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Albanian Telegraphic Agency (ATA), 97-02-27Albanian Telegraphic Agency Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Albanian Telegraphic Agency (ATA) Home Page at <http://www.telpress.it/ata>Albanian Telegraphic AgencyCONTENTS
[01] PRIME MINISTER MEKSI MEETS INHABITANTS OF GRAMSH TOWNGRAMSH, FEB 26 (ATA)- By P. Zekthi, Albanian Prime Minister Aleksander Meksi met today with inhabitants of the Gramsh town.He dwelt on problems emerging from the pyramid schemes and stressed that as part of the actions taken by the government to minimize the consequences of this phenomenon the local criteria to provide social assistance have been defined. The instruction has been prepared to credit the homeless who lost their money in these schemes. He said that "all these show that we are fully engaged in this issue, within the legal framework, which was also confirmed by the European Union Council of Ministers". Meksi said that "we welcome the experts of IMF, World Bank and of any institution to inquire into the causes and consequences of the loan-taking phenomenon. Afterwards, the meeting turned into a conversation with Meksi. Asked how he would act in case this situation found him on the side of the opposition, Meksi said that: "we would not set fires and manipulate with the pain of the people, but would chose unconditional dialogue to resolve the problem created in the country". a.ke/kled/lm/k Albanian Telegraphic Agency[02] A STATUE OF VIRGIN LOURDES ESTABLISHED IN KOMAN CAVELEZHE, FEB 27 (ATA)- By Z. Pergega, A statue of Virgin Lourdes was established in the cave of Koman, Puke district, Northern Albania.The statue of the Virgin Lourdes is donated by Monseigneur Antonio Santucci from Italy. On this occasion, in the presence of 700 catholic believers of this area, a solemn Mass was said by monseigneur Zef Simoni and father Antonio Sharra. "This cave, to be financed by the catholic clergy, will be turned into a holy and pilgrimage place," said father Sharra. s.sh/eva/lm/k Albanian Telegraphic Agency[03] DP BRANCH FOR TIRANA HOLDS EMERGENCY MEETINGTIRANA, FEB 27 (ATA)- By A. Frasheri, The Democratic Party branch for Tirana held an emergency meeting yesterday afternoon and stressed that the acts of the extreme left opposition were politically motivated. It categorically expressed itself against coalition with the Socialist Party."This is not a fight to return the money, but to return to power those who have lost the people's vote several times over the last years," DP chairman Tritan Shehu said. Shehu analysed the situation created and the left opposition acts. He said that "the extreme left continues revanche to hinder the democratic developments in Albania and is trying to violate democracy, institutions, the future, youth". The democrat leader once again rejected coalition with the Socialist Party. He said that "coalition with the SP is unacceptable and means to destroy the Albanian democracy". He spoke of the protests in Vlore and the strike staged by the "Ismail Qemali" university students in this city. He said that they should not be manipulated for political aims. "The youth should not be used as a cannon fodder for careerist interests of those who lost the 50 year old power". Shehu called on the Vlore inhabitants and students to dialogue to find the best ways to resolve the problems. The chairman of the Tirana DP branch, Albert Brojka, said that "One should have the courage and be patient to speak with the electorate, which the opposition did not have and did not undertake". While the secretary of the DP branch for Tirana, Shaban Memia, said:"If we allow the left extremists to close down institutions, schools and academies to resolve different problems, then it will be a dangerous precedent of great historic responsibility." pas/lm Albanian Telegraphic Agency[04] MINISTER OF HIGHER EDUCATION MEETS TIRANA STUDENTS AND TEACHERSTIRANA, FEB 27 (ATA)-By E. Allushi, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research Besnik Gjongecaj met yesterday with Tirana students and teachers and hailed the measures taken by the government to resolve the loan-taking issue.He expressed solidarity with the strike of the Vlore students and shared in the pain of their families due to the loss of their money in the pyramid schemes. Gjongecaj, citing a statement of his Ministry, called on the students and citizens of Vlore and of the whole Albania not to allow the universities to be used for resolving conflicts. "During their meeting with Speaker of Parliament Pjeter Arbnori the Vlore students said they were conscious that the government could not pay the debt existing between two other parties and that the national asset, which belonged to all the Albanians, could not be touched," the minister said. On the same day Gjongecaj met with a group of students of the Polytechnic University of Tirana. The students of the Electric Engineering Faculty of this University quitted classes on Tuesday and through a statement stressed "independence from any political force". They said that "it is their moral and social duty to be in solidarity with the demands of the Vlore University Students." s.sh/kei/lm/k Albanian Telegraphic Agency[05] MEETING OF ELBASANI UNION OF THE RIGHTELBASAN, FEB 26 (ATA)- By P. Zekthi, Two weeks after its creation, the Elbasani Union of the Right held a peaceful rally of protest in the town's soccer field.In the presence of several hundreds of people, the representatives of the Legality League Party (PLL), the National Front Party (PBK) and the Christian Democratic Party (PDK) asked the government's resignation, several month extension of the president's term of office and a referendum on the constitutional form of governing. The PLL chairman, Guri Durollari, expressed the idea to propose the president a political government with the participation of all the parliamentary parties. He also asked that a special law be passed by parliament not to recognise the decisions of the Permeti Congress on May 24, 1944, including those which ban ex-king Ahmet Zogu to come to Albania. Durollari also distanced himself from the idea of getting closer to the Forum for Democracy, as "they, despite their leaders, are led by the leftists". A petition drafted in this meeting also asked the discharge of the TV leading staff, the interception of the Vlore killers and expressed full support for the striking students. s.sh/kei/lm/k Albanian Telegraphic Agency[06] MINISTRY OF EDUCATION CALLS FOR NORMAL CONDUCT OF CLASSESTIRANA, FEB 27 (ATA)- The Ministry of Education and Sports on Thursday expressed concern over the quitting of classes in three secondary schools of the Tirana capital, according to the ministry spokesman.The ministry explains that this harms the teaching process, social tranquility as well as the psychological-spiritual state of the pupils themselves. The ministry calls on all the secondary school pupils, parents and teachers to contribute to the normal conduct of classes. It also calls on all the political forces not to instrumentalise school for political aims but to contribute to the normal conduct of classes, instead. The pupils have quitted classes in token of solidarity with the Vlore students, who for one week now have gone on a hunger strike to protest against the collapse of the fraudulent pyramid investment companies and have asked the resignation of the government. kei/lm/k Albanian Telegraphic Agency[07] PRESS REVIEWTIRANE, FEB 27 (ATA)- Rilindja Demokratike, under the title: "EU support, historic appeal for the Albanians", covers yesterday's meeting of President Berisha with Gjirokaster citizens.In the editorial "Red mobs", the paper says that "In this difficult situation Albania is undergoing, the red mobs, the criminal remnants of the dictatorship are making maximum efforts to destroy the Albanian democracy". Rilindja Demokratike carries a protest of the Independent Union of the "Luigj Gurakuqi" University in Shkoder against several press organs which say that "The Shkoder students have not gone on strike". Zeri i Popullit carries an interview with Rexhep Mejdani, under the title:"The current crisis cannot be overcome through terror and demagogy". Under the title "Vlore protests even at night", the paper says that the Vlore citizens gathered last night to protect the striking students from the efforts of the special forces to forcibly pull them out of the hunger strike. As regards the hunger strike of the Vlore citizens, "Republika:" says in its editorial: "Do not let the Vlore angles sacrifice their lives!". The paper carries an interview with the republican leader, Sabri Godo, with the "Voice of America" under the title:"It is an irresponsible stand for the power to continue to keep silence". Rilindja covers Berisha's meeting with the Gjirokaster inhabitants under the title:"Economic problems can be resolved only in a legal way". The paper covers the festive rally held yesterday at the Tetove square on the occasion of the electoral victory of the Albanian Party for Democratic Prosperity. Albania reports on the hunger strike of the Vlore students:"The health condition of the striking students worsens". The paper covers the meeting of President Berisha with Gjirokaster citizens. Koha Jone says that the commission of the striking students in Vlore has decided that "No striker will be allowed to be sent to hospital. The medical service will be carried out in the university surroundings". In the economic feature the paper says that:"The crisis of the lek deepenes: The Lek minus 50 %". Dita Informacion says that the Tirana students threaten a hunger strike in support of the Vlore striking students. Balli i Kombit says:"Today in parliament the National Front demands: the only point on the agenda is the situation in Vlore". Gazeta Shqiptare says in its editorial that the Vlore citizens' protests continued until late last night to protect the striking students from being forcibly pulled out of the hunger strike by the special forces. The paper says that the trial against three persons accused of drug traffic started in the Tirana Court yesterday. eva/lm/k Albanian Telegraphic Agency[08] SHKODER STUDENTS ARE NOT ON STRIKETIRANA, FEB 27 (ATA)- The Students of the "Luigj Gurakuqi" University in Shkoder protest the latest reports by the newspaper "Koha Jone", "Zeri i Popullit", "Gazeta Shqiptare" as well as those by the BBC that these students have gone on strike," a statement of the Independent Student Union of this university, published in newspaper Rilindja Demokratike on Thursday, says."We share the pain of the Vlore students and citizens because of their losses in the pyramid schemes, but on the other hand we hold that freedom and democracy, Homeland and nation have a greater price", the statement says. "We will not fall victim of those who for fifty years on end martyred our parents," the statement concludes. kei/lm/k Albanian Telegraphic Agency[09] DOLLAR VALUE KEEPS RISINGTIRANA, FEB 27 (ATA)-By A.Gjata,The Tirana currency market opened today with a new higher quota of the rate of exchange between the dollar and the Lek. The Savings Bank opened the currency market with the exchange rate one dollar equal to 143 leks in buying and 150 leks in selling, in contrast with the last day when 1 USD was bought by this bank at 137 leks and sold at 141 leks. The increase by about 6 leks in the last 24 hours of the value of the dollar in exchanging the lek by the Savings Bank, directly affected the free money-changing market, in which one dollar was bought this morning up to 150 leks. Follows the rate of exchange between the foreign currency and the lek - Feb.27,1997 The Savings Bank currency buying selling 1 Dollar 143 150 1 Mark 86.3 89 Lira (1000) 85 89.6 Drachmas (100) 53 56.8/k Albanian Telegraphic Agency[10] PRESIDENT SALI BERISHA APPOINTED CANDIDATE FOR PRESIDENT FOR A SECOND TERMTIRANA, FEB 27 (ATA)- By R. Floqi, The National Council of the Democratic Party appointed Sali Berisha, current president, candidate for President of the Republic.The National DP Council, in its today's meeting at the Palace of Congresses, after two hours of discussion, appointed Berisha candidate for a second term in the office of the President of the Republic of Albania, by secret ballot. In the secret ballot President Sali Berisha received the support of 85 members of the National Council of his party. Five members of this council abstained. eva/lm/k Albanian Telegraphic Agency[11] ALBANIAN DEFENCE MINISTER MEETS FOREIGN MINISTER OF UKRAINETIRANA, FEB 27 (ATA) - On the second day of the visit to Ukraine, the Albanian military delegation, led by the Defence Minister, Safet Zhulali, had a meeting Wednesday with the Foreign Minister of Ukraine, Aleksander Udovenko, Defence Ministry spokesman reports.Udovenko said that Ukraine is interested in the military cooperation with Albania and the extension of political, economic and cultural relations. Mr Zhulali informed the hosts of a decision of the Albanian government to lift visas for the diplomatic and service passports. The delegations talked on the situation in the Balkans and the efforts to find a peaceful solution in Kosova, on questions of NATO extension, cooperation in the context of the Partnership for Peace, etc. On Thursday Albanian delegation returns home.kei/xh/sh/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[12] NO FORCES OF SPECIAL UNITS HAVE BEEN SENT TOWARDS VLORA - Interior MinistryTIRANE, FEB 27 (ATA) - Interior Ministry turns down as untrue and ill- willing the reports in some dailies, radios or news agencies on allegedly special forces from the Interior Ministry to have been sent towards Vlore.This Ministry has not sent and has never discussed any sending of special unit forces of this Ministry to Vlore, spokesman of the Interior Ministry reports. During these days, says the spokesman, only the forces of the police commissariat of Vlore have acted to keep order. Any report about special forces by the Interior Ministry heading towards Vlore is a concoction deliberately made by extremists, writes the refutation of the spokesman of the Interior Ministry of Albania. ssh/kled/xh/sh/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[13] PRESIDENT SALI BERISHA APPOINTED DP NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR A SECOND PRESIDENTIAL TERMTIRANA, FEB 27 (ATA) - By Atlant Frasheri: The Democratic Party National Council, in his today's meeting named President Sali Berisha as candidate for a fresh presidential term.After a secret voting, 85 of the 90 member DP National Council voted for Berisha as candidate, none against and 5 abstentions. "In the discussions made, it resulted that President Berisha is the most renowned man who has been capable and is capable to further develop democracy, economy, institutions in Albania and Albania's integration in the European and Euroatlantic structures," said DP chairman Tritan Shehu after the meeting of the National Council. The candidate for the fresh presidential term was named through secret voting although according to the rule the voting might have been open, according to normal procedure, but there were opinions, among them also that of Berisha's, to vote secretly. In reply to a reporter's question for a second candidacy from DP or other parties, Shehu said that "the election in 1992 was made with one candidacy. It is not a condition to present another candidacy. According to Albanian law, one candidate is enough, he is voted and if he receives the set number of votes, he is the winner." Nine of 14 signers of a petition (five of them are not members of the National Council) took part in the voting. Through the petition, they demanded a government of public salvation with the participation of left wing forces, which was criticized by Berisha and DP as well. Out of the nine members mentioned above, four had voted in favour of the candidate proposed by the party presidency, as they declared, whereas five others had abstained. "Regarding President's role, we have a petition and our opinion is that the role of the president must be reduced and other institutions be more independent and separated," said Dashamir Shehi, one of the group who prepared the petition, who abstained in the voting. This viewpoint of the group was presented in the discussion of deputy Leka Toto. Albanian 140 seat Parliament, with 122 seats for DP, will discuss today afternoon the date of the session in which the President will be elected. Prof Dr Sali Berisha, 52, was elected head of Albanian state on April 9, 1992 by the Parliament and his term ends on March 9, 1997. According to the constitutional package, the President may be elected for two consecutive five-year terms. kled/xh/sh/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[14] DEPUTY GODO OF RP AND SELFO OF BK LEAVE PARLIAMENTTIRANA, FEB 27 (ATA) - By R Floqi: The chairman of the Republican Party, deputy Sabri Godo and the chairman of the Balli Kombetar party, Hysen Selfo today left the Parliament under the pretext that the issue of Vlore was not the first point of the agenda of the Albanian Parliament."I am leaving because Vlore is not in the centre of today's debate," said RP leader, S Godo. Nevertheless, Albanian Parliament, which has planned to also treat today the setting of the date for the election of the President, started the session with deputies' discussions about the question of Vlore. "We shall not come back to Parliament until the question of the hunger strike of Vlora students is solved," reiterated his opinion, BK chairman, Selfo, who considered not enough even the inclusion of the debate on Vlore in the agenda. Asked by reporters which were Balli's options for a solution to the issue of Vlore, Mr Selfo said: "It is up to the government to decide on this question." Further on, DP deputy for the zone of Vlore, Dashamir Shehi, asked, at the beginning of the session, to start the debate with the discussions by Vlore deputies. After this, Parliament Speaker Pjeter Arbnori gave the floor to deputy Gezim Zilja, mayor of Vlore, but Zilja said that he was going to discuss later. The session is going on with discussions by the deputies for the solution of the crisis caused by the collapse of the pyramid scheme Gjallica and for the hunger strike of some students in Vlore. ssh/kled/xh/sh/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[15] ALBANIAN PRIME MINISTER WILL MEET EU EXPERTS FOR SOLUTION OF THE CRISIS IN ALBANIATIRANE, FEB 27 (ATA) - By R Floqi: Albanian Prime Minister Aleksander Meksi and Finance Minister Ridvan Bode today will meet with a delegation of the European Union to examine possible joint ways for an assistance to the solution of the pyramid scheme crisis in Albania recently.EU experts, directors of European Committee departments and diplomatic representatives, will discuss with Premier Meksi possibilities existing in certain financial programs, such as the program PHARE and other possibilities to ease the economic crisis. In his address in the parliament, Meksi defined among the concrete ways for the solution to the crisis in Vlore, along other economic measures and transparence for the activity of Gjallica firm, also the EU financial assistance.ssh/kled/xh/sh/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[16] OVER 2000 CREDITORS HAVE WITHDRAWN THEIR DEPOSITS FROM VEFA IN TIRANATIRANE, FEB 27 (ATA) - By S Sharrexhi: The number of creditors who have received their deposits in the amount from 100 000-500 000 million lek from Vefa Holding company from Feb 20 up today in Tirane is 2000."About 100 of them have withdrawn their deposits for emergency needs earlier than planned, for the others, the criterion of the date of the interests is observed," said to ATA the director of the credit bank, Albert Lulaj. This number is envisaged to double in the coming week, but anyhow, "this will depend on the possibilities of the banks" said Lulo. "We are considering the possibility to give interests to those creditors who have put over 1 million lek and who want to continue relations with VEFA," or another alternative is to pay only a part of the capital (no more than 500 000 lek.) About 127 creditors have received their capitals today in Tirana.kled/xh/sh/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[17] TENSE SITUATION IN VLOREVLORE, FEB 27 (ATA) - Situation in Vlore wassuddenly fuelled when a news spread in the city, according to which, special police forces had come from Tirana to bring out of the strike the students of Ismail Qemali University.The false news made thousands of people take to streets during last night and protest in city streets. Scores of cars with their horns warning, arms firing and other noises have spoiled public order at night. In the mean time, thousands of other citizens gathered in front of the University building where the 42 students are staging a hunger strike for eight days now. The same situation continued today before noon. Thousands of people protested in squares and roads of the city, in the Flag Square, in front of the university building chanting various slogans, in which those against the government prevailed. Scores of cars and trucks with people have moved through the city amidst the several thousand crowd of people. All these were accompanied with arms firing. The Interior ministry today refuted reports by some dailies and foreign radios and agencies, on alleged special forces from this Ministry to have been sent to Vlore. All official institutions, the sea port and trade units have suspended their activity in the city of Vlore. ake/pas/xh/sh/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[18] "I AM ON THE SIDE OF MY ALBANIAN DEMOCRATIC FRIENDS" - MockTIRANE, FEB 27 (ATA) - The Press and Information office of the Albanian Foreign Ministry reports that with regard to the situation created in Albania after the failure of fraudulent loan-taking firms, in which thousands of people lost their savings, Alois Mock, chairman of the European Democratic Union, deputy to the Austrian Parliament and former Foreign Minister of Austria, today declared in Vienna before local and foreign reporters that "We should have an understanding regarding the indignation of people in Albania who lost their savings in fraudulent pyramid investment schemes. Albanian opposition must not blame the democratic government for these losses. The democratic party of President Berisha must find out the people who are responsible for this scandal. The question of involvement of the Albanian Democratic Party in these scandals should never be raised simply because no sufficent warning was made about this not serious practices. Nobody may doubt in the honesty of the Albanian Democratic Party."Concerning the protests of people against the Albanian Government, Mr Mock said: "When I see that on the other side are the persecutors of the former communist regime, then I feel myself fully convinced of which side should I take. I stay on the side of my friends in the Albanian Democratic Party." ssh/kled/xh/sh/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[19] GENC POLLO MEETS DELEGATION OF EU COMMISSIONTIRANA, FEB 27 (ATA) - Secretary of the Foreign Policy Commission and chairman of the Commission for European Integration, Genc Pollo, today afternoon met with the delegation of the EU Commission, which is in Tirana these days, spokesman of the People's Assembly of Albania reports.Mr Pollo expressed his thanks to the EU delegation regarding the support for Albanian democracy through the Declaration adopted in the meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the European Union. The EU delegation confirmed once more the support for Albanian democracy on the road of further development of the economic and political reforms. ssh/kled/xh/sh/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[20] PARLIAMENT DISCUSSES SOLUTION TO THE CRISIS IN VLORE AND SETS DATE OF ELECTION OF THE PRESIDENTTIRANA, FEB 27 (ATA) - By Agim Baci: After a minute silence for the youth who was killed in Vlore city during peaceful demonstrations, the People's Assembly started its plenary session today.The situation in the city of Vlore was an important point of the agenda in today's session of the People's Assembly. The RP leader, Sabri Godo and Balli Kombetar party chairman, Hysen Selfo asked that the question of Vlore be on the agenda at a time when Vlora was on the agenda. But still they left the parliament. The deputies asked a realist and transparent analysis of the situation. They laid the stress on the use of the intellectual potentiality of Vlora for the solution of the situation. The deputies also demanded the establishment as soon as possible of a bridge of dialogue with the protesters and strikers, and announcement of the exact names of local government leaders who are involved in the question of pyramid schemes. They supported the measures taken by the government for the solution of the pyramid scheme issue laying the stress on the rapid functioning of an assembly of Gjallica firm creditors. The Parliament adopted the creation of a temporary parliamentary commission to follow and report of the developments in the city of Vlore. The Parliament decided that President's election take place on Monday, March 3, 1997, at 10.00. The National Council of the Democratic Party, in its meeting today in the Palace of Congresses, appointed President Sali Berisha as candidate for a new presidential term.kled/xh/ From the Albanian Telegraphic Agency (ATA) Home Page at http://www.telpress.it/ataAlbanian Telegraphic Agency Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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