication and deputy chief of the Board for the Republican Council in the Washington State Senate, through concrete examples showed the most modern and practical ways on how to prepare a press release, a news conference, an interview, etc. /led/xh/

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[18] State budget, greater profiteer of foreign credits

The budgetary support during the second three months was 29,1 million dollars, while during the third three months some 20 million dollars.

According to the same source, during the period 1991-September 1999 the foreign credits for transport sector marked the value of 56,8 million dollars, agricultural and watering sector 51,6 million dollars.The value of the investments in support of the private sector is some 23,3 million dollars. The investments in airline transport created a foreign debt of nearly 27,5 million dollars, while the ones in energy 21,8 million dollars.

The foreign credits on importing goods and equipment marked a total value of some 45 million dollars. About 22,4 million dollars are received for the salaries balance.

The state long term foreign debt of Albania that came out from the foreign credits reached in the end of September 1999 the value of nearly 588 million dollars. /dast/linda/

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[19] Shkodra authorities ask for opening of Greek Consulate in this town

Shkodra Prefect Jetmir Shpuza, asked the Greek Ambassador Aleksander Mallias, in a meeting held on Saturday in Shkodra, for opening of a Greek Consulate in this Northern Albanian town.

Greek Ambassador Aleksander Mallias did not refuse the request of Shkodra Local Government representatives, but at the same time he did not pledge its quick fulfillment, by saying that they will follow the procedures concerning this issue.

It is the first time that Shkodra authorities asked for opening of Greek Consulate in this town.

In the situation of blocking of northern border due to Serbia attitude, Shkodra asks to get connected with the nearest point of European Community, which in fact is Greece, in south of the country.

According to Prefect of Shkodra town, Shpuza the opening of the Greek Consulate will serve to the development of this region,further cooperation between the two countries and will affect in increasing of the number of Greek investors in this region. /s.s/linda/

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[20] Greek Ambassador suggested opening of Greek Bank in Shkodra

The establishing of Greek Bank in Shkoder will absorb some 75% of the profits of Albanian immigrants in Greece, said Mallias in the meeting held on Saturday midday with the representatives of Local Government.This thing and the construction of North-South Corridor to shorten the time of traveling from Greece to Shkodra to three hours from ten and will create the suitable conditions for the coming of foreign investors, which will affect in quick development of Shkodra region.

Mallias suggested to the Local Authorities the opening of this bank within 2000 and pledged his support and engagement on opening of the bank.

The representatives of Shkodra Local Government agreed in principles with this suggestion and asked for undertaking of the concrete actions on its implementation in conformity with the respective legislation. /s.s/linda/

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[21] Four Albanian painters taking part in exhibition "Behind the Wall" in Stockholm

Besnik and Flutura Haxhillari, with a series of photos by Anri Sala, with the work "Interview" and Edi Hila with "Display of tragic portraits" are the artists who are representing Albania in that activity.

The works by Albanian artists in that exhibition, which will continue until January 2000, were selected by a working group from Serbia, Germany and Sweden. /led/xh/

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