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Albanian Telegraphic Agency (ATA), 98-07-03Albanian Telegraphic Agency Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Albanian Telegraphic Agency (ATA) Home Page at <http://www.telpress.it/ata>Albanian Telegraphic AgencyCONTENTS
[01] Meidani, Solana discuss withdrawal of Serb forces from KosovaTIRANA, July 2 (ATA) - Albanian president Rexhep Meidani and NATO Secretary- General Javier Solana, visiting Albania, said on Thursday in Tirana that the withdrawal of Serb forces from Kosova will be the first step towards a dialogue between sides to find a solution to the crisis there, press and information office close to presidency said to ATA."The international community should not delay finding a realistic solution to the Kosova issue taking into consideration all the active factors, which have an influence in Kosova, and a new balance not only for today but also for the perspective," Meidani said. President Meidani also urged an international presence all over the territory of Kosova to prevent further radicalisation of the situation. Around 10 thousand Albanians of Kosova, mostly women and children, are settled in North Albania after they crossed the border fleeing Serb violence, which has claimed the lives of 300 Albanians, who fight for independence, since February 1998. The opening of the NATO office in Tirana was considered by Meidani and Solana as another important step and a unique practice, which showed that Albania has chosen the right way to cooperate with NATO. ake/mima/ak/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[02] Parliament debates report on unrest investigationsTIRANA, July 2 (ATA) - By Ylli Pata: Albanian parliament started late on Thursday a debate on the report of the parliamentary commission investigating unrest of January-March 1997.Head of the commission Spartak Ngjela, deputy head Fatbardh Hushi and its members Sokol Azizi, Vladimir Fejzo and Spartak Braho responded to the questions of deputies about any ambiguity or fault in the report. The parliamentary session on final report of the commission will be held early next Monday. This decision was taken late on Thursday by the parliamentary leadership after a request of the parliamentary group of the Socialist party (SP). ake/mima/ak/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[03] Albanian, Greek military units to hold joint exercisesKORCE, July 2 (ATA) - By B. Fejzullai: Military units of the Korça division, southeastern Albania, and those of Kastoria, Greece, will hold joint military exercises, Captain Kasem Saliasi, spokesman of the Korça division said to ATA on Thursday.Captain Salias said that this was decided in a meeting between the commander of the Korça division Colonel Ethem Shkurta and commander of the Kastoria division, Brigadier General Panayoti Russos at the officers' center in Korça. "Senior military officers backed promotion of links between them in interest of peace and stability in the region," Salias said. This is the second meeting between the commanders of the divisions of Korça and Kastoria in the space of three months. The first meeting was held in Kastoria city in April. s.s/mima/ak/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[04] Police resume armaments' collectionGJIROKASTER, July 2 (ATA) - By H. Çani: Police of Gjirokastra, south of Albania, in cooperation with the Laberia division have started a widescale operation to collect armaments which have been raided from army's depots during the unrest of 1997.A police spokesman said that some 300 thousand cartridges, some caches with different kinds of bombs, automatic rifles and Kalashnikovs have been collected. The armaments have been particularly collected in the communes of Picar and Kardhiq, where there are a large number of depots. The spokesman excluded the possibilities of finding the ammunition by chance in a certain place as any daily has reported. He said that the armaments had been handed in by the residents themselves to military and police forces because the people had become aware of their danger and had faith in the public order personnel. The military units of the 5th infantry division in Gjirokastra have also been engaged in collection of weapons. ake/pas/ak/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[05] Serb residents of Frasher attack Pantine villagePRISHTINE, July 2 (ATA) - Dozens of Serb paramilitary, mostly residents of the Frasher village headed for Pantine village, Vushtri, late on Thursday.The Center for Information of Kosova (QIK) quoted sources of the Democratic League of Kosova (LDK) saying that four train loads with Serb paramilitary arrived in Frasher during the night. Last week, the houses of the Albanians in Frasher have been burnt down by Serbs living there, while the villages of Pantine and Okrashtice have been often attacked by the Serb police and paramilitary. An LDK source in Vushtri said that Serbs were going to face a resistance in the Pantine village. If the Serb paramilitary failed to stop fighting there would be bloody clashes, the same source said. Some Serb extremists are warning of the creation of an armed force with Serbs living in Kosova. In Deçan, Gjakova, Kline and recently in Obiliq, the Serbs have played a very negative role in attacks against Albanians, QIK said. pta/ak/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[06] Head of investigation commission accused of fact distortionTIRANA, July 2 (ATA) - By Ylli Pata: The Socialist deputy Spartak Braho, member of the commission investigating the unrest of 1997 accused late on Thursday Spartak Ngjela, the head of this commission, of distorting the conclusions of the final report."Ngjela has voiced his personal views and not those of the commission, " Braho said in response to questions of the deputies as regards the final report on investigations on the last year tragedy in Albania. Ngjela failed to mention names of former opposition leaders involved in events last year as he said two weeks ago. "My moral code does not allow me to mention proper names because this will bring about negative consequences in the Albanian society." The collapse of investment schemes where thousands of Albanians lost their live savings and that brought about a wave of unrest in February- March 1997, toppled the ruling Democratic party of former president Sali Berisha. Meanwhile, the member of the commission, the Socialist deputy Spartak Braho, said that former opposition had not been involved in events which brought about the destruction of the Albanian state. Braho accused the then senior officials starting with former president Sali Berisha as responsible for stirring up unrest which destroyed the Albanian state. s.s/mima/ak/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[07] Albanian doctors in Macedonia ready to help Kosova brothersSKOPJE, July 3 (ATA) - Many Albanian doctors from the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), specialists of different medical fields, have expressed their readiness to go to Albania and also to Kosova to help Kosova brothers, which are forced to flee their land due to Serb violence and terror, Center for Information in Kosova (QIK) said on Friday.Some doctors have said to QIK that they are also ready to go to war zones in Kosova to offer the necessary medical aid to fighters of the Kosova Liberation Army (KLA). Most of them are ready to spend their vocations helping their brothers who are fighting for the liberation of Kosova, QIK said. pta/ak/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[08] Council of ministers passes program on public investmentsTIRANA, July 2 (ATA) - By D. Koça: Albanian Council of Ministers passed on Thursday a draft decision on program of public investments for 1998-2001 prepared by the Ministry of Economic Development and Cooperation.The Program of Public Investments (PIP) is the fourth of this kind and includes capital projects and those of the assistance financed by the aid agencies. The majority of projects include elements of capital financing and technical assistance. This program defines fields where donors would finance. Investments will be carried out in infrastructure, service, institutions and 70 percent of them will be covered by foreign donors. The projects for the construction of East-West and North-South corridors were the two biggest included in this program, which accounted for 30 percent of the main road network of Albania. The World Bank has opened the green light by according some $20 million for the Durres port and $36 million for the rehabilitation of some 975 km of rural roads. /ak/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[09] Thousand tons of sugar continue to be imported into AlbaniaKORCE, July 2 (ATA) - By B. Fejzullai: Sugar factory in Maliq has interrupted its production two years ago therefore over 50 thousand tons of sugar are being imported annually into Albania.Over 9.000 tons of sugar have been imported from different countries during the first months of the year and the sugar factory which produced some 32 thousand tons per year is not working yet. In a meeting with the factory supervising council, the head of the district council Frederik Miço discussed the possibilities to put the factory into operation. "Putting the sugar factory into operation would mean to secure 60 percent of Albania's needs with sugar and ease social problems that is reducing unemployment in the cities of Maliq and Korça," Miço said to ATA. Head of the research and development group, Niko Kreku said that putting the factory into operation would mean development and progress for the Korça region, circulation of agricultural herbs and guarantee for Korça farmers. "There exist possibilities to produce sugar beet in Albania but this needs an improvement to the legislation that defends domestic production," Gjergji Qafka, director of the sugar-beet station said. Kreku said that certain clans have blocked the sugar industry with the aim of maintaining the monopoly of sugar import. At the time when the sugar factory worked at full capacity some 8.000 ha of lands were sowed in Korça and Devoll districts and 320 thousand tons of sugar-beet and 32 thousand tons of sugar were produced annually. /ak/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[10] Over 10 million leks for seven public works projects in VloraTIRANA, July 2 (ATA) - By Lolita Thanasi: Seven projects of public works, including rehabilitation of main road and construction of others, have been applied until the end of June in the Vlora district.The local Labour office said that the local tri-party council had released a fund worth 10.639.080 Lek for each project while the number of those employed is 246. The duration for each project is three months and the monthly payment 5.800 Leks plus social insurance. The first project started in Kote in April. /ak/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[11] Serb forces launch new attacks, Rugova urges international protectionPRISHTINE, July 3 - ATA correspondent Behlul Jashari reported that Serb warplanes flew in low altitude over Prishtina while the president of Kosova Ibrahim Rugova told Albanian and foreign journalists in a news conference on Friday that Serb forces had launched new attacks early today against Kijeve along the Prishtina-Peje highway and other regions of Kosova further deteriorating the situation there.Rugova considered very grave the situation in Kosova and asked for a prompt end to attacks of Serb police and army as well as international protection for the people of Kosova. "I am the president of Kosova and represent all the citizens of Kosova," said Rugova when asked whether he would accept to be a political representative of the Kosova Liberation Army (KLA). "Groups who are resisting the Serb attacks and offensive should be careful and assume responsibility," he said. Commenting on Thursday's statement of the Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevic on an autonomy for Kosova within Serbia, Rugova said that this is not a solution and the best one is an independent Kosova with all guarantees for Serbs living there and an international protectorate as a transition phase. pta/ak/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[12] Powerful explosion rocks Prishtine marketPRISHTINE, July 3 (ATA) - A powerful explosion occurred at 06.00 in front of the Voçari central market some 15 km from the crossroad of Dardania quarter in Prishtina, the Center for the Information in Kosova said on Friday.The explosion caused extensive damage to the market and destroyed some cars. Serb forces arrived 30 minutes later at the scene and investigations were underway. There are no reports on casualties. The explosion was very powerful and was heard in some parts of the city while the people heading to work scattered to different directions. None has claimed responsibility for the explosion. pta/ak/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[13] Villages of Kline come under Serb attacksPRISHTINE, July 3 (ATA) - Numerous police forces backed by tanks and other armoured carriers launched a powerful attack on villages of Gllareve, Rigjeve, Zabergje, Cerovik and Kijeve from Dolci and Pogragje positions, the Center for Information in Kosova said quoting sources of the Democratic League of Kosova division in Kline.The sources said that the attack aimed at helping Serb forces infiltrate into Kijeve. Explosions were audible even in the city of Klina. Military helicopter flights were seen over the area and sources from Drenica reported of injured being airlifted. A month ago the Serb residents helped by the police managed to expel Albanians from their houses. U.S. special envoy Richard Holbrooke had referred to Kijeve as "the most dangerous place in Europe". So far there are no reports on casualties, while a Serb media center said that Serb forces arrived in Kijeve at 7.30. a.m. pta/ak/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[14] Archives, evidence of Geodesy in Gjakove transported to unknown directionPRISHTINE,July 3 (ata) - In one of the recent evenings, structures of the Serb administration transported the archives and evidence of Geodesy in Gjakove to an unknown direction, the Information Centre of Kosove reports referring to LDK sources in that city.Elimination of documentation by Serb administration bodies has also occurred in Mitrovice, while in Obiliq, such documents have been photocopied, Information Centre of Kosove reports. /p.ta/xh/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[15] If war is imposed on us, we shall defend ourselves - Albanian militaryKUKES, July 3 (ata) - By Riza Hoxha: "We do not want war, but if it is imposed on us, we shall know how to defend ourselves," said Friday the commander of the second Infantry Division of Kukes (Northern Albania) Brigade General, Kudusi Lamaj in a meeting with local government leaders of the Kukes district and foreign reporters.Lamaj spoke in the meeting for the military alert in face of the situation created as a result of the Serb violence and repression in Kosove. The technical and organizational elements of the military readiness, he said, are completely ensured, as for the human and military resources there is no doubt that the inhabitants of the area are ready do defend the territorial integrity. Lamaj said that "the present situation is tense with concentration of troops and heavy armament near the border with Albania." According to him, military structures of that zone are closely following the situation. Round o'clock monitoring service is realised along all the border line with Yugoslavia and the situation is under full control. Nevertheless, he said, despite the well-wishing approach of NATO towards our country, "we shall defend ourselves from any eventual attack." To this end, Lamaj stressed the need of a greater readiness, observation service to be organized in every quarter and village of the border areas with Yugoslavia in order to overcome any situation. According to him, the regime of Milosevic, which is carrying out an ethnic cleansing in Kosove, has caused the violence in Kosove. This is an ancient Serb policy towards the Albanian population there, said Lamaj, adding that the Serb dictatorship is feeling its end coming and that Kosove is not any more its colony. This is the reason that the authority of the Kosove Liberation Army and its activity in that zone is increasing, he said. Lamaj belied reports that KLA troops are being trained in the Albanian territory. /s.s/xh/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[16] Albanian high school teachers to be granted Italian visasTIRANE, July 3 (ata) - By P Shuteriqi: The professors and teachers in all Albania's universities will be given the possibility to move freely from Albania to Italy.The Albanian Minister of Education and Science, Et'hem Ruka told ATA on Friday that "this can be made possible through the application of Italian one year visas." Due to the efforts by Minister Ruka, the good understanding by the Ministry of Education of Albania, the Italian Foreign Ministry and Ambassador Marcello Spatafora, soon all teachers in the universities of Albania will be granted entry visas for Italy. "Now we are working on the necessary modalities," stressed Ruka, saying that such a practice is being applied with Greece for two years now. /s.s./das/xh/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[17] I will resign if parliament elects a co-chairman from Union for Democracy - GodoTIRANE, July 3 (ata) - By Ylli Pata: CO-chairman of the Commission for the Drafting of the Constitution of Albania, Sabri Godo declared on Friday that he was ready to resign from the commission leadership if Albanian Parliament decided to elect a co-chairman from the grouping "Union for Democracy."Godo told ATA that "there is no problem for me to leave this post if the People's Assembly decides to elect another co-chairman from the ranks of the Union for Democracy." The Democratic Party of Albania and its allies demanded some days ago the naming of a co-chairman from the Union for Democracy in the commission involved in drafting the fundamental law of the Albanian state. In the mean time, sources from the secretariat office of the people's Assembly say that the parliament has not received so far any official request from the Union for Democracy for a change in the present structure of the constitution commission. The other co-chairman of the parliamentary commission for the drafting of the constitution, Arben Imami told ATA that "we have been waiting for six months the formal proposals of DP which must ben send for discussion in the parliament and not just rumored in press conferences." The parliamentary commission which was charged last October by the People's Assembly to draft the new Constitution of the Republic of Albania, has so far elaborated 3/4 of the constitution draft which will be approved by the parliament and then will pass in a people's referendum. /a.ke/das/xh/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[18] Latest news from outskirts of KijevaPRISHTINE, July 3 (ata) - ATA correspondent Behlul Jashari reports: More than 20 Albanian villages of the commune of Kline (about 20 km east of Peje) were bombed today by thousands of cannon shells and grenades of the Serb forces. Sources from the spot say that Stepanice, Gllrave, Gjurgjevik and other villages were set ablaze.According to the correspondent of newspaper Bujku in Kline, the region of Llapushe, a large territory along the Prishtine-Peje road, including Kijeve, is not under the control of the Serb war machine which withdrew after great casualties it had in face of the powerful resistance of the KLA and the people in defence of their hearths. Eye witnesses have seen scores of people killed and wounded in the ranks of the Serb army, police and paramilitary. Some war equipment of the Serb aggressive forces has been ruined as well. /das/xh/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[19] Albanology also in one of the Turkish universitiesTIRANE, July 3 (ata) - By P Shuteriqi: The branch of Albanalogy will start functioning in one of the universities of Turkey, Albanian Education Minister Et'hem Ruka told ATA at the end of the three-day visit to Albania of his Turkish counterpart, Hikmet Ulugbay.The introduction of Albanalogy in the Turkish universities will attract not only Albanians from Albania but also from Kosove, Macedonia and other ethnic territories, who are residing in Turkey. The Turkish party voiced its understanding and readiness to meet this demand within the shortest possible time, following the completion of modalities in the respective universities. At present there are about 500 Albanian youths studying in Turkey according to agreements of cooperation not only with the Education Ministry of Albania but also with other ministries, and for the coming academic year, Turkey has offered 25 scholarships for higher studies and 4 for postgraduate studies. /a.ke/das/xh/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[20] Albanian Premier to visit Sarande soonTIRANE, July 3 (ata) - By Y Pata: Albanian Prime Minister Fatos Nano will go on a two-day visit to Sarande (southern Albania,) the coming Saturday. He is expected to meet with local government leaders of Sarande, sources of the Media and Information Department close to the Council of Ministers say.During his stay in Sarande, PM Fatos Nano will also visit the ancient city of Butrint, presently under the patronage of UNESCO which will restore this pearl of Albanian culture greatly damaged during unrest in 1997. PM Nano, to be also accompanied by the Minister of Culture, Edi Rama, will attend the inauguration ceremony of the UNESCO office located precisely in the ancient Butrint. On Sunday, Nano and his delegation are expected to pay a short visit to the Island Corfu. /a.ke/das/xh/ From the Albanian Telegraphic Agency (ATA) Home Page at http://www.telpress.it/ataAlbanian Telegraphic Agency Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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