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Albanian Telegraphic Agency (ATA), 98-05-25Albanian Telegraphic Agency Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Albanian Telegraphic Agency (ATA) Home Page at <http://www.telpress.it/ata>Albanian Telegraphic AgencyCONTENTS
[01] USD quoted at lek 155,30Tirana, May 25 (ATA) - Monday's average exchange rate in the informal market of Albanian currency "lek" against foreign currencies like USD, DM, SFR, ITL was in favour of these last.So $1 = 155,30 lek, gaining 0,10 points compared with yesterday's 155, 20 lek. The DM was traded for 87,40 lek, gaining 0,10 points compared to yesterday's 87,30 lek. The ITL (1000) was traded for 88,60 lek gaining 0,10 points compared with yesterday's 88,50 lek. GRD (100) was exchanged for 50,40 lek, lossing 0,10 points compared with yesterday's 50,50 The Swiss Franc was traded for 104,30 lek lossing 1,00 points compared with yesterday's 105,30 lek and so on. Monday exchange rates Currency Average exchange rates USD 155,30 lek DM 87,40 lek ITL (1000) 88,60 lek GRD (100) 50,40 lek SFR 103,10 lek FRF 23,20 lek GBP 220,30 lek JPY (100) 111,60 lek NLG 73,20 lek /gen/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[02] Citizen possessing 431 gr of cocaine detainedDELVINE, May 24 (ATA)-By S. Hajno, The Police of Delvine (South of Albania), on Sunday, detained Gezim Minxha, 32, inhabitant of SMT, as he possessed 431 gr of cocaine.Criminal police sources say that this amount of cocaine was destined for the Greek drugs trafficking market. Police have provided explanations neither about the other persons incriminated nor the origin of the cocaine. It is the first time that in the southern districts of Albania (Gjirokaster, Sarande and Delvine) the police has seized pure drug. Three days ago the Sarande police found in the house of a citizen 200 kg of pressed narcotics, and seized 80 kg of pressed narcotic plant from a citizen in Delvine. All this amount was destined for the Greek market. Police sources of the Ioannina region, Northern Greece, a meeting held there recently with representatives of Albanian and Greek police concentrated on the joint fight against drugs trafficking. The meeting stressed the need of intensifying the Albanian police efforts to destroy the plots of narcotic plants in several rural areas in Albania and for this purpose cooperation with Greek experts has been offered. /a.ke/pas/lm/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[03] Protest of secondary school seniors in Kosove on TuesdayPRISHTINE, May 25 (ata) - The Centre for Information of Kosove has informed that the republican council of protests in Kosove published on Sunday a communique calling on the seniors of the secondary schools to protest on May 26 against the violation of the elementary rights that all other age companions in the world enjoy. The communique says that the pupils will also protest on Tuesday against the violence, terror, killings and massacres of children and pupils by Serbian police forces.The protest rally will be held in Mother Teresa Square in Prishtine. The main slogan "The pencil for all" will to be written in Albanian, English and German. /p.ta/pas/xh/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[04] Low education level, main cause of criminalityELBASAN, May 25 (ATA)-By P.Zekthi, One of the main causes of the increasing rate of criminality over the last years in the Elbasan district (Middle Albania), is seen in the low education level, which has decreased because of the demographic movements and a general loss of interest in schooling.According to official statistics of the police department of the Elbasan prefecture, over 78 percent out of 70 persons arrested in the four districts of this prefecture (Elbasan, Librazhd, Gramsh and Peqin) in the first four months of this year, are of eight year education and and in some case not yet finished. Their ages vary from 18 to 26, the majority are unemployed or involved in various traffics with the neighbouring countries. The tendency to abandon school, especially two-three years ago, is mostly pronounced in the Elbasan city over the last two school years. As regards continuation of higher school, 14 out of 20 pupils (boys) in four secondary schools in Elbasan, told ATA that they would not attend higher school, but try to temporarily emigrate abroad. The girls did not think so, even those with not very high results. On the other hand, the school has also been abandoned by the girls, who have been forced by incriminated elements involved in prostitution in the neighbouring countries. Their number, over the last five years, according to B. Shehu, head of the women association in the district, is thought to be some 100. /a.ke/pas/lm/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[05] DRP leader opposes early electionsTIRANA, May 25 (ATA) - By A. Haxhiu: The Democratic Right party (DRP) said on Monday that the request of the political grouping Unity for Democracy for early elections is hasty."Early elections would have been a solution to overcome the crisis. But for the time being there are no conditions for such elections," Petrit Kalakulla, the DRP leader told a news conference. The Unity for Democracy which includes also the major opposition party the Democratic one, has often called for early elections saying that they are the only solution to overcome the crisis. Kalakulla said that his party would be declared pro or against early elections after the partial local elections on June 21 which, according to him, would be a test to assess the situation in Albania. "The present government is not working in finding out those responsible for the events of last spring," Kalakulla said. He expressed his doubt for the parliamentary commission investigating unrest of spring '97 headed by Spartak Ngjela, member of the Legality Movement party (LMP). Albania plunged into anarchy during February-March 1997 after the collapse of the investment schemes in which hundreds of thousand people lost their life savings and toppling of the Democratic party of the former president Sali Berisha. Around 1,500 people were killed due to uncontrolled use of weapons looted from some 1,500 military bases. Kalakulla said that he had proofs against the involvement of the then government and leaders of the ruling Socialist party in the unrest, which he would present to the prosecutor's office in case the latter wanted them. The Right Democratic party is member of the political grouping Unity for Democracy. s.s/mima/ak/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[06] Holy Seat aims at boosting links with AlbaniaTIRANA, May 25 (ATA) - Prefect of the Congregation for the People Evangelisation, the Cardinal Josef Tomko said on Monday that the Holy Seat aimed at promoting links with Albania with the opening of a Catholic university, press and information office close to the Council of Ministers said."The relations between Albania and Vatican are very important for Albania's integration in the civilized Europe and Catholic world in general, " Fatos Nano, the Albanian prime minister said to Cardinal Tomko. Nano said that the government had been engaged in considering the existing legislation on rapports between the state and church and would try to resolve problems related to the property of three religious communities. Cardinal Tomko and the delegation of the Holy Seat he is heading, are on a few-day visit to Albania. "Our relations with the Holy Seat are being institutionalized with the opening of a number of charity centers and encouragement of dozens of actions propagating the Catholic education and faith," Nano said. He said that the cooperation with the Catholic institutions should not be reduced to actions of religious character but extended in other fields. He mentioned the engagement of the religious community of San Egidio, particularly in easing the Kosova crisis. ake/mima/ak/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[07] Speaker says Albania wants better relations with MacedoniaTIRANA, May 25 (ATA) - Speaker of the Albanian parliament Skender Gjinushi told on Monday deputies of the Democratic party of the Albanians in Macedonia that Albania was engaged in an open and constant policy for good neighbourliness, according to press and information office close to parliament.Deputies headed by the coordinator Rahmi Tuda, who are on a few-day visit to Albania, presented their reasons for their withdrawal from the Macedonian parliament and that of their advisers from the local government. "We want a quicker legalisation of the Tetova University as a universal right for the Albanian population," Gjinushi said. The delegation of Albanians from Macedonia held separate talks with representatives of parliamentary groups. s.sh/mima/ak/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[08] State alliance elects representatives to contact with CECTIRANA, May 25 (ATA) - Bu Keida Kostreci: The State alliance (ASH) elected on Monday representatives who will be in contact with the Central Election Commission (CEC)."Today's meeting sanctioned the electoral commission of this union and the representatives who will be in touch with the elections commission, " Gramoz Ruçi, Coordination Secretary of the Socialist party (SP) said to ATA. The election commission of the State Alliance, which was given that name after the signing of an agreement on Saturday between the Socialist party (SP), Social Democratic party (SDP), Democratic Alliance party (DAP), Human Rights Union party (HRUP), Agrarian party (AP), all of the government coalition, and the National Union party (NUP) to have joint candidates in the partial local elections on June 21, will include members from the seven parties. Representatives of the election commission who will contact the CEC are Gramoz Ruçi (SP), Arben Demeti (DAP) and Shqiponja Korita (NUP). The Alliance's signature for the campaign will be ASH, while the final deadline for candidates is June 1. The symbol of coalition for the elections will be a crest with a green round face, two shaken hands, six stars and signatures of six parties. The SP and SDP have joint candidates in the forthcoming parliamentary elections on June 29. The SP, SDP and DAP signed a preliminary agreement for a government coalition after the elections which was joined by HRUP and AP. s.sh/mima/ak/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[09] Heavy fighting continue in KosovaPRISHTINE, May 25 - ATA correspondent Behlul Jashari reported that the Serbian forces continued military operations on Monday in the villages of the Kosova-Albania border line including many regions of Dukagjin.Sources of the Democratic League of Kosova (LDK) from Gjakova said that there were no reports on casualties from the Albanians. Military and police helicopters coming from fighting areas landed at the hospital of Prishtina on Monday. Over 60 military truckloads arrived late on Monday near Deçan, LDK sources said. The LDK sources from Gjakova said that armed clashes continued on Sunday night in border villages of Morina, Ponoshec, Popoc, Smolice Cerrik while Serb civilians fired volleys of gunfire at the houses of Albanians in villages of Budusale, Krasheve e Madhe, Zllakuqan, Rudice and Berkove, during the night. The Serbian forces shelled on Sunday night and Monday the villages of Llaushe, Skenderaj, Morine, Polluzhe, Rezalle and other villages of Drenica and Llapushnik. Heavy fighting continued on Monday in Klina with other Serbian reinforcement backed by forty truckloads and heavy armaments deployed during the day. During the last four days the Serbian forces have killed at least six Albanians and shelled houses in the suburbs of Klina, Dollove and Rastoke. bca/mima/ak/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[10] Spirit of religious cooperation- a model for Albanian policyTIRANA, May 25 (ATA) - President of Albania Rexhep Meidani had talks on Monday with the senior representatives of the Holy Seat which attended the inauguration on Sunday of the Church of the Lady of Shkodra, press and information department close to the presidency said. Cardinal Jozef Tomka, Pope's envoy, thanked president Meidani for the encouragement he gave to the activity of the religious communities and positively praised the fact that "today a great number of clergies and religion representatives all over Albania convey the message of love and spiritual purity to the people." President Meidani stressed the importance of the work of the religious communities in all levels of the society linking the spiritual revival of the people with the concrete aid for the society. The examples of Zadrima and Biza, where president Meidani had been recently, and also those of other areas, show that "the religious communities are playing an important role and are giving a great contribution not only for the spiritual education of the people but also for the development of the Albanian society in general." President Meidani reiterated that the spirit of cooperation which exists between the religious communities in Albania is a model which should be followed in the Albanian policy. Concrete steps for a Catholic university in Tirana were especially discussed with president Meidani reiterating support of the Holy Father Pope John Paul the Second during Meidani's visit to Vatican. s.sh/ak/ From the Albanian Telegraphic Agency (ATA) Home Page at http://www.telpress.it/ataAlbanian Telegraphic Agency Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |