Albanian Telegraphic Agency (ATA), 98-04-04

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

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

CONTENTS

[01] Intensive cooperation between Albanian and Greek Navies

[02] Interview of Albania's PM given to French television TV5

[03] Eurofilm Festival Tirana '98 begins

[04] Unidentified persons kidnapp adviser of Rugova

[05] Meidani says High Council of Justice not to be influenced by any political interference

[06] Two policemen found killed at a bar in Shkoder

[07] Independent trade unions hold peaceful protest

[08] President says Supreme Court has "de facto' turned into district court

[09] Meidani considers urgent declaration of property by judges

[10] Justice Minister says there will be no political cleansing

[11] Jospin: Current status of Kosova should necessarily change

[01] Intensive cooperation between Albanian and Greek Navies

The spokesman of the Defence Ministry told ATA that the visit of this high ranking military delegation of Greece in Albania aims at continuing the aid for the Albanian Navy, as well as the cooperation already started for the ports of Sarande and Durres.

The cooperation between the two navies has consisted in the aid with uniforms, recovery of ships sunken in the Albanian ports, in training of divers and others.

In the meeting, Mr. Ioahnidis also proposed the direct telephonic connection between the two commands of respective Navies.

The Greek delegation met on the same day with the Chief of the Army general Staff, brigadier general Aleks Andoni. /s.sh/pas/mt/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[02] Interview of Albania's PM given to French television TV5

"I think that to apply tactics, like those used by Milosevic recently, it is a grave crime against humanity. Milosevic, to gain time, losses the time of the other part of the international community, including Albania as well. This means that there always exists the possibility of repeating the tragic scenarios like those in Bosnia," said Premier Nano.

He pointed out that the most possible scenario the Serbs aim at is that of Northern Ireland.

"A desperate population, like the Kosova Albanians, who have always suffered from the Serbian violence, should be comprehended and supported not only by Albania, but by the whole democratic world, so that Kosova has a political status which gives a final solution and establishes the institutions for the guarantee of its fundamental freedoms," said Nano, adding that he has enough information to reach the conclusion that the machine and the industry of war in Serbia continue to function and the arms embargo is not enough. He stressed that the three-week period until the next meeting of the Contact Group should not create a vacuum regarding the international presence and operations in Kosova and Belgrade, so that both parties be engaged in the real and serious processes and negotiations under the observation and in the conditions of a serious international presence.

"The manoeuvre of Milosevic can create the idea of a wide flexibility, but I am afraid that he aims at playing with everyone, as he has done until now," said Nano.

Asked about what can Albania do to resolve the Kosovar crisis, Premier Nano said that Albania cannot do anything else except intensifying the contacts and ties of partnership with NATO, EU, OSCE and all governments of the countries which participate in these bodies.

"We are engaged to call on everybody for moderation, also including the Kosova Albanians, to support the moderated policy of Rugova, but on the other hand we should not give more time to Milosevic and his armed forces to continue to exercise violence on a civil population which is not terrorist. There have been killed women, children and old people, who have really manifested citizenship and European civilization, both from the human and the political side," said the Prime Minister of Albania.

He stressed the necessity of a third party to enable compromise and added that this party should make active not only the arms embargo but also tougher sanctions.

"This means blockage of all Serbian and Yugoslav assets outside the borders, which would exert pressure even on the Serbian voters themselves to understand once and for all that it does not depend on their wish and it does not serve to their future to be oriented by Slobodan Milosevic or Seselj, but they should finally abandon them and choose moderators, who can be engaged in a process of negotiations and serious cohabitation with the Albanians," said Nano.

Asked about how can the Albanian economy, destroyed during the last year's turmoil, be recovered in this situation, PM Nano said that this can be done through a very ambitious program of reforms, which has been drafted with the help of European institutions, with the presence of missions of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.

"The program is functioning now. The macro-economic climate and the situation in the public order guarantee the domestic and foreign investors to make active their projects," stated Nano, stressing the support of his government, both from the Albanians and the international community. /s.sh/s.s/pas/mt/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[03] Eurofilm Festival Tirana '98 begins

This activity was enabled by "Eurofilm" and "Art Film," two organizations, respectively France and Tirana-based.

This is the fifth edition organized by "Euro Film." Albania has participated twice in this festival.

Eurofilm festival was organized for the first time in 1994 in France in Saint-Etienne, only with French films. Further on it was organized in Luhacovice of the Czech Republic and last year even in Tirana.

"It is a festival organized not only in the same country, which aims at creating a stable triangle Saint Etienne-Tirana-Luhacovice," said Knittl, representative of Eurofilm.

Eurofilm Festival Tirana 1998 is organized under the direct patronage of the Albanian Foreign Ministry and the French Foreign Ministry. /s.sh/pas/mt/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[04] Unidentified persons kidnapp adviser of Rugova

Dr. Rrahmani, pedagogue in the Faculty of Philology in Prishtina was kidnapped at 16:30 in the garden of the elementary school "Nazim Gafurri." He said that three civil persons, under the threat of weapons, forced him to get in their car and sent him in the suburbs of Prishtina where they tortured. /p.ta/pas/mt/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[05] Meidani says High Council of Justice not to be influenced by any political interference

"The KLD will no more take decisions based on lists that might be reccomended by any political party, as it used to do years ago," Meidani said at a meeting with the country's lawyers and prosecutors on Saturday.

Meidani said that after the June 29 elections concrete actions were undertaken for institutional improvement and which guarantee a greater independence for the lawyers and prosecutors, KLD laws were also improved, especially that on organizing justice.

"For the first time a democratic spirit has been guaranteed in taking decisions and legal guarantees have been harmonised as regards the lawyers' duties and responsibilities," he said.

Meidani pointed with concern to the fact that "the people's trust in justice, law-courts is very law". He added that this disbelief is due to corruption, incapability and politicisation. /s.s/pas/lm/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[06] Two policemen found killed at a bar in Shkoder

Hasan Zagani and Gezim Griani have been guards at the building of the former police station in the city's centre which was burnt down on February 22 of this year. /s.s/pas/lm/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[07] Independent trade unions hold peaceful protest

The independent trade unionists, unemployed, pensioners as well as representatives of creditors of pyramid company "VEFA Holding", the association of the politically persecuted and others, rallied at the "Mother Teresa" square, warned that "the continuation of the nine month silence of the government will be followed by trade unions' protests in Tirana and around the country, where all the workers are suffering economically". /mima/lm/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[08] President says Supreme Court has "de facto' turned into district court

In his meeting with lawyers and prosecutors Meidani said that "besides setting up an inspectorate close to the KLD, efforts should be made to consolidate the 'head' of the courts which is the Supreme Court".

Meidani said that the activity of the Supreme Court beyond its powers was favoured in the years 1992-1995 due to the lack of a legislation, but unfortunately, even after the approval of the new codes, this court still had privilege to resolve issues beyond its powers. /s.s/mima/lm/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[09] Meidani considers urgent declaration of property by judges

He said that lack of experience in life and profession, confrontation with a great number of judicial conflicts as well as the great difference between the salary and bribe have caused a part of the judges "to determine the resolution of issues by the amount of bribes," given by the parties.

"It is difficult to find proofs certifying these phenomena," said Meidani, stressing that "excess expenditure by part of the judges, possession of luxurious cars, purchase of expensive flats or building of villas is a proof supporting the created opinion. /s.sh/das/lm/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[10] Justice Minister says there will be no political cleansing

Kondi said that all judges would be tested.

Views were exchanged about the system of the Albanian justice. /das/lm/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[11] Jospin: Current status of Kosova should necessarily change

The request of the Albanian government for a long-term credit at low interest rate will be considered with priority and very soon by the Ministry of Economy and Finances, said Jospin at a meeting at "Matignon" in Paris on Saturday, the spokesman of the prime Minister said.

"France hopes that the major French companies, interested in Albania, find themselves in the context of this cooperation," he said.

Cooperation in defence and security will very soon be carried ahead with the contact planned between the two Defence Ministries.

Responding to the request of Prime Minister Nano, Jospin said that the educational and cultural relations will be encouraged so that the traditional ties between the two countries are renewed.

Nano said that the present moment is very important and meaningful for both countries. "Our peoples need a new level of relations which goes beyond cultural and linguistic ones.

"We are determined to continue the road of reforms and absorb foreign investments, which would help consolidate in general the comprehensive relations between France and Albania and pave the way for the presence of the French diplomacy and business not only in Albania, but throughout the Balkan region".

The crisis in Kosova cannot be resolved without the influence of the international factor, in which France plays a special role, said Nano.

The recent visit of the French delegation and the mission of President Chirac's envoy Jacques Blot to Kosova testify to French diplomacy's engagement in resolving the conflict, he said.

But, Nano said, the initiatives should be coordinated and greater pressure should be exerted until the upcoming Contact Croup meeting.

In the meantime, Albania will strongly oppose the Serbian initiative for Kosova to remain a pocket of Serbia. He said that Belgrade should take part in talks in the federal context as a federal party and not as a Serbian factor.

On their part, Nano, added, the Kosova Albanians are determined to march on the road of peace, increasingly providing space to peaceful alternatives such as in the case of the negotiating delegation represented by Ibrahim Rugova.

The current status of Kosova should necessarily change said Jospin. The Contact group unity is very significant in this moment, as the decisions can be realised more easily. But, the Kosova independence, he added, is an alternative which should not be encouraged in today's aggravated context of former Yugoslavia.

The education agreement showed that things have begun moving, but initiatives do not end here. Europe thought that Bosnia's tragedy could not be repeated again, therefore Kosova was left in oblivion, a thing which should not happen again, Jospin concluded. s.sh/das/lm/

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

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