Albanian Telegraphic Agency (ATA), 97-07-23

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

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

CONTENTS

[01] ARMED PERSONS GRAB EMIGRANTS RETURNED TO ALBANIA

[02] KILLER OF TWO EMIGRANT BROTHERS BURIED UNIDENTIFIED

[03] FIRST SESSION OF NEW PARLIAMENT TO START TODAY

[04] GREEK POLICE CONTINUE TO RETURN ALBANIAN EMIGRANTS

[05] ONE WOUNDED BY WEAPONS TRADED IN ALBANIAN-MACEDONIAN BORDER

[06] ARMED PERSONS SHOOT AT A CAR KILLING THREE, WOUNDING ONE

[07] ALBANIAN PRESS ON ARMAMENTS LOOTING IN GJIROKASTRA

[08] ALBANIAN PRESIDENT BERISHA RESIGNS

[09] POLICEMAN KILLED DUE TO ARMED ATTACK ON POLICE COMMISSARIAT IN MALESI E MADHE

[10] FIVE VICTIMS IN DURRES

[11] PROTEST OF DP BRANCH IN LAC

[12] "HEAD" OF GRAMSH KILLED BY UNIDENTIFIED PERSONS

[13] SOCIALIST PARTY LEADING COMMITTEE ADOPTS MAIN STATE CANDIDACIES

[14] PRESS REVIEW

[15] FOUR INJURED IN A BID TO PLUNDER IN RURAL ROAD

[16] FIRST SESSION OF 15TH LEGISLATURE OF PEOPLE'S ASSEMBLY STARTS

[17] FIRST SESSION OF 15TH LEGISLATURE OF PEOPLE'S ASSEMBLY STARTS

[18] NEW APPOINTMENTS IN POLICE COMMISSARIAT IN LEZHE

[19] DECLARATION OF DP SECRETARY GENERAL GENC POLLO IN FIRST SITTING OF PEOPLE'S ASSEMBLY

[01] ARMED PERSONS GRAB EMIGRANTS RETURNED TO ALBANIA

Some emigrants said that armed persons stopped them near Jergucat, a village near Gjirokastra, and asked for all the money but they had nothing to give to them because all they had was taken by other persons before.

Officials of the local police commissariat said to Radio Gjirokastra that they cannot guarantee security for emigrants who are passing by this national road. They justify this saying that they do not have fuel for five days. ake/kled/ak/sh/

[02] KILLER OF TWO EMIGRANT BROTHERS BURIED UNIDENTIFIED

Sources of the police commissariat said that the Interior Ministry ordered his burring about 30 hours after he was killed.

A number of inhabitants from the Rajca province were investigated on the identity of the killer but none manage to identify him.

It seemed that he may be an inhabitant of Korca villages because he might know the two brothers he killed while trying to grab them before the intervention of the Alba forces.

The body was buried because the hospital does not have a morgue and out of the fear of a possible infection.

Police of Librazhd said that the Greek forces included in Alba mission which patrolled the national road Librazhd-Pogradec, have killed on Sunday a 35-years-old man and injured another, because both had killed two brothers from Korca on their way home and tried to grab them.

A spokesman of the FMP forces Giovani Bernardi said "Alba forces have not intervened in an exchange of fire but when they approached, the gangs had left." ake/ak/sh/

[03] FIRST SESSION OF NEW PARLIAMENT TO START TODAY

The Socialist party won 78 seat in the June 29 elections under the majority representation and 22 through a proportional one, taking a total of 100 seats in the 155-seat parliament.

The allies of the left coalition won 17 seats and the Democratic party 27.

The previous parliament had 140 deputies, 115 of which were elected through majority representation and 25 through proportional.

The Democratic party has decided on Sunday in its National Assembly not to take part in the first session of the new parliament which will elect parliamentary and government structures.

"We should not be witnesses to and legitimate all the structures both of the government for which we have many disputes and the elite of the parliament," Vili Minarolli, the DP Secretary for Public Relations said. pas/ak/sh/

[04] GREEK POLICE CONTINUE TO RETURN ALBANIAN EMIGRANTS

The Greek special forces joined the police forces, Asfalia, in the massive return of Albanian emigrants from Greece.

Emigrants said to ATA that they felt themselves insulted and humiliated by the brutal behaviour of the Greek police and other segments of the Greek state which are engaged in this action.

A group of emigrants returned from Creta, said that the special forces have brutally treated them at the moment they caught them and during an eight-hour travelling by ferry they were put handcuffs on.

The Greek police said that the motive of the return is the recent attacks of some Albanian gangs against the Greek population along the border with Albania.

A considerable part of the emigrants returned on Tuesday had regular documents to reside, but the police did not take them into consideration and even more they had destroyed the documents.

Total number of emigrants returned recently to Albania from Kakavija check point reached some thousands. ake/kled/ak/sh/

[05] ONE WOUNDED BY WEAPONS TRADED IN ALBANIAN-MACEDONIAN BORDER

Hospital sources in Librazhd said that the wounded Jetmir K. 21, was transported here two days ago by his friends from the border line of Rajca.

The wounded said they had gone carrying two machine guns each to trade them in the nearest village at the border, a very profitable business for the inhabitants of the above mentioned mountainous province whose revenues are below the minimal life standard.

He said that this was the first time he got involved in an illegal business and he was not "lucky" but the immediate intervention of doctors saved his life, ake/ak/sh/

[06] ARMED PERSONS SHOOT AT A CAR KILLING THREE, WOUNDING ONE

They killed the citizen Gazmend Ismaili, inhabitant of Vlora, who is on the run by the police, Artan Kapllani, inhabitant of Durres, sentenced to 19 years of prison for killing but fled the prison, and Lani Kacani, inhabitant of Elbasan, who is also on the run by the police. Another inhabitant from Vlora was lightly injured and was sent to the Military Hospital in Tirana.

Police units and investigators went immediately to the place and controlled the car. They found two machine guns, an offensive grenade and some cartridges.

The Interior Ministry said that neither the victims nor the car with false number plate, have no relation to the Finance Ministry and the escort of the financial minister, as some foreign agencies said, the spokesman said. ake/kled/ak/sh/

[07] ALBANIAN PRESS ON ARMAMENTS LOOTING IN GJIROKASTRA

The newspaper Zeri i Popullit says "15 missiles of laser range and target-locating mechanism, 11 anti-tank and 4 surface-to-air missiles have been stolen" in an article entitled "Missiles stolen."

"15 surface-to-air and surface-to-surface missiles were stolen", the newspaper Rilindja Democratike says. "The modern armaments of the Albanian army are thought to be grabbed and sold in Greece," the paper says. The paper quotes sources from Gjirokastra as saying that "the depot was very secret and military personnel who have worked for years in this area, have not managed to see the armaments which were in stock there."

The newspaper Republika says "15 surface-to-air missiles grabbed" under the headline "Notorious looting of secret arm depot of Arshilenko in Gjirokaster." "Missiles, ignition mechanisms and their beds were grabbed from the arm depot where the missiles of 1995 were installed," the paper reports.

"16 missiles 'flies', Vukaj is a looker-on," the newspaper Albania says under the headline "Modern armaments grabbed from a depot near Gjirokastra." "Motive of looting - a possibility to traffic the armaments," the paper says.

"10 surface-to-surface missiles disappeared," the newspaper Koha Jone says today. "Missiles meet all the technical conditions for a radioactivity within a range of 20 kilometers and they should be held 20 km away from residential areas," the paper says.

"15 Chinese missiles of '95 stolen," the newspaper Dita says. "Biggest looting, endangers the life of Albanians, national loss," the paper says.

"Attack against depots: anti-aircraft missiles stolen," the paper Gazeta Shqiptare says in its fifth page. "Grabbers have disarmed the civil guard and looted armaments," the paper says. kled/ak/k

[08] ALBANIAN PRESIDENT BERISHA RESIGNS

[09] POLICEMAN KILLED DUE TO ARMED ATTACK ON POLICE COMMISSARIAT IN MALESI E MADHE

"This attack on the building of this commissariat, said the spokesman, is result of a quarrel that armed persons in a police vehicle with false number plate, have made with the policemen of a police road-block of this commissariat. The armed persons were presented as officials of the Tirana Police Department, cheating with the aim to avoid the control of this road-block," says the announcement.

After the policemen of this road-block did not allow them to pass the armed persons went back and in a few minutes they returned and attacked the building of the police commissariat. /kei/mt/

[10] FIVE VICTIMS IN DURRES

Sources of the district prosecutor's office confess that for revenge motives, in the village Sallmone of the town hall of Shijak, someone killed three persons: Gjergj Meshkurti, 59, Frrok Meshkurti, 49, and their relative Liza Meshkurti, 45.

The author of the crime, who fled away, has been identified by the police forces, who are working to detain him.

The same sources also report that on the same day in a quarter of Durres the citizen N. Kabashi, 16, was killed.

A child was also drawned in the Erzen river. /s.sh/kei/mt/

[11] PROTEST OF DP BRANCH IN LAC

Both young men have been found dead in very mysterious circumstances, on Monday by 20:30.

The Democratic Party denounces the murder of the young man Fufi, outstanding activist of the DP branch of Lac, as a murder totally political.

The DP branch of Lac, stresses that this murder is committed in the course of the line of the political elimination of DPA, its members and supporters, drafted by the left extremist forces, applied by their ordinary levers. /kei/mt/k

[12] "HEAD" OF GRAMSH KILLED BY UNIDENTIFIED PERSONS

According to the sources of the Elbasan police, the incident is may be connected with the kidnapping of a 17-year old girl, in the early hours of the day in the presence of her parents in the market of Gramsh.

After this act, which was committed by some armed persons, the girl was sent to the victim Coha, who together with another girl and his two friends, moved in the evening towards Cerrik along the old road of the lake by a vehicle "Fuoristrada".

From the ambush, organized by the unknown persons near Banje, only one of the three friends managed to escape, who informed later the families regarding the event, meanwhile that no reports are available from the police regarding the fate of the girls. /a.ke/kei/mt/k

[13] SOCIALIST PARTY LEADING COMMITTEE ADOPTS MAIN STATE CANDIDACIES

After the approval of the state structure by the majority of votes, the committee concluded that Rexhep Mejdani will be the coming President of Albania and Fatos Nano the coming Prime Minister.

The SP Leading Committee decided through consensus that on the basis of the constitutional provisions, the Prime Minister must be charged with the creation of the government cabinet.

In the discussions which continued four hours, SP, which holds the burden of governing the country from the people's vote on June 29, presented the structure of the Parliament and in general lines the program of the governing in order to take the country out of the present crisis.

SP sources report that the candidacy of Namik Dokle was adopted for the post of the deputy parliament speaker and that of Pandeli Majko as chairman of the SP Parliamentary Group. Many parliamentary commissions will be directed by opposition parties, hence on of them, that of defence, will be directed by the Democratic Party. kei/xh/k

[14] PRESS REVIEW

"The Parliament of hope" reports Zeri i Popullit. "June 29 polls were the only possibility and chance of Albanians to put an end to the most obscure periods in the history of the Albanian people," reports the paper.

"Today the parliament of gangs", reports Rilindja Demokratike under the headline "The clock of the state of Kallashnikov-s starts. The clock of Albania is turned 6 years behind."

"The real opposition will miss in baptizing with volley of shots of the most degenerated parliament of the world," underlines the paper.

"The opposition: Ilegitimate deputies far from the high structures of the state," reports the paper on the third page.

"The parliament of hope" is the editorial of Republika. "The urgent task of the Parliament is to draft the Constitution of Albania," reports the paper.

"Moment of responsibility for the Albanian policy," reports the Rilindja paper. "Despite the different stands for the first day of the convening of the Parliament, all the political forces in Albania consider its meeting a very important event which will open the way to putting into work of the Albanian institutions," underlines the paper.

"The People's Assembly will be opened today, remembering more than ever his old number," says the editorial of Albania. "Berisha, far from the bog," reports the paper under the headline "Today, the first day of the Parliament' proceedings".

"The parliament of challenges," reports the Koha Jone paper. "While the socialists did not accept the results of May 26, the democrats do the contrary, despite the justification "for the sake of the national interests', reports the paper. "America in Parliament, Berisha abandons the hall", reports the paper on the fifth page.

"Let God bless the youths not to repeat the mistakes of the old men and not to fall into the trap of the glutton for money and power", says the editorial of Dita newspaper entitled "Let God..." "Today the new parliament's legislature: democrats will be missing", the paper writes in its second page under the title "Statement of protest under the name of DP group".

"Today the parliament without Berisha and DP", Gazeta Shqiptare reports. "The parliament starts, but without the new opposition", the paper writes in its second page. In its third page the newspaper under the headline "Demi uncovers the political plan of the party. We will boycott the other sittings, too", reports :"DP: we will miss in the parliament for a long time".

ZP also reports: "EU: the aid ready". "300 millions USD for the Albanian economy ", the paper writes under the headline "The World Bank unblocks funds for Albania and promises other projects".

"Nano pays the SP victory with antiaircraft shells", RD reports under the headline "'The great treachery' goes on in the Defence Ministry".

"Within 72 hours the government will be ready", Republika writes.

Rilindja carries the article "The international factor entered the game".

"The Greek policy is scolding the socialist chairman and probable prime minister Fatos Nano", Albania reports. "The right forces, in a joint group", the paper writes too.

"Berisha steps down", Koha Jone reports. "The World Bank: how one can escape the collapse", is the title of another article.

"15 Chinese antiaircraft shells of '95 stolen", Dita reports. In its second page the paper writes: "SP discusses the government candidatures".

"Unemployment restarts frightening", Gazeta Shqiptare reports on its economics heading. /kled/kei/mt/

[15] FOUR INJURED IN A BID TO PLUNDER IN RURAL ROAD

The clash has happened about a kilometer far from the village of Rexhepaj, w hen a group of people from the villages of the zone of Tollovisht were coming ba ck home from Prizeren.

The vehicle with which they were travelling was suddenly shot by machine guns, and due to this four people were injured. /a.ke/kei/mt/k

[16] FIRST SESSION OF 15TH LEGISLATURE OF PEOPLE'S ASSEMBLY STARTS

The deputies held a minute silence for the recent victims, sons and daughters of this people, inside and beyond state borders of Albania, in Kosove, Tetove, Gostivar and wherever Albanians are living.

The Socialist Party described today's beginning of the Parliament as" a marked day, a hope for all Albanians."

In the opening sitting, also present was the diplomatic corps accredited to the Republic of Albania.

After the execution of the National Anthem, the opening address was submitted by Mr Dritero Agolli, who hailed the opening of the session in the name of 10 oldest deputies of the Parliament.

Deputy of Democratic Party, Genc Pollo, wanted to take the floor to read a declaration and since he was not allowed to read it by the sitting leader, Agolli, he left the hall, at a time when other democrat deputies did not appear in the hall of the People's Assembly, resolute to boycott the sessions when "illegitimate deputies will be elected to the highest state structures."

Then, the 9-member-commission for the verification of the mandates and deputy immunity was elected.

At this, today's sitting of the People's Assembly ended. The next sitting starts on July 24, at 9.30 a.m. ake/kei/xh/k

[17] FIRST SESSION OF 15TH LEGISLATURE OF PEOPLE'S ASSEMBLY STARTS

The deputies held a minute silence for the recent victims, sons and daughters of this people, inside and beyond state borders of Albania, in Kosove, Tetove, Gostivar and wherever Albanians are living.

The Socialist Party described today's beginning of the Parliament as "a marked day, a hope for all Albanians."

In the opening sitting, also present was the diplomatic corps accredited to the Republic of Albania.

After the execution of the National Anthem, the opening address was submitted by Mr Dritero Agolli, who hailed the opening of the session in the name of 10 oldest deputies of the Parliament.

Deputy of Democratic Party, Genc Pollo, wanted to take the floor to read a declaration and since he was not allowed to read it by the sitting leader, Agolli, he left the hall, at a time when other democrat deputies did not appear in the hall of the People's Assembly, resolute to boycott the sessions when "illegitimate deputies will be elected to the highest state structures."

Then, the 9-member-commission for the verification of the mandates and deputy immunity was elected.

At this, today's sitting of the People's Assembly ended. The next sitting starts on July 24, at 9.30 a.m.

Outside the hall of the People's Assembly, the DP Secretary General, Genc Pollo made a declaration which said among others that "June 29 elections came as an international imposed and accepted solution for Albania. They stained the fundamental institution of any democracy, the free vote and registered the undeserved victory of rebellion over democracy." The present absence of democrat deputies, Mr Pollo, described it as "a protest against violence and revenge, it will remind all the Albanians and the international community of the fact that Albanian fragile democracy merits more care, more attention, because the threat to it today is more prominent and more real than ever. This decision of ours proves of our political determination to defend democracy and develop it." ake/kei/xh/k

[18] NEW APPOINTMENTS IN POLICE COMMISSARIAT IN LEZHE

Captain Luigj Alia is replaced by Major Vlash Cacurri, former chief of public order in Pogradec. Also the chief of the criminal police, sub-colonel Arjan Bajraktari, is replaced by captain Nikolin Bala, former chief of the police commissariat in Shkoder.

A source of the police commissariat of this district said these two ex-chiefs have left their posts at their will. xh/k

[19] DECLARATION OF DP SECRETARY GENERAL GENC POLLO IN FIRST SITTING OF PEOPLE'S ASSEMBLY

Ladies and gentlemen,

This day, which marks the beginning of the proceedings of this People's Assembly follows whole months of organized violence and then of an armed uprising, which aimed at hitting Albania, Albanian democracy and the Democratic Party.

The previous months have registered the killing of democrats, torching of town-halls and other state institutions, storming of banks and looting of others' enterprises and properties, as an effort of the communist opposition to take the power through the spirit of Leninist revolution.

The polls of June 29 "came as an international imposed and accepted solution for Albania. They stained the fundamental institution of any democracy, the free vote and marked the undeserved victory of rebellion over democracy."

Naturally, neither international observers nor anyone else in the world can accept them as free and fair. Moreover, as they stress, the elections in Albania were several times worse than those in Bosnia-Herzegovina or in Eastern Slavonia. DP considers invalid and illegitimate the mandate of the socialist deputies in the zones of rebels' committees where they, through the violence of weapons, prevented the electoral contest of the candidates and alternatives.

But, putting above everything the country's interests, and wanting to contribute to Albania's coming out of the crisis, the Democratic Party accepts the polls outcome in general and is committed to be an opposition loyal to the country, the constitutional principles and the values of democracy.

Additionally, we will be constructive to reach that which Albania and the Albanians do urgently need, the restitution of law and order and stabilization of macroeconomy. But we denounce the massive and programmed fraud by the Socialist Party chairman that he will return the creditors all the money they lost in failed pyramid investment schemes, a deceipt used to win the polls.

Our great commitment is to preserve and develop democracy in Albania. We are completely determined to do everything so that:

the desecration of Albanian democracy in the first half of this year be not only put an end but also be never repeated;

the armed rebellion against legitimate constitutional institutions be a closed page in the Albanian history;

the people be not intimidated while taking part in elections and that their voting be free;

the coming elections be not considered "sui generis" by their monitors;

the parliament be not an institution of Kalashnikovs, a parliament without legitimacy and moral authority;

the communist revenge, which has now resorted to killings, threats for vengeance and purging, be not allowed;

the warned devaluation of values of democracy and achievements of the market economy happens no more;

the highest levels of the state do not project any longer deputies without a legal mandate and with a past stained figure;

To this end, the DPA has decided that its deputies will not accept the deputy mandate until another moment.

Our absence here today is a protest against violence and revenge, it will remind all Albanians and the international community of the fact that Albanian fragile democracy merits more care, more attention, because the threat to it today is more prominent and more imminent than ever. This decision of ours proves of our political determination to defend democracy and develop it."

It is not a boycott as a permanent instrument of the policy of tragic consequences for the country that the Socialist Party applied last year.

Our absence here today is also an expression of the legitimate revolt of the democrats in Albania and outside it who feel themselves offended and brokenhearted by injustices.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Leaving you to continue with the declared procedures and schemes for the division of posts, I am going assuring you once more that the Democratic Party is not only a responsible force, but also resolute to further defend the principles and values of Albanian democracy and civilization. xh

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