ATA News from Albania, 96-08-10

Albanian Telegraphic Agency Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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

CONTENTS

[01] ALBANIAN PRESIDENT MEETS PARTIES ON PERMANENT ELECTION COMMISSION

[02] SOME ALBANIAN LEFT WING PARTIES DO NOT TAKE PART IN THE MEETING WITH THE PRESIDENT - Opinions by other political forces

[03] PRESS REVIEW

[04] FOUR TIMES MORE PEOPLE EMPLOYED IN PRIVATE SECTOR AS COMPARED WITH 1992

[05] OTHER EXPLOSIONS TAKE PLACE IN KOSOVA

[06] ALBANIAN INTERIOR MINISTER MEETS WITH POLICE COMMISSARIAT CHIEFS

[07] NARCOTIC PLANT TRAFFICKERS INTERCEPTED

[08] MACEDONIA CITIZEN ARRESTED BY ALBANIAN POLICE IS STAGING HUNGER STRIKE

[09] IMPORTED FLOUR AND WHEAT

[01] ALBANIAN PRESIDENT MEETS PARTIES ON PERMANENT ELECTION COMMISSION

Prime minister Aleksander Meksi was also present in the meeting, because according the law on election a number of its members will be proposed by the government.

The previous meeting of the political parties has asked and decided a Permanent Election Commission to be set up.

"Based on this unanimous decision, I decreed the Permanent Election Commission " Berisha said at the end of the meeting, adding that "before decreeing its members which is a legal duty of the President, I thought to convene a consultation with parties not for the names because president does not deal with them, they will be decided by parties, but to discuss on the percentage of their representation and other criteria on them."

After the meeting in an inteview with journalists Berisha concidedered it very fruitful, as it has reached in the conclusion "that the first criterion in the commission's set up should be taken the local elections and not the general elections."

Such a decision was very important for Berisha as "in the local elections the small parties were more reliable in their representation and according the law its election procedure has more proportional elements. There are majority elements but proportional elements are present as well."

Different opinions were expressed on the number of its members, some parties proposed 11 members while others wanted to increase it to 14.

Regarding the law on genocide, which was also discussed in the previous meeting, Berisha said "we agreed to amend it and it will be amended. I think its amendment may be deepened, I have always been of the idea it should be a law of the closure of files not of their opening. It should be amended to show such a thing."

The DP chairman Tritan Shehu said "The meeting was held in a normal round table of talks of the main political forces to discuss about the Central Election Commission, which was scheduled before President's decree."

The meeting brought into evidence the necessity to be lead by representatives proposed by government and the creation of an election office, which should be headed by its secretary.

Shehu said "there were also other elections' problems" which will be discussed in the round table between the DP and SP and "in a wider meeting the DP will initiate soon with other political forces present in the local government."

The HRUP's chairman, Vasil Melo, said the meeting was very necessary and constructive.

He proposed the commission to be made up "according the representation of political parties in the local elections and elections for the central government and its chairman to be chosen by the commission and not nominated."

The RP chairman Sabri Godo's proposed that "the commission's deputy chairman and its secretary should be elected from the commission which will create a fairer balance in their representation in the commission."

The left opposition parties were not present in the meeting although they have, after May 26 elections, continuously demanded the creation of a Permanent Election Commission. Such a request was repeated even in the meeting of July 18 with the President, which was named by the SP deputy chairman Servet Pellumbi very fruitful and constructive for the solution of urgent problems.

The SP presidency in a statement Thursday said it would not attend the discussions with president but only the bilateral DP-SP and those with political parties. kled/fh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[02] SOME ALBANIAN LEFT WING PARTIES DO NOT TAKE PART IN THE MEETING WITH THE PRESIDENT - Opinions by other political forces

"The opposition took part in the meeting with the exception of the left wing representatives," said President Berisha after the meeting.

The Socialist Party confirmed it would not take part in the meeting through a declaration of its presidency, whereas the Social Democratic Party, which in the May 26, 1996 elections won around 1.6 per cent of the ballots, the National Unity Party and the Agrarian Party which in the May elections won almost an inconsiderable number of votes, did not take part even in the first meeting of the political parties with the President.

"There were opposition parties like the National Union Party, the Human Rights Union Party, the Christian Democratic Party and others which took part in the meeting, whereas the parties which boycotted the past elections did not attend the meeting," said Berisha. He added that "this may be a further boycott or an expression of the crisis that the main opposition force is experiencing and the difficulties of the faith they have in each other. This will be clarified in the coming days."

Berisha stressed that the round table negotiations will continue despite the decisions by one of some political forces. "The round table on local government questions will continue at party level," said Berisha. "I may say that absence and denial are nothing but a self-punishment."

DP chairman Tritan Shehu spoke about continuation of bilateral meetings between DP and SP. This meeting would also determine and beginning of a party round table which he said would be held by the beginning of the second half of this month.

"I consider their stand wrong and absurd," said Shehu, "which is related perhaps with their line of permanent boycott or with the fact that they know they cannot win in the local government elections."

Other party participants in the meeting with the president also reacted towards the non-particpation of the left wing political forces in the meeting.

The chairman of the National Unity Party, Hysen Selfo, said that "their aim is destruction and the SP has always wanted to disorientate the Albanian public opinion and this was proved today."

In the first meeting, the SP asked the President to postpone the date of the elections so that they had the possibility to choose their candidates, because they had some troubles within their party. The President fulfilled this demand of SP leaving them a longer time for preparation."

"This was an unjust decision of the SP. Its declarations cause dissatisfaction among the people and show clearly their objective to take Albania backwards. Albania is resolute to go ahead on the road of democracy, even without the communists. The communists and socialists are the same," said Selfo in reply to a question by a reporter.

"The greatest evil is if no discussion is held at all," said the Republican leader, Sabri Godo, when he said that when you are invited to take part in a discussion you should go to voice your opinion but to boycott apriori a meeting without knowing in details what it will be about, what objectives it has, is, in my opinion, an irresponsible act."

According to analysts, with this boycott the SP aims to create a new crisis and to lead to a postponement of the elections date after the chaos within its structures following the petition and messages by Fatos Nano. kled/ksh/xh/k

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[03] PRESS REVIEW

Zeri i Popullit entitles one of its editorials "The interparty dialogue - an indispensability and not a fraud." The paper carries opinions by leaders of various parties about yesterday meeting with the president and the plans for some changes and improvements in the statute of the party under the title "The Objective: to create a clearer socialdemocratic physiognomy." The paper also publishes an article "The SP reformation - a continuous process."

"A step forward in democratic development," writes Republika regarding yesterday's meeting of the president with party representatives. This paper also publishes an article under the title "Political manoeuvres in the socialist camp - alternative crisis within the party."

"October 20 calls on May 26 elections," writes Poli i Qendres, under the headline "An incomplete presidential meeting: Green light for manipulations." The newspaper also carries an article "Why DP circumvents the dialogue?" Lajmi i Dites writes on the meeting of President Berisha with representatives of political parties. "Coordination and monitoring of local elections confirmed," is another article in this paper.

"Communists do not prevent the dialogue," writes Tribuna under the headline "Socialists in crossroad." The Socialists boycott because they want to gain time to come out of the crisis, writes the newspaper with regard to the non-participation of the socialists in the round table of the political parties.

Under the title "U.S. - the leader and mediator in the Kosova question," Rilindja carries a chronicle of the news conference that Ibrahim Rugova, Kosova President, had in Prishtine yesterday.

"There is nobody to represent the Socialists," writes Albania under the headline "Socialists shocked on the eve of the congress." Foreign Affairs Minister of Greece Teodor Pangalos will visit Albania by the end of August, writes the paper referring to the Voice of America.

"Seven parties in the presidential negotiations decide on a permanent Central Election Commission, writes Koha Jone on the talks held yesterday between the Albanian President and the representatives of the parties, under the title "The President negotiates with DP." "Why does Tirana keep silence after bombs in Kosova?" is the title of another article in this paper.

Sindikalisti writes that "Dialogue is not the only form of the talks with the Union of Independent Trade Unions of Albania," whereas Dita Informacion continues the publication of an interview with Dritero Agolli, Albanian renowned writer, under the title "Nano should have known the bulls well."

Gazeta Shqiptare yesterday reports that a 35 year suspect for the killing of the Prisons Director Bujar Kaloshi, was arrested in Italy yesterday. kled/xh/sh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[04] FOUR TIMES MORE PEOPLE EMPLOYED IN PRIVATE SECTOR AS COMPARED WITH 1992

The statistical figures show that the unemployed number in Tirana was lowered to 20776 people which means some 27 per cent less than in 1992.

A prognostic study conducted by a group of specialists, said the director of this group Lulzim Laze, results that the greatest number of the people employed in this period belong to the private sector. The state employment has also suffered an increase, result of the social policy of the Democratic Party.

The biggest number of the employed people in the private sector belongs to the sectors of service, trade and construction. eva/fh/k

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[05] OTHER EXPLOSIONS TAKE PLACE IN KOSOVA

The TANJUG news agency reports that three houses and one excavator have been damaged.

The Serb police have so far issued no official announcement.

The settlement in Baballoq where the blasts occurred, is the third being built in the Decan commune. Its building is part of the Serb projects to create a corridor with Slav population along the Albanian-Kosova border in order to destroy the Albanian ethnic and territorial compactness. The first settlement was built three years ago in the Junik village, on the lands seized from the Albanians.

The explosions follow a series of recent incidents in various areas of Kosova which have not yet been explained.

With the Serb media blaming "the Albanian terrorism" for the incidents, everything has served to create a situation of pursuits and terror against the unprotected Albanians by the Serb police.

The President of Kosova, Ibrahim Rugova, reminded at e news briefing in Pristine on August 9 that other cases had taken place in the past years in Kosova with Serbs admitting to have framed such incidents themselves.

Rugova again called for self-control on the part of the Kosova citizens and said that the Albanians did not wish the spread of violence or terrorism in Kosova. b.j/a.ca

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[06] ALBANIAN INTERIOR MINISTER MEETS WITH POLICE COMMISSARIAT CHIEFS

Shamata spoke of the police performance and achievements during the transition years, underlining the great importance of professionalism and devotion to duty under the current situations.

Nowadays, Shamata said, the police need leaders with a guaranteed immunity, enjoying the public's respect, courageous in the uncompromised fight against crime.

Shamata stressed that all the police commissars should have a good knowledge of the European Human Rights Convention, which the Albanian parliament ratified several days ago.

The Public order is established through public trust, therefore the Anti-crime Committee is planned to be set up, so that public order be maintained not only by the police but also by a greater number of people enjoying reputation, Shamata said.

He told the commissars that the Discipline and Ethic Codes are being drafted.

Shamata stressed the need of a closer cooperation between the Police and the Prosecutor's Office, the Court, based on the law on the fight against crime.

He showed reserves regarding the ongoing performance in the road traffic. s.sh/kled/lm

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[07] NARCOTIC PLANT TRAFFICKERS INTERCEPTED

On August 7, in the region of pyramid 37, the border post unit in Brecan intercepted an amount of raw cannabis sativa carried by two citizens from Fier.

On August 8, in the region of pyramid 42 of the border police post in Poncar, the unit on duty intercepted another citizen from the Poncar village of Devolli, southern Albania, heading for Greece with an amount of raw cannabis sativa. a.ke/kled/lm

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[08] MACEDONIA CITIZEN ARRESTED BY ALBANIAN POLICE IS STAGING HUNGER STRIKE

The Macedonian citizen had been hunted down by the Macedonian Interpol, after he is suspected of killing on August 4 his wife, Selia Parsikum Maliqi, whose body was found near the Ohrid Lake in the Macedonia territory.

His health condition, according to medical examination, is good. ksh/lm

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[09] IMPORTED FLOUR AND WHEAT

The cargo came from Italy, Greece, Croatia, Romania and other countries, contracted by Albanian private traders.

During this period the state has bought 31 000 tons of wheat. it will soon buy another 50 000 tons of wheat, for which the state will declare the respective auction. lm

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

Albanian Telegraphic Agency Directory - Previous Article - Next Article