English: Reuter (fwd)
Qemajl Lumi
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05Aug96 YUGOSLAVIA: ETHNIC ALBANIAN PARTY URGES PEOPLE TO
RESIST SERBIAN "PROVOCATIONS".
Source: Beta news agency, Belgrade, in Serbo-Croat 1555 gmt
3 Aug 96
Text of report by the Yugoslav news agency Beta on 3rd
August
The Democratic League of Kosovo [DSK] condemned yesterday's
armed attack on three police stations in Pristina, Podujevo
and the village of Krpimej as "any other violent and
terrorist attack in Kosovo", and called on citizens to
"resist the provocations of the Serbian regime and extremist
circles, and to refrain from activities that could lead to
an escalation of the already tense situation in Kosovo".
In a statement prompted by yesterday's explosions in which a
police garage and vehicle were burned, the DSK "warns
international factors that a new wave of violence
perpetrated by the Serbian authorities represents an excuse
for the Serbian media and authorities to launch a campaign
of violence against citizens of Albanian nationality".
"The Serbian regime wishes to jump to conclusions about the
perpetrators of these incidents without any evidence," reads
the statement, which expresses suspicion that "this regime
is fabricating incidents and giving them more prominence
than they actually deserve in order to justify using force
against the Albanians".
"The international community should use the heightened
repression in Kosovo following the unsolved incidents as an
incentive for intensifying efforts aimed at finding a just
solution to the Kosovo issue," the DSK statement says in
conclusion.
(c) BBC Monitoring Summary of World Broadcasts.
CENTRAL/EASTERN EUROPE
BBC MONITORING SERVICE
BBC MONITORING SERVICE: CENTRAL EUROPE & BALKANS 5/8/96
05Aug96 YUGOSLAVIA: ALBANIAN "POLITICAL PRISONERS" MOVED TO
JAILS OUTSIDE KOSOVO.
Source: `Bota Sot', Zurich, in Albanian 3 Aug 96 p1
Text of report by the Kosovo Information Centre in the
Zurich-based Albanian newspaper `Bota Sot' on 3rd August
Pristina, 2nd August: The Serbian-installed authorities have
recently undertaken an operation to transfer the Albanian
political prisoners from prisons in Kosovo to various
centres in Serbia.
As it is known, Mr Ukshin Hoti, chairman of Unikomb
[National Unity Party], was transferred some days ago from
Dubrave prison to the prison in Nis. According to reports by
family members, two more Albanian political prisoners have
been sent to prisons outside Kosovo.
Shemsi Veseli, sentenced to four years in jail at a
trumped-up political trial in 1993, was transferred to the
infamous prison of Pozarevac, while Jonuz Loshaj, convicted
last year in a concocted political trial against former
Albanian policemen, was sent to the prison in Sremska
Mitrovica (Vojvodina).
The family members said that this measure seemed to have
been taken against them as a punishment. Some days before
being transferred to Nis, the Serbian authorities
interrogated Mr Ukshin Hoti about an alleged infringement
committed in 1993, for which legal proceedings have been
initiated against him. Meanwhile, Shemsi Veseli was held for
10 days in a cell before being transferred to Pozarevac
prison.
(c) BBC Monitoring Summary of World Broadcasts.
CENTRAL/EASTERN EUROPE
BBC MONITORING SERVICE
BBC MONITORING SERVICE: CENTRAL EUROPE & BALKANS 5/8/96
05Aug96 MACEDONIA: ALBANIANS IN WESTERN MACEDONIA RALLY IN
SUPPORT OF ALBANIAN UNIVERSITY.
Source: Albanian Radio, Tirana, in Albanian 1730 gmt 3 Aug
96
Text of report by Albanian radio on 3rd August
A big popular rally was held in Kicevo [western Macedonia]
today in support of Tetovo university [underground Albanian
university] and to demand the release from prison of the
university activists. For more, here is a telephone report
by our correspondent Imer Ismajli:
[Ismajli] Opening this rally, in which several thousand
Albanian citizens took part, the publicist Qani Mehmedi said
that they had gathered there after the Albanian parliament
had strongly supported with a special statement the right of
Albanians in Macedonia to higher education.
Representatives of the rector's office and senate of Tetovo
university, Dr Rahmi Tuda and Dr Qemal Murati, briefed the
people at the protest rally on the current position at
Tetovo university following the imprisonment of the rector,
Fadil Sulejmani, and other activists.
Meanwhile, on behalf of the Association of Albanian Writers
of Macedonia, the association vice chairman, Magistrate
Ramadan Sinani, said that since the [ethnic Albanian]
creative intelligentsia in Macedonia could not imagine the
nation existing without Tetovo university, the association
would continue to give it powerful support.
From the protest rally, an appeal was sent to international
centres asking them to use their influence for the
legalizing of Tetovo university.
It is interesting that all Kicevo citizens took part at the
rally [words indistinct] in defence of Tetovo university, as
the university is a national and not a political
institution. This was the biggest rally by Albanians in the
history of the town.
(c) BBC Monitoring Summary of World Broadcasts.
CENTRAL/EASTERN EUROPE
BBC MONITORING SERVICE
BBC MONITORING SERVICE: CENTRAL EUROPE & BALKANS 5/8/96
05Aug96 RUSSIA: MOSCOW PLANS TO STEP UP COOPERATION WITH
BELGRADE TO OFFSET LOSSES.
Source: Interfax news agency, Moscow, in English 1027 gmt 2
Aug 96
Excerpt from report by Interfax news agency
Moscow, 2nd August: Moscow plans to offset losses, estimated
at billions of dollars, which it sustained as a result of
its involvement in the sanctions against Yugoslavia, by
stepping up trade and economic cooperation with Belgrade,
officials in the European and North American Department of
the Russian Ministry for Foreign Economic Relations told
Interfax.
At the first stage Russian fuel, power equipment, and
certain engineering and chemical goods could be exchanged
for clothing, footwear and other textile products,
foodstuffs and industrial equipment from Belgrade. Ministry
experts expect Moscow and Belgrade to carry out large joint
projects worth hundreds of millions of dollars, in
particular the construction of gas pipelines in the north of
Serbia and an oil pipeline linking Budapest and Novi Sad, a
town in the north of Serbia...
(W).
(c) BBC Monitoring Summary of World Broadcasts.
CENTRAL/EASTERN EUROPE
BBC MONITORING SERVICE
BBC MONITORING SERVICE: FORMER USSR 5/8/96
06Aug96 ALBANIA: ETHNIC ALBANIAN SAYS SITUATION HAS
QUIETENED DOWN.
Source: `Nasa Borba', Belgrade, in Serbo-Croat 2 Aug 96
A prominent ethnic Albanian has said the situation in Kosovo
has quietened down, with the Serbs continuing a high level
of repression, while political conflicts among the Albanians
have declined since the opening of the US Information Centre
in Pristina and the suggestion by a Serb academic that
Kosovo be divided between Serbs and Albanians. "Albanian
philosopher and publicist" Shkelzen Maliqi told a Belgrade
newspaper Albanians believed Belgrade was losing its grip on
Kosovo and was looking for a solution. The following is the
text of an interview with Maliqi by Izabela Kisic, "Belgrade
is losing ground", in the Yugoslav newspaper `Nasa Borba' on
2nd August; subheading as published:
"Currently, everything is quiet in Kosovo. Silent
`underground' negotiations are under way in preparation for
the Albanian-Serbian talks. [Ibrahim] Rugova [ethnic
Albanian leader and president of the self-declared Kosovo
republic] has confirmed that they are working on that. We
can probably expect that the Serb side will relax its
pressure, which would enable the dialogue to begin.
"According to diplomatic sources, Belgrade agreed over a
month ago to fulfil at least two conditions - to free
political prisoners and educational facilities. However,
Belgrade has withdrawn that decision and left these issues
to be resolved as part of the talks," Skeljzen Maliqi, from
the Pristina branch of the Open Society Fund, told `Nasa
Borba' correspondents.
[Kisic] Are these talks connected with the visit of [US
Assistant Secretary of State John] Kornblum or US
Congressman Eliot Engel to Kosovo?
[Maliqi] They are not the only ones who are working on that.
Perhaps the team of [international coordinator Carl] Bildt
and the diplomatic missions are also playing their part.
There is speculation that there are several parallel lines.
Most of the speculation is connected with the Americans, who
have opened a culture and information centre, but it may
also be that Germany and even some Scandinavian countries
are also working to facilitate these talks. These talks are
not direct, they will probably be conducted by shuttle
diplomacy.
[Q] Is the Albanian side willing to negotiate if the
mentioned conditions are fulfilled - the release of
political prisoners and schools?
[A] Yes, but they want good mediation. That is the key
issue. Some kind of diplomatic catch is sought that would
allow both sides to interpret the mediation of the third
side the way they want, with the consent of the mediator.
[Q] What are the reactions in Kosovo to [Academician
Aleksandar] Despic's statement made in SANU [Serbian Academy
of Arts and Sciences - proposing a redivision of Kosovo
between Serbs and ethnic Albanians]?
[A] There is no euphoria. Everyone is following it with
great attention, including the local media. The commonest
remark is that the Serbs have finally sobered up. The point
of departure is that Belgrade is losing ground in Kosovo
and, since it invested a lot in Bosnia and had an internal
crisis, it can no longer invest in Kosovo. Perhaps they will
not let go of all of Kosovo at once, so that is why they are
looking for a solution by dividing it up.
[Q] What are the positions of JUL [Yugoslav Left] in Kosovo?
[A] JUL has been trying to penetrate into Kosovo lately.
They may have some people here and there. For the time
being, they do not have very many public appearances, and
their last few efforts have not been too successful. They
have not attracted a single Albanian of consequence. A year
ago, they called me from the Party of Yugoslavs - a member
of the JUL. I told them I was not interested, and I asked
them to give my regards to Ljusa (Ljubisa Ristic), my
colleague from our university days, whom I had not seen for
a long time. They called others too.
In any event, the JUL did try a demagogic note as regards
the Albanians. For example, their posters were printed in
Albanian, like in the old communist times. That is, however,
a masquerade, and no-one took them seriously.
[Q] What, in your mind, should Kosovo be like?
[A] In the present circumstances, when the entire Balkans
are being partitioned, I would like Kosovo to gain full
independence and even to associate with Albania. However,
that is a complicated process. I am afraid of the traumas of
division, primitive nationalisms that flourish in such
circumstances and can create internal and external problems.
If we could create an independent Kosovo, I would still not
be in favour of an ethnic state. The United States is
primarily trying to create a new balance in the Balkans. The
relative concessions given to the Serbs over Bosnia will
probably be compensated for in Kosovo. But this situation,
in which nothing radical is happening, will probably
continue for some time.
[Q] What is the role of the international community in
Kosovo? There were rumours about a protectorate.
[A] The international community is present in various forms.
A UN protectorate, however, would not come about easily,
because it would set a precedent for many similar demands.
It is possible to make an agreement between some great
powers, or for one of those powers to take upon itself the
risk of feigning some kind of protectorate and, in that way,
force a solution that would make both sides accept it. These
are, for example, actions that the European Union could
undertake.
I do not know whether a protectorate would be workable,
because there is no international instrument for that. There
is a procedure in international law for decolonization, but,
in that case, it would be necessary first to proclaim
colonial status for Kosovo. If an entirely new principle is
chosen, there must be a consensus in the UN Security Council
and General Assembly.
[Q] Are there still political conflicts among the Albanians
in Kosovo?
[A] They existed until May, and then they suddenly stopped,
or remained at a very low intensity, due to the fundamental
changes in the international environment, as well as in the
local situation (the opening of the [US] information centre,
Despic's statement, etc.). This suddenly removed credibility
from Rugova's opponents, for example [Rexhep] Qosja, who
have been clamouring that nothing was happening and that
nothing has been achieved.
Rugova still has one more term and the chance to do
something, to begin and end talks, regardless of their
outcome. It rarely happens that someone who has the sole
authority to negotiate is replaced during the negotiations.
[Q] What do you think about the Yugoslav opposition's appeal
to the Albanians to vote at the elections?
[A] That is a hollow appeal. They have no contact whatsoever
with Albanians; there is nothing in their programme that
would affect the Albanians or the issue of Kosovo. They used
to be even more radical than Milosevic, and we do not
believe them. You must make a bridge and not force people to
jump first.
[Q] What has the Albanian movement accomplished so far?
[A] It has created a great space for tolerance. Among the
Albanians, there is a high degree of self-organization, and
there are even factions for the secession of Kosovo. Serbia
is only keeping that under strategic control and is
maintaining a constant level of repression. Every week they
surround a new village, search for weapons and arrest
people, but they go no further than that, they do not want
to provoke a war. I think Belgrade is being careful to avoid
applying extreme pressure that could create an explosion.
These forms of organization are the start of the
institutionalized organization of the Albanians -
independent education and a very structured party network.
The finance ministry, taxes, culture and league sports,
which we finance ourselves, are not key state functions, but
they are the functions of a state.
It is often argued in favour of Rugova that, with these
functions, the Albanians can create a state. Rugova recently
told Radio Tirana that, by the year 2000, Kosovo could
become a nice state. So, he could be the nice president of a
nice state.
War suits no-one
[A] If the catastrophic scenario according to which the war
in the former Yugoslavia is shifting from one republic to
another is true, then it could shift over into Serbia. I do
not think that such a war would be fought in Kosovo; it is
more likely that it would be a civil war in Serbia. A war in
Kosovo requires other conditions, and if it ever occurs, it
will be later. Perhaps it is the Albanians, and not the
Serbs, who will start it. At this moment, neither the
Albanians nor the Serbs want that war, Maliqi said.
(c) BBC Monitoring Summary of World Broadcasts.
CENTRAL/EASTERN EUROPE
BBC MONITORING SERVICE
BBC MONITORING SERVICE: CENTRAL EUROPE & BALKANS 6/8/96
06Aug96 ALBANIA: TIRANA COURT ORDERS DETENTION OF SUSPECT IN
PRISON CHIEF KILLING.
Source: ATA news agency, Tirana, in English 0748 gmt 5 Aug
96
Text of report by the Albanian news agency ATA
Tirana, 5th August: Judge of Tirana law court Ahmet Metalia
decided Saturday [3rd August] measure of detention for an
Albanian citizen, who is suspected to be one of the killers
of Bujar Kaloshi, general director of Albanian jails.
Metalia said that the detainee is Artan Basha. The court
approved the measure of detention asked by Tirana
prosecutor's office.
Bujar Kaloshi, 40, was killed on 26th July 1996 outside his
home in the suburbs of the capital Tirana, when he had just
stepped into his official car. He was shot by three persons
wearing sports clothes, allegedly in cross-country race.
Kaloshi at the moment of the shooting was accompanied only
by the driver, who was unarmed. The killers trying to
eliminate the witness pursued and attempted to kill the
driver who escaped. They had heavily wounded a woman about
50, while shooting at the driver.
(c) BBC Monitoring Summary of World Broadcasts.
CENTRAL/EASTERN EUROPE
BBC MONITORING SERVICE
BBC MONITORING SERVICE: CENTRAL EUROPE & BALKANS 6/8/96
______________________________________________________________________
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Qemajl Lumi
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06Aug96 ALBANIA: ALBANIAN POLICE SEIZE HEROIN.
Source: ATA news agency, Tirana, in English 1526 gmt 2 Aug
96
Police in the Albanian capital Tirana seized half a kilogram
of pure heroin, the Albanian news agency ATA reported on 2nd
August.
The police discovered the heroin hidden in a vehicle during
a surprise operation and subsequently detained four young
people, the agency said.
(c) BBC Monitoring Summary of World Broadcasts.
CENTRAL/EASTERN EUROPE
BBC MONITORING SERVICE
BBC MONITORING SERVICE: CENTRAL EUROPE & BALKANS 6/8/96
06Aug96 ALBANIA: PRESS DIGEST - ALBANIA - AUG 6.
TIRANA, Aug 6 (Reuter) - The following are the main stories
from Tuesday morning's Albanian newspapers. Reuters has not
verified these stories and does not vouch for their
accuracy.
KOHA JONE
- Police have arrested a 22-year-old man in connection with
the assassination of Albania's prisons director. The man
denies the charges.
- Albania's last communist president Ramiz Alia and two
ex-communist interior ministers will go on trial in
September on genocide charges.
RILINDJA DEMOKRATIKE
- Albania's cabinet decided to lower taxes on small business
and decided to exempt all local and foreign companies from
paying tax on profits.
ZERI I POPULLIT
- The daily said President Sali Berisha's decree creating an
election commission set the scene for what it said would be
election manipulation similar to the manipulation alleged in
the May 26 general elections.
(c) Reuters Limited 1996
REUTER NEWS SERVICE
06Aug96 MACEDONIA: PRESS DIGEST -- MACEDONIA -- AUG 6.
SKOPJE, Aug 6 (Reuters) - These are the leading stories in
the Skopje press on Tuesday. Reuters has not verified these
stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
NOVA MAKEDONIJA
- Macedonian government announces programme to fight
narcotics use and trade. International associations to join
the action.
- Heads of U.N. and OSCE missions in Skopje propose that
Macedonian President Kiro Gligorov assist efforts to release
rector of illegal Albanian university in Tetovo. Albania and
Kosovo Albanian leader Ibrahim Rugova demand the government
legalise Tetovo university.
- Twelve thousand tourists crossed the Greek-Macedonian
border at Medjitlija, close to Bitola, heading to Aegean
beaches. More than 2,200 tonnes of Macedonian products
exported to Greece and 22,000 tonnes of Greek products
imported to Macedonia.
- More ethnic-Albanians working in Macedonian diplomatic
service. Macedonian Foreign minsitry has employed 13
Albanians in different services. President Kiro Gligorov has
appointed four ethic Albanians as ambassadors to European
countries.
VECER
- Head of the Macedonian veterinarian department Mihajlo
Zoric declares the area near Titov Veles as totally clear of
foot-and-mouth livestock disease. Preventive measures still
remain in force at 13 border crossings.
-- Mircela Casule, Skopje newsroom +389 91 201196
(c) Reuters Limited 1996
REUTER NEWS SERVICE
06Aug96 ALBANIA: ALBANIA COMMUNISTS HEAD FOR JAIL AS APPEAL
FAILS.
TIRANA, Aug 6 (Reuter) - An Albanian appeals court on
Tuesday upheld a lower court judgement sentencing three
former communists to jail for crimes against humanity.
Pirro Kondi, Qirjako Mihali and Sulejman Bushati were
convicted on June 17 of approving the external exile of
political dissidents during the communist regime of late
dictator Enver Hoxha.
The three appealed, arguing they had not violated the
communist laws in place at the time.
Judge Lefter Jahja ruled Kondi and Mihali, who approved the
exile while serving as regional party chiefs, should
complete their 17-year jail sentences.
"Because of (Bushati's) difficulties at home and economic
problems, we decided to grant him a five-year suspended
sentence," Jahja said.
Thousands of Albanian dissidents were sent into internal
exile in the remote hinterland of the Balkan nation before
communist rule was toppled in December 1990.
Based on a controversial so-called Genocide Law, Albania has
begun a series of trials against former communist officials
accusing them of crimes against humanity and trying to
eradicate an entire section of society, the dissidents.
Albania'a last communist president Ramiz Alia and two former
interior ministers are expected to go on trial in September,
accused of crimes against humanity when they ordered guards
to open fire on Albanians fleeing the country.
(c) Reuters Limited 1996
REUTER NEWS SERVICE
06Aug96 YUGOSLAVIA: CROATIAN AND SERBIAN PRESIDENTS TO MEET
IN ATHENS.
BELGRADE, Aug 6 (Reuter) - Serbian President Slobodan
Milosevic and his Croatian counterpart Franjo Tujdman will
meet in Athens on Wednesday, the Yugoslav state news agency
Tanjug reported on Tuesday.
The meeting is believed to be the first face-to-face
encounter for the two men outside international conferences
related to the Dayton peace accord.
Tanjug said the two presidents "are expected to discuss
issues of importance for promoting Yugoslav-Croatian
relations", but gave no further details.
Tudjman's office confirmed the meeting, and said it had been
organised by the the Greek Prime Minister Konstantinos
Simitis.
"The normalisation of the relations between Croatia and
(rump) Yugoslavia would be discussed," said Tudjman's
spokesman Tihomir Vinkovic.
A Croatian government official, who did not want to be
named, said that any normalisation agreement would require
the rump Yugoslavia -- Milosevic's Serbia and Montenegro --
to recognise Croatia in its international borders.
"Serbia's recognition is important for Croatia as a signal
to the Serb population in Eastern Slavonia that they are a
part of Croatia," the official said.
The Croatian official could not say if the long-awaited
mutual recognitian agreement -- seen as crucial for a
permanent peace in the Balkans -- could be sealed tomorrow.
A transitional U.N. administration runs Eastern Slavonia --
the last Serb-held enclave in Croatia which borders Serbia
-- and is due to hand its control to Zagreb later next year.
The region has been a continuous source of friction between
local Serbs and Croats. Serbs fear persecution under
Croatian rule, and the U.N. believes thousands may cross the
border into Serbia-proper to avoid it.
Croatia declared independence from the former Yugoslavia in
1991, and later fought a bitter war against its Serb
minoriy.
The relations between the two most powerful nations in the
former Balkan federation have been strained since.
The meeting also comes a few days after the first
anniversary of the Croatian army's blitz-attack on the
Serb-held enclave of Krajina, which forced some 200,000 Serb
refugees to flee the region. Most settled in Serbia.
Zagreb celebrated the offensive, dubbed "Operation Storm" as
its greatest military victory, and declared last Monday a
public holiday to commemorate the offensive. Belgrade
mourned the operation as a massive ethnic cleansing drive
that still continues.
Earlier on Tuesday, European Union mediators averted a major
crisis for the Dayton agreement in Bosnia, by negotiating a
deal between Moslems and Bosnian Croats for power sharing in
the Bosnian town of Mostar.
Tudjman's administration is widely seen as the main sponsor
to Croatia's ethnic kin in Bosnia, as is Milosevic for the
Bosnian Serbs.
(c) Reuters Limited 1996
REUTER NEWS SERVICE
07Aug96 CYPRUS: SLOVENIA SEEKS 650 MILLION FROM RUMP
YUGOSLAVIA.
NICOSIA, Aug 7 (Reuter) - The Slovenian Republic is seeking
976 million marks ($650 million) from the now defunct
national bank of former Yugoslavia, a Slovenian official
told a Cypriot court on Wednesday.
Last month a Cypriot district court issued a temporary
injunction freezing funds of the national bank of former
Yugoslavia deposited in Yugoslav offshore bank Beogradska
Banka.
The Slovenes say part of the funds they seek, deposited in
the national bank of old Yugoslavia before Slovenia seceded
in 1991, could be in Beogradska.
The court issued an injunction to give lawyers of the
applicants access to Beogradska in order to check accounts
while lawyers for the bank say the money sought by the
Slovenes does not exist.
"The Republic of Slovenia took over the liabilities of
commercial banks to their customers," said Blanka Primec,
director of the Slovenian Succession Fund created in 1993 to
recover assets from former Yugoslavia and its institutions.
"This amount is now owed to the Republic of Slovenia."
Primec, in Cyprus to testify at the hearing, said the sum
amounted to 976 million marks. This money, she said, was
deposited in the national bank of former Yugoslavia.
She said the authorities were aware that the defunct bank
had assets deposited in third countries.
But when asked to elaborate on which countries or banks
Pambos Ioannides, Beogradska Banka's lawyer, objected,
saying that concrete evidence must be presented to back such
a claim.
It was one in a series of objections made by the Cypriot
lawyer who frequently cited the inadmissability of what he
called hearsay evidence.
Primec said that when a U.N. freeze on accounts was lifted
on rump Yugoslavia in 1995 the assets could have been
transferred to other accounts. "The documents of this
transfer could be destroyed," she said.
Ioannides strongly objected to Primec making any connection
between Beogradska Banka and the now-defunct bank.
Primec said she had a list from the Office of Foreign Assets
Control (OFFAC) of the U.S. Treasury which mentioned
Beogradska as an entity, she said, controlled by rump
Yugoslavia.
Ioannides said it was unacceptable practice for a court to
accept a document from a third country concerning the status
of a bank.
The court rejected the document as being hearsay and for
being a photocopy. The hearing continues on Thursday.
-- Michele Kambas, Nicosia newsroom 357 2 365089
(c) Reuters Limited 1996
REUTER NEWS SERVICE
07Aug96 YUGOSLAVIA: TANJUG NEWS AGENCY COMMENTS ON
"TERRORISM" IN PROVINCE.
Source: Tanjug news agency, Belgrade, in English 1831 gmt 5
Aug 96
Excerpts from report by Djordje Jevtic for the Tanjug news
agency
Pristina, 5th August: The latest terrorist attacks last
Friday [2nd August] on four police stations in four villages
in Serbia's southern province of Kosovo and Metohija
(Kosmet) were fifth in a series of synchronized planned
attacks on the police this year, carried out as a rule at
night or during a weekend.
The attacks were perpetrated in the Podujevo municipal area,
ill-famed for the extremism of Albanian separatists for a
decade.
Albanian extremists, suspected perpetrators of the attacks,
have carried out hundreds of assaults on Serbian police
officers in the past six years since the Yugoslav republic
of Serbia fully established its authority in Kosmet.
A strong separatist movement of ethnic Albanians (the most
numerous minority in Yugoslavia) has been active for decades
in Kosmet, seeking the province's secession from Serbia and
Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and its unification with
neighbouring Albania.
Albanian separatist strategists often abandon their
propaganda and media campaigns aimed at convincing the world
of their alleged peaceful intentions to undertake radical
actions and turn to classical terrorism. They do so every
time when important moves are expected or when they feel a
loss of credibility of their attempts to convince the world
that conditions in Kosmet are dramatic.
Accordingly, the latest attack occurred only a few days
after Serbian Prime Minister Mirko Marjanovic visited Kosmet
and stated that a policy of peace was being followed in the
province, that Kosmet was an inalienable part of Serbia and
that the integrity of the republic cannot be brought into
question.
Friday's attacks were aimed mainly at nullifying the
political and psychological effects of Marjanovic's
statements and at telling the world that there can be no
peace in the Balkans until the aspirations of Albanian
secessionists to a "state of Kosovo" are fulfilled...
Several illegal extremist Albanian organizations are behind
such terrorist actions, some of which have publicly claimed
responsibility for them.
The leading Albanian groupings in Kosmet have never publicly
admitted to extremism and terrorism or voiced their
condemnation of such actions, although the Albanian press
openly carried admissions of terrorist acts by militant
organizations.
Experts on Albanian separatist movement believe that its
strategists will continue combining the tactics of
"peacemaking" and terrorism in order to make at least some
of their ambitious promises to their followers come true.
(c) BBC Monitoring Summary of World Broadcasts.
CENTRAL/EASTERN EUROPE
BBC MONITORING SERVICE
BBC MONITORING SERVICE: CENTRAL EUROPE & BALKANS 7/8/96
07Aug96 YUGOSLAVIA: KOSOVO ALBANIAN LEADER WELCOMES US
CONGRESS RESOLUTION ON PROVINCE.
Source: `Rilindja', Tirana, in Albanian 3 Aug 96
Excerpts from report by D. Gashi on news conference in
Pristina by Ibrahim Rugova, president of the Albanians'
self-declared Republic of Kosovo, published under the title
"The US Congress resolution supports self-determination for
Kosovo" by the Albanian newspaper ` Rilindja' on 3rd August
Dr Ibrahim Rugova, president of the Republic of Kosovo,
began yesterday's news conference by welcoming the US
Congress resolution on Kosovo, which asks for an improvement
of the situation in Kosovo, self-determination for Kosovo
and the appointment of a special US envoy for Kosovo.
President Rugova thanked Kosovo's friends in the US Congress
who backed this resolution, led by Mr [Eliot] Engel and Mrs
[Susan] Molinari, co-chairmen of the Committee for the
Question of Kosovo. He also welcomed the stand taken by
Secretary of State [Warren] Christopher in front of the
Congress's Foreign Relations Committee, according to which
"the Albanians must manage Kosovo". Dr Rugova thanked Mr
Christopher for his personal commitment to Kosovo and for
the pleasure he had expressed at the opening of the US
office in Pristina...
Commenting on the Serbian law on citizenship, which, as one
correspondent remarked, prevents Albanians from returning to
their own homes in Kosovo, Dr Rugova said: "Our citizenship
is well known, and as for the citizenship offered by this
artificial creation, it is of no use to us in Kosovo but is
only being imposed by force." Regarding the idea that Kosovo
might issue its own citizenship law, Dr Rugova said: "We
have not embarked on many issues that would exacerbate the
situation. However, it is important that Kosovo, at the
state level, is being increasingly recognized as an
international entity."
President Rugova again asked Macedonian President [Kiro]
Gligorov to use his authority to release the leaders of
Tetovo University and not to convict them, in order not to
exacerbate the situation in Macedonia. He also asked for the
legalization of the work of Tetovo University and asked for
the Albanians to cooperate more among themselves. "As you
know", President Rugova said, "we are making efforts to have
good relations with Macedonia and to ensure that the
Albanians there exercise all their rights" ...
(c) BBC Monitoring Summary of World Broadcasts.
CENTRAL/EASTERN EUROPE
BBC MONITORING SERVICE
BBC MONITORING SERVICE: CENTRAL EUROPE & BALKANS 7/8/96
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07Aug96 ALBANIA: PRESS DIGEST - ALBANIA - AUG 7. 08:27 GMT
TIRANA, Aug 7 (Reuter) - The following are the main stories
from Wednesday morning's Albanian newspapers. Reuters has
not verified these stories and does not vouch for their
accuracy.
KOHA JONE
- Nine Albanian parties have threatened to boycott local
elections in October if the president nominates the central
electoral commission.
- A man arrested on suspicion of murdering Albania's prisons
director has started a hunger strike in protest at his
imprisonment.
- An appeals court ruled two former communist regional
leaders should remain in prison after they were found guilty
of crimes against humanity. A third received a suspended
sentence.
- Halit Shamata, the new interior minister, is carrying out
a major reshuffle in the ministry.
GAZETA SHQIPTARE
- At least 170 Albanian soldiers deserted the army this
year. Prosecutors say punishment should become tougher than
the maximum six-month jail term.
- About 190 million dollars were directly invested in
Albania up to the end of 1995.
- Urban bus fares will become 40 percent more expensive in
September.
(c) Reuters Limited 1996
REUTER NEWS SERVICE
07Aug96 MACEDONIA: PRESS DIGEST - MACEDONIA - AUG 7. 10:10
GMT
SKOPJE, Aug 7 (Reuters) - These are the leading stories in
the Skopje press on Wednesday. Reuters has not verified
these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
NOVA MAKEDONIJA
- The real reason why trucks with Macedonian agricultural
products barred from entering Croatia is protest of Croatian
farm workers and low prices of Macedonian fruits and
vegetables and not the foot-and-mouth disease.
- Macedonian ambassador in Tirana Nikola Todorevski sent a
protest note to the Albanian foreign ministry over the
Albanian parliament resolution from July 31 supporting the
illegal Tetovo university and demanding the release of
rector Fadil Sulejmani. Skopje says this is an interfernence
in Macedonia's internal affairs.
- Tetovo textile industry Tetex exported $12 million worth
of goods to the U.S. in the past seven months.
DNEVNIK
- Greek Foreign Minister Teodoros Pangalos said that
Macedonian foreign minister Ljubomir Frckovski "wants to
satisfy extremists by his radical statements".
-- Mircela Casule, + Skopje newsroom 389 91 201196
(c) Reuters Limited 1996
REUTER NEWS SERVICE
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03Aug96 ALBANIA: GREEK PARTY "FACING CRISIS".
Source: `Koha Jone', Tirana, in Albanian 1 Aug 96 p6
Excerpts from report by Ilir Babaramo for the Tirana-based
newspaper ` Koha Jone' on 1st August
Thoma Mico, the number two in the Human Rights Union [PBDNj]
has unleashed a storm of criticism against party chairman
[Vasil] Melo. Melo's entry into parliament and his "neither
chalk nor cheese" political attitude has led to the greatest
ever crisis in the history of the Greek party in Albania.
"Our party is experiencing a crisis of confidence among the
electorate," party secretary-general Thoma Mico said.
The crisis in the PBDNj and the bitter conflict in its
presidium started immediately after the 26th May elections.
The party presidium together with party chairman Melo
decided to denounce the electoral farce and to boycott the
parliament that emerged from it. However, only three days
after this decision, Melo performed an about-turn and agreed
to recognize the elections. Thanks to the proportional list,
he entered the parliament, while two other deputies who won
under the first-past-the-post system adopted the
opposition's stand of boycotting parliament.
It still remains a mystery what persuaded Melo to recognize
the 26th May elections, which he had denounced only a few
days previously. Mico commented, "If Melo has no other
duties besides those to his party, he has demonstrated
political immaturity. As PBDNj secretary-general, I express
the conviction that Melo's presence in the parliament is
only his personal initiative rather than our official
stand." Not only Melo's presence in the parliament, but his
entire political attitude has obliged the party's deputy
leader to publicly admit the conflict...
Mico, like the other minority deputy Dule, refused to enter
the parliament that came out of the votes counted by the
Democratic Party militants. "One cannot join a parliament
that has not been democratically elected. This parliament
has not been created on the basis of the free ballot of the
people," said Mico, making the assumption of his seat in the
parliament conditional on the state's opening Greek schools
in three towns in the south. Melo's unfulfilled dream of
taking the portfolio of minister of emigration constitutes
another reason for Mico to attack his party's leader. "He
sought a government post, despite our party's need to take
an opposition stance," Mico said. Within a short time, Melo
has said he is both on the government's and the opposition's
side. "The professor is confusing the two," Mico said
ironically...
In any event, even without Mico's attacks, the PBDNj is in
crisis. Only a short time ago, party deputy chairman Kosta
Makaradhi attacked Melo, using the same arguments as Mico.
On order to overcome the crisis their party is facing and to
repair its image before the electorate, Mico said that Melo
should tender his resignation from the party leadership. "A
realistic politician would have the courage to tender his
resignation. In a democratic society, tendering your
resignation is a normal civil act," Mico said.
(c) BBC Monitoring Summary of World Broadcasts.
CENTRAL/EASTERN EUROPE
BBC MONITORING SERVICE
BBC MONITORING SERVICE: CENTRAL EUROPE & BALKANS 3/8/96
03Aug96 ALBANIA: ARCHBISHOP OPPOSES CHOICE OF GREEK
METROPOLITANS.
Source: Tirana `Koha Jone' in Albanian 1 Aug 96 p1
Text of report by Ilir Babaramo entitled "No to Greek clergy
in Korce, Vlore, Gjirokaster" published by the Albanian
newspaper `Koha Jone' on 1st August
The Patriarchate of Constantinople had decided to send to
Albania three metropolitans of Greek nationality, but
Archbishop Janullatos has said "no".
The seat of the Orthodox Church in Istanbul had asked
Janullatos, archbishop of the Albanian Autocephalous
Orthodox Church, to perform the rite of induction of the
three Greek candidates to the senior posts of metropolitans
of Gjirokaster, Vlore and Korce. But Janullatos objected.
"My selection as archbishop of the Albanian Orthodox Church
provoked objections four years ago, because of my Greek
nationality," Janullatos said, explaining his hesitation.
His Grace is reported to have said: "I favour dialogue with
the Albanian state authorities." Janullatos came to Albania
in 1991 as the exarch of the Patriarchate of Constantinople
and one year later was appointed archbishop of the Albanian
Autocephalous Orthodox Church with the approval of President
Berisha. However, the Greek citizen who is archbishop of the
Albanian church has often found himself in the crossfire of
relations between the two states. The deterioration of
Albanian-Greek relations "reminded" the Albanian state
leaders that the Orthodox Church is headed by a Greek
priest.
In this embittered climate between the two states, the draft
constitution, whose approval Berisha sought in Albania's
first-ever referendum, laid down that the primates of
Albanian churches must be of Albanian nationality. Although
much water has since flown under the bridge, Janullatos has
not forgotten this. Waiting for the Albanian state
authorities to speak out, he has frozen the appointment of
the three Greek priests to the posts of metropolitans in
Albania.
Under Albania's present conditions, in which President
Berisha controls every segment of the state, he alone,
either directly or indirectly, will decide. Berisha is at
the moment on vacation in Pogradec, but all vacations come
to an end. It is difficult to predict whether Berisha will
take the same stand over the three metropolitans as he did
four years ago when he accepted Janullatos, or whether he
will adopt the attitude of the draft constitution that he
tried to have approved in November 1994. This issue is
expected to be reflected in Albanian-Greek diplomatic
relations, which have been fluctuating in the last few weeks
following Athens' objections to Tirana's attacks on the
Greek lobby in the United States. In any case, the best
response from both Athens and Tirana would be not to
interfere in the affairs of the church.
(c) BBC Monitoring Summary of World Broadcasts.
CENTRAL/EASTERN EUROPE
BBC MONITORING SERVICE
BBC MONITORING SERVICE: CENTRAL EUROPE & BALKANS 3/8/96
03Aug96 ALBANIA: ALBANIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH COMMITTEE PROTESTS
OVER APPOINTMENT OF GREEK BISHOPS.
Source: ATA news agency, Tirana, in English 1337 gmt 1 Aug
96
Excerpts from report by the Albanian news agency ATA
Tirana, 1st August: The Albanian committee for the defence
of the Albanian Orthodox Autocephalous Church has issued a
protest to the Ecumenical Patriarchy of Istanbul, Fanari
[name untraced], and to Patriarch Bartholomew against the
appointment by the patriarchy of three Greek bishops as
metropolitans of Gjirokaster, Vlore and Korce.
"The Orthodox believers and the entire Albanian people
consider this an ill-willing act and interference into the
internal affairs of the Albanian Orthodox Autocephalous
Church (AOAC)," the protest says.
"The main point of the autocephaly status of the Albanian
Orthodox Church attained in 1929, as well as in all other
autocephalous churches of the other Balkan countries,
requires that clergies and high-ranking religious
hierarchies of the Albanian Orthodox Autocephalous Church be
of Albanian nationality and citizenship, excluding the
minority zones, where minority clergies will say masses in
the Greek language," the statement says.
The patriarchy, fully violating the status of the Albanian
Orthodox Autocephalous Church of 1929, autocephaly
recognized in 1936, consecrated a few days ago, without the
approval of the Albanian church and state, three Greek
bishops for three dioceses in Albania.
According to an information provided by Jani Trebicka,
responsible for the church, the decision has been taken
without the knowledge of the Albanian Orthodox Church and
without the approval of Archbishop Janullatos...
"We do not understand this attempt of the patriarchy to deny
the autocephaly of the Albanian Orthodox Church after so
many decades and usurp its leadership by Greek bishops and
archbishop," says the protest signed by the committee's
chairman, Petrit Bidoshi.
A copy of the protest has also been presented to ATA for
information.
The Albanian Orthodox Autocephalous Church is called by the
entire Albanian people "the National Autocephalous Church of
Albania". It is sacred for all Albanians and any kind of
religion for its great contribution to national unification
and fraternity. The autocephaly of the Albanian Orthodox
Church is sealed with the efforts and blood of its best
representatives, the protest says...
(c) BBC Monitoring Summary of World Broadcasts.
CENTRAL/EASTERN EUROPE
BBC MONITORING SERVICE
BBC MONITORING SERVICE: CENTRAL EUROPE & BALKANS 3/8/96
03Aug96 GREECE: GOVERNMENT AND OPPOSITION DENOUNCE
MACEDONIAN CLAIMS.
Source: ER radio, Athens, Greek 1500 gmt 1 Aug 96
Text of report by Greek radio on 1st August
Referring to a statement issued yesterday by the Foreign
Ministry of The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, the
Greek Foreign Ministry notes the following:
The Foreign Ministry of the Former Yugoslav Republic of
Macedonia should not put forward unfounded claims that make
no contribution at all to promoting relations of good
neighbourliness and stability in the Balkans, which are
goals aimed for by all the recent international initiatives
aimed at promoting peace and security in the region.
Instead, it should exert every effort towards a positive
outcome of the New York talks on the name of this republic.
Greece will continue its firm policy towards the Former
Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia for the development of good
neighbourly relations with this bordering country.
The Political Spring party describes the claims by the
Skopjeans [Macedonians] as irrational and a natural result
of the interim agreement with which the Greek government
allowed them to increase their intransigence on the name
issue.
The Political Spring statement adds: Now that they have
secured what they wanted, they proceed with disputing Greek
property and even impertinently raising the question of the
alleged Macedonian minority in Greece. The worst thing is
that, in the face of this development, the government
demonstrates an enraging and almost suspicious idleness.
(c) BBC Monitoring Summary of World Broadcasts.
CENTRAL/EASTERN EUROPE
BBC MONITORING SERVICE
BBC MONITORING SERVICE: CENTRAL EUROPE & BALKANS 3/8/96
05Aug96 YUGOSLAVIA: PRESS DIGEST - YUGOSLAVIA - AUGUST 5.
BELGRADE, August 5 (Reuter) - These are the leading stories
in the Belgrade press on Monday. Reuters has not verified
these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
POLITIKA
- Yugoslavs win four medals in Atlanta.
- This year's crop expected to be average thanks to the
rains, says director of Novi Sad agricultural insitute
Milutin Cirovic.
- Measures introduced by the National Bank of Yugoslavia to
improve solvency of firms giving first results, says
secretary general of association of Yugoslav banks Mileta
Babovic.
- Serbian Patriarch Pavle holds commemoration for those
killed in Croatia's "operation Storm" in Serb Krajina last
year.
- Cost of utiliities should not exceed 12 percent of the
total family budget and the government will take measures to
protect its citizens living standards, says Deputy Minister
for Urbanism and Utilities Vojin Radevic.
NASA BORBA
- Memorandum of Understanding on division of former
Yugoslavia's assets, distributed to all former Yugoslavia's
republics. The memo says gold belonging to Kingdom of Serbia
and Kingdom of Montenegro is open to negotiations.
- Yugoslav trade unions warn that the latest price rises in
food and public utilities' destroy optimistic forecasts on
price stability and expected rise in output. The rises also
signal waves of workers' discontent.
- Three police stations in Kosovo, for the fifth time this
year, were targets of terrorist attacks late Saturday night.
Illegal Albanian separatist organisation
National-liberatiion army of Kosovo accepted responsibility
for earlier attacks.
VECERNJE NOVOSTI
- Yugoslav air carrier JAT resume flights to Prague after
four-year suspension.
- Acting President of Bosnian Serb republic Biljana Plavsic
says Dayton provisions should be followed to the letter by
all sides. She says the only outstanding issue is the width
of the Brcko corridor.
POLITKIA EKSPRES
- Fifty million dollar credit line from Italy soon to be
realised, says Serbian Minister for private entrepreneurship
Radoje Djukic.
- Mining and Smelting firm Rudarsko Topionicarski Basen Bor
production up 50 percent in first seven months this year on
last year.
BORBA
- U.N. Special human rights rapporteur Elisabeth Rehn to
visit Montenegrin capital of Podgorica on Tuesday.
- President of the Moslem-Croat federation Hasan Muratovic
says economic cooperation with Yugoslavia should start with
industries that were linked before the war.
- Belgrade newsroom, +381 11 2224305
(c) Reuters Limited 1996
REUTER NEWS SERVICE
05Aug96 YUGOSLAVIA: "TERRORISTS" ATTACK FOUR POLICE STATIONS
IN KOSOVO.
Source: Tanjug news agency, Belgrade, in Serbo-Croat 1213
gmt 3 Aug 96
Excerpt from report by Tanjug news agency
Pristina, 3rd August: Synchronized terrorist attacks on four
police stations in Kosovo were carried out last night,
Tanjug has learnt from reliable sources.
The attacks took place between 2100 and 2130 [1900 and 1930
gmt], starting with Pristina's main police station, followed
by attacks on the police stations in Podujevo, Krpimej and
Luzane, also in Podujevo municipality.
The terrorists combined infantry weapons with bombs and the
police responded by firing at the attackers. According to
incomplete, but reliable reports, no-one was injured and a
search for the culprits is under way.
Most damage was caused in Podujevo, where three police
vehicles and three civilian cars were set on fire. The fire
also spread to a nearby building accommodating the Red
Cross, a garage and a number of other Podujevo municipal
services...
(c) BBC Monitoring Summary of World Broadcasts.
CENTRAL/EASTERN EUROPE
BBC MONITORING SERVICE
BBC MONITORING SERVICE: CENTRAL EUROPE & BALKANS 5/8/96
05Aug96 YUGOSLAVIA: YUGOSLAVIA - ALBANIAN RADIO REPORTS
"EXTREMELY TENSE" SITUATION IN KOSOVO TOWNS.
Source: Albanian Radio, Tirana, in Albanian 1730 gmt 3 Aug
96
Text of report by Albanian radio on 3rd August
[Pristina correspondent Sherif Konjufca] Following the
mysterious explosions at two locations in Podujevo and one
in Pristina, the situation has become extremely tense,
particularly in the town of Podujevo and its suburbs.
Meanwhile, Serbian police have undertaken a fierce campaign
of violence against those living near the scene of the
blasts and passers-by of Albanian nationality.
The Information Commission of the Democratic League of
Kosovo [DSK] in Podujevo reports a powerful blast in the
yard of an old police station, which set fire to the
auxiliary facilities of the former station building and
several police vehicles.
The inhabitants of the buildings close to the station
confirmed to the Kosovo Information Centre that right after
the blast numerous shots with automatic weapons were heard.
Uncontrolled firing was also reported in the direction of
the buildings around the scene of the incident. Police cars,
armoured vehicles, and the fire department caused great
confusion in the streets of the town. There are reports of a
large number of Serbian armed forces - both from Pristina
and from Serbian towns - marching through the streets of the
town until 0200 [local time]. The city was practically
blocked until 0900 on Saturday [3rd August].
The DSK Information Commission reports an explosion in
Krpimes in Podujevo and another one near the Serbian police
station in the Muhadzer quarter of Pristina. It is reported
that firing was also heard at the same time in the vicinity
of the police station in Luzane on the Podujevo-Pristina
road.
So far, there are no reports of anyone killed or wounded.
However, reports note continuous movements of police cars
and a large number of citizens being lined up and maltreated
by the Serbian police.
(c) BBC Monitoring Summary of World Broadcasts.
CENTRAL/EASTERN EUROPE
BBC MONITORING SERVICE
BBC MONITORING SERVICE: CENTRAL EUROPE & BALKANS 5/8/96
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07Aug96 YUGOSLAVIA: MILOSEVIC AND TUDJMAN REACH BREAKTHROUGH
DEAL.
By Peter Greste
BELGRADE, Aug 8 (Reuter) - Rump Yugoslavia and Croatia have
taken Balkan-watchers by surprise with an announcement that
they will formally recognise each other under an agreement
to be signed by their foreign ministers later this month.
The deal was announced in a joint statement after Slobodan
Milosevic, the president of Serbia which dominates
Yugoslavia, met Croatian leader Franjo Tudjman for talks in
Athens on Wednesday.
Milosevic told the Yugoslav state news agency Tanjug: "I am
deeply convinced that today's meeting was a very big step in
the interests of both Yugoslavia and Croatia, since there is
no doubt that the improvement of those relations is
important not only for our two countries but for the whole
region."
Tudjman said they managed to overcome obstacles surrounding
the most divisive point of friction between the two former
protagonists.
"It all boils down to the normalisation of all open
questions that will alleviate and accelerate the peaceful
reintegration of the Danube basin (Serb-controlled Eastern
Slavonia)," he said.
The tone of reconciliation is remarkable given the recent
history of antagonism between Zagreb and Belgrade.
Relations have been strained ever since Croatia declared
independence from former Yugoslavia in 1991, sparking war
with Croatian Serbs who wanted to remain in the federation.
The Croatian Serbs declared their own "Independent Republic
of Serb Krajina" which survived for four years until the
Croatian army recaptured two of Krajina's three regions a
year ago.
An interim U.N. administration is due to hand the third
region -- the oil-rich Eastern Slavonia on Croatia's eastern
border with Serbia -- to Zagreb's authority next year. The
transfer has been the main point of friction between the two
governments.
They have also been bickering over who inherits the old
Yugoslav federation's assets and who should control the
strategicly important but uninhabited Prevlaka peninsula.
Prevlaka on the southernmost tip of Croatia is a tiny
promontory which guards the entrance to the Bay of Kotor,
the main Yugoslav naval base.
"Even Prevlaka was not an obstacle for us," said Croatian
deputy foreign minister Ivan Simonovic. "We tackled the
issue as a security problem and not a territorial one."
The Athens agreement and the apparent spirit of co-operation
was a surprise given that there had been no high-level
diplomatic activity about mutual recognition in the past
five months.
They first raised the issue early in 1994 and held sporadic
meetings until their last public discussion in Geneva in
March.
It emerged that the host of the Athens summit, Greek Prime
Minister Costas Simitis, had worked in secret for 25 days to
arrange the meeting.
A Belgrade-based diplomat who asked not to be identified
said: "It came as quite a surprise. But on the face of it,
anything which gets these two rivals to shake hands has to
be positive."
That does not mean everyone in former Yugoslavia will be
pleased.
The accord was likely to send a clear message to Croatian
Serbs in Eastern Slavonia that they can forget their dream
of turning their fertile plain into a province of greater
Serbia.
It was also a sign to separatist Serbs and Croats in
neighbouring Bosnia that they should not expect open support
from either government for their hopes of joining their
respective motherlands.
(c) Reuters Limited 1996
REUTER NEWS SERVICE
08Aug96 YUGOSLAVIA: EXPERTS PREDICT 47.6% INFLATION FOR
1996.
Source: Tanjug news agency, Belgrade, in English 1144 gmt 31
Jul 96
Yugoslavia's annual inflation could reach 47.6% at the end
of 1996 because of inflationary pressures apparent from June
economic developments, Tanjug news agency reported on 31st
July.
Citing experts from the Belgrade-based Market Research
Institute, the agency said that in June prices were 3.3% up
on the same period of last year, while the May price rise
was 1.8%.
The agency added that the population's buying power was 1.4%
lower in the first half of 1996 than in the same period of
1995. Compared with the first six months of 1995, the net
disposable income in the same period of this year dropped by
8.8%, while in June 1996 alone the disposable income was
13.5% lower than in June 1995.
Tanjug added that a total of 18,929 insolvent companies were
registered in the country in June 1996 and that their
outstanding liabilities totalled 3.768bn dinars, DM 1.142bn.
(c) BBC Monitoring Summary of World Broadcasts.
CENTRAL/EASTERN EUROPE
BBC MONITORING SERVICE
BBC MONITORING SERVICE: CENTRAL EUROPE & BALKANS 8/8/96
08Aug96 YUGOSLAVIA: CAR MANUFACTURER STARTS EXPORT OF
UNASSEMBLED CARS TO EGYPT.
Source: Tanjug news agency, Belgrade, in English 1201 gmt 3
Aug 96
The Zastava car factory of the central Serbian town of
Kragujevac has delivered a first batch of unassembled cars
to Egypt under an agreement worth about 35m dollars, Tanjug
news agency reported on 3rd August.
The batch consisted of 480 Zastava 128 cars. The contract
provides for the sale of 9,000 vehicles by mid-1997, Tanjug
said, citing Zastava officials.
(c) BBC Monitoring Summary of World Broadcasts.
CENTRAL/EASTERN EUROPE
BBC MONITORING SERVICE
BBC MONITORING SERVICE: CENTRAL EUROPE & BALKANS 8/8/96
08Aug96 YUGOSLAVIA: ALBANIAN AGENCY COMMENTS ON
PARAMILITARIES' VISIT TO KOSOVO.
Source: ATA news agency, Tirana, in English 1743 gmt 5 Aug
96
Excerpts from report by Lindita Karadaku for the Albanian
news agency ATA
Tirana, 5th August: Accompanied by scores of armed Serbs,
Zeljko Raznjatovic, called Arkan, "visited" Kosovo right
after the recent incidents against Serbian police stations.
Together with his paramilitary formations, he paraded on the
streets of Pristina and Podujeva.
The "visit" to Kosovo of the chairman of the Party of
Serbian Unity right after the recent incidents is an ominous
warning which shows that Kosovo is part of the strategy of
"tigers", paramilitary militiamen led by Arkan... The
warning becomes more ominous with the region full of Serbian
soldiers, policemen and military arsenal, and on the basis
of the fact that the task of "the tigers" is to "purge" what
remains after the actions of the Serbian army in the suburbs
and villages.
Before the war in Yugoslavia, Arkan was a bandit and an
ordinary criminal sentenced with 20 years of imprisonment
for theft, deceit and bank robbery, wanted by the Interpol
of seven countries. Time and again he has warned that he
"will deal" with the question of Kosovo. As a "deputy" of
Kosovo to the Serbian parliament, he has demanded that
professional forces be installed on the borders with
Albania. In July this year, Arkan "forecast" that broad
conflicts may burst in Kosovo in the coming year. This
"forecast" has been made along his " visits" and those of
his men to various places of Kosovo.
Arkan, wanted by the International Court of the Hague for
crimes during the war in former Yugoslavia, will take part
in the coming parliamentary elections in Serbia.
Serbian sources have declared frequently that Arkan "will
start eliminate Albanians physically". Serbian paper
`Jedinstvo'said that Arkan has threatened the Albanians with
their expulsion from Kosovo. The paper cites Arkan in a news
conference in Peja, near the border with Albania, to have
said that his party "will be committed to make all the
Albanians not loyal to the Serbian state leave Kosovo".
The presence of Arkan and paramilitary forces in Kosovo is
part of the strategy of Milosevic to fight in Kosovo by all
manner of means. Since June 1989, on occasion of the 600th
anniversary of the battle of Fushe-Kosovo, Milosevic warned:
"Today, after 600 years, we are again at war, this has not
yet come to arms but an armed struggle may also be a reality
in the future."
(c) BBC Monitoring Summary of World Broadcasts.
CENTRAL/EASTERN EUROPE
BBC MONITORING SERVICE
BBC MONITORING SERVICE: CENTRAL EUROPE & BALKANS 8/8/96
08Aug96 ALBANIA: PARTY SAYS GOVERNMENT DECISION WILL IMPROVE
RELATIONS.
Source: Albanian TV, Tirana, in Albanian 1800 gmt 6 Aug 96
Text of report by Albanian TV on 6th August
The Human Rights Union Party [PBDNj] said in a television
report that it welcomed the government decision of 5th
August 1996 to open three elementary classes in Greek in the
cities of Gjirokaster, Delvine and Sarande.
We express our conviction that the Albanian government's
decision to open three classes in these three Albanian
cities will serve to strengthen the good understanding and
cooperation between the Greek minority and their Albanian
brothers and will further improve the relations of
friendship and cooperation between our two neighbouring
countries and peoples, the PBDNj statement for television
said.
(c) BBC Monitoring Summary of World Broadcasts.
CENTRAL/EASTERN EUROPE
BBC MONITORING SERVICE
BBC MONITORING SERVICE: CENTRAL EUROPE & BALKANS 8/8/96
08Aug96 ALBANIA: LEADER OF ETHNIC GREEK PARTY DEFENDS
DECISION TO TAKE HIS SEAT IN PARLIAMENT.
Source: `Koha Jone', Tirana, in Albanian 2 Aug 96
The chairman of the party which rallies ethnic Greeks in
Albania, Vasil Melo, has reportedly said that both Athens
and the association of ethnic Greeks in Albania consider
that elected MPs should take their seats in the Albanian
parliament. Melo was replying to criticism that he had
performed a U-turn and was ignoring the opposition's boycott
of parliament. The following is the text of an article by
Ilir Babaramo: "Athens asked us to participate in
parliament", published by the Albanian independent daily
`Koha Jone' on 2nd August:
"Mico is in a crisis, not the Union for Human Rights Party
[PBDNj]," said party chairman Melo in reply to the attacks
launched against him by Thoma Mico, the party's general
secretary. Melo sought to equate attacks on him with attacks
on the party.
The day before, the second-in-command of the party of the
Greeks in Albania had accused Melo of leading the PBDNj
towards a crisis of confidence in the electorate because of
his personal stands taken " without the mandate of the
presidium". One of the reasons for Mico's bitter attacks on
Melo was the fact that Melo has agreed to take part in
parliament, while the other two deputies of the Greek
minorities have been boycotting it.
"This is not my personal stand. The official opinion in
Athens is also that the PBDNj should take part in the
parliament," Melo said in justification of his entry into
the parliament that emerged from the 26th May elections.
Melo agreed to enter the parliament despite three days
earlier having denounced the 26th May elections as
illegitimate and having demanded new elections under
international supervision, alongside the rest of the
opposition. However, Melo claims that it was not Athens
alone which suggested he should enter the parliament, but
also Omonoia [Democratic Union of the Greek Minority], the
association of Greeks in Albania. "The presidium of Omonoia
decided that the three PBDNj deputies should enter
parliament," Melo asserts.
In the parliamentary session at which a vote of confidence
in the second version of [Prime Minister Aleksander] Meksi's
government was taken, Melo voted in favour. Mico commented
on Melo's vote of confidence in the government, "The PBDNj
programme was not incorporated in the programme of the
government. By voting in favour, Melo has toadied to the
ruling party."
Asked for a response to Mico's attacks of the previous day,
Melo replied, "the best attitude is to take no attitude".
This bland sophistry did not prevent Melo from accusing his
party's second-in-command of being "a tool of left-wing
forces". If Mico attacked Melo because of his entry into
parliament, Melo counterattacked by calling the absence of
the other two Greek-minority deputies senseless. Mico
announced that his entry into parliament would be
conditional on the opening of Greek schools in three
southern towns.
Melo commented on Mico's attitude, "How can you lay down
conditions for entering parliament when you have been
elected a deputy?" Mico's hesitation to enter parliament has
now wearied the party chairman. " If Mico does not agree to
enter parliament, he must make a statement in writing and
surrender his parliamentary mandate," Melo says.
[Mico was reported to have "unleashed a storm of criticism
against party chairman Melo" - see 1st August article by
`Koha Jone', published in SWB issue EE/2681, section B, page
1.].
(c) BBC Monitoring Summary of World Broadcasts.
CENTRAL/EASTERN EUROPE
BBC MONITORING SERVICE
BBC MONITORING SERVICE: CENTRAL EUROPE & BALKANS 8/8/96
08Aug96 GREECE: GOVERNMENT WELCOMES ALBANIAN DECISION ON
MINORITY EDUCATION.
Source: ER radio, Athens, in Greek 0400 gmt 7 Aug 96
Text of report by Greek radio on 7th August
The Greek government has expressed its satisfaction at the
Albanian government's decision settling the issue of the
operation of minority schools in Gjirokaster, Delvine and
Sarande.
Our country believes that this action will contribute to the
further improvement of bilateral relations, which are
experiencing a constantly upward trend, and will benefit the
two peoples as well as stability, peace and mutual
cooperation in the Balkans.
(c) BBC Monitoring Summary of World Broadcasts.
CENTRAL/EASTERN EUROPE
BBC MONITORING SERVICE
BBC MONITORING SERVICE: CENTRAL EUROPE & BALKANS 8/8/96
08Aug96 ALBANIA: PRESS DIGEST - ALBANIA - AUG 8. 09:09 GMT
TIRANA, Aug 8 (Reuter) - The following are the main stories
from Thursday morning's Albanian newspapers. Reuters has not
verified these stories and does not vouch for their
accuracy.
KOHA JONE
- An investigation has been begun into the killing by police
of an armed Albanian man who stormed into a bank, took
several people hostage and demanded he be granted a loan.
- Police are heavily protecting the driver of the head of
prisons who witnessed his boss's recent assassination.
- The ruling Democratic Party and the opposition Socialists
are selecting candidates to run for mayor of the capital,
Tirana.
GAZETA SHQIPTARE
- Neighbouring Macedonia's ambassador to Albania rejected a
resolution by the Albanian parliament asking for more
education rights for ethnic Albanians living in Macedonia.
Macedonia said the resolution meddled in its internal
affairs.
(c) Reuters Limited 1996
REUTER NEWS SERVICE
______________________________________________________________________
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09Aug96 ALBANIA: PRESS DIGEST - ALBANIA - AUG 9. 08:24 GMT
TIRANA, Aug 9 (Reuter) - The following are the main stories
from Friday morning's
Albanian newspapers. Reuters has not verified these stories
and does not vouch for their
accuracy.
KOHA JONE
- The Socialist Party has refused to take part in a round
table organised by President Sali
Berisha to discuss the permanent election comission.
- An Italian religious organization says Albanian
prostitutes make up one third of the 25,000
women exercising the world's oldest profession in Italy.
- Bank employees who were reported to have been taken
hostage by an armed man who was
later killed by police say they were not taken hostage.
- The Albanian cabinet has approved the creation of a group
to prepare Albania's bid for
membership in the World Trade Organization. Albania has had
WTO observer status since
1992.
GAZETA SHQIPTARE
- The Trade Union Confederation complained to the goverment
about the liberalization of the
wheat and flour prices and asked full compensation.
- A bitumen mine in Selenica, a limestone mine in Elbasan
and a coal mine in Memaliaj are
up for sale.
- The construction cost index rose 2.1 percent in the second
quarter of 1996. Building costs
25 times more now than in 1991.
(c) Reuters Limited 1996
REUTER NEWS SERVICE
08Aug96 UNITED NATIONS: U.N. COUNCIL RAISES THREAT OF
SANCTIONS IN
BOSNIA. 19:46 GMT
By Evelyn Leopold
UNITED NATIONS, Aug 8 (Reuter) - The Security Council on
Thursday raised the threat
of economic sanctions against any Bosnian party that refused
to cooperate with the
international war crime tribunal on the former Yugoslavia.
In a policy statement read at a formal meeting, the
15-member body said, "The council is
ready to consider the application of economic enforcement
measures to ensure compliance by
all parties with the obligations under the peace agreement."
It condemned the failure of Bosnian Serbs and Yugoslavia to
carry out arrest warrants against
two key figures, former "president" Radovan Karadzic and
military leader Ratko Mladic.
The Hague-based U.N. tribunal has so far indicted 75 men,
mainly Serbs but 18 of them
Croats. It holds seven of them.
In The Hague, Bosnian Serb officials made clear on Wednesday
after three days of talks at
the Yugoslavia war crimes tribunal that they were unwilling
to surrender their indicted leaders
for trial.
Bosnia's U.N. Ambassador Muhamed Sacirbey said any decision
on whether to take further
measures would not be made in New York "but in Washington,
London, in Paris, in Moscow
and in other capitals." He said a formal council resolution
would have been more appropriate
since it carried greater weight than a statement.
Alluding to efforts to smooth the way for a political
settlement in Bosnia, where elections are
scheduled for Sept. 14, he told reporters they were
"overwhelming the agenda of justice, the
agenda of the tribunal."
"While the tribunal expects support from the Security
Council, I am afraid the tribunal will
be undermined by the lack of action or more correctly by the
marginal steps that are being
taken," he added.
The NATO-led peacekeeping force in Bosnia has been
criticised for not arresting Karadzic
and Mladic. The troops have orders only to detain suspects
should they come across them on
patrol and if the tactical situation permits.
The council statement also said it expected Bosnian and
Croat leaders in the central city of
Mostar to honour agreements "fully and without delay."
Moslems and Croats agreed on
Tuesday to form a local government in the city, averting a
major crisis in the Bosnian peace
process.
The Croats had repudiated the election outcome citing
alleged polling irregularities.
The statement also condemned human rights violations and
"ethnic harassment" that were
increasingly leading to a separation in the country. "The
council deeply regrets the undue
delay in implementing measures regarding, inter alia, the
development or creating of new
independent media and the preservation of property rights
and call upon each party to
implement them immediately," it said.
(c) Reuters Limited 1996
REUTER NEWS SERVICE
09Aug96 YUGOSLAVIA: PRESS DIGEST - YUGOSLAVIA - AUG 9. 08:23
GMT
BELGRADE, Aug 9 (Reuter) - These are the leading stories in
the Belgrade press on Friday.
Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch
for their accuracy.
POLITIKA
- U.S. Assistant Secretary of State John Kornblum arrives in
Belgrade within the scope of his
latest Balkan tour to lay groundwork for meeting in Geneva.
- Spokesman for U.N. High Commissioner's Office in Belgrade
Marwan Elkhouri says Zagreb
has to create safe conditions for return of Serb refugees.
- Serbian social security office says outstanding debts for
medicine stood at 154 million dinars
on June 30, and rejects responsibility for market shortages.
- The daily Politika has 25 percent of daily readership,
according to agency Partner BBSS.
- Yugoslavia registers $6.3 million dollar budget suprlus in
first half of the year.
- Zoran Jevdjovic appointed new acting dirctor of the state
news agency Tanjug, outgoing
director Slobodan Jovanovic going to new post.
- Association of refugees in Yugoslavia calls for increase
in humanitarian aid, notes
interruption of aid during past two months.
NASA BORBA
- Yugoslav prime minister Radoje Kontic says normalisation
of relations with the Paris and
London clubs of creditors is not possible before
normalisation of relations with the IMF and
return to the U.N.
- Cyprus district court in Nicosia dismisses Slovenia's
evidence that defunct natinal bank of
Former Yugoslavia held millions of dollars belonging to
Slovenia in an offshore bank on the
island.
- U.N. spokeswoman in Belgrade Susan Manuel says the Hague
tribunal for war crimes in
the former Yugoslavia will open its office in Belgrade in
two weeks.
- There will be enough electricity next winter, says Serbian
energy and mines minister Dragan
Kostic.
BORBA
- Director of Foreign trade institute in Belgrade Radovan
Kovacevic says first step towards
regulating relations with the World Trade Organisation have
already been made. It is
necessary to make lists of concessions in agriculture and
industry before talks, he said.
VECERNJE NOVOSTI
- Special U.N envoy Iqbal Riza talks in Pale with Bosnian
Serb Foreign Ministger Aleksa
Buha on preparation of elections.
- Yugoslav government at its session continues activities
for promotion of bilateral
cooperation with neighbouring and other friendly countries.
POLITIKA EKSPRES
- So far 217,600 Bosnia refugees in Yugoslavia have
registered to vote, head of the OSCE
supervising committee in Belgrade Zivota de Luca says.
- Private petrol importers worried about new federal
government contingents for imports of
derivatives in effect since July 15, fear they will have to
buy fuel at higher prices from
Serbian Oil industry NIS.
-- Belgrade newsroom, +381 11 222 4305
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12Aug96 YUGOSLAVIA: ALBANIANS' LEADER WANTS USA TO MEDIATE
IN TALKS WITH SERBIA.
Source: Beta news agency, Belgrade, in Serbo-Croat 1332 gmt
9 Aug 96
Text of report by the Yugoslav news agency Beta
Pristina, 9th August: Ibrahim Rugova, chairman of the
Democratic League of Kosovo [DSK] said in Pristina today
that the Kosovo Albanians "will resist any form of
terrorism", and rejected the attempts by certain Serbian
circles to "blame the Albanians for terrorism". "The world
highly respects our peaceful resistance in spite of
repression and we shall insist that the Kosovo population
distance itself from Serbian provocations," Rugova said at
today's press conference.
He warned that the presence of "paramilitary groups in
Kosovo, like the recent visit of [Serbian paramilitary
leader] Zeljko Raznatovic Arkan, is very dangerous for peace
in the area, because their deeds in Croatia and Bosnia are
common knowledge".
Rugova said that "everything will be done to stop the
intimidation of Albanians", and demanded that all
paramilitary groups leave Kosovo.
The DSK chairman said that the opening of the US information
service office in Pristina was a "positive, preventive and
stabilizing factor", and that "the destructive Serbian
propaganda is bent on undermining international presence in
Kosovo".
The leader of the Kosovo Albanians once again insisted that
"the USA be the mediator in the forthcoming Albanian-Serbian
negotiations, in cooperation and agreement with EU
countries".
"The USA is showing most interest in resolving the Kosovo
issue, which is confirmed by the visit of Richard Miles, new
head of the US mission, to Belgrade two days ago," Rugova
said.
Rugova added that in talks with Milosevic he would "repeat
the already known stances from the referendum on an
independent and neutral Kosovo with the aim of finding a
solution through dialogue".
He assessed Franjo Tudjman's and Slobodan Milosevic's Athens
talks as a positive step towards peace and added that it
remains to be seen how the agreement will be implemented.
(c) BBC Monitoring Summary of World Broadcasts.
CENTRAL/EASTERN EUROPE
BBC MONITORING SERVICE
BBC MONITORING SERVICE: CENTRAL EUROPE & BALKANS 12/8/96
12Aug96 YUGOSLAVIA: EXPLOSION TARGETS HOUSES BEING BUILT FOR
SERB, MONTENEGRIN REFUGEES.
Source: Tanjug news agency, Belgrade, in Serbo-Croat 1600
gmt 9 Aug 96
Text of report by Tanjug news agency
Pec, 9th August: The chairman of the Decani [in Kosovo]
municipal council, Milivoje Djurkovic, today told Tanjug
that unknown individuals threw or planted several explosive
devices at a housing bloc at around 2330 [2130 gmt]
yesterday evening in the village of Babaloc [untraced] near
Decani. The bloc is being built for Serb and Montenegrin
refugees from Albania.
"Three unfinished houses and a bulldozer were damaged by the
explosion, but, fortunately, no-one was hurt," Djurkovic
said.
The event aroused deep concern among the Serb and
Montenegrin inhabitants of Decani, and particularly among
1,500 refugees from Albania who are settled in Decani.
The Interior Ministry has not yet issued an official
statement on the incident.
(c) BBC Monitoring Summary of World Broadcasts.
CENTRAL/EASTERN EUROPE
BBC MONITORING SERVICE
BBC MONITORING SERVICE: CENTRAL EUROPE & BALKANS 12/8/96
12Aug96 YUGOSLAVIA: KOSOVO "LIBERATION ARMY" CLAIMS
RESPONSIBILITY FOR ATTACKS ON SERBIAN POLICE.
Source: `Bota Sot', Zurich, in Albanian 10 Aug 96
Text of "Communique No 22" from the "leading staff of the
Liberation Army of Kosovo" in the Swiss-based
Albanian-language newspaper `Bota Sot' on 10th August
On 2nd August, in Operational Zone No 1, our guerrilla units
launched four armed attacks against the occupying Serbian
police posts. Our attacks were intended to destroy the
Serbian police targets and inflict heavy material losses.
The target of the attacks was chosen on the basis of a
decision made by the UCK [Liberation Army of Kosovo] leading
staff.
The Albanian people of Kosovo will not be cheated by
defeatists and rabbits who are overwhelmed with fear and
panic. They know quite well that their best sons are leading
the actions, and they will not lay down their arms until the
occupied territories have been liberated.
Through this communique, we would like to state clearly to
the current Serbian political leadership that they must
withdraw from our territories as soon as possible, or our
attacks to liberate the country will be fierce and
merciless.
The decision-making centres should be aware that we are not
terrorists, as the Serbs are trying to call us, but that we
are warriors of liberty. In view of the fact that the
international decision-making centres have so far ignored
the demands of our people, we are obliged to use force to
liberate our territories.
[signed] The leading staff of the Liberation Army of Kosovo
[dated] Pristina, 4th August 1996.
(c) BBC Monitoring Summary of World Broadcasts.
CENTRAL/EASTERN EUROPE
BBC MONITORING SERVICE
BBC MONITORING SERVICE: CENTRAL EUROPE & BALKANS 12/8/96
12Aug96 ALBANIA: PRESIDENT AND PARTY LEADERS DISCUSS LOCAL
ELECTION CONCERNS.
Source: ATA news agency, Tirana, in English 0804 gmt 10 Aug
96
Excerpt from report by the Albanian news agency ATA
Tirana, 10th August: Structure of the permanent Electoral
Commission and its functioning were the topics discussed in
a meeting President of the Republic Sali Berisha held Friday
[9th August] with representatives of Albanian political
parties the Democratic Party [PD], the Republican Party
[PR], the National Front, the Union for Human Rights Party
[PBDNj], and the Social Democratic Union Party.
Prime Minister Aleksander Meksi was also present in the
meeting, because according the Law on Elections, a number of
its members will be proposed by the government.
The previous meeting of the political parties has asked and
decided a permanent Electoral Commission to be set up.
"Based on this unanimous decision, I decreed the permanent
Electoral Commission," Berisha said at the end of the
meeting, adding that " before decreeing its members which is
a legal duty of the president, I thought to convene a
consultation with parties not for the names because
president does not deal with them, they will be decided by
parties, but to discuss on the percentage of their
representation and other criteria on them".
After the meeting in an interview with journalists, Berisha
considered it very fruitful, as it has reached in the
conclusion " that the first criterion in the commission's
setup should be taken the local elections and not the
general elections".
Such a decision was very important for Berisha as "in the
local elections the small parties were more reliable in
their representation and according to the law its election
procedure has more proportional elements. There are majority
elements but proportional elements are present as well."
Different opinions were expressed on the number of its
members; some parties proposed 11 members while others
wanted to increase it to 14.
Regarding the Law on Genocide [preventing former communists
and their supporters from standing for public office], which
was also discussed in the previous meeting, Berisha said:
"We agreed to amend it and it will be amended. I think its
amendment may be deepened, I have always been of the idea it
should be a law of the closure of files not of their
opening. It should be amended to show such a thing." ...
(c) BBC Monitoring Summary of World Broadcasts.
CENTRAL/EASTERN EUROPE
BBC MONITORING SERVICE
BBC MONITORING SERVICE: CENTRAL EUROPE & BALKANS 12/8/96
12Aug96 ALBANIA: SOCIALIST PARTY WITHDRAWS FROM TALKS ON
ELECTIONS.
Source: `Zeri i Popullit', Tirana, in Albanian 9 Aug 96 p2
Text of statement by the Socialist Party presidium issued in
Tirana on 8th August: "Genuine dialogue, not a demagogic
trap", published by the Albanian newspaper `Zeri i Popullit'
on 9th August
The president of the republic has invited the Socialist
Party [PS] to a meeting with representatives of the
political parties which have representatives in local
government in order to discuss the composition of the
permanent Central Electoral Commission. The president also
asked for nominations for this commission.
Having considered this invitation with the proper attention
and seriousness, the PS presidium:
1. considers that free elections in Albania can be
guaranteed solely by fulfilling the conditions put forward
by the opposition in the spirit of the resolutions of the
Council of Europe, the OSCE and the European Parliament;
2. considers that so far no genuine legal step has been
undertaken to realize the eight demands of the PS submitted
at the first meeting with the president of the republic;
3. considers that the best way to clarify these conditions
is not through noisy propaganda, but by setting up a round
table of political parties and dialogue between the
opposition and the government, as the Council of Europe
recommended;
4. expresses the opinion that the creation of a permanent
Central Electoral Commission is a positive step in line with
the demands of the OSCE;
5. is worried that this initiative has been quickly caught
in the trap of demagogy and is degenerating into a deceitful
farce, in line with the interests of the Democratic Party as
directly expressed by the president of the republic, without
respecting the need for balance;
6. asks that the permanent Central Election Commission be
created on a full legal basis through a law which will
define its responsibilities, composition and all the
necessary framework for its work (the number of members, the
criteria for their selection, the balance of representation
among the political parties, the balance between the
government and the opposition and the proportions and
criteria for representation in electoral commissions at all
levels).
Because Decree No 1568 of 2nd August is unclear on all these
vital points, the PS presidium:
- considers it unnecessary to take part in the meeting
organized by the president of the republic and opposes all
political tricks designed to cover up the violence and
manipulation of 26th May;
- emphasizes once again its readiness to take part in
bilateral and multilateral dialogue with the consistent aim
of finding a solution to the country's current crisis.
(c) BBC Monitoring Summary of World Broadcasts.
CENTRAL/EASTERN EUROPE
BBC MONITORING SERVICE
BBC MONITORING SERVICE: CENTRAL EUROPE & BALKANS 12/8/96
12Aug96 ALBANIA: SOCIALISTS' REFUSAL TO ATTEND TALKS SEEN AS
ATTEMPT TO CREATE CRISES.
Source: ATA news agency, Tirana, in English 0918 gmt 9 Aug
96
Excerpts from report by the Albanian news agency ATA
Tirana, 9th August: The Socialist Party [PS] has refused to
take part in the meeting organized on 9th August by
President of the Republic Sali Berisha about the composition
of the permanent Central Electoral Commission.
"The PS refuses to take part in the meeting organized by the
president of the republic to avoid any kind of political
ploy intended to cover up the 26th May violence and
manipulations," says a statement issued on 8th August by the
PS presidency.
The meetings of the president of the republic with political
parties began since 18th July; they have discussed the date
of local elections. Bilateral PD [Democratic Party]-PS
meetings were also held in the past month on problems of
local elections.
European external affairs commissioner [Hans van den Broek],
during his visit to Albania a short awhile ago, appreciated
these meetings, considering them very fruitful and a
guarantee for free and fair elections...
President Berisha, after the first meetings with the
political parties on 18th July, stated that "the parties
will discuss the present Law on Local Elections and changes
to the local government structures" ...
After the first meeting with the political parties on 18th
July, Berisha confirmed that "there was consensus on the
date of local elections", which was also confirmed by the
current socialist leader, Servet Pellumbi...
According to analysts, with this new boycott, the PS intends
to create new crises and put off the date of elections after
the situation of chaos inside its structures following the
motion and messages of Fatos Nano, PS leader, actually
convicted of corruption and falsification of official
documents while he was Albania's prime minister.
(c) BBC Monitoring Summary of World Broadcasts.
CENTRAL/EASTERN EUROPE
BBC MONITORING SERVICE
BBC MONITORING SERVICE: CENTRAL EUROPE & BALKANS 12/8/96
12Aug96 ALBANIA: PARTIES CONDEMN SOCIALISTS' BOYCOTT OF
TALKS WITH PRESIDENT.
Source: ATA news agency, Tirana, in English 0801 gmt 10 Aug
96
Excerpts from report by the Albanian news agency ATA; agency
quotation marks throughout
Tirana, 10th August: Some of the Albanian left-wing parties
did not take part in the yesterday meeting between the
President Sali Berisha and representatives of the political
parties participating in the local government.
"The opposition took part in the meeting with the exception
of the left-wing representatives," said President Berisha
after the meeting...
"There were opposition parties like the Party of National
Union, the Union for Human Rights Party, the Christian
Democratic Party and others which took part in the meeting,
whereas the parties which boycotted the past elections did
not attend the meeting," said Berisha. He added that "this
may be a further boycott or an expression of the crisis that
the main opposition force is experiencing and the
difficulties of the faith they have in each other. This will
be clarified in the coming days."
Berisha stressed that the round-table negotiations will
continue despite the decisions by one of some political
forces. "The round table on local government questions will
continue at party level," said Berisha. "I may say that
absence and denial are nothing but a self-punishment."
Democratic Party [PD] Chairman Tritan Shehu spoke about
continuation of bilateral meetings between PD and Socialist
Party [PS]. This meeting would also determine the beginning
of a party round table which he said would be held by the
beginning of the second half of this month.
"I consider their stand wrong and absurd," said Shehu,
"which is related perhaps with their line of permanent
boycott or with the fact that they know they cannot win in
the local government elections."
Other party participants in the meeting with the president
also reacted towards the nonparticipation of the left-wing
political forces in the meeting.
The chairman of the Party of National Unity, Hysen Selfo,
said that " their aim is destruction and the PS has always
wanted to disorientate the Albanian public opinion and this
was proved today".
In the first meeting, the PS asked the president to postpone
the date of the elections so that they had the possibility
to choose their candidates, because they had some troubles
within their party. The president fulfilled this demand of
PS, leaving them a longer time for preparation."
"This was an unjust decision of the PS. Its declarations
cause dissatisfaction among the people and show clearly
their objective to take Albania backwards. Albania is
resolute to go ahead on the road of democracy, even without
the communists. The communists and socialists are the same,"
said Selfo in reply to a question by a reporter.
"The greatest evil is if no discussion is held at all," said
the Republican leader, Sabri Godo, when he said that when
you are invited to take part in a discussion you should go
to voice your opinion, but to boycott a priori a meeting
without knowing in details what it will be about, what
objectives it has, is, in my opinion, an irresponsible act."
...
(c) BBC Monitoring Summary of World Broadcasts.
CENTRAL/EASTERN EUROPE
BBC MONITORING SERVICE
BBC MONITORING SERVICE: CENTRAL EUROPE & BALKANS 12/8/96
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09Aug96 ALBANIA: ALBANIAN COMMISSION TO OVERSEE ELECTIONS.
TIRANA, Aug 9 (Reuter) - Albanian President Sali Berisha
agreed with some opposition groups on Friday to set up a
commission that will oversee future parliamentary elections.
The former communist country's last general election on May
26 and June 2 was marred by widespread accusations of
vote-rigging and manipulation, provoking strong criticism
from the West.
Berisha's Democrats won an overwhelming victory in the vote,
which was boycotted by most opposition parties. The
Socialists refused to take up the seats they won in
parliament, leaving the Democrats and a slim opposition
presence of three tiny parties.
The permanent central electoral commission will organise,
direct and check local polls due to be held in the second
half of October and all future parliamentary elections.
Its membership will reflect the performance of all political
parties in the last local election in 1992.
"The distribution of the commission's seats according to the
results of the local elections will benefit smaller
parties," Berisha told reporters.
The Socialist Party and the Social Democrats, two of the
country's biggest opposition groups, boycotted meetings to
design the election supervisory board, claiming the
discussions sought to gloss over shortcomings of the general
election.
(c) Reuters Limited 1996
REUTER NEWS SERVICE
10Aug96 CROATIA: U.S. ENVOY PUSHES FOR MOSLEM-CROAT DEAL.
By Davor Huic
ZAGREB, Aug 10 (Reuter) - U.S. envoy John Kornblum pressed
Croatian President Franjo Tudjman on Saturday to ensure his
Croat proteges in Bosnia dismantle their separatist
mini-state and support a Moslem-Croat federation.
"Today, we discussed the federation issue into detail. The
U.S. will help so that an agreement on the federation can be
struck by Wednesday," Kornblum said after talks with
Tudjman.
The U.S. envoy failed two days ago in Sarajevo to win a
commitment from Bosnian Moslem and Croat leaders to stop
bickering and establish government bodies inside their
federation.
Kornblum said more talks would be held in Sarajevo in a bid
to clinch a power-sharing deal and salvage the shaky
Moslem-Croat federation.
"For that purpose, two members of our delegation will stay
in Sarajevo until Wednesday," Kornblum was quoted as saying
by the Croatian news agency Hina.
Washington was pushing for an accord before the presidents
of Bosnia, Croatia and Serbia meet on Wednesday at a
U.S.-organised summit in Geneva.
Kornblum, on the last leg of his tour of former Yugoslavia,
met Tudjman on the Adriatic island of Brijuni, where old
Yugoslavia's communist ruler Josip Broz Tito used to
holiday.
Washington and European powers believe Tudjman, as patron of
the Bosnian Croats, can bring his ethnic kin into line.
Croatian Foreign Minister Mate Granic said after the talks
that his government would work for an accord transfering
powers from the self-declared Croat state to the federation,
state radio reported.
"As far as Bosnia-Herzegovina is concerned, Croatia gives
full support to the strenghtening of the federation and to
the transfer of powers from the republic of
Bosnia-Herzegovina and 'Herzeg-Bosnia' to the federation,"
Granic said.
"Unfortunately, an agreement that was already reached did
not materialise, and we will employ all our efforts for an
agreement to be reached by Wednesday or before the Geneva
meeting at the latest."
The Croats accuse the Sarajevo government of blocking
attempts to shift power to institutions in the federation.
Sarajevo accuses the Croats of plotting to divide the
country and annex Croat-held areas to neighbouring Croatia.
Even as U.S. diplomatic and military envoys pressed ahead
with plans for country-wide elections in September, Croats
and Moslems were still at loggerheads over the results of a
municipal poll held in Mostar on June 30.
The Bosnian Croats remain reluctant to respect the results
of the Mostar elections. The Moslem-led Bosnian government
says the Croats are setting a dangerous precedent for the
general elections by casting doubt on the Mostar vote.
Bosnia's Moslem-Croat federation, which the United States
brokered in 1994, is the cornerstone of the Dayton peace
process and intended as a model of ethnic cooperation.
But the federation so far has failed to carry any
substantial authority because of lingering mistrust between
the two sides which fought a 10-month war in 1993.
(c) Reuters Limited 1996
REUTER NEWS SERVICE
10Aug96 CROATIA: FOREIGN MINISTER SAYS ATHENS TALKS
IMPORTANT FOR REGIONAL STABILITY.
Source: HINA news agency, Zagreb, in English 1150 gmt 8 Aug
96
Text of report by the Croatian news agency HINA
Zagreb, 8th August: Yesterday's meeting between [Croatian
and Serbian] Presidents [Franjo] Tudjman and [Slobodan]
Milosevic was an important step toward the establishment of
durable peace and stability in the whole region, Croatian
Foreign Minister Mate Granic said on Thursday [8th August].
"Yesterday's talks have a great importance for the
normalization of relations between Croatia and Yugoslavia,
the Croatian and Serbian people and all citizens of Croatia
and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia," Granic said in a
statement for HINA.
It was agreed that the Croatian and Yugoslav foreign
ministers would meet in Belgrade on 23rd August, Granic
said. Until then, the two countries would harmonize an
agreement on the normalization of relations and the
establishment of diplomatic relations. This would be done
through diplomatic channels and at a meeting in Geneva on
14th August, Granic said.
"What's important about this meeting is that the Prevlaka
issue [disputed UN-controlled, demilitarized Adriatic
peninsula on Croatia' s border with the Yugoslav republic of
Montenegro] is no longer an obstacle for the establishment
of diplomatic relations. The two sides still hold the same
views, but agreed that the Prevlaka issue was an important
security issue for both the Boka Kotorska Bay and the
Dubrovnik area. The process of seeking a solution in
accordance with international law and the UN Charter should
be continued," Granic said. Other pending issues included
the sea border and the unimpeded access to the Boka Kotorska
Bay, he said.
"The meeting gave full support to the Erdut-Zagreb Agreement
and the peaceful reintegration of eastern Slavonia, Baranja
and western Srijem [Serbian form: Srem]. The meeting also
welcomed the successful demilitarization process, giving
full support to Gen Jacques Klein and his mission," Granic
said. It was further agreed that both sides would deliver
all the data on missing persons without delay, Granic said.
The meeting of the missing persons commission would also
take place on 23rd August or around that date.
"The meeting also firmly supported the Dayton Agreement and
the holding of Bosnian elections in September as scheduled,"
he said. " Yesterday's meeting is the most important step
toward the establishment of full diplomatic relations to
date," Granic said. " This fact has a great importance for
Croatia, particularly in connection with the so-called
global regional approach. It shows that Croatia is
normalizing relations with Belgrade and developing relations
with all neighbours but without any institutional links,"
Granic said. "Since the territorial integrity and
sovereignty of all states are respected and good relations
developed on the basis of interest, there is no need for
setting any conditions on Croatia's accession to European
associations," Granic concluded.
(c) BBC Monitoring Summary of World Broadcasts.
CENTRAL/EASTERN EUROPE
BBC MONITORING SERVICE
BBC MONITORING SERVICE: CENTRAL EUROPE & BALKANS 10/8/96
10Aug96 YUGOSLAVIA: OPPOSITION PARTY SAYS MILOSEVIC AND
TUDJMAN RESPONSIBLE FOR POINTLESS WAR.
Source: Beta news agency, Belgrade, in Serbo-Croat 1303 gmt
8 Aug 96
Text of report by the Yugoslav news agency Beta
Belgrade, 8th August: The Serbian Renewal Movement [SPO]
stated today that it did not "object" to yesterday's
agreement in Athens between Croatian President Franjo
Tudjman and Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic, because
the party "has always been for agreements, and against war;
it has always been for peace and reason, and against death
and hatred".
In a statement, the SPO says that such an attitude cannot be
shaken even by "the sad fact that yesterday's agreement was
reached by two men who are most responsible for the
senseless and horrible war, for death, refugees and the
suffering of millions of people".
"Why did Milosevic and Tudjman not agree on the
normalization of relations four years ago, or three years
ago? Why did yesterday's agreement not come about when
nearly one million Serbs lived in Croatia, without waiting
for the Serbs to be almost exterminated in that state?"
wonders the SPO.
One gets the impression that Milosevic and Tudjman agreed
earlier to undertake the normalization of Serbian-Croatian
relations only when Croatia becomes cleansed of Serbs, the
party says in the statement and adds that the SPO will never
"accept the results of such a shameful deal, because it will
fight for the return of Serbs to the Krajina and elsewhere
where they lived for ages".
(c) BBC Monitoring Summary of World Broadcasts.
CENTRAL/EASTERN EUROPE
BBC MONITORING SERVICE
BBC MONITORING SERVICE: CENTRAL EUROPE & BALKANS 10/8/96
10Aug96 YUGOSLAVIA: ETHNIC ALBANIAN PARTY CALLS FOR KOSOVO'S
DEMILITARIZATION.
Source: Beta news agency, Belgrade, in Serbo-Croat 1534 gmt
7 Aug 96
Text of report by the Yugoslav news agency Beta
Pristina, 7th August: Following the recent, still unsolved
bombings in Podujevo, Kerimpeh, Luzani and Pristina, the
Parliamentary Party of Kosovo has stated today that it is
against any political violence in Kosovo and believes that
"the best way of avoiding violence is the demilitarization
of Kosovo".
"These incidents testify that the Serb authorities in Kosovo
are using new methods of violence," reads the statement
issued by the Parliamentary Party of Kosovo, which is
rallying the ethnic Albanians and is considered to be the
second most influential party there after the Democratic
League of Kosovo.
The party assesses that the situation that has arisen in
Kosovo after the bombings and violence requires urgent
measures to resolve the issue of Kosovo. "Otherwise, such
scenarios may cause conflicts of unforeseeable proportions
in that region," the ethnic Albanian party warns.
(c) BBC Monitoring Summary of World Broadcasts.
CENTRAL/EASTERN EUROPE
BBC MONITORING SERVICE
BBC MONITORING SERVICE: CENTRAL EUROPE & BALKANS 10/8/96
10Aug96 ALBANIA: TIRANA CALLS ON MACEDONIA TO RESPECT
ALBANIANS' RIGHTS.
Source: ATA news agency, Tirana, in English 1025 gmt 8 Aug
96
Text of report entitled "Announcement of Albanian Foreign
Ministry spokesman" by the Albanian news agency ATA
Tirana, 7th August: "The ambassador of the Former Yugoslav
Republic of Macedonia (FYRM) in Albania, Nikola Todorcevski,
handed over a note to the Foreign Ministry on 6th August
1996.
Through the note he rejects the resolution adopted by the
Albanian parliament on the imprisonment of the Tetovo
university rector and its several other activists and the
Albanians'demand to have the right to higher education in
their mother tongue.
He considers the resolution an interference into the home
affairs of the Macedonian state, stressing that the rights
of Albanians are respected in accordance with the European
and international standards.
During the meeting with the Macedonian ambassador the desire
and goodwill characterizing the Albanian state policy
towards the Macedonian state was reiterated, considering
this stand in the interest of bilateral relations and a
contribution to peace and stability in the Balkan region.
But the ambassador was told that the Albanian state, based
on international norms, is duty-bound to concern itself
about the Albanians wherever they are, when deprived of
their rights and not treated equally with the other citizens
of the state they live in, more so when they are imprisoned
and pursued out of an emancipating aspiration.
Also on other occasions, the Albanian authorities have
called on the goodwill of the Macedonian authorities to
consider realistically the higher education in the mother
tongue of the Albanian population, the second in number in
the Macedonian state, considering it an indispensable
condition for their active participation in all walks of
life.
This will, first of all, contribute to the consolidation and
stability of the Macedonian state.
Albania, as a factor of peace and stability in the region,
has been and is in favour of good neighbourliness with all
the Balkan states, also including the Former Yugoslav
Republic of Macedonia.
The respect for the human and national rights of the
Albanians and the fulfilment of their demands based on
international norms, and the solution of problems through
dialogue are positive factors in this direction."
(c) BBC Monitoring Summary of World Broadcasts.
CENTRAL/EASTERN EUROPE
BBC MONITORING SERVICE
BBC MONITORING SERVICE: CENTRAL EUROPE & BALKANS 10/8/96
10Aug96 ALBANIA: UNIONS ASK TO BE GOVERNMENT'S
"DECISION-MAKING PARTNER".
Source: ATA news agency, Tirana, in English 1535 gmt 8 Aug
96
Text of report by M. Kora for the Albanian news agency ATA
Tirana, 8th August: The trade unions demand to be a
decision-taking partner in the government.
This was declared by the representatives of seven trade
unions today in a meeting with the labour minister, Arlinda
Keci. They accused the government of disregarding them
although a joint agreement has been signed between the two
parties. "We shall appeal to the Constitutional Court for
the disregard of the government towards us," said the
president of the Trade Union Confederation of Albania,
Kastriot Muco.
According to representatives of seven trade unions, the
government did not ask opinion from the trade unions when it
decided to liberalize the prices of flour and wheat, a
decision which they considered as unjust, because it was
adopted by a group of individuals.
"A legitimate body as the parliament decided on the
compensation of the price of the bread with 2m dollars per
month for 1,700,000 inhabitants," said Minister Keci.
Mr Muco asked that "the whole compensation would be made on
the basis of the limit of the minimal salary and the living
minimum limit".
Representatives of seven trade union federations asked a
working meeting soon with all ministers to discuss the
decision-taking rights and tasks. The two parties decided to
meet again on 15th-20th September to be informed of the
final conclusions.
(c) BBC Monitoring Summary of World Broadcasts.
CENTRAL/EASTERN EUROPE
BBC MONITORING SERVICE
BBC MONITORING SERVICE: CENTRAL EUROPE & BALKANS 10/8/96
Qemajl Lumi
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ftp:ubvm.cc.buffalo.edu/albanian Usenet:bit.listserv.albanian
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13Aug96 YUGOSLAVIA: PARTY URGES RESOLUTION OF ALBANIAN
MINORITY ISSUES IN SERBIA.
Source: `Bota Sot', Zurich, in Albanian 8 Aug 96
A political party representing ethnic Albanians of southern
Serbia has sent a "memorandum" to leading international
bodies and politicians drawing attention to the plight of
the Albanian minority under Serbian administration. The
party has urged unification of the region with Kosovo and a
more prominent role for the international community in
resolving minority problems in Serbia. The following is the
text of the memorandum as published by the Swiss-based
Albanian-language newspaper `Bota Sot' on 8th August:
Prompted by the grave situation of Albanians in Presevo,
Bujanovac and Medvedja [southern Serbia], as well as the
situation in Kosovo, the Presevo-based Albanian Democratic
Party has sent a memorandum to leading international bodies
and personalities, including the European Parliament,
[German Foreign Minister] Klaus Kinkel, [European
Commissioner Hans] Van den Broek and [British Foreign
Secretary] Malcolm Rifkind. The following is the full text
of the memorandum:
At a time when important decisions on the destiny of the
people in the former Yugoslavia are expected to be taken,
the Albanians of Presevo, Bujanovac and Medvedja - which
number about 100,000 - are concerned about their future and
are rightly expecting international decision-makers to
prevent further abuses of their fate.
This is in everyone's interest, as unsolved problems -
although very minor at the first glance - are still
problems.
While reminding you that Presevo, Bujanovac and Medvedja are
communes outside Kosovo's borders and currently under
Serbian administration, that they are populated by an
Albanian-majority population; that after World War II they
were separated from Kosovo and placed under Serbia's direct
administration with no consultation and in the absence of
any desire for it among its citizens and that this ethnic
region has a territorial, ethnic and cultural continuity
with Kosovo, we wish to draw your attention to the fact
that, despite Serbia's administrative role in political life
here, no significant improvement has been noted so far in
the sphere of national and human rights. We would like to
remind you that the Serbian constitution and laws are no
mechanisms for defending the civil and national rights of
Albanians who had no part in their drafting and endorsement
and that this constitution and these laws are ignored
whenever it suits the authorities and are used to
discriminate against the Albanians. Furthermore, we would
like to remind you that, apart from controlling the
political will of two million Albanians in the Republic of
Kosovo, currently under Serbian occupation, the Serbian
regime is also suppressing the political will of about
100,000 ethnic Albanians of Presevo, Bujanovac and Medvedja.
For the first time in their history, the Albanians of this
region expressed their political will in the referendum of
1st and 2nd March 1992, in which they declared themselves in
favour of territorial and political autonomy with a right to
be united with Kosovo.
In view of the fact that the demands of the Albanians of
this region do not threaten the acceptable and proper
interests of the neighbouring peoples and are based on the
right to self-determination as defined by international law,
that these demands are aimed at creating efficient relevant
mechanisms to stop discrimination and hamper assimilation,
that in many aspects the Albanian population of this area is
closely related to that of Kosovo, and that the Albanian
people in Kosovo and beyond have so far avoided armed
conflict with great sacrifices and unequalled self-restraint
by resisting Serbia's aggressive repression through
political means exclusively, we think that the international
community should become more heavily involved in providing
adequate assistance in the efforts to solve problems in
these areas.
Deeply convinced that any further delay in finding solutions
to these problems may complicate them even more, please
allow us to make the following suggestions:
Negotiations between Pristina and Belgrade on the political
status of Kosovo should start in the presence of a third
party. Pressure should be exerted on the Belgrade government
to stop its suppression of the defenceless Albanian
population. The issue of the Albanians of Presevo, Bujanovac
and Medvedja should be included within the framework of
talks on Kosovo.
We thank you for reading this memorandum and invite you to
commit yourselves to giving hope for a happier future to
those who continue to be oppressed.
(c) BBC Monitoring Summary of World Broadcasts.
CENTRAL/EASTERN EUROPE
BBC MONITORING SERVICE
BBC MONITORING SERVICE: CENTRAL EUROPE & BALKANS 13/8/96
13Aug96 BOSNIA: INTERNATIONAL - NATO ON ALERT OVER STAND-OFF
WITH SERBS.
By Julius Strauss, Sarajevo.
United Nations police monitors and soldiers from the
Nato-led peace implementation force (Ifor) who patrol
Serb-held Bosnia were ordered to withdraw to fortified bases
yesterday after a two-day stand-off between Ifor and the
Bosnian Serbs, who have blocked the inspection of a
munitions storage site. Shortly after the order was given,
Biljana Plavsic, Bosnian Serb leader, said the inspection
could go ahead but Nato is unlikely to relax security until
it has been carried out.
The withdrawal clears the way for Ifor to take military
action against the Serbs if they fail to comply with the
demand to open the arms storage facility in Han Pijesak,
their military headquarters and home to the indicted war
criminal Gen Ratko Mladic.
(c) The Telegraph plc, London, 1996.
UNITED KINGDOM
DAILY TELEGRAPH 13/8/96 P11
12Aug96 ALBANIA: ALBANIAN COURT CUTS COMMUNISTS' LIFE
SENTENCES. 16:34 GMT
TIRANA, Aug 12 (Reuter) - An Albanian appeals court on
Monday overturned life sentences for three senior
ex-communists, replacing them with lengthy jail terms for
two and letting a top Stalinist walk free.
But the Tirana appeals court upheld the lower court verdict
which found all three men guilty of crimes against humanity
for ordering the internal exile of political dissidents.
Presiding judge Mergim Dragushi granted a five-year
suspended sentence to Fato Cami, 71, a chief ideologist of
the former regime and right-hand man of Albania's last
communist president Ramiz Alia.
Prokop Murra, 75, and Muho Asllani, 59, -- both former
regional party leaders -- were sentenced to 20 and 18 years
in jail respectively.
Albania's post-communist legal code calls for sentences
between 15 years in prison and the death penalty for crimes
against humanity. The judge said Cami's sentence was more
lenient due to poor health and difficult family
circumstances.
The appeals court upheld judgements against defendants Gaqo
Nesho, a regional party secretary, Zef Loka, a security
offical, and Dilaver Bengasi, a state prosecutor. They had
been sentenced to 16, 20, 18 years in jail respectively.
Based on a controversial so-called Genocide Law, Albania has
begun a series of trials against former communist officials
accusing them of crimes against humanity and trying to
eradicate an entire section of society, the dissidents.
Around 100,000 Albanians who spoke out against the Stalinist
government or tried to escape from the isolated Balkan state
were banished to remote Albanian villages.
Former president Ramiz Alia, the successor of hardline
communist dictator Enver Hoxha who died in 1985, will go on
trial in early in September on charges of ordering the
shooting of Albanians who tried to flee.
(c) Reuters Limited 1996
REUTER NEWS SERVICE
13Aug96 ALBANIA: PRESS DIGEST - ALBANIA - AUG 13. 09:08 GMT
TIRANA, Aug 13 (Reuter) - The following are the main stories
from Tuesday morning's Albanian newspapers. Reuters has not
verified these stories and does not vouch for their
accuracy.
KOHA JONE
- Unidentified assailants gunned down two police officers on
Monday. They were the fourth policemen to be killed in the
last two months.
- The appeals court commuted the life sentences of three
senior communists convicted of crimes against humanity to 20
years in jail for two and allowed a third to walk free.
- The key opposition Socialist Party will not send a list of
its candidates for the central election commission to
President Sali Berisha. They object to the absence of a law
to regulate the work of the commission.
- Three policemen have been arrested for allegedly allowing
15 trucks to smuggle scrap iron into Montenegro.
GAZETA SHQIPTARE
- The European Union granted Albania 1.7 million ECU to
dispose of expired pesticides.
(c) Reuters Limited 1996
REUTER NEWS SERVICE
13Aug96 ALBANIA: TWO ALBANIAN POLICE SHOT DEAD IN MURDER
SERIES. 10:23 GMT
TIRANA, Aug 13 (Reuter) - Unidentified persons shot dead two
policemen in a suburb of the Albanian capital Tirana in the
latest of a month-long series of police murders, the
Interior Ministry said on Tuesday.
The two officers, who were brothers, were killed late on
Monday, the ministry said. No suspects had yet been
arrested.
The general director of the Justice Ministry's prison
department was assassinated in July, a few days after a
police chief in the eastern region of Pogradec was shot
dead.
(c) Reuters Limited 1996
REUTER NEWS SERVICE
13Aug96 ALBANIA: ALBANIAN, U.S. ARMIES START PEACEKEEPING
DRILLS. 12:54 GMT
TIRANA, Aug 13 (Reuter) - More than 1,000 Albanian and U.S.
troops began a week of peacekeeping exercises in the Balkan
country on Tuesday to prepare for possible cooperation with
NATO forces in ex-Yugoslavia, Albania's Defence Ministry
said.
The Peaceful Eagle 96 exercises, conducted under the aegis
of NATO's Partnership for Peace programme, will involve
search and rescue drills, demining and weaponry training.
"The exercises will be similiar to the tasks IFOR troops in
Bosnia perform," spokesman Pandeli Ristani said.
A small Albanian unit is scheduled to be stationed in
Croatia as part of the NATO-led troops implementing the
Dayton peace accord. It will be the first time an Albanian
military unit has participated in a NATO-led operation.
Former communist Albania has taken part in 20 military
exercises with NATO troops to bring its military up to
Alliance standards and improve its chances of membership in
the security organisation.
(c) Reuters Limited 1996
REUTER NEWS SERVICE
13Aug96 MACEDONIA: PRESS DIGEST - MACEDONIA - AUG 13. 09:59
GMT
SKOPJE, Aug 13 (Reuters) - These are the leading stories in
the Skopje press on Tuesday. Reuters has not verified these
stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
NOVA MAKEDONIJA
- Macedonia is continuing talks with Greece in New York in
an attept to iron out differences but there will be no
change of the country's name says Foreign Minister Ljubomir
Frckovski in an interview to Greek daily To Vima.
- Relations between Albanian parties in Macedonia are
becoming tense. Paper says Albanian Party of Democratic
Prosperity wants to create a political crisis in the
country.
- Macedonian government lowers share price of the Skopje
central shopping mall to 70 German marks from 100 in order
to boost sales. Those who had bought the shares at the
higher price will be reimbursed with the equivalent of the
price difference in shares.
DNEVNIK
- The government has to adopt a local elections law, laws
for electoral lists and media access, and to hold referenda
in Skopje and Tetovo before holding local elections.
- Agni Dika, Vice-President of the Tetovo Albanian-language
university accusses the Macedonian government of trying to
destroy the university with the help of the Party of
Democratic Prosperity.
- The new mobile telephone system to start operating
experimentally at the end of September, one unit will cost
1,000 German marks with 300 marks installation tax.
-- Mircela Casule, + Skopje newsroom 389 91 201196
(c) Reuters Limited 1996
REUTER NEWS SERVICE
13Aug96 YUGOSLAVIA: PRESS DIGEST - YUGOSLAVIA - AUG 13.
08:19 GMT
BELGRADE, Aug 13 (Reuter) - These are the leading stories in
the Belgrade press on Tuesday. Reuters has not verified
these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
POLITIKA
- Commercial banks facing inslolvency problems -- all
Yugoslav banks together had only 141.1 million dinars on
their accounts on August 10. The situation is raising
concern.
- Yugoslav and Bulgarian Prime Ministers Radoje Kontic and
Zhan Videnov will officially open the new Belgrade-Nis-Sofia
telecommuncations optical cable at Dimitrovgrad on August
14.
- A four-member family needed 1,902 dinars in July to meet
the minimum expenses, according to latest statistical data;
it needs to spend 50 dinars on food a day, which is 40
percent up on previous year.
- Fire in Deliblatska Pescara in northern Serbian province
of Vojvodina, has been raging for third day, 3,000 hectares
of forests and brush estimated to have been burnt.
- Yugoslav President Zoran Lilic could call federal
parliamentiary elections for the second half of November or
first half of December according to certain indicators and
statements.
- Serbian teachers, who are seeking outstanding wages, to
decide on Augusta 21 if they will go on strike.
NASA BORBA
- NATO Secretary General Javier Solana says Bosnian Serbs
will allow inspection of ammunition dump at Han Pijesak
after meeting with acting President Biljana Plavsic.
- Yugoslav negotiators believe the London Club will take off
the estimated $812 million of the Slovenian and Croatian
debt bought by Yugoslav banks and firms. If not Yugoslavia
will file a suit against the Club for reaching separate
agreements with Slovenia.
- There are 617,599 refugees from Bosnia-Herzegovina
registered to vote in fifty countries around the world for
the forthcoming Bosnia elections.
POLITKA EKSPRES
- Yugoslav pharmaceutical industry produces 30 percent above
domestic needs and could be one of the most profitable
exporters, says executive director of ICN Galenika Ljubisa
Rakic.
- National Bank of Yugoslavia mints new ten para coin.
BORBA
- Pan-Chinese People's Congress delegation on visit to
Yugoslavia until August 18.
- Lastest 20 percent electricity price increase from August
1 will not have inflationary effects, says Minister for
Mining and Energy Dragan Kostic.
-- Belgrade newsroom, +381 11 222 4305
(c) Reuters Limited 1996
REUTER NEWS SERVICE
______________________________________________________________________