ATA News from Albania (96-07-10)

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] EBRD ASSURES PREMIER ON ITS ACTIVITY IN ALBANIA

[02] FORMER SPEAKER SUMMONS TO PROSECUTORS' OFFICE

[03] PARLIAMENT COMPLETES LAW ON PRIVATISATION OF STATE-OWNED DWELLINGS

[04] EARTHQUAKE SHOCKS ALBANIA

[05] ALBANIAN PARLIAMENT APPROVES A NUMBER OF PRESIDENTIAL DECREES

[06] ALBANIAN ARTISTS PROTEST AGAINST JAILING OF PROF DR AGIM VINCA

[07] FORMER SPEAKER SUMMONED TO PROSECUTORS' OFFICE

[08] ASHES OF GJON SINISHTA PLACED IN SHKODRA CATHEDRAL

[09] SP STEERING COMMITTEE MATERIALS MORE ADVANCED THAN NANO'S MOTION -SP deputy chairman

[10] ALBANIA TO PARTICIPATE IN ATLANTA OLYMPIC GAMES

[01] EBRD ASSURES PREMIER ON ITS ACTIVITY IN ALBANIA

The meeting covered the possibilities existed in working out new joint projects particularly in infrastructure, tourism and industry.

Prime Minister Meksi thanked them for the support and considered the EBRD presence in Albania of special importance for a successful development of reforms. ssh/kei/ak/k

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[02] FORMER SPEAKER SUMMONS TO PROSECUTORS' OFFICE

The independent daily Koha Jone cites the prosecutor in chief Adnand Xhelili saying that Islami will be questioned about some events of the December movement 1990, killings of April 2, and violent actions.

The daily also carries the response of Islami who says, "I have not been involved in any events I am going to be interrogated."

The daily Gazeta Shqiptare also reports on the investigation under the title "Antigenocide: Islami under investigations."

Regarding this issue, the daily Rilindja Demokratike reports today that Kastriot Islami was not allowed on Tuesday to enter the SP headquarters.

"Recently, Islami was prepared to be the most powerful man of the SP. In the latest meeting of the SP leading committee, Islami was considered as the person of former president Ramiz Alia," the paper reports.

It added that Islami will be summoned soon as a witness in the trial of the former president Alia, who is accused of genocide.

While the daily Albania citing one of Islami's closest friends on this issue says that after the Prosecutor's office Islami went to an embassy of a "friendly" country and asked political asylum.

"Meanwhile, all the border cross points have been informed about Islami's possible fleeing," the paper said.

Islami has been sued three times and is accused of complicity in crimes of 1991-1992. He, as one of the figures of the "strong line" in the SP, is known for his public calls of "breaking the skulls of democrats" in the SP meetings five years ago. jz/ak/Z/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[03] PARLIAMENT COMPLETES LAW ON PRIVATISATION OF STATE-OWNED DWELLINGS

The first decree completes the legal framework on privatisation of dwellings of inhabitants of those areas who were forced to be expropriated or displaced to other areas because of plans for public and national constructions there.

The decree on examining the non-privatised state-owned dwellings, approved yesterday, was related to the administration and maintenance of non-privatised dwellings. A certain percentage of flats which for justified reasons, such as judicial conflict According to this decree, the administration of these dwellings was put under the control of local government and not under the National Dwelling Institution. jz/ak/Z/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[04] EARTHQUAKE SHOCKS ALBANIA

Its epicentre was located in the Albanian-Greek border line near Leskoviku, some 190 km Southeast of Tirana.

There are no casualties. ake/jz/fh/Z/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[05] ALBANIAN PARLIAMENT APPROVES A NUMBER OF PRESIDENTIAL DECREES

The decree on some amendments to the law on compensation of former owners of agricultural, non-agricultural lands and occupied territories with territories in tourist and residence areas defines the maximum quantity of compensation of former owners of forests which is not defined by the law.

Considering that a part of forests (about 3 per cent) is declared protected areas such as national parks and habitats, the decree also defines that they should remain state-owned ownership while former owners should be compensated.

The parliament also approved the decree on exclusion of machineries and technological equipment used to clean the Tirana city from customs tariffs which in compliance with the contract signed before January 1, 1996 between the Tirana Municipality and foreign firms handling this activity has extended its financial effect to the expiry of these contracts.

Regarding the law on value added tax, the parliament approved the decree on a change to this law which excludes supplies of wheat, flour for bread, liquid heating gas from value added tax.

To stimulate the use of gas for heating a decree on supplement and some changes to the law on customs tariffs was approved.

The decree on competencies and determining of wages which was approved today gives greater competencies for wage increase to those state enterprises (particularly economic enterprises of chromium, oil, energy), which record a production increase and profits. The increase is foreseen from 5-100 per cent and in some cases over 100 per cent.

The legal framework on registration of banks as anonymous associations is completed with the approval of the decree on a supplement to the law on transformation of state-owned trade banks in trade companies and their privatisation. Yesterday's decree clarifies the legitimacy of the Ministry of Finance to exercise the right of owner on these banks. ssh/kei/ak/Z/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[06] ALBANIAN ARTISTS PROTEST AGAINST JAILING OF PROF DR AGIM VINCA

Albanian Writer and Artist League has directed a protest to the International PEN, Amnesty International, International Federation on Human Rights and UNESCO where it stresses that "the imprisoning of the poet, literature scholar and well-known publicist Agim Vinca is a blow to the Albanian culture and all true intellectuals who aspire freedom of man, thought and movement. It is an expression of inhuman persecution the Albanian creative intelligence is suffering in Kosova."

"Our voice, is united with that of intellectuals in Kosova and all over the democratic world" it says.

Vinca is one of most well-known figures of the Albanian letters in and outside Kosova. He is the author of 12 books.

He is imprisoned by the Serbs only due to a visit to Albania without an exit visa from former Yugoslavia. Then the Serbs allowed the crossing of the Serbian border without an exit visa except for Albania. Entrance to Albania without an exit visa was allowed to Albanians only some months ago. kei/pas/fh/Z/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[07] FORMER SPEAKER SUMMONED TO PROSECUTORS' OFFICE

The independent daily Koha Jone cites the prosecutor in chief Adnand Xhelili saying that Islami will be questioned about some events of the December movement 1990, killings of April 2, and violent actions.

The daily also carries the response of Islami who says, "I have not been involved in any events I am going to be interrogated."

The daily Gazeta Shqiptare also reports on the investigation under the title "Antigenocide: Islami under investigations."

Regarding this issue, the daily Rilindja Demokratike reports today that Kastriot Islami was not allowed on Tuesday to enter the SP headquarters.

"Recently, Islami was prepared to be the most powerful man of the SP. In the latest meeting of the SP leading committee, Islami was considered as the person of former president Ramiz Alia," the paper reports.

It added that Islami will be summoned soon as a witness in the trial of the former president Alia, who is accused of genocide.

While the daily Albania citing one of Islami's closest friends on this issue says that after the Prosecutor's office Islami went to an embassy of a "friendly" country and asked political asylum.

"Meanwhile, all the border cross points have been informed about Islami's possible fleeing," the paper said.

Islami has been sued three times and is accused of complicity in crimes of 1991-1992. He, as one of the figures of the "strong line" in the SP, is known for his public calls of "breaking the skulls of democrats" in the SP meetings five years ago. jz/ak/Z/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[08] ASHES OF GJON SINISHTA PLACED IN SHKODRA CATHEDRAL

The ashes were brought from San Francisco, the United States, by his widow Maria Theresa Sinishta and his son Michael Sinishta.

Citizens of Shkodra, relatives, friends of Sinishta from Montenegro were present at the ceremony. Present was also the Ambassador of Albania to Vatican Vili Kamsi and the Shkodra Mayor Filip Guraziu.

A mass was said after Sinishta's ashes were placed in the Cathedral of Shkodra.

Sinishta, put to jail by the communist regime, managed to flee Albania in 1946 and was placed in the United States in 1956. He graduated the University of Saint Coral and founded the Catholic Centre of Information for Albanians on his own initiative in 1967. The Catholic Bulletin which he published for 15 years in succession and his publications "Sacrifices for Albania" and "A kept promise" dealt with the problem of continuous violations of human rights in Albania during the years of communist dictatorship and the horror the Albanian people suffered in the years of dictatorship.

Later the above centre was transferred to San Francisco bearing the name of Daniel Dajani Institute (Dajani - was a Jew rector in Shkodra). Sinishta returned to his birthplace in 1992 with the victory of democracy and later in 1993 and 1994.

His last will before he died in 1995 in San Francisco was that half of his ashes be placed in his birthplace in Shkodra and half of it be thrown out in the Pacific Ocean.

The Albanian Catholic Association said a mass recently in the Tirana on his honour. pas/ak/k

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[09] SP STEERING COMMITTEE MATERIALS MORE ADVANCED THAN NANO'S MOTION -SP deputy chairman

This statement was carried by "Dita Informacion" in regard to a recent motion of the SP chairman Fatos Nano. Through this motion together with the theses and materials for the future SP congress addressed to SP Steering Committee, Nano urges "quick qualitative changes in all levels," "efficacious attitudes towards the electorate's demands and international bodies," "program and statute changes" including the removal of Marx's reference.

"In this competition of ideas or alternatives, the best alternative will surely win," said Hajdaraga.

The other SP deputy chairman Namik Dokle said to the same paper that although he admits that there are some similar points between the party's materials and those of Nano's motion he thinks that the proposals of party's Steering Committee are right. According to these (proposals) the "Nano's proposals need to be reconsidered."

Both vice chairmen gave different responses about Pandeli Majko's statement speaking on behalf of Fatos Nano. He said that if the motion is not voted or its essence is changed, he (Nano) will withdraw from the main preparatory group which is responsible for the materials of congress.

While Dokle says that "Majko's statement is not what Nano has stated," Hajdaraga says that "what Majko said was what Nano stated."

Both deputy chairmen declared that "motions are not voted" regarding Nano's demand that the motion should be voted.

"The SP chairman should not be elected by the congress, its Steering Committee should continue work, the motion is not unjust but it should be further widened and corrected" the newspaper Koha Jone cites the deputy chairmen proposals in the SP meeting dubbed "marathon" by this paper.

The paper says all these proposals which run against Nano's motion managed to block the initiative of their leader The blocking of the motion is called "a new face in the Nano-SP relations." The paper cites the attitudes of the Socialists who have considered Nano "a political prisoner" and also cites the fact that his file has been sent to international bodies and demonstrations with their leader's photo have been held by the Albanian Socialists. It says that Nano's imprisoning has been Socialists' strong accusation against the Albanian state.

"We are a party with a jailed chairman" the paper cites continuous messages of the SP deputy chairmen any time they met a foreigner in Tirana and adds that now all these vice chairmen have erected a wall against their leader.

The paper also mentions the extremist positions in the SP by citing SP chairman for Tirana division, Spartak Poci, who has considered the supporters of the motion "enemies of the party."

The SP chairman is in prison for corruption and falsification of documents regarding the Italian aid for Albania during 1991 when he was in the post of Prime Minister. kei/fh/ak

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[10] ALBANIA TO PARTICIPATE IN ATLANTA OLYMPIC GAMES

Thus, Albania will have seven athletes in this international activity such as Mirela Manjani and Vera Bregu - athletes, Besnik Musai - cyclist, Ilir Suli - weightlifter, Sheklqim Troplini - wrestler, Diana Mata and Enkelejda Shehu - shooters. The Albanian athletes will be accompanied by their respective coaches. ake/jz/ak/k

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

Albanian Telegraphic Agency Directory - Previous Article - Next Article