Albanian Telegraphic Agency (ATA), 98-06-30

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

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

CONTENTS

[01] Rugova meets with U.S.diplomat Hill

[02] Albanian Parliament Speaker Gjinushi meets European Troika delegation

[03] Tirane Bank changes interest rates of deposits

[04] British investors take interest in Corridor 8

[05] NATO takes interest in process of planning and revaluation of Individual Program of Partnership with Albania

[06] Grave situation in Magure (Kosove)

[07] European Troika will ask DP to take part in Commission for Drafting of Constitution of Albania

[08] Round table discussion on Kosove in Zagreb

[09] "We know nothing about statements of European Troika for DP's participation in Commission for Drafting of Constitution - Pollo

[10] Third day of fighting near Prishtine

[11] Corruption harms social-economic development of Albania

[12] Current SHIK head speaks of faults of SHIK under Berisha' rule

[13] Nano: We will combat corruption now

[14] IOM evaluates performance to cope with refugee influx

[15] Declaration by European Tri-Parliamentary Mission to Albania

[16] Gjinushi meets with European tri-parliamentary delegation

[01] Rugova meets with U.S.diplomat Hill

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[02] Albanian Parliament Speaker Gjinushi meets European Troika delegation

He said that Albanian Parliament has passed two important resolutions through which it demands an end of the military police repression of Milosevic.

Supporting the will of the Albanian population for self-determination, the Albanian Parliament, said Gjinushi, has considered urgent not only a more resolute commitment by the Contact Group and the international community towards Belgrade but also by NATO to realise a peaceful and lasting solution in Kosove.

Gjinushi said that the Albanian Parliament has considered important a Troika statement made some months ago on the political stability in Albania.

Further on Gjinushi said that the three fourths of the draft of the constitution has been finished and considered as positive by experts on constitution of the Venice Commission.

Gjinushi also explained that the Albanian Parliament is also working for mass media, the law on organization of judiciary, some problems almost solved in the Constitutional Court, etc. /ake/das/xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[03] Tirane Bank changes interest rates of deposits

Deposits in Lek(%)

Lek ! Running Acc.! 1M ! 3 M ! 6 M ---------------------------------------------------------------- 50.000- 5.000.000 ! 2 ! 15.7 ! 22.20 ! 22

Above 5.000.000 ! 4 ! 16 ! 22.40 ! 22.20 Deposits in USD (%)

USD ! Running Acc! 1M ! 3M ! 6M ! 1Y

5.000-50.000 ! 2 ! 3.8 ! 3.8 ! 3.9 ! 4 50.001-100.000 ! 2 ! 3.9 ! 3.9 ! 4 ! 4.1 100.001-200.000 ! 2 ! 4 ! 4 ! 4.1 ! 4.2 Deposits in DM (%)

USD ! Ll.Rrjedh. ! 1M ! 3M ! 6M ! 1Y ---------------------------------------------------------------- 5.000- 50.000 ! 1 ! 1.5 ! 2 ! 2 ! 2.2 50.001-100.000 ! 1 ! 1.8 ! 2.3 ! 2.3 ! 2.3 100.001-200.000 ! 1 ! 2 ! 2.4 ! 2.4 ! 2.5

Depozitat nė ITL (%)

---------------------------------------------------------------- ITL !Running Acc.! 1M ! 3M ! 6M ! 1Y ----------------------------------- ----------------------------- 5.000-50.000 ! 2 ! 3.6 ! 3.6 ! 3.9 ! 3.9 50.001-100.000 ! 2 ! 3.8 ! 3.8 ! 4 ! 4 100.001-200.000 ! 2 ! 3.9 ! 3.9 ! 4 ! 4

Deposits in GRD (%)

---------------------------------------------------------------- GRD !Running acc.! 1M ! 3M ! 6M ! 1Y ----------------------------------- ----------------------------- 5.000-50.000 ! 3 ! 8 ! 8 ! 8 ! 8.1 50.001-100.000 ! 3 ! 8 ! 8.1 ! 8.1 ! 8.2 100.001-200.000 ! 3 ! 8.2 ! 8.3 ! 8.3 ! 8.5 /xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[04] British investors take interest in Corridor 8

The British Ambassador stressed that the British investors ask to be contractors in the construction of the infrastructure along Corridor 8 in Albania. He took interest in the possibilities of investments in the port of Durres, the Elbasan-Librazhd road segment, in the sea port of Vlore, the projects for railways in general and especially for the railway which will link Albania with Macedonia and for the development of air transport.

Minister Apostoli stressed that "we welcome British investors for the realisation of the projects in the infrastructure and if these investors come to Albania this is a good sign for other foreign investors to come to this country." /xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[05] NATO takes interest in process of planning and revaluation of Individual Program of Partnership with Albania

In the context of this program, a delegation of NATO experts led by the director of the Planning Department in the International Staff of NATO, Frank Roland has arrived in the Albanian Ministry of Defence, Behar Metohu, chief of Public Relations department in the Ministry of Defence told ATA.

The NATO delegation started immediately talks with the team of Albanian experts, led by the General Director of Planning of the Defence Policy department in the Defence Ministry, Colonel Zija Lagji.

Deputy Defence Minister Ilir Bocka praised in the opening session of the talks, the important role of the NATO assistance in the process for the rehabilitation of the Albanian Army.

The delegation is seeing the results of the application of the joint program, focusing on the problems of bilateral assistance with regard to the realization of the objectives of the inter-coordination in many military fields.

In the report held in the meeting, Colonel lagji treated important questions of the planning process such as the objectives of the defence policy related also with the situation in Kosove, the problems of the military strategy, the cooperation in the context of the Partnership for Peace, etc.

The NATO Secretary General Javier Solana is expected to come on an official visit to Albania on the coming Thursday. /s.s/das/xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[06] Grave situation in Magure (Kosove)

Serb police forces have reportedly been deployed in the police station in Magure, around which they have set up barricades. At the same time, snipers have taken positions in the Magnesium mine, while many Albanian families have fled fearing of a possible Serb massacre, say reports of the LDK in that locality. These sources also report that the panic has been created on purpose and they appealed to local people not to leave their homes.

So far, four not yet identified victims have been discovered in Magure. /p.ta/das/xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[07] European Troika will ask DP to take part in Commission for Drafting of Constitution of Albania

During the meeting with Albanian Prime Minister Fatos Nano, the Troika representatives said that they "will ask DP to take part in the commission for the Drafting of the Constitution because this is the last chance to show that it is a real and alternative opposition, which must use the opportunity to be coauthor of a very good draft of the constitution."

The opposition, said the delegation of the European Troika, must not turn this process into a political question and the referendum for the constitution into a political solution.

PM Nano said that it was in the interest of all sides and political groups that the constitution be adopted by consensus.

"We, he said, are open to cooperation conformed to all democratic rules and principles, giving the opposition the chance to present its alternative version for every article on which no consensus has been reached in the commission.

Presenting the activity of the coalition government, Nano said that it is working with full responsibility to stabilize the situation and to reach positive results in the reform processes.

With regard to the situation in Kosove, PM Nano stressed that "the European and international presence perhaps in every square cm of Kosove is indispensable in order that fighting and broader escalation of the conflict be halted." /s.s.das/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[08] Round table discussion on Kosove in Zagreb

"Representatives of Serbian side were not invited with the aim of avoiding confrontations and that the problem of Kosove be discussed calmly, " said the round table organizers.

Croatian General Martin Shpegel was for the continuation of the armed fight, in the guerilla form. He voiced the opinion that NATO raids cannot be undertaken in the moment when conflicts are beginnin to spillover beyond the borders of Kosove, but, according to him, more important was the fact that Albanian forces were succeeding.

Azem Vllasi, leader of the Communist Party in Kosove in 80s, stressed in his discussion that the only right solution is a Kosove independent from the Serb jurisdiction and regime and that this is an orientation which every Albanian will keep sticking to at any cost. In reply to the question which were his political ambitions, Azem Vllasi said that he would like to become an ambassador of the independent state of Kosove in Belgrade or Zagreb. /p.ta/das/xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[09] "We know nothing about statements of European Troika for DP's participation in Commission for Drafting of Constitution - Pollo

"We have not yet directly received Troika's request for a DP's participation in the process for the drafting of the constitution. As soon as we see its demands, we shall decide on the approach we will adopt," stated the DP deputy chairman, Genc Pollo, in a news conference on Tuesday, without giving details about yesterday's meeting that DP leaders had with the delegation of European Troika.

In a meeting Monday with Albanian PM Fatos Nano, European Troika representatives said that "they will ask the Democratic Party to take part in the commission for the constitution," a report of the information and media department of the Council of Ministers says.

According to the Troika representatives, "this is the last chance to show that it is a real and alternative opposition, which must use the opportunity to be coauthor of a very good draft of the constitution."

The opposition, said the delegation of the European Troika, must not turn this process into a political question and the referendum for the constitution into a political solution. /s.s./das/xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[10] Third day of fighting near Prishtine

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[11] Corruption harms social-economic development of Albania

TIRANA, June 30 (ATA)-By A. Gjata, L. Thanasi, Based on the recent surveys, institutional weaknesses in the public sector in Albania are also associated with the high prevalence of corruption, which in turn is having a detrimental impact on socio-economic development in Albania.

The Albanian government and the World Bank were among the initiators of the conference "Drafting institutional schemes for anti-corruption fight, " held in Tirana today. Also attending the conference was Albania's Prime Minister Fatos Nano.

A material of the World Bank prepared in cooperation with the Albanian Economic Research Centre and based on statistics data gathered by ORT, Ceer-Wall Street Journal and Transparency International, concludes that corruption in Albania is much wide -spread and has enormous cost.

Albania ranks alongside a few former Soviet countries that have stayed behind in most respects in the transition, and far behind other countries in Central and Eastern Europe.

Surveys say that Albania rates very low in terms of corruption indices, rule of law institutions, integration to the world economy, and productivity.

The conference also presented the forms of corruption, based on surveys, according to which:

-more than one-half of the firms admit they pay bribes to public officials and that the cost of corruption of these firms is approximately 8 per cent of turnover -almost one-half of private citizens admitted to paying bribes since 1991

-more than two-thirds of public officials confirm that bribery is extremely prevalent in Albania According to the survey the highest corruption is in customs, telecommunications, judiciary, procurement clearance, tax inspectors, building permits. /pas/lm/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[12] Current SHIK head speaks of faults of SHIK under Berisha' rule

Asked by socialist deputy Dashamir Kamberi, at a question and answer parliamentary session, Klosi dwelt on the amorphous situation of the state during last February-June unrest, when some 90 per cent of SHIK's effective, mainly officers without the respective schooling, was employed.

As to proofs of this institution's involvement in anti-constitutional and illegal activity, the head of the SHIK, Klosi, said: "When I took over, I found on duty only one officer, head of department, while all the other leading cadres, also including former head Gazidede, went out of the state, before the June 29, 1997 election results came out".

"The smoke of burning documents was seen for three days in succession in the premises of the SHIK," he said.

Meanwhile, said the SHIK's head, it comes out that the personnel of this institution was involved in party activity, down to "writing slogans in favour of the DP and former president Berisha during the electoral campaigns, while opposition leaders such as Nano, Dokle, Majko, Gjinushi, Ceka and others were bugged, and left press or independent reporters even beaten."

Klosi also accused the previous SHIK of participating in military activity, in which "distribution of weapons to various persons, elements also involved in crimes, especially during the March '97 unrest, is documented.

Klosi informed parliament of the measures underway to reorganise SHIK, based on a strict implementation of the respective provisions, strengthening legal control and depoliticising it.

Concrete analyses have been made of the already overcome situation and penal prosecution is asked against those responsible.

Cooperation with similar institutions of friendly states as well as with the Interpol has been strengthened as well, said Klosi. /s.s/das/lm/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[13] Nano: We will combat corruption now

"We have succeeded in completing an institutional package which aims at suffocating corruption," said Nano at the conference "Drafting institutional schemes on anti-corruption fight", held on the initiative of the Albanian Government and the World Bank.

Nano admitted the relatively high levels of corruption, but stressed that he did not whatsoever blame the young Albanian democracy for this.

After analysing the causes of corruption, Nano said that another factor that has nourished corruption is poverty and the low incomes of the public sector officials, typical of the inheritance from communism.

"The corruption we are facing today also originates in the the structural deformation of the economy and administration we inherited one year ago," said Nano, adding that this led to "an unconditional reduction of all government links to corruption, raising the corruption itself to a system, until the country plunged into the painful multi-facet crisis of the 1996-1997 period."

Nano asked a greater citizen commitment to fighting corruption and said that the fight against it "is a process which should respect several stages until it assumes its institutional form."

"At these moments the Albanian government considers urgent the employment of all the state links to exercise judiciary and professional control in all its segments, in activities at home and in relation to the world," said Nano.

He said that many legislative acts, such as the fiscal code, procurement law, harmonization and simplification of legislative packages affecting the economic perspective, reexamination of licenses, authorisations for private activities, are improving.

Nano said that at certain moments temporary centralizing measures can be taken to reduce in the maximum the possibilities for corruption and unlawful activities.

Nano said that the Government's fight against corruption will be neither propaganda, nor campaign. It will be effective, constant and will be carried out with professionalism and on legal bases. /a.gj/pas/lm/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[14] IOM evaluates performance to cope with refugee influx

At a meeting on Tuesday with deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Local Government Bashkim Fino, Falvi made the following statement:

"Work is going on to enroll the refugees, whose number so far is 10 000. At this moment, in cooperation with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), several buildings, which will serve to accommodate the refugees, are being rehabilitated.

Flavi mentioned some of the projects of this mission, including rehabilitation of the buildings abandoned and destroyed, national and international transportation of the sick as well as medical assistance, which he said, are programmes possible to be realised also in Albania. /s.sh/mima/lm/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[15] Declaration by European Tri-Parliamentary Mission to Albania

The delegation composed of six officials from Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain and Turkey called for strengthening laws to improve the security situation in Albania which they said is characterised by high levels of violent crime and corruption.

The delegation hailed Albania's efforts to improve the legal framework necessary to establish an independent, professional judiciary, including the establishment of the Albanian School of Magistrates, but stressed the need to strictly observe all the procedures and laws related to this system.

It noted with satisfaction that the Union for Democracy has ended the boycott of the Parliament but rejected its request to have a blocking minority in the Constitutional Commission.

Jordi Sole Tura, Spanish rapporteur of the CE said that practice of "Blocking minority" has not been used in any other country before and this is not at all necessary.

The Venice Commission, which will be present in the final reading of the constitution draft, prior to its submission to the full Parliament and subsequent proposed referendum, on June 15 '98 gave O.K. to the whole part of the Albanian Constitutional draft approved by the Constitutional Commission.

The Union for Democracy, headed by the Democratic Party of former President Sali Berisha, continues to boycott the commission claiming to the realisaion of the blocking minority.

The declaration of the Tri-Parliamentary mission, read at a news conference by Italian Renzo Imbeni, European parliament Vice President, expresses concern at the climate of distrust among the political forces which is impeding dialogue among them.

It "welcomes the adoption of new Rules of Procedure for parliament and the general improvement in the parliamentary practice, including respect for the role of the opposition".

The mission described the June 21 and 28 partial election, in which the left coalition "Alliance for State" won 53% of the votes, as generally fair and free, demonstrating further progress in the consolidation of democratic processes in Albania.

This has been the second visit of the tri-parliamentary mission to Albania since its visit in January 1998.

The tri-parliamentary mission also emphasised the need of defining employment procedures in civil service and armed forces. /a.ke/mima/lm/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[16] Gjinushi meets with European tri-parliamentary delegation

He said that the Albanian parliament has passed two important resolutions, in which it asks a halt to the military and police repression exercised by Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevic.

"Endorsing the will of the Albanian population for self-determination, the Albanian parliament considers urgent a more resolute engagement not only by the Contact Group and international community, but also by NATO, to realise a peaceful and long-term solution," said Gjinushi.

He also explained about the engagement of parliament as regards mass media, the law on organising justice and several problems already resolved in the Constitutional Court. /a.ke/mima/lm/

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