Albanian Telegraphic Agency (ATA), 97-05-26

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

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

CONTENTS

[01] PRESS RELEASE

[02] ALBANIAN DELEGATION LEAVES FOR ITALY

[03] IN ATTEMPT TO STEAL CATTLE, GUNMEN KILL THIER OWNER

[04] U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE ROUGHENS COURSE AGAINST SERBS

[05] MOVEMENTS TO GREECE CONTINUE THROUGH QAFE-BOTE BORDER CROSSING POINT

[06] PRESIDENT BERISHA DECREES CENTRAL ELECTORAL COMMISSION

[07] DP CALLS TABLE OF PARTIES TO REACH A SOCIAL PACT FOR ELECTIONS

[08] ALBANIAN PREMIER FINO IN ROME

[09] DP CHAIRMAN, TRITAN SHEHU, LEAVES FOR ITALY

[10] WHITE UNIFORMS APPEAL AGAINST VIOLENCE AND INTOLERANCE

[11] COMMANDER OF SPANISH TROOPS VISITS PUKA

[12] GUARD OF REPUBLIC CONSIDERS UNACCEPTABLE THE INCIDENT CAUSED BY GROUP OF MILITARY MEN

[13] DANGER OF EXPLOSION OF AMMUNITION DEPOT AVOIDED IN LEZHE

[14] SERBIAN TRIAL IN PRISTINE AGAINST 20 ALBANIANS HAS NO EVIDENCE AND NUMBER OF INTERNATIONAL OBSERVERS HAS INCREASED

[15] SITUATION IN THE CITY OF VLORE

[16] PLANES THAT BROUGHT BELGIAN DOCTORS IN GJIROKASTER BELONGED TO "ALBA"

[17] ASSEMBLY OF ITALIAN ENTREPRENEURS IN ALBANIA TO CONVENE SOON

[18] LEKA ZOGU MEETS WITH INHABITANTS OF GRAMSH

[01] PRESS RELEASE

The participants at the meeting also discussed the incident caused by elements of the Guard of the Republic, which was regarded by the Council of Ministers as a very grave incident of unprecedented consequences.

After listening to the report of the Commander of the Guard of the Republic, Prime Minister Bashkim Fino asked the leading officials of this very important institution of the Albanian state to denounce this unprecedented incident publicly.

He asked the commander of the Guard to rigorously respect the laws regulating the activity of this institution and to report in detail on its current structure, which today appears to be very chaotic.

The ministers of the Government of National Reconciliation expressed indignation at and condemned Sunday's incident at the Army Hospital, considering it an unworthy and dangerous act for the Guard of the Republic.

The Council of Ministers also requested the penal prosecution and punishment of the organisers of this grave, shameful and dangerous incident for the Albanian democracy, the press release concludes. l.gj/lm

[02] ALBANIAN DELEGATION LEAVES FOR ITALY

The delegation also includes Foreign Minister Arian Starova, Finance Minister Arben Malaj and other senior officials.

The International Conference for Albania's Recovery will open in Rome on May 26, 1997.

Participating in it will be senior representatives from a great number of the countries Europe, U.S., Japan etc., which have voiced their readiness to grant Albania economic, financial, technical and humanitarian assistance for its economic and social recovery.

Besides his stay in Rome and participation in the conference, Prime Minister Bashkim Fino is expected to meet with OSCE permanent representative in Albania, Austrian former Chancellor Franz Vranitzky, Italian Prime Minister, Romano Prodi, Italian Foreign Minister Lamberto Dini, U.S. Assistance Secretary of State, John Kornblum and other international senior personalities.

The talks will focus on the situation in Albania, especially the coordination of the measures for the preparation of the fresh parliamentary elections with the international community, and the institutionalization of the all-round assistance to be planned for Albania.ssh/kled/lm/xh/

[03] IN ATTEMPT TO STEAL CATTLE, GUNMEN KILL THIER OWNER

[04] U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE ROUGHENS COURSE AGAINST SERBS

She reiterated the U.S. message to Belgrade that unless the Albanians' rights in Kosove are respected, Serbia cannot make the slightest movement from the outer wall of sanctions, according to the Kosova Center of Information.

Reiteration of the U.S. policy towards Kosova, respectively the continuation of the economic blockade on Serbia, also linked with the respect of the Albanians' rights, strongly confirms the course of the U.S. administration's approach to this unresolved issue in the Balkans./ag/kled/lm/sh/

[05] MOVEMENTS TO GREECE CONTINUE THROUGH QAFE-BOTE BORDER CROSSING POINT

According to municipal sources of Konispol, only three km from this border crossing point, there are hundreds of Albanian citizens crossing into Greece through this border point with Greek visas.

"Because of unsafe conditions on the Sarande-Kakavije road, with wrongdoers often making the law, the citizens'movements to Greece through this border crossing point is safer," the Sarande Police commissariat chief, Muco Golemi, says.

Last year, in the context of further improving relations between the two Balkan neighbours, Albania and Greece, two new border crossing points, one of which in Qafe Bote, some 40 km from the Sarande port, were decided to open.

The opening of the other customs point with be financially enabled by the accelerated programmes of the EU Cross Border.s.sh/kled/lm

[06] PRESIDENT BERISHA DECREES CENTRAL ELECTORAL COMMISSION

1.Kristaq Kume, chairman, proposed by the Democratic Party

2.Fatos Klosi, deputy chairman, proposed by the Socialist Party

3.Secretary, the head of the Election and Referendum Department at the State Secretariat for Local Government.

4.Pellumb Cela, member, proposed by the Democratic Party

5.Arben Xhiku, member, proposed by the Democratic Party

6.Ylvi Kollari, member, proposed by the Democratic Party

7.Fotaq Nano, member, proposed by the Socialist Party

8.Kujtim Puto, member , proposed by the Socialist Party

9.Taulant Dedja, member, proposed by the Socialist Party

10.Arben Voshtina, member, proposed by the Republican party

11.Pajtim Bello, member, proposed by the Social-Democratic Party

12.Sadik Shkembi, member, proposed by the Democratic Alliance Party

13.Kosta Gazeli, member proposed by the Human Rights Union Party

14.Klement Zguri, member, proposed by the National Front Party

15.Akil Basha, member, proposed by the Legality Movement Party

16.Mati Pepa, member, proposed by the Christian Democratic Party

17.Andrea Cino, member, proposed by the Social-Democratic Union Party.

s.sh/lm

[07] DP CALLS TABLE OF PARTIES TO REACH A SOCIAL PACT FOR ELECTIONS

Sources from the DP press and information office report that the invitations for this table were sent to all the parties, participant in the May 9 table, by the DP secretary general, Genc Pollo.

In the conditions when all the people are armed, the reaching of this social pact will be a kind of guarantee so that the campaign and elections are held normally.

President Berisha and Premier Fino agreed Sunday on the necessity of a social pact among all political forces to held free and fair elections in Albania. /s.sh/mt/k

[08] ALBANIAN PREMIER FINO IN ROME

Right after the arrival in Rome, Fino held a meeting in the Chigi Palace with the Italian Premier, Prodi, and later on with the OSCE special envoy, Franz Vranitzky and Italian Foreign Minister, Lamberto Dini.

At 11:00, Premier Fino attended the opening of the proceedings of the International Conference for Albania. Attending this conference are representatives of many European countries, USA, Japan, etc, as well as powerful international organizations, such as World Bank, International Monetary Fund, European Union, and others.

The conference is held in two sittings. The political sitting, held in the morning, is conducted by the Ambassador De Francis, while the economic-financial sitting, held in the afternoon, is conducted by the ambassador Di Roberto and Minister Dini. At the end of the first sitting it is expected a joint statement to be issued, where there will be defined among others, the theme and goals of the forthcoming Conference of Foreign Donors for the Restoration of Albania, thought to be held by the middle of June in Rome, with a higher level of participating.

According to the program, Vranitzky and Dini had a joint news conference at 14:00.

Premier Fino and the members of the senior governmental delegation he heads, will return Monday to homeland late in the evening. /a.ke/jz/mt/Z/

[09] DP CHAIRMAN, TRITAN SHEHU, LEAVES FOR ITALY

During this three-day visit, Shehu will hold meetings in the highest levels of the Italian politics. At the end of his visit, Shehu will have a news conference. /jz/mt/k

[10] WHITE UNIFORMS APPEAL AGAINST VIOLENCE AND INTOLERANCE

The Defence Minister, Shaqir Vukaj, during a brief news conference, attending were also the Minister of Health, Astrit Kalenja, as well as the director of the hospital, Ilir Kajo, assured the staff of the hospital that the government will insist in finding the responsibilities, and after promising new security measures, he called on the doctors to restart the work on behalf of life.

The cause of the strong reaction of the white uniforms is the event, which occurred on Sunday by 10:00 in the Military Hospital of Tirana, when a large group of armed people, escorted by two armoured vehicles, entered forcefully the grounds of this hospital. These persons, very irritated, due to the very grave health situation of their relatives, one of whom died yesterday, have maltreated the military policemen on service, the deputy director of the hospital, Gezim Huqi, as well as several doctors and nurses.

Five persons from the effective of special forces died last Friday and eight others were injured, in a gunfight with armed gangs in Cerrik.

The relatives of the injured, who went to the hospital to visit the wounded friends, saw that they were not assisted by the medical staff, meanwhile that three of the injured were treated.

One of the relatives said that the medical staff of the military hospital, in conversations with relatives of the injured persons, had hinted at payment on their side.

According to the sources near the injured people, these facts irritated the persons, who later entered the hospital and maltreated the medical staff of the military hospital. /pas/kei/mt/k

[11] COMMANDER OF SPANISH TROOPS VISITS PUKA

The Mayor of Puka, Halit Furriku, briefed him of the situation in the district and the measures underway for the arrival of the humanitatrian aid from CE and other international organizations.

The commander Alvares said that "we have come here to see the measures your have adopted for the delivery of humanitarian aid to be brought to this district soon. Our main task is that the aid reaches the destination."

He also said that after requests made by the prefect of Shkoder to control the road Shkoder-Puke because of the thefts made there recently, they were going to start patrolling in that segment of the road soon. ake/kei/xh/k

[12] GUARD OF REPUBLIC CONSIDERS UNACCEPTABLE THE INCIDENT CAUSED BY GROUP OF MILITARY MEN

A large group of armed people, escorted by two armoured vehicles, entered forcefully on Sunday the grounds of this hospital. These persons, very irritated, due to the very grave health situation of their relatives, one of whom died yesterday, have maltreated the military guardmen on service, the deputy director of the hospital, Gezim Huqi, as well as several doctors and nurses.

The Commander of the Guard of the Republic, begging pardon to the medical staff of the hospital, explains in its report that the incident has happened only by the deep trouble for the bad situation of the injured friends and relatives.

"The Commander of the Guard of the Republic assures that such incidents will be never repeated in the future," ends the report.

Five persons from the effective of special forces died last Friday and eight others were injured, in a gunfight with armed gangs in Cerrik. /a.ke/kei/mt/Z/

[13] DANGER OF EXPLOSION OF AMMUNITION DEPOT AVOIDED IN LEZHE

Mayor Martin Gjini, Chief of Civil Protection of the Republic for the district, said that within three days the specialists of the Defence Ministry, in cooperation with the effective of the military unit no 4.340, made possible the removal of 30 tonne missiles and mines from this depot, whose roof had fallen down on the cases of ammunition due to the explosion of another depot at the end of March this year.

He added that the specialists realized the detachment of this roof from the ammunition through a mechanic lifting jack, and later evaded the ammunition in the tunnels of Gryke-Manati.

15 houses were destroyed, and 81 others were damaged in March due to the explosion of some 200 mines in Gryke-Manati. The amount of damages reached in 27 million leks. Seven peasants were also injured during this explosion. /a.ke/kei/mt/Z

[14] SERBIAN TRIAL IN PRISTINE AGAINST 20 ALBANIANS HAS NO EVIDENCE AND NUMBER OF INTERNATIONAL OBSERVERS HAS INCREASED

Although the public Serbian prosecutor was confronted with lack of evidence, he did not change anything from the act-accuse for terrorism.

The attorneys asked the prosecutor to bring respective material evidence. After this request, the trial was interrupted for three hours, until the Serbian prosecutor found the "evidence". They consisted of 4 boxes filled up with papers, magazines and familiar photos.

Most of them, as the attorneys and the participants in the hall noticed, belonged to the years 60-70 when the accused for terrorism were not born. No weapon was brought in the court room, which according to the act-accuse was found in the houses of the accused during the raid.

The above trial continues even during the afternoon. A lot of citizens were also gathered in front of the court building to express their solidarity with the accused persons. /jz/mt/Z/

[15] SITUATION IN THE CITY OF VLORE

Meanwhile, many multinational forces patrolling in the city seem to be rather indifferent towards this massive disorder.

Last night, unidentified people have opened fire against a woman in her home. Unconfirmed sources say that she was the mother of one of the former nemagers of the firm "Cene" (a similar name with that of the company Cenaj,) which collapsed more than a year ago. It seems that the woman was hit by mistake instead of her son. ake/jz/xh/Z

[16] PLANES THAT BROUGHT BELGIAN DOCTORS IN GJIROKASTER BELONGED TO "ALBA"

On Saturday, two planes landed in the airfield of the city of Gjirokaster. Right after this, numerous bullets were fired and some armed civilians on private vehicles made for the arifield, acts which forced the planes to leave very soon in order to avoid any possible confrontation.

"No plane or helicopter of the Defence Ministry or the Army has flown to Gjirokaster yesterday," Albanian Defence Ministry said. ake/jz/xh/Z

[17] ASSEMBLY OF ITALIAN ENTREPRENEURS IN ALBANIA TO CONVENE SOON

This association, which was established a year ago and served to the strengthening of cooperation between the Italian and Albanian entrepreneurs, aims at setting up a constructive dialogue with the Albanian authorities.

Considering the current situation, in the meeting will be discussed on the role that the foreign entrepreneurs can play to contribute in animation of the Albanian economy. For this reason, invited to participate in this meeting are also representatives of the Albanian government, representatives of the Italian entrepreneurs and other countries, as well as representatives of financial institutions in Albania. /a.ke/jz/mt/Z/

[18] LEKA ZOGU MEETS WITH INHABITANTS OF GRAMSH

"I live for an ethnic Albania in our old Illyria and Dardania territories," he declared before those present.

Sympathizers of Zogu chanted during the rally for the King with their fingers in L-form and approved his messages for understanding and peace.

In the mean time, a few time before Leka Zogu arrived, some youngsters fired bullets into the air and threw some bombs in distance.

Anyhow, the visit of Leka Zogu to Gramsh may be considered successful at a time when almost no police function in the town. After the rally, a cocktail was given for the sympathizers of the monarchy and various intellectuals. ake/xh

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