Albanian Telegraphic Agency (ATA), 99-05-01

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

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

CONTENTS

[01] Projects for new refugee camps for Kosova people

[02] Kavaja population increases by 20 percent

[03] Argjiro Shota association appeals to Kosovars in Kukes, Has

[04] NATO vehicles to help evacuate Kosovars from Kukes

[05] Serbian soldiers do not have cigarettes

[06] Albanian parliamentary speaker to attend Skopje meeting

[07] Premier says Germany, European Union to help Albania

[08] Tirana currency rate with lek gaining points

[09] Buses from Tirana help evacuate Kosovars from Kukes

[10] New regulation for supervising board of the Tirana stock exchange

[11] Message of Albania president on May 1

[12] Multi-dimensional activity to be held in National Museum

[13] Serb provocations on Albanian border continue

[14] Meta says Pojska camp is a symbol of friendship between Albanian, Greek people

[15] Italian Olympic Committee to help Kosova refugees

[16] Finances for infrastructures of areas affected by Kosova crisis

[17] Meta: We will avoid provocations, but will also be able to defend ourselves

[18] Banks: Minimal initial capital of banks to increase to 7 million dollars

[19] Albanian President meet with KLA representatives

[20] Typical fascist propaganda in Prizren

[21] We support all steps of international community for solution of conflict - Meidani

[22] Over 3000 deported Kosovars arrive at Morine today

[23] Thirteen Serb shells land on Albanian border

[24] Growing solidarity with Kosove - charity performance

[25] U.S. contribution for establishment of peace in region has maximal assessment in Albania - Majko

[01] Projects for new refugee camps for Kosova people

the town hall of the Elbasan city has prepared projects on new camps to house new arrivals, Alfred Hajrullahi, head of a county said to ATA.

News camps are planned to be constructed in a former sports field and the other in the area dubbed "Balashja e Vjeter", he said.

The Belshi town hall, he said, was ready to accommodate Kosova people though it was not included in the reception plan. There are premises, which are not yet used in the Belsh center but should be prepared to accommodate the Kosova people. /ake/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[02] Kavaja population increases by 20 percent

Over 5 thousand Kosova people were settled in a refugee camp constructed by the Italian humanitarian mission "Arcobaleno" near the village of Qerret, 4 km from the city. Other 2.500 Kosovars were accommodated in the reception centers in the former state reserve warehouses in Kavaja and in the former dormitory of the agricultural school in Golem.

About 10 thousand Kosovars have settled in with the city and village residents in Kavaja. Some 4 887 Kosovars have been settled in with the city families while 4.530 others with the families of the commune of Golem, part of them of Kosova origin.

The district council said that the food supply and other equipment had been covered by a cooperation with humanitarian and religious foundations and associations. Water supply is a problem for this district because it consists one fifth of the quantity needed. /pas/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[03] Argjiro Shota association appeals to Kosovars in Kukes, Has

Head of Argjiro Shota association Ajdin Begolli said to ATA that a large number of Kosovars some thousands in an area would bring about difficulties not only for the displaced families but also for the government, local government and international organisations, which are trying to cope with the urgent humanitarian situation caused by the regime of Milosevic.

Begolli and the association represent Kosovars accommodated in Gjirokaster. The appeal is made also on behalf of the Kosova people settled in other cities in the South of Albania.

"Southern cities, Saranda, Delvina, Permeti, Tepelena, Laberia, and Dropulli where some 4 thousand Kosovars have been housed are welcoming our brothers," the appeal said. /pas/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[04] NATO vehicles to help evacuate Kosovars from Kukes

officials of the Kukes prefecture said to ATA on Saturday.

They said that the number of Kosovars, who have not been accommodated in refugee camps or other reception centers, was estimated at least 15 thousand people.

Meanwhile, private vans, vehicles and cars are being used to transport Kosova people to other districts in exchange of high ticket fees. A person should pay 40 marks to go to Tirana while a room in Kukes costs 400 to one thousand marks.

Difficulties in movement and accommodation for the Kosova people arriving in Kukes have created situations, which are difficult for the local government officials to control.

Over 10 thousand people, who arrived a day before from Prizren, passed the night in parks and apartments' stairs.

Meanwhile, the Serbian police at the Morina border crossing have blocked the movement. Accounts of people arriving in Kukes said that Serbian militaries were trying to depopulate all the city of Prizren and the surrounding villages. /pas/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[05] Serbian soldiers do not have cigarettes

"Their faces were gloomy and had no intention to raid us as before, but they asked only for cigarettes. A new soldier ordered me at gunpoint to give him all the cigarettes I had otherwise he would shoot me," Blerim Berisha from Prizren said.

The Serbian television shot scenes in the Recak village of its inhabitants of Turkish origin dressed up in Serbian uniforms and armed at the presence of the defender of the Serbian idea, the French philosopher David Chefer.

"At the beginning the residents of Recak thought that they were there to protect their villages from masked men, who raided villages. But when they were forced to clean the places from the massacred bodies, to dig up graves and collect cattle in emptied villages, they put off the uniforms and drop the weapons," a Kosovar told.

Others said that Serb soldiers were drunk and carry alcoholic drinks in their pockets. /pas/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[06] Albanian parliamentary speaker to attend Skopje meeting

The situation in the region and eight corridor project are the topics to be discussed in the meeting.

A draft statement on the situation in the region and the eight corridor project was expected to be considered and issued by them. /s.s/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[07] Premier says Germany, European Union to help Albania

Albanian prime minister Pandeli Majko, who returned to Albania early on Saturday after a two-day visit to Germany, told journalists that the German chancellor Gerhard Schroeder had assured him that Germany and the European Union would

help Albania cope with the difficult situation.

On his way to Albania, Majko had a telephone conversation with the French prime minister Lionel Jospin, who was for a one-day visit to Albania on Friday.

In a separate event, 20 U.S. congressmen arrived in Albania on Saturday. They were expected to hold talks with the Albanian senior government and state officials on the present situation facing Albania and visit the refugee camps. /pas/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[08] Tirana currency rate with lek gaining points

Currency Bought Sold

US$1.00 143.5 143.7 German marks 78 78.2 Italian lire (1000) 78.5 78.7 Greek Drachmas (100) 46.5 46.7

/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[09] Buses from Tirana help evacuate Kosovars from Kukes

The Tirana prefecture has worked out a new urgent plan to help transport them to other areas, Dhimiter Gurra, chief of the information office at the prefecture said to ATA on Saturday.

Gurra said that the total number of Kosovars in Tirana prefecture is estimated at 81 941, 63 700 of them settled in with families and 18 420 in camps.

Meanwhile, some 62 407 Kosovars have been registered in Tirana, 9 833 of whom in refugee camps and others in families, Gurra said. /pas/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[10] New regulation for supervising board of the Tirana stock exchange

Sources of the Bank of Albania said that under the regulation approved in the latest meeting the Supervising council of the central Bank of Albania would run all the activity of the stock exchange which would be presided over by the governor of the Bank of Albania, chief of the stock exchange, a representative from the Ministry of Finance and stock exchange dealers selected by the governor.

The Tirana stock exchange was created in 1994 as a department of the Bank of Albania and later was separated from the bank. So far the activity of the Bank of Tirana was focused on trading treasury bonds of the Albanian government. /pas/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[11] Message of Albania president on May 1

President Meidani addressed the Albanian people saying: "In this special day the solidarity and the world democratic feeling are evident for the Albanian people of Kosova and Albania to help the latter cope with the difficulties. This is a solidarity of the present but also of the future because we want to construct a world with people thinking about people, helping them, and all together construct a democratic human society," The celebration was also held in support of the right cause of Kosova.

Chairman of Albanian Trade Union Confederation, Kastriot Muça, pointed out that "May 1 of this year is an attester of the international solidarity expressed in the intensive activity of the International Community and especially in NATO actions to destroy totally Belgrade's regime and to give Kosova people its historical rights".

The representative of the Independent Trade Union of Kosova, Mysly Lipoveci, hold also a speech where he thanked the Albanian government and people for welcoming Kosova war refugees, and decisively said that May 1 of the other century will be celebrated in the democratic and free Kosova.

Participants in the celebrations honoured the martyrs killed in the war of Kosova people against Belgrade's regime with a minute of silence. /led/A.A/

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[12] Multi-dimensional activity to be held in National Museum

The activity will be organized in cooperation with "Aleksander Moisiu" foundation and the Orchestra of Albanian radio-television.

The program of this activity foresees the opening of photographic exhibition with pictures showing the drama of Albanian Kosovars as well as several paintings made by Kosova children.

Distinguished intellectuals will hold several speeches on kosova issues during this activity. /led/A.A/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[13] Serb provocations on Albanian border continue

Provocations by Serb paramilitary forces on the Albanian border continued also on Saturday. At 12.30, they opened heavy artillery fire in the direction of the Letaj village, Has district, which continued for around 30 minutes.

The spokesman of the district police commissariat told ATA that Saturday's artillery fire on Letaj had been more in retaliation for NATO's three day bombardments against Serb border posts.

The same thing happened on Friday, with Serb forces shelling the villages of Boje, Zapod and Bele of the Kukes district.

There have been no reports of casualties as the population of these villages has gone deeper in the districts. /led/lm/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[14] Meta says Pojska camp is a symbol of friendship between Albanian, Greek people

"You are here today because you are driven away from your soils by the criminal military machine of Milosheviç. You and all the other driven Kosovars are to turn back to your houses because you are supported by many friends, NATO countries and others", added Meta.

Albanian Deputy Premier thanked the Greek ambassador, Aleksandros Mallias, Greek military forces and representatives of the Greek Red Cross for their concern and assistance given to Kosovars.

Greek ambassador Mallias said "We can see Kosova mountains from Pojska. They are covered by snow now, but the snow will melt soon and you will go again in liberated Kosova".

Chairman of Greek Red Cross, Andrea Martinis pointed out that the number of Kosova outflows sheltered in Pojska camp is 350, and this number will soon reach 2000. Greek Red Cross is covering and will cover all the expenses on food items, medicaments and other necessary means. It will also create possibilities to connect refugees with their relatives whenever they are. /led/A.A/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[15] Italian Olympic Committee to help Kosova refugees

The Italian Olympic Committee has decided to provide aid for the Kosova refugees in Albania. This has also been confirmed by the President of the Albanian Olympic Committee, Arben Jorgoni, who told ATA that leaders of the Italian Olympic Committee are ready for any kind of cooperation and aid for the displaced Kosovars.

Jorgoni also confirmed the news that the President of the Italian Olympic Committee, Petruzzi, as well as the Secretary General of this Committee, Pagnozzi, will arrive in Tirane next week.

The Italian friends will visit the camps where the Kosovars have been accommodated and their aid will consist in technical assistance.

This is the first sports high level mission coming to Albania. /led/lm/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[16] Finances for infrastructures of areas affected by Kosova crisis

"It is not coincidence that within few days the World Bank will finance 75 million dollars for the two projects by implementing them with accelerated procedures", said Minister Angjeli.

The Minister stressed out that beside the assistance given by this bank in facing the crisis it is necessary the finance of new investments projects in the infrastructure of the areas affected by the crisis.

President Wolfersohn guaranteed Minister Angjeli that World Bank will support Albania not only as an institution but also in close cooperation with International Monetary Fund and other donors to cope with the crisis situation in the region and to accelerate the economic reforms in Albania.

"I am so content by the good governing of the crisis situation in the region and Albania, by the projects developing and by the responsible managing of the aid transparence and public expenditures and by the successful application of the anti-corruption measures, which seemed to be very positive ones./linda/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[17] Meta: We will avoid provocations, but will also be able to defend ourselves

He told reporters, who followed his visit that "our border forces have reacted in self-restraint to any case of violation of Albania's territorial integrity".

Meta made these statements one day after the Yugoslav forces set ablaze one of the Albaian border points, that of Qafe Prushi, Has distrcit, some 300 km from Tirane.

Meta criticised the stands of the oppostion, which has asked that Albania responds to Serb provocations in the same way.

"This demand of the opposition would shift the conflict between NATO and Belgrade to a conflict between Albania and Yugoslavia," said Meta.

Meta reiterated the Atlantic Alliance's guarantees that Albania's territorial integrity will not be violated.

"The NATO presence in Albania itself shows this," said Meta adding that "Albania is also able to defend itself against a Serbian attack." /led/lm/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[18] Banks: Minimal initial capital of banks to increase to 7 million dollars

According to the rules approved in the last meeting of the Supervising Council of this bank, the minimal initial capital needed to start the activity increases from 5 million dollars in 7 million dollars.

The sum of 5 million dollars is asked by the Albanian Bank for opening a bank of the second level. But now after the changing of the respective rules, all the banks, including even the other banks licensed before June 1998, have to fulfill the minimal initial capital. While the new banks to be licensed must start their activity by a minimal capital of 7 million dollars.

In the beginning of March 1999 the Albanian Bank announced the risks to threaten the stability of financial system in Albania, by suggesting even several measures in the interrupted way of repeating the same phenomena with the pyramidal schemes. An increase of the minimal capital of other financial companies is predicted.

The Albanian Bank is the only authority to license the banks to perform their banker activity in Albania. Actually there are 12 banks of the second level licensed by the Albanian Bank./pas/linda/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[19] Albanian President meet with KLA representatives

The representatives have the mandate of this party to discuss in the context of preserving the cohesion of the Albanian factor agreed upon in Rambouillet, the President's press office reports.

Meidani pointed to the need of establishing a climate of cooperation among all Albanians and stressed that the preservation of solidarity and partnership with the international factor and the manifestation of a positive image by all Albanians is an indispensability to positively exploit the moment for the benefit of the national cause.

Under the conditions created, Meidani considered legal the executive authority agreed upon by the Albanian forces represented in Rambouillet and asked from the LDK representatives to cooperate for a unified representation, not to waste time both in the current conditions and in the perspective for the normalisation of life in Kosova.

The LDK representatives expressed to President Meidani their commitment to complete the interim government of Kosova, which, as agreed upon, is headed by the KLA representative.

"The people of Kosova will themselves chose their leaders by free vote and will under new more favourable conditions," said Meidani.

During the meeting, the LDK representatives expressed gratitude for everything the Albanian people and government are doing for the forcibly displaced Kosovars. /led/lm/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[20] Typical fascist propaganda in Prizren

According to the witnesses of the members of Kosova Democratic Union in Prizren managed to enter in Albania on Saturday the Serb propaganda is trying to present in every way possible that the fight of the Serb military against NATO is the right one and to achieve this aim hundreds incredible scenes have been elaborated.

Many Kosova Albanians are force to come before the cameras to say that they are returning home. They left homes due to NATO shelling. "Behind the television cameras Serb were staying with firearms," told the witnesses.

The news about the victory of the Yugoslav military over the Albanian "terrorists" did not stop in the Serb television, but in no case the concrete number of the war martyrs is not mentioned.

" Almost every new edition was opening by sensational news such as " reached to 40,45,50,54 the number of NATO planes destroyed by Serb artillery, while the shelling damages are expressed by standard expression such as "Serbia is iron and it cannot be bend".

Nevertheless, these things did not encourage at all the Serb military.

The cultural activist in Prizren Ramush Rushiti said that the Serb soldiers placed in the town's environs are looking for giving up, but this thing creates difficulties especially for the secret service that is operating in the military.

"Me, I helped a Serb soldier by giving him clothes, civil ones, and then he crossed the Macedonian border," told Rushiti.

What I learned by him is that the agents of the secret service, dressed as soldiers provoking the soldiers by saying to them that they want to give up. They shot them openly, if they find out anyone having such thoughts in mind.

By the witnesses' data only 5% of Serb population knows what is taking place in Kosova./dast/linda/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[21] We support all steps of international community for solution of conflict - Meidani

After expressing to Mr Meidani the solidarity of his people and country for the Albanian people and special greetings from Egyptian President Hosni Moubarak, Mr Salam considered the events in Kosove as a tragedy for every free country, the president's press office reports.

Further on the Egyptian Minister briefed the Albanian President of his mission encouraged by President Moubarak, to assess closely the needs of Albania and to accomplish them with the contribution of the Egyptian state and people.

President Meidani thanked the Egyptian Minister for his presence in Albania as a "proof of the human solidarity of a friendly people, solidarity which I have found in all my international contacts, everywhere."

"We support all steps of the international community for the solution of this conflict in the name of a great cause, that of the fight against ethnic, religious cleansing, to avoid any negative impact on other countries of the world," said Meidani. /dast/xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[22] Over 3000 deported Kosovars arrive at Morine today

Over 3 000 deported Kosovars, mainly from Prizren, arrived at the Morine border point, Kukes district, until 15.00 on Saturday.

The new arrivals tell of panic prevailing in the city of Prizren following raids on many houses, maltreatment of inhabitants and forced mobilisation of youths.

They have walked more than 10 km to Morine under the threat of Serb militia's and soldiers' weapons.

"On our way to Morine, we saw on both sides of the road many vehicles burnt, flour sacks scattered everywhere and even very expensive cameras," said the new arrivals. "The Serb soldiers asked us to give them water to drink and seemed tired of their service'.

A group of soldiers from Voivodina told us that they wished to desert the army but did not know how. In a brief talk with them, the Kosovars tell, "they told us to be careful of provocations by the Serb militia, as they did not spare any Albanian civilian if they made up their mind to shoot on them".

The Voivodina soldiers, who thought they had nothing to do with this war and that it was lost, said "we cannot desert as the place is mined and it is not easy to leave the barrack in daylight". /dast/lm/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[23] Thirteen Serb shells land on Albanian border

Thirteen Serbian shells landed in the Vlane village of Has district on Saturday, according to sources from Kukes Prefecture police department.

There are no reports of casualties as the inhabitants of this village have been evacuated deeper in the district, the same sources report.

In the meantime, yet unconfirmed sources, report that an empty OSCE vehicle had been near the place where the shells fell and which smashed its windows. Police sources do neither confirm nor dismiss this fact. But they confirm that "OSCE officials have been near the area".

The incident took place at 11.00, when Serb paramilitary forces launched a series of shells in the direction of the Albanian border, Letaj zone, around 1km, inside the Albanian border.

This is the second grave incident, after the previous day when the border point of Qafe Prushi was burnt in this village overnight. /s.sh/lm/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[24] Growing solidarity with Kosove - charity performance

The Embassy of the Republic of Albania in Paris said that Brikin will also sing for Kosove on May 2 in one of the Video halls of Paris. The activity is organized by a group of Albanian and French intellectuals in cooperation with the Albanian embassy in Paris. Taking part in the activity with separate concerts will also be Albanian artists Inva Mula, Tedi Papavrami, Angjelin Prelocaj, Rexhep Mitrovica and Et'hem Musa. A political debate on Kosova and its future will also be held with the participation of Albanian and French intellectuals. /dast/xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[25] U.S. contribution for establishment of peace in region has maximal assessment in Albania - Majko

The Information Ministry reports that PM Majko told U.S. lawmakers that "the U.S. is enjoying a broad people's support in my country as never before. The U.S. contribution to the establishment of peace in the region is appreciated maximally in Albania. Your boys, members of the NATO forces, are considered as peace missionaries."

Later, PM Majko responded to the interest of the U.S. congressmen of the humanitarian emergency situation Albania is passing, the latest developments in the region and specific questions related with the postwar Balkans.

U.S. congressmen thanked PM Majko for his briefing and the role that the Albanian Government is playing in overcoming the humanitarian emergency as a first rate important factor for the stability in the region. /dast/xh/

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