Albanian Telegraphic Agency (ATA), 97-08-01

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

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

CONTENTS

[01] ALBANIAN PRESIDENT RECEIVES GREETING MESSAGES

[02] WORLD BANK DELIVERS GREETING MESSAGE TO ALBANIA PREMIER

[03] DEMOCRATIC PARTY OPPOSES DECISION ON CLOSING COURTS

[04] HOSPITAL STAFF PROTESTS AGAINST VIOLENCE

[05] PRESS REVIEW

[06] ONE KILLED, FIVE INJURED IN SHKODER

[07] NEW CHIEF OF POLICE COMMISSARIAT OF LEZHE APPOINTED

[08] RECONSTRUCTION OF PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE - NECESSITY AGAINST INCREASING REPRESSION OF CRIMINALITY

[09] NEW SQUARE OF DURRES INAUGURATED

[10] ALBANIAN MINISTER OF JUSTICE MEETS U.S. AMBASSADRESS IN TIRANA

[11] EMERGENCY CORPS OF MALTA ORDER ACCORDS 125 000 DM TO ALBANIA

[12] ELECTORS OF CONSTITUENCY 22 IN MAMURRAS TO VOTE AGAIN

[13] CONSOLIDATION OF LEK AGAINST FOREIGN CURRENCIES SHOWS CRISIS OF BELIEF OF THE PEOPLE IS OVER - News conference of Governor of Albania's Bank -

[14] ALBANIAN MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE MEETS WB REPRESENTATIVES

[01] ALBANIAN PRESIDENT RECEIVES GREETING MESSAGES

President of the Federal Republic of Germany, Roman Herzog sent a message to Mejdani wishing him for his election to the post of president and assured that Germany even in the future will back Albania's efforts to establish democracy, rule of law and market economy.

In his message, the Director for Albania, Croatia and Central Asia at the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, Mr Hartman, wished Mejdani for his election at the highest post of the President of the Republic and assured him that the Bank group will be further engaged in economic development and Albania's revival.

Prof Dr Mejdani has received a greeting telegram from the President of the Republic of Korea, Kim Young Sam.

Parliamentary party presidency of Kosova, in its message, expressed its belief that Albania will be revived soon and will restore dignity and national proud. kei/ak/k

[02] WORLD BANK DELIVERS GREETING MESSAGE TO ALBANIA PREMIER

"We are happy for the creation of a new government resulting from the recent elections and understand that now you are assuming this responsibility, You and your cabinet will face very difficult challenges," the message said.

Hartman stressed that the World Bank will continue its commitment for Albania's economic development and revival and expressed the readiness of its leading staff to help Albanian officials in these challenging circumstances.

After mentioning the fruitful talks between Nano and regional deputy director of the World Bank, Johanes Lin, in Rome this week, Hartman expressed his readiness to continue dialogue with the Albanian government and Prime minister Nano.

He said that on his first visit in Albania which will happen soon, he wants to meet with Albanian prime minister to consider issues of mutual interest aiming at deciding together on what the World Bank can do for Albania's revival.

Hartman affirmed that the department he is leading and the World Bank's permanent mission in Albania will closely cooperate with the members of the Albanian cabinet to help start a new sound government program. ssh/kled/ak/

[03] DEMOCRATIC PARTY OPPOSES DECISION ON CLOSING COURTS

"This action is an unprecedented attack on the independence of courts and judiciary in general," the statement said.

The DP considered this act a flagrant intervention of the executive power over the judiciary. It warned the Albanian lawyers, Council of Europe, OSCE, high courts of the E.U. member countries, that after this anti constitutional act hides a dangerous aim of the new government officials to retaliate against the reformed judiciary and to turn it into an obedient instrument of the ruling party, as it has been during the dictatorship.

"Minister Kondi ordered obliged vacations for lawyers and suspension of legal proceedings to cleanse the judiciary, as in all the state administration. Replacing lawyers, which worked with devotion and honesty to carry out the law, with people loyal to the SP, implicated in genocide against the Albanian people, is a warning of the Albanian communist revanche against democracy and its values," the DP statement concluded. ssh/pas/ak/k

[04] HOSPITAL STAFF PROTESTS AGAINST VIOLENCE

The recent case was when armed civilians maltreated hospital staff and terrorised patients last weekend.

"Through this statement, we address the departments of police, public order and local government as well as the deputy of this area, the prime minister Fatos Nano to create normal working conditions in this institution," the hospital director Lefter Nano said.

Violence and terror forced the only surgeon in the hospital to leave for Greece for two months and now after his return he should have appropriate conditions to stay and work. ssh/kei/ak

[05] PRESS REVIEW

Under the headline "Conference of Rome ended successfully: Total engagement of international community to help Albania," the newspaper Zeri i Popullit says "West gives vote of confidence to Nano and government." The paper covers the meeting of the Albanian premier with the leader of the Italian left-wing Massimo D'Alema and join press conference of Dini, Nano and Vranitzky. It carries the conclusions of the International Conference of Rome.

Rilindja Demokratike says "Rome conference, nothing concrete on aid. 11 conditions by the international community. In its editorial the paper says that the West reevaluated the irreplaceable role of Berisha and the Democratic party in the process of Albania's integration in Europe and in all other international structures. The paper says that Vranitzky has asked the SP to dissolve gangs.

Republika carries the editorial "Nano, October and cross road of changes," with the subtitle "Roma, support and conditions for Tirana." The paper says that the Republican leader and the head of the parliamentary Foreign Commission, Sabri Godo has said in Italy that Alba should be replaced with NATO forces.

Rilindja says "Government gains international vote of confidence in Rome."

Albania says "'Nano 3' does not gain confidential vote in Rome," and "Prodi: Nano, how can you return the money?". The paper carries the editorial "Italy closes doors to Nano."

Koha Jone reports on the conference for Albania: "Rome: No money until Fall," and "Western jealousy in Rome for U.S." The paper carries the editorial: "Albania in bench-test."

Dita says "New government does not gain a confidential vote everywhere and "Europe 'opens the bag' of promises." The paper carries the editorial "Phrases from Rome."

Gazeta Shqiptare says that the Rome meeting discussed at length on weapons which according to newspaper, will be collected by special units "maybe by buying ..." The paper says "Nano in Rome: I found money."

Pasqyra says "Europe: O.K. Nano!"

Among important themes covered by today's press is the approval of amendments to the law on the status of the leading council of the Albanian Radio Television according to which this council will have an extra 10 members, that is, 21 members in all. kei/ak/k

[06] ONE KILLED, FIVE INJURED IN SHKODER

Sources of the Shkoder police commissariat report that today by 9:00 in the morning at the bridge of Bune an armed person shot against a group of several people and due to this Mark Iksica, 47, from Oblike village was killed and five other persons were injured, two of them are in a grave situation. /kei/mt/sh/

[07] NEW CHIEF OF POLICE COMMISSARIAT OF LEZHE APPOINTED

The Interior Minister, Neritan Ceka, and the State Secretary in the Interior Ministry, Ndre Legisi, appointed in the post of the chief of police commissariat of Lezhe Mayor Pjerin Ndreu.

Ndreu, after working for some times as chief of police commissariat of Mirdite, recently he was leading official in the police commissariat of Lezhe.

After the appointment he said that the priorities of his work will be the fulfillment of the conditions of the police officers and keeping high the spirit of the effective to respond to the situation.

According to him, the reorganization of the commissariat on professional basis will be followed by an operative study on the situation of criminality and measures of the fight against it. The situation in the port of Shengjin will be also restored, putting under the protection of the police all its activity.

Over the last three months, in the district of Lezhe are registered 67 murders by fire weapons and 272 injuries./mt/sh/

[08] RECONSTRUCTION OF PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE - NECESSITY AGAINST INCREASING REPRESSION OF CRIMINALITY

Imami stressed the necessity for the reconstruction of the institutions, mainly of the prosecutor's office, demanding institutional and long-term solutions.

Attending the meeting, along with Imami, Ceka and Kondi, was also the chairman of the Constitutional Court, Avni Shehu, as well as juridical counselors of the President and the Prime Minister.

Considering order an uninterrupted link from the juridical system and jails, the Interior Minister, Ceka, pointed out as urgent the coordination of work. "The prosecutor's office, alleged to be independent, said Ceka, has been instrumented as a political mean, and has been a trust connected with criminality and sunk into corruption. That's why, he added, a juridical solution is needed".

The counselor of the President for the juridical problems, Kristaq Traja, said that "perversity has been noticed in the prosecutor's office, adding that these bodies cannot belong to different systems."

"Who has to be responsible for the repression of the crime?" asked Mr Traja, seeing in such position the Ministry of Justice and the General Prosecutor's Office./kled/mt/sh/

[09] NEW SQUARE OF DURRES INAUGURATED

Attending the ceremony were officials of local government, deputies, military of the French and Danish battalion, which contributed in the framework of "Alba" mission for the construction of this square, inhabitants of the town, and others.

There was also the ambassador of the French Republic in Albania, Patrick Christmant.

The chairman of the district council, Mehdi Tatani, thanked the French and Danish battalion for the aid offered, digging up 1100 cube meters earth and lifting up 10 bunkers of Enver Hoxha's period within a short period of time. He mentioned the work of the other foreign units in the square in front of the soccer stadium.

The French ambassador, Christmant, greeted in the ceremony. He, accompanied by the local and military authorities of France and Denmark, put a wreath in the mausoleum of the district. At the end he unveiled the memorable stone of the square, where it is stressed the contribution given by the French and Danish troops for the construction of this square./kled/mt/sh/

[10] ALBANIAN MINISTER OF JUSTICE MEETS U.S. AMBASSADRESS IN TIRANA

The U.S. ambassadress was interested to know about the current situation of the justice system and the aims in the future.

Minister Kondi, after making a description of the current justice system, said that our aim is to have an independent, unbiassed juridical system, with qualified and uncorrupted judges. This system, he said further on, will be depended on the law and based on the professional criteria.

Ambassadress Lino expressed the readiness of the U.S. government to help in special fields of the juridical system of Albania. She said that "The confidence of democracy on the people depend on the justice given to them." /s.sh/kled/mt/sh/

[11] EMERGENCY CORPS OF MALTA ORDER ACCORDS 125 000 DM TO ALBANIA

This aid, which includes medicaments, surgical instruments, laboratory materials, is planed to be given to the hospitals of Burrel, Bajram Curri, Puke, Rreshen, as well as to 2 hospitals of Tirana.

After ten days, underlined the above sources, it is expected another humanitarian aid in the framework of ECOM, worth 75 000 DM. /kled/mt/sh/

[12] ELECTORS OF CONSTITUENCY 22 IN MAMURRAS TO VOTE AGAIN

After a complaint of the Socialist Party, addressed to the Constitutional Court, which claimed that irregularities and manipulations have been noticed during the June 29 polls, this decided the repetition of the elections in this constituency between the Sp candidate Gezim Dika, and the DP candidate, Pal Dajci.

The Electoral Commission of the constituency 22 defined as winner the candidate of the Democratic Party, Pal Dajci, with 5860 votes or 50.54 per cent of the votes against the SP candidate, Gezim Dika, who won 3820 votes. /pas/mt/sh/

[13] CONSOLIDATION OF LEK AGAINST FOREIGN CURRENCIES SHOWS CRISIS OF BELIEF OF THE PEOPLE IS OVER - News conference of Governor of Albania's Bank -

"If we judge on the basis of figures, the about 60 per cent increase of the money in circulation, the deficit of 25.6 billion lek, the monetary basis increased about 45.7 per cent, the trade deficit of 149 million dollars, the forecast that the transfers and incomes from these transfers will be reduced almost to half, all these are pressures which influence on the lek and its devaluation," said Mr Tusha. He said that in these conditions, the valuation of lek is a consequence of only one "psychological factor," a "shocking of the market," an "exaggerated movement" and it can by no means have any economic basis.

"The Central Bank has during all this period been following the currency market and has interfered whenever the market has been shocked or in cases of speculations," said Tusha. "When faced with figures which cannot be argued econonomically, it interferes to stabilize the market at acceptable levels in order not to have successive fluctuations or great fluctuations in a day," said Tusha.

The real level of the exchange rate of lek and dollar is 1 dollar for 150 lek, according to Tusha.

He confirmed that recently lek is being deposited in banks as a result of the bank's policy which helps depositors economically through higher interest rates for their savings.

He said that second level banks have been ruined regarding documents and money abuses (about 1.2 billion lek taken in cash,) but the greatest damage is made to the creditors and their productive activity.

With regard to the putting into circulation of new issued money, Tusha said that this is going on conformed to a plan made two years ago and is related neither with the new elections nor with other recent events, which could not be envisaged two years ago.

Tusha said that the Central Bank has not sources to return the creditors the money they lost in pyramid investment schemes, adding that the bank carries out its functions according to the law.

In response to a question on the possibilities for money laundering, Tusha said that the Central Bank will never allow in Albania the application of a banking system for money laundrring or any speculation with the money market. He added that to this end, the Central Bank will supervise the second level banks according to a regulation which controls the origin of the money and its transfer or drawing.

Asked whether he had any knowledge about 50 million dollars put in the market in order to preserve the value of lek, Tusha said that the Central Bank has not any official information about such a thing. "Not every foreign currency in Albania passes through the state bank. We speak of those indeces which are officially obtained," said Tusha. xh/sh/

[14] ALBANIAN MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE MEETS WB REPRESENTATIVES

The representatives of the World Bank suggested the establishment of a National Council for the forests, which will follow this project.

They pointed out particular aspects of the project, which has already begun to be implemented now.

Some 22 million dollars, of which 8,5 millions are grant of the Italian government, have been injected for the project of the communal forests within five years.

The adoption of this project by the Albanian party is followed by the General Department of Forests and the Institute of Forests' Research and Pastures./s.sh/kled/mt/sh/

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