ATA News from Albania (96-06-08)

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

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

CONTENTS

[01] RE-RUN ELECTIONS IN 17 CONSTITUENCIES WILL TAKE PLACE ON JUNE 16

[02] INTERIOR MINISTRY: NO RALLY IN "SKENDERBEJ" SQUARE

[03] PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC DECREES THE DATE OF ELECTIONS IN CONSTITUENCIES THEY WILL BE RE-RUN

[04] GERMAN GREEN PARTY MEMBERS SUPPORT KOSOVA SELF-RULE

[05] ALBANIA MAY 26 ELECTIONS DEBATED IN ITALIAN PARLIAMENT -newspaper

[06] PRESS REVIEW

[07] DP CHAIRMAN INVITES LEFT OPPOSITION AT THIRD ROUND OF VOTE

[08] ALBANIAN-SWEDISH RELATION WILL CONTINUE NORMALLY - Oljelund

[09] SOCIALIST DEPUTY CHAIRMAN EXPLAINS VISIT TO BRUSSELS

[10] ALBANIA'S OPPOSITION PARTIES W0N'T PARTICIPATE IN JUNE 16 ELECTIONS

[01] RE-RUN ELECTIONS IN 17 CONSTITUENCIES WILL TAKE PLACE ON JUNE 16

"After examining the claims of the electoral subjects and deputy candidates towards the elections of May 26, and after controlling the full documentation, the Central Electoral Commission declared in an announcement, that it couldn't negate serious irregularities happened, that influenced the final voting results in the constituencies: 24, 42, 62, 69, 75, 89, 90, 92, 94, 101 104, 113, 115."

The Central Electoral Commission invalidated the decisions of these constituencies' commissions and proposed to the Albanian President to decretate the partial re-run of the elections and to decide the date of the re-run.

After the pronunciation of the Central Electoral Commission, Albanian President Sali Berisha decretated, relying on his fully competencies the partial re-run of the elections Sunday, June 16.

Albanian President Sali Berisha "invited all the parties and deputy candidates to take part in this elections, expressing so their responsibility towards this process and invited all the voters to vote for the best programme and candidate."

He stresses that "he guarantees them for free elections in full conformity with international standards."

The Central Electoral Commission, which organised the elections, decided to repeat the vote in 4 other constituencies last week.

Multi-party general elections, troubled by a boycott by some opposition parties including the important Socialists that pulled out of the first round of state's elections on May 26.

Eighty-nine percent of Albanians voted in the first round.

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[02] INTERIOR MINISTRY: NO RALLY IN "SKENDERBEJ" SQUARE

The Interior Ministry in its announcement said it is ready to take all measures for such activities in stadiums and other suitable places in Tirana.

It asks all the citizens not to take part in any of this illegal rallies which violate the public order.

"Police will strictly apply the laws against everyone who violates them" the announcement said.

It is the third time (from May 26 elections) the Albanian Interior Ministry warns the political parties not to organise rallies in the main square of Tirana. ake/jz/fh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[03] PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC DECREES THE DATE OF ELECTIONS IN CONSTITUENCIES THEY WILL BE RE-RUN

According to the decree the elections in these constituencies will be held on June 16, 1996.

The President invites all parties and candidates for deputy to participate in these elections showing their responsibility toward this process and asks all electors to vote for the programme and candidate they consider best.

He guarantees them the elections will be free and in full accordance with the international standards. ake/jz/fh/g

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[04] GERMAN GREEN PARTY MEMBERS SUPPORT KOSOVA SELF-RULE

Gert Pope, spokesman of the Green Party and Angelika Koster Losak, Bundestag member from this party, declared on Friday at a news conference that when they returned to Germany they would submit to the German Bundestag a resolution on Kosova.

Asked about this resolution, Pope said that there were three versions of the Bundestag groups but stressed that they would try to persuade their colleagues to draft a joint and more acceptable resolution. He said that one of the points of this resulution would be the demand that the German government should make no other step towards normalization of relations with Belgrade unless the Kosova issue was resolved.

Losak said that her party and many other parties had not supported Kinkel's agreement with Milosevic regarding the refugees and that they had opposed the return of refugees without the solution of the Kosova issue.

She said she believed that the opening of a German cultural center in Kosova would be realised. "It is important that the Kosova problem be approached from Kosova and not be settled in round tables somewhere outside it," Solak said.

During the three day stay in Kosova, the German delegation also met with representatives of various political parties in Kosova and with President Rugova. a.ca/lm/k

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[05] ALBANIA MAY 26 ELECTIONS DEBATED IN ITALIAN PARLIAMENT -newspaper

Rocco Buttiglione, the CDU party deputy, described the misinforming campaign of Albanian socialists and Italian press as a "misinforming campaign realised by exponents of the French Communist and Socialist Parties who have found the proper channels to penetrate in Italy as well".

Gustavo Selva, deputy of the "National Alliance", debating with Fassino on this issue, said that the curious press organs in Italy send their correspondents to attend various events, thousands of kilometers away, but, besides a newspaper correspondent, they failed to follow the election process in Albania, only 70 miles away. This, he said, has made possible the penetration of foreign media in Italy.

Selva remarked that it would be too much for developed democracies to pretend to look for a needle in a bundle of hay in a country which for 40 years has experienced the most severe communist dictatorship, which can only be compared to that of Pol Pot.

"...I say that if one should think of something that might have reversed the result, this has not occurred in this country," Selva said.

He asked for Italy to support the democratic evolution in Albania and President Berisha, whom he considered devoted in this direction. Instrumentalisation should never be carried out, but we should very attentively study the events.

Buttiglione said that while assessing the events taking place in Albania, one should not forget that the dictatorship the Albanians experienced is the most bloody communist dictatorship of the 20th century, a dictatorship which committed an unprecedented genocide against its own people and which led the country to a dramatic economic failure and forced thousands of Albanians to seek salvation beyond the Otranto strait. Therefore, Buttiglione put into question charges of irregularities in Albania's election by benches, which never showed interest in the development of Albanian democracy in the years when the country was under the oppression of the communist regime.

During the interpellation with Fassino, Buttiglione called on the Italian government to abide by the OSCE statements whose observers have noted cases of numerous irregularities but not as much as to harm the fundamental fairness of the voting process.

Pointing to the fact that before the elections the opinion polls provided the government coalition with the majority, Buttiglione said that "the opinion created among many of the observers is that the withdrawal from the elections by the opposition was due to its feeling of loss and the will of at least several segments of the opposition to create a climate of disorder and civil war".

He called on the country's government to continue the friendly activity in support of development in Albania, of a competing market of economy, of integration into Europe and of a full reestimation of all democratic guarantees.

He underlined the fact that the protests of the opposition mark the presence of former political police personnel, which organises and leads these protests.

"This, certainly we cannot forget because there is a perplexing political meaning now with communist parties in Eastern European countries being organised with a spirit which is hostile to democracy and which rejects the West". pas/lm/g

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[06] PRESS REVIEW

RD carries the articles "The SP leaders abandoned by their people" and "After failure in Europe the red front insists on the road." It also carries an interview of the Hungarian TV with Pjeter Arbnori, Speaker of Albanian Parliament entitled "Albanian left cannot be compared with Western or Hungarian left wing."

Zeri i Popullit under the title "Successful visit of Albanian opposition in European Parliament" carries the article "Europe backs the Albanian opposition in its demands", the editorial "Policemen brothers do not be duped" and an interview with the SP deputy chairman entitled "We found a Europe concerned on what happened on May 26 and left a Europe engaged to surpass the political crisis in Albania."

Republika carries the article "The 'Volleyball' with 'Skenderbej' square leaves aside the possibility of talks." It also carries the announcement which said that the Republican leader Sabri Godo will attend the National Convention of the US Democratic Party.

Lajmi i Dites carries a pronouncement of Jonathan Sanely, observer of BHHRG on Albanian parliamentary elections of May 26 under the title "Berisha's success - credible and fully deserved."

Rilindja carries a press conference of Ibrahim Rugova under the title "Historic week for Republic of Kosova."

Albania writes "Today the bomb on 'Skenderbej' square" and the article "After returning from Brussels the socialists in a dilemma: to defend the loss, the party or the deputy chairmen?" Koha Jone carries the article "Europe welcomes the opposition - No bargain with democracy" and "The opposition again today toward the square". It publishes an interview with Blendi Gonxhe DAP candidate for deputy entitled "Berisha's regime is a regime of thieves."

Gazeta Shqiptare publishes the article "Again new elections in 17 constituencies on Sunday" and "Police on attack against the drug."

Tribuna's editorial is entitled "The red front is moving outside the Albanian politics" and "Europe should follow the US example for a greater presence in Kosova."

Bashkimi carries "Political parties and their alternatives."

Dita Information carries the article "Victory over ruins" and Sindikalisti "Failure is the result of the incriminated people." jz/fh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[07] DP CHAIRMAN INVITES LEFT OPPOSITION AT THIRD ROUND OF VOTE

Democratic Party chairman Tritan Shehu has invited left opposition forces to take part in the third round of poll in 17 constituencies in which, according to the Central Electoral Commission (CEC), there have been irregularities on the May 26 elections.

"We invite the opposition to honestly take part in a fair electoral race in 17 constituencies", Shehu said at a news conference on Saturday.

Shehu said that the DP welcomed the CEC decision but added that his party held the view that the number of the constituencies with irregularities had been less.

The DP won 95 seats in the parliament in the first round and six constituencies in the second round.

Rejecting allegations for election rigging, Shehu said that the second round was a better testimony of the DP superiority.

He said he was sure the DP would also win in the re-run elections.

Shehu implied that the third round of poll would be more interesting as in the 17 constituencies almost all the main leaders of the opposition parties have their own candidatures.

Namik Dokle, SP deputy chairman, Gaqo Apostoli, SDP Secretary General and Gramoz Pashko, one of the DAP leaders and Vasil Melo, HRUP chairman, are candidates for deputies in the constituencies in which elections will be repeated.

Asked about the meetings of the opposition leaders in the European Parliament, the DP chairman said that the opposition is used to misinterpreting what Europe says. Shehu also said that the DP is a party of dialogue. pas/lm/g

U.S. HIGH RANKING DELEGATION ARRIVES IN KOSOVA

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[08] ALBANIAN-SWEDISH RELATION WILL CONTINUE NORMALLY - Oljelund

"I should like to make it clear," Oljelund said, "that we do not intricate our stand toward the Albanian government and President Berisha with opinions we have expressed on elections in Albania."

Oljelund stresses in his pronouncement that the stability in Albania is important for Sweden and "we are not interested in unbalancing this stability."

He also said that in this period it is especially important to "exchange ideas between us."

"We understand that like all the other east European countries, Albania has not the necessary experience in organising elections according the international standards. We valuate the fact that in your country all the efforts are made to move forward in this direction" Oljelund continues.

He speaks regarding the parliamentary elections of May 26 and June 2, where irregularities were observed in the voting procedures.

Albanian President Sali Berisha announced a new decree on rerun of elections in 17 constituencies. kei/fh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[09] SOCIALIST DEPUTY CHAIRMAN EXPLAINS VISIT TO BRUSSELS

These explanations show that Pellumbi tries at the last moments of his political career to undertake the monopoly of the SP international ties: "The only thing Pellumbi has accomplished in Brussels is the enigma of talks", the paper says.

Pellumbi has very generally declared that :"We (the left opposition) won in Brussels". As regards his visit he only provides some explanation which intend to terrorize its political opponents, the paper says.

"On the other hand, sources of the Central Pole (The Democratic Alliance Party and the Social-Democratic Party) report that the main mediators of talks in Brussels were S.Gjinushi (SDP chairman) and Neritan Ceka (DAP leader). This because of polemics in the European Parliament headquarters upon learning that the SP representative in Brussels, Servet Pellumbi, had been agent of the Albanian former State Security officially denounced as such," the paper concludes.

Three days ago, leaders of the left opposition, the Socialist Party, the Social-Democratic Party and the Alliance Democratic Party, visited Brussels to file their complaints on the May 26 election outcome. jz/lm

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[10] ALBANIA'S OPPOSITION PARTIES W0N'T PARTICIPATE IN JUNE 16 ELECTIONS

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

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