Albanian Telegraphic Agency (ATA), 98-06-05

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

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

CONTENTS

[01] Germany ready to assist Kosova refugees in Albania

[02] USD quoted at lek 153,20

[03] Revenues from excise tax on average levels

[04] EBRD to continue hydro powers implementation projects

[05] Around 11 thousand Kosova refugees in Tropoje district

[06] 500 Kosova refugees have been medically treated in hospital of Bajram Curri

[07] Albanian parliamentarians meet refugees from Kosove

[08] Meidani meets with his counterparts and discusses Kosove in Yalta

[09] Black Sea Economic Cooperation initiative becomes an organization

[10] Leka Zogu, his court minister to face trial

[11] Constitution commission approves chapter on Referendum

[12] Projects worth million of USD, still scarce water

[13] Over 4,3 million lek worth of credits unpaid

[14] Health situation in Tropoje under control

[15] One Albanian killed and three injured in Rahovec

[16] Rugova cancels visits in Europe due to situation in Kosova

[17] Vice premier briefs UNHCR officials on measures to cope with refugees

[18] Fifty-two Albanians killed over last eight days

[19] Six policemen killed in Deçan

[20] Prishtine - Belgrade Friday talks called off

[21] Albania president meets BSEC officials in Yalta

[22] Tirana municipality to provide ten million leks for Kosova refugees

[01] Germany ready to assist Kosova refugees in Albania

"The international position towards Belgrade must change through new actions and sanctions," said on Thursday Albanian Premier Nano, to the director for Southeastern Europe in the German Foreign Ministry, Ischinger, who arrived on Thursday in Tirane in a two-day official visit.

Mr Ischinger took also interest in the assistance that Germany and the international community may give to Albania to assist the Albanians from Kosova.

"Albanian stand remains unchanged with regard to the creation of a security zone by NATO, accompanied with assistance programs and military exchanges to help the rehabilitation of the Albanian army," said Nano.

Albanian PM said that unless joint means are determined to stop the spillover of the conflict, the stability created in the greatest part of the Balkans, lately also in the Montenegro following the triumph of the reformatory forces of President Milo Djukanovic, will be endangered.

According to Nano, ethnic cleansing in Kosove and the forced influx of Kosova refugees coming to Albania will have its effects also in some countries of Western Europe, including Italy and Germany.

"NATO is reconsidering the possibility to stop the spillover of the conflict," said Ischinger. /a.ke/s.s./mima/xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[02] USD quoted at lek 153,20

So $1 = 153,20 lek, lossing 1,00 points compared with yesterday's 154, 20 lek.

The DM was traded for 86,20 lek, lossing 0,10 points compared to yesterday's 86,30 lek.

The ITL (1000) was traded for 87,30 lek lossing 0,20 points compared with yesterday's 87,50 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.

Friday exchange rates

Currency Average exchange rates

USD 153,20 lek DM 86,20 lek ITL (1000) 87,30 lek GRD (100) 50,40 lek SFR 103,20 lek FRF 23,50 lek GBP 220,20 lek JPY (100) 111,20 lek NLG 75,40 lek /gen/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[03] Revenues from excise tax on average levels

Data from the statistics department at the Customs General Directorate reported there is no excise tax collection in Shkodra and Pogradeci districts.

While in customs houses of Tirana, Rinas, Durres and Saranda the revenues from excises have surpassed the targets.

"Modest" revenues from excise were collected in Korca, Kapshtica and Vlora customs houses.

Around lek 2,7 billion are predicted to be collected from excise tax during this year, nearly two times more than last year. The forecast is bolstered by the entering in force of the new law to reduce excise tax for goods like cigarettes, fuel and beverages, which aims at curbing fiscal evasion and smuggling as well. /gen/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[04] EBRD to continue hydro powers implementation projects

The EBRD decision was related with the situation presented by AEC representatives, their direct observations regarding projects' pace, the level of money collected from the unpaid power bills and the reduction of non technical losses.

These EBRD's tasks fulfilment were decisive in proceeding with the hydro power rehabilitation projects.

According to Cuci is nearly over the drafting of two last packages of the project, which will be carried out in accordance with the conditions imposed by international open tenders.

Meanwhile, are over tenders procedures directed by EBRD to chose the foreign consultant company in implementing the project.

A fund of $45 million is allocated for rehabilitation project of hydro powers upon Drini river.

EBRD has injected DM 23 million, while OECF has allocated $13 million along with two grants from Swiss and Austrian governments worth $8 million and $7 million each. /gen/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[05] Around 11 thousand Kosova refugees in Tropoje district

According to Memia, during Thursday night and Friday morning hundreds of inhabitants from Albanian villages of Kosove bordering Albania, continued to come in Tropoje commune, but in the comparison with the previous days their number is lower.

"Yesterday the comers were fewer, but we are having difficulty to transport them to the city and other communes," chairman of Tropoje commune told ATA.

Actually the commune of Tropoje and the town of Bajram Curri are packed with refugees, and the emergency staff has sent a part of them in the communes of Margegaj and Bujan.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees sent 35 tons of food articles in Thursday evening. /s.s/mima/xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[06] 500 Kosova refugees have been medically treated in hospital of Bajram Curri

According to Rexha, the situation becomes more difficult not only for the lack of medical equipment and medicaments but also for lack of qualified medical staff.

Lida Lumnica, doctor in the hospital, said that there was only one surgeon, one anesthetist working there so the present situation created in the district these days cannot be dealt with.

Until Friday, the number of the victims in the ranks of Kosova refugees coming to Albania is 5, among whom two are children. /s.sh/mima/xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[07] Albanian parliamentarians meet refugees from Kosove

During a meeting with representatives of the local government of that district, Majko laid the need of gathering assistance on national scale to help Kosova refugees. Those present hailed the initiative of the teachers of the zone of Tropoje to teach the children coming from Kosova.

Dokle highlighted the generosity of the people of Tropoje as an expression of fraternity and the greatest patriotism.

Bicaj said that the refugees must turn back in their territories because the land of Kosova has been and remains the land of the Albanians.

Those in the meeting demanded from the local government authorities in the districts of Kukes and Has to adopt measures to face with a possible influx of refugees from Kosove. /s.sh/mima/xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[08] Meidani meets with his counterparts and discusses Kosove in Yalta

YALTA, June 5 (ata) - Albanian President Rexhep Meidani had in Yalta on Thursday and Friday meetings with some heads of states who are taking part in the summit of the Initiative of the Black Sea countries for Economic Cooperation. He discussed with them the crisis in Kosove and the possibility for a greater assistance for Albania.

President Meidani had a tete-a-tete meeting on Friday with the Greek Premier Kostas Simitis, during which they discussed especially the question of Kosove. They agreed that an acceptable and just solution must be found to that question.

During his separate meetings on Thursday with the President of Turkey, Sulejman Demirel, the President of Bulgaria, Peter Stojanov, Mr Meidani voiced his concern for a possible war in Kosove, the Serbian strategy of ethnic cleansing and other Balkan questions.

Demirel and Stojanov discussed Corridor 8 and the possibility of a greater assistance for Albania.

Chevarnadze, Georgian President, invited President Meidani to visit Georgia to see closely the possibility for the establishment of a gaspipeline between Gerogia and Albania.

The two-day meeting of Yalta closed with the signing of the Charter of BSEC (members of which are Turkey, Russia, Ukraine, Greece, Albania, Bulgaria, Romania, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Armenia and Moldove) which institutionalizes the Initiative of Economic Cooperation of the Black Sea countries into an organization. /s.s/mima/xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[09] Black Sea Economic Cooperation initiative becomes an organization

YALTA, June 5 (ata) - Albanian President Rexhep Meidani was the first to address on Friday morning the Summit of BSEC (Black Sea Economic Cooperation initiative) which is going on in Yalta, capital of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea in Ukraine. The BSEC initiative, founded on June 25, 1992 in Istanbul, is having its 11th meeting in Yalta, the third held at the level of the heads of states.

Today's meeting in Yalta aims at institutionalizing this Initiative into an organization with sound principles and objectives. The final statement signed by 11 heads of the states participating in the BSEC initiative, after declaring the changing of the initiative into an organization, carries also initiatives and concrete responsibilities of the members for the economic and institutional development of the member countries.

Despite the insistence and efforts by the Albanian delegation to add in the final statement a paragraph, outside procedures, on Kosove, it was not made possible. But both the Albanian Foreign Minister, Milo in the meeting of the Foreign ministers for the drafting of the statement held yesterday and President Meidani in his address today devoted a special importance to this topic. Meidani asked that Serb violence and repression in Kosove be halted and urged the BSEC members to influence in preventing the tactics of ethnic cleansing applied by Milosevic. Albanian President also spoke of possible peaceful ways to settle the question of Kosove.

The Yalta meeting closed with the signing of the BSEC Charter which institutionalizes the Initiative of BSEC into an organization. /s.s/xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[10] Leka Zogu, his court minister to face trial

They are accused of "organising an armed rebellion to topple the constitutional order."

The prosecutor of the case Agim Cekrezi presented the proofs totally testifying the charge. He asked that 61 persons particularly policemen present at the scene, be summoned as witnesses.

The charge was framed against Zogu and Mulosmani because the former dressed in battle fatigues backed by a group of armed loyalists headed for the Palace of Congresses to protest against the elections outcome. Claiming the victory of monarchy in the referendum on the form of regime they threatened with protests chanting slogans and using firearms, which cost the life of one citizen. s.s/das/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[11] Constitution commission approves chapter on Referendum

The first session of the Commission's meeting discussed and approved in principle the part of the Referendum, the commission's press adviser reports.

Both articles and their respective points define all the modalities of declaring and the way of carrying out the Referendum, as well as the cases when the public is denied the right of direct referendum expression. The draft drawn out by the commisssion's technical staff and that approved by the commission members also include cases when the referendum is not authorised.

The co-chairman of the Constitution Drafting Commission, Sabri Godo, said that over the two day stay in Durres the commission also planns to examine and approve the chapters on the Armed forces, State of Emergency, Public Finance and State Control. /s.s/das/lm/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[12] Projects worth million of USD, still scarce water

Tirana, June 5 (ATA) - The rehabilitation of Durres aqueduct is the World Bank's main project goal in this sector in Albania.

The project worth $19,5 million is financed with a $11,5 million credit by the World Bank and the rest $4 million by Albanian government and other donations.

According to project official, Ndricim Shani until now are disbursed $5,6 million. The project has started in 1995 and will last until 2001.

With these funds work is carried out in rehabilitating the water supply network, by reconstructing 100 km of tear and wear water tubes or 50 percent of the network.

Shani also explained that has concluded the construction of new water reservoir with a capacity of 2,000 m3, where some $180,000 were spent.

Also is rehabilitated the sewage system of Shijak and Durres districts where $400,000 were injected.

According to Sinani on June 11 will be signed the $3,3 million contract for works to start in the renovation of pumping station.

Worth mentioning in this project is the fact for the first time in Albania will be applied the itemized billing, based on the Italian experience.

This is the first emergency phase of rehabilitating Durres aqueduct network told ATA Shani which will be followed later by other phases where works will be focused on totaling upgrading this sector, which will completely sort out Durres inhabitants needs for water./gen/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[13] Over 4,3 million lek worth of credits unpaid

Tirana, June 5 (ATA) - Out of 9 million lek given as credits by the Savings Bank, 4,3 million lek are not paid back in due time, bank reported Friday.

According to sources from the bank until late May the non reimbursed credits hold 48 percent of the total credits issued by the bank.

The biggest amount of credit is issued by Tirana branch, which has given 2,4 million lek, out of which 201,494 lek are not paid back in time, then comes the General Directorate with has issued 733,098 lek worth of credits and 73,269 lek are not paid in due time.

The unpaid credits totaling from the three second level state run banks, National Commercial Bank, Savings Bank and Rural Commercial Bank, now liquidated, respectively goes 18 percent for the first, 27 percent for the second and 55 percent for the third bank.

The lack of correctness in paying off the credits in due time is the main reason of suspending issuing credits by the Savings Bank.

Sources from the bank said that they will not give credits, until people learn "what is borrowed should be reimbursed."/gen/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[14] Health situation in Tropoje under control

Reports provided on Friday by the public health care director in his district, Yllka Cela, the influx of the Albanians coming form Kosova has reduced and there are less health problems.

The district hospital has registered 113 medical examinations, mostly of children having high temperature and bronchitis signs and who have received the proper treatment.

Also, seven patients have been hospitalised, but without serious problems.

On Friday two auto-ambulances were added to the health service of this district and five Kosova specialised doctors voluntarily joined the team of doctors from Tirana working in Tropoje. /s.sh/das/lm/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[15] One Albanian killed and three injured in Rahovec

The attacks were launched from the Serbian military bases set up in Gradish and Gjakova suburbs, according to Democratic League of Kosova (LDK) in Rahovec. /p.ta/das/lm/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[16] Rugova cancels visits in Europe due to situation in Kosova

"With such an anti Albanian policy, the Serb regime is imposing an undeclared war to the people of Kosova and all Albanians," Mustafa said.

He said that the people in attacked areas were defending their personal, family and country integrity. These individual and collective acts were becoming necessary to maintain the most elementary human and national existence.

Mustafa thanked the Albanian people, local government and the Albanian government for their fraternal care towards the Albanians expelled by the Serb forces from Kosova. pta/das/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[17] Vice premier briefs UNHCR officials on measures to cope with refugees

Islami briefed them on measures taken by the Albanian government to cope with refugees coming from Kosova in the northeastern area of Albania. He said that the government commissions and respective ministries were engaged in sending foods, medicaments and medical teams on the ground as soon as possible.

Meechuboht praised the serious engagement of the Albanian government and gave a detailed presentation of his office's contribution in tackling the problem.

The meeting discussed the coordination of common efforts between the United Nations Higher Commissioner for Refugees and the Albanian government and the necessary measures to legalize the cooperation. s.sh/das/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[18] Fifty-two Albanians killed over last eight days

The sources says that some 200 Albanians in Decan and suburbs are considered missing, while 150 others are held hostage by the Serbs.

Around 20 000 Albanians from Decan and its suburbs have left in the direction of Albania and 15 000 others in the direction of Montenegro.

The population has almost entirely fled the town of Decan and villages of Lybeniq, Sirellic i Eperm, Carrabreg i Eperm and i Ulet, Lebushe, Lloçan, Hulaj, Pograxhë, Voksh, Sllup, Drenoc, Junik, Jasiq, Gjocaj, Prejlep and Lluke e Eperme.

And the Lybeniq, Pograxhë and Hulaj villages are almost burnt down. /P.Ta/das/lm/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[19] Six policemen killed in Deçan

An old Albanian man who remained in the village Strellc to look after his house threw a bomb and killed three policemen who tried to raid his house. Three others were killed in Prejlep village, the above source said. pta/das/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[20] Prishtine - Belgrade Friday talks called off

The Yugoslav negotiating group, which arrived in Prishtine today to hold scheduled talks, returned to Belgrade failing to meet with the Albanians negotiators who stressed that "the conditions created make this meeting impossible".

"The recent military and police operations of the Serbian armed forces in Dukagjin, especially in Decan, which have claimed numerous civilians' lives and ruined whole villages and thousands of war refugees, have seriously harmed the beginning of the process of talks to resolve the Kosova issue," said Blerim Shala, spokesman of the negotiating group.

He said that the recent developments in Kosova show that the level of international engagement has been insufficient to halt the cycle of violence, which is now at a stage which might be described as the first stage of war in Kosova, as well as to resolutely support the process of talks.

The situation in Kosova requires that the Contact Group, NATO and the U.N. Security Council urgently handle it and undertake immediate actions to calm down the situation and begin the process of talks to resolve the Kosova issue," said Shala. /p.ta/das/lm/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[21] Albania president meets BSEC officials in Yalta

President Meidani held separate talks with his counterparts in the margin of the summit, press and information office close to the presidency said.

President Meidani met with the Turkish president Sulejman Demirel to discuss the developments in Kosova. The Turkish president expressed Turkey's support for Albania and for a peaceful solution to the Kosova issue.

Both officials stressed the need to promote economic cooperation between the two countries, with the eighth corridor as an important moment.

Bulgarian president Petar Stoyanov said to President Meidani that "you will find in us an extraordinary great friend."

Along with the Kosova issue on which the president Meidani tried to sensitize his counterparts, the topic of economic cooperation and the eighth corridor were discussed.

Stoyanov invited president Meidani for an official visit to Bulgaria.

Meidani held a separate meeting with the Georgian president Eduard Shevardnadze. Lifting the level of diplomatic relations, gas pipeline which will pass through many regional countries and others were the topics of negotiations.

Shevardnadze invited Meidani to visit Georgia and Meidani invited his Georgian counterpart to Albania.

President Meidani and the Greek prime minister Kostas Simitis exchanged views on the situation in Kosova and displacement of the Albanian population.

Referring to the problem of Albanian emigrants in Greece, the Greek prime minister said that around 450 thousand emigrants had been registered 250 thousand of whose Albanians and procedures for their legalisation are underway.

The summit of heads of states with the participation of nine presidents and two prime ministers started at 9.00. a.m.

The Albanian delegation tried to include in the agenda of the summit that was expected to draw up a final statement, a special paragraph denouncing Serb violence and terror against the Albanian civil population in Kosova which have caused forced displacement of thousands of Albanians mostly women, elderly men and children.

Though the procedures on the statement had been finalised 15 days ago, they promised to discuss this issue in the first meeting after the summit.

In a meeting of the BSEC foreign minister held in the margin of the summit, the Ukrainian Foreign Minister Borys Tarasyuk denounced the violence exerted in Kosova. He backed a peaceful solution to the issue. s.sh/das/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[22] Tirana municipality to provide ten million leks for Kosova refugees

The municipal council of the capital, on Friday, considering the conditions the Kosova displaced population is undergoing, approved a fund of 10 million leks, from the revenues of the municipality in 1998, to help come to the aid of the women, children and old people.

The number of the refugees arriving in Tropoje district from the Kosova villages due to the savage violence and terror exercised by the Milosevic regime is estimated to be around 11 000.

Hence, the fund of the Tirana municipality has been added to the measures undertaken by the Albanian government to cope with the difficulties created. /a.ke/lm/

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