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Albanian Times, 96-05-22
Albanian Times
May 22, 1996
CONTENTS
[01] Police Beat Socialist Activists, Papers Say
[02] Mother Teresa awarded Roman Citizenship
[03] U.S. Congressman Rips Albania
[04] Prosecution Demands Life for Former Officials
[05] Berisha to Visit Greece After Elections
[01] Police Beat Socialist Activists, Papers Say
TIRANA, May 21 - At least three leading members of Albania's
opposition Socialist Party campaigning for a general election on Sunday
were
severely beaten by police in Tirana, local newspapers said on Tuesday.
The daily Gazeta Shqiptare said the police attacked the Socialists
while
they waited for the start of an election rally on Monday. Another
newspaper,
Koha Jone, published pictures of two of the men with faces covered in
blood.
Police were not immediately available for comment. The papers said police
also detained about 20 youths who wanted to attend the rally. They added that
police had revoked the licence to hold the event at short notice.
``(They) were taken to the police station not for any obvious reason,
but
simply because of (their political) convictions,'' Gazeta Shqiptare
said.
The opposition has alleged that police have used scare tactics to
obstruct their campaign rallies. According to the leader of the young
Socialists, Monika Kryemadhi, there have been more than 200 cases of violence
against Socialists since campaigning began in early April.
The Helsinki Committee human rights group's Albania branch has urged
police to keep out of politics and put greater effort into preserving
public
order. ``The campaign is headed towards further tensions,'' the committee
said in a statement published in several newspapers. ``In many towns and
villages legal activities...especially of the opposition, have been
hampered.'' (Courtesy of Reuters)
[02] Mother Teresa awarded Roman Citizenship
ROME, May 21 - The Albanian born nobel prize winner, Mother Teresa of Calcutta
was awarded Monday the honorary citizenship of Rome. "Now you're letting me
vote as well?", Mother Teresa asked the Mayor of Rome, Francesco Rutelli, who
had informed her of the unanimous decision of the city council to confer her
with the award. The ceremony was held on the Capitol Hill in the Julius
Caesar room of the Municipal Offices. The ceremony saw the attendance of four
Cardinals from the Roman Curia. (Albanian Times)
[03] U.S. Congressman Rips Albania
WASHINGTON, May 21 - In letters to the Departament of State and members of
Congress, Rep. Tom Lantos (D-Cal.) criticized the Albanian government for what
he called the deprivation of some fundamental rights of ethnic Greeks in the
southern part of the country. "After visiting several towns and villages in
Northern Epiros (southern Albania), where large numbers of ethnic Greeks live,
it was obvious to me that they have legitimate grievances against the
government," Lantos wrote. This is Lantos' second trip to Albania since 1991.
The California Democrat, who was an early voice of support for Albanians in
the former Yugoslavia, accused President Sali Berisha's government of closing
several Greek schools, which Lantos charges, "does not speak well for the
government's policies." Lantos, was accompanied by members of the Panepirotic
Foundation on this last trip and was furious about Tirana's refusal to grant
an entry visa to the group's president, Nicholas Gage, a writer and harsh
Albanian critic. Since Gage i
s a U.S. citizen, Lantos called the denial "contrary to internationally
reckognized human rights." Lantos was particularly upset when a police
security force stopped the vehicle he was riding in and threatened to impound
the car and arrest the driver. "I found this incident to be extremely
disturbing," Lantos wrote while calling on the Clinton Administration to
pressure Berisha to ensure accurate tabulations of votes in this month's
elections and to allow the International Federation for Electoral Systems to
oversee compliance practices. (Courtesy of Illyria)
[04] Prosecution Demands Life for Former Officials
TIRANA, May 21 - Prosecution has demanded life in prison for four senior
officials of Albania's former communist regime. Haxhi Lleshi, Manush Myftiu,
Aranit Cela and Zylyftar Ramizi are accused of crimes against humanity.
Prosecution sought a lesser term of 25 years for a fifth defendant, former
Prosecutor General Rrapi Mino. The charges facing the defendants in the month-
old trial arise from their actions in suppressing dissent and persecuting
opponents by sending them into internal exile. If convicted, the accused face
possible death sentences. (Albanian Times)
[05] Berisha to Visit Greece After Elections
ATHENS, May 21 - Albanian Defense Minister Safet Zhulali has confirmed that
President Sali Berisha will visit Greece immediately after the May 26
elections. Mr. Berisha will reciprocate a visit to Albania by Greek President
Kostis Stephanopoulos earlier this year. In talks with Minister Zhulali in
Athens, his counterpart Gerasimos Arsenis confirmed Greece's support for
Albania's membership in NATO. Both sides have signed a program of cooperation
for 1996. (Albanian Times)
This material was reprinted with permission of AlbAmerica Trade & Consulting
International. For more information on ATCI and the Albanian Times, please
write to AlbaTimes@aol.com
Copyright © ATCI, 1996
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