ATA News from Albania (96-06-15)

Albanian Telegraphic Agency Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

CONTENTS

[01] ALBANIAN PARLIAMENT SPEAKER RECEIVES FRENCH SENATE REPRESENTATIVE

[02] ALBANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER SPEAKS IN INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE IN FLORENCE

[03] SHGSHB ENTERS INTERNATIONAL AGRICULTURE JOURNALIST ASSOCIATION

[04] FORMER BULGARIAN STATE SIGURIMI AGENT, NOW A SP OBSERVER IN ELECTIONS

[05] PRESS REVIEW

[06] DP REFUSES A CENTRE POLE REQUEST TO POSTPONE THIS SUNDAY'S ELECTIONS IN 17 CONSTITUENCIES

[01] ALBANIAN PARLIAMENT SPEAKER RECEIVES FRENCH SENATE REPRESENTATIVE

Arbnori, after acquainting the French senator with the achievements of the past four years, focused on the last elections. He said that their development were normal and "some irregularities noted have not damaged their essence" as free and just elections.

Valuating the people's vote, which gave a landslide victory to the Democratic Party, Arbnori expressed his belief that even if the elections were repeated the right forces would win again and explained that with the mistakes of the extreme left wing with their aggressive calls to overthrow everything achieved in the past four years of the democratic governing.

Arbnori guaranteed Dechamps that two thirds of the electors will take part in elections where they will be rerun and that the DP candidates will win convincingly.

"I as Speaker of Parliament" said Arbnori "would like all political forces to be present in Parliament" and assured that the seats the opposition won will be open for them.

Responding to Dechamps interest regarding the stand towards the ODHIR's report on elections in Albania, Arbnori said "this report lacks the main conclusion: That that all irregularities noted came as a result of the boycott of the left wing parties only few hours before the elections' deadline."

Dechamps who has visited Albania five years ago highly estimated the notable changes of this period. He paid special attention to villages and was interested to follow elections in such constituencies.

They also discussed the role and reaction of media during the election campaign, problems of local government, role of the mayors in elections and other problems.

Dechamps was optimistic on a quick progress of Albania.

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[02] ALBANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER SPEAKS IN INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE IN FLORENCE

He added that Albanians are trying to achieve this through an unprecedented peaceful resistance which should not be misunderstood.

Application of double standards may be a momentary solution but it is impossible if we seek a long-term peace in the region.

"Dayton peace accord is important, very important, but even if it is put in life as planned it will not be a solution for all problems. This is the reason why it should be followed with concrete steps regarding Kosova issue" Serreqi said.

"International pressure on Belgrade to start dialogue with Kosova's leadership in the presence of a third party is a starting and encouraging point towards the solution of the question as needed. Let us act before it is very late" Serreqi ended. kei/fh/g

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[03] SHGSHB ENTERS INTERNATIONAL AGRICULTURE JOURNALIST ASSOCIATION

This society created 40 years ago joined in it dozens of journalists from different countries of the world.

SHGSHB is the first association from the Balkan countries which is accepted as a full-right member of this federation. gen/fh/g

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[04] FORMER BULGARIAN STATE SIGURIMI AGENT, NOW A SP OBSERVER IN ELECTIONS

Ivanov has been agent of Albanian secret police since 1970. "His activity covered mainly Bulgaria, but Ivanov has also served as coordinator of the network of agents of Albanian secret police in the Eastern countries, " writes Albania.

Ivanov has legally visited Albania under the guise of a man charged with the assembly work of an agricultural factory in the Lushnja district, Central Albania.

Ivanov has during the past 25 years prepared secret reports for Albanian secret police, says Albania.

"A week prior to the 7th congress of the Party of Labour of Albania (today SP) in November 1976, Ivanov was urgently summoned in Tirana. The arrest several days before the congress was held in Tirana of three people who had finished higher studies in Bulgaria was a contribution of the present SP "observer", writes the paper.

Public accusations have several times been made regarding reorganization of the defunct State Sigurimi in Albania.

During the recent days, Albania has published articles and facsimiles proving that the lists of the OSCE observers for the May 26 parliamentary elections had names of observers who have been brought by the Socialist Party, and selected among European extreme left. Among them have also been agents of the defunct state Sigurimi, a notorious institution of the communist regime in Albania which has purchased, killed and persecuted innocent people during the dictatorship. kei/xh/g

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[05] PRESS REVIEW

It also carries the article "Red staff attacks the U.S. State Department and E.U." and "May 26 under the optic of uninterrupted Albania."

Zeri i Popullit carries the article "Unscrupulous attacks against OSCE." On its fourth page it carries "Dialogue mined again" regarding the refusal on the DP part to postpone elections in constituencies where irregularities were proved. It also carries the political comment "It is hot in Tirana" Republika entitles one of its articles "Compromise of the Pole of the Centre is late." It also covers an interview of "The Voice of America" with Ibrahim Rugova President of Kosova.

Qendres today publishes an article "Annul Sunday'selections." This paper carries an article "Athens breaks silence" about the visit of an Albanian left wing delegation to Greece.

Lajmi i Dites, under the title "Ever stronger Albanian democracy," makes coverage of the visit to Albania of former president George Bush.

Rilindja carries an editorial "U.S. active predisposition for Kosova." This paper carries the address of Albanian Foreign minister Serreqi to the Florence conference entitled "Kosova is not a part of Serbia."

Dita Informacion publishes an article entitled "New initiative of the Centre Pole and its reactions." The paper also carries a pronunciation of Kalakulla, leader of the Right Democratic Party, against a compromise with Berisha.

Koha Jone has an article under the headline "The state against OSCE report," regarding yesterday's news conference of the Central Electoral Commission. "Full Greek support for Albanian opposition," writes the paper referring to the visit to Greece of three Albanian left wing opposition representatives. Koha Jone publishes an article under the title "Revolution in courts, specialised sections start operating." This paper carries another article entitled "Kosova in the whirlwind of history."

Albania has an article "Burnt card Ivanov - a SP observer" along with anothr article entitled "SP too divorces officially from Centre Pole."

Under the title "Elections sent to court" Gazeta Shqiptare writes that the Centre Pole yesterday has appealed to the Constitutional Court in relation to June 16 elections, considering them as "illegal."

Tribuna today publishes an editorial "Socialists remain lonely." It also carries an interview of President Berisha with the review "Ljiljan" under the title "Our road is long but sure." jz/fh/xh/k

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[06] DP REFUSES A CENTRE POLE REQUEST TO POSTPONE THIS SUNDAY'S ELECTIONS IN 17 CONSTITUENCIES

On June 14, two days before the date for the election rerun in 17 constituencies in which irregularities were noted on May 26, the Centre Pole (the Socialdemocratic party and the Democratic Alliance) declared that it agreed to take part in elections on the condition that the election day be set for a later date. A press release of the Centre Pole demanded that "the elections in 17 constituencies be held later so that to ensure the necessary time for monitoring of elections by OSCE which would also suggest the date of voting."

The June 16 was set for a rerun of elections on June 7 by a decree of President Berisha. Until late the two centre pole parties had declared they would boycott the elections. Recently their representatives were in Athens to seek support from Greek politicians.

In a pronunciation for BBC on June 14 chief of the Political Department of the Socialist Party Kastriot Islami said: "The last initiative of the Pole of the Centre is a political move within the context of the political movements of opposition." (He means the left wing opposition and the Right Democratic Party of Petrit Kalakulla.)

Islami stressed that the SP does not consider the publication of this initiative of the Pole of the Centre as a division within the opposition.

Two days ago the Democratic Alliance Party of Neritan Ceka had harshly criticized a pronunciation of the SP chairman Fatos Nano who is now imprison for corruption and falsification of official documents who had criticized the withdrawal of the eft wing opposition parties from May 26 elections. pas/xh/fh/k

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

Albanian Telegraphic Agency Directory - Previous Article - Next Article