Autonomy is acceptable, statehood isn’t, patriarch says

SOURCE: VEČERNJE NOVOSTI
BELGRADE -- Any kind of autonomy for Kosovo is acceptable but de facto recognition of unilaterally declared independence is not, says Serbian Patriarch Irinej.


 

Patriarch Irinej (Beta, file)
He told daily Večernje novosti that in terms of country's stability and even survival it was more important than anyone's stance to base a solution for Kosovo on the Constitution.

“We must not violate our own Constitution. The state authorities have our absolute support to find the best way for a common life of Serbs and Albanians in Kosovo and Metohija with respect of our top legal act,” the patriarch was quoted as saying.

According to him, the Serbian Orthodox Church’s position on Kosovo has been clear for a long time.

“It has remained unchanged throughout history and the state authorities, that are at least declaratively interested in it, have been familiar with it since the early 90s, when the crisis escalated,” Irinej pointed out.

Commenting on the EU integration issue, he said that by defending Kosovo, Serbia in fact defended values of the European civilization.

“As far as Europe is concerned, by defending Kosovo and Metohija, holy places that are there numerous as stars in the summer sky, I am convinced that we are defending the greatest values of the European civilization. It was the case in the past and it is the same today. Many European Christian intellectuals are aware of that. We are aware of the importance of Europe’s integration and we support Serbia’s participation in the process. But not at the price of renouncing a part of our state, our holy places and our people,” the patriarch stressed.

Political elections in Albania 2013, mission impossible

SManalysis

At least OSCE mission, both  EU & Washington, have urged the Albanian political class, to be responsible for the fate of Albania.

Otherwise, despite the democratic institutional aid but also integra-tion questions to Albania in NATO, the country is threatened by the failure of democratic state-building, and risk the global formatting of the new Albania

Albania, the only country in Europe, was celebrating the 100th anniversary of the declaration of independence last year, even demanding border states, territories denied for Albania, it seriously threatens dissolution, or formatting of its constitutional and institutional, in the event that parliamentary elections fail.

but it has an even greater danger, because this country, never in the history of 100 years away, has not held free elections. And the result, so bring, a serious investment in the Western alliance, especially from USA, by placing a veto, to bring Albania in NATO.

In 100 years of state dictatorship in half, and half in a totalitarian state, has turned the attention of Western alleances, sed to seriously discuss what we will do with Albania?

On the other hand, we worried that the country may incur the same situation as in 1997, but the Western alliance and NATO, have reinforced the view that in Albania, electoral situation may bring chaos and it certainly can not be accepted, but that measures should be deal.....

Israel Air Force bombs Syrian chemical and other targets from Lebanon, Golan

DEBKAfile Special Report 



May 4, 2013, 5:41 AM (GMT+02:00) Tags:  Iran,  Syria,  Hizballah,  IDF,  bunker-busters,

Israeli F15 jet over Lebanon


American sources reported Israeli air strikes Saturday, May 4, against a number of targets in Syria including a chemical weapons depot outside Damascus. They were carried out remotely from Lebanese air space and the Golan starting Friday and continuing up until early Saturday, May 3. Neither Damascus nor Jerusalem has yet confirmed the attacks in which according to US sources 16 IAF warplanes took part.  According to one report, Israeli jets were seen early Saturday circling over Assad's presidential compound in Damascus before moving on to target a weapons site. The Israeli jets reportedly received fire but returned to base unscathed.
Some sources say the target attacked was a convoy transporting chemical arms to the Lebanese Hizballah, which Israeli leaders have vowed to prevent.
DEBKAfile’s military sources say the start of the Israeli air force operation can be fixed by the sirens set off over the Golan Friday afternoon and again before dawn Saturday. The IDF spokesman said they were set off by a “technical glitch.” They now prove to have been triggered automatically by the Israeli aerial movements.
Friday, Lebanon reported a number of Israeli warplane intrusions of its air space.
DEBKAfile reported earlier that this week, thousands of Basij militiamen landed in Syria, establishing an Iranian military presence opposite Israel from Syria as well as Lebanon. They joined a comparable number of Hizballah militiamen fighting for the Bashar regime.
See this earlier DEBKAfile report:
US officials recently gave Israel a video demonstration of the new features which enable its biggest bunker buster bomb (Massive Ordnance Penetrator) to destroy Iran’s underground uranium enrichment plant at Fordo near Qom, in a bid to dissuade Israel from a unilateral attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities.
This is reported by the Wall Street Journal.
The video displayed the improved bomb, which Israel does not have, as hitting the ground near its target and setting off a massive underground explosion.
DEBKAfile’s military sources report that this videotaped demonstration was in line with the Obama administration’s latest campaign to convince Israel that the US is getting ready to strike Iran itself.
In actual fact, the improved American MOP is not news - any more than the Israeli Air Force’s possession of bombs capable of penetrating the Fordo underground plant.  This capability has given Israeli officials the confidence to assert that Israel can destroy Iran’s nuclear facilities on its own.
What Washington has in common with Jerusalem is that while both make no secret of their capabilities – and Israeli leaders are also free with threatening rhetoric - neither is actually exercising them.
The only parties on the move are Iran and Hizballah.
At the end of the week, DEBKAfile’s military sources report that both established a military presence in Syria and Lebanon, just across Israel’s two northern borders. An Iranian airlift placed Iranian boots on the ground in Syria for the first time in more than two years of its civil war. It was also the first time Israel had ever seen uniformed Iranian soldiers present at close quarters on the soil of a close neighbor.
The arrivals are members of the violent Basij volunteer militia which is trained in urban combat tactics for suppressing anti-regime unrest in Iranian cities. They are the first Iranian troops to confront Syrian rebels in combat. Roughly 6,000-8,000 militiamen have arrived so far – a figure comparable to the size of the Hizhballah elite units fighting for Bashar Assad in Syria.
The Basij militiamen were stationed in Damascus and sent to guard Syrian Shiite border villages situated opposite Hizballah-controlled South Lebanon. This deployment has placed Iranian troops opposite the intersection of the Israeli, Syrian and Lebanese borders.
Iran’s expanding military intervention in Syria accounts partly for this week’s surprise call-up of thousands of Israeli reservists for duty on the country’s northern borders. Although they were sent home after 24 hours to disguise their mission and calm rising tensions, they were in fact ordered to report back Sunday, May 5. These reservists will then pick up the gear and weapons needed for real combat, and take up positions along Israel’s borders with Syria and Lebanon.
Sirens blared over parts of the Golan Friday, May 3, their sensors touched off by the preparations for these military movements. The official pretext offered of a “technical glitch” was about as convincing as the Israeli military spokesman’s attempt to deny knowing who sent a drone from Beirut towards Israel on April 25.
The sirens on the Golan were apparently not loud enough to be heard in Washington and Jerusalem.

Explorer army techno from USA

EXPERIMENTAL X-51A WAVERIDER AIR FORCE AIRCRAFT GOES HYPERSONIC, HITS 3,000 MPH DURING TEST FLIGHT



May 3, 2013 at 4:26 pm in Science & Tech
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=3_RrFXQViyo

In this Wednesday, May 1, 2013 photo released by the U.S. Air Force, the X-51A Waverider, carried under the wing of a B-52H Stratofortress bomber, prepares to launch for its fourth and final flight over the Pacific Ocean. The X-51A, an experimental, unmanned aircraft developed for the U.S. Air Force, went hypersonic during a test off the Southern California coast, traveling at more than 3,000 mph, the Air Force said Friday. The Air Force has spent $300 million studying scramjet technology that it hopes can be used to deliver strikes around the globe within minutes. (AP Photo/U.S. Air Force, Bobbi Zapka)
By Staff,  Associated Press

LOS ANGELES (AP) — An experimental, unmanned aircraft developed for the U.S. Air Force went hypersonic during a test off the Southern California coast, traveling at more than 3,000 mph, the Air Force said Friday.

The X-51A WaveRider flew for more than three minutes under power from its exotic scramjet engine and hit a speed of Mach 5.1, or more than five times the speed of sound.

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The test on Wednesday marked the fourth and final flight of an X-51A by the Air Force, which has spent $300 million studying scramjet technology that it hopes can be used to deliver strikes around the globe within minutes.

The previous three flights ended in failure or didn’t reach the intended speed.

Though the WaveRider was designed to reach Mach 6, or six times the speed of sound, program officials were satisfied with its performance in the latest test.

“It was a full mission success,” program manager Charlie Brink of the Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base said in a statement.

The sleek, missile-shaped WaveRider was released from a B-52 bomber 50,000 feet above the Pacific and was initially accelerated by a rocket before the scramjet kicked in.

It reached Mach 4.8 in less than half a minute powered by a solid rocket booster. After separating from the booster, the scramjet engine was ignited, accelerating the aircraft to Mach 5.1 at 60,000 feet.

The flight ended with a planned plunge into the ocean.

The WaveRider traveled more than 230 miles in six minutes, making it the longest hypersonic flight of its kind. Engineers gathered data before it splashed down.

Darryl Davis, president of Boeing Phantom Works, which built the WaveRider, called the test “a historic achievement that has been years in the making.”

“This test proves the technology has matured to the point that it opens the door to practical applications,” Davis said in a statement.

While the Air Force did not have immediate plans for a successor to the X-51A, it said it will continue hypersonic flight research.

RYOT NOTE: Whoa … 3,000 mph! We’d love a seat on that plane, but unfortunately, it’s going to be a while before we see commercial aircraft flying at those speeds. But you know what? It’s not that bad of a thing, because it has to be safe first. We all take safety for granted when it comes to flying, but somebody has to be keeping an eye on the skies. The Flight Safety Foundation is doing amazing work, both through research and development as well as lobbying. Click on the gray box alongside this story to check them out, donate and Become the News!

Looters destroy medieval frescoes in Albania


 http://www.thv11.com/news/article/263375/288/Looters-destroy-medieval-frescoes-in-Albania- 

Lindsey Tugman
FILED UNDER
ALBANIA (CBA) -- In the years following the fall of Communism in Albania many Orthodox churches and monasteries fell victims to vandals and looters, many priceless works of religious art have been stolen or destroyed. The recent act of theft at a medieval church that left historic frescoes ruined or badly damaged has finally caused a public uproar.

Several frescoes by highly-revered medieval painter Onufri were vandalized and partially stolen from a 16th-century Orthodox church in southern Albania.

Looters tried to cut through the plaster of Saint Friday's chapel to remove the Saints' aureoles, but managed only to destroy them.

Konstantin Mecka, resident of a nearby village, could not tolerate the destruction of the country's cultural heritage and decided to guard the church, as his forefathers did. He says that he was named after Emperor Constantine the Great, and one of the main frescos depicting him is amongst the looted ones.

"These invaluable works of Onufri are being destroyed by criminals hand due to the lack of care and neglect of the institutions, as you can see the most beautiful frescoes are destroyed. I do this (guarding the church) because my heart tells me to," said Mecka.

Onufri, the most revered icon painter in Albania, lived in the 16th century. In 1554 he settled in a village of Valsh and painted walls of its small church. He is known for using brighter colors and introducing more realistic style of painting and more real and individual facial expressions, breaking with strict conventions of Byzantine style.

Konstantin Shqahu, the Mayor of Gjinar municipality, where the vandalized church belongs to, calls on UNESCO and donors to help to restore "Shen Premtja" church, as it is a Unesco world heritage site.

"We told the institutions in charge that the restoration of St. Friday's church is a problem which should be dealt with but up to now the restoration hasn't started yet. The municipality of Gjinar has small budget and doesn't have resources to fund the restoration," Shqahu told Reuters.

Officials say that only in the past two years more than twenty Orthodox churches and monasteries have been looted.

Another looted and vandalized church in desperate need of restoration is the 13th century church of Saint Kolli. According to the architect and restorer Reshat Gega this church is one of the most important monuments of Byzantine era not only in Albania but on the territory of the former Byzantine empire. The church with unique architecture is in danger of collapsing due to the original construction flaws and negligence.

"I know for a fact that money was available, but it was not used for it (restoration). The blame lies with the Institution for Cultural Monuments and its director, who as I've said earlier created a situation which I now can call criminal without hesitation," said Gega.

For years Albanian public and authorities paid no attention to acts of churches vandalism. But the attitude has changed after Onufri frescoes had been damaged. In response to public uproar, the Albanian Institute for Cultural Monuments has unveiled a plan to install 88 new security cameras in dozens of churches to protect them from looters.

"We have worked out a project that foresees equipping them (monuments of culture) with alarm systems and also hiring private security companies (to guard them)," said the head of the Institute, Apollon Bace.

"Essentially what damaged this institution the most was the change of balance in the structure of the institute between experts and administration. In the past we had more specialists and fewer administrators, today it is the opposite," Bace added.

He said that all the funds allocated by the government were used 100% by his institution, but it is the donors funds that were not efficient.

Paradoxically, but the country's religious art was better protected under the Communist and atheist regime of Enver Hoxha than in the modern-day Albania.

President: Kosovo will never become state

SOURCE: TANJUG, JERUSALEM POST

JERUSALEM -- President Tomislav Nikolić told the Jerusalem Post that Kosovo will never be a state, because it cannot become one without the consent of Serbia.

(Beta, file)

 

(Beta, file)
"We know that Serbia will be exposed to terrible pressure to recognize (Kosovo), but we will never do that, and without the consent of Serbia, Kosovo will not be a state," Nikolić said in an interview given ahead of his visit to Israel earlier this week, which has been fully published on Friday.

He added that the pressure was of the "economic nature".

"Of course, the EU will say that if we recognize Kosovo, our children will have a much better future. But we cannot do that. This is not about nationalism, it is not about hate. It is about love - love for our own people, for our country," Nikolić stressed.

Referring to the recently signed agreement with Priština in Brussels, he said: "We were faced with a dilemma - whether to be in constant conflict with the (ethnic) Albanians, or to resolve the matter. We did not have a lot of power in our hands. We had good arguments and justice on our side, but international media support Albanians very openly. Over the years our people have been forced to leave Kosovo and if this was allowed to continue one day perhaps we might wake up and realize that there is no more of our people there. Therefore, we decided to elevate the negotiations to the highest possible level."

The Serbian president then said that "now there is no war, negotiations are held," and remarked that he "wrote letters to various countries to explain that the negotiations do not constitute for a recognition of Kosovo," - which was unilaterally declared as independent by ethnic Albanians there over five years ago, something that Serbia rejected.

"The fact is that we secured much more rights for the Serb community in Kosovo than what they have had so far," he was quoted as saying.

Asked by the newspaper whether by recognizing Kosovo, a sovereign part of Serbia, as an independent country, the Western states create a dangerous precedent and encourage various secessionist movements across Europe, Nikolić said that the West "has been advised of the possibility."

"We pointed to more than 100 examples of such movements in the world. It's easy to break Serbia by force, but what will you do if the entire European civilization begins to fall apart, or if multicultural countries begin to divide along ethnic lines," Nikolić said, and added that he "truly attempts to avoid any kind of conflict."

Speaking about the Hague Tribunal, Nikolić said that Serbia handed over 46 people, including two presidents, various government ministers, three chiefs of army and several police and army generals, including the head of the intelligence services. The court handed down sentences together of over 1,150 years in prison to the Serbs, while those who have committed crimes against Serbs were sentenced to only 50 years in all.

He noted that more than 300,000 ethnic Serbs were driven out of their homes and forced to leave Croatia, and are yet to be allowed to return there, while Croatia was now entering the EU.

"Someone must be to blame - who is to blame? It is impossible that such a big crime occurs and no one is to blame. "

Nikolić told the newspaper that Serbia has excellent relations with Israel, but that it finds itself "in a very complicated position" in relation to the problem that concerns the Israelis and the Palestinians, because the country has friendly feelings towards both - "and because of that, this conflict really hurts us."

President says Serb entity "suffers" in Bosnia

SOURCE: TANJUG
GRADIŠKA -- The Serb Republic (RS) is suffering "huge damage" because it is a part of Bosnia-Herzegovina, the Serb entity's President Milorad Dodik has said.


 

(Tanjug, file)
The post 1992-95 war Bosnia is made up of the RS, and the Muslim (Bosniak)-Croat Federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina (FBiH).

Dodik warned the RS was harmed because "vitally important laws" could not be signed by anyone in the Federation, ever since that entity's president, Živko Budimir, was arrested last week on corruption charges.

He noted that an IMF project to stabilize public finances in Bosnia-Herzegovina was "being brought into question", because the Federation was "not functioning."

Dodik was addressing reporters in Gradiška, where ceremonies were held to mark 18 years since the expulsion of Serbs from Croatia during an attack on their areas in Slavonia known as Operation Flash.

According to the RS president, his entity was suffering "huge damage" for being a part of Bosnia-Herzegovina. He also said that the Office of the High Representative (OHR) should not "meddle" in internal issues of Bosnia-Herzegovina - "because they're the ones who messed up in the first place."

"This is proof that Bosnia-Herzegovina cannot exist. The OHR and international factors have, by forming the authorities in the FBiH, produced the biggest crisis in Bosnia-Herzegovina after Dayton (peace accords)," Dodik concluded.

Ex Albanian Prime Minister Pandeli Majko in Pristina, asks Thaci for Kosovo citizenship

Albanomania

 

There are many Kosovars who want to get Albanian citizenship, but also Albanians who want to get citizenship of Kosovo.

At least one of them is former Prime Minister Pandeli Majko, who visited Pristina, where he was welcomed by Prime Minister Hashim Thaci.

Thaci said in a press conference that Makjo informed about the agreement recently reached between Pristina and Belgrade. Kosovo Prime Minister thanked again Tirana policy stance adopted in the service of peace and stability in the region.

But Majko said that Kosovo will become.

"Today I had a special emotion to reiterate my friend and Prime Minister of the state of Kosovo, to give me the honor and pleasure to soon do the procedures to obtain citizenship of the state of Kosovo. There are many people in Kosovo who want to be citizens of Albania, but remember that there are some on the other side like me, who consider this area their home country, their people, "said Majko.

ANSAmed Politics Albania: OSCE's Zannier concerned about election

Observer mission "very strong", but risk of instability
Again ANSA, target attention in Albania, something is not be cleare in Tirana  politics

03 MAY, 09:48

(ANSAmed) - VIENNA, MAY 2 - The Organisation for Security and Co-Operation in Europe is ready to increase its scrutiny of Albania's parliamentary elections on June 23 because of concern about the political climate in the country.

The OSCE may send more observers to Tirana in a "broad election mission", OSCE Secretary-General Lamberto Zannier said.

"We are watching with concern signs of growing conflictual political dialectic and we are expecting a very competitive electoral process in a challenging climate," Zannier told ANSA.

There is concern that nationalist rhetoric there could undermine the stability of the entire region. "We hope that there will not be excessive nationalism that could create elements of instability in the region," he said.

"The OSCE has invested so much in Albania".

Zannier also met last week with Edi Rama, the head of the Albanian Socialist Party. Zannier said he hoped that the upcoming elections would contribute to developing constructive interaction among Albanian political forces and strengthening democratic governance. "I would like to emphasize that I expect all sides to contribute to bringing the expected degree of legitimacy and credibility to the electoral process," he said at the time. (ANSAmed).

 Athens: Golden Dawn's 'Greek-only' food handout shut down – video

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/video/2013/may/02/greek-food-handout-shut-down-video

 Scuffles break out between Greece's far-right Golden Dawn party and police, after a food handout event exclusively for Greek nationals was shut down. The city's mayor described the selective process as a 'soup kitchen of hate' because only those presenting a Greek nationality card were given food. Golden Dawn MP, Christos Pappas, says the handout was completely legal and that Athens's centre 'belongs to Greeks'

Dačić to start "economic visit" to U.S. on May 9

SOURCE: TANJUG
BELGRADE -- Serbian Prime Minister Ivica Dačić stated on Wednesday that he will be visiting the United States May 9-17.


 

(Tanjug, file)
Serbian Prime Minister Ivica Dačić stated on Wednesday that he will be visiting the United States May 9-17.

Dačić told Belgrade-based Pink TV that the visit was organized by the U.S. Department of State and that he will tour the largest IT companies, "including Microsoft, IBM, Apple and Amazon."

"(Former Secretary of State) Hillary Clinton promised this to me the last time she was in Belgrade," the prime minister remarked.

Dačić also pointed out that this was "not a political visit, but that it is dedicated to economic issues."

Albania: OECD's Zannier concerned about election
Observer mission "very strong", but risk of instability

02 MAY, 12:36

(ANSAmed) - VIENNA, MAY 2 - The Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development is ready to increase its scrutiny of Albania's parliamentary elections on June 23 because of concern about the political climate in the country.

The OECD may send more observers to Tirana in a "much broader election mission", OECD secretary-general Lamberto Zannier said.

"We are watching with concern signs of growing political conflict and we are expecting a very competitive electoral process in a difficult climate," Zannier told ANSA.

There is concern that developments there could undermine the stability of the entire region.

"We hope that there will not be excessive nationalism that could create elements of instability in the region," he said.

"The OECD has invested so much in Albania".

After talks with Edi Rama, the head of the Albanian Socialist Party last week, Zannier said he hoped that the upcoming elections would contribute to developing constructive interaction among Albanian political forces and strengthening democratic governance. "I would like to emphasize that I expect all sides to contribute to bringing the expected degree of legitimacy and credibility to the electoral process," he said at the Time.

(ANSAmed).

Modest May 1st protests
01/05/2013
 
On the Workers’ Day, syndicalists gathered at the “Unknown Soldier” square, where the unemployed construction workers seek for daily jobs.

They protested for hundreds of thousands of workers in Albania who don’t have their legal rights. The steel workers of the Elbasan Metallurgy, and workers in Burrel, declared that their work is still undeclared, because they haven’t signed the collective contracts with their employees.

“This unknown soldier does not know the city for which he fell. He is led by the workers who are threatened by death at their work, by the miserable wages and the lack of social and health insurances. He is led by the women that are exploited in their jobs and their families too”, one of the organizers declared.

“We distance ourselves from the political lies and slogans that use the Albanian people as soldiers for their votes. They don’t use votes to regulate the social balances, for good governing and for better wages, but only to exploit them”, declared Kol Nikolla, President of the Albanian Syndicalists Council.

Besides the syndicalists, other modest protests were held in the Albanian capital. The Communist Party organized a protest with slogans that commemorated May 1st.

Another meeting was organized by the “Mjaft” movement in Tirana’s main square. The activists of this movement protested against the illegal privatizations and the difficult situation in which most of the Albanians live. May 1st in Albania is still considered a celebration day, and protests are still very modest.

"Kosovo Serbs' problems are Serbia's concern"

SOURCE: TANJUG
BANJA LUKA -- The Serb Republic (RS) will respect any position of Serbian officials concerning the Belgrade-Priština agreement on normalization of relations.


 

(Tanjug, file)

(Tanjug, file)
This is according to the president of the Serb entity, Milorad Dodik, who spoke on Tuesday in Banja Luka.

Dodik, who met with representatives of Kosovo Serbs in Banja Luka on Monday to talk about the agreement, says he understands the difficult position they are in, but the issue must be settled in Serbia.

Commenting on the parallels some international representatives have drawn between Kosovo and RS, Dodik said that unlike RS, Kosovo unilaterally declared independence and had the support of a number of major powers.

"Many wanted to present this as an exception, but this story might become the rule in some other places," said Dodik.

He said that if the "bad position" of RS inside Bosnia-Herzegovina continues, no one should rule out the possibility that the entity will protect its rights.

Dodik told reporters in Banja Luka that a revision of the Dayton Agreement is not possible and the issue cannot be taken to the international scene, because BiH is trying to find an internal balance.

The RS president said Bosnia's Euro-Atlantic integration has hit a snag and stressed the RS is not responsible for this and is ready to honor any agreement of the six leading parties in the country.

ANALYSIS - The Balkan Islamic Jihad: A Pan-European Calamity

ANALYSIS - The Balkan Islamic Jihad: A Pan-European Calamity

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By Hellas Frappe on 30.4.13

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The following article was originally published by the Serbian news agency (Serbianna), in December 2006. Nonetheless, it is a great analysis by Ioannis Michaletos who we feature here on HellasFrappe every once in a while. Enjoy!

By Ioannis Michaletos

rimse.gr

After the 9/11, a worldwide “War on terror” begun in order to disband and neutralize terrorist networks across the globe. The main focus of the largest anti-terrorist campaign in history is focused in the Middle East area, as well as in Afghanistan. The Balkan Peninsula is the European area where this campaign has also taken place, with numerous arrests and a continuous effort into riding the fundamentalist of the area. The question arising though, is how did the extremists gain a foothold in SouthEastern Europe in the first place, and what was the reaction of the international community over the previous years.

The presence of Islam in the Balkans dates back in the 13th century. The Byzantine Emperors in order to create the much needed mercenary armies, against the then archenemy, namely the Francs; allowed Muslim Turks into modern day Bulgaria. They were used mainly as cavalry forces due to their excellent techniques in that kind of war. Over the coming decades the antagonism between the Francs and the Vatican from one side and the Byzantium from the other, led to the final conquer of Constantinople by the Ottoman Turks in 1453. Gradually virtually the whole of the Balkans came under Muslim dominance and were included in the Dar al Islam territory stretching from the Hindu river and up to Gibraltar. In Bosnia in particular the sect of Vogomils –Eastern Orthodox sect-, converted to Islam for a variety of societal and spiritual reasons. Since the Vogomils were the affluent class of the central Balkans they soon became the ruling class for millions of Christians of Slavic descent mostly.

In Albania the Islamic takeover had a dramatic effect and in a matter of 150 years 2/3rds of the population converted from the Eastern Orthodox and the Roman Catholic Churches, to Islam. The main reason for such a large proselytism in Albania had been the traditional adherence towards the stronger ruler that the mountainous Albanians have showed since their early history. During the Roman Empire times, the Albanians served as elite corps in the Armies of the Emperors Empires –i.e. Diocletian was of Albanian descent- and tended to absorb the cultural and religious norms of their regional superintendents. The same was the case in the more or less Greek dominated Byzantium. As soon as the “Eastern Roman Empire” waned in favor of the Western one; there was a mass conversion to Catholicism in the early 13th century. The historical collective path of the Albanian people can be compared with that of the mountainous Swiss that have eloquently absorbed influences and norms by the much larger and influential neighbors (Germany, France, and Italy).

The above historical outline is presented in order to explain the infiltration in the Balkans through two Islamic influenced states,Albania and Bosnia.

In 1992 the break of the civil war in Bosnia-Herzegovina presented an unparallel opportunity for the international Mujahedin, to storm Europe and establish safe havens in the area. The leader of Bosnia, Alia Izebegovic was eager to obtain as much assistance as possible and didn’t hesitate in providing the necessary framework by which the Islamic ties were forged. Actually in the same year, a variety of Islamic mercenaries flowed into the Balkans in order to support the “Holy cause”, meaning the establishment of the first Islamic state in Europe. The end of the war in 1995 saw quite a few of those mujahedin, acquiring Bosnian citizenship and establishing the first Islamic community in the village of Bosinye.

The tolerance of the West towards this phenomenon proved to be one of the gravest mistakes of modern times. Articles in Serbianna and in other information sources have indicated a massive handout of Bosnian passports to hundreds of potentially dangerous individuals of Middle Eastern descent. On top of that, a well organized criminal network has already been established in Sarajevo that in a large extent facilitates illegal immigration from Asia to Europe. That activity is coupled with the narcotics trade that is being supplemented by the infamous “Balkan Drug route”. It is illuminating to note that the areas from where this route is passing are under Muslim influence mostly.

Albania was under the Communist rule during the Cold War, the most isolated country in Europe. The break of the Soviet Empire unleashed forces that were kept dormant in the society for decades, and resulted to some very interesting developments. In 1992 Albania becomes a member of the Islamic Conference, an international Islamic organization. The same year as well the government of Sali Berisha –Who is also the current P. Minister – signed a military agreement with Turkey, thus enacting a series of discussions in the neighboring states, around the possibility of an Islamic arch from Istanbul to Sarajevo. One of the main reasons the Albanian officials were eager into forming strong ties with the Muslim world; was the hope that large investmentsfrom the Gulf would ensure the uplifting of the decaying Albanian economy.

Therefore the religious sentiment of the majority of Albanians –Mostly in the North- was overplayed in order to gain capital from the Islamic world. Unfortunately no serious investment initiatives were undertaken; instead the Al Qaeda and Osama bin Laden, found another state to expand their illegal activities. Many different and respectable sources have indicated two visits by Bin Laden in Tirana that aimed into creating an Islamic platform for the country and the construction of terrorist networks within the territory. An Albanian called Naseroudin Albani played an instrumental role in spreading extremist Islamic values into the Albanian society.

He was a fugitive from Albania since 1963 and resided in Amman-Jordan. Sources mainly from Albania, point out to him, that he organized radical Sunni sects back in the 70’s in the Middle East that became the nucleus of the modern dayMujahedin. Another Albanian, the then head of the SHIK –Secret service-, called Bashkim Gazidente assisted into implementing a kind of Islamic agenda in Albanian domestic policies. The 1997 riots ensured his flight from Albania and he is often now accused to be an instrument of the Islamic networks. He presumably lives now in a Middle Eastern country.

The Al Qaeda factor in Albania was consolidated by the creation of the Arabic-Albanian bank, in which Bin Laden allegedly invested the sum of 11.4 million USD. This financial institution acted as a front cover for the transfer of capital for Islamic activities within the country. Just before Berisha’s political overturn in 1997, another Islamic institution called “El Farouk”, acted as a recruitment agency for young Albanians, under the pretext of a charity. Moreover one of the most dramatic indications of the establishment of an Islamic foothold in Albaniawas the creation of a training camp just outside Tirana, and in fact it is the same camp by which Berisha tried in 1998 unsuccessfully to overthrow the then government of Fatos Nano.

In 1998 the bombing attacks in Nairobi and Tanzania, really socked the USA administration that acted for the first time in the 90’s to seek the destruction of terrorists networks. Soon the pressure fell in Albania and in the October of the same month individuals of Middle Eastern origin mostly were rounded up and deported. The head of SHIK –Fatos Clozi-, admitted for the first the existence of extremists in Albania and promised the eradication of the terrorist nucleus.

The 9/11 attacks proved to be a fatal blow for the radicals inAlbania and the USA forces have more or less neutralize any remaining cells. The government of Albania, which is more than willing to become inducted in the Euro-Atlantic security framework, has ceased to seek Islamic assistance and the current Berisha’s administration has refaced its Islamic outlook into a modern European one.

Nevertheless, the Albanian-Islamic connection is now concentrated in Kosovo, the very same province NATO forces are stationed! There is an overwhelming variety of sources and reports that indicate a well established fundamentalist presence in that area.

It is a common secret in the international community that the West kept a blind eye during the 1998-1999 Winter where hundreds of Mujahedin joined the UCK forces and helped it expand. At that period the means justified the end which was the disbandment of the Russian influence in the Balkans, as the Clinton administration viewed the Milocevic one. The result was a resurge of Islamic radical networks in the region, thus eliminating the beneficial results of previous actions against it. Moreover Russia managed to regroup and it is still viewed as a great player in South Eastern Europe. In a nutshell sometimes means justify the ends, only when the ones in charge really understand Machiavelli in spirit and not only in text.

Continuing, Montenegro nowadays faces a long term Islamic population bomb and it is certain that should current trends continue, in 2050 half of the population would be Muslim. That is not of course a prelude of terrorism action per se, but the overall turbulent Balkan history and the existence of such networks in nearby Kosovo, will most surely not assure a calm and tranquil political future for the newest Balkan state. The FYR Macedonia is also another terrain where the delicate balance between radicalism and Muslim secularism is taking place. Back in 2001, an Albanian uprising nearly resulted in the disintegration of the state, nowadays there is a pervasion of stability. However any negative developments in Kosovo will affect directly the country which is also the epicenter of the Balkans by a geopolitical point of view.

Lastly the Sanjak area in Southern Serbia is a territory to watch, where the Wahhabi strain of Islam has gained tremendous influence in the local Muslim population. Again Kosovo as the centre of radicalism in the Balkans could play the role of the powder keg for any developments in Sanjak, against the Serbian population in the region.

The European administrative and strategic community –Whatever that term might imply for the Continent- must be fully aware of the complicated Balkan reality. The region is a mostly secular one, but it has the peculiarity of hosting safe havens of terrorists and organized crime related Islamists. Moreover most of them habituate in areas of international control, thus making a ridicule of the whole of the campaign against terror by the West. In parallel the existence of criminal activities of tremendous proportions in the narcotics and the trafficking smuggling, provides those terrorist laden networks, with enough capital to influence and buy their way out in cases of crack downs and persecutions.

Therefore only a coordinated pan European operation would be able to eradicate this perilous condition. The bombings in Madrid and in London had a Balkan flavor in them –Namely the explosives used according to many-, and one wonders what might happen in the future. Islamic radicalism is an X factor in modern day Balkans and in the whole of Europe. What is certain though is that this factor will not be used for the benefit of the West and the only way of neutralize it is by disrupting its logistic and financial base.

The only obstacle so far for the successful inaction of a “Balkan war on terror” are the careers in various world capitals, that are related on the perception of half truths and half lies about the West’s involvement in the Yugoslavian wars and the use of the Islamic X factor on those. Political ambitious, international reputations and the all pervading political correctness, hinders the right actions to be taken. A great leader once said “A fanatic is one who can’t change his mind and won’t change the subject”. That surely sums up the mentality of the international officials around the “X factor”.

DP starts investigation against Rama
30/04/2013

The Investigative Commission established by the ruling Democratic Party, and which aims to investigate the Vienna incident, has not lost time and held the first meeting.

The members introduced the action plan that will investigate what the Democrats call “The Vienna Incident”.

“Eveyone knows what happened. It was reported by the media with different opinions. This makes the basis of the preliminary data on which we must make our verifications. We have a relatively sufficient basis”, declared Fatbardh Kadilli, Chairman of the Investigative Commission.

The Democratic Party Parliament Members will hear the declarations of the people who were involved in this incident. Besides Egin Ceka, the Investigative Commission will invite other people to testify.

Although the Investigative Commission has no members from the Socialist Party, the Democrats have made several propositions.

“I would suggest my colleagues to review it with a higher intensity, so that the final report can be made on the first date possible”, declared Parliament Member Osman Metalla, member of this Investigative Commission.

“Since this is a very delicate issue that focuses on the opposition leader, I think that we should take things step by step and see the readiness of the people who want to testify”, decalred another member of this Commission, Luciano Boci.

The Democrats invited the opposition Parliament Members to be part of this commission and give their contribution to a matter that maybe not because of a lapsus, one of the Investigative Commission members considered as “only political”.

Albanian Islamists Join Syrian War

Smoke rises from Aleppo's neighbourhood of Salaheddine during clashes between Free Syrian Army fighters and forces loyal to Syria's President Bashar al-Assad, April 29, 2013. (photo by REUTERS/Ammar Abdullah)

המחבר\ת: Mohammad al-Arnaout Translated from Al-Hayat (Pan Arab).

In recent months, the “Albanian world,” which consists of five contiguous states (Albania, Kosovo, Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro), has been increasingly interested in what is happening in Syria and the controversy over whether Albanians should go fight there.

This coincided with the growth of political Islam, which in the past few weeks expressed itself in an unprecedented way with the emergence of Kosovo’s first officially registered Islamist political party: the Islamic Movement to Unite (LISBA). It is headed by Arsim Krasniqi and supported by Sheikh Shaukat Krasniqi and a former Yugoslavian army officer, Fuad Ramiqi. The latter made no secret of his goal to change Kosovo’s secular constitution in order to “defend the Islamic identity of Kosovo’s Albanians, who make up 95% of the population.” 

There has long been behind-the-scenes talk that young Albanians, influenced by political Islam’s rise in Syria, are participating in the fighting there among the ranks of Islamist groups (Jabhat al-Nusra and others). When news emerged in November 2012 that the first Albanian martyr, Naaman Damoli, had fallen in Syria, the Kosovar newspaper Koha Ditore brought that issue to light in its Nov. 12, 2012, issue.

From Kosovo to Syria via Sweden

Koha Ditore returned to that subject in its March 13, 2013, issue when 22-year-old Mohammed Koprona became the 10th Albanian martyr to die in Syria. The story’s headline was: “Syria’s land is soaking in Albanian blood.” According to unidentified “intelligence sources,” many martyrs in Syria are Albanians from Kosovo, Albania, Macedonia and Serbia (Preševo valley). But Koprona’s case was unique. During the “great exit,” he migrated with his family from Kosovo to Sweden, where he grew up in a liberal European atmosphere. He suddenly fell under radical Islam’s influence and was recruited to fight with Islamist groups in Syria, where dozens of Albanians are fighting.
The intelligence sources mentioned some of the names of Albanians killed in Syria (such as Naaman Damoli from Kosovo and Moussa Ahmadi from Serbia). Others are known by their noms-de-guerre such as Abu Omar al-Albani, who was one of four Albanian martyrs. The intelligence sources also mentioned Mounir and Bahloul al-Arnaout, who were killed by the Syrian army in Qadam. The intelligence sources also revealed that the number of Albanians in Syria stands at about 140. They are fighting among the Islamist groups in northern Syria.
By publishing this information for the first time, Koha Ditore was sharply criticizing the Kosovar government led by Hashim Thaci for remaining silent as young Kosovars fight alongside Islamist groups in Syria and the effect that phenomenon has on Kosovo: These young people will return home with military experience inspired by the spirit of jihad.
On April 13, 2013, the newspaper Shekulli reported on the issue by relying on “Kosovar security sources.” The newspaper quoted its sources as saying that “many Kosovo citizens are traveling to Syria to join the Syrian rebels in fighting Assad’s regime.” The paper said that Kosovo security sources have put their finger on two Kosovo mosques (Makovitz mosque in the outskirts of Pristina and Mitrovica mosque) that are gathering Albanians to go fight with the Islamists in Syria.
Because many local observers are accusing the new Islamist party LISBA of being involved in Syria, the paper spoke with LISBA’s leader Arsim Krasniqi, who had donated a plot of land to build the Makovitz mosque. Krasniqi denied that his party was recruiting fighters but admitted that “[fighters] are going [to Syria] on an individual basis, not as part of a group. … I support those who are participating in fighting Assad’s regime.”
There is no doubt that opening this file by Kosovar and Albanian newspapers has revealed that the secular world is worried about this phenomenon. In other words, political Islam worries “official” Islam. The latter is represented by al-Gamaa al-Islamiyya, which represents the Muslims vis-a-vis the state and cares for their religious and cultural affairs. In this context, the position of al-Gamaa al-Islamiyya, which is headed by Sheikh Naim Tarnafa, calls during its Friday sermons to donate money for the Syrian refugees in Turkey and elsewhere.

Read more: http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/iw/contents/articles/security/2013/04/albanian-kosovo-islamists-join-syria-war.html#ixzz2RyPQlPZS

Serbs from Kosovo meet with authorities

Source: B92, Tanjug

BELGRADE -- Representatives of Serbs from northern Kosovo are on Tuesday meeting with representatives of the Serbian government to discuss the Brussels agreement.

(Beta)

At the same time, some 20 Serbs from the enclaves south of the Ibar River, who were protesting in front of the government HQ asking to be included in the talks, were left outside the building.
The mayors of four Serb-majority municipalities from the north, Kosovska Mitrovica District chief Radenko Nedeljković, and Deputy Director of Government Office for Kosovo Krstimir Pantić are meeting with Prime Minister and First Deputy Prime Minister Ivica Dačić and Aleksandar Vučić.

It was previously reported that "in addition to representatives of the Serbs from northern Kosovo it will include representatives of the Serbs living south of the Ibar River."

The meeting will attempt to being closer the currently remote views - Kosovo Serbs see the deal as separating them from Serbia, while the negotiating team says it guarantees them more rights than they had until now. Dačić says he would like to achieve unity, and does not exclude the referendum as a step in this direction. However, he adds, if any, the voting of the citizens will be organized as soon as possible.

"We have no time, if there are deadlines, to be preparing a referendum for a few months... that's what we should talk about tomorrow, neither us nor the Serbs in the north should stop some of the things we have to do. We do not want a referendum to stop the deal but to establish unity," he said on Monday.

Štrpce Mayor Zvonko Mihajlović said that representatives of local governments south of the Ibar River will also be in Belgrade. Their intention is to state their opinion on the Brussels agreement.

"We simply want the voice of Serbs south of the Ibar River to be heard, of which there are about 100,000, and who have not had a chance to say what they think. Serbs and Albanians live next to one another. Therefore, it is definitely impossible to live together simply because Albanians have other aspirations, other desires. They want an ethnically pure territory. We are willing to stay in the territory of Kosovo and Metohija, but we need the support of the state," said Mihajlović.

First Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vučić said earlier that he was ready to go to Kosovo, but that the decision on this will depend on the answers that he will be given by the Kosovo Serbs.

He wants to know whether, in the event that the citizens support the Brussels agreement, the Serbs in Kosovo would accept the outcome and participate in its implementation.

Albania: Special Session of the U.S. Helsinki Commission 

Alarmed to US Congress: Standards elections have already begun to fall in Albania?

April 29, 2013 Tema Newspaper

Sessions of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, also known as U.S. Helsinki Commission, have been of great importance in Albanian political life these 20 years.

The Commission, which joint  by a congressman and a U.S. senator, Christopher Smith and Benjamin Cardin, often organizes special session so close to the election.

But coming Monday, May 6, will have a special hearing to Albania, to discuss the elections, but above all to the fact that now the election standards are below expectations.

"Despite progress, Albania continues to face problems in building democratic institutions and practices, including respect for the law. As Albania prepares for parliamentary elections in June, this session hopes to assess the extent to which progress has begun to fall below expectations at home and abroad, and what can be done to speed up the way for further reforms in terms of good governance , " reads the official announcement.

At the hearing will speak Philip Reeker, Deputy / Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs; Galanxhi Gilbert, Albanian Ambassador to the United States of America; Elez Biberaj, director of the Division of Eurasia and Besa VOA Shahin, analyst at Initiative European Stability.

Two of the most important meetings of the committee are implemented for the 1996 elections, but even before the 2005 election, which was crucified former Prime Minister Fatos Nano.

Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe is a U.S. agency that monitors progress in the implementation of the provisions of the Helsinki Agreement in 1975.

The Commission consists of nine members from the U.S. Senate, nine members of the House of Representatives and a member of the Department of State, Defense and Commerce.

Dacic & Nikolic with caricature as Albanians

Serbs have not welcomed the deal between Pristina and Belgrade. A few days ago, the signatories of the agreement were threatened with life through the received messages on their phones. Today, as the Serbian Parliament has begun debate on the agreement between Serbia and Kosovo to normalize relations, which is mediated by the European Union, several hundred citizens gathered to protest against the agreement.

They held posters that Serbia's leaders appear lumpy white head, like custom Albanians. Protesters have called traitors Nikolic and Dacic, who were in favor of the agreement for the normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia.

New Opinion Poll By ALCO Gives ND Slim Lead Over SYRIZA

New Opinion Poll By ALCO Gives ND Slim Lead Over SYRIZA

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By Hellas Frappe on 29.4.13

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credit - Newsit.gr

A new public opinion poll published by ALCO on Monday on behalf of the Newsit.gr website gives New Democracy a narrow lead over the radical left SYRIZA party. The New Democracy party is in the lead by 20.5 percent, compared to 19.9 percent for SYRIZA.

Cemented in third position is the far-right Golden Dawn party with 9.3 percent, followed by the socialist PASOK party with 5.5 percent, the Independent Greeks party with 5 percent, the Greek Communist Party (KKE) with 4.9 percent and barely keeping its head afloat is the Democratic Left (DIMAR) party with 3.7 percent.

Six in 10 respondents said that the coalition government is heading in the wrong direction, while 51 percent believe things would be worse under SYRIZA.

The results are as follows:

• New Democracy - 20.5%
• SYRIZA - 19.9%
• Golden Dawn - 9.3%
• PASOK 5.5%
• Independent Greeks - 5%
• KKE - 4.9%
• DIMAR - 3.7%

Suspiciously, Andreas Loverdos new "Agreement for the New Greece" party received 2%, while SYRIZA former leader Aleko Alavanos' party "Plan B" received 1.4%. (Both these parties were recently launched, in fact they are not older than 2,3 months, and we here at HellasFrappe find it very suspicious how they somehow gathered so much popularity in such a short time).

About 5.2% of respondents said they wanted "another" party, but did not clarify what, while there were 3.9% in blank votes, 8.1% abstained from voting and there was a total of 10.6% in independent votes.

  Picture: AFP

Utrinski Vesnik, Macedonia: Budget deficit jumps to EUR 186 million

 

29 April 2013 | 09:35 | FOCUS News Agency

Skopje. A dramatically high deficit has been registered in the national budget in March, the Macedonian Utrinski Vesnik daily writes.
According to the newspaper in March the budget gap was EUR 78,5 million, or 27.3% of the total deficit planned for this year.
The main reason for the deficit is the payment of agricultural subsidies. Since the beginning of the year, the budget deficit runs to EUR 185,7 million in total, or 64.5% of the one predicted for the year.
According to the daily, the deficit in the rest nine months must not exceed EUR 102 million, given the fact that the government forecasts EUR 287,7 million deficit for the entire year.
“It will be interesting to see how the government will manage to stay within these borders,” writes the newspaper.

  Picture: FOCUS News Agency

Five doctors jailed for Kosovo organ trafficking
 

29 April 2013 | 20:55 | FOCUS News Agency

Home / Southeast Europe and Balkans

 

Pristina. An EU-led court in Kosovo on Monday jailed five doctors for organ trafficking at a Pristina clinic in the first such case in the breakaway territory which has already faced allegations of similar crimes during and after its 1998-99 war, AFP reported.
Former Kosovo health secretary Ilir Rrecaj -- who admitted during the trial that he knew that illegal kidney transplants were carried out at the Medicus clinic in Pristina in 2008, but denied covering them up -- was acquitted.
Prominent Pristina urologist Lutfi Dervishi got the stiffest term of eight years for "organised crime and human trafficking", the judge said in the verdict.
His son Arban Dervishi was sentenced to seven years and three months, while the other three defendants received terms of between one and three years.
Another defendant in the trial, which opened in 2011, was also acquitted.
Dervishi's lawyer Petrit Dushi said he would appeal the verdict, which he said was "not acceptable for us".
The indictment says at least 30 illegal kidney removals and transplants were carried out at the clinic in the Kosovo capital in 2008.
Police raided the clinic after a Turkish man collapsed at Pristina airport waiting for a flight back to Istanbul after having had a kidney removed.

Albanian politic paradoxes
 
Investigative Commission for incident in Vienna
29/04/2013

Only with the votes of the majority, the Parliament approved the establishing of an investigative commission which will decide over what the Democrats call “the April 24th incident between the opposition leader, Edi Rama, and Egin Ceka, the Albanian ambassador at the OSCE”.

The decision was voted by the Democratic Party, the Party for Justice, Integrity and Unity and also took the votes of the former Socialist Party Members of Parliament, Kastriot Islami, Gjovalin Kadeli and Asllan Dogjani.

The commission will function for one month, beyond May 24th , the date when the Parliament is supposed to be dispersed,. The Investigative Commission, composed only of the Democratic Party Parliament Members, will be led by Fatbardh Kadilli. The other members of this commission are Paulina Hoti, Gerti Bogdani, Dashnor Sula and Luciano Boci.

The Investigative Commission will focus on what the Democratic Party calls “violence against diplomacy and damages against the country’s image”. The opposition Parliament Members refused to even discuss the issue and left the room before it was approved. They say that this political attack against the Socialist Party leader before the elections deserves no attention.

The Investigative Commission against the Socialist Party is a tactic that was also used before the elections of 2009, when a Democratic Party commission, led by Ferdinand Xhaferri, investigated the activities of the opposition leader, Edi Rama, as Mayor of Tirana.

Rama: April 24th, day when government will be punished

While the Parliament was voting the creation of a Parliamentary Commission for the investigation of Edi Rama, the opposition leader held a conversation with the journalists.

“I am pleased that I received another medal from the Democratic Party and their leader, which means: another Investigative Commission against me. I have to admit that their Investigative Commissions are degrading over time. I have had a large public support on social networks. The proposition of the renowned Albanian artist, Fate Velaj, to declared April 24th as the day when we will punish the government, is a nice idea for everyone”, Rama declared.

"Dodik supports Serbs who oppose Brussels deal"

Source: Tanjug

BANJA LUKA -- Kosovska Mitrovica District chief Radenko Nedeljković said in Banja Luka that Republic of Srpska (RS) President Milorad Dodik supports Serbs in Kosovo.

Milorad Dodik (Tanjug, file)

They oppose an agreement reached during the EU-sponsored Kosovo talks.
Nedeljković was in the Serb entity of Bosnia-Herzegovina on Monday.

After his meeting with Dodik, he told reporters that Serbs in Kosovo received the RS president's support to persevere in their demands and fight for their rights, "which are now being violated in Kosovo and Metohija."

The Fena news agency is reporting that Nedeljković said Dodik was informed about their position and the reason why they thought the deal was "harmful and unacceptable," - and that the document failed to guarantee even the minimum preconditions for the survival of the Serb people in Kosovo.

Serbs there, Nedeljković continued, do not wish to live in "an independent state of Kosovo." He added that the agreement meant that "Kosovo laws would be implemented and the Serb people, in a way, left at the mercy of the institutions of the unrecognized state of Kosovo."

He announced that representatives of Serbs from Kosovo and Metohija would on Tuesday meet with Ivica Dačić and Aleksandar Vučić, and that they would inform them about their position on the possible referendum.

Nedeljković also criticized media outlets in Serbia, saying they paid more attention to the representatives of the Serbian government, but not to the Serbs from Kosovo.

Albania: Grand Prayer Hall Under Construction in Tirana
 

(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) -  Construction of a great Mosalla (prayer ground) began in the Albanian capital city of Tirana in a ceremony earlier this week.

Ambassadors of Muslim countries, Muslim leaders from neighboring countries such as Macedonia, Kosovo and Montenegro and Muftis from different cities of Albania took part in the ceremony.

Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha addressed the ceremony saying that when the grand prayer hall is completed, the city’s need to religious spaces will be met.

He regretted that prejudices had caused the construction of the prayer hall to remain on hold for 20 years.

Tirana’s grand Mosalla has been designed by Turkish Architecture Muharram Helmi Shnalip.

Construction of the prayer hall, which will cost 13 million Euro, is planned to finish in three years. It will hold 5000 worshippers upon completion.

“North wants partition of Kosovo”

SOURCE: TANJUG
BELGRADE -- Rada Trajković says the implementation of the Brussels agreement in northern Kosovo cannot change anything with regard to what Serbs currently have.

Rada Trajković (B92, file)

Rada Trajković (B92, file)
However, the United Serbian List member of the Kosovo assembly believes that there are tendencies to lose the “government roof over our heads”.

“Now we all need to make an effort so as to ensure that the acceptance of the agreement does not stir the population into moving or intimidate the people by some roister in Belgrade and thus drive them to start moving from Kosovo-Metohija,” Trajković told Belgrade-based daily Politika, adding that afterwards, when the situation had stabilized, the authorities needed to invest efforts in the project of return.

She stated that leaders of northern Kosovo Serbs wanted their strong campaign to contribute to destabilization of Serbia because they believed a destabilized Serbia would not work on the implementation of the agreement.

“As a result of this, they believe that the status quo would remain in the north. This practically means they are about to set out on a project of partition of Kosovo and prepare for a solution that would essentially be a partition of Kosovo. They are completely disregarding Serbs living to the south of the Ibar River and in my opinion, even the Serbs in central Serbia as a terrible political and economic crisis would hit Serbia,” Trajković warned.

She explained that through the Brussels agreement, Serbs would get institutions with powers and control rights via the Community of Serb Municipalities, and thus avoid discrimination and outvoting in the Kosovo parliament.

Trajković noted that unlike Serbs south of the Ibar River who were forcefully integrated, nobody called for integration of the Serbs in the north, adding that the Serbs in southern Kosovo won the least through the agreement as the Community of Serb municipalities would primarily gather northern Kosovo municipalities.

The final EU agreement Kosovo - Serbia for Mitrovitsa



According to some Kosovo media here’s what Serbian and Kosovo Prime Ministers have signed:
First Agreement of Principles Governing the Relations Normalization
1. An Association/Community of Serb majority municipalities in Kosovo will be formed. Membership will be open to any other municipality if the members agree.

2. The Community/Association will be created according to statute. The dissolution of Community/Association shall only take place by the decision of the member municipalities. Legal guarantees will be provided by applicable law and constitutional law (including the 2/3 majority rule).
3. The structures of the Community/Association will be established on the same basis as the existing statute of the Association of Kosovo municipalities e.g. President, vice President, Assembly, Council.
4. In accordance with the competences given by the European Charter of Local Self Government and Kosovo law the participating municipalities shall be entitled to cooperate in exercising their powers through the Community/Association collectively. The Association/Community will have full overview of the areas of economic development, education, health, urban and rural planning.
5. The Association/Community will exercise other additional competences as may be delegated by the central authorities.
6. The Community/Association shall have a representative role to the central authorities and will have a seat in the communities’ consultative council for this purpose. In the pursuit of this role a monitoring function is envisaged.
7. There shall be one police force in Kosovo called the Kosovo Police. All police in northern Kosovo shall be integrated in the Kosovo Police framework. Salaries will be only from the KP.
8. Members of other Serbian security structures will be offered a place in equivalent Kosovo structures.
9. There shall be a Police Regional Commander for the four northern Serb majority municipalities (Northern Mitrovica, Zvecan, Zubin Potok and Leposavic). The Commander of this region shall be a Kosovo Serb nominated by the Ministry of Interior from a list provided by the four mayors on behalf of the Community/Association. The composition of the KP in the north will reflect the ethnic composition of the population of the four municipalities. (There will be another Regional Commander for the municipalities of Mitrovica South, Skenderaj and Vushtrri). The regional commander of the four northern municipalities will cooperate with other regional commanders.
10. The judicial authorities will be integrated and operate within the Kosovo legal framework. The Appellate Court in Pristina will establish a panel composed of a majority of K/S judges to deal with all Kosovo Serb majority municipalities.
11. A division of this Appellate Court, composed both by administrative staff and judges will sit permanently in northern Mitrovica (Mitrovica District Court). Each panel of the above division will be composed by a majority of K/S judges. Appropriate judges will sit dependant on the nature of the case involved.
12. Municipal elections shall be organized in the northern municipalities in 2013 with the facilitation of the OSCE in accordance with Kosovo law and international standards.
13. Discussions on Energy and Telecoms will be intensified by the two sides and completed by June 15.
14. It is agreed that neither side will block, or encourage others to block, the other side’s progress in their respective EU path.
15. An implementation committee will be established by the two sides, with the facilitation of the