Saturday, June 29, 2013

Croatia Joins the European Union


By on 29.6.13

Exactly 99 years ago, on June 28, 1914, Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated in Austrian-controlled Bosnia and Herzegovina by a Serbian nationalist, Gavrilo Princip. The killing in Sarajevo didn't really start the war in the Balkans, which had been going on for some years as Ottoman control over its over-extended empire collapsed, but it managed to spark a much larger fight across Europe and gave birth to the "short 20th Century." After that ended in 1989-1991, Yugoslavia collapsed for the second time into five and then six and seven countries, hundreds of thousands of people died, and towns were ethnically cleansed before NATO operations brought a tenuous peace. Since then, the countries of the Western Balkans have watched as their neighbors to the north, including former Yugoslav Slovenia, joined the European Union, with all the economic advantages it brings, in 2004, followed by Romania and Bulgaria in 2007.

A few years ago, some optimists in Serbia were hoping to join the EU on the centenary of the assassination. That won't happen, but on Monday, Croatia will become the Union's 28th member in the first enlargement since 2007, before I started my serious study of European political affairs. Enlargement has been Brussels' most effective foreign policy and the accession process is hugely helpful for the European countries still outside the Union. But the policy has looked moribund for a few years, between well-known blockages of candidates Turkey and Macedonia, the EU's extremely serious problems, and the lack of progress on reforms across the region. Today, things are looking up. The EU has just agreed to open accession talks with Serbia, a candidate country since 2011-12, in December or January. It will finally open talks on a Stabilization and Association Agreement with Kosovo, a first step. Even more significantly (since those decisions were based on prior progress) Albania just had a breakthrough election with a peaceful transfer of power to former Tirana mayor Edi Rama and his Socialist Party, a needed solidification of Tirana's democratic credentials which should lead to candidate status.

Croatia will be the last new member for several years, but it must not be the last. During the break-up of Yugoslavia, newly reunified Germany made its first bold unilateral and slightly alarming foreign policy move in recognizing the Western Christian breakaway republics, Slovenia and Croatia, ahead of the rest of the EU and international community. The EU has four Orthodox countries as members, but its signalling about who can belong to Europe has often been daft, for example when it granted visa free travel to everyone in the Balkans except Albania, Bosnia and Kosovo, the three countries with Muslim pluralities. Turkey has been granted candidate status and indeed Ukraine, Moldova and Belarus are granted at least potential candidacy by the Treaty of Rome, which states "Any European State may apply to become a member of the Community." Particularly in a multi-speed European Union, which appears to be destined by developments in the euro crisis response and the Europhobia of the British public, there should be room for any geographically European country which meets the political and economic accession criteria. A revival of the accession process for Turkey is the most effective way outsiders can check the autocratic tendencies of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and support the aspirations of Turks for a democracy that goes deeper than elections. An accession prospect for Ukraine is the only way in the long term to keep Kyiv from slipping into the Eurasian Union which Vladimir Putin is constructing.

Meanwhile in the Western Balkans, tiny Montenegro should lead the pack and Albania is also a relatively straightforward case, both simply need to follow the path to readiness that Croatia took, toughened after many thought Bulgaria and Romania were let in too early. Albania is already a member of NATO (which for the moment also has 28 member states, 22 in common with the EU), which has traditionally come first, Montenegro is likeliest to become NATO's 29th member. Macedonia has been stuck at the starting gate since 2005 over its stupid name dispute with Greece, and it has become more of a basket case, bingeing on the construction of monuments summoning a glorious past rather than reforming for a future in the EU; the name problem must be solved for the country to have a future that is anything but dim. Bosnia and Herzegovina has serious constitutional problems and must transform politically into a more unified state at some point, hopefully peacefully; it will not get into the EU with the present state of affairs. Serbia is the most attractive member in the Western Balkans after Croatia for the EU because of its size and transport opportunities along the Danube Valley and it is also in many ways the most ready in terms of reform; it is also the most repulsive because of its crimes in the 1990s, the persistence of an ugly nationalism, and the Kosovo problem, which has not yet been solved despite progress. Kosovo itself, hobbled by a limbo status of recognition by only half the world, is years behind Serbia in readiness, but they should only join the EU together, with Belgrade along with Madrid, Athens, Bucharest, Bratislava and Nicosia recognizing the full sovereignty of Prishtina. The Germans, thankfully, seem to understand this and they also seem to be leading Brussels' Balkan policy and doing it more responsibly these days. When all six countries have joined the EU, it will be a great accomplishment for the peoples of the region and for Europe as a whole. Until then, congratulations to Croatia.

Oh, and out in the north Atlantic, candidate country Iceland isn't going to join. The euro looks less attractive to them these days and Beijing, interested in increasing its footholds in the Arctic, is waving too much money around.

Friday, June 28, 2013

Several Serbs injured in attack in Kosovo

BELGRADE -- Several Serbs, at least three children among them, suffered injuries on Friday when the buses they were traveling in were attacked with stones.
The victims were returning from the ceremonies marking St. Vitus Day (Vidovdan) at Gazimestan, near Priština.
Serbian Orthodox Patriarch Irinej has left Kosovo safely, Visoki Dečani abbot Sava Janjić posted on his Twitter account.

B92 learned that the buses were attack on two locations, the more serious incident happening near Miloševo, close to Gazimestan.

"(Ethnic) Albanians are en masse stoning Serb school buses. Five buses have been damaged, there are injuries. Witnesses said that groups of Albanianas waited for Serb buses in ambush, some even followed the buses in their cars," Sava Janjić stated, and asked, "What was Kosovo police doing?"

According to him, it is still unknown how many people were injured from broken glass. They are receiving medical treatment in the nearby Serb enclave of Gračanica.

Gračanica Health Center Director Radmila Trajković has said that one child had cuts on the head, while two others on their bodies.

Government Office for Kosovo and Metohija Director Aleksandar Vulin told reporters that a young woman was hospitalized in Kosovska Mitrovica.

The KPS was conducting an investigation, but was yet to detain anyone, reports said on Friday afternoon, while some Serb sources said that there was video footage showing the attacks.

Greece's Porous Border Draws Europe's Ire

Passport-Free Schengen Accord Is Tested as Illegal Immigrants Gain Access to Continent by Crossing Greek-Turkish Boundary



BRUSSELS—Greece, at the center of Europe's two-year-old debt crisis, is facing intensifying criticism from other European governments over the way it polices its land border with Turkey—presenting Europe's passport-free Schengen area with what could be its most serious test since it began functioning in 1995.
A majority of the illegal immigrants—most from the Middle East, Pakistan and Afghanistan—enter into the European Union through Greece, whose northern, mountainous region of Evros is the bloc's most porous external border.
Associated Press
Syrians walk near the northeastern Greek town of Orestiada after passing over the Greek-Turkish border early Monday.
Most don't stay in Greece with its weak economy but try to travel to other countries within the EU. Under Schengen rules, once in Greece, travelers shouldn't need to show a passport to enter any of the other 25 states in the Schengen area.
Greece has been frequently criticized by the European Commission, the United Nations and nongovernment groups for not complying with international law on asylum policy and for mistreating people reaching its borders seeking protection for political, humanitarian or other grounds.
A group of seven EU countries including France and Germany said last week that further action was needed to reduce the inflows of migrants "in particular at the Greek-Turkish border." They suggested, among other things, a stronger presence for the EU border-management agency, Frontex.
With thousands of immigrants detected crossing that border every month, European officials say Greece's cash-strapped government doesn't have the money, personnel or administrative capacity to police the border.
Now, three governments are considering taking further action—effectively suspending Greece from Schengen by reintroducing passport controls for travelers arriving from the country. According to two people familiar with EU-level talks on the subject, Germany, Finland and Austria are considering this step.
A spokesman for the Austrian government confirmed this, but said he couldn't predict whether unilateral passport controls would be introduced.
Last week, Austrian Home Affairs Minister Johanna Mikl-Leitner described the Greek-Turkish border "as open as a barn door."
A spokesman for the German government denied that Germany was proposing this. But the German Interior Minister Hans-Peter Friedrich said last week: "The question still remains what happens when a country is not capable of securing its borders, as we see in Greece…Is it possible to reinstate border controls? I want to clarify that this is still part of our discussion."
The pressure on Greece comes as French President Nicolas Sarkozy threatened to remove his country from Schengen in a year because member states whose borders are the external barriers of the 26-nation area aren't doing a good job keeping illegal immigrants at bay. While Mr. Sarkozy's threat has been largely interpreted as an attempt to lure right-wing voters, his has been the highest-profile expression of discontent among a growing chorus.
Travelers from Greece also report there are frequent passport checks being carried out as they arrive at German airports. A senior Greek government official and an airline executive confirmed German border authorities conduct frequent ad hoc passport checks on passengers from Greece as soon as they step off the plane. The airline executive said the checks mostly happen at Munich and Frankfurt airports.
Asked to comment, Aegean Airlines, the Greek carrier that services those routes, said it hadn't received any complaints or comments to that effect from their passengers.
The German spokesman said authorities at German airports checked Schengen travelers' passports in individual cases where they had received specific information about arriving passengers and that such checks weren't at a scale that could be construed as a threat to Schengen freedom of movement.
The European Commission, the EU's executive arm, is pushing to have Schengen decisions made through votes among all countries affected, rather than have national governments reintroducing border controls at will.
A proposal by the European commissioner in charge of immigration, Cecilia Malstroem, in September—following the temporary re-imposition of passport checks at France's border with Italy last year to curb an influx of North African immigrants—suggested that countries could, under exceptional circumstances, waive passport-free travel for five days.
However, any extension would have to be agreed through a vote among the countries.
Commission officials have, however, expressed concern about Greece. In a confidential report last week, reviewed by The Wall Street Journal, a team of experts who visited the Evros border painted a bleak picture of conditions there and called on the Greek authorities to act.
"The humanitarian situation in the Evros region…remains the most serious issue of concern," the report says and adds that a new Greek asylum service has managed to recruit only 11 people out of the 700 planned.
—Nicole Lundeen in Vienna contributed to this article.Corrections & Amplifications
An earlier version of this article misidentified Hans-Peter Friedrich's title. Mr. Friedrich is Germany's interior minister.

U.S Says Greek-Turkish Border Porous

 2 15
 
 0 103
Evros_KipiΑ U.S. State Department report expressed concern about the Greek border with Turkey, and terrorist attacks in Greece.
There has been concern about the Greek border with Turkey, since the Greek authorities are making efforts to control illegal immigration, but the operation is difficult and chances of success are limited. It is noted that the recent uprisings in the Arab world and North Africa contributed to the increase of the flow of illegal immigrants to Greece.
The report emphasized that relevant U.S. agencies trained members of the Hellenic Coast Guard in Athens, Piraeus, Crete, Patras and Thessaloniki, and the participation of the Greek government in this cooperation is described as “broad and inclusive”.
In the part related to Greece, there are recorded low power attacks with improvised explosive devices from anarchist organizations, whose ultimate goal seems to be not to cause casualties, but to convey political messages.
The annual State Department report which strongly noted the cooperation between Greek Authorities and the U.S.A in the field of counter-terrorism and protection of American interests in Greece, reported that many members of the two most active domestic terrorist organizations, the “Revolutionary Struggle “and” Conspiracy of Cells of Fire ‘ have been in prison since 2011, while stating that both in Athens and Thessaloniki there were explosions aimed at politician’s assets, party offices, ministries, tax offices and private vehicles .
- See more at: http://usa.greekreporter.com/2013/05/31/u-s-says-greek-turkish-border-porous/#sthash.q1g8HbJa.dpuf

U.S Says Greek-Turkish Border Porous

 2 15
 
 0 103
Evros_KipiΑ U.S. State Department report expressed concern about the Greek border with Turkey, and terrorist attacks in Greece.
There has been concern about the Greek border with Turkey, since the Greek authorities are making efforts to control illegal immigration, but the operation is difficult and chances of success are limited. It is noted that the recent uprisings in the Arab world and North Africa contributed to the increase of the flow of illegal immigrants to Greece.
The report emphasized that relevant U.S. agencies trained members of the Hellenic Coast Guard in Athens, Piraeus, Crete, Patras and Thessaloniki, and the participation of the Greek government in this cooperation is described as “broad and inclusive”.
In the part related to Greece, there are recorded low power attacks with improvised explosive devices from anarchist organizations, whose ultimate goal seems to be not to cause casualties, but to convey political messages.
The annual State Department report which strongly noted the cooperation between Greek Authorities and the U.S.A in the field of counter-terrorism and protection of American interests in Greece, reported that many members of the two most active domestic terrorist organizations, the “Revolutionary Struggle “and” Conspiracy of Cells of Fire ‘ have been in prison since 2011, while stating that both in Athens and Thessaloniki there were explosions aimed at politician’s assets, party offices, ministries, tax offices and private vehicles .
- See more at: http://usa.greekreporter.com/2013/05/31/u-s-says-greek-turkish-border-porous/#sthash.q1g8HbJa.dpuf

U.S Says Greek-Turkish Border Porous

 2 15
 
 0 103
Evros_KipiΑ U.S. State Department report expressed concern about the Greek border with Turkey, and terrorist attacks in Greece.
There has been concern about the Greek border with Turkey, since the Greek authorities are making efforts to control illegal immigration, but the operation is difficult and chances of success are limited. It is noted that the recent uprisings in the Arab world and North Africa contributed to the increase of the flow of illegal immigrants to Greece.
The report emphasized that relevant U.S. agencies trained members of the Hellenic Coast Guard in Athens, Piraeus, Crete, Patras and Thessaloniki, and the participation of the Greek government in this cooperation is described as “broad and inclusive”.
In the part related to Greece, there are recorded low power attacks with improvised explosive devices from anarchist organizations, whose ultimate goal seems to be not to cause casualties, but to convey political messages.
The annual State Department report which strongly noted the cooperation between Greek Authorities and the U.S.A in the field of counter-terrorism and protection of American interests in Greece, reported that many members of the two most active domestic terrorist organizations, the “Revolutionary Struggle “and” Conspiracy of Cells of Fire ‘ have been in prison since 2011, while stating that both in Athens and Thessaloniki there were explosions aimed at politician’s assets, party offices, ministries, tax offices and private vehicles .
- See more at: http://usa.greekreporter.com/2013/05/31/u-s-says-greek-turkish-border-porous/#sthash.q1g8HbJa.dpuf

U.S Says Greek-Turkish Border Porous

 2 15
 
 0 103
Evros_KipiΑ U.S. State Department report expressed concern about the Greek border with Turkey, and terrorist attacks in Greece.
There has been concern about the Greek border with Turkey, since the Greek authorities are making efforts to control illegal immigration, but the operation is difficult and chances of success are limited. It is noted that the recent uprisings in the Arab world and North Africa contributed to the increase of the flow of illegal immigrants to Greece.
The report emphasized that relevant U.S. agencies trained members of the Hellenic Coast Guard in Athens, Piraeus, Crete, Patras and Thessaloniki, and the participation of the Greek government in this cooperation is described as “broad and inclusive”.
In the part related to Greece, there are recorded low power attacks with improvised explosive devices from anarchist organizations, whose ultimate goal seems to be not to cause casualties, but to convey political messages.
The annual State Department report which strongly noted the cooperation between Greek Authorities and the U.S.A in the field of counter-terrorism and protection of American interests in Greece, reported that many members of the two most active domestic terrorist organizations, the “Revolutionary Struggle “and” Conspiracy of Cells of Fire ‘ have been in prison since 2011, while stating that both in Athens and Thessaloniki there were explosions aimed at politician’s assets, party offices, ministries, tax offices and private vehicles .
- See more at: http://usa.greekreporter.com/2013/05/31/u-s-says-greek-turkish-border-porous/#sthash.q1g8HbJa.dpuf

Albania’s election

Edi’s turn

An old political rival becomes the new prime minister

Mr Rama is a former mayor of the capital, Tirana. In the 2009 election he accused the Democrats of cheating him of victory. In 2011 he claimed to have won a new term as mayor, but the Democrats snatched victory from the jaws of defeat by adding in votes cast in the wrong boxes. A protest in January of the same year led to four Socialist supporters being shot dead by security forces firing from the prime minister’s office. Mr Berisha accused Mr Rama of trying to oust him by force.
In the past few years under Mr Berisha, spanking new roads and other infrastructure have sprouted across Albania. Cyclists zoom down bicycle lanes in central Tirana and along new roads in previously ramshackle towns like Shkoder, in the north. After the end of communism, Albania’s highways gradually disintegrated. When he was mayor Mr Rama also transformed Tirana, bulldozing many ugly and illegal buildings and painting dowdy communist blocks in bright colours.
Yet improved infrastructure could not save Mr Berisha. Besides the fatigue after eight years, a string of scandals undid him. Few bigwigs ever came to trial. One who did was Ilir Meta, leader of a small breakaway group from the Socialists that allied with Mr Berisha in 2009, enabling him to form a government. A tape was broadcast in which Mr Meta appeared to discuss a bribe and boast of his influence over the chief justice. He was tried and acquitted. In April he abandoned Mr Berisha to form a new alliance with Mr Rama, shocking many Socialists who feared it would hobble attacks on the government for corruption.
For Mr Rama the task ahead is “enormous” because, he says, the system he is inheriting is so rotten. It is packed with placemen of Mr Berisha who, according to Piro Misha, a local analyst, had “total control” of the public administration and judiciary. The pursuit of party interests by using the clout of the state had, says Mr Misha, “gone to an extreme this time”.
The election opens the way for Albania to become an official candidate to join the European Union. Previous applications had been rejected. Yet growth and employment are still big challenges, even if less than in some neighbouring countries. The electoral roll has 3.3m names, but the 2011 census found only 2.8m people in Albania. The difference is that as many as a million Albanians live abroad, sending money home and helping to keep down unemployment—which, despite this, still stands at 12.8%. In recent years remittances have declined, but Albania remains the only Balkan country not to have gone into recession. That did not save Mr Berisha, either.

Thursday, June 27, 2013

Erdogan’s Dilemma

on  
www.drougos.gr

Sinan Ülgen Op-Ed June 2, 2013 Foreign Policy
Summary
The mass protests in Istanbul are a reaction to Erdogan’s strategy of polarizing Turkish society to cement a pro-government majority.
The demonstrations started in Istanbul a few days ago. The initial objective was to protect the park in Taksim, Istanbul’s central square, from being demolished and replaced by a shopping mall. But the police intervened with excessive force against a peaceful assembly, liberally using tear gas to disperse protesters. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated that the project will go ahead regardless of the «few» people that oppose it. As a result, this local dispute was unexpectedly transformed into a city and then a nation-wide mass demonstration against his polarizing style.
The mass protests should be seen as a reaction against the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and Erdogan’s style of majoritarian governance. By cementing a pro-government majority and avoiding consensus on sensitive issues, Erdogan’s political strategy has polarized Turkish society. This majoritarian approach to decision-making has worked well for him so far. He not only succeeded in setting the agenda for the country, but he also increased his popular support over three successive elections. But it now seems that this style of governance has reached the limit of Turkish society’s tolerance. The recent adoption of a law on alcohol that significantly impedes the marketing, sales, and consumption of alcoholic drinks had already stirred a debate in Turkey about the government’s negligence to take into account the sensitivities of Turkey’s non-conservatives. Moreover, Erdogan’s defense of the law by referencing religious principles only served to provoke the law’s secular opponents. Instead the decision to transform a public park in the central square of Istanbul into a shopping mall became the rallying theme for many Turks to demonstrate their dissatisfaction with Erdogan’s leadership.
Ülgen is a visiting scholar at Carnegie Europe in Brussels, where his research focuses on the implications of Turkish foreign policy for Europe and the United States, particularly with regard to Turkey’s regional stance and its role in nuclear, energy, and climate issues.
Compared to past rallies in Turkey’s democratic history, this week’s events stand out for a number of reasons. First, the mass demonstrations are against the non-participatory style of decision-making adopted by the Erdogan government, but they are not ideological. They have not been hijacked or led by any single political party or ideology, as the protesters hail from disparate backgrounds and represent the rich diversity of Turkish society. They are composed of youth, women, football club supporters, trade unionists, college students, NGO activists, and urban professionals.
Second, there is for the first time a sense of empowerment against a government that has dominated the political scene for the past decade. This sense of popular empowerment stands in stark contrast with the dismal performance of Turkey’s parliamentary opposition. The oft-made comparisons to the Tahrir demonstrations are not correct. Turkey is a democracy and there is no call for regime change like in Egypt. The only overlap with Tahrir remains this immense sense of empowerment and emancipation by the ordinary citizens that have seen the impact they can have on the political system if they act in unison.
And then there is the media. Turkey’s mainstream media has become the laughing stock of the country. While Istanbul was burning with tear gas, Turkish TV channels were busy broadcasting documentaries, cooking shows, or soap operas. The Saturday edition of the pro-government major daily Sabah has not mentioned the events. The government imposed a blackout and the widespread self-censorship further discredited the mainstream media in the eyes of the Turkish public, which turned to international media outlets or to social media to follow the events on their streets. Indeed, one clear winner has been social media. Many Turks rushed to Twitter and the like to witness the rallies in real time. According to a study conducted by New York University’s Social Media and Political Participation Laboratory, the social media response to and the role of social media in the protests has been phenomenal. Within a window of 24 hours, at least two million tweets mentioning hashtags related to the protest, have been posted. Even after midnight on Friday, more than 3,000 tweets about the protest were published every minute.
The way forward is, however, unclear. Erdogan conceded a small victory on Saturday to the protesters by withdrawing the police forces from Taksim square and admitting to their excessive use of force. But more defiantly, he reiterated his willingness to proceed with the disputed Taksim square reconstruction project. Yet regardless of how the events unfold in the coming days, there are two conclusions that can be drawn even now from this episode of unplanned and yet massive protest movements that shook one of Europe’s largest cities: one is the glaring need to fundamentally restructure the media in Turkey; and the other the urgency of behavioral change in Erdogan’s leadership style.
The blatant failure of the Turkish press to fulfill, even minimally, its role to report events harms the progress of democracy in Turkey. Consequently, new measures should be legislated, such as forcing media companies to shed their non-media activities, to ensure that the independence of the media can be re-established and maintained. Another set of rules should focus on safeguarding media pluralism.
Although they do not represent an immediate threat to Erdogan’s rule in Turkey, these mass protests should nonetheless be taken seriously by the Turkish prime minister. Many Turks have grown increasingly disaffected with the top-down, non-inclusive style of decision-making that has characterized the later years of the Erdogan government. They are tired of polarization and strive for more consensual politics. Erdogan needs to understand this yearning and adopt a more conciliatory mode of leadership.
But possibly even more important for Turkey’s future political stability is the increasingly visible gap on the acceptable forms of dissent between the Turkish leadership and society. Erdogan seems genuinely to believe that mass protests have no place in a country administered by a strong, stable, and economically successful government. He emphasizes the ballot box as the venue for social and political stakeholders to show their disaffection with the government. «Every four years we hold elections and this nation makes its choice,» he said on Saturday. «Those who have a problem with government’s policies can express their opinions within the framework of law and democracy.» But with its maturing and increasingly pluralistic civil society, Turkey has moved beyond this more limited definition of democratic freedoms. The Turkish political leadership, including the parliamentary opposition, have to readjust their outlook. Otherwise with the newly found sense of empowerment of its citizenry, public turbulence in Turkey will become much more common.
This article was originally published in Foreign Policy.

Serbs "will not take part in elections in Kosovo"

BELGRADE -- The Serbs will not go to the polls in Kosovo, primarily because they do not want to give legitimacy to the so-called Kosovo independence.
(Beta, file)
(Beta, file)
The Serbs will not go to the polls in Kosovo, primarily because they do not want to give legitimacy to the so-called Kosovo independence.
Pantić, a former mayor of Kosovska Mitrovica, also noted that the people in the majority-Serb northern part of Kosovo made it clear that they are against Albanian institutions.

"There is no one who would like to see Serbia's progress and development more than the Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija, and no one from this territory wants a conflict with their own state. However, all must be aware of reality - the Serbs will not go to the polls that could be held on November 3," he said.

“It is up to the people, and no one has yet given an answer whether someone could be registered in two electoral rolls, whether they would be able to vote in parliamentary and presidential elections in central Serbia or they would vote for Kosovo president and the Kosovo assembly,” he said.

There is also a question of whether the registration of political parties will be valid in Kosovo or they would take part as associations of citizens, he added.

“There are many questions without answers. The whole life cannot fit into 15 points,” Pantić said, in reference to the Brussels agreement.

According to him, another issue that "nobody considered seriously" is the position the local Serbs would take toward the community of Serb municipalities (ZSO), in case of a low turnout in elections:

"Imagine that in the ZSO, the mayors of the four (Serb) municipalities in the north of Kosovo and Metohija are (ethnic) Albanians, which is highly likely to happen. Based on the mood this far, a very small number of Serbs will turn out to vote, but Albanians will turn out en masse, because we have several villages and areas with Albanian population in each municipality. For Priština and the international community, such elections results will be legal."

Asked if Belgrade could influence the Serbs to change their position, Pantić said: "There is no political party that can influence the citizens to change their position. For that reason, it would be unfair of the international community to blame the Serbian government."

German parliament gives Serbia "green light"

BERLIN -- The German parliament has authorized the German government to vote in favor of the beginning of the EU accession talks with Serbia.
(Tanjug, file)
(Tanjug, file)
The vote will take place at Friday's session of the European Council, Tanjug is reporting, and adding that the German parliament "also supported Serbia's European perspective and commended the efforts that the country made in the area of reforms."
The German parliament called on the government to approve Serbia's accession talks at a session of the European Council on June 27 and 28 under condition that the first accession conference is held in January 2014 if the European Council confirms in December "full and lasting implementation of the obligations stemming from the implementation plan adopted by Serbia and Kosovo on May 26."

The German parliament underlined that "the Serb parallel structures in north Kosovo need to be fully dismantled," and instead new structures should be established in the areas of security and judiciary of Kosovo which would be subject to political control and financing only by the Kosovo government.

According to Tanjug, "other requests" refer to a detailed insight into all Serb payments to the institutions in Kosovo, organization of free and fair local elections in Kosovo and full implementation of all previous results of the dialogue between Belgrade and Priština, which includes "unimpeded access of the Kosovo border police and customs officers to the checkpoints in north Kosovo."

It is also added that before Serbia can become a full-fledged member, "a legally binding agreement must be signed" between Belgrade and Priština. This agreement, the German parliament explained, "must enable Serbia and Kosovo to, as full-fledge members, based on EU acts independently jointly use their rights and obligations."

The declaration adopted today in Berlin also said that "it must be secured that the process of normalization between Serbia and Kosovo be treated in one of the negotiations chapters, and that this chapter, along with the rule of law area, must be the focus of the accession negotiations."

"if Serbia, after the opening of accession negotiations, hesitates in implementing the undertaken obligations, suspends or abandons them, accession negotiations should be halted," the declaration adopted by the German parliament said.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Thursday that the first conference on Serbia's EU accession may take place in January only after a confirmation in December on progress in the implementation of the Brussels agreement between Belgrade and Priština.

The German parliament discussion qualified the Brussels agreement as "a historic step," commended the efforts and everything that has been done on Serbia's EU pathway and clearly requested the implementation of the agreements with a warning that the EU "cannot allow another enlargement mistake such as in the case of Cyprus."
After suspender the pensions, the Greek government, closes the door for northern epiriotes

Evangelos Dules: Athens government has abandoned  the Greek community

 Zgjedhjet, Dule: Qeveria e Athinës e braktisi minoritetin
 



Dules,  in an interview to Greek media, has commented on the 23 June elections in Albania and has given some of the reasons why HRUP took two seats in this election, criticized Greek government.
According Doules, first reason relates, "the general indifference or inability compatriots in Greece to return to Albania to vote." He notes that participation in the Greek minority areas, was the lowest nationwide.
Secondly, Dule argues that many citizens vote to Berisha down anxiety, went to the Socialist Party.
Thirdly, according to him, HRUP and the Greek minority was in the lack of the support of Athens and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, headed by Minister Avramopoulos, while the Greek minority remembered only in the last minute and did some small things. "Greek minority is in an unenviable situation, politicians and political groups in Athens for voting interests, do not hesitate to put his hand on it and this is crucial," said Dule.
Following the situation in Albania, Albania declares that Dule is currently away the rule of law, democracy and how the economy works. "In our view there is a need to amend the Constitution, changing the electoral law and the manner of electing the President of the Republic," said Dule.
Asked if  HRUP will took place in the new government, minority leader of the Greek says "it depends on the future prime minister if inviting us to participate." He admits contacts with Edi Rama are ongoing, but still not speaking for the future.
Regarding the party's presence in Parliament Chams and the lack of Red and Black Alliance, Dule message expressed by the European Commission was very clear; obligation of Albania to fight nationalism.
Dule says there are something illusions that will change the SP, after Prime Minister Berisha's government gave its irredentist messages against neighbors. "Both major parties Albanian nationalist elements and anti-Greek. But it is imperative that relations between the two countries to move forward, to their benefit and stability in the region. With policies such as those of Berisha and the Socialist Party in some cases, can not cultivate a relationship of mutual trust with the long term, "concludes Dule
Sali Berisha, Prime Minister, up to the end of September


13 November 2012
  Admiral Sir George Zambellas, Commander of the British Fleet and  Chief of the Naval Staff, visited Albania today, in a historic visit between the two countries. Admiral Zambellas is the most senior British military officer ever to visit Albania. The Admiral met President Nishani and the Minister of Defence, Mr Imami. He will also meet Prime Minister Berisha and the Chief of the Defence Staff later in his visit.


But the troops of the British Navy, will be present in southern Albania, under operation Albanian Lion 2013

Although there resigned the Democratic Party, and conceded defeat of the parliamentary elections, Berisha will continue to be prime minister of Albania until the end of September 2013.

It appears, that the opposition has won two thirds of the seats in parliament, wants to make quiet summer holiday, while the fact is not known why Berisha demanded that still remain in government for three months.

However, Article 67 of the Albanian Constitution, authorizes the Albania's prime minister in power, to maintain absolute power, in the case of cross-border conflict Ney.

Also, for the month of August, the British Navy, has predicted that on behalf of NATO, to install approximately seven thousand troops in southern Albania, half of which will be to conduct operational exercise in land.

Samaras Says Stability Is Now More Necessary Than Ever


By on 25.6.13

Antonis Samaras
Antonis Samaras (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
The new government΄s aim is the completion of its tenure, as stability is now more necessary than ever, Prime Minister Antonis Samaras said at the first meeting of the new Cabinet on Tuesday.

Samaras also noted that steady steps are needed in order for the necessary reforms to move forward, and pledged to improve coordination on current issues and on in-depth planning, AMNA reported.
    "We must meet the targets we have set and complete institutional reforms", he noted, and mentioned the necessity of also reforming the constitution.
    "Greece doe not have any time to lose. We must speed up. Everyone may retain his own views but the paramount ideology is the country΄s rescuing", Samaras said.
Speaking of the government΄s priorities he said that it has to complete the negotiations with the troika of lenders (European Commission, European Central Bank and International Monetary Fund) on the new loan tranche. "A lot has been done but we still have outstanding issues", he said, adding that Greece must accelerate the preparations for the Greek presidency of EU starting on January 2014.

Referring to the country΄s primary surplus, Samaras underlined that Greece must meet its targets in order to be able to relieve lower-income classes who have suffered the most.

The government΄s immediate priority is economic recovery, resolving unemployment and attracting investments, to prevent new austerity measures. "I believe we are close to these targets", he said.

capital

Albanian prime minister concedes poll defeat

Conservative Sali Berisha says he takes personal responsibility for the heavy loss to socialist rival Edi Rama.

Last Modified: 26 Jun 2013 20:14
Send Feedback
Prime Minister Sali Berisha wiped his tears during a news conference in Tirana [Reuters]
The conservative prime minister who dominated post-communist politics in Albania has conceded election defeat, taking personal responsibility for the heavy loss to the rival Socialists after losing the support of fed-up voters.
Sali Berisha, who had been seeking a third straight term as prime minister in Sunday's general election, also announced to party supporters late on Wednesday he would step down as leader of his center-right Democratic Party.
The 68-year-old's party was beaten handily. With nearly all of the votes counted, Socialist Edi Rama was ahead with 53 percent, compared to just 36 percent for the Democrats.
"We have lost these elections. Believe me, the responsibility for this falls on one person - on me, Sali Berisha," he said.
Albania, once one of the world's most reclusive countries during its communist years, became a NATO member in 2009 and has applied for European Union candidate status.
But so far that has been denied over criticism it has not done enough to fight corruption and push through democratic reforms.
Anti-corruption campaign
Berisha was hurt by Rama's anti-corruption focus as the country struggles to weather the effects of recessions in nearby Greece and Italy, where many Albanian migrants work to provide remittances back to their impoverished country.
International election monitors said the Balkan country had made significant improvements in the June 23 vote, despite a fatal shooting that occurred on voting day outside a polling station in north of the country.
Improving the election process was a central condition set by the EU to advance negotiations aimed at the country's eventual membership.
Berisha's remarks eased tension over the country's Central Election Commission which has yet to officially certify the results.
The parties were at odds over the commission's membership ahead of the vote. Three opposition members had pulled out of the body in April in a dispute over Berisha's replacement of a commission member.
But with Berisha conceding, officials among the Socialist Party have said they will almost certainly return to the commission to certify the vote.

Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Albania's Socialists celebrate poll win

TIRANA, Albania (AP) — Albania's conservative prime minister was coming under increasing pressure Wednesday to concede defeat in the country's general election, after near complete results showed a landslide victory for his Socialist opponents.
With 98 percent of ballots counted from Sunday's election, the election commission said the Socialists' coalition, headed by former Tirana mayor Edi Rama, had won around 53 percent. Prime Minister Sali Berisha's Democratic Party-led coalition trailed with 36 percent — a full 12 percentage points less than four years ago.
The results, if verified, are a crushing blow for Berisha, the man who has dominated Albanian politics in the post-Communist era and who had been vying for a third term as prime minister.
So far, Berisha has not made any statements about the vote count, despite increasing pressure from Rama to concede defeat.
Before his initial election to the post in Sept. 2005, Berisha served as the country's president from 1992-97, and was elected to a second term before the government collapsed a few months after the election in the chaos caused by the collapse of pyramid investment schemes in which many Albanians lost their life savings.
Rama, who said Tuesday he was waiting for his opponent to concede defeat, urged his supporters to "work ... toward the place we deserve — the family of united Europe."
Jubilant Socialist party supporters drove around Tirana's main square near the Socialists' headquarters, honking their horns and waving party flags from the windows.
Sunday's election was seen as a key test in the country's ambition to join the European Union.
Albania, once one of the world's most reclusive countries during its Communist years, became a NATO member in 2009 and has applied for EU candidate status. But so far that has been denied over criticism it has not done enough to fight corruption and push through democratic reforms.
"This victory is not the arrival but only the start. That change will not come overnight and easily. All together we should work and sacrifice to make it happen," Rama said, addressing a crowd of cheering supporters in central Tirana on Tuesday night.
Preliminary calculations from local analysts give the Socialists' coalition 84 seats in the 140-seat parliament.
But a pre-election dispute over the country's Central Election Commission could complicate the final stages of the vote count. Three of the commission's seven members pulled out of the body in April in a dispute over Berisha's replacement of a commission member. With only four members currently in the commission, a legal issue could arise as at least five votes are needed to certify the election results.

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Rama: "All Albanians won with these elections"



Rama: "All Albanians won with these elections"
The Socialist leader, Edi Rama, declared that all Albanians have won with these elections.

“For me, personally, this is not the triumph of some people over others. This is the triumph of the sovereign people who divided Albania from the history of manipulated electoral process that have stained our image so far”, Rama declared.

Speaking from the Socialist Party headquarters, together with the Secretary of the Socialist International, Luis Ajala, Rama asked the counting teams to cooperate for ending the counting process.

“This is an important moment for Albania and all Socialists. I want to give my condolences to those who were affected by the Lac incident”, Ajala declared.

The Socialist official congratulated the Socialist Party and Socialist Movement for Integration leaders, Edi Rama and Ilir Meta, and declared that both of them will create a new vision soon.

80.000 Rally Against Erdogan in Germany


By on 24.6.13

Christof Lehmann (nsnbc),- About 80.00 protesters in Germany joined a rally against Turkey´s Prime Minister R. Tayyip Erdogan in the German city Cologne. Also protesters from France and Switzerland joined the protests in Germany. Meanwhile, Protesters in Turkey have taken back the historically significant Taksim Square. Rallies were held in cities throughout Turkey.

Protesters in Germany as well as in Turkey protested under the slogan “Taksim and the Resistance are everywhere”. Turkey´s Prime Minister R. Tayyip Erdogan has, since the onset of the protests and the first violent police crack-down on peaceful protesters on 31 May 2013, come under increased pressure from foreign governments.

After a meeting with his Turkish counterpart Ahmed Davotoglu, the German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle criticized the Erdogan administration for police brutality and said, that “calming the situation in Turkey still requires additional efforts”.

Turkish – German relations have become increasingly stressed, after the German government opposed the admission of Turkey into the European Union, and after Germany´s Chancellor Angela Merkel criticized Turkey for the violent crack-down on protesters, describing them as “much too harsh”. Both Germany and Turkey have summoned each other´s ambassadors and exchanged criticism.

Turkey´s Minister for European Union Affairs Egemen Bagis warned Angela Merkel against exploiting the situation in Turkey for domestic politics and implicitly claimed that Merkel abused the situation in Turkey to promote her election campaign for Germaney´s election in September, saying:
“If Merkel is looking for material for her election campaign, it should not be Turkey”.

Protests continued in Turkey, and protesters have retaken Taksim Square in Istanbul, one week after the police dispersed the protesters from Taksim Square and nearby Gezi Park with unprecedented brutality.

Turkish protests chanted “This is only the beginning” and “We Will Prevail”, and strew red carnations in honor of the protesters which have been killed or injured during the three week-long protests.

Police attacked the protesters with teargas, and water cannons. Also rubber coated metal bullets were fired at the protesters by the police.

While media often use the euphemism “Rubber Bullets”, the term is misleading. The ammunition, which use is being criticized by human rights organizations worldwide, is metal ammunition, coated with a layer of rubber.

The ammunition is “less lethal” than non rubber coated ammunition, but it can be lethal if it is fired at close range, or if a person is hit at sensitive or soft areas of the body. The use of Rubber Coated Metal Ammunition is a further escalation of the Erdogan administration´s crack-down on protesters.

Turkey´s Medical Union states, that at lest 4 people have been killed and approximately 7.800 have been injured when police forces attacked protesters in Taksim Square and Gezi Park last Saturday.

BREAKING NEWS - Greek Gov't Reshuffle - The List of the New Government


By on 24.6.13

Editor's Note - Looking over the names in the new government scheme, all of us here at HellasFrappe are deeply disappointed with Antonis Samaras, for allowing PASOK to return to power. HellasFrappe is a conservative blog, but we cannot accept -AND DIGEST- the fact that Evangelos Venizelos and his band of cronies, are back in power. It looks like the Wall Street Journal was right. Several days ago it predicted that Venizelos had his eyes set on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the seat of Vice Premier, PASOK worked its magic and voila... they are back in power. It is totally incomprehensible, the Socialist party of not even 4 percent now has around 13 or 14 Ministers in the new government scheme and several "key" ministries. Also, we noticed that Venizelos brought in Kapsis as Minister again. Kapsis was the government spokesman for Lucas Papademos Mr. trilateral commission himself. He was also the publisher of the PASOK backed TA NEA newspaper which has been against the New Democracy party for decades! All we can say as a blog is SHAME! Conservatives voted for a change... We did not vote to bring PASOK back to power! This will not sit well with the supporters of the New Democracy party.

This is the new government scheme that will be announced formally on Tuesday morning.
 
Prime Minister:
Antonis Samaras

Deputy Prime Minister
Evangelos Venizelos

Ministry of Finance
Minister: John Stournaras
Deputy Minister: Christos Staikouras
Minister: George Mafragannis

Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Minister: Evangelos Venizelos
Minister: Akis Gerontopoulos
Minister: Dimitris Kourkoulas

Ministry of Defence
Minister: Dimitris Avramopoulos
Minister: Athanasios Davakis
Deputy minister: Fofi Genimata (????)

Ministry of the Interior
Minister: Yiannis Michelakis
Deputy Minister: Leonidas Grigorakos

Ministry of Administrative Reform and e-Governance
Minister: Kyriakos Mitsotakis
Minister: Evi Christophilopoulou

Ministry of Development and Competitiveness
Minister Kostis Hadjidakis
Minister: Thanassis Skordas
Minister: Panagiotis Mitarakis

Ministry of Infrastructure, Transport and Networks
Minister: Michael Chryssochoidis
Minister: Michalis Papadopoulos

Ministry of Education
Minister: Constantine Arvanitopoulos
Minister: Kostas Gkioulekas
Minister: Simeon Kedikoglou

Ministry of Culture and Sport
Minister: Panos Panagiotopoulos

Minister of Sports
John Hadrian

Ministry of Environment, Energy and Climate Change
Minister Yiannis Maniatis
Deputy Minister Stavros Kalafatis
Minister: Assimakis Papageorgiou

Ministry of Labour, Social Security and Welfare
Minister: Yiannis Vroutsis
Minister: Claus Kegeroglou

Ministry of Health
Minister: Adonis Georgiadis
Minister: Sophia Vooltepsis
Minister: Anthony Mpezas

Ministry of Rural Development and Food
Minister: Athanasios Tsaftaris
Deputy minister: Maximus Charakopoulos

Ministry of Justice, Transparency and Human Rights
Minister: Charalambos Athanassiou

Ministry of Public Order and Citizen Protection
Minister Nikos Dendias

Ministry of Tourism
Minister: Olga Kefalogianni

Department of Marine and Aegean
Minister: Miltiadis Varvitsiotis

Ministry of Macedonia - Thrace
Minister: Theodore Karaoglou

Minister of State
Dimitris Stamatis

Government spokesman
Simos Kedikoglou

Deputy Minister responsible for Broadcasting
Pantelis Kapsis

Monday, June 24, 2013

Russian Naval Intelligence in the Middle East

Russian Naval Intelligence in the Middle East.
Russia has stationed one of its advanced intelligence vessels in the Middle East in order to follow Western readiness for a potential strike in Syria
Russian Naval Intelligence in the Middle East
Last week, Israel conducted an extensive military exercise that saw the participation of the IDF ground forces, the Israeli Navy and the IAF. The precise goals of the exercise were not made public and remained a secret. However, assessments are that it was aimed towards Israel’s northern arena – towards the tension with Syria and Hezbollah.
What was not known was that at the same time, the Russian Navy vessel CCB-201 – one of the Russian Navy’s largest intelligence vessels – was present in the waters of the Mediterranean Sea. The CCB-201 is no ordinary intelligence vessel, but rather a naval intelligence gathering unit which is similar in its characteristics to Israel’s Unit 8200 – a SIGINT collection and decryption unit capable of intercepting and listening to military transmissions between naval vessels and aircraft in the Mediterranean Sea.
The vessel, which is also equipped with air defense systems, departed from one of the bases in the Black Sea and crossed the straits of Turkey on June 10 on its way to an area off the coasts of Syria and Cyprus.
From past experience, it appears that the purpose of the visit to the area is for gathering intelligence on NATO and US force activities, as well as Israel’s readiness with regards to the situation in Syria – where Russia has military interests and assets, and thus is concerned of military intervention.
In 2000, Russia sent one of the same intelligence vessels to the Persian Gulf due to information received by Russian military intelligence, which indicated that NATO forces were planning to deal a blow to Iraq. At the time, the vessel’s objective was to track NATO activities in the Persian Gulf and preserve Russia’s interests there, especially those related to the fuel routes between Russia and Iran. A blow was dealt only in 2003 after an international coalition headed by the US and the UK dealt a blow that toppled Saddam Hussein’s regime. Now that there are demands for US and NATO intervention in the Syrian crisis, Russia is responding in a similar manner.
The CCB-201 was constructed in 1980 in the framework of what NATO refers to as the Russian Navy’s “Project 864″ in the Black Sea. The vessel is manned by 150 crew members, including dozens of operators of listening, tracking, radio transmission and electronic signal decryption systems, as well as electronic warfare systems. The gathered information is transmitted in real-time via the vessel’s satellite antennas to the coastal headquarters of Russian Navy intelligence units, and perhaps to those found on Russian soil.