Albanian Telegraphic Agency (ATA), 98-10-21

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

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

CONTENTS

[01] Parliament approves all articles of new constitution -Fundamental law to be voted as a whole by midday-

[02] New constitution defends minorities on basis of international conventions - HRUP

[03] Durres cigarettes meet 10-12% of the Albanian market demand

[04] Legality Party against constitution draft

[05] OSCE unarmed observers cannot establish peace in Kosova- Qosja

[06] Albanian Development Fund helps poorest rural areas

[07] Machinery and equipment imports increase

[08] Czech Republic supports Albania's new Government

[09] Italian government finances cultural centre for youth

[10] Durres aqueduct in its first rehabilitation stage

[11] Swiss aid for Albania's middle school increases

[01] Parliament approves all articles of new constitution -Fundamental law to be voted as a whole by midday-

The mostly disputed topic was article 148, which defines the procedure of approving the state budget. Stormy debates broke out among the 119 deputies present, especially about the case when parliament is not convinced to approve the state budget proposed by the government within March 31 of the new financial year.

Article 148 defines that "the autumn parliamentary session cannot be closed without approving the budget." Point two of this article says that if the draft-law fails to be approved until the beginning of the next financial year, the Council of Ministers every month implements 1/12 of the budget of the previous year, until the new budget is approved.

Deputy Fatos Nano, head of the Socialist Party, asked what will happen if parliament fails to approve the draft-budget within three months.

According to specialists, in this case neither the government nor parliament can be dissolved because 1/12 of the existing budget is implemented every month following March 31.

Deputies Pavli Zeri, Sabri Godo, Arben Imami forwarded examples from the neighbouring states in which the governments have resigned, such as in Italy, or have lost local elections (Simitis in Greece).

Nano expressed himself against the stand of the socialist majority which had approved this article in the parliamentary group. In this case he asked that article 105-106 of the constitution on the non-confidence motion against the government be applied.

Deputy Ilir Meta and many other socialist deputies as well as all the Majko cabinet members severely opposed the socialist chairman. Gramoz Ruci, as head of the parliament's majority group expressed himself in favour of the presented variant of this article.

In conclusion article 148 was approved by 112 votes for, two against and four abstentions. Today, by midday the deputies will debate and express themselves on the new Constitution as a whole. /pas/lm/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[02] New constitution defends minorities on basis of international conventions - HRUP

"Article 20 of the new Constitution marks the broad compromise agreement struck among the political forces present in Parliament," Vasil Melo, deputy, Chairman of the Human Rights Union Party (HRUP), said.

This article says that "the persons belonging to national minorities are equal before the law in exercising their rights and freedoms".

The article approved is the variant poposed by HRUP. Melo told ATA that the party he heads succeeded in making more complete the place the national minorities occupy in the new Constitution, defining their rights more clearly.

"Cohabitation with Albanian people is now a reality of our life that nobody can deny. The HRUP helped that article 20 clearly defines right of each member of the minority to freely express, without being hindered or forced, their ethnic, cultural, religious and language affiliation," Melo said.

Deputy Melo also admited that this article is in full compliance with the international conventions the Albanian state has adhered to. /pas/lola/lm/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[03] Durres cigarettes meet 10-12% of the Albanian market demand

The main blends produced are "Diamant", "Porti", "Genti" and "DS". During the last days the factory was obliged to reduce the prices of its production due to the dishonest smuggling.

About 139 million are given to the state budget by this factory from the excises of the 9 month period, without considering other taxes.

Durres Cigarette Factory was created in 1924 and its creation was the first step in the industry of cigarettes in Albania. At the beginning this factory produced 300 000 cigarettes a day and had 250 employees. The production was made mainly by hand. After the World War II it was the main factory in Albania and it became a state factory in 1946. The production of filter cigarettes started in 1964. /pas/A.A/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[04] Legality Party against constitution draft

Legality Party (LP) expressed on Tuesday its stand regarding draft of the constitution.

"Despite the good performance for the constitution, we will oppose it as long as it does not make room for the form of the regime," Bahri Collaku, LP deputy chairman said in a press conference.

According to Collaku "Albanians had a constitution, that of 1928, which defined the will of the Albanian people for the form of regime."

Another issue tackled by LP leaders was Serbian violence and terror to the ethnic Albanians in Kosove.

"Milosevic's policy toward ethnic Albanians should be condemned by the international community," Collaku said pointing out that only the immediate intervention of NATO would pave the way for an acceptable and long-term resolution of Kosove issue.

On June 29, 1997, Albanians voted both new Parliament election and the form of regime, in which most of the people voted for a republic. /pas/lola/

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[05] OSCE unarmed observers cannot establish peace in Kosova- Qosja

He said that the 2000 unarmed observers OSCE will sent to Kosova to verify the Serb military and police forces' withdrawal from there, as required by the Security Council resolution of 1199, cannot establish peace in Kosova.

They should be provided the guarantee to act in Kosova, he added.

Qosja considers the Holbrooke - Milosevic agreement a small step, which, he says, unfortunately cannot resolve either the humanitarian crisis or the Kosova issue and will not be able to create even the conditions for the political process needed to resolve this issue. /p.ta/lm/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[06] Albanian Development Fund helps poorest rural areas

In the beginning of 1993 the Albanian government started a project to help the poorest rural areas with the financial support of the World Bank. As an instrument to realize this aim was created an independent foundation, named the Rural Development Fund. This fund was transformed to the Albanian Development Fund due to the extending of infractural activities even in urban areas. /A.A/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[07] Machinery and equipment imports increase

The main markets, in which Albanian businessmen have purchased the machineries and technologic equipment to set up new factories and to renew the existing ones, are in several western European countries just as Italy, Greece, Germany and Austria.

Before '90-s Albanian industry was dominated by the machineries and technologies coming from Eastern countries while now they are imported from Western Europe.

Imports from these countries have been increasing. Only in September machineries, mechanical and electric equipment with their spare parts, estimated worth 1.1 million leks, are imported. This import ranks among the main positions of the total imported goods entering Albnania in September.

The main part of the equipment is to produce textiles and shoes. A special position is also held by the production lines for food processing industry and building materials, which are the most productive sectors in the domestic production.

Only during the second three-month period these imports increased 20 %, in which the machineries and equipment consisted 52 % of the total, electric equipment 32 % and household appliances 17 %. /lola/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[08] Czech Republic supports Albania's new Government

The Secretary of State for European Integration, Maqo Lakrori, on Tuesday met with Prime Minister of the Czech Republic Egon Lansky, in Locarno of Switzerland, where the OSCE conference "Governing and Participation" is being held.

The Foreign Ministry press department reports that Lansky expressed to Lakrori the Czech government's support for Albania's new government and the wish for a closer cooperation between the two countries.

Lakrori and Lansky stressed the importance of creating contacts and facilities for cooperation also in the private sector between the two countries.

The two expressed deep concern about Kosova, the risky situation there and pointed to the indispensability of an immediate implementation of resolution 1199 of the Security Council.

At the end of the meeting, Lansky confirmed the planned visit of the head of the Czech Government to Albania soon. /pas/lm/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[09] Italian government finances cultural centre for youth

The youth of Berat, Southern Albania, will soon have their own educational and cultural centre, financed by the Italian government.

Agim Zylyftari, head of the private firm reconstructing the spaces of this centre, on the second floor of the "17 Nentori" cinema, told ATA that works are finishing and very soon it will be furnished with the necessary equipment, worth 100 million lira.

The cinema has not been functioning for nearly three years and last year it was almost destroyed. /pas/lm/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[10] Durres aqueduct in its first rehabilitation stage

The Director of Durres Aqueduct Enterprise told ATA that during the first stage are replaced 18 kilometers of drain pipes and a new line of 18 kilometers was added. The total amount needed for these works is $ 5.6 million, while $ 2.1 million are used to lay 10 000 water meters and the work for the placing of 10 000 other water meters is going on.

The rehabilitation of pomp-station in Fushe-Kuqe, started 6 months ago, and is aimed to finish within this year. For this intervention which is included in the first stage, are expended $ 3.5 million, said Radovicka.

In the meantime the preparations needed for the second stage of proceeding are over. In the second stage is foreseen the laying of another line from Fushe-Kruja with a fund of $ 41 000. In the third stage despite the laying a new line, will continue the work for a further improvement of the excising network and its extending in rural areas . /s.sh/A.A/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[11] Swiss aid for Albania's middle school increases

Swiss government is helping professional education of the Albanian youth. Through the Swiss aid, "Beqir Cela" school in Shkozet, Durres district, in which 320 pupils, coming not only from Durres but also from other districts, study in electric and auto-mechanic branches, has become a exampel for the other counterpart institutions.

The first stage of the Project, which started in 1993 through Zwiskontakt, ended in June. The new agreement signed last week by the Minister of Education Ruka and the Swiss Ambassador Feler, has earmarked around $800 thousand for the professional qualification and training of the school staff and establishing school relations with private and state production centers.

This project, managed by Ralf Rote, will last until 2 000 and it aims, through Zwiskontakt, to help also the professional education in the districts of Vlore, Gjirokaster, Korce, Elbasan and "Karl Gega" middle school in Tirane.

"Swiss side is engaged in supplying the middle schools of Albania with machineries and equipment from the Swiss companies and firms," Komini said. /pas/lola/

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

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