Albanian Telegraphic Agency (ATA), 98-02-19

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

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

CONTENTS

[01] Press review

[02] (Press...2)

[03] Press review (3)

[04] Greece committed to drafting Albanian constitution

[05] DP tries to separate local government from central one, official

[06] National Unity leader visits emigrants to discuss legalization

[07] Ex-president Alia recovering from heart surgery

[08] Italy provides Albanian hospitals with new medical equipment

[09] Albanian soccer manager dies

[10] Dossier on event in Milot should have been more complete - Judge

[11] New draft regulation of Albanian Parliament

[12] Italy interested in development of economic reform in Albania

[13] Three people attempt to explode a TNT army depot

[14] Tirane expects demonstration of good will from Belgrade

[01] Press review

The daily Koha Jone reports that parliament has received a request for lifting Hajdari's immunity and deputies will vote this. This paper quotes the sources of the prosecutor's office as saying that "He led the armed group in Milot, thus he should undergo investigation."

Zeri Popullit says "Prosecutor's office: deprive Hajdari of his immunity" and "Prosecutor's request is put on agenda of parliament."

Gazeta Shqiptare reports "Hajdari under investigation. Prosecutor urges his immunity be removed." It says that new charges have come out showing that Hajdari has been involved in events of Ura Vajgurore.

Albania says that "parliament and government of bandits asked for imprisonment of the December leader, Azem Hajdari," while the daily Rilindja Demokratike reports that "the state of crime asks for Hajdari's imprisonment." ake/ak/

(more)

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[02] (Press...2)

Dita Informacion cites Meidani as saying that "The only ideology was that of the human rights and freedoms".

Shekulli quotes Meidani as saying:"The contribution of the youth is necessary".

Rilindja Demokratike, referring to this meeting, says:"Meidani ignores the February movement".

The papers also report on yesterday's interpellation of the Secretary of State for Local Government, Lush Perpali.

Koha Jone quotes Perpali to declare that "elections will be held in 15 town-halls and communes, as their ongoing leaders have quitted office".

Zeri i Popullit refers to Perpali's statement that "DP is trying to separate the local government from the central one".

Shekulli says that Perpali has asked local government elections and that "DP is sabotaging the local government's work". /a.ke/lm/ (more)

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[03] Press review (3)

The daily Koha Jone reports under the title "Italian convention in an Albanian hotel," on a conference "for a new development of foreign investments in Albania" which started on Wednesday in Tirana Hotel with the participation of 200 Italian representatives.

The daily Zeri i Popullit carries an article "Albania, priority for Italian investors," quoting statements of many personalities attending the conference.

Gazeta Shqiptare says: "Conference on stimulation of foreign investments in Albania gathers investors and state officials. Italians show where the work is going wrong." The same daily says that the foreigners have said that "they want laws and guarantees, because these are the conditions for investments." It says "Italians see positive signals from the government, but local red tape continues to be an obstacle."

Shekulli reports on the conference saying "Italian interest for Albania is increasing and the participants say that the new strategy of privatisation, necessary improvements to the legal framework, restructuring of banking system will stimulate foreign investments in Albania."

Dita Informacion says "Italian investors speak" and quotes the minister of Economy and Privatisation, Ylli Bufi, saying "Foreign capital is the element of stability."

Rilindja Demokratike reports on this conference saying that "after the anarchy, Italy asks for guarantee." ake/ak/

(end)

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[04] Greece committed to drafting Albanian constitution

In this relation, the Greek embassy reported on a visit to Albania by Euro-deputy and Professor of Constitutional Law Dimitris Tsatsos.

"The aim of the visit is to help with the procedures of drafting an Albanian constitution," the Greek embassy said at a news conference on Wednesday.

Tsatsos is one of the best connoisseur of the constitutional law who has also drafted the Greek constitution in 1974.

Tsatsos has been familiarised with the previous Albanian drafts and constitutions and will help with the new draft. During the visit he will meet all Albanian senior authorities, the opposition and specialists of the constitutional law.

Tsatsos has been invited to Albania by the co-chairmen of the Constitution Drafting Parliamentary Commission, Imami and Godo, and will stay in Albania for four days. /lm/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[05] DP tries to separate local government from central one, official

"These efforts, like the attitudes of some town halls for the liberation holiday, are illegal," Perpali said.

He added that the government coalition founded after the parliamentary elections on June 29 had cooperated with the local government and tried to complete the legal framework for the latter.

He recalled that the work for a new package of laws for local government was underway and the conditions for the signing of the European Charter on the Autonomy of local government were met.

As measures to help normalize the situation he mentioned the replacement of 85 per cent of secretaries of town halls and communes and a meeting of December '97 attended by head of town halls and communes and secretaries on current problems.

"The coalition government found the local government in a difficult state due to wrong governing and destructions," Perpali said.

However, he said, problems were born earlier because the investments for the local government had been increasingly reduced after 1992 while during 1995-1996 the state had not released any fund.

Later, the Secretary of State said that only in the second half of 1997, the state accorded 160 million leks for the local government, while the state budget for 1998 has earmarked 265 million leks and the World Bank 900 thousand dollars.

Dashamir Kamberi, Albanian deputy, had asked Perpali to be present in parliament and reply to the deputy's questions. ssh/mima/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[06] National Unity leader visits emigrants to discuss legalization

The emigrants expressed their concern about the delays and problems they are facing in the process of legalization and asked for a greater support from the Albanian political parties.

The meeting stressed the need of uniting the emigrants in a unique organisation free of political stripes, which will aim at defending their rights and keeping close contacts with the motherland.

Actually, there are some organisations of the Albanian emigrants in Greece such as "Vellazerimi". "Gjergj Kastrioti", "Arberia", "Friendly league with Albanian workers".

So far they have failed to find a common language for joining a unique organisation despite efforts. s.s/mima/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[07] Ex-president Alia recovering from heart surgery

Former Albanian communist president Ramiz Alia on Thursday is expected to leave the intensive care after a successful heart surgery.

Doctors of the cardiology unit of Salonika's George Papanikolaou hospital told ATA that Alia had undergone four bypass operations and his health state was normal.

Doctors consider that if no complications set in Alia may be released from hospital next week.

Alia entered Salonika's hospital's cardiology unit on February by midnight for a bypass, performed by the clinic's chief surgeon, Prof. Panayotis Spyrou.

Spyrou, who had flown to Tirana to examine Alia, recommended his immediate transfer and surgery in Greece.

According to unconfirmed reports, Prof. Spyrou, who is one of the founders of the left-centre party, the Social Democratic Movement, has undertaken all expenditures on Alia's hospitalisation and operation. /a.ke/lm/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[08] Italy provides Albanian hospitals with new medical equipment

"These apparatuses, to be installed by Italian specialists, will benefit the hospitals of Gjirokaster, Peshkopi, Skrapar, Korce, Elbasan and Tirane," Pirro Prifti, Hospital director at the Ministry of Health and Environment, told ATA.

"As the hospital sector in Albania badly lacks apparatuses, one of the points of our strategy is that all the country's hospitals are equipped with the basic means to examine various diseases," ended Prifti. /mima/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[09] Albanian soccer manager dies

In less than a year, licensed by FIFA, Kadriu could secure contracts with various European clubs for Albanian football players such as Alban Bushi, Salvador Kacaj, Mahir Halili, Arjan Peco and others.

Kadriu was from Presheva of Kosova and had been living in Switzerland for many years. He was one among FIFA's 100 managers from all over the world.

Sources from the Albanian Soccer Federation told ATA on Thursday that "for nearly three years Kadriu had been close to the Albanian football, helping its affirmation on the international arena". /a.ke/lm/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[10] Dossier on event in Milot should have been more complete - Judge

Following the decision of the court for the form of custody for the detainees of Milot event a day before, the prosecutors of the General Attorney's office who were investigating into the case of Milot, reacted strongly to the decision. "The decision of the Court is not at all serious, " they said, stressing that the charge was the same for the 14 detainees because their activity was carried out in group.

According to Mickaj, the prosecutor's office had done a good job with the dossier but there was still room to work more with them.

Referring to the different forms of custody for three of the detainees who were given house-arrests, two of them were in a bad health state, whereas the third, on the basis of the facts until the moment of the trial, was found to be quite by chance with the group accused of opposition to the police forces and illegal possession of arms, said Mickaj.

Limited arrest terms for 11 others "were judged on the basis of the proofs in the dossiers and of the individual characteristics of the guiltiness, the presence in the group is not always a guiltiness in group," said Mickaj, adding that "here the Court has respected the deadlines, and after files will be completed and reexamined, a decision will be taken on the basis of new proofs." But there was also a case, that of Kazazi, former Interior Minister, whose health prescription was taken into consideration for passing a less-days arrest for Kazazi, said Mickaj in conclusion. /das/xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[11] New draft regulation of Albanian Parliament

Braho proved of the improvements the new regulation will bring in the parliamentary life and responded the questions by deputies.

"It is suggested that a deputy can take part in two commissions at the same time, while the initiative for the inclusion of a question in the agenda will also be from the opposition deputies," said Braho, explaining that "with the new draft, the opposition will have a greater influence in the parliamentary life."

As compared with the present regulation, the legislative procedure has been adjusted in details and the procedure for the the approval of the laws, and the deadlines have been clearly determined.

Also in the context of the parliamentary control, the procedure for the petitions and the parliamentary investigation have been improved by special provisions.

"The new regulation ensures transparence in the Parliament, with open sessions, thus giving the media the possibility to see the protocols and the draft laws before the parliamentary session takes place," said Braho.

The chairman of this commission also said that the draft of the regulation defines clearly the procedure for the cases when the deputy immunity is to be lifted, and it improves the ethic. /s.sh./das/xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[12] Italy interested in development of economic reform in Albania

"Yesterday's conference was my first contact with Albania and I noted the desire existing here to resume work," said Mr Capras, referring to the two-day conference held in Tirane of from February 18-19, 1998 on a new development of foreign investments in Albania. He added he would "transmit this impression to ministers in Italy," he added.

Mr Capras stressed the fact that Albania has now passed the period of emergency and it is in the second stage, the state of resuming work.

Italian Ambassador in Albania Marcello Spatafora expressed the importance of the relations between the Albanian and the Italian parliaments.

Mr Gjinushi stressed the priority that Albanian Parliament and political forces attach to the relations with neighbour Italy.

"The Rome initiative for the Brussels conference expressed Italy's total political and economic support for Albania," said Gjinushi.

"The pyramid investment schemes have been closed but not politically. DP is seeking to instrumentalize them for political aims and to create another crisis," added Mr Gjinushi.

Speaking of the economic reform, Gjinushi said that the realization of the economic program supported by Italy and the entire European community, will help restore hope in all Albanians. das/xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[13] Three people attempt to explode a TNT army depot

A group of people of Lazarat told ATA everything of the event, which caused panic among them. They said that the event started at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, when three people opened fire at five army depots which are located very near the village (one of them with TNT in it) with the aim of exploding them.

The forces of police commissariat of Gjirokaster and high officials of the Interior Ministry went to the spot immediately and took the military army depots under control.

Local police forces and those of RENEA which arrived from Tirane, are hunting the suspects.

The five depots with ammunition and explosives will be evacuated to another location by a special decision of the Defence Ministry, so that to avoid any eventual incident for the population of Lazarat. /s.sh./xh/das/xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[14] Tirane expects demonstration of good will from Belgrade

In response to the interest of a number of Albanian press organs for a pronunciation of the Albanian Foreign Ministry with regard to declarations by the charge d'affaires of the embassy of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia, Montenegro) in Tirane, Mr Vukicevic in today's Gazeta Shqiptare, the spokesman declared that "the raising of the level of diplomatic representation in Tirane and Belgrade cannot be separated from the entirety of the problems existing between the Republic of Albania and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

The Albanian side, said the spokesman, abides by the viewpoint that the dialogue initialled in the Crete Summit should continue. But this must not be a dialogue among deaf people or a dialogue for sake of apperances. On the contrary, it must be a real and sincere dialogue, with an efficient result in the final end.

The present stand of Belgrade towards the question of Kosova is, unfortunately, far from the one it should be. The faster and righter this question is treated in Belgrade, the better would it be for everyone, and first of all for Serbia itself, said the spokesman.

He added that any effort to keep the question of Kosova in the context of an "internal Yugoslav question" does not help create the necessary space for a real discussion of this question and for a satisfactory solution to it for all sides. The new conditions ask for new messages. There can be no successful dialogue with old mentalities and concepts.

Application of the agreement for education, signed by Rugova and Milosevic in 1996, the declaration of the spokesman says, would be a proof of the political will of Belgrade to see the question of Kosova differently. Such an agreement cannot be a mere "humanitarian" question. /s.s/ake/das/xh/

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

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