News

News from Shkodra and more…

We’ll bring here different news from time to time, depending on our possibilities to supply this page with fresh news…

Shkoder-Bajze railway ready to operate for transportation of commodities
KOPLIK, Feb.13 (ata) – By M. Malja: The railway Shkoder-Bajze is ready to resume operation for the transport of commodities, said to ATA the regional director of Shkodra railway, Kujtim Vucini. For one month now, the speed of the movement of trains on Shkoder-Hani i Hotit railway, 25 km, has been set, and it will be from 40-50 km per hour. Vucini said that re-commissioning of the railway line is expected to yield its fruits regarding the increase of revenues in this transport sector. The demands for the transportation of various goods is high because this is the only railway line linking Albania with European railway systems. Last year, when only Hani i Hotit-Bajze railway segment was functioning, the total volume of transport was over 4 800 tons of commodities. In the few next days, Shkoder-Bajze railway line is expected to be connected with the other part of the Albanian railway. The complete rehabilitation of Shkoder-Bajze railway line was enabled through a fund of 365 million lek by the Albanian state budget. The rehabilitation work ended on December 20, 2002. The Shkoder-Bajze railway line was built in 1986 and it functioned until 1992. The transport of goods is expected in a few days from the commodities train station of Bajza towards the internal part of Albanian railway system.
/s.s./xh/xh/ — 2003-02-13

“Union of Northern Journalists” established
SHKODER, Feb 16 /ATA/- By M. Malja- At the venues of “Colosseum” Hotel in the Northern Albanian town of Shkoder, on Sunday it was introduced officially the Shkodra based association “Union of Northern Journalists”. This association is attended by journalists of the written and electronic media working in the Northern areas of the country. Head of the association Blerti Delija said that “Our aim is to be in defence of interests of the local journalists of Northern areas”. One of the principal targets of the Association, according to Deliu, will be revival of the excellent tradition of journalism existing for some 120 years in these areas.
/s.s./p.s./ — 2003-02-16

200 million lek for rehabilitation of electric network in Shkoder
SHKODER, Feb. 17 (ata) – By M. Malja: Some 200 million lek funded by the Albanian Power Corporation through an Italian credit will be used for the rehabilitation of the electric network in the district of Shkodra. Director of the electric affiliate in the district of Shkodra Nexhat Maliqi said to ATA that “this fund will be used for the installation of 5000 new electric meters, the installation of a 20 kW line and the construction of 30 new electric cabins, 10 of which in the city, and the improvement of the internal low tension electric network in some of the city quarters.” According to him, the installation of the 20 Mega transformers of the electric substation no.1 of the city is expected to improve considerably the electric supply.
/s.s./xh/ — 2003-02-17

Asphalting of Lezhe-Balldre road segment started
LEZHE, Feb. 19 (ata) – By M. Malja: The asphalting of Lezhe-Balldre road segment, part of Lezha-Shkoder highway, started on Tuesday. Sources from the prefecture told ATA that the Lezhe-Balldre road segment is 6 km long while the whole Lezhe-Shkoder highway is 33 km. The work for the construction of this highway started a year ago. The Albanian Government has delivered a fund of USD18 million and the work for the construction of the highway which will be over in September 2004.
/s.s./xh/xh/ — 2003-02-19

12 projects to encourage employment, 743 people employed
SHKODER, Feb. 20 (ata) – By M. Malja: Some 743 persons were employed last year in the city of Shkoder thanks to the implementation of 12 projects on employment. The director of the labour office in this city, Sokol Halili told ATA that 743 people were employed last year. With a 50 million lek fund by the state budget, 12 projects which helped encourage employment in some sectors of the economy were implemented. Specialists of economy think that the number of the employed in city of Shkoder should be several times more that is reported because private firms do not reveal the real number of workers to evade fiscal obligations and social insurances. In a study made recently by the district trade unions confederation, 3700 people have been employed in the sector of construction alone, but only 256 people are registered. Sources from the labour office say that the number of the unemployed in this city is 15 thousand. This year too there are several projects on employment which would help reduce the number of the unemployed in this city. Hence, work for the construction of the cement factory in village Mes, about 5 km from the city, is expected to start this year and the new factory will create jobs for over 1200 workers.
/s.s./xh/ — 2003-02-20

Illegal buildings along Velipoja beach ruined
SHKODER, Feb. 20 (ata) – By M. Malja: Construction police of Shkoder started Thursday to demolish the illegal buildings along Velipoja beach, about 27 km from the city of Shkoder. Sources from construction police of the prefecture said to ATA that over the first stage there are 84 illegal buildings set up in the recent years in the center of the beach of Velipoja, that will be ruined. The operation, the first in this tourist zone, is being carried out by the Construction Police General Department with the support of the public order forces of the police commissariat of Shkoder. Sources from the prefecture say that over the past ten years, over 49 illegal buildings have been constructed in the beach of Velipoja. Recently, the Council for Territorial Adjustment of the district adopted the master plan of the beach of Velipoja, which is expected to be discussed and approved by the national Council for Territorial Adjustment. After the master plan is approved, the second stage of the demolition of other illegal buildings in this tourist area will start.
/s.s./xh/ — 2003-02-20

Some 69 million lek to be financed on educational system in Shkoder
SHKODER, Feb. 24 (ata) – By M. Malja: About 69 million lek have been earmarked by the state budget for 2003 to be used on the educational sector in the district of Shkodra. The fund, 10 percent higher than last year, will be used for the rehabilitation of 15 secondary and elementary schools in the villages of the district. The rehabilitation work is expected to start in the first days of April and will finish at the end of August. In addition, with a USD200 thousand by the World Bank, complete rehabilitation of the elementary school Ismail Qemali will start. Over the last five years, through state budget and foreign donors a total of over 71 schools out of 121 that the whole district has, has been rehabilitated.
/d.k/xh/ — 2003-02-24

First musical band in Albania was created in Shkodra city
SHKODER, Feb 27 (ATA)- By M. Malja The first musical band in Albania was created in the 2400 years old city of Shkodra, dating back to year 1870. His first director was Paloke Kurti who was distinguished for folk and artistic sentiments. The musical band of Frano Ndoja was the second band created in Shkodra. At the beginning, the first band was composed of 15 instrumentalists but later the number reached at 50. They were young artisans of different professions. Its repertoire contained songs and marches of a patriotic and folk character which animated school-life especially on occasion of feasts or the end of the school year.
/d.k/IR/ — 2003-02-27