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Albanian Times, 96-06-02
Albanian Times
June 2, 1996
CONTENTS
[01] U.S. Urges Partial Rerun of Albanian Elections
[02] Six Parties to Compete in Second Round
[03] Albania Admitted to CEI
[04] Austria Less Critical of Albania Vote
[05] Opposition Continues Hunger Strike in Tirana
[06] Police Breaks Up More Opposition Rallies
[07] Italy Worried About Albanian Elections
[08] Greek Trade Fair to Open Soon in Albania
[09] Eastern Europe Fund to Invest in Albania, Other EE Countries
[01] U.S. Urges Partial Rerun of Albanian Elections
TIRANA, Albania - The United States Saturday urged Albania to rerun parts of
its general elections. ``It is our firm belief that steps need to be taken to
correct these flaws,'' said a statement by the U.S. State Department,
distributed by the U.S. embassy in Tirana. ``This remedial action
should...include rerunning some races, as recommended by various international
observer delegations, including the OSCE and the EU,'' it said. Opposition
parties, including the key Socialists who won five seats, pulled out of the
elections, citing irregularities and have refused to participate in Sunday's
second round. ``Regrettably, numerous irregularities marred these elections
and represent a significant step backward from the previous parliamentary
elections in 1992,'' the statement said. It said various observers witnessed
instances in which the authorities violated the electoral laws, including
manipulation of vote counts, casting multiple ballots and the reported
intimidating presence of armed guards at polling st
ations. But the U.S. statement said the opposition had to accept some
responsibility for the election irregularities. ``The withdrawal of major
opposition party candidates and their members of the electoral commissions
made it impossible to gauge the true dimension of problems ... and contributed
to a lack of integrity in the counting process,'' it said. Washington also
called on the opposition to refrain from protests which could provoke the
Tirana government. ``We call on all sides to avoid provocations and not to
resort to violence,'' the United States said. (Albanian Times/Reuters)
[02] Six Parties to Compete in Second Round
TIRANA, June 1 - Six parties will compete in Sunday's run-off ballots, Central
Election Comission in Tirana said. Candidates from the Democratic Party, the
Republican Party, the Party of Socialdemocratic Union, Balli Kombetar, the
League of Legality and the Human Rights Union Party will compete in 10
constituences where the second round elections will take place. The commission
has also decided a rerun of ballots in the election zone 67, bringing to four
the number of constituencies where the vote will be repeated after severe
criticism on widespread vote-rigging expressed by international observers.
The date for the repeat voting will be decreed by President Sali Berisha. In
open conflict with his party's president, the Secretary-General of the Human
Rights Union Party Thoma Mico has asked for a rerun in 15 constituencies. His
statement follows an announcement by HRUP President Vasil Melo, revoking the
party's decision to boycott the second round on Sunday. (Albanian
Times)
[03] Albania Admitted to CEI
VIENNA, May 31 - The Central European Initiative welcomed Albania and Belarus
into the regional forum along with three other members on
Friday. Just a few hours earlier, Albania's disputed elections, had been seen
as a potential stumbling block to the Balkan country's acceptance. Italian
diplomatic sources said that underlying the decision was the conviction that
it will be easier to apply pressure on these countries to respect democratic
principles and human rights as members of CEI rather than as non-members. The
10-member forum aims to boost regional cooperation and European integration.
The decision came on the same day Italy, speaking on behalf of the European
Union, urged Albanian President Sali Berisha to stage a partial repetition of
last Sunday's poll. (Albanian Times)
[04] Austria Less Critical of Albania Vote
VIENNA, June 1 - Austria is taking a milder line on Albania's
disputed general election than most Western governments. Austria's Foreign
Minister Wolfgang Schuessel was less severe on Saturday, calling on Albania to
investigate reports of first round irregularities. Schuessel said he
discussed the poll with Albania's Foreign Minister Alfred Serreqi, who was in
Vienna for a foreign ministers' meeting of the CSI group -- Central European
Initiative, to which Albania was admitted on Friday. ``It was the first
meeting with a foreign head of state since Albania's third free and fair
elections, and I received congratulations from Mr Klestil and many
delegates,'' Serreqi told reporters. Foreign Minister Schuessel, asked if he
could confirm Klestil had expressed the congratulations, said: ``I wasn't
there, but I doubt it.'' Albanian President Sali Berisha told Reuters in
Tirana on Friday the allegations of election manipulation were false and
criticised opposition parties for withdrawing from the poll. The Central
Electoral Commission said there had been irregularities in
three out if Albania's 115 constituencies and the vote would be repeated
there. Analysts say such a limited re-run is unlikely to satisfy Western
governments. (Albanian Times/Reuters)
[05] Opposition Continues Hunger Strike in Tirana
TIRANA, June 1 -More than 100 candidates from opposition parties continued
their hunger strikes in Tirana to protest Sunday's election fraud. The
strikes are aimed at attracting media attention to pressure Berisha into
repeating the elections. Socialist party candidates have vowed to continue
their strike indefinitely while those of the Democratic Alliance and the
Socialdemocratic Party plan to end it Sunday. Doctors say the strikers
condition is good but is expected to worsen soon with first signs of dizziness
already visible in many participants. Situation around the two compounds
where the protests continue is reported quiet with no apparent police
presence. In Tirana and elsewhere in the country tensions had eased on
Saturday with no opposition protest rallies reported. The Socialists and
other opposition parties have demanded a repeat of the parliamentary
elections. (Albanian Times)
[06] Police Breaks Up More Opposition Rallies
TIRANA, May 30 - Albanian police said they had broken up four rallies by
opposition supporters in the south of the country protesting at the results of
the general elections, and urged Albanians to stay off the streets. ``There
have been attempts to organise illegal rallies in Tepelena, Patos and Fieri on
Wednesday and in Permet on Thursday and more than a dozen police have been
injured or wounded,'' an Interior Ministry statement said. It said police in
Tepelena were pelted with stones, wounding 10 policemen. Speaking about the
rally in Permet, Socialist Party spokesman Kastriot Islami said: ``Over ten
people have been injured and five seriously. About 50 have been detained,
including many from the local leadership.'' The interior ministry called for
an end to the protests. ``The Interior Ministry once again calls on all the
people to distance themselves from illegal and violent actions,'' the ministry
said in a statement. (Albanian Times/Radio Tirana/Reuters)
[07] Italy Worried About Albanian Elections
ROME, May 30 - EU President Italy said on Thursday it was worried about
Albania's elections and said it was seeking further investigations. ``We are
in direct contact with the Albanian presidency in our role as president of the
European Union,'' Foreign Minister Lamberto Dini told La Repubblica newspaper
in an interview. ``There is a climate of dissatisfaction over the way things
went and we are worried and want to investigate more closely.''
Albania's ruling Democratic Party of President Sali Berisha won 67.8
percent of the popular vote in the first round of the general election on
Sunday, surpassing even its landslide victory at the last polls in 1992.
(Albanian Times/Reuters)
[08] Greek Trade Fair to Open Soon in Albania
ATHENS, June 1 - The European Union is sponsoring a large trade exhibition of
Greek products in Albania next month which is expected to attract the interest
of the neighboring country's consumers. The exhibit, entitled "Euromachinery,"
is scheduled for June 27-30 at the Albanian capital's convention and
exhibition center. Among the products featured are Greek-made machinery,
building materials, office equipment and computers. The deadline for
participants is June 15. Some 120 small-and medium-sized Greek production
companies currently operate in Albania, with a total investment of about $120
million. (Albanian Times/ANA)
[09] Eastern Europe Fund to Invest in Albania, Other EE Countries
SAN FRANCISCO, May 31- G.T. Global Inc. has established a fund
designed to take advantage of Eastern Europe's dynamic and attractive
investment environment. The G.T. Global Eastern Europe Fund (NYSE:GTF), was
formed following the completion of the repurchase offer for shares and
restructuring of the G.T. Greater Europe Fund on May 17, 1996. The Fund will
invest at least 65% of its total assets in equity and debt securities of
issuers (including government issuers) located in Germany and in the emerging
markets of Eastern Europe, including Albania. Effective June 3, 1996, The G.T.
Global Eastern Europe Fund will begin trading on the NYSE under its new name
and revised investment mandate. Contact: LGT Asset Management William J.
Guilfoyle, 415/445-7533. (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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