KOSOVA DAILY REPORT # 190
PRISHTINA, 21 SEPTEMBER 1993
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PRESIDENT RUGOVA RECEIVES A SWEDISH DELEGATION
President of the Republic of Kosova, Dr. Ibrahim Rugova received today in Prishtina a Swedish delegation composed of Olaf Carlstedt, asylum Counsellor in the Swedish Immigration Board, I Iakan Sandesjo Assistant Director General of Aliens Appeals Board, Caterina Wahle, Counsellor and Torsten Petre, Counsellor of the Swedish Embassy in Belgrade. The delegation was accompanied by Bjorn Wakman, Head of the UNHCR office in Prishtina.
President Rugova informed the Swedish delegation on the current political, economic and social situation in Kosova, which as he said was very grave due to the increased Serbian repression. The situation has deteriorated especially in the recent couple of months following the expulsion by the Serbian authorities of the CSCE Mission to Kosova.
Questions concerning the refugee issues were especialy addressed.
A DOZEN ALBANIAN FAMILIES SEARCHED IN VITIA WITHIN THREE DAYS
Over the past three days, some 11 Albanian families have been raided on in the villages of Vitia and in the town itself. The Serbian police has continued its practice of raiding on Albanian homes under various pretexts. Yet searches for arms Albanian allegedly are in possession of have been the most frequent pretext. Today's Prishtina based Bujku reports on some of the cases of such raids that took place during the last weekend.
Two days ago the police raided on the home of Mehmed Azemi from the village Ramnishte. The police arrested two sons of Mr. Azemi, Abdullah and Isa Azemi. The former was released, whereas the latter is reported still in custody.
The police searched the homes of Sherif Tafa and Elmi Dinarica from the town of Vitia, at the village Lubizhde the police raided on the home of Bajram Bilalli. The homes of Feti Hetemi from Mogille village and Emin Emini from Goshice vollage were reported raided on too.
KOSOVA SHOULD UNITE WITH ALBANIA, SAYS CHAIRMAN OF THE ALBANIAN NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY
Albanian National Democratic Party (ANDP) was formed in 1924 amid the emergence of a pluralism during Fan Noli's government, the first free elected democratic government in Albania. Today's Albanian National Democratic Party resumed its activities in May 1993 and is the successor of the same party formed in 1924, said Mr. Rexhep Abdullahu, chairman of ANDP in an interview given to the Prishtina daily "Bujku".
The main objectives of this party, says Mr.Abdullahu, are the unification of all territories populated by Albanians, those of former-Yugoslavia and Albania itself, in a single Albanian state.
Mr. Abdullahu acknoweldges his party cherishes radical orientations, and stated that the resistance and protection of Albanian territories cannot be classified as radicalism. As to the options on the settlement of the Kosova issue, Mr.Abdullahu says that there is only one option and that the Albanians should firmly hold to it - i.e. unification of Kosova with Albania and the creation of an ethnic Albania. This way we leave very little room for manipulation. The German frame could serve us well as a strategy, holds ANDP chairman. Mr.Abdullahu ended his interview saying that the Albanians should go into discussions with Serbia but the compromises Serbia is offering do not serve the facts and as such should be refused.
GERT AHRENS COMMENTS ON THE ALBANIAN ISSUE IN MACEDONIA
"Macedonia is on a good path to do something, not only for the benefit of the Macedonians, but also for the rest of those who live there," said Mr.Gert Ahrens, a Geneva Conference mediator in an interview to the Shkup/Skopje newspaper "Flaka e Vellazerimit", today's "Borba" says. Mr.Ahrens added that 'similar guarantees are also given by the Albanians, who have been participaing more and more in the Macedonian leadership... as five Albanian ministers have already been participating in the Macedonian government.'
Commenting on possible agreements to be reached between the Macedonian and Albanians on many issues, ambassador Ahrens gaid: "At the beginning we aimed at reaching some agreement for only a part of Albanian demands. Our aim is to solve all problems step by step but surely. The problem of the Albanians in Macedonia is not the same in comparison to the problems of other peoples living in that republic, because the Albanian that live there have Kosova, and Kosova has Albania."
In reply to the question of the passport regime by Macedonia, Mr.Arbens said that Albanians are hit most of all by the this regime, because now they are divided into two states, although the step taken by the Macedonian authorities was "normal". He added that he was "doing the utmost so that some changes be made for the benefit of the Albanians' in this connection.
Mr.ahrens said that the census of population of Macedonia was to take place by April next year.
CITIZENS OF PRISHTINA QUEUING FOR RATION-FOOD
Due to the shortage of the most casential supplies, the Serbian Government has recently promulgated a Decree for distributing food and other necessary supplies by means of the ration-cards.
Long queues of people waiting to get their share have been noticed in front of many stateowned shops of "Germia" and Vocar" in Prishina today.
In a press conference held two weeks ago, Hajrullah Gorani chairman of the Union the Independent Trade Unions of Kosova said that Albanians should admit these ration-cards. The Albanian political parties in Kosova have not declared whether their membership should accept the food ration-cards. Yet, there are unconfirmed assertions that some Albanian political parties have told their members to accept these food ration-cards, providing that the acceptance will not be conditioned to any kind of political blackmail.