Albanian Telegraphic Agency (ATA), 99-02-09

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

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

CONTENTS

[01] Wider possibilities for cooperation between Tirana and Athens

[02] Albania Premier ends successful visit in USA

[03] Three ministers hold interpellation in Parliament

[04] Athens mayor hopes borders to be erased soon between two peoples

[05] Library reopened in Kukes

[06] "Tourist Golem" - expression of intellectual thought on coastal city

[07] What qualities should a politician bear?

[08] Order - great challenge of Albanian society

[09] Ten people killed in Kosova as Rambouillet conference underway

[10] Institution of Monuments asks for widening of its competencies

[11] Two blind Albanians accused of terrorism

[12] Weapons collection over in Tunje commune

[13] Albanian political factors in East Kosova hail Rambouillet talks

[14] CAM-Albania to continue aid for Albanian customs houses

[15] "Human Rights Watch" publishes report "Week of terror in Drenice"

[16] Eighth corridor compensates owners

[17] Tirana currency rate, dollar slightly tumbled

[18] Kolevica translates into Albanian pearls of Russian poetry

[19] Young girl shot dead playing with weapon

[20] U.S. remains Albania's main partner

[21] We are committed to further improve conditions in jails - Minister

[22] If Serbs exert genocide, Albanians have the right of a collective self- defence - Majko

[23] Durres-Rrogozhine -Landowners compensated by 124,5 million lek

[24] Albanians in Albania do not feel any ethnic, race or religious discrimination

[25] No more projects of private companies on public affairs

[26] Cooperation between Albanian Ministry of Justice and USAID in field of justice

[27] World Bank: $15 million for Albanian Agriculture

[28] Ministry of Culture "gathers" young poets in an Anthology

[01] Wider possibilities for cooperation between Tirana and Athens

TIRANA, Feb. 8 (ATA) - Albania Prime Minister Pandeli Majko met Monday with the major of Athens, Dimitris Avramopoulos, who is visiting Tirana upon a joint invitation of Premier Majko and Major of Tirana, Albert Brojka.

The Ministry of Information reported to ATA that during the meeting they discussed about the relations between the two cities and the possibilities of a wider cooperation and mutual exchanges in all fields.

PM Majko considered as very important the ties between Tirana and Athens, as well as the joint projects of development.

Attending the meeting was also the Albanian Minister of Information, Musa Ulqini. /lh/mt/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[02] Albania Premier ends successful visit in USA

Premier Majko, in the previous interviews for foreign TV stations, considered this visit as very successful, both regarding the support of the U.S. party for problems like the Kosova issue and the further development of the democratic process in Albania. /lh/mt/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[03] Three ministers hold interpellation in Parliament

Minister Ruka spoke of the measures taken by the Albanian government for the new academic year.

The Minister of Education declared that this semester is going on normally. Mentioning the cancellation of lessons in schools due to strikes of students during 1998 and the strike of the Education Trade Union Federation by the beginning of 1999, Ruka stated that these problems are now being solved through negotiations. He spoke of the measures taken by the Ministry regarding the acceptance in the higher schools, the preparation of text books, and others.

The Minister of Justice, Thimjo Kondi, spoke of the work done by justice bodies to fight criminality. He said that the justice bodies, like courts, are independent from the executive.

Despite the small scopes that the Ministry of Justice has according to the Constitution to check the judiciary, Kondi mentioned the work done by the Supreme Justice Council, as well as by the Inspectorate close to this Council, which, according to the Constitution, supervises the work carried out by courts.

Also, the Minister of Public Economy and Privatization held an interpellation.

With the reports of the three members of the government cabinet, the plenary session of Parliament ended. The next sitting will start on Thursday with the approval of several economic laws. /lh/mt/

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[04] Athens mayor hopes borders to be erased soon between two peoples

Meta briefed him on the high level of the relations between the two governments and countries, relations which should remain unchanged despite political changes, sources from the Ministry of Information said to ATA.

Albanian deputy premier backed the idea of Avramopoulos for the reactivation of the cooperation between mayors of the South eastern Europe as well as relations between officials of the local government in both sides of the border.

On his part Avramopoulos briefed Meta on his initiatives on promoting cultural identity of our countries, mentioning the cultural activities scheduled to this end. He hoped that borders between the two peoples will be erased soon.

Avramopoulos invited deputy prime minister Meta for an official visit to Athens. /das/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[05] Library reopened in Kukes

A fund of about 100 000 titles will be placed everyday in the readers disposition.

The library of this city was closed down at the beginning of 1995, because its grounds were privatized and were made into bars.

The Cultural Center of Children, the Museum, and the Puppet Theater, the grounds of which are privatized or are occupied by persons who pretend to be ex-owners of the soil, do not actually function in Kukes district. /dast/A.A/

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[06] "Tourist Golem" - expression of intellectual thought on coastal city

This newspaper has got 8 pages and a circulation of 1.000 copies, and its editors select information and chronicles not only from the social and cultural life of the city but from the whole Kavaja district.

Two back pages are written in English, and give detailed information on the unexploited potentials of one of the most beautiful areas along the Aldriatic coast, situated only 6 kilometers on the north of the district center.

The name of Golemi, renowned since the years 30 for the American Agricultural school, after the national liberation was identified with its beach which bares magnificent qualities.

The publishing of the newspaper "Tourist Golem", shows the attempts of the intellectuals of this area to unfold the problems of the citizens. In this way, the newspaper becomes the only spokesman of the intellectual thought and of the social-cultural information of this district. /f.n/A.A/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[07] What qualities should a politician bear?

TIRANE, Feb. 8 (ATA) - By E.Nepravishta: The political life in Albania is attended with interest by the wide opinion, although often people pretend to be indifferent towards politics and say that they feel tired of it.

But, what do the Albanian think on the qualities that a politician should have? An idea on this issue is brought about by the survey made by ORT/USAID. The data shows that more than 50% of the persons questioned label the honor as the main quality a politician should have.

After the honor are listed other qualities such as the perspective, personality, practicality, success in the profession, and others.

In the meantime, only a small number of the people surveyed, list as the main quality of a politician the oratory, or the representation of a set geographical area. /dast/A.A/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[08] Order - great challenge of Albanian society

The public order was also given a heavy blown after the events of mid- September 1998 which also shocked the functioning of state institutions.

Which are the statistics for 1998?

Official sources of the Public Order Ministry said that 1998 recorded 5.954 crimes or 6.8 percent less that in 1997.

The total crimes included property robbing estimated at 35 percent, crimes against individual 32 percent, illegal possession of weapons 14 percent, crimes related to drugs 8 percent, property destruction 6 percent, terrorist acts 2 percent and economic-financial crimes 3 percent.

In January 1999 these crimes were increased by 5.5 percent in comparison to December '98 (43 killings, attempted assassination and 27 violent thefts).

Judicial bodies have uncovered 72 percent of the crimes in 1998 and 66 percent of the crimes for January 1999.

According to different categories of crimes, crimes against individual are estimated at 61 percent, against property 57 percent, property destruction 33 percent and terrorist acts 19 percent. The age- group of perpetrators is 18 to 25.

Problems facing police structures

- Motivation of work is not at the proper level; structures do not function properly institutionally; the wish to carry out legal acts sometimes lacks.

- incorrect programing of tasks

- extra chains of direction in center and grassroots working without competencies have hindered direct services.

- lack of professional direction, involvement of part of police in crimes abusing of their duty to secure illegal benefits. Besides these, the police in their efforts to defend law and fight against organised crime, have been openly opposed by part of the Albanian opposition.

Measures to stabilize situation

The Public Order Ministry has worked out a working program in 1999 with norms, which regulate functioning and planning of work in these bodies, as the striking problem. Disarmament is one of the priorities of the ministry. In Albania there is a series of programs financed by United Nations, U.N. Development Program (UNDP) and other organization of voluntarily disarmament of population.

The constitution approved in November '98 defined a new position for the Albanian police imposing necessary changes. A draft law on state police, other bills on wages and pensions and ranks in police are being worked out. A draft law on rules and discipline, new organisation structure of the ministry and grassroots bodies and the program on reform in police are underway. /dast/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[09] Ten people killed in Kosova as Rambouillet conference underway

Since the beginning, the Albanian delegation had asked for the signing of an agreement on armistice with the Serb side guaranteed by the Contact Group.

The start of the conference in Rambouillet was marked by an explosion which claimed the lives of three people in Prishtina followed by another one in Mitrovica whose targets were Albanians and their properties.

In a statement published in Prishtina on Tuesday, the Kosova Liberation Army (KLA) said that "the Yugoslav army has started its attacks against KLA backed positions in villages and regions of Suhareka and Malisheva as well as the area of Llapi and Mitrovica," and considered this an "example of goodwill of the Serbian regime for negotiations in Rambouillet."

Albanian sources said that new military and police forces had reached Kosova from Serbia on Monday, while villages of Sallabej, Majac and Konushevc of Podujeva region as well as Klina region were bombed and people had left the villages of Shtupel and Kernice.

Sources said that three out of six killed were found dead in suburbs of Gjakova, two Albanians kidnapped before were found dead near the town of Kacanik, while an unidentified person was found dead in Lipjan. /dast/ak/

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[10] Institution of Monuments asks for widening of its competencies

The director of the Institution of Monuments, Artan Shkreli, told ATA on Tuesday that "the new law on cultural inheritance will comprise even another article, in order to comprise the monumental parks".

Is made public the fact that the implementation of this article will start with the park of the Brigade Palace, which is projected by the designers as a monumental park.

The specialists are based in the Firence Charter, which on its part refers to the Venice Charter for involvement of this article on the new law of heredity. This charter is considered as "the constitution" of restoration in the whole world and it says that " the historic garden is an architectonic composition which from the historic or artistic view presents a public interest and because of bearing these values it is considered a cultural monument. /dast/A.A/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[11] Two blind Albanians accused of terrorism

Two blind Albanians are accused of "shooting by automatic rifles against the Serb forces," and faced trial yesterday in Prizeren as terrorists, together with 22 other Albanians, arrested last summer in Rahovec.

The charge against the two blind Albanians has been turned down by the defence, which has considered "as impossible the committment of such act." Last week, 26 Albanians were sentenced with 287 years in jail in a political process without any evidence to prove the accusation for terrorism, as the advocates said. /dast/mt/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[12] Weapons collection over in Tunje commune

At the end of a ten-day operation some 550 weapons and 18 tons of ammunition were collected, Philip Peira, U.N. program coordinator, said to ATA on Tuesday.

Tunja was the first commune where the pilot project financed by the United Nations on weapons collection in Gramsh district started. This program will continue for some months and will cover other communes in the district, including that of Kudovjat.

Kodhel Cani, head of the commune of Tunja, said that the quantity of weapons available in Tunja was totally handed in. In exchange of weapons, the commune would benefit fund for the rehabilitation of 5 km road as well as telephone connections in all communes of the city of Gramsh through radio-relay and total illumination of the city.

The U.N. project "Weapons for development" aims at collecting weapons in exchange of investments in district infrastructure.

U.N. deputy Secretary General of United Nations Jayatha Dhanapal is expected to come soon to closely follow the disarmament operation in Gramsh.

Pilot project on disarmament started in June '98 when a mission led by Dhanapal visited Albania. Gramsh is the district where some 10 to 12 percent of weapons looted from the depots in March '97 are available in the hands of population. /dast/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[13] Albanian political factors in East Kosova hail Rambouillet talks

The statement adds that "the political subjects, which represent the Albanians in these scopes, are convinced that the best solution would be the inclusion of this population inside the Kosova border, but if it is considered that this solution may create difficulties for the solution of problems, then the ways should be found to offer this population the human rights, similar with those that the Serbs in Kosova would enjoy. /dast/mt/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[14] CAM-Albania to continue aid for Albanian customs houses

(XXI division of European customs houses) which had helped increase the effectiveness of the anti-contraband and customs police units.

The CAM-Albania mission on request of the Albanian side, extended the aid timetable for the Albanian customs house for this year.

The Albanian Ministry of Finance said in a communique that "the mission has carried out correctly the basic directives of the European Union as regards the aid for the Albanian customs houses both in information and qualification of customs staff.

CAM-Albania has helped prevent the contraband during 1998.

The Albanian customs houses in cooperation with this mission are expected to increase their effectivness in preventing contraband and legal violations during 1999. /ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[15] "Human Rights Watch" publishes report "Week of terror in Drenice"

The report also spoke of the massacre of 45 civil Albanians in the village of Recak, Shtimje. Any political solution must mean the punishment of the people responsible for these terrible massacres, the executive director of this organization, Kenet Rot, stressed. He urged the Contact Group countries to financially assist the Tribunal of Hague, while it proposes that the data from the information services, like the record of the conversation of Nikolla Shahinovic and general Sreten Llukic regarding the events of Recak, be handed in to the Hague.

"Human Rights Watch" stresses that also the Kosova Liberation Army, UÇK, is responsible for kidnapping and murders, and warns it will carry out further investigations on these crimes. /dast/mt/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[16] Eighth corridor compensates owners

Some 124.593. 446 leks out of total 302.811.844 leks planned for 1998 for the first Durres-Rrogozhine road section of the eighth corridor were given to owners as compensation.

Measurements are underway to define the size of parcels for each owner in the rest of the segment to Rrogozhina.

Owners of roadside buildings are asking for an evaluation of their property in compliance with the present market rates. The agriculture land in this segment was praised between 800 and 3000 leks per square meters.

The construction of Durres-Rrogozhine road segment 38 km long estimated at 19.99 million Euro was financed by PHARE program. Works started in March 1998 and are planned to finish after 24 months but problems of expropriation have hindered them.

SAFA company is continuing works in the Kavaja bypath in which some 12 percent of the fund has been used so far. /pas/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[17] Tirana currency rate, dollar slightly tumbled

US$1.00			140.00
German mark		 81.70
Italian lire(1000)	 82.10
Greek Drachmas(100)	 49.30
EURO			158.80

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[18] Kolevica translates into Albanian pearls of Russian poetry

The volume will be entitled "I have known eyes, oh those eyes," and has been translated by the renown translator Petraq Kolevica.

This book will include poems from Pushkin, Riljekev, Lermontov, Turgeniev, Ahmatova and others.

The book has small chapters and each chapter belong to a poet and gives information about the life of the poet, his creativity and the place of each poet in the world literature.

Translator Kolevica has also translated poems from German, Austrian, Japanese and Indian literature. /pas/mt/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[19] Young girl shot dead playing with weapon

Police sources said that Sofika Puci, 17, a high school student, was playing with weapon in her house and was shot dead at 09.30 a.m.

Her mother who was in could not manage to help her daughter and asked the neighbours to help take her to the regional hospital.

Family sources said that her mental state was good and she was not at all depressed.

Police forensic team has not revealed anything on the cause of the tragedy.

At least six persons, four of whom 18 years old, were killed playing with weapons in Gjirokaster after the depots were stormed in March '97. /pas/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[20] U.S. remains Albania's main partner

TIRANA, Feb. 9 (ATA) - By I. Luto: Albania Prime Minister Pandeli Majko told a news conference on Tuesday that his visit to the United States was very successful, stressing that "it is held at a moment when the situation in the region is tense and the transition in the country very complex."

Premier Majko, briefing on the talks with U.S. senior personalities, said that "The United States remain our main partner, not only for the present, but also for the vision of the future."

The head of the government said that in all the talks with U.S. senior officials, he found the support for the developments in Albania. With regard to the meetings with representatives of the monetary institutions, Majko mentioned as very important the talks with the director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the president and the deputy president of the World Bank.

"The first part of the credit worth $12 million for the Butrint project will be accorded soon by the World Bank," said Majko.

In regard to this visit, Premier Majko is expected to hold a question and answer session in the Albanian Parliament on Thursday.

In his week-long visit to United States prime minister Majko held talks in Washington, D.C. with U.S. senior officials, including president Bill Clinton, Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, other government officials and leaders of the U.S. Congress.

The meeting voiced the political will of the United States to help Albania government overcome internal problems as well as resolution of the Kosova crisis.

Majko held separate talks with leaders of powerful financial institutions such as International Monetary Fund and World Bank. After the visit to the U.S. capital, the Albanian prime minister visited New York to hold talks with U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan.

The head of the Albanian government has also met with the large Albanian community in the United States and its distinguished representatives such as Anthony Athanas, Father Arthur Liolin, Noble holder Ferit Murati and others.

In Boston, Majko placed a wreath at the grave of Fan Noli and the place where Faik Konica was buried. /pas/mt/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[21] We are committed to further improve conditions in jails - Minister

The program aims at ensuring more transparence and responsibility and will stimulate a human approach for the prisoners and the detainees, growing understanding for the dignity of the jailed and detained individuals, theoretical knowledge on laws and regulations on prisons, including researches and international examples, etc.

During the talk, Minister Kondi voiced the readiness for a further cooperation with KSHH and other institutions for the defence of human rights inside and outside Albania. /pas/xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[22] If Serbs exert genocide, Albanians have the right of a collective self- defence - Majko

Albanian Premier highlighted the compactness expressed by the Kosova party in the negotiations and said that this fact also stems from the optimistic vision with which the Albanian Government is following the Rambouillet meeting. "Nevertheless, it is rather early to offer prognoses about what may be expected from the negotiations," said PM Majko.

Without ruling out the possibility for a continuation of the same policy from Belgrade towards Kosovars, Majko said that "if Serbs continue to exert genocide, then all Albanians wherever they are in Montenegro, Macedonia or Kosove will have the right of a collective self-defence."

PM stressed that Albania will put at the disposal of NATO its infrastructures and military forces if the talks in Rambouillet fail.

Immediately after his return from a 7-day visit to the U.S., Albanian Prime Minister said that these were the approaches he had reiterated to senior U.S. officials. "This is the policy for which the Albanian Government was hailed by the U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan, and was considered as a factor for peace and stability in the region," stressed PM Majko. /pas/xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[23] Durres-Rrogozhine -Landowners compensated by 124,5 million lek

While in the other part of this line towards Rrogozhina the goemetrical measurements are completed to define clearly the dimensions of every piece of land of the each owner.

Difficulties are faced concerning the completion of the demands of the owners of the building along side the road, who asks for the revalue of their property according to market economy. The agriculture land is valued by 800-3000 lek per meter square.

The construction of Durres-Rrogozhine section, 38 km long, costs 19.99 million EURO and it is financed by PHARE program. The consruction started in March 1998 and is predicted to end after a period of 24 months, but the difficulties delay the fullfillment according to the plan.

SAFA company continues the construction of the bypass in Kavaja. Till now are compansanted 12% of the financed sum./linda/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[24] Albanians in Albania do not feel any ethnic, race or religious discrimination

This is a result of a public poll for a study made by ORT/USAID on Albania's road towards democracy, with about 1600 people interviewed in various district of Albania.

Over 90 per cent of the interviewed said they have never felt any ethnic or race discrimination. The same percentage of people said they have never felt discrimination for their religious affiliation.

Apparently Albanians are rather tolerant and without prejudices for the questions of ethnos, race or religion.

In the mean time, about 20 per cent of the interviewed think that there is a discrimination towards some groups in Albania. They think that the gypsy and Roms are a group of people who are discriminated.

About 20 per cent of the interviewed said that women are somewhat discriminated in the Albanian society. /pas/xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[25] No more projects of private companies on public affairs

"The particularity of the projects' accomplishments this year is the severe selection of the projects, in order to increase their efficiency" said for ATA the director of National Affair Service, Eduard Prodani. This year will not be accepted the projects presented by private companies, only of public ones. The main reason of this decision is that the private companies (which have to pay the VAT) deal with higher costs than the public ones.

700 projects on public affairs are financed last year, in which nearly 30 000 persons are involved. The total sum financed marks one billion 300 million lek, from which one billion belong to 1998, the rest is part of this year fond. The total sum predicted to be used in 1999 on public affairs is 1 billion lek, but in fact only 500 million are in disposal./linda/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[26] Cooperation between Albanian Ministry of Justice and USAID in field of justice

The assistance will concentrate in a training course for judges in different fields of law such as trade, ownership, contractual obligations, due to be held in Budapest.

The two interlocutors agreed that the training must start after the test for judges in March this year to be held by the School of Magistrature, and monitored by the Council of Europe and OSCE.

Minister Kondi thanked the USAID director, Sumka, for the cooperation that this organization offers in the field of justice. /lh/xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[27] World Bank: $15 million for Albanian Agriculture

The project on intergrated managing of different sources in the agriculture sectors predicted the investment of this fond for a three months period in the extention field, marketing, land market, animal breeding, and fishing.

The director of the projects in the Ministry of Food and Africulture Arben Molla and the representatives of the Word Bank met last days in this ministry and talked about the emergent needs of the above mention sectors inform sources.

"The project is of a special importance, because it is the first time the realization of the project of this kind in Albania. It is an integretated project based on the other projects and will function according to an improved legislation following the laws of European Community, in cooperation with the agriculture's specialists", said for ATA the spokeswoman at the World Bank Ana Gjokutaj.

Meanwhile the Ministry of Food and Agriculture draft all the plans and the places where the project will take place. The project predicts the solution of the problems in a complex way since the preliminary phase.

In March is expected the second group of the representatives of the World Bank, who will decide about the running of the fond within a short period of time./linda/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[28] Ministry of Culture "gathers" young poets in an Anthology

Sources from the Ministry of Culture said to ATA on Tuesday that "the application of this project is linked with the fact that the number of readers and students as compared with 90s has fallen and "attraction of the new reader with creative tendencies of the younger generation may be a form of increasing their interest."

The edition of the anthology will have no more than 500 copies and they will be donated to libraries of higher schools and various faculties.

The Anthology includes the names of 17 young poets renowned in the field of poetry such as Ervin Hatibi, Rudian Zekthi, Lindita Arapi, Iliriana Stringa, Migen Demirxhi, etc.

A great number of volumes with poems, most of which financed by Soros Foundation, are published in Albania every year.

Sources from the Ministry of Culture explain that "despite the great assistance from Soros Foundation, a number of the publications do not respond to the contemporary levels of poetry, an inclination which, according to the above sources, "has been avoided in this Anthology." /lh/xh/

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