Albanian Telegraphic Agency (ATA), 98-07-22

Albanian Telegraphic Agency Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

CONTENTS

[01] Agreement on credit administration signed

[02] One thousand Albanians to be seasonally employed in Italy

[03] Italy calls on Milosevic to stop violence in Kosova

[04] INTERNET service to begin soon in Albania

[05] Anti-mine friends committee calls on ICBL to stop use of landmine

[06] KLMDNJ urges stop of Serb massacres

[07] Over 120 civilians killed in Rahovec, press

[08] Berisha says boycott is first step to be followed

[09] Foreign Minister Paskal Milo leaves for Italy

[10] Milosevic responsible for tragic events after World War Two

[11] Librazhdi ensemble among six best groups of Bursa festival

[12] Two Turks and one Arab not allowed access to Albania

[13] International plan in aid of Lezha inhabitants

[14] Austrian families help Albanian northeastern areas

[15] SP calls Sali Berisha's statements warmongering, antinational

[16] Exchange rate: Dollar at 149.4 leks

[17] Supplementary fund from Government reserves required for roads

[18] President Rugova condemns violence of Serb forces in Rahovec

[01] Agreement on credit administration signed

The Minister of Finance signed the agreement for the Albanian side while Fotios Kytinos, the Tirana-based Bank director signed it for the National Bank of Greece. This is the third agreement signed with foreign commercial banks operating in Albania.

The credit was accorded to the Albanian government from the Greek government.

Other agreements have been signed recently with the "Tirana Bank" and Alpha Credit Bank".

Five billion Drachmas have been put at the disposal of the domestic and foreign private businesses which will be delivered according to the agreements between the three banks with favourable conditions for businessmen.

The credits will be given to 9 percent interest a year and a 10-year repayment. /ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[02] One thousand Albanians to be seasonally employed in Italy

The ministers Treu and Angjeli, with the presence of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) representative, considered the ongoing labour agreements signed between the two governments in November last year.

Both ministers talked about the possibilities of organising training courses for the Albanian youth by the Italian side and the need and possibility to exchange experience on organisation.

The meeting said that some one thousand Albanian citizens have been regularly employed in the territory of the Italian Republic during the first six-month period this year.

Both ministers agreed that the experts' working group of both ministries should meet in the first half of September in Tirana to coordinate the work on a decree under way in Italy regarding immigration influx in the second six-month period of the year.

The working group will discuss organisation aspects of the activity on professional training to be carried out under the ILO auspices particularly in the Professional Formation Center in Turin. /ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[03] Italy calls on Milosevic to stop violence in Kosova

The Albanian Foreign Ministry issued a press release saying that Dini had a telephone conversation with his Russian counterpart Yevgeni Primakov and had also sent a message to the Albanian Foreign Minister Paskal Milo on "very concerned" fighting in Kosova.

Dini called on Milosevic "to stop immediately the use of weapons and start negotiations with the warring side based on the elements decided by the Contact Group."

He underlined to Milosevic particularly the violence used in the recent fighting and the risk that it could destabilise other parts of the Balkans.

He and Primakov discussed the need for a "determined international initiative" to guarantee the borders of neighbour Albania but refused to elaborate.

Milo is expected to hold talks with Dini in Rome on July 23. /das/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[04] INTERNET service to begin soon in Albania

Present at the meeting were Minister of Public Economy and Privatisation, chiefs of the Albanian Telecom and Mobile Communication Agency, Telecommunication managing institution and the Directorate General of Telecommunication.

Prime minister Nano asked Minister of Public Economy and Privatisation Ylli Bufi to coordinate the work in order to make possible the creation of a procedural framework for a free market of INTERNET service in Albania at the beginning of August.

The meeting stressed the need to prepare as soon as the national politics of frequencies and radio diffusion in order to complete the national strategy for the privatisation of the telecommunication network which will pave the way for its swift development and attraction of foreign investors. /s.s/das/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[05] Anti-mine friends committee calls on ICBL to stop use of landmine

"Yugoslav military forces are the only ones in the world who are laying anti-personnel mines openly challenging all the International Anti- Mine Campaign," the appeal said.

The committee calls for an urgent international conference in Tirana to stop laying of landmines and charge a ICBL temporary representative in Albania to coordinate international activities.

It asked ICBL to urge the Yugoslav government to hand over the technical documentation on landmine to international organisations such as the United Nations, Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, NATO and Contact Group.

The committee called on the Yugoslav Anti-Mine Campaign to intensify its actions on the ground to prevent use of mines in Kosova by the Yugoslav army.

The ICBL honoured with the Nobel Prize for Peace, has 1.100 organisations all over the world. ake/das/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[06] KLMDNJ urges stop of Serb massacres

"The red line we have defined has been violated brutally and changed into a river of blood of massacred Albanians by the Serb killers. We call on you to intervene immediately in order to prevent the repetition of Srebrenica in Rahovec. pta/das/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[07] Over 120 civilians killed in Rahovec, press

Referring to the sources on the ground, the paper quotes the commander of the KLA as saying that "Rahovec has not been defeated" and "liberation forces control 65 percent of the territory, including the suburbs."

"Bosnia is being repeated in Kosova" and "Rahovec is turned into another Srebrenica" these are the main titles in today's daily "Bujku" of Prishtina.

"Many Albanians were massacred, killed and burnt in Rahovec and suburbs. Children, women and men are being massacred everywhere they face Serb military-police or paramilitary and armed civilians," the daily said. pta/das/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[08] Berisha says boycott is first step to be followed

"Boycott is the first and minimum step to be followed by the DP against the present government," the DP leader Berisha told a third conference of the local representatives organised by the Union for Democracy political grouping.

Berisha called the present government a hostile government and said "a hostile government should be fought by all means." "We will destroy the block in which the present government officials live and every lodging," he said.

The latest statements of the Democrat leader to topple the power appeared immediately after their decision to part finally with the Albanian parliament.

This decision was criticised by international organisations such as the European Troika, U.S. State Department and others, who denounced the DP's boycotting policy as an action which can hurt the democratic life in Albania.

In the early parliamentary elections on June 29 last year, the ruling coalition won over 63 percent of the votes and in by-elections on June 21 this year, the same coalition won in five town halls and six communes out of seven town halls and nine communes.

The outcome of the elections was considered honest, free and fair even by the international organisations and foreign observers. ake/pas/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[09] Foreign Minister Paskal Milo leaves for Italy

Milo will discuss with his Italian counterpart and other senior political authorities the development of Albanian-Italian bilateral ties and the crisis in Kosova. /s.s/mima/lm/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[10] Milosevic responsible for tragic events after World War Two

TIRANA, July 22 (ATA)-The United States on Wednesday blamed Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic for several

of the most terrible events taking place in Europe since the end of the World War Two, the Albanian Foreign Ministry press department says in a press release.

"We have have no illusion about the danger and evil embodied in Serbia's leadership. Milosevic is responsible for several of the most terrible things occurring in the Europe of the 20th century, since the end of the World War Two," the spokesman of U.S. State department, James Rubin, told a news conference in Washington on Wednesday, when referring to the crisis in Kosova.

Rubin said that the U.S. does not want war in the Balkan region.

Asked why the U.S. does not endorse Kosova's independence, he (Rubin) said that this independence bears the risk of war. On the other hand we have made very clear to president Milosevic that we will not tolerate acts like those which occurred in Bosnia.

"This is the reason NATO is stepping up very serious military plans to prevent a second Bosnia," said Rubin.

"We are trying to confront with the reality of the danger posed by Milosevic and Albanians, if they are allowed to secede from Serbia and create Greater Albania. This is the question," concluded Rubin. /s.s/mima/lm/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[11] Librazhdi ensemble among six best groups of Bursa festival

Participating in this festival were 29 countries with the Chechnya ensemble ranking the first. /s.s/mima/lm/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[12] Two Turks and one Arab not allowed access to Albania

According to the spokesman of the Tirana Police department, citizens Uven Vengin and Ekrem Kave, of Turkish nationality, and citizen Khalit Devoik from Saudi Arabia, after getting off the Albanian-Turkish airlines, were banned from entering the Albanian territory for not possessing the necessary amount of money to stay in Albania.

By the beginning of July, with the aid of the FBI authorities, two Egyptian nationals, Maget Mustafa and Muhamed Fouda, were extradited from Albania, on charges of document falsification and terrorism. /s.s/mima/lm/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[13] International plan in aid of Lezha inhabitants

Mikel Miloti, chairman of the Dajci commune, says that works for the construction of a new water pipeline, which will supply 70 families of this village with drinking water at home, is being completed with a fund of 3.3 million leks, donation for the villages.

For 1998 the foundation has also other projects for the rehabilitation of the power lines and pave the streets of the village.

Meanwhile the foundation has planned to invest some 3.2 million leks to set up a water supply line also in the Pllane village. /lm/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[14] Austrian families help Albanian northeastern areas

The eight-year school Katundi in Vjeter of this zone has also been reconstructed.

According to the association's representatives the investments are contributions from Austrian families.

During the years 1993-1998 these families have provided $2,5 million for the rehabilitation of 15 buildings in the field of education and health care, now realised in the districts of Kurbin, Mirdite, Kruje and Puke.

The association has also brought 40 truckloads of materials for these districts' schools and kindergartens./lm/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[15] SP calls Sali Berisha's statements warmongering, antinational

"The SP denounces these warmongering, splitting, antidemocratic statements and asks that the strategy of violence and conflict be given up, repeating its absolute conviction that whoever violates the constitutional laws will face justice," says a SP press release today.

The democrat leader on Wednesday regarded the current government as "hostile" and said that "all means will be used to topple it (the government)".

"The boycott is only the first step we made," said Berisha.

"After the deep and massive loss it suffered in the partial local elections, the DP and its leadership, represented by Berisha, has intensified its destructive course, but these are desperate efforts after the "No" of the international organisations to fresh elections," says the press release.

"Berisha's destabilising calls bring nothing good to the country, but they are the strongest weapon serving Belgrade and dictator Milosevic to go on with the bloodshed against Albanians," the release concludes. /s.s/mima/lm/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[16] Exchange rate: Dollar at 149.4 leks

CURRENCY bought sold

US$1.00 149.40 150.10 German marks 83.40 83.92 Italian lire(1000) 84.40 84.85 Greek Drachmas(100) 49.96 50.33

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[17] Supplementary fund from Government reserves required for roads

Deputy Prime Minister and minister of Local Government Bashkim Fino will ask from the government an additional fund for the improvement of roads in Tirana and several major cities.

Fino has told a meeting with heads of ministries that he would ask that some 240 million leks from the special fund of government reserves be used for the improvement of roads during August.

Of this sum, "the lion's share", over 170 million leks, will be absorbed by 19 main roads in Tirana, while the rest will go to the entry and exit roads of the major cities from Shkoder to Sarande.

Fino also said that he would ask from the Prefectures a greater engagement in analysing the deposition of incomes from local taxes they have in their power and use them mainly for the road improvement.

In the past month and by the beginning of July a fund of 60 million leks was used for the Tirana roads, improving certain segments of them. /lm/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[18] President Rugova condemns violence of Serb forces in Rahovec

Shehu said that the Serb forces, over the last two-three days, have launched fierce operations against the civilian population massacring tens of inhabitants of this town.

He said that a large number of inhabitants have left the town to escape Serbian atrocities, while others have remained in the town and an urgent intervention of the international community is required.

Rugova severely condemned the intervention of the Serb forces in Rahovec and the massacre against the civilian population. He said that through direct contacts he has made international institutions aware of Serbian attacks and actions in Rahovec.

Rugova asked from the organised subjects in Rahovec to make everything possible to help its inhabitants under these very grave and tragic conditions. /l.t/lm/

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

Albanian Telegraphic Agency Directory - Previous Article - Next Article