Antenna: News in English (AM), 97-03-15

Antenna Radio News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

From: Antenna Radio <http://www.antenna.gr> - email: antenna@compulink.gr

News in English, 15/03/97

TITLES

• Foreign nations evacuate their citizens, as chaos rules in Albania.
• Olymiakos wins a quarterfinal date with rival Pao in the European championship quarterfinals.
• And, a tribute to some very speical Olympic winners.

ALBANIA

Much of the information coming out of Albania is difficult to confirm. With armed citizens clashing with each other and the authorities throughout the country, foreign governments are evacuating their nationals.

Through all the chaos of the past two days, there have been conflicing reports, some saying that president Sali Berisha is getting ready to leave the country, others that he has no intention of fleeing.

Relative calm ruled over Tirane Friday...relative calm, perhaps because of the intimidating presence of two pro-government tanks patrolling the streets around the government buildings in the capital Thursday night. Even still, estimates are that between 7 and 9 people were killed in fighting in the capital after dusk Thursday. One armed man was gunned down by state forces after refusing to drop his gun.

24 were killed between Thursday afternoon and Friday afternoon throughout the country, where virtually all traces of authority have vanished.

President Sali Berisha was nowhere to be seen or heard. His two children and five other family members were evacuated to Bari, Italy, via ship. There were a number of rumours about Berisha's whereabouts Friday. One was that he was holed up in a villa outside Tirane; other rumours had it that he was preparing to flee the country, or had already done so. But late Friday afternoon, the French News Agency quoted Berisha as saying he has no intention of leaving.

Everywhere, the picture is one of chaos and collapse. Food shortages have started in the capital. People stand in long lines, waiting for food. Many shops have closed.

Foreign governments are evacuating their nationals. American and Italian helicopters picked up people waiting for them in a stadium in Tirane.

The Greek navy evacuated some 44 Greek citizens and a handful of other foreigners from the port of Durres, west of Tirane. The evacuees made the trip from the capital to the port in a bus, under the protection of Italian soldiers. In Durres, Greek naval frogmen were waiting for them with inflatable boats, taking them to three Greek warships off the Albanian coast.

Desperate for money, many of the armed men gathered at the port offered to sell their guns to the frogmen.

Amid the chaos, newly-appointed prime minister Baskim Fino, who, it was hoped, could bridge the gulf between the government and the rebels in his native south, has warned that if the rebels haven't given up their weapons by Sunday, then he will resign.

ALBANIA DIPLOMATIC

Tom Alexopoulos has more on that, and reaction in Greece, in this report.

Greek deputy foreign minister Iannos Kranidiotis flew to Bari, Italy, Friday morning. He went on from there to meet with the OSCE's Albania mediator, former Austrian chancellor Franz Vranitsky, and Albanian rebel leaders aboard an Italian frigate off the coast of Durres.

Rebels in the southern Albanian city of Avlona are demanding representation in the country's new all-party interim government, and 10 per cent of the money they lost in the recent banking collapse that started the protests returned to them.

Vranitsky also met with Albanian prime minister Baskim Fino.

Vranitsky said after meeting with Fino that only an international force would be capable of restoring order in Albania.

He added that he would make that recommendation to the OSCE and the European Union.

But German chancellor Helmut Kohl came out against military intervention later in the day. Albania will be discussed at a meeting of EU foreign ministers Saturday.

And, while the Greek government spokesman says Greece would take part in an international military force dispatched to Albania, he adds that his country would do so only if such a force becomes necessary.

New Democracy leader Miltiades Evert called on the prime minister to convene a meeting of Greece's Government and Defence Council, so that the response of the foreign and defence ministries can be coordinated.

Evert added that events are moving forward at a torrid pace, and Greece risks falling behind the developments.

TEACHERS

Parents of schoolchildren went to court this week, hoping to force the teachers back to work, and salvage the remainder of the school year.

The teachers union voted Friday to ......... the strike for another week.

Earlier, the teachers, on strike over pay, submitted new demands to the government, and requested a meeting with the education minister, Gerasimos Arsenis, so that a solution can be found and the schools can open on Monday.

Among the teachers latest demands are that their three-monthly bonus NOT be abolished.

BASKETBALL

The Greek club was forced into the deciding game after it was shut down offensively in game two at home.

But back in Belgrade, Olympiakos comes out of the gate hot, getting plenty of offense from guard David Rivers, who hits for 21 points, and Franjo Nakich, who adds 19.

In the best-of-three quarterfinal, defending Greek champion Olympiakos will take on Athenian rival and defending European champion Panathinaikos. Pao will have the home court advantage in that series, which starts on March 27th.

SPECIAL OLYMPICS

Their 36 medals shining, the winners heard high praise from a number of speakers at the special ceremony organised on their behalf by the sports ministry, and attended by representatives of a number of countries.

Chairman of the Greek Speical Olympics organisation Andras Potamianos told the athletes, "You struggled under difficult conditions far away from home, in the cold, and come home winners, making our country proud".

Sports undersecretary Andreas Fouras praised the young people for doing their best, and breaking through the walls of isolation.

Special Olympics director Gianna Despotopoulou thanked the government for giving the Greek team so much support and recognition.

© ANT1 Radio 1997

Antenna Radio News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article