Albanian Telegraphic Agency (ATA), 96-11-18

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

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CONTENTS

[01] PARTY OF ALBANIAN DEMOCRATIC PROSPERITY WINS A LANDSLIDE VICTORY IN MAIN MOSTLY ALBANIAN POPULATED PREFECTURES OF MACEDONIA

[02] ALBANIAN PRESIDENT RETURNS HOME

[03] PARTY OF ALBANIAN DEMOCRATIC PROSPERITY WINS A LANDSLIDE VICTORY IN MAIN MOSTLY ALBANIAN POPULATED PREFECTURES OF MACEDONIA

[04] SECOND STAGE OF POLIO VACCINATION ENDS

[05] ALBANIANS IN MACEDONIA FORCED TO VOTE WITH MACEDONIAN LANGUAGE BALLOTS

[06] DPPA IN MACEDONIA REJOICES OVER VICTORY IN LOCAL ELECTIONS

[07] ALBANIAN GOVERNMENT APPROVES DECISIONS

[08] PRESIDENT BERISHA MEETS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF WORLD BANK

[09] ELECTIONS IN KOSOVA END WITHOUT ALBANIANS' PARTICIPATION

[10] ALBANIAN ATLANTIC ASSOCIATION PARTICIPATES IN MEETING OF ATA ASSEMBLY

[11] AUTHORS OF GRAVE CRIMES ARRESTED

[01] PARTY OF ALBANIAN DEMOCRATIC PROSPERITY WINS A LANDSLIDE VICTORY IN MAIN MOSTLY ALBANIAN POPULATED PREFECTURES OF MACEDONIA

"All data show that a new Albanian party is emerging in Macedonia and that the Albanian question will now have a good perspective," said Arber Xhaferi, chairman of the PADP. This party has ensured, according to preliminary results, the first place with 6 697 votes in Tetova out of 22 751 eligible votes and its candidate Alajdin Demiri takes first place in the second round after two weeks, whereas in Gostivar the candidate of the PADP Rufi Osmani has the absolute majority.

Candidate Demiri, sociologist, 42, asked after the victory scored said: "The PADP will be a basis for the options of the Albanians and will impose its structure."

Further results will be given tomorrow for other communes and prefectures. Official results are expected tomorrow afternoon.edk/xh/E

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[02] ALBANIAN PRESIDENT RETURNS HOME

Berisha spoke in this summit of the Albanian government's programme on the population's food. kled/lm

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[03] PARTY OF ALBANIAN DEMOCRATIC PROSPERITY WINS A LANDSLIDE VICTORY IN MAIN MOSTLY ALBANIAN POPULATED PREFECTURES OF MACEDONIA

"All data show that a new Albanian party is emerging in Macedonia and that the Albanian question will now have a good perspective," said Arber Xhaferi, chairman of the PDPA. This party has ensured, according to preliminary results, the first place with 6 697 votes in Tetova out of 22 751 eligible votes and its candidate Alajdin Demiri takes first place in the second round after two weeks, whereas in Gostivar the candidate of the PADP Rufi Osmani has the absolute majority.

Candidate Demiri, sociologist, 42, asked after the victory scored said: "The PADP will be a basis for the options of the Albanians and will impose its structure."

Further results will be given tomorrow for other communes and prefectures. Official results are expected tomorrow afternoon.

The first round of local vote in Macedonia had irregularities regarding the inclusion of the Albanians in the voters' lists and some incidents which have led to the closure of some polling stations.

According to reports in the PADP in Tetova, irregularities in some polling stations have led to the closure of more than seven polling stations in Tetova. According to sources of the PADP, one of its observers has been arrested.

The voting process was interrupted in many polling stations due to irregularities, but with the help of police, the poll has continued, irregularities as well.

"In the official voters' lists, the names of 16 000 electors are not written although they have the nationality and the number in the electronic registering, as defined by the law "On local elections," the member of the Central Assembly of the PADP Ixhet Mehmeti told ATA.

The number of the voters not included in the lists has been admitted some days ago also by the Macedonian Minister of Justice, Vllado Popovski, according to whom, there are 1 498 653 voters in Macedonia. On the basis of this official figure which includes the Albanians as well, the number of the unlisted Albanians is 1 per cent of the total number of voters.

A phenomenon noticed in some polling stations is that the lists have been changed on the last day.

But the other party of the Albanians in Macedonia, the People's Democratic Party, PDP, said that the number of the voters who are not listed is even higher and it related with the non-registration of the Albanian population. According to the law, the lists should have been put in public places 45 days before the election day.

According to the administrative secretary of the PADP, Jashari, the lists have been made public only in the local administration offices in cities, which creates no possibilities for the population, mainly peasants, to check the lists and see whether their names are listed or not.

"Anyone who does not find his name listed can address only the court of Shkup," said Mehmeti.

This right is in fact impossible to be enjoyed by a part of the Albanian population, mainly rural. edk/pas/xh/E

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[04] SECOND STAGE OF POLIO VACCINATION ENDS

Although final results have not yet been confirmed by all the districts, specialists are of the opinion that the participation of the population in this polio immunisation process has been greater than in the first stage last month, during which 95 per cent of the people took the vaccine. According to specialists, only one dose is not sufficient to eliminate the danger of this savage virus. Specialists and international medical organizations contributing to this campaign, decided that even those people who have not taken the dose of vaccine in the first stage should take it now and the second a month later.

According to the World Health Organization which aims at eliminating this disease throughout the world in 2000, the threat of polio will be totally avoided in Albania by the end of November. pas/xh/Z/

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[05] ALBANIANS IN MACEDONIA FORCED TO VOTE WITH MACEDONIAN LANGUAGE BALLOTS

Albanians voted Sunday for the local government in Macedonia with ballot papers in the Macedonian language.

"The whole voting procedure, documentation and ballot papers have been designed and pressed in the Macedonian language, while the law says that there where over 20 % of the population is Albanian the ballot papers should also be in the Albanian language", said Alajdin Demiri, spokesman of the Democratic Prosperity Party of Albanians (DPPA) in FYROM and candidate of this party for the prefecture in Tetova.

The DPPA, created in 1994, which has withdrawn two Albanian deputies from parliament in protest against the closing of the Tetova University and the imprisonment of its rector, Fadil Sulejmani, was denied the use of its emblem which presents the shield with double-headed eagle. The same measure was taken against the People's Democratic Party of Albanians (PDPA). For this issue the DPPA also launched a protest to ODIHR's special envoy, Bernard Owen.

The local elections will be determined according to the new administrative division. In the prefectures of 123 communes, of which 26 are inhabited by Albanian majority, the elections will be held according to the majority system. The councils' members will be elected by proportional system.

The DPPA has put up its candidates for prefects in 38 communes and contests for 630 councillors. The other Albanian party which takes part in the government coalition, the Democratic Prosperity Party (DPP), created in 1990, pretends to win the posts of 8-9 prefects and 60 per cent of the councillors.

For the DPP the new administrative division is generally acceptable, because, according to this division, the DPP representative, Njazi Muhameti, says, the Albanians will not be gathered in three administrative units only, but will be distributed in 26 such units, having in this way a larger number of Albanian representatives in the local councils.

This is rejected by the DPPA, according to which this division will increase the number of the bureaucratic administrative structures by six times and create oases with inhabitants of pure Macedonian structure in the cities of Gostivari, Tetova and Dibra, while the cities of Struga, Kicove and Kumanone, which have an Albanian majority, are left under Macedonian administration.

The fight between the Albanian political forces has also led to the emergence of independent electoral subjects.

In the current elections, unlike the earlier ones, the Macedonian political parties are no mo playing the national charter, that of the Macedonians against Albanians, because they want to win their own votes in the possible runoffs.

Asked of a possible coalition with the other Albanian parties in the second round of elections, Demiri said that the DPPA would withdraw its candidates in favour of another Albanian political subject. edk/pas/lm/E

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[06] DPPA IN MACEDONIA REJOICES OVER VICTORY IN LOCAL ELECTIONS

According to preliminary party data the Democratic Prosperity Party of the Albanians in FYROM ranks first with the largest number of votes in the cities of Tetova, Gostivar, Diber, Kercove, and Kumanove.

In the city of Gostivar and in several communes like those of Tearce, Bogovine, Kamjan, Sermnova and other communes, this party has secured victory since the first round of elections.

"All the data show that a new Albanian party is emerging in Macedonia and so the Albanian issue gains a magnificent perspective", Arber Xhaferri, the chairman of the DPPA said in tears of joy, addressing from the balcony of his party headquarters the crowd of sympathizers cheering in the square.

According to preliminary data this party has won 6 697 votes out of 22 751 votes altogether in the Tetova city, capturing nearly twice the number of votes won by the other Albanian contestant DPP and more than the ruling Macedonian party.

Hence, this party for the first time will make efforts to establish its own alternatives, which, in comparison with those of the DPP, which takes part in the official coalition, are more radical.

The small apartment in which this party headquarters is located, filled with groups of youths, old people, intellectuals and workers rejoicing over the victory.

A concert improvising the "Tetova drum" echoed the city's main square.

"DPPA now will be a basis for the options offered for solutions and will impose its structure for these solutions," said Aljadin Demiri, candidate for prefect in the town-hall of Tetova. According to the Macedonian law, he will compete with three other candidates who have won more than 10 per cent of the votes for the post of the prefect, after two weeks.

The Democratic Prosperity Party, created in 1990, although it refused to take part in the Parliament following the imprisonment of the rector of the Tetova University, Fadil Sulejmani, fought to win power. The chairman of the Democratic Prosperity Party of Albanians (DPPA) created in 1994) Arber Xhaferri, said that "the system structures offer posts for a political oligarchy, whereas DPPA demands an improvement of the political status of the Albanians in a system and there is no dilemma in this respect. On the other hand, the institutions of this system legitimate the policy of the Macedonian administrations which violates democratic interests of the Albanians."

During the pre electoral campaign, there were mutual accusations between the Democratic Prosperity Party of Albanians and the Democratic Prosperity Party, at a time when the demands in their platforms are almost identical.

"The opposite views stand in the fact that DPP does not oppose all the state policy of Macedonia," explains Arber Xhaferi. "We criticize President Gligorov and the Macedonian government for the fact that they now declare openly that the Albanians cannot have a University in the Albanian language in Tetova, and so on. We criticize the political stand of the DPP and naturally, those who have adopted such a stance, without taking into account which party they belong to and who they are," said Xhaferi.

During elections there were many irregularities and manipulation with elector's lists. In many of them, Albanians had not been listed and some names were removed from the list on the last day before elections, etc. pas/lm/xh/sh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[07] ALBANIAN GOVERNMENT APPROVES DECISIONS

It took the decision on the establishment of the National Institution Leading Council of the free economic areas. The Leading Council will be made up of 5 people, 2 of whom were appointed by the Council of Ministers and three others by the Parliament. The duty of this institution is to propose to the Council of Ministers the most optimal regions which can be transformed into free areas, and develop itself or find private developers who can administrate these areas, aiming at promoting the investments, increasing the export and creating new jobs.

The Council of Ministers decided to give the necessary fund for the reconstruction of the electric line Tuç-Munelle, damaged recently by the pelting rain.

It also took a decision on changing the use of funds from "The protocol of technical and financial cooperation through the Republic of Albania and Federal Republic of Germany for the year 1996". The fund of 500 000 DM, to be taken by the "The fund of studies and experts", will be used to continue the project "Assistance for private agrarian bodies for self- aid".

In the framework of hastening the privatization process, the Council of Ministers discussed a draft ruling for privatizing the state capital in trade companies with joint capital. They also discussed issues regarding the promotion of this process. It was thought this draft ruling to be discussed again in the next meeting of the Council of Ministers, after highlighting the opinion of specialists from different ministries. /eva/mt/k

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[08] PRESIDENT BERISHA MEETS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF WORLD BANK

Berisha stressed that "Albania presents today a place with an economic stability. Although this year was an electoral one, the Albanian government continued, without interruption, the economic reform by realizing the opening of the Stock Exchange, setting up of the Ministry of Privatization and completion of its legal framework, observation of Valued Added Tax (VAT), liberalization of bread and fuel price etc.

Passacantando, sending the greetings and the appreciation of Wolferson for the successful cooperation of Albania with the World Bank, ensured President Berisha that "World Bank estimates Albania from the high rates of economic development as a place of a particular success. Many of our experts have come and estimated the achievements here, that's why the World bank supports and will strongly support Albania in the future."

"I should make known to you that considering the successful realization of projects in Albania, we have thought to make the rural fund an example for the other countries, as well as for our business schools", he said.

Both parties, estimating the cooperation with WB as very fruitful, expressed their complete engagement in intensifying this cooperation in the future. /s.sh/kei/mt/k

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[09] ELECTIONS IN KOSOVA END WITHOUT ALBANIANS' PARTICIPATION

The chief of Serbian socialists in Kosova, Vjisllav Zharkoviç, declared Sunday that the Serbian Socialist Party had a convincing victory, without waiting for the vote counting of the Serbian minority and other minorities in Kosova.

The total absence of Albanians in the Serbian polls held in Kosova has caused the "winners" of these elections to have an absolute small numbers of votes: counsellors of Serbian communes were elected even those who did not win either one per cent of the votes. /bj/pta/l/mt/k

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[10] ALBANIAN ATLANTIC ASSOCIATION PARTICIPATES IN MEETING OF ATA ASSEMBLY

The subject of the meeting was "New dimensions of the Atlantic security".

President of the Albanian Association of Atlantic and head of the delegation Alfred Moisiu reported on "The new solutions and factors of stability in the Balkan".

"Moisiu stressed that the solution of Kosova issue is one of the most delicate problems to protect the peace in the Balkans", regarding the spokesman of the Association.

In his address in this meeting, Moisiu also talked about the importance of expanding the structures of Euroatlantic security in the Balkan to preserve the stability in this region.

Attending the proceedings of the meeting was also the NATO Secretary General Havier Solana.

The group of youths of the Albanian Association, who was one of the initiators of the idea to create a network of communication between youth associations of Atlantic, also held meetings in this conference in order to know better NATO and its structures. /s.sh/kei/mt/k

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[11] AUTHORS OF GRAVE CRIMES ARRESTED

These persons have committed several grave crimes such as murders, thefts, drugs and arm trafficking, armed robberies, prostitution trafficking in Italy and Greece, abuse of office from several former police officials, etc.

The police have completed the full documentation of their criminal activity, and have intercepted the arms with which they have committed these crimes and other sufficient testimony which totally prove the relations between them in this criminal activity. /s.sh/kei/mt/k

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