ALBANIAN POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS
The Research Institute for European and American Studies, Athens
By Stavros Markos
(Member of the World Security Network, Southeastern European Office)
Copyright: Stavros Markos on line
Copyright: Stavros Markos on line
The Albanian Parliament prohibits the Hellenic Beneficences Activities in Albania
The Albanian Parliament approved the discontinuation (by law) of the activities of foundations operating in the country. The decision affected quite a few organizations but the most important ones where the Greek investments. The Diagnostic Orthodox Center, the Greek School “Arsakeio” in Tirana and some other benefactor activities of the Orthodox community are obligated to close down or would have to continue their activity in “accordance to their financial obligations to Albanian authority”.
The HRU Party has been against the government on this, even though it is a coalition member of Berisha`s cabinet. Vangjel Dule and two other MP's have voted against the decision requesting also the resignation of the Finance Minister Ridvan Bode and the reformation of the Albanian Government. Dule said that any new position of the government has to be particularly transparent in relation to the public finances.
The Diagnostic Orthodox Center has the most Modern Medical Scanner in Albania which was provided by an initiative of the Archbishop Anastasios and with the cooperation of the Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Albania, and 2 Greek NGO’s: The Orthodox Center “Poreuthentes” in Athens, and the Human European Network of Human Development in Ioannina.
Medical clinics of the Orthodox Church also exist in other parts of Albania (Korça, Kavaja, Lushnja, Gjergucati, Gjirokaster), and a mobile dental clinic provides free dental care to young and old people in different parts of the country.
According to political observers and domestic analysts, the anti-Hellenic rhetoric continues to rise in Albania particularly because of the Kosovo status final negotiations; “Chameria issue" and the status of Albanian emigrants in Greece. In addition, last week in Southern Albania the community of Himara Region has demonstrated in the center of Himara Municipality against the land and proprieties assimilation process ordered by the Albanian tribunals and the government, which uses any “administrative measure” to change the property identity with false documents. The protesters sent an ultimatum to the Prime Minister Berisha to consider their requests before violent protests enacts against the local Albanian authorities.
ALI AHMETI: "One day Albanians of FYROM will unite with Albania"
Ali Ahmeti has declared to the Newspaper "SHQIP" the unification of the Albanians in FYROM with Albania and Kosovo. Ahmeti, who is the ex-political leader of UCK in FYROM on 2001; currently he is the leader of the Union Democratic Integration Party of FYROM (BDI, the most important Albanian Party in Parliament, now in opposition). The politician stated for an eventual union with Albania not only for the Kosovo Albanians but also for the ones residing in Western FYROM.
The declaration of Ali Ahmeti has shocked the foreign diplomats and institutions in Tirana, especially since another Albanian Kosovo politician, Rexhep Qosja, made similar remarks. Qosja in an interview on "SHQIP" newspaper called towards the Albanians of Kosovo to energize themselves for an eventual unification between Tirana and Prishtina. "The Greater Albania must become a reality" said Qosja on "SHQIP" newspaper.
One month ago, the former Prime Minister of FYROM Lupco Georgjewski declared around the very real probability of a division of the country in two parts between Albanians and the rest of the population. The Former Prime Minister also has declared himself a Bulgarian national in front of the country's parliament, thus socking the public and the opinion makers of that state.
Tirana is already "de facto" united with Kosovo, since the Kosovo Albanian frontier line is accessible for all Kosovo citizens with UNMIK document who travel en masse without border restrictions. Tirana provides Albanian passports to any Albanian of Kosovo who works or is student, while it prepares the provision of Albanian citizenship for all their ethnic compatriots across the neighboring states.
A week ago, BDI (The Democratic United for Integration Party), who is a non parliamentary member Party, but a strong supporter of the so-called "chameria community" urged the Albanian government to support their efforts against Greece in relation to the "chameria issue". The Chameria Community has members in the Albanian Parliament and in some Municipalities such are Vlora, Delvina, and Saranda.
During his speech last month in the United Nations, the Prime Minister of Albania Sali Berisha declared that: "We do not support any rhetoric declaration for Greater Albania that it is being made by the Albanian nationalists. The Albanian Government is making every effort to join the NATO Alliance and the EU".
Ali Ahmeti has also visited Tirana last week ago and met the Albanian leaders including the President Bamir Topi. There are various political developments that are being surfacing lately in Albania and most certainly they are all related to the Kosovo resolution and the dynamics of the nationalism in the mainstream Albanian society.
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