ALBANIA, THE GREAT RISK TO COME BACK TO “CIVIL WAR OF 1997”
“The precedent to re start the destabilization of the country"

Some Months ago, the Prime Minister Sali Berisha urges by the "Inquiring Police Section" of Interior Ministry to open all the crimes made during period of “Extraordinary Situation” of Albania during 1997 period, after collapse of Pyramids Schemes. According to Albanian opposite the inisiative of Prime Minister Berisha is very dangerous because could come back the Civil War in Albania, provoking a large conflict between Northern and South of the county. Decides of arrests begun in Cerric, a little town near Schumbini River 50km from Tirana under accuse for Massacres during 1997 against “The Republican Guard”.

Photo: The Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi accompanied by head of rebels Zani Caushi during his visit in Vlora on April 12, 1997.

But every thing is going to be officially open from Persecutors now, when in Saranda Town, southern Albania, begun the arrests under accuse “Massacres made in 1997 against police authority”. Hundred police Special Forces come from Tirana in collaboration with police station of Saranda and Vlora, arrested about 25 persons and others are incurring for all the crimes made in 1997, said the Albanian press. In addition, according to information, the police forces could make arrests in all Southern Albanian Territory, including Vlora, Argjirokaster, Berati, Fieri, Koritca ect. “The Civil War of 1997 in Albania known as “Extraordinary Situation of 1997” could come backagain if Special Forces will continue the actions”said many annalists of the country.

Photo: American citizens board a U.S. Marine Corps CH-53 Super Stallion combat assault helicopter in a field inside the U.S. Embassy housing compound in Tirana, Albania, on March 15, 1997. Operation Silver Wake is the evacuation of noncombatants from Albania to ensure the safety of American citizens and designated third country nationals. U.S. Naval forces from the USS Nassau (LHA 4) Amphibious Readiness Group continue to evacuate citizens from the U.S. Embassy in Tirana. DoD photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Brett Siegel, U.S. Navy.
The catastrophic situation of Albanian economy under the inflation to vergrown to 8%, the energetic collapse of the country and over alls the situation in Kosovo to the limit ofthe status of Independence during the end of December is passing the country again under ful of strong measures obsserving from NATO alleance. According to OSCE report based from estimates of “The ALBA Operation 1997” the Multi International Protectorate Forces installed in Albania by ONU Resolution of March 11, 1997, are about 8000 killed during “Civil War of Albania” only in Vlora Region has been killed about 1600 persons.
ALBANIA 1997 The rebellion against President Berisha
Anywhere, the geopolitical annalists based to the Security and Stability of the Balkan Region comment often the dangerous situation of “Domino Effect” after proclamation of Independence of Kosovo as "infected zones" including particularly states as Macedonia, Bosnia and Albania. According the experience of 1997 and 1998 (The Coup D`etat), Albania is the country, which the stability is not controlled well from government authority even about 1200 NATO troops arei nstalled and hundreds of Europol agents are working to special operation against Organized Crime.

The Special Report of CNN of 1997:

"Albanian troubles expose north-south differences"
http://www.cnn.com/WORLD/9703/11/albania.split/index.html

Albanian troubles expose north-south differences

March 11, 1997 Web posted at: 9:45 p.m. EST (0245 GMT)
From Correspondent Siobhan Darrow

VLORA, Albania (CNN) -- The people of Vlora, the southern stronghold of Albania's rebellion, are trying to put their revolt in order, inviting local police officers loyal to their cause to help reign in the chaos. The rebels, who have named themselves the Salvation Committee, say they won't surrender to this government or any other until their demands are met.
"We'll only find a solution to this problem when the main issue, which is financial, is solved," said Alberto Bukir, head of the Salvation Committee in Vlora. "All political solutions are a bluff." Government troops have dug in north of the Shkumbin River, pulling back to the historic fault line dividing this river country's two major ethnic groups: the Ghegs in the north and the Tosks in the south. Their differences threaten to split the country in two, although neither group says it wants to fight the other.


Just across the Adriatic from Italy, Vlora has always been more open to the outside than the more insular north. When communism collapsed, not all those influences were good. Drug trafficking and smuggling flourished in the town, and it became known as Albania's crime capital. Impatient to live the lives they now see via satellite television, the wealthier Tosks were easy prey for get-rich-quick pyramid schemes. They had more to lose when those schemes collapsed.


And the man they blame, President Sali Berisha, is a Gheg from the north.
"The Tosks provided the leaders of the Communist Party, and the Ghegs felt they lost out in the competition for power," political analyst Mark Almond said. That gap was something Berisha quickly made up for when he came to office, filling security ministries and the parliament forces with his northern brethren, and fueling distrust in the south.


To an outsider, the whole country may look lost in a time warp. But to the cosmopolitan Tosks in the south, the north is a backwater. The Ghegs are mountain people still deeply rooted to their traditions; they are more isolated and less sophisticated than their southern neighbors. But like the Tosks, the Ghegs say they don't want the current civil strife to turn into a fight between the two groups. "We haven't fought in the past," said one middle-aged man. "We have been united and must stay that way. There are too few of us Albanians."
Albania's Tosks and Ghegs have lived in relative harmony for centuries. But with the country now practically split in half, their differences could be exploited by parties uninterested in peace.



Also International References for "Albania Civil War1997:
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/war/albania.htm
http://www.cnn.com/WORLD/9701/27/albania/index.html
http://www.cnn.com/WORLD/9703/06/albania.late/index.html
http://www.cnn.com/WORLD/9703/03/albania/
http://www.cnn.com/WORLD/9703/04/albania.emergency/index.html
http://www.cnn.com/WORLD/9703/13/albania.evac