Antenna: News in English (AM), 97-03-12

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From: Antenna Radio <http://www.antenna.gr> - email: antenna@compulink.gr

News in English, 12/03/97

TITLES

• Albanian rebels say there's no going back to Berisha.
• Greece gets another gold at the world indoor trach championship.
• And, Patra's carnival blow out bash.

ALBANIA

Rebels and government forces have been ready for combat for over a week.

Berisha has offered to call national elections in two months, and grant the insurgents an amnesty if they surrender their arms witin a week.

As we hear in this report, though, the rebels say Berisha's got to go before they turn over their weapons.

Albania president Sali Berisha's offer of elections in two months and an amnesty in exchange for the rebels turning in the guns, cannons, tanks, and aircraft they've seized from the military, has been turned down.

Antenna's Argyris Dinopoulos talked with rebels in the area around the port city of Agiou Saranta. All said the same thing: When Berisha goes, the guns will be given back.

At one rebel outpost in the mountains, rebels say they see no future under Berisha; that Albania must move forward. "We want jobs and homes", says one man, "and a system where people don't step on each other".

"We only want our rights", adds one of his comrades-at-arms. He complains that the government and the investment schemes that collapsed two months ago robbed everyone of their money. "We want nothing other than a new government", he explains.

The rebels' answer to president Berisha's offer of elections and an amnesty has been to move outward from their urban strongholds, and occupy key mountain passes.

The insurgent population of southern Albania now controls a quarter of the country's geographical area, and the 13 largest cities in southern Albania.

The rebel commanders from six towns met Tuesday to coordinate their activities.

The city of Balsy, just 120 kilometres from Tirane, has been occupied by the rebels; state television reports that the uprising has spread to the city of Grams, just 95 kilometres from the capital;

The insurgents have Taken contol of the air force base in Kousova.

And government forces are abandoning their positions in Fiery, one of Berisha's last stongholds in the south, since Argyrokastro went over to the rebels.

The citizens are determined to hang on until Berisha goes. But there was some concern in rebel areas, following a number of explosions at unguarded arms depots in Argyrokastro.

In one village near Argyrokastro, residents decided to seal off a tunnel where explosives are stored.

The rebels running the towns have enforced order. Argyrokastro followed Agiou Saranta in disarming all those under 18 years of age.

But there are also reports of lawlessness. One man was shot to death by armed bandits demanding money from him.

And the unguarded customs house in KakaviA was looted.

But, in the main, the population is united, disciplined, and determined. Many people in insurgent areas feel it's now or never: if Berisha doesn't go NOW, he never will.

They say they want an end to the secret service terror that replaced the secret service terror under the old communist regime of Enver Hocha.

They say they want the democracy they were promised when communism fell.

ALB GREEK REACTION

Greek prime minister Kostas Simitis discussed the Ablania crisis with his foreign policy and defence staffs.

Afterwards, foreign minister Theodoros Pangalos said a peaceful and democratic solution must be found. Albania, he added, needs a government accepted by everyone.

Greece, said Pangalos, is concerned that the unrest could unleash a wave of illegal immigrants on Greece. Greece is also worried about the Greek minority in southern Albania, and is concerned about the need for food and medicine in the rebel areas.

There is also the worry that Albania could turn into a Balkan powder keg. Greek leaders fear fighting in Albania could spread to Albanian separatist areas in Kossovo, which is part of New Yugoslavia, and Tetovo, in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

FYROM

And reports of similar financial scandals in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Bulgaria, and Serbia are heightening Greek concerns about Balkan stability.

In Fyrom, the director of a private investment house, TAT, has been arrested and charged with fraud and tax evasion.

An estimated 300 million German marks have been deposited in TAT.

Following the arrest, Fyrom's main non- parliamentary opposition party, the VMRO, accused the government of initially trying to cover up the scandal because TAT's director was a member of the ruling party.

In Bulgaria, there are banks operating that give depositors 4 to 5 per cent interest - a month. 30 of those investment houses are reportedly on the verge of collapse.

In Serbia, it's a similar story, with shaky banks paying 4 to 8 per cent monthly interest. There are reports that those banks are involved in laundering drug and arms money.

CLEAN MONDAY

Many people left Athens for the long weekend. Many more didn't, but that didn't stop them from enjoying Clean Monday in the traditional rural fashion.

Every year, they descend on Filopappou Hill, a stone's throw from the Acropolis, and have the party that starts Lent.

And so they did Monday.

There's song and dance, and kite-flying - it was a little too windy this year. "What can you do?" asked one disappointed man.

Never mind.

There's always the song and dance.

And the food of course, the traditional Lenten fast feast. No meat, just vegetables and seafood, and the famous flatbread called lagana, which goes well with the dips.

It was cold as well as windy, but that didn't stop anyone - the band just played on.

It takes more than a spot of bad weather to stop a tradition which, as one little girl put it, is about wishing everyone a long and happy life.

Able to express himself in a slightly more sophisticated way, Athens mayor Dimitris Avramopoulos said he was filled with joy and the party spirit along with all Athenians.

The message to everyone from Filopapou was, "Happy Lent!"

CARNIVAL

More in this report.

Porto Heli may be a small town known as a summer holiday resort. But there was plenty of festive atmosphere Sunday, despite the bad weather.

One of the carnival-goers dismissed the grey skies. "It's great, all of it", he said.

As they have been since the parade started in 1991, high spirits and costume ingenuity were the leading ladies.

So were these two fellows, who announced that they were dressed as widows.

One pasha said you can believe at least PART of what you see. "This moustache is the genuine article", he announced.

The celebrations in Porto Heli and other cities are undoubtedly fine affairs, but undisputed the king of all carnival-ending parades, is Patra.

And it's not hard to see why.

MEDALS

Katerina Koffa added Greece's second gold medal over the weekend.

Koffa finished first in the women's 200 metres with a time of 22.76 seconds. And, for the second time, the Greek national anthem was heard at the championship.

Greece's other gold medal of the meet came from Harris Papadias, who placed first in the men's 60 metres.

Greece got a third medal - Lambros Papakostas won the silver in the high jump, clearing the bar at 2 metres, 32 centimetres.

Greece's total of three medals gave it a fifth- place finish in the field of 32 nations that took part in the championship.

SOCCER

Aek leaves no doubt about who should win its match against Athinaikos. The home team gets its first goal from Daniel Batista just 14 minutes into the contest, and takes no prisoners the rest of the way: the final score is 6- 1.

That puts Aek a point ahead of loser Panathinaikos in the standings. But Aek remains six points, or two games, behind first- place Olympiakos.

Fourth-place Ofi comes from behind and beats Panilikaos in extra time.

Second-division arrival Kavala is in fifth place after its win.

Next back is Paok.

And, Xanthi, Aris, and Iraklis all shut out their opponents.

BASKETBALL

Aek is also 18 and 5, but drops into second place by virtue of the fact that Olymiakos has the better points aggregate in their two meetings this year.

Aek comes up short against Aris in Thessaloniki over the weekend. Aek goes ahead with a rally mid- way through the second half, but the home team uses a late rally of its own to win the see-saw contest 76-74.

Aris is tied for third with weekend winner Panathinaikos. Papagou is tied with Panionios for seventh after ITS LOSS.

Elsewhere, Apollon and Peristeri win at home; and Sporting triumphs on the road.

© ANT1 Radio 1997

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