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ATA News from Albania, 96-08-17Albanian Telegraphic Agency Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Albanian Telegraphic Agency (ATA) Home Page at <http://www.telpress.it/ata>Albanian Telegraphic AgencyCONTENTS
[01] BOYCOTT IS A POLITICAL SUICIDE FOR OPPOSITION - ShehuTIRANA, AUGUST 16 (ATA) - By A Frasheri - The Democratic Alliance Party (DAP) and the Right Democratic Party (RDP) boycotted a DP initiated meeting Friday with the political parties not represented in the local government and Parliament and those which have not been previously invited in the discussions regarding the local elections.Both parties attended a meeting Thursday initiated by the Centre Pole. The DP has initiated this round table attended by 16 parties to discuss about aspects of local elections, improvements of the election law, any possible amendment of the law on genocide and technical election problems and to express its engagement in assuring calm and honest local elections in accordance with international standards. The DAP and RDP after boycotting the May 26 elections have rejected the DP invitation for talks acting thus against the recommendations of CE and other international institutions. Shehu, the DP chairman, explaining the reasons of their boycott said: "I can not help saying that every attempt for boycott is connected with concepts and ideas which seek to settle matters in an arbitrary way and connected with the idea that through a permanent boycott to threaten the Albanian democracy." The opposition pretensions expressed in a statement after the meeting of seven parties initiated by the DAP and the Social Democratic Party is that such meetings want to split the opposition. Shehu said "I can not realise how can the opposition be split when 16 parties of all Albanian political trends attend the meeting." "We have organised meetings with the SP, have asked for meetings with the parties represented in the local government and those not represented widening the number of these meetings" said Shehu. DAP's main pretension is that the main influential parties should be convened to discuss. Shehu said in front of journalists that the DAP is a party with an electorate under 1.5 per cent of votes which was present only in the last elections." While the SP deputy chairman Namik Dokle in the SP conference in the Vlora district answering to a sympathiser of Neritan Ceka said: "Do not compare our party with that of Ceka which is not recognised at all. If we have not taken him to Strasbourg and other European chancelleries no one would have known him yet." kei/fh/k Albanian Telegraphic Agency[02] SIXTEEN POLITICAL PARTIES ISSUE JOINT STATEMENTTIRANA, AUGUST 16 (ATA)- The Democratic Party and 15 other non parliamentary political parties held a round table on Friday. The parties, two of the government coalition and 14 of the opposition came out with a joint statement.The statement says that this round table was held "to dialogue and exchange views on current important problems of the Albanian politics". Attending the talks were: The Democratic Party, the New Socialist Party, the People's Progress Party, Democratic Union Party, the Christian- Democratic Party, the Christian-Democratic Union Party, the National Rights Defence Party, the Democratic Ideal Party, the Democratic National Alliance Party, the People's League Party, the Albanian Green Party, the Legaliteti National Party, The National-Democratic Party, The Social-Democratic Union Party, the Universal Party, and the Triumph of Legality Party. The parties in the meeting discussed the improvement of the local elections mechanism, the functioning of the local government, the anti- genocide law, that of scrutinizing the political figures and other issues. The statement says that the parties "agreed that the existing local elections law is in general a law of European standard, which guarantees free and fair elections". The parties fully agreed to the creation of the permanent Central Electoral Commission and its structures, decreed by the President of the Republic. They considered it an act which fully complies with the recommendations of the International institutions and which contributes to the consolidation of democratic processes in Albania. In the statement the "political parties ask the parliament to impose legal sanctions on individuals who by party order or without the permission of the commissions boycott the voting process and to consider invalid the votes of the political force which boycotts the ballot, also imposing legal sanctions on those who undertake this act". a.ke/kei/lm/k Albanian Telegraphic Agency[03] "SP RENOVATION IS A LONG PROCESS" - ShehuTIRANA, AUGUST 16 (ATA) By A Frasheri - The DP chairman Tritan Shehu after a meeting of 16 Albanian political parties answering to a question of a journalist "How do you see the political developments inside the SP?" said he was sceptical about a renovation of the SP even after its congress which will be held on August 23-24."The real SP's renovation will be a long process and all signs show such a thing" said Shehu, adding that "It is impossible for a 50-year old party based on Stalinist ideas to be changed into a true social democratic party within some weeks." Shehu said "We hope in an SP renovation but deep changes are necessary for this in people, mentality, psychology, programmes and specially in those people who lead the party" but neither Nano nor anyone else who are the outcome of the PLA can renovate the SP. "This will be realised by true social democrats." Speaking about the present groupings inside the SP, Shehu said "It is difficult for me to find out which group does Nano and other leaders belong to, but I am convinced that within the SP do exist young men with real social democratic vision, but the worst of it is the coexistence of three groups one with real social democratic elements, one with nostalgic elements and another with segments of the former State Sigurimi (former secrete police). The last one dominates in it." eva/fh/k Albanian Telegraphic Agency[04] NEW MILITARY SERBIAN UNIT INSTALLED NEAR PRIZRENPRISTINE, AUGUST 17 (ATA) - A Serbian Army tank unit, equipped with four tanks and a number of soldiers, was installed in the vicinity of Petrova, a village near Prizren, on August 14, the Kosova Information Center reports.The military troops are carrying out exercises, provoking Albanian citizens of Petrova and damaging crops with their armoured cars. P.Ta/l/eva/mh/k Albanian Telegraphic Agency[05] PRESS REVIEWTIRANA, AUGUST 17 (ATA)- Today's Rilindja Demokratike carries the editorial: "The SP reformation - against Euro-socialists". The paper also reports on a round table meeting of 16 Albanian political parties to discuss local government issues.Zeri i Popullit reports that the deputy chairman of the Socialist Party, Namik Dokle, is invited to take part in the National Convention of the U.S. Democratic Party. The paper also reports that the Human Rights Committee of the Parliamentarians of Inter-parliamentary Union asks that Fatos Nano be released. Republika says that in the context of preparing the friendship and cooperation protocol of the Balkan countries, Greek Premier Kostas Simitis will visit Albania soon. The paper says that: "Albania is not demanding reunion with Kosova", regarding an interview of Albanian President Sali Berisha with the Austrian newspaper Die Presse. Poli i Qendres reports that:"The DP cannot deceive "the minors", the meeting fails". The paper also carries the article: "The state of crime": "We are surrounded by the crime, the big, organised and sophisticated crime of the power-holders, greedy for wealth". Lajmi i Dites carries the chronicle of the round table meeting of 16 Albanian political parties. The paper also carries the article:"The SP renovation is a very-long process". "The boycott is a political suicide", Tribuna cites the chairman of the Democratic Party, Tritan Shehu, as saying. The paper also carries the interview of Defence Minister Zafet Zhulali under the title:"U.S. army assistance will be provided for the Albanian army". Albania says:"The socialists' super-battle in the capital begins", about the SP conference for Tirana to be held today. The paper carries the article:"Albanian organised crime in the U.S.-Albanian Mafia prepared by the former communist "Sigurimi". Dita Informacion reports that the SP in its programme to be presented in its convention will distance itself from Enver Hoxha and Ramiz Alia. Regarding a diplomatic incident in the Durres customs house the paper says:"The customs house checks two U.S. diplomats". Koha Jome reports that the World Inter-parliamentary Union Committee has decided that Fatos Nano be released and that the trial of the socialist leader be held with the presence of international observers. The paper also says that the Albanian Party of Kosova has decided to boycott the Yugoslav elections. Rilindja reports on the press briefing of the President of the Republic of Kosova, Ibrahim Rugova, on Friday. The paper also reports that Greek Prime Minister Simitis will be visiting Albania soon. Gazeta Shqiptare, citing a statement of a Socialist Party Presidency member says that the deputy chairman of the Socialist Party, Servet Pellumbi, will present his resignation at the SP convention, to be held soon. The paper also reports on the arrest of three officers who have beaten in prison their detained colleagues. Bashkimi says that :"SP under terror of suspected traitors". kei/lm/k Albanian Telegraphic Agency[06] YUGOSLAV AUTHORITIES SHOULD PUT AN END TO MALTREATMENTS AND POLICE VIOLENCE - Amnesty InternationalPRISHTINE, AUGUST 17 (ATA) - Amnesty International has appealed to Yugoslav authorities to put an end to maltreatments and police violence in Kosova and to bring to court the authors of the crimes against Albanians in Kosova, Information Centre of Kosova reports.In its latest report, Amnesty International makes a panorama of the grave situation of women and children in Kosova. It says that often they eyewitness scenes of violence, maltreatments and arrests of their husbands and they often are victims of the violence of the Serbian police." Kosova was deprived of its autonomy in 1989. With a 90 per cent ethnic Albanian population, Kosova has not accepted the Serbian power. "Albanians demand independence and an independent state of Kosova." The report says that under the pretext of searching for arms, Serbian police make home searches and exert violence on family members. "It is common knowledge that police use violence even when it finds no weapons." pta/xh/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[07] ALBANIANS ARE PRESENT AT ALL THE TALKS ON KOSOVA - RugovaPRISHTINE, AUGUST 17 9ATA) - By B Jashari: The President of the Republic of Kosova Ibrahim Rugova yesterday declared that the Albanian party is also present in the talks on Kosova.Asked in a news conference whether Albanians are participating in the talks on Kosova, bearing in mind the declaration of the State Assistant Secretary Cornbloom that the talks are "being held far from public opinion" President Rugova said that important is that Kosova is always present at diplomatic levels as a problem, as a question." President Rugova asked a greater commitment and international preventive presence in Kosova as well as an urgent ending of repression, considering the situation as continuously grave and tense as a result of the escalation of the Serbian violence. Asked whether the Albanians of Kosova will take part in the elections of the rump Yugoslavia to be held in November this year, President Rugova said that Albanians' stand is known, they will not take part in these elections. "We have had our elections, we have our legitimacy and legality, " said Rugova. aca/xh/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[08] SPECIAL FUND OF THE ALBANIAN GOVERNMENT ON MISS EUROPETIRANA, AUGUST 17 9ATA) - By Flora Nikolla: Albanian Council of Ministers, upon a proposal of the Ministry of Culture, has accorded a fund of 20.5 million lek for "Miss Europe 96" performance.Miss Europa 96 to be held in Tirana by the end of September this year is among the biggest held in Albania so far. The amount of money, according to sources of the Ministry of Culture, will be used to create proper conditions for the transmission by Tirana of Miss Europa 96 through Eurovision. To this end, an amount of 18 million lek has been allocated to buy modern equipment for television broadcasting. Organizers have now planned a 3-4 minute mini-performance during the spectacle Miss Europa 97 to show the most typical values of the spiritual, artistic culture of the Albanian nation. The fund will also be used on video clips which will be realised in the beautiful Albanian nature and monuments of culture. kei/xh/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[09] CUSTOMS COMPLEX IN QAFE THANA TOWARDS COMPLETIONPOGRADEC, AUGUST 17 9ATA) - By B Fejzullai: The construction of the customs complex of Qafe Thana is expected to be over by the end of September. The investment for it is made by the U.S. Government, through UNDP, and by the Albanian Government.Near completion is the construction of the segment of the highway with 10 lines, two parkings and some other compounds. Also near completion is the construction of a new customs building, including customs control point, banking offices, medical and veterinary control premises, minute control section and storehouses. With the contemporary equipment and the system of illumination this customs house will be one of the most modern in the Balkans. ksh/xh/ From the Albanian Telegraphic Agency (ATA) Home Page at http://www.telpress.it/ataAlbanian Telegraphic Agency Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |