Albanian Telegraphic Agency (ATA), 98-09-10

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

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

CONTENTS

[01] Serb forces torch quarters in Prizren city

[02] Producers and businessmen from Durres in Feira del levante fair

[03] IMF appreciates Albanian economic policies

[04] Great number of ships in sea port of Durres

[05] Tanker with 10 thousand liters stolen fuel blocked

[06] The number of the people coming from Kosova to Has increases.

[07] Police reinforcements in Gjakove

[08] About 70 thousand people were in open air under the torrent rain in Decan

[09] Meeting of Central European Initiative begins

[10] Albania minister hails CEI national coordinators' meeting

[11] 15 new or reconstructed schools

[12] Ad-Hoc commission members for Kosova refugees appointed

[13] Commission on weapons collection set up

[14] German Defence ministry offers communication, hospital equipment to Albanian army

[15] Supreme Court to consider appeal by Cela's lawyer on Sept 14

[16] Kosova pupils learn about human rights

[17] Albanian staff in US embassy still paid, but is anyone working?

[18] Albania signs convention to ban anti-personnel landmines

[19] OSCE deputy ambassador in Lazarat

[20] Draft-constitution discussed in Vlore

[21] Albania concerned on latest developments in Kosova

[22] I have been sidelined from investigation - Dizdari

[01] Serb forces torch quarters in Prizren city

"No shells and bullets are fired any more but you could see only smoke in the quarter Tusus, which for ten days now has been encircled by Serb forces. Also before, these forces torched Albanian homes in that city quarter from where the population has fled after strikes at the beginning of this month," a source from Prizren said.

The people who had started to resettle today are again leaving Tusus, while the city of Prizren is packed with more than 50 000 Albanian refugees from the outskirt areas which have been shelled and set on fire.

Four other killed Albanians were found near village Lez, in the suburbs of the city which has been razed. So the number of the Albanians killed and massacred over the fierce attacks of the Serb forces which started on Sept.1 in the region of Verrin, from Prizren to the border with Albania, amounts to nearly 38. In the mean time no body knows what has happened to many kidnaped Albanians and the Serb press reported today that the Serb court in Prizren has started investigation for 116 Albanians. /xh/

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[02] Producers and businessmen from Durres in Feira del levante fair

The chairman of the chamber of trade and industry of Durres, Sami Gjergji, told ATA that a pavilion will be at the disposal of that chamber to display hand made articles such as items made of silver, alabaster, wood, rugs, embroidery and food articles, such as alcoholic drinks, canned and tinned articles, etc.

"Cooperation with Fiera del Levante has become a tradition now since 1993. Every September, products made in Durres are displayed in that fair, among the most important in the region of Puglia and one of the biggest organized in Italy," said Gjergji. /mima/xh/

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[03] IMF appreciates Albanian economic policies

The aim of the visit of the IMF delegation will be twofold, writes Mr Kakhonen in his letter, to conduct the midterm review of the first annual arrangement of the ESAF, and to discuss the 199 budget.

"Following our latest visit to Tirane in June-July, we have been very pleased to note that the good economic policies that you and your economic team have formulated and implemented have continued to bear fruit: inflation is now well on track to stay within 10 per cent during 1998, and the prudent stabilization policies and bold structural reforms that the government has implemented have created a strong basis for Albania to fully realise its growth potential," writes the letter of the IMF Mission Chief for Albania, Kakhonen.

He adds that "Albania still faces many problems, and the challenge now is to persevere with good policies.

The letter of the IMF Mission Chief also appreciates the work made so far by Minister Malaj, assuring his support in the future. He writes that "We in the IMF greatly appreciate your strong commitment and determined efforts which have been instrumental in giving the ESAF a promising start. My team and I will continue to work hard with you and your staff to ensure that Albania's ambitious economic program remains successful." /xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[04] Great number of ships in sea port of Durres

One of the officials in the port, Bedar Gripshi, told ATA that 1-2 ships a day were handled during August, but in September their number has amounted to seven. At present, there are 6 ships with cement, bricks and food articles being unloaded whereas the ship Diana has brought 15 thousand tons of wheat, assistance by the U.S. government for Albania.

There are two tankers with fuel and two other ships with various commodities waiting in the roadstead. According to the register in that port, there are 7 ships registered and expected to arrive in the few coming days, the director of the Naval Register, Pajtim Majko told ATA. /mima/xh/

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[05] Tanker with 10 thousand liters stolen fuel blocked

The spokesman of Public Order Ministry told ATA on Thursday that the roadcheck police in Vaikan of Fier district blocked a tanker with 10 thousand litres of oil without documents. After verification by police, it resulted that the fuel was stolen in the Albpetrol enterprise in Ballsh.

Police arrested the drivers of the vehicle, Luan Brace, 36, from Ballsh and Shefqet Kasa, 42, from Fier. /mima/xh/

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[06] The number of the people coming from Kosova to Has increases.

In the border police sector, Vlane, 130 people, mostly women, children and elderly people reached Has on Wednesday at about 6.30 p.m., spokesman of the Ministry of the Public Order, said on Wednesday.

This the greatest number of the people coming to this district in the last two weeks.

The total number of the people settled in the area is 530./A.A/xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[07] Police reinforcements in Gjakove

The same source says that the situation of the displaced in the villages of the city of Gjakove is becoming worse because besides the great shortages of food articles, they are running out of medicaments as well.

In the mean time, all houses in the villages of Dushkaje are ruined following the offensive of the Serb army and police on September 7-8, 1998. /mima/xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[08] About 70 thousand people were in open air under the torrent rain in Decan

KIC said that there is no report on the fate of about 10 thousand Albanians, mostly women, children and elderly, who have left for Strellc. /mima/xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[09] Meeting of Central European Initiative begins

Another priority of this meeting was aid to recover the Albanian economy, an initiative which was approved last year, at the meeting of the prime ministers of the CEI.

"The meeting also discussed two already approved projects, distribution of electric power in Tirana, Industrial park of Durres as well as certain segments of the "eighth road", projects to be materialised as soon as possible from cooperation between Albania and the CEI countries.

CEI comprises Albania, Croatia, Slovenia, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Poland, Austria, Italy, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Ukraine, Belarus, Hungary, Romania, Moldavia, Bulgaria and Macedonia. /das/lm/

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[10] Albania minister hails CEI national coordinators' meeting

"The fact that this routine meeting is being held in Tirana shows that initiative partners have come to discuss with us because they trust in us, ATA quoted chief of the Albanian diplomacy as saying.

Milo said that the meeting was a good start for regional and European activities by the Albanian government, activities which would be followed by others i.e. international conference on Albania scheduled for October, human rights conference in November and that of donors next year. /das/ak/

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[11] 15 new or reconstructed schools

Ismail Patushi, director of education department in Mat, told ATA that the fund for 12 out of 15 schools was provided by the Council of Europe, while the state accorded a fund worth 23.1 million for the rest, which will be ready for this academic year.

Besides the appointment of the teaching staff and the qualification of new directors and teachers of all the levels, the distribution of the school texts is going on, said Patushi.

The number of pupils who are going to attend lessons in this academic year is 18.600, 1.800 of whom are first grade pupils of the elementary school. /Lola/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[12] Ad-Hoc commission members for Kosova refugees appointed

The Ad-Hoc commission, which, according to the People's Assembly is composed of 11 people, was completed today with only eight members, as the DP and the centre right parliamentary group have not presented their proposals for this commission.

Parliament today appointed as members of the supervising commission four deputies from the socialist parliamentary group, one deputy from the Social-Democratic party, one deputy from the Liberal Centre parliamentary group, one from the Albanian United Right and an independent deputy.

Meanwhile, two seats have been left to the Democratic Party, one to the centre right group, including Christian Democratic party, Liberal Union party and the National Front Party, which have not yet presented their proposals.

The commission will monitor step by step the government's performance in accommodating the Kosova refugees and the measures adopted by the government will be reported in Parliament every two weeks. /das/lm/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[13] Commission on weapons collection set up

Dhionis Kotmilo, Korca mayor, said to ATA that the aim of the commission was to collect all the weapons on voluntarily basis bringing about reduction of criminality and incidents and guaranteeing human rights and freedoms.

Commissions in administrative units have made the law public and begun the collection of weapons voluntarily.

Kotmilo said that when the deadline for voluntarily collection of weapons expired, the law envisaged their collection by force. The city of Korça, according to him, should hand in the weapons voluntarily.

A spokesman of the local police said that some 60 percent of the weapons have been collected so far. /das/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[14] German Defence ministry offers communication, hospital equipment to Albanian army

Two cooperation agreements were signed on Thursday between Bundeswehr, the German Defence Ministry, and the Albanian Defence Ministry, a ministry's spokesman said to ATA.

The first agreement was signed by the German official Colonel Gerner and director of the Communication Department at the Albanian Defence Ministry Colonel Baki Bala. This agreement envisaged the release of communication equipment worth 28 million marks.

The second agreement was signed by the same German official and Health deputy director at the Defence Ministry Lieutenant Colonel Niko Stambolli.

A complete operating theater will be provided to the central military hospital by Bundeswehr under the above agreement. /das/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[15] Supreme Court to consider appeal by Cela's lawyer on Sept 14

The appeal was filed to the Supreme Court on Tuesday by Cela's defence lawyer, Ilir Selenica.

The Tirana district Court ruled for Blerim Cela "unlimited prison arrest" until the trial is held.

That is, on September 14 a panel of judges of the Supreme Court will decide the custody for Cela, who is accused by the Military prosecutor's office of assuming military powers without having them, of inciting a part of the population against another and for arms distribution. /das/lm/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[16] Kosova pupils learn about human rights

"The organisation of summer schools aims not only to entertain the children and help them forget the stress of war in Kosova but also to teach them to know and defend their rights," Kozara Kati, president of this center, told ATA.

Under the motto "Learning through entertainment", one-month schools were opened at some education institutions in Tirana, Kruja and Durres in which teachers and specialists from the Ministry of Education, Mothodological Study Institute and AHRC familiarised the children with their rights according to the European and International conventions as well as with the ways to defend them.

Over 340 out of 400 pupils and 13 out of 25 teachers in these schools were Kosovars. /das/lola/lm/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[17] Albanian staff in US embassy still paid, but is anyone working?

The U.S. embassy rejected as false the news published by the daily Gazeta Shqiptare on Thursday which said that the embassy had dismissed all the Albanian staff.

"If anyone asked us to comment on it we would have said that all the Albanian staff continue to work and are paid," said a statement of the Information office at the U.S. Embassy in Tirana. /das/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[18] Albania signs convention to ban anti-personnel landmines

The article 6 of this convention, which was signed by 124 countries, envisaged assistance to counties in need of aid. /das/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[19] OSCE deputy ambassador in Lazarat

Isles was familiarised with the version of the inhabitants of this village on the causes which led to the conflict with the police after blocking for more than 10 hours the national road a week ago.

They complained that today's leaders are not showing interest in the Lazarat village as regards investment in infrastructure, development of small business, credits for private initiatives in agriculture as well as decrease in unemployment.

Isles said that whatever the shortcomings of the leaders may be as regards their interest in Lazarat, solution should in no way be found in the use of fire arms, as a condemnable and not at all democratic means.

Sources from the OSCE office in Gjirokaster told ATA that the visit of Isles will soon be followed by a visit of Daan Everts, with the aim to find the proper ways to ease tension in Southern Albania, after the recent undesirable events. /das/lm/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[20] Draft-constitution discussed in Vlore

Also invited to the meeting, held at hotel-restaurant "Nimfa", were reporters, representatives of religious communities, various associations and others.

After evaluating the draft-constitution, the participants made a series of suggestions mainly about the chapters dealing with local government, court, prosecutor's office, armed forces, president, property, and referendums. /das/lm/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[21] Albania concerned on latest developments in Kosova

"The Foreign Ministry wants to underline the fact that such a situation has been initiated and carried out by Belgrade's regime which, through killing calm, calculates that peace which will be imposed one day, can find a deserted and emptied Kosova. Given this perverse logic and creating a new emergency, Belgrade calculates to channel concerns and international commitments in humanitarian aspect neglecting the core of the Kosova issue, its status," the statement said.

It clearly informed the international community that the latest events in Kosova had completed the Bosnian tableau on the Kosova crisis finally wiping out every illusion on the will and real aims of Belgrade's regime.

The Albanian ministry said that "today is the most critical moment when the international community should show its determination not to allow the repetition of new tragedies in the Balkans and to punish perpetrators who are always the same." /das/ak/

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[22] I have been sidelined from investigation - Dizdari

In his statement Dizdari charges the military prosecutor's office with unmotivated arrest of six people accused of crimes against humanity, delay in establishing custody for the defendants, lack of questions' procedure within three days after the custody.

"These are procedural violations, deliberately allowed by the Prosecutor's office and the Court, which gravely violate constitutional principles and fundamental human rights," says Dizdari, adding that "this process has been framed juridically wrong."

"The deputy prosecutor seems delayed in his statement, but what surprises you is his courage to speak of things quite unknown to him," Prosecutor general Arben Rakipi told ATA.

According to Rakipi, Dizdari has long since avoided the duty, himself, while the process of the six "reminds him of being sidelined."

He has seen no official paper or procedural action carried out about this process and his statement, however, leaves room for thinking that Dizdari "has only executed an order", said Rakipi. /das/lm/

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

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