Albanian Telegraphic Agency (ATA), 98-05-12

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

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

CONTENTS

[01] SHIK head holds a 60-second interpellation to respond DP deputy

[02] Kosova President meets Holbrooke and Gelbard

[03] Police intercept two vans carrying contraband ferro-chromium

[04] Sale of small assets starts within six weeks

[05] Suburb of Ponoshec turns into ruin

[06] Price rise of group "food, beverages and tobacco" continues

[07] Prishtine-Peje road closed

[08] Four children injured in an explosion blast

[09] Reduction of inherited internal debt is done step by step

[10] Around 80 percent of Telekom' incomes go for investments

[11] Albkrom on verge of signing agreement with BNL

[12] Deputy head to have equal juridical position with CEC head

[13] Serbian forces attack Ratkoc of Rahovec

[14] Albanian embassies to be restructured

[15] Shootings, helicopter flights in Kosova-Albania frontier

[16] Albania to sign European Charter of Local Autonomy on May 25

[17] Two Albanians killed, a Serb policeman wounded in Prishtina

[18] Kosova president meets with US envoys

[01] SHIK head holds a 60-second interpellation to respond DP deputy

In his discussion, Memia accused Klosi of massive cleansing in SHIK and anti-legal activity. He wanted to know how many former State Sigurimi members were reactivated in SHIK since Klosi began to run it.

"It is better to ask Nafiz Bezhani (The Chairman of the Scrutiny Commission.) He has almost finished the verification of the figures of SHIK officers and only three officers failed to pass the scrutiny commission. I am obliged only to find them another job," said Klosi.

Later, Memia continued to accuse Klosi and SHIK, but the SHIK chairman did not take the floor to respond again. /s.sh/mima/mt/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[02] Kosova President meets Holbrooke and Gelbard

President of the Republic of Kosova Ibrahim Rugova asks from the envoys of U.S. President Clinton and Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, Richard Holbrooke and Robert Gelbard, who arrived in Prishtine today, a greater intervention and pressure to immediately halt Serbian police and army operations in several region of Kosova.

The possibility to establish unconditional dialogue between Prishtine and Belgrade for a peaceful and long-term settlement of the Kosova issue was at the centre of attention at Rugova's meeting with the envoys.

Rugova reconfirmed Kosova people's determination to realise their will for independence through peaceful means. He pointed to the indispensability of unconditional dialogue between Prishtine and Belgrade under international mediation.

Highlighting the importance of the friendly relations between the U.S. and Kosova, Rugova thanked the U.S. administration for its comprehensive engagement in the Kosova issue. He also invited the U.S. to assume a leading role in the solution to the Kosova issue.

Also attending the meeting was the U.S. ambassador in Skopje, Chris Hill, and the chief of the U.S. Mission to Belgrade, Richard Miles. /pas/lm/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[03] Police intercept two vans carrying contraband ferro-chromium

The vans with Durres and Lezha number plates were heading for Montenegro, a spokesman of the local police station said to ATA. ake/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[04] Sale of small assets starts within six weeks

Tirana, May 11 (ATA) - According to the draft law "On ways and procedures of property selling of juridical non banking persons, who have received loans from public", selling of small assets commences within six weeks, sources from the supervising council of loan taking companies told ATA Monday.

Selling of big enterprises and complex properties starts shortly with the approval of law and continues until the end of December 1998.

The selling of loan taking companies, properties will be open for all individuals, inside and outside the country. During the selling procedures will be applied one of the ways" Direct sale

Auction

Tender (in two phases)

Sale's agent (on special occasions) Small properties will be sold on auctions or public tenders. Real property and small scale businesses will be sold mainly through public tenders.

Big enterprises and complex properties will be sold gradually through public tenders with two phases.

Luxurious properties like planes and sea cruisers, as a rule will be sold in international market through auction or tenders and through sale's agent.

The direct sale will apply only in cases when the property will be demanded for buying by creditors of loan taking companies, who have the right of buying in advance. /gen/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[05] Suburb of Ponoshec turns into ruin

The Center for Information in Kosova said that Ponoshec, with 350 houses was turned into an empty village with roads full of shell casings and dead animals.

Part of Ponoshec, particularly the quarter inhabited by Dulaj, Aliaj, Bajrami, Ademi, Ramaj families and others, was turned into ruin.

Reports from Ponoshec say that some families and persons are missing.

The division of the Democratic League of Kosova (LDK) said that there were no reports on the fate of the families of Sadri Sejdiu, Uke Uka and Selman Zeqe from Ponoshec. None know anything about the fate of a youth from Morina, arrested by the police, while Rame Ali Neziri, 88, whose body was brought recently to the morgue of the Gjakova hospital by the police, is buried by the Serb police somewhere.

The city of Gjakova is under curfew. The hill of �abrat is turned into a shooting-range from where the Serb forces control the whole city. pta/pas/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[06] Price rise of group "food, beverages and tobacco" continues

Compared to December 1997 prices rose 8,28 percent, while compared with the same period last year the hike is 27,99 percent.

The price index of group "food, beverage and tobacco" grew with 1,99 percent. The highest increase within the group went to sub group prices' "fruit and vegetables" with 8,8 percent.

Potatoes have costed 22,1 percent more dearly, than tomatoes with 5,9 percent, green peas 11,4 percent, oranges 5,7 percent and apples 3,8 percent.

Within the group "food, beverages and tobacco", sub group "beverages" has the highest price increase with 1,7 percent.

Also sub group prices "fish and meat" rose with 1,3 percent.

The price index of the group "garments and shoes" rose with 0,9 percent and the same increase was noticed of "transport and telecommunication" group, where the highest price increase went to bus tickets with 3,2 percent.

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[07] Prishtine-Peje road closed

A eyewitness told QIK by telephone that on Saturday, after 16.00 p.m. the road was open, but yesterday its was closed without any explanation.

The closure of the road, which links Kosova's east with the west, has completely paralyzed traffic of the people, goods, foodstuffs and medicaments, badly needed in these areas, which are under the encirclement of the Serbian forces. /p.ta/pas/lm/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[08] Four children injured in an explosion blast

The blast, which heavily damaged the house of the correspondent Zenepe Luka, occurred on Sunday at 22.20. p.m.

Police sources said that unidentified persons placed some 5 kg explosive device injuring the two children of the Luka couple and two others of the next door family, whose house suffered considerable damage.

The injured are immediately rushed to the hospital and their condition is not life threatening.

"It is a miracle we escape death," the correspondent Luka said.

The regional police chief Rebani Memushi said to ATA on Monday that a defensive concrete wall had somewhat prevented the blast avoiding a tragedy.

The Vlore district association of professional reporters denounces this crime through a protest and asks the respective bodies to find out the persons responsible as soon as possible.

It calls on the reporters' association to show more culture on the pages of the Albanian press and avoid insulting and denigrating articles, occasionally carried by several papers.

The association asks that, in token of protest, no information from the Vlore district be published for a week. /pas/ak/lm/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[09] Reduction of inherited internal debt is done step by step

Tirana, May 11 (ATA) - The internal debt by the end of 1997 mounted 120,5 billion leks sources from the Finance ministry reported Monday.

Somehow this high figure is curbed, because from the second quarter of 1997 until the last quarter of the increase stands at 19 billion leks, while if we compare the third quarter with the last one, the internal debt is only 3 billion leks.

The specific weight of internal debt is held be the treasury bonds with 71 billion leks or 59 percent.

For this purpose the government aims at to pay 36 billion leks within 1998, as interest rates of the internal debt reimbursement.

Also in budget is forecasted the drop of accumulated debt of this year from 63 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to 59 percent.

Meanwhile, a considerable part of 34 percent of the internal debt worth 40 billion lek, is hold by the Central bank loans.

According to these figures, the debt against the banking system in relation with the blocked loans has been stable since 1994 until late 1997, and is estimated at 8 percent or over 9 billion leks.

According to specialists the reduction of this inherited and accumulated debt, which has deepen the state budget deficit, will not be implemented immediately by step by step, with the revival of economy and inflation drop, which is part of a mid term policy.

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[10] Around 80 percent of Telekom' incomes go for investments

While in 1993 the revenues were equal to zero, by the end of last year they were estimated at 76 percent.

Around 80 percent of Telekom incomes are invested. This year will be installed 600 phone booths with a cost of $1,5 million. All expenses are covered by Telekom itself.

Some 2 million telephone cards will be put into circulation. Also international connections are encompassed in Telekom investment's plan for this year.

Thus a new connection with optic cables with Montenegro will be established soon, which would enhance telephone international calls with Albania. /gen/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[11] Albkrom on verge of signing agreement with BNL

In Tirana was signed two agreements on management and marketing of Albkrome company, between the Albanian side and the Italian-British group Robin Co & King Lor and the BNL credit branch, ITS-sogecred.

"The two agreements adjust the relations between partners on the time of releasing the loan and its reimbursement period," told ATA the mines general director, Ndoc Uci.

Based on these agreements and the respective documents, it is predicted that within June the $40 million credit contract with BNL be over.

Talks with the Italian-British group and BNL started by the end of last year.

Chromes ore reserves in Albania are figured out around 37 million tonnes. /gen/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[12] Deputy head to have equal juridical position with CEC head

The changes proposed by the Council of Ministers were approved earlier on Tuesday by the parliamentary law commission and will be submitted to the parliament in the run up to the forthcoming partial local elections scheduled on June 21.

"The seats of the commission will be equally apportioned among the coalition parties and the opposition," the supplement to the article 5 of the draft law said.

Later, the draft said "the divided seats will be given to representatives of the political parties according to the average percentage gained in the latest nationwide parliamentary elections and local government bodies."

The need to amend the law on elections in the local government bodies has been discussed in a round table with representatives of the political forces convened by the president of Albania Rexhep Meidani.

Sander Uldedaj, a Democratic member of the commission, urged that the commission's deputy head have not only equal juridical position with the head but also the right to sign the report on elections' outcome, what was turned down by the commission. s.sh/mima/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[13] Serbian forces attack Ratkoc of Rahovec

The source provides no detail about the consequences of the attack. /mima/lm/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[14] Albanian embassies to be restructured

"The Foreign Ministry is doing well. Besides closing the embassies in several countries and opening them in other countries, reduction of expenditure on buildings and personnel will also be considered," the chairman of the Foreign Policy Parliamentary Commission, Sabri Godo, told ATA after the meeting of this commission which was also attended by Milo.

Godo said that so far the commission has decided to close the embassy of Pakistan as it does not present any interest, and open embassies in Israel and Japan.

The commission also pointed to the importance the Albanian diplomatic missions should devote to the emigration issue, especially in countries where there are many Albanian emigrants such as Greece, Italy, and Germany.

In these countries the embassies should be strengthened," said Godo. /s.sh/mima/lm/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[15] Shootings, helicopter flights in Kosova-Albania frontier

Powerful burst and volleys of gunfire were audible in villages of Babaloq, Ponoshec, Morine and Smolice.

The villages of Gramacel, Dubrave, Shaptej and a wide area leading to Glogjan continue to be under the target of tank units of the Yugoslav army, deployed in Zabeli near Babaloq.

Along with convoys of armoured carriers and military positions, helicopters of Serbian forces were seen flying over the border line.

Reports from Gjakova, Decan and their suburbs, which are under curfew for the third week in succession, said that the Serbian forces are detaining and terrorising Albanians, then putting many of them under arrest and torture in police stations. la/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[16] Albania to sign European Charter of Local Autonomy on May 25

"Further decentralization, wider powers, financial independence as well as other measures in accordance with European standards will be the key moments of the performance of the Local Government Ministry.

"The realisation of this also requires technical assistance by the Council of Europe (CE)," said Fino in separate meetings on Monday and Tuesday with OSCE ambassador Daan Everts, Italian ambassador Marcelo Spatafora and the charge d'affaires of the Greek Republic, Dimitri Platis.

Fino familiarised the interlocutors with the measures undertaken to organise the June 21 elections and renewed the government's invitation for foreign observers' presence in the elections.

Everts guaranteed cooperation of the Organisation for European Security and Cooperation (OSCE) offices with local government bodies of the districts where the elections will be held. /a.ke/ mima/lm/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[17] Two Albanians killed, a Serb policeman wounded in Prishtina

A Serb policeman was also killed in the skirmish, according to Serbian sources.

Albanian sources said that the second Albanian killed was identified as Agron Rahmani, who died of wounds received during the skirmish between the Serbian forces, who killed him in his yard and Isuf Hajdari whose identity was already known.

There is no report on the fate of seven students arrested. la/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[18] Kosova president meets with US envoys

They discussed the latest developments in Kosova and the possibility to start a prompt unconditional dialogue between Prishtina and Belgrade aiming at easing the tense situation and finding a peaceful, long-term solution to the Kosova issue, a press release of the Kosova presidency said. la/ak/

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

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