Presevo (Southern Serbia): Rama will propose establishing a fund for Albanians of diaspoPost Optionsra


The founds of Albanian taxpayers will use to help Albanians in other countries

The leader of the Socialist Party of Albania, Edi Rama, was received enthusiastically by the Albanians of the Presevo Valley, after his arrival in this town in southern Serbia. Hundreds of people had filled the streets to welcome the leader of the opposition in Albania.Rama immediately thereafter, in a hall of municipal authority presented the book "Kurban" in the presence of writers and Nerimane Kamberi Ragmi Mustafës. 


Albanian politician did not hide his excitement from the slot reserved in the world."I would like to express my pleasure that today I am with my brothers. The support to the problems facing Albanians in Presevo Valley is a need and our obligation, "said Rama, adding that there is a constitutional requirement and the Republic of Albania for the expatriates who experience out of the Albanian state. The leader of the socialist opposition referring to the difficulties faced by Albanians in the Presevo region said that the Socialist Party will propose establishing a special fund by the Albanian Parliament to build two schools and a hospital in Presevo during the current year. 


"We need to increase financial aid through scholarships for students of the Valley who have financial problems and seeking to make higher education in Albania," said Rama. The visit of the leader of the Socialist Party of Albania was at the invitation of the Council of Human Rights of the Presevo Valley to present his book.

Greek Conservative Leader Antonis Samaras Meets With Vladimir Putin in Moscow

The Thursday meeting between Russian PM Vladimir Putin and New Democracy party leader Antonis Samaras lasted for more than an hour, with talks focusing on improving and re-strengthening bilateral relations that had frozen lately due to a halt in the two countries’ energy cooperation.
“My meeting with the prime minister of Russia, Vladimir Putin, took place in a very good climate and was exhaustive on all issues,” Samaras told reporters afterwards, according to ANA-MPA.
Samaras informed the Russian PM on the current situation in Greece and underlined the chances of developement and investments emerging in the debt-hit country. Putin on his part expressed his serious interest in aiding Greece and overcoming the problems of the past.
Samaras commented that Russia can become a valuable friend for Greece in the future and promised to stay in contact with the Russian side.
The two political leaders of the conservatives parties in Greece and Russia have also discussed the financial crisis of the Eurozone and exhanged views on future economic cooperation between the two coutnries, especially in terms of energy, privatisation and infrastructure projects in Greece.
According to ANA-MPA, Putin placed particular emphasis on the issue of construction of the southern portion of the South Stream natural gas pipeline, whose construction is being accelerated and will start before the end of 2012, instead of the spring of 2013.
Moreover, the failed Burgas-Alexandroupolis pipeline project has been thoroughly discussed, while the Greek representative also commented on issues such as the tourist visas for Russians wishing to come to Greece and the expansion of the Greek exports in the country.

Albanian Socialist leader, Edi Rama, visits Presheva

The Socialist leader, Edi Rama, is visiting the Presheva Valley in Southern Serbia. This is his first visit in the area, where he will promote his book “Kurban” and then will meet the leaders of the three Albanian communes.

The visit of the Socialist leader started at 14:00, while many citizens went out to meet Rama. The residents have welcomed this visit with interest, because it is a rare thing having an Albanian politician visiting the area.

Later during the meeting, Rama was asked about Albania’s policy and approach to the Lugina e Presheves Policies.

Rama underlined that the matter of Presheva must receive a just solution, between Serbia and Albania, and as for Kosovo, it can be considered a closed case.

"Scenario horror for Greece: Poverty will bring violence"

The horror scenario of violence caused by poverty and misery is seriously in Europe, and the other scary scenario, is the bankruptcy of our country, remains open, as transmitting agency Reuters. Indeed, EU leaders seriously worried whether repeating the tragedy that struck Argentina, this time in Greece, which is plagued by the economic downturn but the people to see better light ... As we know, the bankruptcy of Argentina a decade ago sparked serious rioting and clashes caused loss of life and shocking images of people to rush to stores to loot and break banks. - At best, if private creditors withdraw from voluntary debt restructuring, a disorderly bankruptcy would result in closure of Greek banks for several days to give Athens time to avoid the withdrawal of funds by assuring depositors that the lenders will not disappear. - In the worst case, if you backtrack and European partners, Greece will be found in the risk of plunging into a prolonged freeze bank capital shortfalls commodity, violence and what the central banker George Provopoulos has labeled the "hell" of output the euro.   The fate of the Greeks and business estimates to Reuters, if no agreement with private creditors, depends on whether the European Union, the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund will stand next to the country ...

Greece Protests Over Macedonia’s Triumphal Arch

Greece has sent a demarche to neighboring Macedonia in protest at what it says are Greek motifs and irredentist content depicted on the newly opened triumphal arch in Skopje.

Sinisa Jakov Marusic

Skopje

Photo by: Balkan Insight

On Thursday afternoon, the head of the Greek Liaison Office in Skopje, Ambassador Alexandra Papadopoulou, handed the demarche to the Macedonian Foreign Ministry.

Greece says that the arch contains marble reliefs of the Vergina sun as well as “scenes of irredentist nature”. The arch was unveiled in central Skopje earlier this month by Macedonian Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski.

The sun symbol, representing a stylized star with sixteen rays, is linked to the ancient kingdom of Macedonia that stretched throughout the current territories of both Greece and Macedonia. The sun is one of many historic figures and symbols claimed by both states.

“Such actions, apart from violating the [1995 UN brokered] Interim Accord and the principle of good neighbourly relations - an essential precondition for the neighbouring country’s European perspective - are also dangerous and constitute a threat to the stability of the Balkan region,” Greece stated in its protest.

Athens called upon Macedonia to undertake “corrective measures” and scrap the disputed scenes.

Macedonia used the same Vergina Sun on its flag in the early 1990s, but following an 18 month-long Greek trade embargo it was forced to change the symbol in 1995. In the wake of the embargo, both sides formalized bilateral relations in an UN guaranteed Interim Accord.

Relations between Macedonia and Greece are still strained, however, owing to the two-decades-long row over Macedonia's name. Citing the unresolved issue, Greece has blocked Macedonia’s progress towards both EU and NATO membership.

Greece insists that use of the term "Macedonia" by its neighbour implies a territorial claim to its own northern province of the same name.

Last summer Greek officials strongly condemned Macedonia’s move to erect a giant statue of Alexander in the heart of the capital as “provocative” and “retrograde”. Alexander's origin is also contested by both parties.

The latest demarche comes just one day after Macedonian Vice Prime Minister Teuta Arifi and her Greek counterpart, Theodoros Pangalos, meet on Wednesday in Athens in a move to revive moribund talks on the 'name' dispute.

Among other formalities, Arifi handed over a letter from PM Gruevski in which he reaffirms his wish for a direct meeting with his Greek counterpart Lucas Papademos.

“Proponents of referendum must take responsibility”

Source: Beta

BELGRADE -- Serbian Minister for Kosovo Goran Bogdanović says that “proponents” of the referendum in northern Kosovo will have to take responsibility for the consequences.

Goran Bogdanović

“It is incomprehensible that representatives of the local self-governments in the north of the province are ignoring requests of their government and think that they can do more than the state,” he pointed out.
The minister added that some representatives of the local self-governments were putting their party interests above the interests of the citizens and the need to solve everyday issues.

“Arguments for the referendum, which are presented by local self-government representatives, come from their parties,” he stressed.

Bogdanović said that the local representatives were putting the state and the citizens in Kosovo in a delicate position by holding the referendum in northern Kosovo.

“Representatives of the local self-governments in northern Kosovo are entitled to their own position on the referendum but such position is harmful when the state policy is concerned,” he explained.

According to him, the local self-governments’ decisions must not make it even more difficult for the state to solve the Kosovo issue.

Berisha acuses Bollano for signing Jali destruction

Albanian newspaper "Shqiptarja.com"

Perhaps, all the greeks, can not imagine the fact that the President of the Greek Minority, former Mayor of Himara, during Aprill 2007, when the albanian police, under the Development Program of World Bank, destructed the pictoresc village of Jali, caused "earthquake" in Washington by the american opinion and Tirana, which lowerid the prestige of World Bank, in the world opinion.

But, according to albanian newspaper, "shqiptarja.com" today, new facts are emerging, which are declared by the Prime Minister Sali Berisha, which are underestimated by albanian press, the fact that the construction mafia and the Administrative Municipality of Himara, have signed the destruction of Jali.

The issue became more complicated when the name of the President of Omonia and former Mayor of Himara Vasil Bollano, quoted by PM Sali Berisha, as Co signator of destruction of Jali village, jist this time that the Albanian Goverment, has won eight of nine trials, with the World Bank.

Note:


Since many times, the meeting with the heads of the Himara Municipality and the Albanian PM Sali Berisha,has been mistriosely and without trasparence, the people of Himara, requires and knowledge of what a talk of the PM Berisha with Bollanos, Gorors and Dhimojanis,  who does not informe their community,  like the people of Himara, possing risck from day to day, to the ocupation of Himara Region by albanian mafia, to change ethnicity and economic interes zones.

The World Bank has lost the Tribunal of Tirana, with the Albanian Goverment for destruction of Jali, Himara Region

PROGRESS REPORT No. 4
on the Implementation of Management’s Action Plan in Response to
the Inspection Panel Investigation Report on the




Original Report of the World Bank
http://www.shqiptarja.com/oggetti/47338.pdf

PROVISION OF ASSISTANCE FOR THE JALE REQUESTERS AND THOSE
AFFECTED BY THE APRIL 2007 DEMOLITIONS

3. Summary of previous Progress Reports. The first Progress Report, dated
July 1, 2009 described the mechanisms put in place by the Bank to support the
Requesters’ pursuit of judicial review of the demolitions in Jale. These included (i) an
Agreement between the Bank and the Government of Albania confirming the
Government’s assent to an independently monitored judicial review and to the Bank’s
payment of the Requesters legal fees; (ii) Grant Agreements with each of the nine
families to support their legal fees; (iii) contracting of an independent valuation of the
properties; and (iv) hiring of an International Observer. The second Progress Report
dated February 26, 2010 reported on the hiring of lawyers and filing of cases in Tirana
District Court by the nine families and on the process followed to supervise preliminary
hearings for the cases up to the end of January 2010. The third Progress Report dated
February 16, 2011 reported on the progress of the cases during calendar year 2010. At
that point, the District Court had ruled in two of the nine cases, issuing a decision in one
case in favor of a Requester and dismissing a second case on procedural grounds. The
remaining cases were ongoing.

concluded that the demolitions were justified in light of the unauthorized nature of the
construction. Three cases remain ongoing at District Court, for which rulings are
expected shortly. In summary, the District Court has ruled in six of the nine cases. It has
(i) decided one case in favor of a Requester,(ii) decided four cases in favor of the
Government and (iii) dismissed one case on procedural grounds. The following Table
summarizes the current status of all nine cases.

Current Status of Court Proceedings

Case District Court Ruling Date of Ruling Appeal Status
1 Dismissed on procedural
grounds
November 23, 2010 Dismissal being
appealed.
2 In favor of Requester December 11, 2010 Appealed. District
Court ruling upheld.
3 In favor of Government March 29, 1011 Appealed. No date set.
4 In favor of Government May 2, 2011 Appealed. No date set.
5 In favor of Government May 5, 2011 Appealed. No date set.
6 In favor of Government May 30, 2011 Appealed. No date set.
7 Ongoing Ongoing
8 Ongoing Ongoing
9 Ongoing Ongoing

5. Cumulatively, there has been more than 100 scheduled District Court
hearings for the nine cases. The Bank’s Independent Observer has now conducted nine
missions to Tirana to attend selected hearings. Other hearings

Note.


Next month, the Albanian Goverment, is waiting to aprove another Development Plan for the Himara Region, after the World Bank project, has failed. According to sources from Himara, the popullation, has expresed their disaprovation if the properties and lands, contunes still not, to returne to legimity owners, both community and orthodox churce.

Thousands of policemen to secure EHF semifinal

Source: Tanjug

BELGRADE -- Around 5,000 police officers will safeguard the EHF European Handball Championship semifinal game in Belgrade between Serbia and Croatia on Friday evening.

Gendarmes are seen in front of the Arena (Tanjug)

"Several thousand police officers will secure tonight's semifinal games. We have engaged all units which are part of the Interior Ministry Directorate," said Belgrade Police Administration Head Miladin Despotović.
He stressed that in line with security estimates, the police have taken measures to make sure the games go by without incidents which marked recent matches in Novi Sad.

"I want to note we have excellent cooperation with the Prosecutor's Office and misdemeanor courts, and that their representatives have been assigned to tonight's game, so all those who violate the law, and commit either a misdemeanor or criminal offense, will be prosecuted immediately," Despotović said.

He also noted that the Serbian police had excellent cooperation with its Croatian colleagues, and a joint checkpoint has been set up at the Batrovci border crossing.

According to him, Croatian fans who are identified as hooligans will be sent back from the border.

“Although the focus is on fans from Croatia, the police will take care of all fans who come to the Belgrade Arena to support their handball teams,” Despotović added.

Belgrade Police Assistant Chief Nikola Popovac stressed that prevention talks would be held during the day with the leaders of fan groups.

Pupovac said there were no announcements of organized arrival of Croatian fans, which did not mean there would not be individuals who would go to the match.

The semifinal match between Croatia and Serbia will start at 20:15 CET.

Following Tuesday's match between Croatia and France at the 2012 EHF European Men's Handball Championship, Croatian fans were attacked in Novi Sad and Ruma.

A total of 13 persons were arrested on the occasion, while three persons are still at large.

The Serbian police stated they are ready for the upcoming match in Belgrade Arena on Friday.

 
"Ethnic Albania" punishment from UEFA, 15 thousand Euro
Calls for ethnic Albanian, on Thursday 10 November last year, representative teams during the match between Albania and Russia "Under 21", when a group of Red & Black Alliance fans unfolded map of the ethnic Albanian and called for him to realize this idea while also cast some pyrotechnic materials in the stadium "Niko Dovana".
Everything above, the match delegate, called Evangelist Mazarakis has photographed everything and material submitted to the Disciplinary Committee of UEFA, which has taken a harsh decision against the FSHF: 15 thousand euros penalty.
A letter arrived yesterday in the Federation has announced the decision of the Committee. FSHF will have to decide whether or not to appeal the decision within five days, although the chances of success are very slim. "Yes, we are fined with 15 thousand euros to match the Hopes, Albania and Russia. The official reason for this decision is appealed by the fans nationalistic, for placing the banners with the same background, but also for throwing inflammable materials in the field. Everything was documented by Greek observer of the game that has not made a loving relationship for us, "one official confirmed yesterday's FSHF.
The match, Albania and Russia attended the Hope teams of about 100 fans of the group "Red & Black Alliance". The latter, mainly from Kosovo have called this confrontation of particular importance because Russia is a fierce opponent of the autonomy of their country of Serbia. Despite the heated fans had no incidents to be recorded. The penalty for representative U-21 follows several previous convictions for throwing inflammable materials in the field during meetings of representative A. Because the fans, FSHF lost only about 100 thousand euros in the last two years, only for ultra nationalism rethoric. Sports Express

Russian Orthodox Church Gathers Aid for Debt-Ridden Greece

January 26, 2012, 

The Russian Orthodox Church has started a solidarity aid campaign, gathering funds for fellow orthodox Greece, which has been plagued by a severe financial crisis.
Russian Patriarch Kirill has blessed the collection of donations in all orthodox churches across Russia.
Thursday Patriarch Kirill met with chair of Greek conservative party New Democracy Antonis Samaras and expressed the "deep compassion that Russians feel for the Greek people in this time of trial."
The head of the Russian Orthodox Church also praised the efforts of the Greek Orthodox Church in raising funds to help the most needy in Greece.
Kirill further assured that an extensive network is being established between Russian charity organizations and the Greek Orthodox Church to help alleviate the situation in the debt hit country.
Greece's debt is estimated at EUR 360 B, and fears that it might default are still rampant, in spite of two rescue plans implemented by the EU and IMF.

The Albanian Mafia, without limit to realize the Development Plan of Himara

Without property registration,the Albanian Mafia continues to be present in Himara Region,just to the moment of the decision of the Development Plan. 

2.175.000 €

Land for Sale in Qeparo – 14500 m²

• Qeparo is a seaside village on the Albanian Riviera in Himarë municipality, District of Vlorë, Albania.
• Nowadays Qeparo is divided in two parts, known as the old and the new village.
• Qeparo has cultivated olives for centuries, in early 19th century in the work of François Pouqueville, Napoleon Bonaparte's general consul at the court of Ali Pasha in Ioannina. Testimony to this, are some centennial olive trees still existing in the village.
• Qeparo is one of the favorite tourist destinations in Albania.
• Two hotels and a few guesthouses serve the tourists' enjoyment of the small beaches

http://www.albaniapropertygroup.com/en/properties/sale/land/allLocations/0-999999/0-9999999/Qeparo_Land

Key Features:

• The land is 14,500 m2
• Qeparo is one of the best villages of the southern coast located in the heart of Albanian Riviera.
• This is an area totally undeveloped.
• It is located right on the water.

The asking price for the whole land is 150 Euro/m2.

Kosovo gives up from the term Republic, Serbia from 1244

Written by M-Magazine Thursday, 26 January 2012 11:06

Kosovo

Pristina - Robert Cooper, technical dialogue mediator, has prepared the conclusion that will define how Kosovo will be presented in regional initiatives without being hindered by Serbia.

The agreement, on which the parties will be agreed in the meeting in early February, will mark a painful compromise. Kosovo Government has agreed in the region to be presented without the term Republic. Serbia, though with much opposition, admitted that the name under which Kosovo will be represented not to figure UN Security Council Resolution 1244, Koha Ditore reports. Edita Tahiri, Kosovo's chief negotiator admitted Wednesday that the Kosovo side has agreed that Kosovo be introduced in the region without the term Republic and with a footnote.

Parliamentary Commission for discharging of Kreshnik Spahiu, established

The establishment of the Parliamentary commission for investigating the vice Chairman of the High Council of Justice activities was no surprise.

74 votes in favor by the majority and with the opposition against, was established the Commission that for three weeks will investigate the activity of Kreshnik Spahiu, accused of trying to discredit a state figure and violating the Constitution.

The opposition made it clear that they are not satisfied by Mr.Spahiu’s work as Chairman of the High Council of Justice, and they said that this decision is taken for the partial interest of the Democratic Party, while the democrats say that the decision, although delayed, defends the dignity of the Parliament that has elected Spahiu for that duty.

Spahiu’s presence in Parliament refused

The vice Chairman of the HCJ asked the Parliament Speaker to be heard in the plenary session, before the Commission is established.

Spahiu says that the Commission of Laws sent him out only 10 minutes after the session had started, without giving him the right to speak.

The second person in charge of the High Council of Justice asked the Parliament Speaker to be heard, with the argument that it is the only way for guaranteeing a regular legal process and most of all, a just one, which has been violated by the Commission of Laws.

Spahiu received a negative answer by the Albanian Parliament. Spahiu suggested the the General Secretary of the Parliament to read the regulation, which doesn’t have any article that prohibits him fro speaking on the plenary session.

The RBA leader declared that the majority MPs are violating the Constitution by not allowing him to defend himself.

Berisha visits Montenegro

Albanians of Montenegro: Berisha, you are the next albanian President

Montenegro and Albania confirmed the close partnership between the two countries in their common process towards the European integration, same as in the consolidation of further economic cooperation.

The creation of two new border checkpoints with Montenegro and the plans for the development of infrastructure and tourism were the focus of the meeting in Podgorica between the Albanian Prime Minister, Sali Berisha, and his Montenegrin homologue, Igor Lukshic.

Berisha declared that the national interest of the two countries is the European integration, which fades every voice that represents the extreme nationalism.

“In this context, the national ideal is equal with the European one. The voices of the extremists sound like yells of a past that nobody wants anymore. The truth is that our countries and people have a bigger dedication for the EU integration”, Berisha declared.

Both Prime Ministers valued that the relations between Albania and Montenegro are the best cooperation model for all other countries of the region.


During his visit in Tusle, the city inhabited by albanians, the albanian people called Pm Sali Berisha as the next Albanian President for all albanian of the region..

RBA criticizes Berisha's visit in Montenegro

The Red and Black Alliance reacted this Thursday with the visit of the Prime Minister, Sali berisha, in Montenegro. According to them, it showed once again the lack of will for uniting the Albanians.

Prime Minister declared once again that he is against the unification of Albania and Kosovo, which is what most of Albanians want. Berisha is not the Prime Minister of 10 million Albanians”, the RBA declared.

The movement led by Kreshnik Spahiu accused the Prime Minister of staying silent for the right of the Albanians in Montenegro to keep the Albanian flag.

“The Prime Minister’s duty is to defend the symbol of the Albanian people. The unification will come from the Albanians, not their Prime Ministers”, the RBA reaction says.

A few days ago, RBA expressed their reserves about the visit of the Albanian Minister of Defense, Arben Imami, in Skopje. They considered as scandalous the fact that the Albanian flag was not present during the meeting between Imami and the Macedonian homologue, Fatmir Besimi.

The organization accused the Minister and considered as a national shame the fact that he accepted to continue the meeting in those conditions.

Earlier the month, the RBA expressed their indignation about the government’s decision to build new Greek cemeteries, a decision that they called a fulfillment of Athens’ caprices.

Dick Marty's accusation to Albania

The investigation about the suspicions raised for human organs traffic in Albania during the war in Kosovo, has brought for the second time in Tirana the EULEX Chief Prosecutor, Ambassador John Clint Williamson.

Williamson’s mission is based on the Council of Europe resolution of 25 January 2011, with the object: “Investigating the accusations for inhuman actions and illegal traffic of human organs in Kosovo”.

The EULEX prosecutor’s requests were not made public after the meeting with the Albanian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Edmond Haxhinasto. In the press release, the Haxhinasto declared that he ensured Mr. Williams for the full support and cooperation of the Albanian authorities, in order to guarantee a complete and all-inclusive investigation, since EULEX is the only official organ that has the jurisdiction, capability and capacities to investigate the issues raised by the report.

The EULEX Chief Prosecutor held a meeting with Prime Minister Berisha. Part of the Chief Prosecutor Williamson agenda was a joint meeting at the British Embassy in Tirana premises with the ambassadors of USA, GB, and other EU countries accredited to Tirana.

The accusations for human organs traffic during the war in Kosovo turned into a diplomatic issue after the Swiss EMP, Dick Marty, accused the former KLA leaders of being involved. Marty claimed that these operations were held in two KLA bases in Albania. The accusations were rejected by Prishtina and Tirana, while the Albanian authorities showed their readiness to cooperate in an international investigation about this matter.

Albania offers concessions for two hydro plants

* Minister says energy sector promising in Albania
* New plants capacity seen at 450 MW

TIRANA, Jan 25 (Reuters) - Albania's energy minister on Wednesday invited foreign investors to compete in tenders in the coming months to build two hydropower stations with a combined 450 megawatt installed capacity, adding nearly a third to the country's hydro total.
Energy Minister Nasip Naco told a British-Albania business forum that energy was one of the most promising sectors for foreign firms, a number of whom have already targeted the country's large hydro reserves.
"In a few months, the ministry will start international tenders to award concessions for the building of two hydropower stations on two rivers," Naco said.
The concessions will be on the Vjosa and Osum Rivers in southern Albania.
Power-hungry Albania has already awarded 110 concessions to build 310 hydropower plants on its rivers with a potential combined installed capacity totaling 1,450 MW, Naco said.
When built, those projects alone would roughly double its existing capacity in three communist-era plants on the Drin River, before the addition of the two new projects.
Licences for 15 wind farms with an installed capacity of 1,550 MW at a cost of 2 billion euros ($2.6 bln dollars) have also been granted.
Despite the push to develop the country's renewable resources, some of the projects have not yet started while others have failed to obtain financing.
While Albania seeks to build more generation capacity, the state-owned KESH monopoly power producer has been forced to import electricity because of low water levels at its power plants - a problem that has hit the wider Balkan region.
Foreign firms including Austria's Verbund and EVN and Norway's Statkraft have signed deals in recent years to build hydro plants.
Verbund's Ashta plant, where construction began two years ago, is the first significant plant in 30 years to be built on the Drin river, where almost 95 percent of Albania's power is produced by the three existing plants. (Reporting By Benet Koleka, Editing by Michael Kahn and Jane Baird)

Police in Albania seize 750 kilos of cannabis

Source: Beta

TIRANA -- Police in Albania said they confiscated at least 150 kilograms of cannabis meant to be sold in neighboring Greece.

A group of armed smugglers tried to cross the border between the two countries, and when stopped by border police opened fire against the officers.
The smugglers "left the merchandise and arms and fled toward the mountains", said a police statement in Tirana.

It also said there were no casualties in the incident, and that the operation was ongoing.

In a separate operation, police in the Albanian town of Durres on Wednesday seized more than 600 kilograms of cannabis about to be shipped to Italy.

According to reports from several countries' police forces, Albania is the main supplier of cannabis to Europe.

Although the authorities claim that they destroy between 70,000 and 100,000 cannabis plants each year, experts believe there are areas of the country that are still "out of control".

Italian anti-mafia prosecutor Cataldo Motta recently appraised that Albania produces at least 20 tons of cannabis each year.

First reaction, after Goro`s visit in USA

The New Development Plan of Himara Region stoped in Drymades


Drymades, Gilekates and Palasa, want trasparence and more possibilities to invest only himariotes families not Albanian Mafia


The meeting organized in Drymades, replaced the new Development Plan by autocton community

After The Himariot Civil Association of Albania, The Pan Epirotic Federation and particolarly the intervention of the US Congresman Guz Billirakis for the human rights and the right of properites in Himara Region, the Development Plan of Himara, risk to failure.


The Mayor George Goro: "You must assummer as community and local institutions, replecing the Development Plan, sending officialy to the Himara Municipality everithing that you consider wrong and high risck for the future of Himara Region."

Three vilages, Drymades, Gilekates and Palasa, said NO for the Development Plan projected by the Himara Municipality and financed by the Albanian Government, if the property issue, and the trasparence about the "albanian and foreign invetitores" which want to "invaded" Ionian Coastal without property titlle and official registration, or abuses by the albanian institutions, have considered failed the proces.

Drymades, Gilekats and Palasa, want trasparence and more possibilities to invest only by himariotes families not Albanian Mafia, they declared in the meeting with partecipitation of the Mayor George Goro and other administators of the project. The community considers the traces of the Development Project as "new invasion" to controll the Albanian Mafia all ecomomy of the Himara Region, and an effort to be changed the historicaly ethnicity of the Himara Popullation.

After The Himariot Civil Association, The Pan Epirotic Federation and particolarly the intervention of the US Congresman Guz Billirakis during the mmeting in USA with Mayor of Himara Municipality George Goro, for the human rights and the right of properites in Himara Region, the Development Plan of Himara, risk to failure.

Greek-American Ex-CIA Officer John Kiriakou Accused of Leaking Classified Information to Reporters

By Fani Toli on January 24, 2012 in News

A former Greek-American CIA official in Arlington has been charged with leaking the name of a covert CIA officer and disclosing information revealing the role of another CIA employee in classified activities.
Prosecutors with the Justice Department charged John Kiriakou of disclosing information about the capture and interrogation of alleged terrorists after September 11. Officials also allege he served as a source for stories a couple of years ago for the New York Times.
Kiriakou, 47, was a CIA intelligence officer between 1990 and 2004 and served at headquarters and in various classified overseas assignments. He was among the first to go public with details about waterboarding.
Investigators say they caught on when previously unreleased information appeared in a classified legal brief filed by defense lawyers for detainees at Guantanamo Bay.
He made an initial appearance in federal court in Alexandria on Monday afternoon. The judge found probable cause to proceed with the case.
Federal authorities allege that Kiriakou made illegal disclosures to two journalists about two CIA employees who were involved in classified operations. He is also accused of giving to reporters the name and contact information of a CIA officer who was involved in an operation to capture and question terrorism subject Abu Zubaydah in 2002.
Afterwards, the New York Times ran a front-page story on the operation that disclosed the CIA officer’s role in it.
His lawyer, Plato Cacheris, waived Kiriakou’s right to a preliminary hearing. After the hearing, Cacheris told a reporter that a potential defense argument could be that the charges criminalize conduct that has been common between reporters and government sources for decades.
If convicted, he could face decades in prison and a fine up to $1 million.
Kiriakou’s trial marks the sixth criminal leak related case since President Obama took office. That’s more cases tried than under all previous administrations combined.

Albanian Prosecution's request for Socialist MPs

The Prosecutor General, Ina Rama, based her request for removing the immunities of the Socialist MPs, Tom Doshi, Taulant Balla and Besnik Baraj, in some evidence that she presented to the Albanian Parliament.

Mps Doshi, Balla and Baraj will be investigated for clarifying their position for the penal act of organizing and participating in illegal manifestations. According to the Prosecutor General, Ina Rama, MP Balla will need further procedures, since he is seen in the videos near the protesters who throw stones and other objects towards the Prime Ministry, and that the phone of one of the protesters who were arrested on January 21st had a SMS where Balla was asked “what should we do and why are most of them backing off”.

The Prosecution says that this message raises suspicions for a possible dependency of some protesters to him, and that Taulant Balla could have undertaken actions that might have encouraged some of the protesters to act violently against the police.

As for Tom Doshi, the Prosecution declared that he has admitted of having organized the gathering of several people from Shkoder to participate in the January 21st protest. The General Prosecution says that two citizens, now sentenced by the court, are seen in the video contacting Tom Doshi before attacking the police.

As for Besnik Bare, the request is based on the fact that the SP representative has notified the Tirana Police for organizing the January 21st protest, but he didn’t comply with the Police orders to give information about when the protest would be over and its itinerary. The Prosecutor General, Ina Rama, says that Mr. Baraj ignored the legal request.

The Prosecutor General says that this affected the degradation of the protest in violent acts, and for this reason, there are suspicions that Mr. Bare has consumed the penal act of organizing and participating in illegal manifestations.

This request of the Prosecution was registered on January 20th, but it was made public only one day ago, when the Prosecutor General, Ina Rama, declared that she has asked the Parliament to remove their immunity.

Turkish missiles over Brussels, Paris, Berlin, Rome (and others)

The Ottoman siege of Vienna may have failed in 1683. But the Turks will soon be back at the gates (well, this time, the skies) of Europe.

Much to the pride of millions of Turks, the state scientific research institute, TÜBITAK, recently reported that its scientists this year would finish an all-Turkish missile with a range of 1,500 km, and, in 2014, another with a range of 2,500 km (no typo here).

The head of TÜBITAK said the order for the missile program had come from Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

I read daily Hürriyet quoting TÜBITAK’s president, Professor Yücel Altınbaşak, as saying that “this is a most realistic project.” And I watched an engineer from TÜBITAK’s missile project group, telling state television channel TRT that “the Turkish missiles were more advanced than the U.S. or German missiles.” I felt proud.

Yet I was curious and checked the world map. Put the country which claims to maintain zero problems with its neighbors and others at the epicenter of a circle with a diameter of 2,500 km, and here are some of the cities which may in the future see Turkish missiles over their skies: Athens, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Berlin, Beirut, Brussels, Geneva, Algiers, Jeddah, Cairo, Copenhagen, Kiev, London, Milan, Moscow, Paris, Rome, Stockholm, Damascus, Tehran, Tel Aviv, Tripoli, Warsaw, Vienna, Zurich and Amman.

I failed to guess which one(s) of these cities could be a security threat to Turkey in the future. But apparently, the Turco-Persian sectarian rivalry is heating up as Tehran already has the 1,300-km Shahab-3 missiles in its inventory. In any case, the move is just another indication that Turkey does not see its future within the largely inter-operable NATO and European security structures.

Contrary to common knowledge, ballistic missiles often lack precision, can be intercepted and can carry limited payload (an average 500-1,000 kg). In comparison, a conventional F-16 fighter can carry a payload that if four or five times bigger and is considered an agile war asset. There is a big “but” here. Rogue states often tend to opt for missiles, calculating that these war toys can also carry biological, chemical and nuclear warheads.

And the big question here is why should Turkey, which boasts a modern air force with highly deterrent firepower, need ballistic or cruise missiles? With which countries within a diameter of 2,500 km does Turkey think it may, in the future, have to battle? Which targets within a range of 2,500 kilometers may it hope to hit which it cannot with a 1,000-km missile?

What justifies the earmarking of – possibly – hundreds of millions of dollars worth of taxpayer money for the Turkish missiles? Are biological, chemical or nuclear weapons in Turkey’s various contingency plans for future warfare? What’s the point of NATO membership, then? Does Turkey intend to leave the alliance? More importantly, what are the political deliberations behind this ambitious plan?

With a delay of a few decades, Turkey is going along the path that countries like North Korea, Libya and Iraq tried in the 1990s – and Iran in the last decade. In fact, observers have invariably suspected a strong link between Iran’s ambitions for missiles and a future nuclear weapons program.
For the moment, New York, Beijing, Seoul, Brasilia, Ottawa and Tokyo look safe and immune to future Turkish anger. But give Mr. Erdoğan another 10 years in power and Turkey might have another one with a range of 15,000 km by then.

There are a couple of minor problems, though. Since Turkey is a signatory to the Missile Technology Control Regime, it may now find more difficult access to some of the “ingredients” necessary to make a missile.

Second, I am not sure whether the punishing Turkish missile should be dubbed the Attila, or the Sultan Mehmed II. Third, and on a less significant basis, one triviality about the future Turkish ballistic missile could be that once shot and targeting, say, Tel Aviv, it may just be last seen over the skies of Edirne…

January/20/2012

Presentation of the EUROn stealth aircraft – The Greek participation

 

Atehns going to massive armament for the Hellenic Air Forces 

The nEUROn, European UCAV technology demonstrator, has been officially presented to the representatives of the six participating countries by Mr. Charles Edelstenne, Chairman & CEO of Dassault Aviation.

Mr. Serge Dassault, Honorary Chairman of the company, as well as the representatives of the nEUROn industrial team — Saab (Sweden), Alenia Aermacchi (Italy), EADS-CASA (Spain), HAI (Greece) and RUAG (Switzerland) — attended this ceremony.

This presentation is a major milestone after five years of design, development, production, assembly and the first static tests of the nEUROn demonstrator. The first engine tests will be performed very soon, aiming at a first flight mid-2012. Afterwards, a complete sequence of test flights will take place during two years in France, Sweden and Italy. These tests will address flight qualities, stealthiness, air-to-ground weapon firing from an internal bay, integration into a C4i environment as well as the insertion of uninhabited platform in airspace.

No Comment!

The greek politican in Albania, declared that the Albanian Courts must respected for the decision about Naum Disho issue.

"Albania without state borders"

Ilir Gjoni, chairman of the Parliamentary Commission of Security, raised the concern for the formal absence of borders in Albania, by declaring that we are without state borders, since the law of 2008 left Albania’s borders without coordinates.

 “A law of 2008 has nullified the one passed in 2001, and today we have no official state borders. This is a concern that we raised at the Commission of Security and the 5-minute discussions at the Parliament, but unfortunately, there is no reaction by the government for the necessary amends”, Gjoni declared.

This confirmation was made during the presentation of the two monitoring reports for the Parliamentary Commission of Security and Integration, by the Institute for Democracy and Cooperation.

Bushati: On paper, we have more state officials than Croatia

The Chairman of the Parliamentary Commission for Integration, Ditmir Bushati, greeted the finding of this report and underlined that this Parliamentary Commission doesn’t have the necessary support of human resources, while on paper there is more personnel than the homologue structures in Croatia and Macedonia.

Gergj Vurmo, from the Institution for Democracy and Cooperation, declared that these reports aim to help the Parliamentary activity by monitoring their job, in order to reinforce efficacy by suggesting a more present voice of the interest groups during the discussions of these Parliamentary Commissions.

Vlore Mayor’s car scorched

A serious crime shocked this Tuesday morning the city of Vlore, when the Mayor’s car, Shpetim Gjika, was completely burned.

According to the police, the Mayor’s personal vehicle was parked near his residence, and it was burned in the early morning hours.

The motive and the authors remain unknown, but it is being investigated by anti-crime agents, who are interrogating several people.

The forensic experts arrived on the scene and tried to find any possible trace of the author.

Shpetim Gjika has been Mayor of the coastal city for two mandates, with the Socialist Party. He won convincingly in the last elections, against the Democratic Party rival, Ardian Kollozi.

The Minister with Greek origin in the Berisha government, Spiro Ksera "sells" Naum Disho

Ksera: Albanian court decisions, are fair to all

Asked by the media, the Minister of Social Affairs, Spiro Ksera with Greek origin from Dropulli, in connection with the condemnation of the President of the Organization of the Greeks in Korce, Naum Disho, by the Court of Korca, Ksera replied, that 'Albanian court decisions, are fair and applicable to all citizens of the Republic of Albania ".

Such a response from a representative of the Greek Minority in Albania, rather strengthens the view that these representatives as in the case Ksera, prove allegations that have historically been purchased by the Albanian politics, to serve purposes against the interests of the Greek Minority and the self determinatio of their rights.

Yet even today, there is no statement by the President of the Greek Minority Vasil Bolanos, for 1 year prison sentence to Naum Disho  in Korce, on charges of "disturbing the cemetery of the village Boboshticë".

The situation is complicated when the President of Greece, Karolos Papoulias, has requested union of all facrores of the Greek Minority in Albania.

Kosovo 'supervised independence' could end this year

  Picture: AFP

24 January 2012 | 18:00 | FOCUS News Agency

Home / Southeast Europe and Balkans

 

Vienna. Kosovo has made such progress that an end to "supervised independence" should be possible by the end of 2012, the 25-nation International Steering Group for the territory said after a meeting Tuesday, cited by AFP.
Kosovo will "start preparations for an organised end to supervised independence and the closure of the International Civilian Office (ICO), which should be possible by the end of 2012," the ISG said after talks in Vienna.
The two-million-strong mainly ethnic Albanian territory has been under some form of international administration since a NATO bombing campaign ousted Serbian strongman Slobodan Milosevic's forces in 1999.
But it has slowly been building up democratic institutions and declared independence in 2008. It has been recognised by 86 countries, including most EU nations, despite opposition from Belgrade, Kosovo's ethnic Serbs and Russia.
The ISG-appointed International Civilian Representative for Kosovo, Dutch diplomat Pieter Feith, told a news conference here that the end of supervised independence "normalises Kosovo as a normal European state."
He said it gives Kosovo "a perspective of coming closer to the European Union, to be a stable, reliable partner in the region and to be able with strong institutions to care for the well-being of its citizens."
He added: "Together with my colleagues, we have given the young state of Kosovo ... a start in life. We have established the institutions, and now, from the end of this year onwards, Kosovo will be like any other European state."
The end of supervised independence is not expected to affect the presence of the NATO-led KFOR peacekeeping force or European rule of law mission EULEX for the time being, however.
Kosovo's prime minister Hashim Thaci hailed the announcement.
"Ending supervised independence means that Kosovo will function like any other independent state, with a clear European perspective," Thaci told reporters in Vienna through an interpreter.
An ISG statement however urged Thaci's government "to reach out actively" to its roughly 120,000 Serb citizens, particularly those in the north, and by "offering real, practical support to them."
"The government needs to demonstrate that it understands and respects their rights, their concerns (especially for security), their language and their identity," the statement said.
In November some 50 soldiers from the NATO-led KFOR peacekeeping force were hurt as they moved to dismantle barricades erected at border crossings by northern Kosovo's majority ethnic Serb population.
The protestors refused to recognise border guards and customs officials sent by the ethnic Albanian government in Pristina.
In recent weeks meanwhile Kosovan ethnic Albanian hardliners, who oppose all contact with Belgrade and want unification with neighbouring Albania, have also tried to blockade border crossings with Serbia.
On January 14, 52 people including 31 police officers were hurt in clashes at two border crossings, with police using tear gas and water cannon to disperse protestors after being pelted with stones and metal objects.
Progress in dialogue with Kosovo is a key condition for Serbia to move towards joining the European Union. In December, EU leaders delayed until March a decision on whether to grant Serbia candidacy status.
Members of northern Kosovo's 40,000-strong Serbian population have called a referendum for February 14-15 to underline their opposition to Belgrade's concessions to Pristina, despite opposition from Serbian President Boris Tadic.
"The north, as we know, is a formidable challenge because the international community have had little access to the north in order to reach out to the citizens there," Feith said.
"This is because of the climate of harassment, of intimidation and even of violence that continues to dominate the situation there, and this is compounded now recently by the barricading" of border crossings, he said.
"The whole process of ending supervised independence and the future of Kosovo as a modern multi-ethnic democracy should not be held hostage by leaders in the north who have a different agenda."

Hollywood Stars Talk Greece and Send Love to the Crisis-hit Country from the Golden Globes

Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, George Clooney, Steven Spielberg, Gerard Butler, Sofia Vergara, Christopher Plummer, Alexander Payne and Maria Menounos talk about their trips to Greece and send their love to the crisis-hit country from the Red Carpet of the 69th Golden Globe Awards

Referendum in northern Kosovo to go ahead

Source: Tanjug

KOSOVSKA MITROVICA -- Serbs in northern Kosovo will vote in a referendum scheduled for February 14-15 - "just as planned", Kosovska Mitrovica Mayor Krstimir Pantić has said.

Krstimir Pantić (Tanjug, file)

Following a meeting on Monday of heads of municipalities and party groups in local assemblies, Pantić said that while Minister for Kosovo and Metohija Goran Bogdanović had expressed the opinion of the Serbian government the week before that a referendum was not necessary at the moment, this "did not challenge the right of the local Serbs to hold it".
Pantić pointed out that the representatives of local self-governments had expressed readiness to meet with a government's representative who would explain to them why the referendum was considered to be detrimental to the state and national interests.

No senior official of the state has yet contacted them regarding the matter, and so the whips of the local assemblies decided there was no reason to postpone the referendum.

Following a Council of Europe Rapporteur Jelko Kacin's statement that the referendum would in no way put Serbia's bid for EU candidate status, the municipal councilors decided during the Monday morning consultations that there was no reason for a delay in holding the referendum, said Pantić.

Pantić claims that all of the four Serb municipalities in northern Kosovo are in favor of holding the referendum, singling out "minor disagreements in the municipality of Leposavić which were eventually overcome".

Leposavić is the only municipality in northern Kosovo with a mayor from the ranks of the Democratic Party (DS).

“All municipal representatives told Minister Bogdanović last week that if anybody managed to prove to us that the referendum is detrimental to state and national interests, we are ready to postpone it. Since nobody offered us such explanations, the referendum will be held as planned,” Pantić said.

Serb leaders in the north called the referendum in order to confirm that the local population rejects the authority of the Kosovo Albanian institutions in Priština.

Serbs are the majority north of the Ibar River, and they also reject the ethnic Albanian unilateral declaration of independence made four years ago.