Albanian Telegraphic Agency (ATA), 98-02-27

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

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CONTENTS

[01] Nano says government in efficiency in 1998

[02] Chairman urges more seriousness from commission's members

[03] SP participation in round table is formality - says secretary

[04] New police chiefs appointed in Shkoder

[05] Holy Seat interested in Albania's constitution

[06] Military Prosecutor's Office investigates involvement of three guards in jail breakout

[07] Democrat deputies do not appear before military inquirers

[08] Johnson asks DP participation in parliament and constitution commission

[09] Bruner says constitution has become national demand

[10] Europe Day to be held in Tirane in May

[11] Gjinushi says boycott of parliament is part of DP destabilisation strategy

[12] Gjinushi says Constitutional Court not suspended by Parliament

[13] Meidani-Bruner: Constitution indispensable to Albania

[01] Nano says government in efficiency in 1998

Nano said that "an increase of tax collecting will enable the state rehabilitate kindergartens, schools, hospitals, roads and all other services, for which the citizens claim."

Speaking of packages approved recently on order, status of civil employee, privatisation of some vital sectors of economy and others, Nano said "they aimed at legally and later practically regulating the life and the Albanian economy, finances and security of its citizens."

"These legal initiatives are part not only of the contract we have reached with the Albanian people, but also of the contract with the international community," Nano said.

He added that tight measures in the fiscal system, order, farewell to pyramid investment schemes "are all obligatory actions not only for the coalition government but also for the future of Albania."

Prime minister Nano said that the Albanian government is determined to keep the promises to the people. He recalled some of them such as the people's prosperity, wage increase, inflation decrease, balanced budget, transparency on pyramid schemes, roads' asphalting, opening of borders with neighbours.

Nano added that the government has fulfilled or is fulfilling most of these promises.

"At the same time Berisha-like opposition is keeping part of the promises," Nano said, adding that they have promised to fight freeze Albanians' smile, urged disorder all over Albania, non-collection of weapons, rallies and bombs in public investments and enterprises and recently the release of criminals and killers from prisons."

He said that now "we should get rid of old etiquettes of appeal to the DP honest members to distance themselves from the aggressive, destructive and incriminated party leadership."

Nano said that the Democratic party has thrown away the political make-up referring to an open protection to 35 detainees accused of killings in Shkodra police detention rooms, and those who freed these criminals and torched and raided some $one million of the public assets and banks.

"In his public statements Berisha considered this contingent of crime a devoted membership of the Democratic Party. In fact, we have never doubted that the DP has served as maternity ward of crime, smuggling, corruption and stabs in the back during the last seven months," said Nano, who as chairman of the majority and coalition government, made several questions to the Democratic Party regarding recent events in Albania.

"If those who torched and raided Shkoder are the DP members, as the DP, itself, pretends, then who has to pay an invoice worth $ one million for the damages caused to Shkoder. Surely, not the citizens of Shkoder," he added.

"Does the Democratic Party know that those $1 million, needed now to reconstruct the courthouse, police commissariat, Bridge of Bahcallek and the old library "Marin Barleti, would have beeen used to employ at least some 1000 people in Shkodra, or put into operation the logistics and administration of the customs house of Han i Hotit, on which the government is intensively working in a diplomatic way to reopen it within a few months?", asked Premier Nano.

He added that it is high time for the politics in Albania to bear the responsibility for the damages caused to its people.

"The recent events, their invoice, tension, lack of tranquility, fear from crime, attack on police, are also reflected in daily life of any Albanian, despite party affiliation," Nano pointed out, stressing that "We, who are and remain the majority, will not allow the thieves, criminals, killers and fundamentalists, failing to find peace in their sick heads, try to destroy our lives."

"The public opinion, filled with indignation and exhausted by the strategy of tension followed by the Albanian policy, should be sure that order will be maintained, it will not be infringed and those who have violated the law will not be tolerated," PM Fatos Nano said. /a.ke/pas/ak/mt/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[02] Chairman urges more seriousness from commission's members

"Part of the members do not devote the appropriate importance to the work in the commission," Godo told the meeting in which most of the 11- member commission were absent.

Godo proposed some ways of informing members and broadcasting chronicles in the Albanian television and said that those, who do not come to a debate have not the right to reconsider the issue later.

Friday's meeting defined the fundamental issues of constitution which will be an object of debate in the coming days. The commission decided by consensus that the Albanian constitution should be "detailed" and not "synthetic".

The next meeting will be held on March 13 when the parties will present in writing and verbally their view points on constitution and later the commission will discuss on its first chapter. s.s/pas/ak/

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[03] SP participation in round table is formality - says secretary

"The meeting will be held, declared Majko, right after the meeting of the Constitution Commission in the hall of the Palace of Congresses, and it is a normal meeting, without any problem."

The Secretary General of the Democratic Alliance Party (the party which has initiated the table), Prec Zogaj, said several days ago that this table will be attended only by the chairmen of five coalition parties.

"I have not seen any invitation to write "only for chairmen," replied Majko. "In fact, I have not seen the invitation, and read the report for the round table at Koha Jone newspaper."

Prec Zogaj said two days ago that the invitations have already reached the headquarters of all parties and the other three parties of the coalition, the Social Democratic Party, Human Rights Union Party and the Agrarian Party, answered positively. It is expected only the response of the Socialist Party, which, according to Zogaj, is "decisive." /s.s/mt/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[04] New police chiefs appointed in Shkoder

Colonel Pjerin Ndreu will replace Mithat Havari, who was chief of the directorate of Shkodra district and was suspended and appointed Director General of prisons.

Lieutenant colonel Vehbi Bushati will be Ndreu's assistant and lieutenant colonels Paulin Rajta and Albert Bilo will be chiefs of commissariat 1 and 2, respectively.

Colonel Ndreu has graduated the Order Academy in 1987 and has been a commissariat chief in Mirdita and Lezha.

Ten days ago he was appointed chief of the police commissariat 1 in Tirana. s.s/pas/ak/

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[05] Holy Seat interested in Albania's constitution

In the letter handed over to the commission by the Vatican representative to Albania, the Holy Seat proposed two other articles concerning the relations between state and religion.

The commission decided on Friday to discuss rapports of the religion with state as fundamental issues, religious education in public schools, religious prays in public institutions.

It considered important on what level should the autocephalia of the Albanian church be recognised. s.sh/ak/

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[06] Military Prosecutor's Office investigates involvement of three guards in jail breakout

"It is noticed violation to the inner regulation of service in the premises of the cells of detainees pending trial, and from the current investigation it comes out that the revolt has started in the upper floor of the tight security building," the same sources stated.

Further investigations will confess "whether there has been a collaboration between the guards and the detainees pending trial," ended the above sources. /s.s/mima/mt/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[07] Democrat deputies do not appear before military inquirers

Sources of the military prosecutor's office of Tirane told ATA that deputies Jozefina Topalli, Mark Kroqi and Ferit Hoti, did not appear in this office on Friday at 10.00 to speak of the evolution of the situation of the armed attack against police station in Shkoder.

Ten persons have so far been accused of active participation in this event. Two of them are detained, the others are being hunted down by police. /das/lm/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[08] Johnson asks DP participation in parliament and constitution commission

A EU statement expresses concern at the outbreak of violence in Shkoder and asks DP's participation in parliament and its contribution to the country's reconstruction.

Johnson, speaking at a recent OSCE's plenary session, which also discussed the latest events in Albania, called on the political forces in Albania to find a way of dialogue to resolve differences and asked the international community to provide more aid, especially for the police.

He praised the good performance of this organisation in Albania and referred to several aid programmes the U.S. Justice Department has earmarked for Albania. /a.ke/das/lm/

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[09] Bruner says constitution has become national demand

"For years in succession, the constitutional drafting issue has been politicized. Now it is time to give the people a constitution, which they have been looking forward to," said Nano.

"I have carefully followed the work of the commission and appreciate the devotion of its members," said Bruner, who is also director of the East Institute in Germany.

"Albania is currently the only country in Europe which has not a complete constitution. I am impressed of the fact that the people show prominent interest in the constitution, which has already become a national demand. This makes the politicians responsible to encourage this process," he said.

Attending the meeting were Minister for Institutional Reform Arben Imami as well as German ambassador in Tirane Hans Peter Disdorn. /a.ke/das/lm/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[10] Europe Day to be held in Tirane in May

Gross also reported on holding in May this year of Europe's Day in Tirane, according to the press and information office close to the president. /a.ke/das/lm/

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[11] Gjinushi says boycott of parliament is part of DP destabilisation strategy

"DP will always seek justifications not to return to parliament," Gjinushi told ATA today.

In recent days, international organisations and authorities, among who former mediator for the Albanian crisis, Franz Vranitzky, have expressed concern at DP's not keeping promise to return to parliament.

Gjinushi said that the recent acts of destruction in Shkoder and other districts are in unison with the DP political line not to return to parliament.

He held that if the DP is being helped from abroad with these acts, "its collaborators are those who in Albania lost the paradise with the collapse of the pyramid schemes: the drug and prostitution traffickers and other mafia circles." /a.ke/das/lm/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[12] Gjinushi says Constitutional Court not suspended by Parliament

"Parliament only has reminded in its session that as long as rotation is not carried out the decision of this court will be illegal," Gjinushi told ATA on Friday.

On Tuesday the deputies in parliament discussed the Constitutional Court issue and Gjinushi explained that it is not about a conflict between parliament and this court, but about a problem of this court with the law.

He added that parliament will no more deal with the Court's issue.

The article 1 of law 8257, dated November 19,1997, says "Failure to carry out rotation suspends Constitutional Court's functions".

The chairman of this Court, Rustem Gjata, declared last week that three of its nine members will quit office on March 31 of this year, considering this decision as an achievement of compromise on the Parliament - Constitutional Court conflict.

Meanwhile Gjinushi said that besides the two members of the court changed, three others do not take part in its performance.

According to him, the court's institution has an inner conflict and calls itself in question with its acts.

Meanwhile, next week parliament is expected to examine the request of the Figure's Scrutiny Commission regarding the discharge of the Chairman of the Constitutional Court, Rustem Gjata. /a.ke/das/lm/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[13] Meidani-Bruner: Constitution indispensable to Albania

Medani stressed that the constitution makes up the indispensable juridical basis for improving the whole Albanian legislation after the European standards, according to the President's press and information office.

Bruner evaluated the integration of all political forces in drafting the constitution and stressed that although a minority does not respond to the country's need and majority's demand to integrated in this process, work should continue.

Also attending the meeting was German ambassador Hans Peter Disdorn. /a.ke/das/lm/

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