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ATCI: Albanian Times, 98-01-06
Albanian Times Vol. IV, No. 1
January, 6 1998
CONTENTS
[01] UNDP to Increase Assistance to Albania in 98
[02] Albania to Boost Chrome Extraction
[03] Greece to Continue Support for Albanian Army
[04] Albania to Get a Constitution in 1998 - PM Says
[05] USAID to Build Computer Center at Tirana University Hospital
[06] British Charity to Help Albanian Hospitals
[07] Private Companies Involved in Illegal Sale of Chromium
[08] Italian Companies Resume Activity in Shkoder
[09] Albania, Greece Sign Transportation Accord
[10] Officials Plan Rehabilitation of Iron - Nickel Industry in 98
[11] Pilot Companies Facing Huge Debts
[01] UNDP to Increase Assistance to Albania in 98
TIRANA, January 4 - UNDP and other United Nations agencies operating in
Albania, have pledged increased assistance to Albania during 1998, UNDP
said in a year-end statement.
The report says that the UN family of agencies operating in Albania offered
humanitarian and emergency aid to Albania to overcome the crisis at the
beginning of 1997. In 1998 UNDP will focus on three traditional fields:
easing the poverty, creating jobs and stable living conditions and helping
in public administration and governing. Environment and women will also be
part of the UNDP programs.
[02] Albania to Boost Chrome Extraction
TIRANA, January 5 - Chrome reserves in Albania are estimated at 37 million
tones. During 1987-90 about 1 million tons were extracted, but later
production fell due to economic relocations. In 1997 about 157 thousand
tons were extracted. Around 23 thousand tons of ferro chrome were produced.
In the last 5 years, Albkrom (The Albanian Chrome Mining Company) has
suffered losses estimated at $12 million. Improvements have been planned
for 1998 aiming at promoting chrome production. In 1998, Albkrom expects to
extract 215 thousand tons of ore. The expected ferro-chrome production is
estimated at 42 thousand tons.
[03] Greece to Continue Support for Albanian Army
TIRANA, December 30 - Greece pledged Tuesday to continue supporting Albania
militarily because it considered its neighbor to be a strategic partner in
the Balkans. ``The cooperation between our countries is not casual, it is
not influenced by special individuals ... but it is a cooperation with a
strategic character,'' Greek Defense Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos, on a two-
day visit to Albania, told a news conference. Athens would continue support
for Albania's Durres and Sarande naval bases, provide logistic support for
two brigades, improve infrastructure at Rinasi military airport and help
organize the Albanian army, he said. Athens would also assist Tirana with
funds to build housing for army officers and increase cooperation for
reviving Albania's military industry.
[04] Albania to Get a Constitution in 1998 - PM Says
TIRANA, December 31 - Albanian Prime Minister Fatos Nano has said he is
determined to give the country a new constitution next year as the lack of
one drove the nation to political and economic crisis earlier this year.
``We cannot afford to lose time because this cycle of crisis to stability
and vice versa.... has been provoked by the void left by having no
constitution,'' Nano said in a televised speech late on Tuesday. Albania
has been governed by a package of constitutional laws since 1993 after it
scrapped its communist constitution of 1974. Communism was toppled in
December 1990 and two years later former president Sali Berisha's
Democratic Party swept to power, defeating Nano's Socialists. Nano said the
Albanian people would be able to vote on a new constitution in a referendum
next year.
[05] USAID to Build Computer Center at Tirana University Hospital
TIRANE, January 2 - USAID has committed $30,000 to establish a computer
center in Tirana's Hospital University Center, ATA said. The program will
be materialized through AIHA, a Washington based private group that has
been working with Albania for several years. According to Pirro Prifti, of
the Albanian Health Ministry, the center will facilitatey communications
among hospitals in Albania and would enhance cooperation with other health
care systems in the world.
[06] British Charity to Help Albanian Hospitals
TIRANA, January 2 - ADRA, a British Charity Association has pledged a
supply of equipment worth 300 million Leks to Tirana hospital and to seven
other districts, the Ministry of Health said. John Arthur, Association's
representative agreed that ADRA would cover urgent demands for X-Ray and
surgery equipment. The equipment would be distributed to hospitals in
Tirana, Tepelena, Durres, Vlore, Berat, Ballsh, Sarande and Puke.
[07] Private Companies Involved in Illegal Sale of Chromium
TROPOJE, January 2 - Albanian officials say several companies in Tropoje
and Kukes have been involved in the illegal sale of Chromium ore last year,
taking advantage of the unrest that swept the country. Three such companies
continue this activity even today in Kukes' Kam mine due to lax controls,
officials told ATA. "The economic damage amounts to $75,000," they
added.
[08] Italian Companies Resume Activity in Shkoder
SHKODER, January 2 - Two Italian firms in the northern city of Shkoder,
Kausal and Mega have resumed production after an interruption caused by the
unrest that swept Albania in March 1997. Kausal - a garment company and
Mega - a shoe manufacturer, employed 170 people. In the past four years, 47
foreign firms hd been operating in the district of Shkoder, mainly in
garment, silver craft, and building materials. Since March 97, only 12 of
them have been able to resume activity.
[09] Albania, Greece Sign Transportation Accord
TIRANA, January 2 - An agreement signed in Athens by the end of 1997
adjusts the cooperation between Albania and Greece in the field of road,
goods and passengers transportation, the Albanian Foreign Ministry quoted
by ATA said. Both sides agreed that Albania would take part in the inter-
European road system with the roads Durres-Kapshtice,
Kapshtice-Siatista and Ormenio-Burgas which will link Albania with the
Black Sea.
[10] Officials Plan Rehabilitation of Iron - Nickel Industry in 98
TIRANA, January 1 - In Albania, efforts are underway to reactivate the
stagnant iron-nickel industry, officials said. Albania plans to materialize
agreements with the Swiss "Marc Rich" company which is studying a partial
rehabilitation of the decrepit metallurgic plant in Elbasan.
Also, cooperation is underway with the Greek "Arco" company to exploit the
Bitincka mine in Devoll district.
[11] Pilot Companies Facing Huge Debts
TIRANA, January 3 - Three pilot energy enterprises in Vlora, Elbasan and
Shkodra are the
principal debtors to the Albanian Energetic Corporation (KESH), with debts
estimated at 1,007 million Leks. In 1997, the companies paid only seven
percent of the energy bills to KESH.
The World Bank, which has helped set up the pilot enterprises with 30
percent of private shares is studying the situation and will decide on
whether the project should continue.
This material was reprinted with permission of AlbAmerica Trade and
Consulting International (ATCI). For more information on ATCI and the
Albanian Times, please write to AlbaTimes@aol.com.
Copyright © ATCI, 1998
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