Albanian Telegraphic Agency (ATA), 98-09-29

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] Meidani asks PM Nano and cabinet members to continue their duties until new cabinet is formed

[02] Text of the request for resignation of Albania's Prime Minister Fatos Nano

[03] National Photo Contest Marubi opens on October 5, 1998

[04] District borders, sources of conflict

[05] To resign but not quit Albanian politics - Nano

[06] Serbian forces loot 267 tractors, 113 cars and hundreds of cattle

[07] Grave situation in villages of Rugove

[08] Serbian forces deployed in Bajnice

[09] Resignation of Albania's Prime Minister does not have any impact on foreign currency exchange rates

[10] "We don't fear political risk in Albania" - Company president

[11] International community must use every means to serve stability in the entire region

[12] Albanian Parliament to treat Kosova refugees, Gjinushi

[13] SP General Steering Committee discusses candidature of new Premier

[14] Socialists vote for new prime minister (General steering Committee meeting continues)

[15] Some 300 Albanian civilians taken to Prizereni prison

[16] My resignation is irrevocable - Nano

[17] Ogata says refugees' situation very difficult, dangerous

[18] Enlightened psychological state of police forces

[19] Tirana district court active

[20] SP General Council elects Pandeli Majko as PM candidate

[01] Meidani asks PM Nano and cabinet members to continue their duties until new cabinet is formed

The spokesman of the President of Albania told ATA that "on the basis of the constitutional provisions in force, the President of Albania, Rexhep Meidani has asked PM Nano and all members of his cabinet to continue to be at their posts conformed to state and civic responsibilities until the new government is formed according to known political-institutional procedures.

Prime Minister Fatos Nano presented Monday evening to the President of Albania, Meidani, his resignation from the post of the Premier. /xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[02] Text of the request for resignation of Albania's Prime Minister Fatos Nano

Honoured Mr President,

Since I consider the political crisis the country is passing first of all as a crisis of moral values of the society where we are living, a very significant mirror of which is the Albanian political class, I take upon myself all my responsibilities as the Prime Minister of this country for everything that my government could not attain, both for the weak points of the government and the suffocating pressure exerted on it from all sides.

I notice with regret that even in these rather delicate moments for the country, when I am untiringly trying to reformulate my cabinet conformed to the mandate the largest government coalition party gave me and the serious commitments I have publicly stated before the Albanian people or the international community, I have received not a single reliable and promising signal of solidarity from the allied coalition parties, without excluding here also a part of the Socialist Party.

In these conditions, when the formula of the coalition resembles a formulae of the unchangeable division of territories, nobody, no participating party representation seems to be in a position "to make a sacrifice" to open the way to a broader co-governing basis, including in substance and not simply in form some elements from civil society, or some others who come from the parties and not from the strong clans within them, the path to bring the country out of the crisis is getting narrower and narrower with each passing hour.

Moreover, I am conscious that the change in the formulae of governing might add a new element to the current crisis by aggravating the climate needed to fulfill the priority objectives publicly promised, and making difficult the communication with the international factor, which, due to the irresponsibility of the ruling political forces, considers the Berisha- Nano binomial the obstacle of this country to move forward.

With regard to what I put forward, I am convinced that it belongs to You, as the head of the state, as a guarantor to the constitutional order and people's unity, to find the most optimal political solution in this difficult crossroad, and, resolute not to condition You in finding this solution with the vote of confidence the parliamentary majority party gave me, I decided to quit.

Wishing that you, Honorable President, will consider my resignation as a further effort of mine to serve Albania and Albanians with everything I can, accept my esteem consideration and will remain at your disposal.

Respectfully

The Chairman of the Council of Ministers

Fatos Nano

/a.ke/xh/mt/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[03] National Photo Contest Marubi opens on October 5, 1998

The director of National Art Gallery, Gezim Qendro, said that more than 100 photos by 65 photographers will be presented in the contest, and the photos will be displayed in the main gallery hall, which has taken another view after its reconstruction.

All the works in the competition will be published in a catalogue, whose publication is funded by the Soros Foundation.

The exhibition of the Marubi Contest is linked with the name of three renowned masters of photography in Shkoder, Pjeter, Kel and Gege Marubi. The photo archives of Marubi in Shkoder, among the oldest in the Balkans, has the negatives of the photos made in 1858-1859 by Pjeter Marubi and photos of great historical values from the Uprising of Mirdite (1876-1877) and the Prizren League (1878.) /pas/xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[04] District borders, sources of conflict

According to the chairman of the Dhivri commune, Petraq Bereti, in Rumanxa village of this commune the farmers are not acknowledged as the owners of the pastures near Mesopotami, although they have documents identifying them as owners of these pastures since 1947. Bereti said that the income from these pastures are given to other communes.

Sources from the Forest Service Enterprise, which covers the pastures of Saranda, report that there are not yet exact borders for the state pastures and those of communes and villages.

Administratively Saranda was divided from Delvina in 1992, but their borders are not defined yet by a government decision. /pas/A.A/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[05] To resign but not quit Albanian politics - Nano

In the letter addressed to President Meidani, Premier Nano explains his withdrawal with "the suffocating pressure exerted on him from all sides and the lack of solidarity from the coalition parties, including his own Socialist Party."

Fatos Nano, chairman of the Socialist Party since its establishment on 13 June 1991, ruled the Albanian government after the elections of June 29, 1997, when his party and the allies of the left center coalition had a landslide victory.

Known as a liberal economist in the Department of the Faculty of Economy, where he worked as pedagogue of the political economy, Fatos Nano, gained the scientific award in economy in 1989 with a detailed study on the European Economic Community. This study presented without ideological terms the economic progress of a society where the market economy operates for the first time in the communist Albania. At the end of 1990, Nano was asked by the then government to offer his contribution in the transformation of the centralized communist economy into a free market economy.

In February 1991, the then President, Ramiz Alia, appointed Fatos Nano in the head of the technocrat government, which prepared the first pluralist elections in Albania, held in March 31, 1991. In June of this year, Nano was elected chairman of the Albanian Socialist Party, which was set up after the 10th Congress of the Party of Labour of Albania. This congress declared the end of the political mission of the old communist party and introduced a new party with the spirit of the European social- democracy.

In the polls of March 22, 1992, where the Socialist Party faced a deep loss, its leader Fatos Nano headed the Albanian opposition by "annoying" the policy followed by the DP government, headed by the then President Sali Berisha and only three months after the loss of the general elections, Fatos Nano led the triumph of the Socialist Party in the local elections of July 26, 1992.

After these elections, Nano and his party asked the resignation of the government headed by Aleksander Meksi and the then opposition held several rallies in Albania with the participation of too many people. In 1993, considering the risk approaching to them, DP and former President Berisha accused the opposition leader, Fatos Nano, of "corruption and misappropriation of funds, granted by the Italian government," and in July 30, 1993 Nano was imprisoned and was later sentenced with 13 years in jail. The process against Nano was considered by the International Community as "politically assembled" and in 1995 "Amnesty International" declared Fatos Nano "as political prisoner."

After challenging some great tests within his party which Nano directed from the notorious jail of Benca, in March 1997 after the burst of people's revolts and later after the March 9 agreement was reached, former President Berisha was forced to pass amnesty for the opposition leader, who a few days later came out of the jail and returned physically in the lead of the SP, which he directed up to the clamorous victory of June 29, 1997 elections.

After appointed to the post of the Prime Minister by the President, Rexhep Meidani, Nano presented to the Parliament the program of the new government, declaring the recovery of the Albanian state, which was almost completely ruined from the unrest of 1997 and promised to stabilize the Albanian economy destroyed by the collapse of fraudulent pyramid investment schemes.

During its activity, Nano Government managed to stabilize the public order, to reestablish the police structures which were totally ruined, it fought armed gangs which were causing havoc and unblocked the national roads held by looters. On the economic aspect, PM Fatos Nano managed to hold the Donors' conferences in Rome and Brussels and signed two important agreements with the IMF, respectively ESAF 1 and ESAF 2, securing a broad financial support from the international community. The Nano-led government managed to ensure also a political support from international diplomacy and for the first time in the history of the Albanian state, the Tirane Government was appointed a party in the talks for the solution of the Kosove question.

But during his term of office, Mr Nano encountered numerous problems such as the fight against organized crime, contraband, etc, and in the recent period of time he had some conflicts with the coalition allies as well as within SP. A week ago, the General Leading Committee of the SP, (the highest SP forum) gave Mr Nano the vote of confidence to form the new cabinet and lead the talks with the coalition parties, negotiations which started last Saturday. But the talks did not go on well and aroused problems among the allies, especially between SP and DAP (Democratic Alliance Party,) reaching the climax with the sudden resignation of the Minister of Public Order, Perikli Teta.

Precisely on September 28, taking into account these problems within the coalition, PM Fatos Nano forwarded his request for resignation to President Meidani, through which, after bearing the responsibility for the failures of his government, Nano considered his act for resignation as "another further effort on my part to serve with what I can Albania and the Albanians."

Nevertheless, with his resignation from the post of the Prime Minister, Socialist leader Fatos Nano does not forecast to quit Albanian politics. Everything on the future of Mr Nano in politics depends on Tuesday's meeting of the SP General Leading Committee. But although Mr Nano writes in his request of resignation to the President, that "I remain at your disposal," his present withdrawal may be seen only as a temporary standstill. /mt/xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[06] Serbian forces loot 267 tractors, 113 cars and hundreds of cattle

It is also reported that along with the above raids, the Serbian sources also looted hundreds of cattle, property of the Albanian inhabitants in these villages. /p.ta/mt/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[07] Grave situation in villages of Rugove

The situation becomes more difficult with the presence of more than 300-400 refugees coming from the warring areas, who are surviving with food from local population, while their reserves get less and less because the supplies are blocked. Since September 11, no assistance has reached in those villages. Rugova has remained almost completely isolated. Its inhabitants cannot come to Peje because of the roadblocks set up by Serb police in village Shtupeq i Vogel, they cannot also go to Ruzhaje because police of Montenegro do not allow them, KIC reports. /p.ta/xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[08] Serbian forces deployed in Bajnice

The Kosova Information Center also informs that fights are being held in the commune of Ferizaj, adding that due to the movements of the Serbian military forces, a part of the population has fled the village and is sheltered in the villages of Soponice, Rakaj and in the town of Ferizaj. /p.ta/mt/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[09] Resignation of Albania's Prime Minister does not have any impact on foreign currency exchange rates

Tirana currency rates

Currency

USD 147.00 DM 87.40 ITL(1000) 88.20 GRD(100) 49.50

/xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[10] "We don't fear political risk in Albania" - Company president

"The activity and satisfactory results of COPAREX for the past years in Albania show that the investments in this country should not fear political risks. Only the economic risk is of primary importance for the investors," told ATA Bernard Mervoyere, deputy president of the French COPAREX, signer of the agreement.

The search for and the uncovering new oil and gas bearing areas in the zones determined in the agreement and their right management, besides the increase of the revenue in the state budget, lead also to the elevation of the welfare of the local population in the oil and gas rich areas, Fatbardh Ademi, director of the National Agency of Hydrocarbons told ATA.

According to Ademi, natural assets bring about the extension and improvement of the infrastructure and ease the problem of unemployment in the region of the resources and the zones round them.

COPAREX has started its activity in Albania in 1994. Its investments so far in the oil sector are as high as $8 million. /xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[11] International community must use every means to serve stability in the entire region

"The crisis and killing of innocent people in Kosove are continuing while the senior Belgrade officials have, for more than two months, declared that violence must be halted," stressed Mr Meidani. He added that the political pressure on Belgrade has not stopped bloodshed and asked the international community to use every means to serve the stability of the whole region. Ms Ogata described "abnormal and not humanitarian" the situation in Kosove, adding that "Milosevic knows well what his police are doing in Kosove."

Ogata supported stand of President Meidani for the greatest possible international presence in all the territory of Kosove and briefed him of her efforts for a more flexible stand by the Montenegrin authorities, of the question of the refugees from Kosove. /pas/xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[12] Albanian Parliament to treat Kosova refugees, Gjinushi

The Parliament has examined and approved a special program of the Government for the treatment of refugees and has voted a special parliamentary commission to closely observe the realization of the government program, said Gjinushi.

Gjinushi also pointed out the importance of stopping the war machine of Milosevic to reach a fair and durable solution.

The UN refugee chief confirmed the will of the international community to help the Kosova refugees. /pas/mt/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[13] SP General Steering Committee discusses candidature of new Premier

This afternoon the GSC meeting, held behind closed doors, is expected to take a concrete decision on the government's future structure.

Sources close to the GSC told ATA that Prime Minister Nano, at the GSC meeting, had said he wanted to resign for the fact that he did not agree with the coalition parties on changes to the government structures and the candidatures proposed by them.

Nano resigned as Chairman of the Council of Ministers late on Monday, easing in someway the Albanian political atmosphere, as he is reported to have said, after the recent shocking events, sparked by the murder of lawmaker Hajdari and which led to acts of violence and vandalism. /dast/lm/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[14] Socialists vote for new prime minister (General steering Committee meeting continues)

The Socialists will vote for three candidates instead of one Pandeli Majko, who was proposed by the party presidency. The other two Ilir Meta and Kastriot Islami were proposed by today's meeting.

It is expected that the wining candidate held a press conference after the meeting. /dast/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[15] Some 300 Albanian civilians taken to Prizereni prison

Kosova Information Center, which referred to the sources of Democratic League of Kosova in Prizeren, told that the arrested Albanians, most of whom are minors, were transported, bound hand and foot, by a van. Meanwhile some of the arrested people, inhabitants from the villages of Suhareke Commune, were set free.

Three days ago Serbian police forces had arrested 300 Albanians from different villages of Drenice, who are being blocked in the environments of the school "Fazlli Grojcevci", in Krajkove village of Gllokoci./P.Ta/lola/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[16] My resignation is irrevocable - Nano

Members of the SP GSC asked at the meeting that two candidatures were voted for the position of the new prime minister and that the voting should be secret.

The SP presidency on late Monday proposed the candidature of its secretary general Pandeli Majko, as the new prime minister, after the sudden resignation of Prime Minister Nano on Monday evening. /dast/lm/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[17] Ogata says refugees' situation very difficult, dangerous

She said that "the situation of refugees is difficult and very dangerous with the approach of winter."

Ogata said that when she visited refugees both in Albania and Montenegro they were terrorised and afraid of being maltreated when they returned to their houses.

"President Milosevic said to me in a meeting that he would do whatever he could to return refugees to their houses and resolve the crisis, " Ogata told journalists in a press conference in Tirana ending up her two- day visit to Albania.

She said that it represented an engagement by Milosevic which should be carried out otherwise he would be blamed for the situation.

The high commissioner for refugees, who had visited Belgrade, Kosova and Montenegro to see the situation of refugees there, said that part of them were turning back.

"A considerable number of them are turning back to Rahovec," she said.

However, Ogata was afraid of another offensive by the Serbian forces in Kosova, what could bring about a new wave of refugees.

She said that she would address the international community to help refugees and that this aid had been delivered but refused to elaborate.

Ogata would draw up a report on the situation of refugees from Kosova and present it to a meeting of the UNHCR executive committee scheduled for October 5 in Geneva. /s.s/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[18] Enlightened psychological state of police forces

Ahmetaj said the police are still on high alert all over the country, adding that 24 hour patrols and checks at road blocks continue to prevent movement of suspected persons.

The police forces are aided by the Rapid Intervention and Special Forces.

As to a possible reaction after Perikli Teta's statement of resignation as minister of Public Order, Ahmetaj said that "This is a personal affair of Teta, but he continues to carry out his task and this has been made known to the police departments in all prefectures." /dast/lm/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[19] Tirana district court active

"Now everything has come to normal and judicial proceedings will be held within legal deadline," Pajtim Hoxha, head of the court, said to ATA on Tuesday.

The Tirana court and other courts postponed operations at mid September due to the lack of police escort whose forces were engaged in re- establishing law and order in the Tirana capital.

He said that now everything was going on normally and the escort was present in every case to take detainees or prisoners to and from the court hall. /dast/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[20] SP General Council elects Pandeli Majko as PM candidate

The Socialist Party (SP) General Council on Tuesday elected Pandeli Majko, SP secretary general, as candidate for Prime Minister, by a majority of votes.

Three candidatures, proposed by the Socialist Party, were voted at the meeting. Besides the candidature of Majko, proposed by the party leadership, the candidatures of Ilir Meta and Kastriot Islami, were also voted at today's meeting. /dast/lm/

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

Albanian Telegraphic Agency Directory - Previous Article - Next Article