ATA News from Albania, 96-09-15

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

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

CONTENTS

[01] INTERIOR MINISTER RECEIVES CE PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY ENVOYS FOR MONITORING OF LOCAL ELECTIONS

[02] BROJKA ATTENDS MEETINGS OF CDI AND EUCD

[03] SDP LEADER DOES NOT KNOW HOW LARGE HIS ELECTORATE IS

[04] PRESS REVIEW

[01] INTERIOR MINISTER RECEIVES CE PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY ENVOYS FOR MONITORING OF LOCAL ELECTIONS

Shamata guaranteed that Interior Ministry, Police and State Secretariat for Local Government will put everything in disposal of a successful realisation of the CE monitoring mission.

An important element of the police role during the election campaign and in the day of voting, underlined Shamata, will be special training of different police structures, which will have duties during these elections, so that members of police forces engaged in security of election campaign be juridically conscious of their role. On the other hand police structures will have written instructions and complete explanations for their competencies during election campaign, and punishments in case of abuse of power or its surpassing.

CE delegation expressed its approval for the measures taken by this ministry and promised cooperation with its experts for the training of police troops who will be engaged in elections. ssh/kled/fh/sh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[02] BROJKA ATTENDS MEETINGS OF CDI AND EUCD

The EUCD meeting was about the preparation of a draft Resolution for the EUCD 25th Congress, due to be held from October 4-6 in Ljubljana. The DP is a full right member of this organisation. A DP delegation of three people is invited to attend the proceedings of this congress, two with the right of the vote. ssh/kled/fh/sh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[03] SDP LEADER DOES NOT KNOW HOW LARGE HIS ELECTORATE IS

This has put this party in front of a dilemma, whether to participate or not in the local elections of October 20.

"The European left wing has appreciated the SDP stands during its activity, while we never know how large our electorate is. We have not yet decided to boycott elections. We will consider it over whether to take such a decision or not" said the SDP leader Skender Gjinushi in his press conference held Saturday in the headquarter of this party.

Some time ago Gjinushi was of the opinion that the SP renovation would detach a part of its electorate. According to his statements "it would pass on to other left wing parties, which meant the SDP and would make it a strong political party."

"Left wing electorate is the one which will vote for me" has declared Gjinushi.

The SDP and DAP in the last elections were allies and have boycotted them. According to figures they both got only 2.8 per cent of the vote.

Speaking on the preelectoral situation he said "Two options exist for May 26 elections: one is that they have been violated and the second one is that they have been boycotted and every party should decide, based on them, whether to participate or not in the local elections."

According to him "if some political parties will compete, it will violate democracy" at a time when the boycott of May 26, elections has been considered by many international organisations as "unique and unprecedented case in the election history of democratic countries."

The SDP leader also spoke about the multi-party talks and last amendments of the local election law by the Albanian Parliament.

"Till the beginning of September, no serious joint meeting of political parties has been organised, because Berisha wanted to put aside the opposition" said Gjinushi.

In the mean time many political meetings have been organised like the bilateral meeting between the DP and the SP, which were called by the SDP and DAP treason of the SP, the DP round table with all Albanian political parties and three others initiated by the President of the Republic. The last round table of President of the Republic with 13 political parties agreed with consensus about the amendments of the election law, taking into consideration the recommendations of the CE, IRI and other international organisations.

"Last amendments were partial, except the composition of the election commission, but even there, was added the punishment of its members. The law on media is worsened and that of the financing and printing of ballots is scandalous" said Gjinushi.

Gjinushi also discussed about the situation inside the SP and relations of his party with the biggest opposition party.

"The SDP has greeted the denouncement that the SP made to the past. As for its inner fight, we have wished that all dishonest people and those who play the game of DP be thrown away. We did not see clearly any clan, but some thesis of two groupings who accused each other for relations with Berisha" said Gjinushi.

He said that "two or three changes of people are positive, but besides the Secretary General, no other changes have been made, because if you see even the presidency of the party is the same."

Although the SP was distanced by its Enverist and Ramizist past it is actually led by ex-minister and ex-advisers of the former president Ramiz Alia like the SP chairman Fatos Nano and Secretary General Rexhep Mejdani, Ylli Bufi, Kastriot Islami, Zabit Brokaj and others at a time that even the SDP chairman Skender Gjinushi has been Minister of Education at the time of President Alia. kled/fh/sh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[04] PRESS REVIEW

It also carries an article of the Swiss daily Zuricher Zeitung under the title "Boycotters in Albania are the defeatists." The paper also prints an interview with Minister of Education and Sports entitled "Our school towards consolidation of modern features."

Zeri i Popullit publishes a statement of the SP Secretary Namik Dokle under the title "I express my engagement in function of political action of the SP."

It also carries the article "US International Republican Institute will incite the government to complete the legal procedure."

Under the headline "Approaching to elections day" Republika carries the article "Boycott always more far away" and another one "IRI appreciates the progress of electoral reformation in Albania."

Poli i Qendres highlights a press conference of the SDP leader Skender Gjinushi under the title "October 20 will show whether Albania will move towards democracy or manipulation." It also carries "DAP: In elections with the SDP."

Lajmi i Dites writes about a ceremony organised for Albanian writer Ismail Kadare in New York on the occasion of publishing of his novel "Pyramids."

Tribuna prints the Swiss article under the title "The loser cannot accept defeat." It also writes an article regarding the Rinas airfield entitled " A comfortable runway for aircraft."

Rilindja writes "Time of agreements and compromises" and "Agreement on education - Evidence of political vitality."

Albania writes "The scheme against Meta and the 'deal' Dokle." It also writes "Spying, working method inside the SP."

Another article is entitled "Boycott of Berisha's table condemned."

Dita Informacion in its column 'Opinions' writes "Brief and clear" while Koha Jone writes "Berisha: No OSCE observers." It also carries "Albanian minors in the pedophile network."

"Continues the gathering of facts about the killing of two brothers" writes the newspaper Gazeta Shqiptare by offering a new option on the authors of the crime. kled/fh/sh/

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

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