'Greater Albania' Enjoys Massive Support in Kosovo, Albania, Macedonia

World | November 18, 2010, Thursday

Map of Greater Albania as claimed by Albanian nationalists. Map by WIkipedia

The majorities of the ethnic Albanians living in Kosovo, Albania, and Macedonia in favor of forming a "Greater Albania," a poll shows.

80% of the Albanians in Kosovo, 62% of those in Albania, and 51% of the Albanian minority in Macedonia back the idea for forming a Greater Albania, according to a poll of Gallup carried out in cooperation with the European Fund for the Balkans, cited by Macedonian TV Kanal 5.

An alliance between Albania and Kosovo has smaller support – 33.7% in Albania and 29.2% in Kosovo, according to the report of the Serbian media B92.

According to Albanian nationalists, a hypothetical "Greater Albania" would feature the entire territories of Albania and Kosovo, about half of Macedonia, and parts of Southern Serbia, Montenegro and Greece.

Fears that a scenario for creating a Greater Albania were on the way emerged after the Kosovo War in 1999 and the subsequent insurgency in Macedonia, which was settled through a constitutional compromise, the Ohrid Accord, in 2001.

Georgiadis: Which is the answer for the burning of crowns of the Greek heroes, in Boboshtitsa?

LAOS MP, Andonis Georgiadis, requires the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Greece, to respond to the incident in Boboshtisa, in the Region of Korca , where "anonymous" people, burned crowns placed there by the Greek Community of Korca.

http://icorantis.wordpress.com/2010/11/17/6406/#respond

Positive Meetings with Papandreou & Sarkozy in Paris

During his visit to Paris Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou met with Nicolas Sarkozy at the Presidential palace on Monday, November 14th. The two leaders discussed various issues including the Greek initiative for the confrontation of the climate change in the Mediterranean and the institutionalization of the support mechanism. The latter according to Papandreou, is expected to facilitate the completion of the economic governance, whose absence is responsible for the imbalances and the difficulties that Greece and other countries encounter. Finally, Papandreou thanked the French President for supporting Greece during the current economic crisis. Sarkozy confirmed that France will keep encouraging Greek efforts for recovery.

The Elephant of Northern Epirus (Epirus) still sleeps!

"Do not disturb the elephant, which hides in deep sleep." This is the epithet that the great Himariot writer Petro Marko, considers Northern Epirus, a rich historic region which is recognized by international relations, as half of the Hellenic state of the Pyrros of Epirus. The paradox is that neither Greater Albania or Greater Serbia, or Greater Bulgaria, do not must disturb the "elephant" to sleep, until one day, it will be set up again giant.
Petro Marko
June 14, 1990

51.5% of Albanians in Macedonia want Greater Albania

18 November 2010 FOCUS News Agency

Skopje. 51.5% of the Albanians in Macedonia want the establishment of Greater Albania, states a poll conducted by Gallup in partnership with the European Fund for the Balkans, Macedonian Kanal 5 TV reports.

According to the poll, some 62% of the citizens of Albania back the establishment of Greater Albania, so do 81% of the citizens of Kosovo.

95% of the people inquired think that Greater Albania should cover the territory of current Albania, Kosovo and part of Macedonia.

62.7% of the Albanians want the "Greater Albania"

62.7% of the Albanians want the "Greater Albania"

Seems still the idea of "Greater Albania", which is reflected in research Balkan Monitor, which share 62.7% support this idea in Albania.

High is the percentage of Albanian supporters of the idea of "Greater Albania" in Kosovo ( 81%) and Macedonia (51.8%). The respondents, 32% in Albania, Kosovo, 29% and 6.8% in Macedonia, consider that a "Greater Albania" would result from the unification of Albania with Kosovo. In the same survey, 48.8% of respondents Albanians in Kosovo, in Macedonia 41.8% and 25.8% in Albania believe that "Greater Albania" is a vision that will not be long take shape.

Under the same survey, 29.8% of respondents do not trust the elections held in the country, 47.1% did not approve the project's prime minister, 38.8% described as very serious problem of corruption and 81.9 % do not trust the institutions of the country. Please note that end after the abolition of entry permits for citizens of Albania who travel in the Schengen zone, 38% expect a significant increase of migration.

Saranda, robbery apartment of former KLA political leader Adem Demaci

Apartment robbery of former KLA political leader, Adem Demaci in Saranda. The news was made public today afternoon, and police immediately launched investigations in Saranda for the event. It was the palace administrator, who has found an open door of apartment of Kosovar leader.

Demaci was not at home, when it has been robbed while police still did not clear what could be robbed in his apartment after he has turned down. Adem Demaci, the former political leader of the KLA (Kosovo Liberation Army) is one of the most prominent personalities of Kosovo, not only for his contributions as a writer but also for the role he played as a politician, in Kosovo 28 years after release from prison of Yugoslavia, sentenced to national question.

Since 1991 he lives alone in this apartment in Saranda. Otherwise known as Nelson Mandela of Europe, led Demaci Council for Human Rights and Freedoms (CDHRF) from 1990 to 1995. In 1991 was honored by the European Parliament Sakharov Prize. During the period 1998/1999, when meetings were held in Rambouillet to the future of Kosovo, he was the political spokesman of the KLA.

Today he is committed to minority rights in Kosovo and is highly respected by locals and foreigners. It was (2005-2007) President of the Writers of Kosovo. The last interview was given by Saranda (extreme town in south of Albania, bordering with Greece) for BBC radio, in which he spoke for Greater Albania,and the island of Corfu as Albanian territory.

EPP president criticises commission's report on Albania

SVETLANA JOVANOVSKA

The European Commission came under fire on Tuesday (16 November) over its latest progress report on Albania during a meeting hosted by the European People's Party (EPP).

Joseph Daul, president of the EPP, the biggest political group in the European Parliament, said he had not seen the problems referred to in the commission's report on his own visit to Albania.

EPP president Joseph Daul has criticised the commission's report on Albania. (Photo: epp-ed.eu)

The commission published its opinion on Albania's submission to become an official candidate for EU membership on 9 November. The Brussels-based EU executive refrained from recommending Albania's candidacy and instead asked the country to continue reform efforts that could eventually lead to candidate status.

For now, the commission considers Albania to fall short of the political criteria needed to begin membership talks. The greatest problem identified by experts was the lack of dialogue between the government and opposition in Tirana.

The country has been in a political crisis since the summer of 2009 when, following general elections, Prime Minister Sali Berisha's conservative party held onto power and the socialist opposition started boycotting parliamentary work........................... more see;

http://waz.euobserver.com/887/31283

Albania, latest update

Greek Government may open Consulate in Himara

The Greek Community of Ionian Area, needs Athens to observer strongly two important processes; census population and property registration

The news is considered seriously by diplomatic sources in Washington, at the latest meetings held in New York by the Greek Prime Minister Papandreou during ONU sessions in September.

Sources said that during meetings with Greek Prime Minister, with exponents of the Greek lobby in USA, especially from abroad people of Himara with American citizenship, they proposed to George Papandreou, the opening of a Greek diplomatic representation in Himara.

According to sources, the requirements that had character as diplomatic as well as under the protection of human rights, included two primary elements that are, the registration of real property of Greek community of Ionian coastal zones, and census process, which is considered as very important geopolitical and democratic process in Albania. Both these processes will be developed to monitor the OSCE and the European Union in 2011.

However, the opening of a Greek Consulate in Himara, will significantly reduce ethnic conflicts in this region and will direct indicated one of the most beautiful areas of the Ionian Riviera, to construct a modern prospective in Mediterranean tourism.

Meanwhile, there is still an answer by the Albanian foreign ministry, even the opening of the Greek school in Himara, some years ago, has showed that the relations Athens - Tirana for "Himara Issue", is going to the European perspective of the region.

Athens, has opened two Consulates in Albania, in Prefectures of Koritsa and Argirokaster, when is seeing to open the most important Prefecture of Vlora, which including, Vlora district, Himara, Lukovo, Delvina and Saranda Municipalities.

"BAJRAM DAY" IN TIRANA AVENUE "DESHMORET E KOMBIT"

Albanians move to build integration bridges

Image Caption: Refugee children receiving lessons in Albanian language in Solothurn in 1999 (RDB)

Two major initiatives have been recently launched to help the Albanian-speaking community integrate in Switzerland and improve mutual understanding.

There are around 270,000 Albanian speakers currently living in Switzerland, of whom 100,000 are under 16. The diverse populations from Kosovo, Macedonia, Albania, and Serbia and Montenegro form the second-largest foreign community after the Italians.

“Things are definitely happening at the moment,” said Bashkim Iseni, a 39-year-old political scientist from Lausanne University.

Iseni is head of the team of journalists behind www.albinfo.ch, a new information website in Albanian, French and German for the Albanian-speaking community in Switzerland that started in mid-October.

The project, financed by the Swiss government and conceived in partnership with the media group Edipresse, offers Swiss news, Balkans politics, features on the Albanian community in Switzerland and a wealth of practical information...... see more:

http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/politics/foreign_affairs/Albanians_move_to_build_integration_bridges.html?cid=28797982

Greek Comedy “In-Laws from Tirana” Performing in Brussels November 21st!

The Greek community in Brussels welcomes the hilarious comedy: “In-Laws from Tirana”. It is created by Mixalis Reppas and Thanasis Papathanasiou and directed by Dimitris Argyropoulos.

This Greek production is a long-running and very popular theatre comedy in Greece. The story portrays Penny and Lykourgos who are a wealthy couple living in a large provincial city in central Greece. Their only daughter Lisa is studying in London. Their life appears complete since they live in luxury and have lots of money. Their dream is to see their daughter settle down with a good husband. Their neighbors Pauline, Penny’s sister and her husband Bill also live very comfortably. Shortly before Easter, Lisa comes home from London with her boyfriend, Alfred. He is a young student she met in London. The fact that their daughter has a boyfriend is a pleasant shock to the family. Alfred is charming and very polite. The families are very excited when they learn that the groom is from London. They go crazy when they learn that Alfred is not English but Albanian. Things get even worse when Alfred’s parents arrive from Tirana, Albania.

Participating actors are Tasos Filippidis, Tula Monoyiou Nikos Tsokalos, Marina Tzoti, George Muggle, David Loukos, Stefania Pantazi and many more.

The show will be at the Ten Weyngaert theater on Sunday, November 21, 2010 at 3:00 pm. All proceeds from the show will be donated to the Greek Community in Brussels

Albanian Kosovo dual citizenship after visa liberalization, now is became "De Facto" reality

Minister Beqaj: The Albanians of Kosovo can obtain passports from Albania

Kosovo government officials have not ruled out the possibility that a number of Kosovars of Albanian passports aiming device, after entry of Albania into the Schengen area.

As announced by Albanian embassy in Pristina, there are eight criteria that must be met to obtain a passport from Albania, including resident position of 5 years, 3 years respectively for the citizens of Kosovo.

Dismissed Minister of European Integration, Besim Beqaj saying history has shown that after the liberalization of visa regime with Serbia, some Kosovo Albanian and Serbian passports now the same could happen with Albania.

According to minister Beqaj, there were some cases when citizens of Kosovo are going to Serbia and have fictitious registration, taking Serbian passports to finish so in different countries of the European Union.

"This has shown that any block that is made, creates opportunities for them, to find alternative routes and this is the argument that we use every day," said Minister Beqaj.

Few days ago, European Union Commissioner for Internal Affairs, Cecilia Malmström has warned Serbia and Macedonia for "misuse of visa liberalization", citing the possibility of reviewing this process.

http://www.shekulli.com.al/2010/11/14/vizat-kosovaret-edhe-mund-te-marrin-pasaporta-te-shqiperise.html

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"GAZETA SHQIPTARE"

New Democratic Party urges the Albanian immigrants, to come back in Northern Epirus

the Albanian immigrants in Greece, according to Albanian newspaper «Gazeta Shpiptare", have received messages from the New Democracy party that promises a better future in Northern Epirus. This has disappointed the Albanians, who where going to vote like all the Greeks, for local candidates in the second round of municipal and regional elections.

For most of our immigrants, continues the paper, the term 'Northern Epirus' should not exist and it has a reaction to the Albanian immigrants who decided to boycott the elections, said the newspaper.

"If such a vulgar term of 'Northern Epirus' is still used, then let them tell us who is the Southern Epirus. It's a tough policy to destabilize Albania and the region, "says one of the Albanians of us who are voters in Athens.

The message, the newspaper writes, is "sensitivity to the name of Northern Epirus: Antonis Samaras the President of ND addresses to voters: "Northers Epiriotes,We support this Sunday, Bill Kikilia"

Electoral lists for local elections in Greece are written 150,000 Albanian immigrants, although the total number of migrants is much higher.

But on November 7, the election day, according to polls where registered de facto a small percentage of Albanians participated in the elections, said the Albanian newspaper.

Note: Still now, the Albanian State, considers as chauvinist slogan, the regional term of "Northern Epirus", even on International Relations and Geopolitical issues of Balkan Region, the Epirus, tells the most important History and regional develompents area including Greece and Albania.