Government of Kosovo wants to have helicopters and armored vehicles for the police

20.08.2011, ora 13:09

Prime Minister Hashim Thaci was complained that the Assembly of Kosovo has gone on vacation when the northern part of the state was declared a restricted military area writes "Koha Ditore".

The newspaper has learned that after the police action to seize control of customs points at Jarinje and Bernjak, head of the Government had plans to seek permission from Parliament to purchase sophisticated equipment for Kosovo Police. It is for the purchase of two helicopters and ten armored vehicles. Senior officials in the government, but also within the Police officials have confirmed that the plan for strengthening the logistics and the Police Operations, which is already approved, is expected to be presented in the following days the Assembly, when the autumn session will begin.

The newspaper′s sources have warned that the purchase of logistics for the police vehicles will be done through an open international tender.

Government of Kosovo wants to have helicopters and armored vehicles for the police

20.08.2011, ora 13:09

Prime Minister Hashim Thaci was complained that the Assembly of Kosovo has gone on vacation when the northern part of the state was declared a restricted military area writes "Koha Ditore".

The newspaper has learned that after the police action to seize control of customs points at Jarinje and Bernjak, head of the Government had plans to seek permission from Parliament to purchase sophisticated equipment for Kosovo Police. It is for the purchase of two helicopters and ten armored vehicles. Senior officials in the government, but also within the Police officials have confirmed that the plan for strengthening the logistics and the Police Operations, which is already approved, is expected to be presented in the following days the Assembly, when the autumn session will begin.

The newspaper′s sources have warned that the purchase of logistics for the police vehicles will be done through an open international tender.

“No perfect solution for Kosovo”

Source: Tanjug

BERLIN -- Belgrade will not recognize Kosovo’s independence but “together we can find a solution and a special model,” Serbian Deputy PM Božidar Đelić has said.

Božidar Đelić (Tanjug, file)

He pointed out that the issue of administrative checkpoints in the north of the province could be solved in near future, but added that Europe’s help was necessary in that department.

“Of course, but we need Europe for that, we can work through the dialogue. It is a shame that Priština sent special police to the administrative line in July. That was not helpful. We can solve everything through the dialogue, together with Germany and the United Nations. There is no other way for peace and future in the Balkans,” he told Deutsche Radio.

The deputy PM said that a new model for solving the Kosovo problem was necessary.

“There is no perfect model but we can find a special model for Kosovo and Serbia. I am sure we can find it,” he stressed.

When asked whether this meant that Serbia would not recognize Kosovo with its current borders, Đelić said that it certainly would not.

“Of course it won’t. It is impossible to accept the 2008 independence but together we can find a solution,” he explained.

He stressed that German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s visit to Belgrade was very important.

“The visit is very important to us, to Serbia and the Balkans,” the Serbian deputy prime minister said.

He said that Belgrade expected Merkel’s support and “not only wishes”, because as he said, Serbia can give a great contribution to both Germany and Europe.

“Together with Germany and Europe we can work on security, economy and culture. It is especially important for Merkel to come and directly see things we have already done,” Đelić concluded.

World Security Network reporting from London in the United Kingdom, August 19, 2011

Dear members of WSN Not more words but innovative actions are needed now in Syria: "Establish a "Syrian Centre for the Registration of Crimes against Humanity" – where prosecuters can collect evidence of crimes and murder and victims report them to the staff. Form a "Free Syrian Parliament in Exile" which will have representatives from all different ethnic groups, religions and political groups in discussion together.” The continuation of the killing of more than 1000 civilians in Syria by dictator Bashar al-Assad must now be answered by innovative actions by the Arab states and the West. Words are not enough anymore, he does not listen to them. The UN Security Council is blocked by the interests of two veto-members: Russia wants to sell more arms to Syria and China block any protest by all means as done in Beijing in 1989, when over 1000 Chinese citizens were killed. My proposals are: 1. Establish a "Syrian Centre for the Registration of Crimes against Humanity" - preferably in The Hague or Istanbul, Geneva or Berlin. Prosecuters can collect evidence of crimes and murder. Victims can report them to the staff. This has been successfully done by the German "Zentrale Erfassungsstelle Salzgitter" which for decades collected 42.000 pieces of evidence of crimes against Germans in the East German dictatorship (GDR). 2. Form a "Free Syrian Parliament in Exile", preferably in Istanbul, which will have representatives from all different ethnic groups, religions and political groups in discussion together. Collect signatures of Syrians to promote this free assembly. This has been done very successfully in Estonia where Tunne Kelam, Member of the International Advisory Board of WSN, and now a member of the EU Parliament, and the freedom heroes of his small Baltic country - which was forced into the USSR in 1940 - established the Congress of Estonia in 1990 where 499 delegates from 31 political parties were represented, including the ruling communists . The permanent standing committee of the Congress of Estonia - the Committee of Estonia (Eesti Komitee) - was chaired by Tunne Kelam. The Free Syrian Parliament as a first step should debate and agree on a modern constitution along the lines of the UN Charter protecting the freedoms of the people and promote religious and ethnic respect and tolerance. In the Charter of United Nations it says: “We, the people of the United Nations determined to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war,… to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human being, … and for these ends, to practice tolerance and live together in peace with one another as good neighbours.” In 1945, the founders of the United Nations saw tolerance as a key to the peaceful coexistence of the people of the world. The UNESCO in its Declaration of Principles on Tolerance in 1995 stated: “Tolerance recognizes the universal human rights and fundamental freedom of others”. According to the UN and international law, universal human rights include: Freedom of speech, opinion, the press and religion. Societies like the dictatorship in Syria that disregard these universal human rights present present a threat to their own people as well as other countries, as in Lebanon where the Syrian Secret Service was involved in the killing of President Hariri in 2005. These actions should be funded by the EU and the US and must start soon. Dr. Hubertus Hoffmann President and Founder World Security Network Foundation

Merkel calls for Serbia-Kosovo dialogue

August 20, 2011

PanARMENIAN.Net - German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she will push for dialogue between Serbia and Kosovo when she visits Belgrade next week.

Merkel is to hold talks with Serbian officials on Tuesday, August 23, during a visit which follows a recent spike in tensions with Kosovo, a former province that declared independence from Serbia in 2008.

Merkel said in her weekly video podcast Saturday that she will call "for dialogue with Kosovo to be resumed." She added that "there can be no European perspective for this region if all do not make efforts - even though the scars of the past still have deep and difficult effects."

Merkel's trip also will take her to neighboring Croatia, which has been cleared to join the European Union in 2013, the Associated Press reported.

Problems between NATO - Albania

Problems between NATO - Albania

NATO has restricted access to Albania's military information network, especially information related to nuclear energy.

The decision came after investigations carried out and revealed that people who had access to confidential documents and information of NATO associated with operations of war, provided a fee to Arabs, Russians and Serbs.

The Secretary General του ΝΑΤΟ Rasmussen went to Tirana and requested an explanation from Prime Minister Sali Berisha. The NATO research has identified the names of Members who entered into the system.

The information reported some significant effects on the 'Eastern Front' and terrorist operations. NATO concluded that Albania is a risk in maintaining confidential information. From today, no person-even the Prime Minister, will not be allowed to verify information on nuclear energy, businesses are defined as highly confidential and other data.

Investigations will continue to identify Albanian MPs who sold information to organizations or countries that are friendly to NATO and the U.S..

Ethnic Groups in Albania against Census

Associations of minorities seeking postponement of the census with six months after he was drafted by them without consultation with representatives of minorities. "This law was drafted by the Central Registration census now, without any consultation with the State Committee for Minorities and Minorities as our representative organizations. We, the representatives of the working group for minority organizations, express categorical opposition to the provisions adopted, which punish and kill free declaration of ethnic citizens of the Republic of Albania ", - stated Deputy of "Omonia" the biggest Greek organization, Nikolakis Brigo.

A few days ago was chairman of the Union for Human Rights which Vangjelis Dule expressing the necessity of the census provided for in September, expressed reservations about the European standards in this process. "We notice with regret that the recent amendments to the law on census abolished the essential right of self-declaration, it penalized at the same time violated the principle of confidentiality of census data.

Consequently, such a record can not be standards, but a hybrid recording on one side where the government wants to throw ashes in the eyes of the international community will in fact have a record similar to those developed in the totalitarian system, Dule stated.

Serbia Readies for Population Census

Thousands of Serbians have been queuing across the country to become official data collectors in the country's upcoming population census.

Bojana Barlovac

Belgrade

Among those were several hundred people waiting in front of the entrance to the building of Palilula municipality in Belgrade on Wednesday to apply for one of the 41,000 jobs on offer.

Unemployment currently stands at 22 per cent and the data collectors earn 210 euro for 15-hour days over the two weeks. The avarage monthly salary in Serbia is 350 euro.

The most important criterion when selecting candidates will be handwriting, and the unemployed and students will be given preference.

The head count in Serbia, to be held between , set to be held between October 1 to 15, was supposed to take place in April 2011 but has been delayed for six months due to a lack of funding. The survey will be partially funded by the EU.

The agricultural census will take place from October 1 to December 15, 2012.

The last population census was carried out in 2002, while Serbia has not had an agricultural census since 1960.

Ahead of the the 2011 census, the issue of whether Kosovo will be included has been hotly debated. Belgrade does not recognise Kosovo's independence, declared in 2008, and maintains that Kosovo remains a province of Serbia.

Pristina held its own census earlier this year, but was unable to obtain data in many areas were Serbs are a majority.

The Serbian government has agreed with the EU that the census in the Serb-dominated north will be carried out with the help of the UN Office for Project Services, UNOPS.

The first preliminary results of the census will be known on November 15 and the final data will be published during 2012 and 2013.

Opening Ceremony for Two New Churches in Saranda

Saranda

A pleasant atmosphere prevails over the city of Saranda. The efforts of local people and the Metropolitan bishops were not fruitless. Greeks celebrate the opening ceremony of two new churches that will host all worshipers wishing to serve God.

Under the encouragement and support of Anastasios Bishop, and the bishop living in Argurokastro, two beautiful churches are ready to enhance local people’s lives. One church is dedicated to Saint Kosmas in Livadia of Saranda and the other is located in Saranda town in honor of Saint Charalampos.

After many years of hard work, these two buildings’ construction came to an end and are open to everyone. The magnificent buildings display the patience of the locals over the years, waiting for the churches to finish.

Hunger striking Albanian miners reject pay offer

Fri Aug 19, 2011

Reuters, By Benet Koleka

TIRANA Aug 19 (Reuters) - Albanian chrome miners on hunger strike for higher pay rejected a fresh offer on Friday and defied a court order to end the occupation of an Austrian-run mine.

A dozen miners, from among 700 who have downed tools since July 4, have been on hunger strike for 25 days some 1,400 metres below ground at the operation in Bulqiza in northern Albania.

The miners rejected an offer by Albanian Chrome Sh.p.k (ACR), a division of DCM DECOmetal, for a 20-percent wage rise and other benefits on condition they resume work.

"We want to sign an additional part to the contract to address our demands. If our demands are not met, we shall not quit the strike," said Kol Nikolla, the head of a trade union federation representing the miners.

ACR said it had met all the miners' demands and accused Nikolla of holding the mine hostage.

Managers have been evicted from the site and miners and their families have blocked a key access road. Miners have also blocked a lift inside the mine to prevent police from intervening.

ALTERNATIVE SUPLIES Continued...

More Islamist Mischief Aimed at Albanian Muslims

By STEPHEN SCHWARTZ

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Arid Uka, 21, a German-Albanian Muslim who killed two U.S. servicemen and wounded two more at Frankfurt Airport on March 2 of this year, will go on trial in a German court beginning August 31, on two counts of murder and three of attempted murder. The dead Americans were Senior Airman Nicholas J. Alden, 25, from South Carolina, and the driver of a military personnel bus, Airman 1st Class Zachary R. Cuddeback, 21, of Virginia. After shooting them, Uka fired into the bus, injuring two more airmen, Staff Sgt. Kristoffer Schneider (who was left blinded in one eye) and Senior Airman Edgar Veguilla, and threatening another. Uka’s gun jammed and he fled but was caught quickly.

Uka has confessed to the attack. When he was charged formally last month, the New York Times and other Western media reported that German officials said they “had no evidence that Mr. Uka, a Kosovar who grew up in Frankfurt, had accomplices or that he was part of a terrorist group.” Western media have further described him as lacking a radical background, and as having been motivated in his homicidal action by viewing a film, only the day before, purportedly showing foreign soldiers raping Muslim women..........

more see; http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/more-islamist-mischief-aimed-albanian-muslims_590341.html

Israel will not apologize to Turkey over ship raid

Source: B92

JERUSALEM -- Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has informed U.S. officials that his country will not apologize to Turkey over the 2010 raid of a Turkish vessel.

Binyamin Netanyahu (Beta/AP)

The ship was attempting to break the naval blockade of the Gaza Strip.

Nine pro-Palestinian Turkish activists died when they clashed with Israeli naval commandos who raided the Mavi Marmara, one of the ships in a flotilla that was heading toward Gaza.

According to Israeli media, American officials "applied heavy pressure on Israel" to issue an apology, but Netanyahu told U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton that Jerusalem would not do so.

Washington wishes to "stabilize Israeli-Turkish relations as soon as possible", as the crisis in those relations was "harming American interests in the region", Yedioth Aharonoth daily said.

Meanwhile, a report investigating the flotilla incident is expected to be published next week by the United Nations. The Palmer Committee probed the incident and will submit its findings to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who will decide on the date of its publication.

Acceding to the Haaretz newspaper, Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Moshe Ya'alon addressed a ruling Likud party gathering this week to say that the committee had ruled in favor of Israel in regards to the legality of the naval blockade of the Gaza Strip.

"The Turks are not ready to accept this. But the relationship had deteriorated even before. This is their policy, this is what they wanted, shame on them. So I said the Palmer Report needs to be published and I hope it will be published. Afterwards, we will meet (with the Turks)," the newspaper quoted Ya'alon as saying.

Is Himara paying extra taxes for Albania?

A citizen of Himara, sends letter to Albanian Ombudsman: The Municipality of Himara applies taxes, as in Benelux countries.

The Himara Municipality has taken taxes from its citizens forcefully, four times more than needs

NGO-s of Himara is seeing very critic the taxes situation of Himara Municipality, after property issue.

The Himara `s resident, Milton Polo, from Kiparo village, has asked the Albanian Ombudsman, to review the taxes that, The Himara Municipality has applied to their citizens. Milto Polo, a resident, complains that it is in economic assistance and is unable to pay four times the taxes that it is a municipality, as classified for Himara the third category Municipality, in Albania.

The complaint has come to the Himara Municipality and the Mayor George Goros, who has promised to call urgently the Municipality Council, for the tax reduction.

In fact, all campaigning for the Himara Municipality, has been characterized by a "hot war" between the candidates, in which, the winner should lower taxes for the local population, which is the only Region in Albania, that paying taxes regularly more 100%.

The new Himara `s Mayor, George Goros, has promised tax cuts to businesses and construction permits, which are four times higher in Albania, while has accused former Mayor Vasillios Bollano as "dictator to their citizens" separately, applying taxes, bigger than himself, to Benelux's countries.

During electoral campaign, former Mayor Bollanos declared that to the Albanian media, "We have applied four times taxes more than was planed by the Albanian parliament".

In addition the NGO-s of Himara Region, are seeing very concerning after the property issue, the taxes that the Municipality of Himara, applies for their citizens, considering the taxes to go extra for the Albanian budget, not for their residents.

"Serbia willing to accept customs form"

Source: Tanjug

VIENNA -- Serbian Ministry for Kosovo State Secretary Oliver Ivanović said Wednesday that the Serbian government was willing to accept a joint customs form.

Oliver Ivanović (Tanjug, file)

He pointed out, however, that Serbia would never accept a “Kosovo” customs stamp.

“Serbia would not like duties to be collected at administrative crossings,” he told Vienna-based daily Der Standard, pointing out that Belgrade wanted the implementation of the Central European Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA).

Der Standard recalled that CEFTA's implementation did not mean that transit zones between central Serbia and Kosovo would be fully customs-free.

Ivanović pointed out he could not imagine a model according to which Kosovo Serbs would be linked by 80 percent to the government structures in Belgrade and by 20 percent to those in Priština.

“We are ready to take part in the elections in Kosovo and to be represented in its parliament, but we want our own identity cards, Serbian registration plates, and to maintain our Serbian passports,” Ivanović was quoted as saying.

Der Standard said that a partition of Kosovo was unacceptable for the West, as it feared a possible rebellion of Albanians in Macedonia. The daily added, however, that it was not quite clear how the model for the Kosovo north should look like.

The Belgrade-Priština dialogue meetings will continue this fall, after which the election campaign for parliamentary elections should begin in Serbia, so further talks would be futile until then, the Vienna-based daily said.

ALBANIAN PRESS, ABOUT THE MEETING FOR PROPERTIES IN DRYMADES, HIMARA REGION


http://www.gazeta-shqip.com/politike/f0a347d24815f9f89b8f3a42ff0e3ddf.html

About the resolute click here in Albanian:

http://www.noa.al/2011/08/bregdetasit-per-token-te-zbatohet-kushtetuta-dhe-jo-ligji-7501/

OSCE publishes the report for elections Albania in September

OSCE is preparing another report on Albania about the political situation in the country, including even the elections, which were held on 8 May of this year.

OSCE Ambassador in Tirana, Eugen Wollfarth will report to the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna, in early September on political developments in Albania.

The report is expected to include a detailed material regarding the May 8th election process, and especially the duration of the process.

The report will include opposition boycott of parliament, which in the last report was described by former Ambassador, Robert Bosch as an act that has led to the disapproval of some important legislative initiatives.

"Red and Black" Albanian Nationalist Alliance: The Decoration of Ikonomus, is a new provocation


The Alliance "Red and Black" has react today about the ceremony to honor the Greek consul in Korce, Theodhoros Ikonomu Kamarinos considering it a provocation.

In a press release, the "Red and Black" Alliance declares that the decoration of Ikonomus, has innovative intention of the census on ethnic and religious grounds.

The Alliance the "Red and Black" has called on the Albanian state to react on this case, as "unprecedented", recalling that the position of the Anti-based registration of ethnic and religion, is the protection of national identity and national integrity.

"The Decoration of Ikonomus and approval or silence of the Albanian politics are consequences for political instability and conditioning the integration process of Albania into the EU." Reads the statement of the "Red and Black" Alliance.

Dialogue will not solve the crisis between Kosovo and Serbia

Tensions in the north of Kosovo will remain even after the next round of dialogue which will be held in Brussels on September 5th, if the parties remain in current positions, writes the daily "Koha Ditore".

According to the newspaper, the solution for customs seals could be found in this round. But most probably there will not be found a solution for the customs officers at border gates in Bernjak and Jarinje. The Serbian government will not accept the Kosovo officers at these points.

Even Deputy Prime Minister, Hajredin Kuçi is opposed to Stefanovic Saying that they will talk with the official Belgrade about the Kosovo internal affairs, within which included the issue of sending officers at customs border with Serbia, in Bernjak and Jarinje.