Albanian Telegraphic Agency (ATA), 99-01-09

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

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

CONTENTS

[01] Italian consular office starts operation in Vlora

[02] International bodies help rehabilitate education system

[03] 30 percent of births without medical assistance

[04] Kosova issue be resolved if Albanians are in unison

[05] Aid delivered for 3 500 displaced Kosovars in Durres

[06] Albanian political forces should find a common language

[07] Serbs ready to listen to Albanians' plans, proposals

[08] OSCE current chairman, Vollebeak, arrives in Tirane

[09] Number of Albanian family members reduced

[10] Fair games secure 3.3% of tax incomes

[11] Tax Procedures Code to be approved within three months period

[12] Gymnasium to oreintate students towards set proffessions - priority of the year

[13] LDK demands resolute international steps in Kosove

[14] Pilot program against TB in Albania

[15] Albanian Foreign Minister Milo meets with OSCE current chairman

[16] There are not any project for reshuffles in government cabinet - Minister

[17] TNT damages Fushe-Kruje town-hall

[18] Athens will convene defence ministers of South Eastern Europe - Defence Minister Luan Hajdaraga will attend it -

[19] OSCE must be present in dialogue between parties in Kosove - Meidani

[20] Albanian Government must influence on KLA for release of hostages - Vollebaek

[21] Albania and OSCE are following together situation in Kosove - Albanian PM meets OSCE current chairman -

[01] Italian consular office starts operation in Vlora

Neku Dredha, the city mayor said that this office would be followed by a consulate in a few months. He added that the office would have a three- member staff who will prepare the documentation for the opening of the consulate.

Dredha said that in a few weeks the office had issued visas to 250 citizens, particularly local administration staff, university pedagogues, journalists, artists and others. 129 other visas were expected to be issued soon.

The office was opened after an agreement between the Albanian and Italian foreign ministers and the insistence of the local government officials.

Meanwhile, Tare Hamo, the prefect, said to ATA that arrangements are underway for the opening of a Greek consular office in Vlora soon.

The seaside city of Vlora will become the first Albanian city with two consular offices. /s.s/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[02] International bodies help rehabilitate education system

After a visit to Albania of the director of UNESCO for Southeastern Europe at the start of last year, an action plan was prepared and an agreement worth $339 thousand was reached for a project in the civil education and professional training of education specialists, he said.

Vincani considered successfully the cooperation between the ministry and the Council of Europe (CoE) through the Center of Gratz (ESFL) with the project on teaching foreign languages. Projects on teaching history of XX century on human rights, civil education in schools and others are underway.

Projects on "Democratic changes - initiative based on school and community," "Democracy in school", are underway in cooperation with the CoE, Austria and Soros Foundation.

Apart from boosting cooperation on twin relations between Albanian schools and similar European institutions, preparations are underway for the reconstruction of two professional schools in Saranda and Tirana by the Austrians.

Foreign director at the Ministry Artan Canaj said that "cooperation continues with other international organisations and foundations such as the World Bank, GTZ, DANIDA, UNICEF and others. s.s/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[03] 30 percent of births without medical assistance

1700 births out of 2300 recorded during 1998 have been given in the maternity clinic while other 600 without the presence of the medical staff.

"Infantile mortality in Kukes district, though it had been reduced to 10 percent in comparison to a year ago, was still a concern for the health institutions because in remote villages the women gave birth without medical help," Gani Gashi, public health director, said to ATA.

No deaths were recorded in childbirth during 1998, he said adding that 36 children of the 0 to 6 age-group had died during the same period.

Specialists say that despite difficulties during the transition period or lack of medical care in remote areas, the demographic increase is the same within the last ten years. /pas/ak/

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[04] Kosova issue be resolved if Albanians are in unison

Milo and Qose spoke of an increase of contacts and coordination of attitudes of all Albanian factors in Kosova with the official policy of Tirana in order to be in unison for a solution to the Kosova crisis.

The LBDK leader Rexhep Qose hailed the attitude of the Albanian government on the Kosova issue and was convinced that Albania could increasingly influence the stability in Kosova, the statement said.

After a tete-a-tete meeting, both officials met with journalists.

The Albanian Foreign Minister Milo said that "they reached a join conclusion that the present Yugoslavia could not live as such in the Balkans. It was more than urgent that the Albanians in Kosova be in unity and unison in face of international factors."

Milo said that the direct and continuous communication between the Albanian government and all political factors in Kosova would be intensified.

The Academician Rexhep Qose said that the territory of former Yugoslavia was a geopolitical transition and this would mean that its political and state recomposition was not over. We were happy to listen to new ideas and were convinced that Albania would undertake an increasingly creative policy towards Kosova.

In today's talks with Albanian senior officials, including the Albanian president, prime minister and foreign minister, Rexhep Qose was accompanied by the member of the LBDK presidency Idajet Hyseni. /pas/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[05] Aid delivered for 3 500 displaced Kosovars in Durres

The aid coordinator close to this Red Cross affiliation, Josif Xhufka, told ATA that packages with 20 articles are being delivered to every Kosovar. The aid consists mainly in food items, which meet the food demands of a month.

The aim is accorded by the International Association of the Catholic Relapse with the interest of the Albanian Red Cross.

An employee of the Red Cross in Durres, Elsa Gryka, said that some 10 000 packages with food are delivered to 10 000 people coming from Kosova, without mentioning the other aids they have taken from different international bodies, from July of 1998 till the end of the year.

Gryka said that some 110 000 leks were also collected from different enterprises such as "Floryhen", the enterprise of the building supply, and others. /pas/A.A/

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[06] Albanian political forces should find a common language

"This is the only thing which will pave the way for the development of democracy in Albania and promotion of relations between the two countries," Urso said.

The Italian deputy was concerned over the illegal emigration and hoped that the Albanian parliament was going to review a law which would help prevent dinghies in the Albanian shoreline.

"I hope that this law will be put into practice as soon as possible," Urso said.

Later, Urso and Fabrizio Luccioli, General Secretary of the Committee of the Atlantic in Italy, laid flowers to the memorial of the deputy Azem Hajdari, who was killed on September 12 last year. /y.pa/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[07] Serbs ready to listen to Albanians' plans, proposals

Seselj said that representatives of Serbs in Kosova would engage in finding a solution to the Kosova crisis.

"Maybe, a bishop or politician who has not won any adviser mandate in elections will not be engaged in this undertaking," Seselj said alluding to the Serb bishop of Prizren Artemie and leader of the Movement for the Serb Resistance Momcilo Trajkovic. /pta/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[08] OSCE current chairman, Vollebeak, arrives in Tirane

The main aim of the Vollebaek visit in the Albanian capital, which marks also the first stop in the Tirana-Skopje-Belgrade tour, is the discussion of the situation in Kosove and the perspective of its solution, the press directory close to the Ministry of the Foreign Affairs told ATA on Saturday.

The senior representative of the OSCE is expected to hold meetings with the Albanian President Rexhep Meidani, Premier Pandeli Majko, and with the group "Friends of Albanian" Vollebaek, just nominated to the post of the current OSCE chairman, starts his first mission with Albania, the role and strategic position of which is very important in the solution of the newest conflict in the Balkan region.

In the discussion between the OSCE chairman and the Albanian Foreign Minister, an important part is excepted to be occupied by the discussion on the perspectives of the bilateral relations between Albania and Norway.

Vollebaek and Milo are expected to give a mutual press conference on late Saturday.

Vollebaek is to leave for Skopje on Saturday after a meeting scheduled to be hold with the staff of the OSCE mission in Albania. /pas/A.A/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[09] Number of Albanian family members reduced

Among these changes more evident is the reduction of the family members. This has come as a result of the movement of the family members, emigration, the division of the members of one family due to the divorces and others. The generation co-existence is rarer nowadays.

In the small Albanian family, the woman has a tendency to be more independent from the husband, children or relatives, independence that has resulted from the changes that the Albanian mentality has undergone as well as the possibilities that the Albanian women has today to create her own financial independence.

A new element in the nowadays Albanian society is also the entrance of the family planning methods. The communist system stimulated a growth of the population and a big family. The abort was illegal, and it could be done only in the cases of a grave life threatening for the mother.

The birth number in this period was higher that in other European countries, with changes between the urban and the rural areas. According to the 1989 statistics, the average number in the urban family members was 3.9, while the same figure in the urban families was 5.3.

According to INSTAT population information, is marked a change in the number of the children a woman delivers. An Albanian woman gave birth approximately to 6.1 children in 1950, and this figure has reduced in 2.7 in 1995.

Another important fact is also the decrease of the mothers death during delivery. There have also been a decrease in the infantile death.

One of the factors of the reduction of the birth number was the legalization of abort. Some 438 abort in 1 000 normal births were counted in 1994, but this number reduced in 358 in 1 000 births. /paS/A.A/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[10] Fair games secure 3.3% of tax incomes

Some 2 million leks are approximately taken by them each month out of 60 million that is the plan for these incomes, the Chairman of the Vlore district taxes, Anastas Gjipali, told ATA.

According to him there are some 7 bingos operating their activity in Vlore and their owners have caused continuous problems in paying off their fiscal obligations.

Some 2 300 subjects in different economic sectors function in Vlore district. Their number is expected to be increased in 2 500 at the end of this year. /pas/A.A/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[11] Tax Procedures Code to be approved within three months period

The changes in this code will be based on the world pattern of Tax administration and tax payer relationship, and tax management as well.

The new thing brought by this Code is the sum of 1.5% of the cash, which are going to be used on the General Tax Directory investments and its employeers reward.

The measures to be taken by the tax collector in case of any irregulary, are presented very clear in the new Code of Tax Procedures. According to this project law, the tax collector may order any bank to pay the duties of its client, if he disabeys the law. The Bank is responsible in case of not paying its clients duties.

The Code preparations started since two years ago and during this time, several discusions and meetings with foreign and natives apecialists are hold. We have to mention here also the specialised financial organs like, IMF and American Treasure as well./Ih/linda/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[12] Gymnasium to oreintate students towards set proffessions - priority of the year

The radical changes which started with the reduction of the teaching- week from 6 in 5 days were accompanied with the teaching programs adoption. The main aim actually is the project on gymnasium profiles.

Preliminarily, is foreseen the gymnasium profiles in two branches: humanity science orientation - linguistics, exact and natural sciences in adoption with the requests that the employement market at present and in the future. /pas/A.A/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[13] LDK demands resolute international steps in Kosove

These dangerous provocations are part of the scenario of the strategy of the Serb populism, which is the one that caused the bloody war in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and in Kosove and is holding the whole Balkan in an atmosphere of destabilization for ten years now, stresses the LDK.

This party calls on all citizens of Kosove for self-restraint in these grave moments in order to avoid the provocations which aim at causing other victims and to undermine the international commitment for the solution of the question of Kosove. /lh/xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[14] Pilot program against TB in Albania

The program is undertaken by the Ministry of Health, the University Hospital of Lung Diseases in cooperation with WHO.

The state of tuberculosis is not really known in Albania. According to data from the Ministry of Health, the indices of tuberculosis have increased in the recent years and the disease predominates in young ages. The treatment of the disease is insufficient in many aspects, including the control of the illness, the use of anti TB medicaments, etc. /lh/xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[15] Albanian Foreign Minister Milo meets with OSCE current chairman

Vollebaek, who arrived in Tirane on a 24-hour-visit, started his official meetings with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Albania, Paskal Milo. At first they had a tete-a-tete meeting which was followed by another between the two delegations.

A diplomatic source said that all the visit of Mr Vollebaek will focus on the crisis in Kosove, where OSCE has a priority role to play and Norway as the current chairman of it must play an important role in the efforts to find a settlement.

Later Mr Vollebaek met with the President of Albania, Rexhep Meidani. The OSCE chairman is expected to meet with the Prime Minister as well.

The visit of OSCE chairman in the Albanian capital is the first leg of his Tirane-Prishtine-Belgrade Balkan tour.

This is the second visit of Mr Vollebaek to Tirane after that in April, 1998, but this time in the capacity of the OSCE chairman. /lh/xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[16] There are not any project for reshuffles in government cabinet - Minister

"In reply to reports and comments in some written and electronic medias, intensified in the recent days, we reiterate what we have stated on this matter in the name of the government in a report of Dec. 29, 1998. Reshuffles in government cabinets in democratically run countries are normal, but at present there is not any project for such. If need had risen for reshuffles in the government, the Prime Minister would have discussed them first with leaders of the parties members in the "Alliance for the state," ends the report for ATA by minister Ulqini, who in the name of the Albanian Government is forced to reiterate the refutation on some Albanian press reports for possible reshuffles in Majko cabinet. /lh/xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[17] TNT damages Fushe-Kruje town-hall

The spokesman of the Public Order Ministry told ATA Saturday that last Friday, at about 5.35 p.m. an amount of TNT exploded in the building of the town hall of Fushe Kruje (about 15 km from Tirane.)

He also confirmed that there were no victims and work has started to uncover the culprits. /dast/xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[18] Athens will convene defence ministers of South Eastern Europe - Defence Minister Luan Hajdaraga will attend it -

In the centre of the meeting will be the signing by respective ministers of the final documents for the creation of a Multinational Peace Force for South Eastern Europe, the spokesman of the defence Ministry Albert Mullai told ATA.

Taking part in the multinational force will be seven states of South Eastern Europe, Albania, Greece, Italy, Turkey, Bulgaria, Macedonia and Rumania. The creation of the force presupposes a brigade, which will have a rotating-run command and a special staff with its headquarters according to the rotation. Seven companies created precisely for this force will be trained in Greece, Bulgaria, Turkey etc.

The units of the force will be deployed in their countries and will act under the U.N flag. These forces will take part in joint exercises for peace-keeping purposes. /dast/xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[19] OSCE must be present in dialogue between parties in Kosove - Meidani

President Meidani, after making a short panorama of his viewpoints on the situation in Kosove and its impact on Albania and the region, talked with OSCE chairman of the results of the separate meetings held in Albania with representatives of the politics of Kosove, in function of the creation of an executive board of the Albanians which would represent in the best way the Albanian party in negotiations.

Meidani considered as very indispensable a combined act by OSCE with NATO in creating the conditions for the dialogue, and avoiding the bloodshed.

The President of Albania expressed to OSCE chairman Knut Vollebaek the need of OSCE being a mediator present in the dialogue between the parties in Kosove.

Mr Vollebaek highlighted the active role of Albania in the solution of the crisis in Kosove and guaranteed President Meidani of a continuous activity by OSCE and other international organizations for the settlement of the crisis. In the capacity of the Foreign Minister of Norway, Vollebaek voiced the will of his country to step up the cooperation with Albania. /dast/xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[20] Albanian Government must influence on KLA for release of hostages - Vollebaek

Mr Vollebaek said in a joint news conference with the Albanian Foreign Minister Paskal Milo, that "OSCE has started an intensive work to negotiate the release of the hostages," adding that "although the deadline for their release has expired at 4 p.m. the talks will continue."

"Taking hostages is unacceptable and may lead to a further escalation of the conflict," said Vollebaek, expressing the concern that the situation in Kosove is a threat to all the region.

Milo and Vollebaek voiced the need of a lasting solution for Kosove, adding that the situation has turned extremely dangerous in the few past days. Vollebaek hailed the stance of the Albanian Government of the active role it is playing in finding a peaceful solution.

Mr Vollebaek said that the first country he is visiting in the capacity of the OSCE current chairman is Albania with the aim of discussing the crisis in Kosove which he considered as the main point of his talks.

"So far, 650 OSCE monitors have been installed in Kosove and their number will be 1200 by mid-January," said Vollebaek, adding that the voices that the conflict will exacerbate in spring make us work to find a solution as soon as possible.

Minister Milo said that the Albanian government will continue to seek a solution through peaceful ways and will keep calling on the international community to exert pressure on Belgrade. /dast/xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[21] Albania and OSCE are following together situation in Kosove - Albanian PM meets OSCE current chairman -

The spokesman of the PM reports that the situation created in Kosove was considered by PM Majko as a rather delicate moment which is deteriorating. Albania and OSCE are following attentively, closely and continuously the situation," said Majko.

Minister Vallebaek considered Albania an important partner of OSCE and highlighted its significant role in the solution of the conflict in Kosove.

"OSCE will work closely with Albania for the solution of the conflict, " said Vollebaek.

Before official talks, which was attended by ministers Milo and Ulqini and the state secretary Lakrori, PM Majko and Mr Vollebaek had a closed-door meeting. /dast/xh/

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

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