Albanian Telegraphic Agency (ATA), 99-01-07

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

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

CONTENTS

[01] Arms collection - in focus of police commissariat in Gramsh

[02] Holy Water Day marked in Catholic Church "Priest's Heart"

[03] Day of Holy Water celebrated throughout Albania

[04] 305 000 tons of commodities transported by trains over 1998

[05] Five villages in Durres connected with international telephone network

[06] More divorces among newly-married couples and those without children

[07] Catalogue National Arts Gallery fund to be prepared

[08] Civil Serbs blocked Prishtine-Skopje road

[09] Several roads in Kosove controlled by armed Serbs

[10] Mini-Internet in Ministry of Health in Albania

[11] Two policemen, suspected for arbitrary acts against a detainee, arrested

[12] More text books for Universities

[13] National agency to accredit higher schools

[14] 30% of teachers doubted to have fake diplomas

[15] 49% of the total constructions are flats

[16] Shuli, Çeço, Brojka - cooperation to clean Tirana

[17] Only 77 companies licensed in hotels constructions

[18] Miloti bridge to be proclaimed Cultural Monument

[19] OSCE chief to visit Albania

[20] Wold Bank mission will visit Albania

[21] Italian fishing boats violate Albanian territorial waters

[22] Armed and masked Serbs block road Prishtina-Mitrovica

[23] Government approves 10 percent rise in food supply for students

[01] Arms collection - in focus of police commissariat in Gramsh

Sinan Metaj, chief of the commissariat of this district told ATA that after the collection of thousands of arms during 1998, about 10 thousand others thought to be kept illegally will be in the focus of their work for arms-gathering this year.

Since the first days of 1999, police of Gramsh gathered 200 arms. 57 of them are automatic rifles and other arms of different calibers.

The amount of arms, according to Metaj, is an aspect of the acts coordinated in the context of the implementation of a U.N. pilot program in that territory. The program envisages investments in some fields which offer jobs for the people in exchange of arms, the chief of the commissariat said. /s.sh/xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[02] Holy Water Day marked in Catholic Church "Priest's Heart"

During the mass, the believers made prays accompanying them with songs and excerpts from the Gospel.

Then, Chairman of Arch Bishopric Conference, Monsignor Rrok Mirdita, made the rite of the blessing of the Holy Water, accompanying this process with the respective pray: "Admiration for and following of the path of Jesus Christ leads you to the road of honesty, fraternity, peace, a road which brings us closer to the God day by day." /dast/xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[03] Day of Holy Water celebrated throughout Albania

On occasion of this day, the Arch Bishop of Tirane, Durres and all Albania, Monsignor Anastas Janullatos conducted a special mass in the presence of hundreds of Orthodox believers, as well as of other believers.

"On this occasion I wish the people and Government of Albania a properous and happy year," said the Arch Bishop Januallatos both in Albanian and Greek during the Mass.

After the Mass in the church, the group of priests who accompanied the arch bishop made for the seashore near the old harbour, where the cross throwing ceremony took place.

Four youths dived into the water and a 14-year-old boy could find the cross in the water.

This is the second time that Arch Bishop Janullatos organizes a mass on occasion of the Holy Water day in the city of Saranda. The ceremony was attended by local government authorities, local and foreign reporters.

* * *

BERAT, Jan.6 (ata) - By I Manka: The celebration of the Holy Water gathered Wednesday in Berat over 10 thousand people, Orthodox and Moslem believers.

From the stony bridge of the city, the arch bishop of the South, Monsignor Ignati, threw in the water of River Osum the gold cross, which was found by the 28 year old man, Armando Avrami for the second successive year.

According to the tradition, a group of boys with the Gold Cross in hands knocked at the doors of numerous believers, who gave them presents in return.

The celebration of the Holy Water in Berat, built 2400 years ago, is a popular feast for the two religious communities, Orthodox and Moslem.

Orthodox believers celebrated the Holy Water Day also in Tirane, Korce, Durres, Pogradec, Erseke, etc. /pas/xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[04] 305 000 tons of commodities transported by trains over 1998

The general director of railways, Leonard Burnaci, told ATA that the annual realisation, despite the great difficulties in the railways, would have been higher if corporations such as Albkrom, Albpetrol or Alb-baker had a normal working process. However, these companies have remained the most important clients of Albanian railways.

During the past year, tanker wagons have transported from Ballsh to state and private consumers about 74 000 tons of fuel. 45 000 tons of chrome have been transported within the country for Albkrom, while 15 000 other tons have been transported by train in the port of Durres to be loaded then on ships for other countries destinations.

Private building business has chosen Albanian Railways as a partner for the transport of 52 000 tons of inerts, mainly gravel and stones, whereas 45 000 other tons of inerts have been transported by trains to different stations to be used for railway track.

The transport of coals also takes an important place in the volume of the work in the Albanian railways, with 63 000 tons, a part of which has arrived in the port of Durres to be taken to the respective destinations. /s.s/xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[05] Five villages in Durres connected with international telephone network

in the district of Durres, five villages of it had complete possibilities to a international telephone connection.

Besnik Salata, director of Telekom in Durres, told ATA that reconstruction of telephone central stations has been completed in the villages Ishem, Hamallaj, Rrushkull and Rade. This makes possible the regular telephone connection within Albania and outside it. The investment needed for the connection was USD40 000 provided by the Telekom General Department. /pas/xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[06] More divorces among newly-married couples and those without children

According to the Institute of Statistics, INSTAT, 45 per cent of the divorces is among the couples with 2 or less years of marriage and over 60 per cent divorces is in the couples with none or one child.

However, the period of transition has not affected the marriages. During 1991-1996, the number of marriages increased about 12 per cent.

The higher average age for marriage has led to the consolidation of the family. The number of divorces for 100 marriages reduced from 8.6 per cent in 1995 to 6.9 in 1996 and 5.9 in 1997, while in 1992 this index was 9.4 per cent.

The greatest number of girls now marry at the age 20-24 years while the boys at 25-29. The average age of the girls married during 1997 was 23.3, and that of boys 28. /pas/xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[07] Catalogue National Arts Gallery fund to be prepared

"The catalogue will have 80 illustrations with the respective text in a total of 120 pages," sources of the Gallery told ATA.

For the preparation of the catalogue, which is a project so far, a working group is set up in the study sector of the Gallery.

The funds which will be needed for the publication of the album will be furnished by Italian donors.

Sources of the Art Gallery say that the present fund of the Art Gallery has 6000 works of various genres. /pas/xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[08] Civil Serbs blocked Prishtine-Skopje road

Sources of the Council for Defence of Human Rights in Prishtine report that Serb military forces are arriving on the spot, but still not everything is clear of what is happening there, the sources said.

During the past night, bullets were heard in many spots in Kosove fired from Serb forces positions and dwelling centres. /p.ta/xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[09] Several roads in Kosove controlled by armed Serbs

Sources of the Information Centre of Kosove say that Serb armed civilians are on the Lipjan-Fushe-Kosove road and keep stopping and maltreating all Albanian passers by, while bullets fired in the air are being heard from Lipjan.

U.S. Ambassador in Macedonia and troubleshooter for Kosove, Christopher Hill, is expected to arrive in Prishtine today. /p.ta/xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[10] Mini-Internet in Ministry of Health in Albania

The mini-internet creates the possibility for the registration of all the activity carried out in the departments of the First Aid, Pharmacies, Dentistry, Economic, Hospital, the Staff, Information and Statistics, it will store the written documents of the Ministry and other links of medical system in the three levels.

The project for the mini-internet within the Ministry of Health was drafted a year ago by the Department of Statistics and Information of the ministry in cooperation with USAID representatives. /pas/xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[11] Two policemen, suspected for arbitrary acts against a detainee, arrested

The press office in the Public Order Ministry told ATA Thursday that Ylli Zeka, agent of judicial police in Peqin police commissariat and Rebani Faruku, officer of the same police commissariat, were arrested Wednesday in Elbasan.

The two detainees are charged for arbitrary acts against Kastriot Bega, who was arrested two days before, the press office explains.

Bega, 29, resident in village Vishaj of Peqin, died in the hospital of Elbasan three hours after his detention. /pas/xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[12] More text books for Universities

The chief editor in the University publishing house for Gjulso Binaj, told ATA that "more privileged this year are excepted to be the students of the Engineering Faculty in Tirane."

The director of the high education in the Ministry of Education and Science, Edmond Hajdaraga, said that the outgoing year the Albanian government expended 23 million leks as well as an aid worth 81,2 million leks allocated by the Italian government on publishing text books for University level.

Some 112 text books were published with this sum.

More books are published for the Economics and Justice Faculties so far. The French Embassy as well as the "French Alliance" association have contributed for the publishing of the last text books.

The collaboration with the Soros foundation for the publishing of the first and second text entitled "Geography" has also been fruitful.

Some 1200 university text books are prepared since 1997, time when the University publishing house started its activity. /pas/A.A/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[13] National agency to accredit higher schools

During the coming years, it will be also studied the possibility of using foreign universities for the preparation of the advanced graduated students in those fields which are in need and the use of modern libraries, computers and labs.

The recognition of foreign diplomas and training according to the Convention of Lisbona in 1996 will be implemented through the legal framework. /pas/mt/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[14] 30% of teachers doubted to have fake diplomas

The chief of the personnel office in the Education Directory of this district, Xhevahir Gradica, told ATA that more than 30% of teachers of this district are doubted to have false diplomas. This phenomenon has created unsatisfaction in the parents' opinion, who ask for greater teaching quality.

Gardica explains that the documents of these teachers are not still verified in the schools where they have finished the University studies, but regarding the fact that Has is a small city, and its inhabitants know each-other quite well the documents result to have false diplomas.

A year ago only 20% of the teachers had complete education documentation in the Has district Education Directory.

This phenomenon is frequently also encountered in Kukes district (North-eastern Albania). Sources from this district Education Directory report that more than 20 teachers have false documents. This fact is publicly declared by the local media, Kukes radio and television. These facts are known by the whole opinion, but no measure to eliminate this phenomenon are taken so far by he state structures. /pas/A.A/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[15] 49% of the total constructions are flats

In 1995 the living buildings cover 90% of the total objects constructed within a year, while in 1996-1997 an increase is shown respectively 78 and 82% and in the last 9 months period of 1998 it increased in 98%.

Having in mind the statistical information in years buildings constructions nearly 50% of them are planned for living ones. This figure is different in different districts, after Tirana, which is the toplist, comes Korça, Vlora, Lushnja respectively with 81%,78%, 68%.

Beside the high number of the flats, a considerable place covers the constructions of commercial objects, as well.

The recent commertial development is assosiated with the increasing of the trade areas and the investments in them. In the end of 1995 1 square meter costs 167 000 lek, while in the end of 1998 it increased twice, exluding the effects of the price increase in this period.

The structure of predicted fond in objects construction

--------------------------------------------------------------
     Kind of the object   !		Predicted fonds
--------------------------------------------------------------
         ----             !  1995 !  1996 !  1997 ! 9/m 1998 !
--------------------------------------------------------------
Constructions		  ! 24652 ! 39040 ! 77923 !    60756 !
--------------------------------------------------------------
Ingineering constructions !  2587 ! 11172 !  2066 !      988 !
--------------------------------------------------------------

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[16] Shuli, Çeço, Brojka - cooperation to clean Tirana

For this purpose, the Minister of Public Works and Transport, Ingrid Shuli, the Mayor of Tirana, Albert Brojka, and the governor of Tirana, Makbule Çeço, agreed to cooperate with one another.

The aim of the commission will be "the removal of kiosks and planting of trees," Minister Shuli told ATA.

"Skenderbej square should be beautiful as it has been before, and nothing should be constructed around it," she stressed, adding that the prefecture would play the leading role.

"The establishment of this commission as a permanent structure is a good step for the cooperation between the powers," governor Çeço reported to ATA.

Cleaning of the environment was in the center of the meeting that the Albanian PM Pandeli Majko held Tuesday with leaders of several ministries and representatives of the prefecture and town-hall. PM Majko urged these bodies to take tough measures for the solution of problems regarding cleaning the town of Tirana. /pas/mt/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[17] Only 77 companies licensed in hotels constructions

According to a INSTAT study, during the last 4 years from 10632 construction permissions, only 77 of them are in hotel constructions, while the considerable one are in houses constructions.

Hotels construction permissions are given mainly to some companies in coast and touristic towns.

Private hotels are more in number compared with public ones, a part of which are ruined and damaged in March 1997 and still are out of use. According to INSTAT figures, 80 is the number of the private hotels in 1998./linda/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[18] Miloti bridge to be proclaimed Cultural Monument

This bridge, built in 20-ies of the XX century in the national road towards the northern Albania, is built by the engineer Gjadri. The building technique of this bridge is used for the first time at that time in Albania, and its reconstruction was congratulated by renowned European engineers. It is considered as "the pride of the Albanian engineering" and "his points out the fact that the Albanian engineers have a good tradition in this field." /lh/A.A/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[19] OSCE chief to visit Albania

Tirana is the first leg of Vollebeak's Balkan tour which includes Skopje and Belgrade. The aim of the visit is the situation in Kosova and perspective for its solution.

Chief of the OSCE and Norwegian diplomacy is also expected to discuss bilateral relations between Tirana and Oslo.

He is expected to hold official talks with the Albanian Foreign Minister Paskal Milo, president of the Republic Rexhep Meidani, prime minister Pandeli Majko and a meeting with "Friends of Albania" grouping.

A press conference is scheduled on Saturday night in Rogner Hotel.

Vollebeak will leave Albania on Sunday for Macedonia. /dast/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[20] Wold Bank mission will visit Albania

According to a sourse of Albanian Agriculture Ministry, the program of World Bank consits on later developments in different agriculture sectors. The project includes also fishing and breeding components and the improving of rural roads.

World Bank mission is expected to meet managers of this ministry. The main topic to be disscused is the organisation of foreign donators conference to support the development of Albanian Agriculture./linda/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[21] Italian fishing boats violate Albanian territorial waters

Two Italian boats entered Albanian territorial waters at 6.30 a.m. on Wednesday 10 miles from the Albanian shoreline. They had been intercepted by the Albanian navy vessels and brought to the Durres port to undergo legal procedures, Albert Mullai, spokesman of the Defence Ministry, said to ATA.

The Italian crew was accused of violating the territorial waters and of fishing illegally. If found guilty, they may be fined or their boat may be confiscated.

The Italian boats were punished by a fine worth some million lire and were sent back to Italy. /dast/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[22] Armed and masked Serbs block road Prishtina-Mitrovica

The road Prishtina-Mitrovica was also blocked on Thursday morning by armed and masked Serbs, who have been deployed in the villages of Shkabaj (Orlloviq) and Milloshevice in the suburbs of Obliq.

According to Albanian sources, the armed gangs have barbarously maltreated the Albanians, women, children and other travelers. The armed Serbs continue to keep blocked since early in the morning the road from Prishtina towards Shkup, Prizeren, Lipjan, Gjilan, Ferizaj, Shtimje and others. According to the Albanian sources, the armed Serbs have kidnapped many Albanian travellers and maltreated them.

Too many armed Serbs gathered in the village of Cagllavice, 2 km far from Prishtina, late in the afternoon, and then they headed for the capital of Kosova by shouting slogans against the Albanians.

The situation is very dangerous and tense in suburbs, as well as in the town of Prishtina. /dast/mt/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[23] Government approves 10 percent rise in food supply for students

The source said that according to the joint statement reached between the government and the representatives of the hunger strike students, an increase by 10 percent of the food quota from January 1 to March 1, 1999 and another 10 percent from April 1 to December 1, 1999.

The government meeting also ratified the convention between the Republic of Albania and the Republic of Bulgaria on double tax evasion related to income tax and capital. The convention will not only avoid fiscal evasion but also favor and boost economic and trade relations.

Another convention on double tax evasion with Kingdom of Norway was also ratified. This convention, whose provisions have priority against tax legislation in both countries, envisaged the way how to avoid double taxation giving the right for tax income only to one state in order not to charge the company who operates in the other country with double taxation.

It approved an agreement between the Albanian and Greek government on a cooperation in education, science and culture which aimed at creating more favourable conditions for children of the Greek minority in Albania to learn the Greek language and children of the Albanian emigrants to learn Albanian in Greece. It also foresees a boost of cooperation between institutions of higher education and those of science.

The agreement on trade and economic cooperation between Albanian and Slovak governments was also approved in principle. /dast/ak/

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