Albanian Telegraphic Agency (ATA), 99-12-30

Albanian Telegraphic Agency Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

CONTENTS

[01] Rugova meets with reporters on occasion of New Year

[02] Last week was the calmest in Kosova

[03] Albanian Government adopts strategy of decentralisation and autonomy of local government

[04] Draft law on function of Central Elections Commission

[05] Foreign exchange rates in Tirana market

[06] Weather forecast for Thursday, Dec.30

[07] Ferry boats of Sarande-Corfu navigation lines resume work

[08] Production of sector of agro-industry for 1999 increases 8 per cent

[09] Over 50% of units of agricultural enterprises privatized

[10] French Government provides about US$ 600,000 for health sector

[11] IOM to run weekly paper "Dita e Jugut"

[12] Positive balance in the trade field and encouraging Albanian business

[13] Nearly 123 million leks income by passengers railway transport

[14] Emigration: 15% of population left Albania

[15] Public economy moves toward privatization

[16] Peace Bell brings sounds of peace in Albania

[17] OSCE hopes for a dialogue among political forces in Albania

[18] Some 2 000 Albanians legally working in Italy during 1999

[01] Rugova meets with reporters on occasion of New Year

Rugova thanked the reporters for the reporting they have made from Kosova during this year, which he considered as one of the gravest but also one of the best and most joyful years.

"Thanks to God, thanks to NATO, thanks to the western world and first of all to the United States, the European Union, the U.N. and its member countries, Kosova is happy and glad and is entering the new year 200 and the new millennium in freedom." /dast/xh/

D'Arc Avenue 23, Tirana, Albania E-Mail:

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[02] Last week was the calmest in Kosova

Except for some incidents, the Council judges there is a considerable fall in the number of crimes. General Reinhard, KFOR commander has reported with regard to the situation of security.

Albanian representatives in the provisional council have considered the fall in the number of crimes "a result of the maximal commitment of international mechanisms and of the cooperation of the national factor."

The LDK chairman, Ibrahim Rugova reiterated the call for the citizens of Kosova to cooperate with KFOR and UNMIK police to create a stable situation in Kosova. "This is a question of the perspective of Kosova," said Ruugova. /lh/xh/

D'Arc Avenue 23, Tirana, Albania E-Mail:

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[03] Albanian Government adopts strategy of decentralisation and autonomy of local government

The strategy, says the report of the information department of the Council of Ministers, envisages a full and real autonomy for the structures of the local government. Hence some competence of the central government will be shifted to the local one, such as the transfer of some ownerships and taxes as competence to the local government.

As a priority task of this strategy, says the report, are the interventions to be made in the soonest possible time in the local finances and in the realisation of the legal package for the public ownerships within January 2000. The strategy also envisages the tasks of gradual character such as the organic laws of the local government, the laws on local finances, the law on the administrative-territorial division, etc. /lh/xh/

D'Arc Avenue 23, Tirana, Albania E-Mail:

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[04] Draft law on function of Central Elections Commission

The aim of the law, says a report of the information department of the Council of Ministers, is the organization of this Commission so that it start its institutional activity.

The law treats questions which have to do with the CEC organization, the determining of the juridical position of its members and with questions of competence of the leaders of this Commission.

In summer 2000, local government polls will be held in Albania. /lh/xh/

D'Arc Avenue 23, Tirana, Albania E-Mail:

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[05] Foreign exchange rates in Tirana market

Exchange rates of Lek with foreign currencies:

Foreign Currency Bought Sold USD 134,3 134,7 DM 69 69,3 LIT (1000) 69 69,5 GRD (100) 40,2 40,4

/dast/xh/

D'Arc Avenue 23, Tirana, Albania E-Mail:

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[06] Weather forecast for Thursday, Dec.30

The weather is forecast to be cloudy, mostly at noon and in the afternoon, and will be accompanied with local rain falls and snow in remote mountain zones.

The wind will blow slightly, with an average strength, while in coastal zones it will blow strongly from northwest and southwest directions. Lowest amd highest temperatures are envisaged to be: in mountain zones -5 and 8 grade Celsius, in low areas 3 and 9 grades and in coastal areas 5 and 11 grade Celsius. /dast/xh/

D'Arc Avenue 23, Tirana, Albania E-Mail:

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[07] Ferry boats of Sarande-Corfu navigation lines resume work

Sources from Saranda navigation port headquarters told ATA that the strong winds and the waves up to 6-7 points have prevented the navigation of ferry boats in the past two days.

During 1999, the navigation of the freigthers of this line was suspended at least for 7 days due to the sea storms. The ferry boats Kaliopi, Violeta and Kamela are calculated for waves no more than 4-5 points.

The Saranda-Corfu distance that this freighters make is 16 miles and the travel lasts 1 hour and 20 minutes. /dast/xh/

D'Arc Avenue 23, Tirana, Albania E-Mail:

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[08] Production of sector of agro-industry for 1999 increases 8 per cent

The production in the meat processing industry increased 40 per cent. The growth of production in this sector has been also accompanied with the increase of the number of the employed people there, which is 15 per cent higher than the last year.

During 1999, the sector of agro-industry had capital investments by local businessmen 2.5 times more than the previous year.

During 2000, as a result of the support by foreign donors, a further development of the agricultural and food production business is expected in the sectors of meat processing industry, that of milk, bread, spirits, etc. /dast/xh/

D'Arc Avenue 23, Tirana, Albania E-Mail:

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[09] Over 50% of units of agricultural enterprises privatized

During 1999, the commission of privatization close to this Ministry has compiled documents of privatization, on country scale, for nearly 200 different agricultural enterprises and units. Their total value amounts to 750 million leks.

Up to now, according to the above mentioned sources, some 115 million leks have been cashed in the state budget during 1999 from the encashment of private debtors of the former Agricultural enterprises. /so/

D'Arc Avenue 23, Tirana, Albania E-Mail:

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[10] French Government provides about US$ 600,000 for health sector

"This fund will be utilized to rehabilitate the Pathological pavilion of "Xh. Kongoli" hospital, the director of this hospital, Fatos Stafa, told ATA.

The project includes the total reconstruction of the pavilion's building, instalment of heat system, new diagnosing equipment and others.

Operations for the rehabilitation of this center began on Wednesday and are expected to be concluded within May 2000.

Dwelling on Stafa said that "some $ 70 thousand are to be utilized out of this fund to train the medical staff of this pavilion in clinics of France".

This is the second fund provided by the French government for the Health sector of Elbasan, after the one worth $ 650 thousand utilized for the rehabilitation of the district's mental home. /sm/so/

D'Arc Avenue 23, Tirana, Albania E-Mail:

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[11] IOM to run weekly paper "Dita e Jugut"

The agreement forcasts an amount of $ 29,000 for reedition of the weekly paper in five districts of Southern Albania.

The edition of this paper for the first half of the year will be financed by international organization USAID while IOM will be its manager.

Since six months ago IOM is financing several projects in the district of Gjirokaster, such as reconstruction of the library of the town, reconstruction of the castle's old clock as well as a kindergarden.

"Dita e jugut" is a weekly informative paper belonging to five districts in South.This paper was published for the first time in 1997, while its edition was interrupted in the beggining of 1999 due to financial reasons. /sm/linda/

D'Arc Avenue 23, Tirana, Albania E-Mail:

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[12] Positive balance in the trade field and encouraging Albanian business

According to the minister "the main objective in this field has been Albania membership in the World Trade Organization WTO. At the moment everything is over and we are waiting to solve the last problem that exists since a long time between the countries concerning the audiovisual services, that do not depend on us", said Meksi.

Giving the special status in the field of trade to Albania by the part of European Union is considered as great success by the Minister Meksi, who reported that the work program on fulfilling the duties coming out after the approval of the feasibility study by EU is already drafted by this ministry.

"The analyzation of the possibilities on establishing free trade areas with Macedonia, Bulgaria and Turkey was another objective of the work of the ministry of trade during the year 1999".

"The commercial bilateral agreements with these states are a solid base for starting the technical discussions in 2000", stressed Minister Meksi. /dast/linda/

D'Arc Avenue 23, Tirana, Albania E-Mail:

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[13] Nearly 123 million leks income by passengers railway transport

"During 1999, some 6,503 passengers have traveled by trains every day and incomes from this service have increased by 8,5 per cent as against the previous year" said Guzina.

According to him, after the operative data, the number of the passengers who will travel by train up to the end of 1999 is expected to be about 2 million and 374 thousand travelers. This figure is 4,6 per cent higher than in 1998. During the last two months, despite the cold weather, the number of the passengers that have preferred to travel by train has gradually increased.

Dwelling on he said that "During the last two months (November, December) of 1999 the incomes from this service have increased by 21,6 and 30 per cent respectively, as compared with the last two months of 1998".

"This is connected with the utilization of the new and comfortable carriages, arrived from Italy and Austria, in the main railway segments. /so/

D'Arc Avenue 23, Tirana, Albania E-Mail:

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[14] Emigration: 15% of population left Albania

Referring to the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, the minimal number of Albanian emigrants in Greece is 400 thousand, 150 thousand in Italy and some 50 thousand emigrants settled in USA and Canada (including the emigration lotteries), England, Germany, and so on.

Ministry of Labor intervened several times to the governments of these states to make possible the emigrants' legalization and their equipment with proper documents, such as work or stay permission.

Nearly 2 thousand Albanian citizens are employed in Italy due to the agreement signed between the two countries.

Referring to the recent data, that Ministry of Labor took from the Italian authorities, about 130 thousand Albanians received the correct work and stay permission, favored by the new emigration law.

Nearly 220 thousand emigrants will receive "the green card" till February 2000 in Greece. More than the half of the number of Albanian emigrants in Greece will be legalized in 2000. /dast/linda/

D'Arc Avenue 23, Tirana, Albania E-Mail:

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[15] Public economy moves toward privatization

The privatization process of AMC has started in 1999 and the legal acts of the telecommunication development policy are approved, as well, said Minister Preci. According to him AMC privatization will be over within the first three months period of 2000.

The first steps are undertaken in the telecommunication field through the privatization of "Albtelekom" and recently an order is issued on establishing of joint venture with "New World Telekom".

As achievements in the energy field, Minister Preci mentioned the approval of the law on privatization of the small hydro power stations and the beginning of the special programs on restructure of state company KESH.

The restructure process of Albkrom and Albbaker continued in 1999 in the field of mineral industry, aiming at their privatization and their concessions.

Minister of Public Economy and Privatization Zef Preci presented also the objectives of the ministry for the coming year. /lh/linda/

D'Arc Avenue 23, Tirana, Albania E-Mail:

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[16] Peace Bell brings sounds of peace in Albania

The ceremony of inaugurating the "monument" of peace, to be organised by the Ministry of Culture under the special auspices of Albanian President Rexhep Meidani, will be preceded by a great artistic activity with children from all over Albania.

The bronze symbol, weighting 500 kg, carries a special and meaningful history. It was built on the initiative of the children from Zadrima, Lezhe district. They created this symbol with the shell casings gathered during 1997.

On one of its sides it carries the words "Peace bears the name of children, let us serve it like we serve children", signed by President Rexhep Meidani.

Moulded out of 20 thousand shell casings in Italy, it will toll for peace in Albania from January 1, 2000. /dast/so/lm/

D'Arc Avenue 23, Tirana, Albania E-Mail:

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[17] OSCE hopes for a dialogue among political forces in Albania

According to him, OSCE will totally support this dialogue.

The meeting organized on the eve of year's end among different parties and members of government cabinet served this aim, he said. Participants in the meeting also discussed the cooperation possibility. The initiator of this meeting was the OSCE ambassador in Tirana and chairman of Friends of Albania Group, Geert Ahrens.

Also, OSCE is trying its best that all Albanian political forces participate in the local elections and it, itself is engaged in this process, starting from voters lists, said Porta.

OSCE, during 1999, has operated in many sectors such as that of the national level, on the help provided to draft laws "On State Police", "On civil status" and so on.

Dwelling on Porta said that OSCE ambassador in Tirana Geert Ahrens, during 1999, has organized several meetings on anticorruption with representatives of the Albanian Government, stressing that with "the elimination of corruption in Albania, the aid of this organization will be greater". During 1999, OSCE has been also engaged in other issues such as citizens' rights, ecology and others.

Porta also dwelled on OSCE role during the Kosova crisis. /lh/so/

D'Arc Avenue 23, Tirana, Albania E-Mail:

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[18] Some 2 000 Albanians legally working in Italy during 1999

Based on an agreement existing between the Ministry of Labour and the Italian Embassy in Tirane, for this year the Ministry of Labour has ensured visas for 2 000 Albanian seasonal workers.

Next year we hope this number reaches 6000 persons, the same source said.

For any one managing to find employment in Italy, the Ministry of Labour, guarantees free service in issuing a working visa, through weekly passing files to the Italian Embassy.

According to statistics available from this institution, some 62 000 Albanian emigrants figured in Italy by the beginning of '97. Meanwhile the total number of Albanian emigrants in this state is around 100 000. /lh/lm/

D'Arc Avenue 23, Tirana, Albania E-Mail:

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

Albanian Telegraphic Agency Directory - Previous Article - Next Article