Albanian Telegraphic Agency (ATA), 98-10-15

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

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

CONTENTS

[01] Goods transport in Albania increases

[02] Albanian soccer team takes first point in Euro 2000 qualifier - Albania-Norway 2-2 (0-1)

[03] Participant in storming of state institutions on Sept.13-14 arrested

[04] Pogradec in search of foreign tourists

[05] Some schools in Tirane need emergent reconstruction

[06] Organisation of police commissariat in Durres port required

[07] German aid for people displaced from Kosove arrives in Albania

[08] Checks and roadblocks to maintain order in Tirana

[09] Serb forces shell outskirts of Malisheve

[10] Peja courts accuse Albanians of terrorism

[11] Citizen accused of theft and illegal possession of weapons arrested

[12] Albania's trade exchanges reached $247.4 million in second quarter of 1998

[13] $100 000 worth of Swiss aid for Kosova displaced children

[14] Vedat Kokona, Albanian culture renowned personality died

[15] Communist emblems back in Tirana streets

[16] Italy remains number one partner of Albania

[17] Demirel invites Albanian President in Turkish Republic Ceremony

[18] Albania government voicees reserves on Holbrooke-Milosevic accord

[19] Albania Foreign Minister meets personalities of Norway

[20] Spahia and Shehu to show up at Appeal Court on October 19

[21] Six Albanian activists arrested in Gjilan

[22] Meeting of "Friends of Albania" on Government anti-corruption measures

[23] Serb forces attacks in some Kosove regions

[01] Goods transport in Albania increases

According to data from the Institute of Statistics, INSTAT, the commodities transport in the state sector for the first half of 1998 amounts to 11 897 thousand tons, as compared with 656 thousand tons in the same period in 1997.

The high figures of the transport of goods over that period are linked with the increase of Albanian import and export. /xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[02] Albanian soccer team takes first point in Euro 2000 qualifier - Albania-Norway 2-2 (0-1)

Scorers for the Albanian team were Alban Bushi in the 37th minute and Igli Tare in the 52nd.

Attendance was 17 770. Hence the Albanian national soccer team wins its first point in the qualifying matches, with a goal average 2-3. /a.ke/xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[03] Participant in storming of state institutions on Sept.13-14 arrested

Sources of Investigation Department in the General Attorney's Office told ATA that Cen Man Doci, 51, born in Tropoje and resident in Kamze (near Tirane) was detained under the charge of organizing and participating in the mid-September events in Tirane.

The detainee is a person whose illegal activity was proven. The prosecutor's office has data, photos and videos showing him, in cooperation with other people, taking part in the storming of state institutions, the same sources said.

According to the sources, Doci is also one of the people identified on the tanks protesters looted from the Guard of the Republic members. /a.ke/xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[04] Pogradec in search of foreign tourists

"Two are the causes why tourists have abandoned this city over this period: first because of lack of order and calm all over the country and second because the great pollution of the lake from sewage and other rubish, " the president of the association "Tourism and environment," Naum Gegprifti told ATA.

This problem has worried not only the local authorities and the non- governmental association in Pogradec but also the neighbours from whom we are separated only by the lake, said Gegprifti.

"The mayors of Pogradec, Ohrid and Struge at a recent meeting discussed a project of cooperation to protect the lake."

"Rado Katonovski, mayor of Struge, said that the tourist agencies arouse great interest in the Ohrid lake. They love this lake and are ready to offer visitors to all the historic, cultural and natural heritage, including the graves of Selce, the church of St. Merene".

Specialists and local authorities hold the view that the time is ripe for sketching a joint Albanian - Macedonian monograph, which through artistic and tourist photos will attract foreign tourists such as in Ohrid and Struge. /a.ke/lm/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[05] Some schools in Tirane need emergent reconstruction

TIRANE, Oct.15 (ata) - By P Shuteriqi: The rain falls in the past few days showed that the roofs of some schools need to be repaired because they are posing a danger for the lives of the pupils and teachers.

The realisation of rehabilitating projects in the school system of Tirane is now an emergent need, Caci Simoni, chief inspector in the educational department, told ATA. He added that "after a long time of 'silence,' the educational project Tirana 2 000 started its implementation.

According to the director of the educational economic centre in the capital town-hall, Eduard Kelmendi, the funds for the reconstruction of some of the schools will be partly from the state budget and partly from the AEDP, Albanian Educational Development Project, and the Soros Foundation.

Since the beginning of this year, 7 million lek have been spent for very emergent partial repairing of educational system buildings, continued Kelmendi, while 250 000 lek are allocated for the reconstruction of the 8th form school Xhezmi Delli which was burnt in the recent days.

With World Bank funds, the buildings of the former 8th form schools "1 Maji", "E kuqe" and the school of Laprake will be built according to the project Tirane 2 000. /xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[06] Organisation of police commissariat in Durres port required

The head of the Durres police department, Colonel Hasan Rama, made this request at a meeting on Tuesday with representatives of the local government.

The Durres port remains the biggest gate for the access of goods and passengers to Albania. The number of ships and total tonnage of handled goods over the first nine months of this year has increased 10-15 percent as against the same period last year.

According to data provided by the border police in this port, the number of passengers has also substantially increased with each passing month, reaching record figures in August. /s.s/lm/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[07] German aid for people displaced from Kosove arrives in Albania

Avdi Feiezaj, representative of the accompanying group of the cargo from Germany, told ATA that the German Red Cross, in cooperation with Kosova families living there, gathered funds and material aid for Kosova brothers in Albania. The aid consists of food items such as sugar, rice, clothes, blankets, beds and various medicines.

The aid is being distributed to some cities of north and northeastern Albania where people from Kosova have been accommodated. /s.s./xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[08] Checks and roadblocks to maintain order in Tirana

The spokesman of the Tirana Police department told ATA on Wednesday that the police forces of Commissariat 1 in Tirana organised an operation in places frequented by wrongdoers and took to the police station 11 persons, of whom three for unauthorized constructions, six for disturbing order and two for verifications.

The spokesman said that checks and road blocks were also organised by the police forces of commissariat 3.

The police controls and roadblocks, with the aim to maintain order, are organised according to a daily plan of the Tirana Police department but they are immediately reinforced with mobile forces of every commissariat in case order is disturbed, the spokesman concludes. /a.ke/lm/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[09] Serb forces shell outskirts of Malisheve

Preliminary reports say that the shelling has caused material damages and many people wounded. Arms bullets were heard also from other positions while the road checks set up by Serb forces have continued to detain, maltreat and arrest Albanians.

Sources from Prizren and Gjakova report that also today in the morning, Serb forces have continued to take new positions and have moved along the border belt with Albania. Numerous military-police forces have concentrated at the foot of Bjeshket e Nemuna, on the Peja city, in the mountains of Kline and round the city of Decan.

According to reports from Kilie, Yugoslav military forces are masked in the valley of River Mirusha and in the outskirts of villages Gremnik, Dollc and Sverke. The premises of the bauxides mine in Volljak have been turned into barracks for the military forces while more than 40 villages continue to be sealed off. /p.ta/xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[10] Peja courts accuse Albanians of terrorism

Most of the detainees have been transferred in the jails of Serbia and they are deprived of the right to contact their defence attorneys, while they are being pressurized and tortured in the prison, the same sources reported. /xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[11] Citizen accused of theft and illegal possession of weapons arrested

The spokesman of the Tirana police department told ATA that citizen Festim Brahaj, 24, is from Sauk of Tirana.

Checking his house the police found a considerable amount of packages of cigarettes stolen from the state warehouses of Lunder as well as six automatic cartridge clips and a hand grenade, which he illegally possessed, the spokesman clarified.

The Lunder's storehouses have been a prey to looters three times in a year. The latest theft was committed on September 14, when state institutions were violated in Tirana. The damage is estimated to be nearly 400 million leks. /a.ke/lm/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[12] Albania's trade exchanges reached $247.4 million in second quarter of 1998

According to the trade bulletin of the Bank of Albania, these indices are on the increase compared with the first quarter of the current year. The export of commodities rose by 17 per cent while the trade import was 12 per cent higher. /xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[13] $100 000 worth of Swiss aid for Kosova displaced children

"The Swiss government has allocated for them an emergency aid of $100 000," said the ambassador.

The Ministry of Education and Science, said Ruka, has made maximum efforts for these children, besides accommodation, to find the proper conditions to continue the lessons they interrupted in the schools of the cities and villages they were born in and grown up.

The Albanian government, he said, is coping with this situation, in cooperation with local government bodies in the districts they are temporarily accommodated, regardless of the great difficulties of transition the country is experiencing.

He thanked the Swiss government for this aid, which lessens the heavy burden of the Albanian government's current budget."

The Swiss aid will address the rehabilitation and reconstruction of several schools, mainly in villages of Durres, Shkoder and other districts, where there are many pupils coming from Kosova, Artan Cani, chief of the Ministry's Foreign Relations department said. /a.ke/lm/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[14] Vedat Kokona, Albanian culture renowned personality died

In the evening of October 14, 1998 after a serious illness Vedat Kokona died.

Vedat Kokona, the renowned poet, writer, translator and lexicographer, represents a personality of Albanian culture. Vedat dedicated all his talent and energy to Albanian culture and education. His work is very wide and multifarious.

Vedat Kokona was born on August 7, 1913. He finished the art school in Korca and later he was graduated in Jurisprudence in France.

For many years he worked as a translator at the publishing house "Naim Frasheri" and later as a professor of French language at the Faculty of History-Philology.

His translations include 20 000 verses and 100 volumes in prose from the works of Voltaire, Balzac, Victor Hugo, Alfred de Musset, Dante, Shakespeare, Pouchkine, Tolstoy and Gorki.

He was also the author of "French-Albanian" and "Albanian-French" dictionaries.

For his precious work, Vedat Kokona was awarded the honorary titles "Doktor Honoris Causa" by the Ministry of Education, the Republic of Albania, "Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et Lettres" and "Officier des Palmes academiques" respectively by the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Education, the Republic of France.

The death of Vedat Kokona grieved his family, his friends, writers, artists, scientists and all the Albanian art-loving people.

The necrology is signed by the President of the Republic, Rexhep Mejdani and renowned personalities of culture and education./dast/lola/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[15] Communist emblems back in Tirana streets

On Wednesday, some communist youngsters, members of the communist organization "Qemal Stafa" manifested in Tirana streets the 90 anniversary of the birthday of the ex-communist leader, Enver Hoxha, who headed Albania for 40 years after World War Second.

30 to 40 people, members and sympathizers of this organization marched for more than an hour in the "Skanderbeg" square and in the main streets of the capital. They held red flags with the emblem of the Albanian Communist Party, applaused for Enver Hoxha,(dead on April 11, 1985), and for Kosova. Then they went towards the embassy of the Federal Republic of Jugosllavia protesting against the violence and wild terror on the Albanian people of Kosova. /dast/A.A/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[16] Italy remains number one partner of Albania

According to the commercial balance-sheet of the Albanian Bank, the second quarterly of 1998 registered a 16% increase in imports and 12% increase in exports with this country.

The main imports from Italy are in textiles, shoes, machineries, mineral products, drinks, cigaretts, vegetarian products and transport vehicles. /A.A/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[17] Demirel invites Albanian President in Turkish Republic Ceremony

The invitation of his counterpart was handed to Meidani by the Turkish embbasador to Albania, during a meeting held in the presidency on Wednesday, announces the press and information department near the President of the Republic.

The President Meidani accepted with pleasure the invitation to take part in this important date of Turkish modern history, and confirmed his participation in this jubilee. /dast/A.A/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[18] Albania government voicees reserves on Holbrooke-Milosevic accord

"Our stand is mature, the government is studying and considering as a possible step that which could be a way towards the solution of Kosova crisis," Vladimir Prela, the political Counsellor of the Premier Majko told ATA on Thursday.

"We have no illusions on Milosevic word. The Albanian stand, from both politics and excecutive parts, has been that Milosevic is the main obstacle for the resolution of Kosova issue. Personally, I consider Milosevic-Holbrooke agreement as an old tactic of the Serb leader to gain time," Prela said.

"A military intervention of the international community is a risk that Albania will be forced to support, if Milosevic will continue to challenge the West and that is why a balanced stand of Albania and the other forces in the Balkan is necessary in order not to repeat the history, which has described our penisula as "the powder barrel" of Europe," said the political Counsellor of Albanian Prime Minister.

"If Milosevic respected "the promisses" he gave in the framework of the agreement, signed early this week, we would respect the logic of the diologue and the stages through which the achivement of the compromise would go, which does not mean concessions, and which will depend on the Albanian political class in Kosova," Vladimir Prela said. /y.pa/lola/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[19] Albania Foreign Minister meets personalities of Norway

The Norwegian Foreign Minister told Minister Milo the engagement of Norway to help the solution of the crisis in Kosova, press and information department close to the Foreign Ministry reported.

They also signed the agreement on lifting the Double Tax between Albania and Norway, which opens way to the commercial exchanges between the two countries.

Invited by the Norwegian Foreign Minister, the chief of the Albanian diplomacy held separate talks with the Parliament Speaker and the State Secretary in the Foreign Ministry of Abbania.

Milo also met with the State Secretary in the Norwegian Foreign Ministry, Janne Haaland Mallary. They discussed the organization of the International Conference on Albania and on the special political importance of this conference for our country. She expressed the readiness of the Norwegian party for the participation of a high ranking delegation in this conference. /dast/mt/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[20] Spahia and Shehu to show up at Appeal Court on October 19

"The trial session will be held on October 19," the Appeal Court reported on Thursday.

Spahia and Shehu were detained by the police forces, under the charge of "Participation in the armed uprising and violation of the state institutions."

Tirana Court on September 26 ruled "unlimited jail" for Spahiu, the legality leader and "one month in jail" for Shehu.

The decision of Tirane Court was rejected by the lawyers of the defendants, who decided to appeal.

The Appeal Court will decide on Monday whether to revoke or not the Court decision for Spahia and Shehu. /dast/lola/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[21] Six Albanian activists arrested in Gjilan

Six Albanian activists, among whom the deputy chairman

of the Kosova Democratic League, Lufti Hazizi, were arrested Thursday in their houses. Sources from the Kosova Democratic League in Gjilan stated that the police have also hunted for other activists. The intervention of the Serb forces into the Albanian houses were very harsh. /dast/mt/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[22] Meeting of "Friends of Albania" on Government anti-corruption measures

The meeting was extreemly informative and useful. Angjeli stressed the firm intention of the Government to not only develop policies and necessary legilation but also solid implementation measures in order to adress the problem in all areas.

Tha Friends of Albania were encouraged by the minister's announcement that the Govenment would make special efforts to inform and involve the general public by disseminating the measures widely and inviting public response, in the form of complaints and suggestions.

A number of concrete steps were discussed, including international support action in field of customs, judiciary, tax collection, public procurement and reforms in public administration.

The conclusions of the meeting will be submitted to the international conference on Albania, to be held on 30 October in Tirana. /dast/mt/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[23] Serb forces attacks in some Kosove regions

The artillery of the Yugoslav Army again shelled many Kosove regions contrary to NATO ultimatum to stop fighting.

Last night bombardments in the town of Malisheve and the villages nearby have also continued today. The regions near Rahovec, the villages Astrazub, Dragobil, Maxhare, Marali, Carralluke and Cupeve are affected by the attacks of the Serb forces. The grenades have also affected the distant villages of Malisheve, Shkoze and Guriq.

During last night the Serb forces also attacked the villages of Bllace and Sarnadraxhe, Suhareke commune.

The Yugoslav military bases in Stanterg and Kutlloic shelled last night the villages of Shale e Bajgores, Melenice, Vidishiq, Bare, Bajgore and some others in the region of Mitrovice.

During all the night Serb forces also attacked toward the village Terstenik, the surrounding Gllogocit, while in the other regions of Drenice the Serb snipers shot. From all these attacked regions, it is reported that the small number of people who began to turn home, have again left their houses. /dast/lola/

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