Albanian Telegraphic Agency (ATA), 98-07-07

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

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

CONTENTS

[01] Investigation for Director of Customs General Department

[02] CE political director praises Albanian government's policy

[03] Nano proposes creation of National Committee of Kosove

[04] Fuss made about request for my removal from the Commission for the Constitution is groundless - Godo

[05] NGOs urge a legal framework to protect rights of ethnic minority

[06] Guardia di Finanza spots a motorboat carrying smuggled cigarettes

[07] Police arrest five people involved in women trafficking

[08] I am ready to give up any immunity and face judiciary - Berisha

[09] SP says fight against corruption be followed by changes

[10] Albania risks losing investments

[11] Military exercise Skurraj '98 conducted in Kurbin district

[12] Kijeva continues to be sealed off

[13] OSCE office opened in north Albania

[14] Albanian government to fulfil commitments of ESAF 2

[15] 230 students graduate in Shkoder University

[16] $USD at the quota of 152.5 lek in Tirane

[17] Democratic Party to boycott Albanian parliament again

[18] Efforts by Serbian security forces to cover up tracks of crime

[19] Constitutional Commission again "stuck" at properties

[01] Investigation for Director of Customs General Department

Sources of the investigation department told ATA that the director Bleta will be interrogated under the charge of "abuse of office," these sources said without giving details for the nature of the abuses.

The investigation sessions will be made by a group of prosecutors in the General Prosecutor's Office, the above sources explained. /s.sh/xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[02] CE political director praises Albanian government's policy

The Albanian prime minister stressed the necessity of ongoing joint efforts to find solutions based on the European optic of integration and democratization and putting Serbia under democratic encirclement because as Nano said "Tirana, Athens, Skopje and Podgorica are almost ready to attack Serbia through democratization processes".

Nano devoted a special attention to the presence of the Council of Europe in Serbia, which could help stop acts of violence of ethnic cleansing stirred up by personal interests of holding the power in Belgrade and underlined the need of cooperation with the CE to identify political partners within Yugoslavia in order that, besides the Contact Group and NATO, this powerful instrument for a long-term solution to the crisis be put into operation.

"As long as Belgrade undertakes negative actions, the Council of Europe would refuse Yugoslavia' request for membership in the Council and there would be no official contact either with Belgrade or Serb opposition, because the latter is not an opposition we would like," Furrer said.

He also briefed on contacts the CE has already established with non- governmental organisations, independent media and students' organisations in Belgrade and Prishtina, thus establishing links with the civil society and backing those factors outside Serb official policy that can help find peaceful solution.

Prime Minister Nano informed Furrer that the Venice commission was expected to approve this month the work done so far for a draft constitution because this was an outstanding, transparent process, which includes all Albanian political forces, except Berisha's grouping that tries to blackmail the Albanian society by blocking it.

Furrer hailed the transparency of the Albanian constitutional process and backed its (government) objectives in fight against corruption.

"Due to your policy Albania is coming out of the vicious circle of conflictuality," Furrer said to the Albanian prime minister Nano. s.sh/mima/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[03] Nano proposes creation of National Committee of Kosove

The PM Nano made the statement in an interpellation requested by the chairman of the Foreign Policy Commission Sabri Godo, who asked explanations about some declarations of the Prime Minister in the REUTER Agency from Crans Montana, with regard to the crisis in Kosove and the approach of the Government in this respect.

PM Nano said that "so far, the commitment of the Albanian government with regard to the question of Kosove has been completely correct."

In reply to one of the 11 questions by Godo regarding the NATO engagement in the Kosove crisis, PM said that "NATO presence in Albania is the most efficient means to halt the Serb violent machine, for its withdrawal from Kosove, it is a support for the peace forces in Kosove and Serbia, a possibility for pressure on Milosevic and his advocates."

For the leader of the Albanians, Ibrahim Rugova, the PM said that "I have stated that Rugova is the element of unity of the Albanians of Kosove and the symbol of their will for institutions and organization."

The Liberation Army of Kosove was considered by the PM "a people's movement created as a result of the right of the peoples to defend themselves from aggressors." Nano said that the Albanian government has never qualified the KLA as a terrorist organization but it has warned that it is against terrorism.

The interpellation with the PM was asked last week by Godo following an interview of PM Nano with REUTER, in which, according to the agency, he had said that "Albania does not support the independence of Kosove" and that "Ibrahim Rugova is now absolutely a figure without authority."

The PM belied these declarations right after he returned from the Forum of Crans Montana, saying that they were distorted by the reporter. /s.s./pas/xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[04] Fuss made about request for my removal from the Commission for the Constitution is groundless - Godo

Godo said that he was predisposed to implement any decision of the parliament, to resign if this is demanded and serves the progress of the work for the drafting and approval of the constitution.

The political grouping "Union for Democracy" has conditioned its participation in the commission for the drafting of the constitution with the naming of a co-chairman of this commission from the ranks of the opposition, a demand which was considered absurd by the political grouping DBA (the Right wing Union)

At present the commission has two co-chairmen, Arben Imami, representing the government coalition and Sabri Godo, representing the Albanian opposition, who are named by the Albanian Parliament.

The European troika which visited Tirane in the last week, called on the Democratic Party to take part in the commission for the drafting of the constitution, considering this participation as "the last chance to show they are a real and alternative opposition, which must use the opportunity they are offered to be coauthors of a very good draft of the constitutions." /s.s./das/xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[05] NGOs urge a legal framework to protect rights of ethnic minority

The Tirana-based Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) said that 25 representatives of NGOs, which represent minorities in south of Albania such as gypsies, Wllahachias, Greeks and Macedonians, attended the conference.

The conference was organised by the OSCE representative office in Tirana and the regional office in Gjirokastra in cooperation with the local NGO-s and the Council of Europe and financed by the Foreign Ministry of Norway.

They reached a consensus on a series of recommendations, which will be submitted to the Albanian parliament, its constitutional commission and respective ministries. The recommendations include an appeal to the Albanian government to ratify the frame convention for the protection of national minorities, which Albania has signed since 1995, and a request on some amendments to certain constitutional provisions on protection of minorities, and others. s.sh/pas/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[06] Guardia di Finanza spots a motorboat carrying smuggled cigarettes

Two Italian motorboats pursued the three-member motorboat but failed to stop it, a spokesman of the Guardia di Finanza said.

The traffickers threw off on the sea some 190 kg of Merit cigarettes and left at full speed to the Montenegrin territorial waters.

The police confiscated the cigarettes. ake/das/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[07] Police arrest five people involved in women trafficking

A spokesman of the Public Order Ministry said to ATA on Tuesday that police force of the Peshkopia arrested Liri Rifat Mjeshri, 44, from Mejtari of Bulqiza, Seit Hamit Alla, 33, from Bulqiza, Luan Hamit Alla, 44, from Bulqiza, Behar Shaziman Keshi, 32, from Mejtari of Bulqiza and Avdie Petrit Qeleshi, 33, from Bulqiza, at 19.00. p.m. on Monday.

They in cooperation with each other have cheated or kidnapped some 7 to 8 young women between 14 and 16 both in Peshkopia and Bulqiza and sent them abroad, mostly in Greece and Italy, to prostitute.

The police found a considerable amount of ammunition in their houses. s.s/das/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[08] I am ready to give up any immunity and face judiciary - Berisha

"I consider groundless charges towards me by Ngjela Commission, which, for me, is a political commission. I am ready to deny myself any immunity and face the judiciary," stated Sali Berisha on Monday in a news conference. According to Berisha, during all the time he has been in the post of the president, he has not made any violation or act detrimental to the interests of Albania.

Ngjela commission explained in its reporting in the Parliament that with the Democratic Party, as the ruling party during the period of the tragic events in January-March 1997, rests the main responsibility for what happened in Albania at that time.

The member of the Commission, Spartak Braho, accused ex-president Sali Berisha as direct instigator of the unrest which led to the destruction of Albania.

Bashkim Fino, deputy Premier and Local Government Minister said in the parliamentary debate on Monday on the events in 1997 that "There is no room for Berisha in this parliament because he has ideated and made the strategy for Albania's destruction."

Albanian deputies demanded the start of investigation against Berisha blaming him for the collapse of the Albanian state. /s.s./das/xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[09] SP says fight against corruption be followed by changes

Majko said that certain segments in administration continue to inherit the plague of corruption of the Democratic Party government (DP).

He said that the SP parliamentary group would analyse in detail the material presented by the presidency on customs clearance, but contrary to the DP, he said, we would do it with complete transparency in order not to allow that our society suffers the corruption plague. s.sh/das/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[10] Albania risks losing investments

The survey estimated that the risk is some 80 percent.

The Albanian government has defined measures to fight corruption and opened recently an agency, which would guarantee the investments with a $10 million fund by the World Bank to minimize risk of losing investments. /ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[11] Military exercise Skurraj '98 conducted in Kurbin district

Present to attend the exercise were the Albanian Prime Minister, Fatos Nano, the Defence Minister, Luan Hajdaraga, the Chief of the Army General Staff, brigade general Aleks Andoni, the adviser of the President of the Republic for Defence Policy, Zabit Brokaj and military attaches of various countries accredited in Tirane.

The main objective of the exercise was the increase of coordinating and planning capabilities of the staffs of various kinds of weapons and services. As for the content and the participation of the kinds of arms, beginning with tanks, artillery pieces, commandos etc., this exercise is the biggest held so far.

Skurraj '98 is the fourth following that of the Air Forces, cod-named Gjallica in Kukes and the exercise Juba '98. /s.s.das/xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[12] Kijeva continues to be sealed off

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[13] OSCE office opened in north Albania

The aim of the office, according to the OSCE officials, is to closely follow the situation in the Albanian-Yugoslav border.

Escalation of Serb violence in Kosova and the tense situation in the northern border between the two countries have forced the organisation to open its offices in Tropoja in January and in Kukes in May, covering 120-km long state border line with Yugoslavia with all its monitors. ake/das/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[14] Albanian government to fulfil commitments of ESAF 2

"The ESAF 2 has started to give considerable fruits what can be seen in the fact that people have return to work, particularly after the collapse of investment schemes and elimination of their effects," Nano said.

"We will continue to respect the deadlines in macro economic stabilising and institutional reforms," Nano said. "These reforms are being accompanied by tighter measures against corruption and contraband, which should not be allowed to reduce the efficacy of the administration and corrupt its structures."

Nano said that "the government is closely cooperating with the World Bank and other specialised organisations to carry out anti-corruption measures and to secure the support of the Council of Europe in order to reform some corrupted segments of the Albanian justice, which are preventing the fight against the crime of different kinds."

"Institutional intervention against corruption will give its expected results soon avoiding at the same time the factors which bring about harmful politicization of administration," he said. "Given the regional delicate situation we are living in, it is in the interest of all that Albania be a stabilised and economically healthy state because in such way it can maintain necessary balances in the Balkans."

The IMF representatives thanked the prime minister Nano for the satisfactory results of the first phase of the ESAF 2 agreement. Prices have fallen to 2 percent, budget income has reached the expected level, structural reforms are being carried out within certain deadlines, inflation has reached the foreseen figures and Albania seems to be saved from investment schemes.

This progress should continue in other directions such as quick and efficacious privatisation, fight against crime and corruption and strengthening of public administration. /ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[15] 230 students graduate in Shkoder University

It is the first academic year that the students have completed full studies in the branch of English.

On Tuesday a diploma giving ceremony was held. Those present were addressed by the Rector of the University, As.prof.Gjovalin Gruda.

There are 12 branches in the University of Shkoder, pedagogy, economy- business, law, German and English language branches. /s.s./pas/xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[16] $USD at the quota of 152.5 lek in Tirane

Foreign currency exchange rate

Kind of currency Bought Sold

USD 152.50 152.60

DM 84.30 84.40

LIT(1000) 85.10 85.20

GRD(100) 50.50 51.00 /xh?

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[17] Democratic Party to boycott Albanian parliament again

"The leadership of the Democratic Party today will suggest to the National Council of this party not to recognise this parliament and to finally boycott it," stated Sali Berisha, DP chairman, at a news conference on Tuesday.

Berisha said that the causes that led to this decision by the DP presidency is the violence exercised against the militants of this party, return to office of the former State Security officials and the creation by parliament of the commission to investigate last year's January-March events in Albania, which Berisha regarded as a commission which seeks to persecute the DP leaders.

The Albanian parliament on Monday voted the final report of the Parliamentary Commission to investigate last year's January-March events, and all the deputies present blamed the former President of the republic, Sali Berisha, and his collaborators, for ruining the state.

It is not the first time that the DP goes towards boycotting the Albanian parliament. The longest and the last boycott of this party lasted five months, from September last year to March this year. The return of the DP to parliament was enabled only after suggestions by the international community.

The DP is expected to take the final decision following the proceedings of the National Council, which is holding proceedings without the presence of reporters. /s.s/lm/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[18] Efforts by Serbian security forces to cover up tracks of crime

The Kosova Information Centre (QIK) reports that along the whole way one could see the intensive preparatory work carried out by the Serbian security forces to cover up the tracks of crimes committed during Serbian forces' attacks in these zones recently.

A team of QIK reporters, along with 150 foreign reporters, accompanied this international observer mission in its first trip to Kosova.

The number of the policemen at the checkpoints set up at the entrance of Vushtrise and in Mitrovice suburbs in the direction of Skenderaj, as well as in Skenderaj suburbs and at the entrance of Polac, had been reduced substantially.

All the zones visited yesterday by the foreign diplomats were in a state of curfew, but the Serbian police tried to create the impression that calm prevailed there.

In Prekaz i Ulet the houses were destroyed and burnt by Serbian grenades and only their ruins could be seen. There are numerous facts testifying to the barbarous crime against the Jasharaj family, in which the Serbian forces spared neither the children, nor the women, nor the old people.

In Prekaz, in the barracks set up in the mountains in every 20-30 metres, one could see nothing but Serbian forces.

The QIK reports that the international observers, journalists, photo- reporters and cameramen of world radio-TV centres were not allowed to see anything beyond Serbian frameworks. /p.ta/das/lm/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[19] Constitutional Commission again "stuck" at properties

The commission members did not agree to the transitional provision, which determines abrogation of the laws approved since 1945, in relation to the expropriation of "old" owners.

The co-chairman of this Commission, Sabri Godo, asked that the meeting be put off, to continue on the same day but after his consultation in the afternoon with the parties of the Albanian United Right Wing political grouping.

At the morning meeting, the members of the constitutional commission approved the four sections of article 34, which as to do with the right to property.

The debate began when it came to the abrogation of the laws in force regarding property.

The proposal of the Venice Commission assesses that "after the approval of the new constitution, parliament within two years issues laws on the final solution of various issues regarding the expropriations and confiscations carried out during the communist period".

But Godo, along with the chairman of the Democratic Right Party, Petrit Kalakula, also asked the abrogation of the laws during the post- communist period in Albania.

But the Constitutional Commission members, who belong to the governing majority, did not agree to this provision.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Government Coordination Kastriot Islami said that "this point might not be agreed upon by a part of the population, already provided with land, according to the law "On Property", which might reject the new constitution only for this part".

So far, the special parliamentary commission has studied three fourth of the draft-constitution while the sections dealing with the System of Justice and Local government remain to be studied and examined. /s.sh/das/lm/

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