Saturday, February 21, 2015


Russia Will Find Adequate Response to Any Pressure From Outside – Putin


Russian President Vladimir Putin© Sputnik/ Michael Klimentyev
Russia
20.02.2015


Vladimir Putin said the Russian military is ready to act decisively against any external threats. The president also added that in recent years, a lot of work to improve the effectiveness of Russia’s military administration has been carried out.

Russia will always find an adequate response to any external pressures, Russian President Vladimir Putin said during a concert dedicated to the Defender of the Fatherland Day in Russia.


“No one should be under any illusion that it is possible to achieve military superiority over Russia or put Russia under any pressure, we will always have an adequate response to these wild thoughts. Our soldiers and officers have proved that they are ready to act decisively, consistently, professionally and courageously, and perform the most difficult tasks, like an efficient and modern army, which keeps its traditions and military duty, ought to do,” Putin said.

The president also noted that the Russian Army is always improving. Putin pointed out that over the last few years, a lot of work has been done to improve the effectiveness of Russia’s military administration.

В.Путин провел расширенное заседание Коллегии министерства обороны РФ
© Sputnik/ Alexei Druzhinin
Putin: Russia's Military Doctrine Remains Defensive Despite NATO Buildup
“A large-scale program of modernization of the army and navy is currently being implemented, including the improvement of Aerospace defense and nuclear forces. These are guarantees for global parity,” said the Russian president, adding that Russia will continue to improve the military potential of its armed forces.

Putin concluded his speech by reminding everyone that Russia has always valued its military traditions. Putin said Russia is proud of its fearless soldiers, who during different times allowed no enemy to conquer their country and defended every inch of their native land.

The president’s words come amid NATO’s increasing military presence in Eastern Europe, following Russia’s reunification with Crimea and the start of the bloody conflict in eastern Ukraine last April.

Read more: http://sputniknews.com/russia/20150220/1018548529.html#ixzz3SQ7c3PQP

Chinese naval fleet makes visit to Greek port of Piraeus



smanalysis

Αλβανικές μειονότητες εναντιώνονται σε εδαφική διαίρεση


27/01/2015
Ομάδες της κοινωνίας των πολιτών στην Αλβανία καλούν για δημοψήφισμα με θέμα την αντιστροφή της νέας εδαφικής αναδιοργάνωσης της χώρας για εκτόνωση των εθνοτικών εντάσεων.


Η νέα εδαφική διαίρεση δημιουργεί επικίνδυνες συνθήκες οι οποίες ενδέχεται να οδηγήσουν σε κοινωνικές συγκρούσεις και εθνοτικές αντιπαραθέσεις, δήλωσε ο Σταυρί Μάρκο, εκπρόσωπος της Komuniteti Himarjot στον πρώην ελληνικά πλειοψηφικό δήμο Χιμάρας.
"Πλήττει τον πλούτο και την περιουσία του δήμου Χιμάρας", δήλωσε ο Μάρκο στους SETimes.

Του Ερλ Μουράτι για τους Southeast European Times στα Τίρανα -- 27/01/15
photoΕκπρόσωποι της μειονότητας της πΓΔΜ στην Αλβανία συνεδριάζουν στο δήμο Πούστετς. [Ευγενική χορηγία του Δήμου Πούστετς]
Η κοινωνία των πολιτών της Αλβανίας καλεί τους αξιωματούχους να εκτονώσουν τις εντάσεις και να προστατεύσουν τις μειονότητες από διακρίσεις και πιθανές βιαιοπραγίες ως αποτέλεσμα της απόφασης για κατάργηση των υπαρχόντων δήμων και δημιουργία νέας εδαφικής διοίκησης.
Η κυβέρνηση μείωσε τις 384 μονάδες τοπικής αυτοδιοίκησης σε 65, δημιουργώντας ουσιαστικά δήμους απόλυτης αλβανικής πλειοψηφίας.

Εκπρόσωποι μειονοτήτων Ελλάδος, πΓΔΜ και άλλων χωρών ανέφεραν πως η κίνηση της κυβέρνησης παραβιάζει τα δικαιώματά τους και τα διεθνή πρότυπα.
"Η εδαφική μεταρρύθμιση εναντιώνεται στο πνεύμα της Σύμβασης για την Προστασία των Εθνικών Μειονοτήτων, ενώ συνιστά κατάφωρη παραβίαση των αποδεκτών ευρωπαϊκών προτύπων", δήλωσε ο Βανγκιέλ Ντούλε, επικεφαλής της Κομματικής Ένωσης για τα Ανθρώπινα Δικαιώματα στα Τίρανα, στους SETimes.

Η νέα εδαφική διαίρεση δημιουργεί επικίνδυνες συνθήκες οι οποίες ενδέχεται να οδηγήσουν σε κοινωνικές συγκρούσεις και εθνοτικές αντιπαραθέσεις, δήλωσε ο Σταυρί Μάρκο, εκπρόσωπος της Komuniteti Himarjot στον πρώην ελληνικά πλειοψηφικό δήμο Χιμάρας.
"Πλήττει τον πλούτο και την περιουσία του δήμου Χιμάρας", δήλωσε ο Μάρκο στους SETimes.

Εκπρόσωποι μειονοτήτων ανέφεραν πως η κίνηση αποτελεί παραβίαση του συντάγματος, καθώς τα δημόσια σχολεία σε μειονοτικές γλώσσες θα κλείσουν και θα χαθούν και άλλα θεμελιώδη δικαιώματα, ακόμα και το δικαίωμα αυτοπροσδιορισμού.
"Πρόκειται για δικαιώματα που διασφαλίζονται από το σύνταγμα το οποίο και πρέπει να εφαρμοστεί", δήλωσε ο Μάρκο.
Οι μειονότητες ανέφεραν πως η φωνή τους δεν εισακούστηκε κατά τις συναντήσεις με τον πρωθυπουργό Έντι Ράμα ή στο κοινοβούλιο.
"Πρόκειται για ζήτημα το οποίο ανήκει στην κοινότητα. Ο κόσμος πρέπει να αποφασίσει για τον εαυτό του, ο κόσμος γνωρίζει καλύτερα την ισορροπία της συνύπαρξης", δήλωσε ο Ένιο Τεοντόρι, φοιτητής νομικής στα Τίρανα από το χωριό Δρόπολη, στους SETimes.
Η μειονότητα της πΓΔΜ έχει αιτηθεί εκπροσώπηση σε τρεις δήμους, ωστόσο η νέα εδαφική διευθέτηση έφερε δύο -- Γκόλο μπρντο και Γκόρα -- στον τρίτο δήμο Πούστετς.
"Η βούληση της κοινότητας της πΓΔΜ στην Αλβανία δεν έγινε σεβαστή. Εμείς, οι υπήκοοι της πΓΔΜ, συγκεντρωνόμαστε σε τρεις περιοχές, ωστόσο τα αιτήματά μας εξετάστηκαν μόνο εν μέρει", δήλωσε ο Έντμοντ Τεμέλκο, επικεφαλής του δήμου Πούστετς, στους SETimes.
Αξιωματούχοι ανέφεραν πως η νέα εδαφική οργάνωση θα εφαρμοστεί στις τοπικές εκλογές της Αλβανίας τον Ιούνιο.
Ωστόσο, οι εκπρόσωποι της κοινωνίας των πολιτών ανέφεραν πως ο νέος χάρτης του δήμου πρέπει να αναθεωρηθεί ώστε να συμπεριλάβει τους δήμους και κατόπιν να εγκριθεί εκ νέου από το κοινοβούλιο.
Η Ένωση Κοινοτήτων και Δήμων στην Αλβανία υπέβαλε αίτημα στην Κεντρική Εκλογική Επιτροπή (CEC) για λαϊκό δημοψήφισμα με στόχο την ακύρωση της νέας αναδιοργάνωσης.
"Έχουμε ήδη τις απαιτούμενες υπογραφές, θα τις προσκομίσουμε στην Κεντρική Εκλογική Επιτροπή και ευελπιστούμε ότι θα ξεκινήσουμε το συντομότερο δυνατόν", δήλωσε ο Βασφί Αποστόλι του Συμμαχικού Κόμματος της πΓΔΜ για Ευρωπαϊκή Ολοκλήρωση, στους SETimes.
Τουλάχιστον 20.000 υπογραφές ανά δήμο πρέπει να συγκεντρωθούν για να θεσπιστεί ένα δημοψήφισμα.
Το Αλβανικό δίκαιο ορίζει πως δεν μπορεί να διενεργηθεί δημοψήφισμα τρεις μήνες πριν ή μετά από εκλογές. Οι τοπικές εκλογές έχουν προγραμματιστεί για τις 21 Ιουνίου και όλες οι διαδικασίες που σχετίζονται με το δημοψήφισμα πρέπει να έχουν ολοκληρωθεί μέχρι το Μάρτιο.
Ωστόσο, απαιτούνται πέντε ψήφοι στην CEC για έγκριση του δημοψηφίσματος. Η CEC λειτουργεί εδώ και καιρό με τέσσερα μέλη, λόγω παραίτησης των υπολοίπων τριών.
"Η εδαφική μεταρρύθμιση έλαβε χώρα σε σύντομο χρονικό διάστημα. Αυτό σίγουρα έβλαψε τις εθνοτικές μειονότητες. Υπάρχουν μειονοτικές περιοχές, στοιβαγμένες σε διάφορες τοπικές μονάδες. Αυτό δημιούργησε προβλήματα στη διατήρηση της γλώσσας και των εθίμων, καθώς επίσης σε εκδόσεις και στη ραδιοτηλεόραση, για τα οποία έχουν δικά τους δικαιώματα", δήλωσε ο Φάτος Μπατζάκου, αναλυτής της Shqip στα Τίρανα, στους SETimes.
Ο Μπατζάκου σημείωσε πως το ζήτημα πρέπει να επιλυθεί σύντομα, καθώς προκαλεί τοπικές εντάσεις, καθώς επίσης να διασφαλιστεί και η περιφερειακή ασφάλεια.
Η κυβέρνηση υποστηρίζει πως με το νέο εδαφικό χάρτη δεν έχει παραβιάσει τις εθνοτικές μειονότητες, αντιθέτως τις έχει ευνοήσει.

"Η εδαφική διαίρεση έχει σεβαστεί τα δικαιώματα των μειονοτήτων προβαίνοντας σε ανοχές σχετικά με τα γενικά κριτήρια. Όταν συντάξαμε το νέο εδαφικό χάρτη, θέσαμε αρκετά κριτήρια εξαίρεσης ακριβώς για να ευνοήσουμε τη μειονότητα και να μην παραβιάσουμε τις εθνοτικές αναλογίες", δήλωσε ο υπουργός Εσωτερικών Υποθέσεων Μπλέντι Κούτσι.
Οι εθνικές εντάσεις σημείωσαν αύξηση τον περασμένο μήνα, όταν το UHRP ζήτησε από το Κοινοβούλιο η ελληνική μειονότητα να έχει δικό της εκπρόσωπο στο εθνικό συμβούλιο δημόσιας ραδιοτηλεόρασης, ωστόσο το κοινοβούλιο αρνήθηκε.

Οι μειονότητες της Αλβανίας δεν αναγνώρισαν τα αποτελέσματα της απογραφής του 2011, καθώς τα έντυπα της απογραφής δεν περιελάμβαναν στοιχείο εθνότητας, αντ' αυτού έδιναν στους πολίτες τη δυνατότητα να επιλέξουν "άλλο". Υποστηρικτές των μειονοτήτων αναφέρουν πως η διαδικασία υποβάθμισε σημαντικά τον αριθμό πολιτών μειονοτήτων.
"Τα εδαφικά ζητήματα αποτελούν πάντα ευαίσθητο ζήτημα. Πρέπει να μελετηθούν σε βάθος και δεν μπορούν να αφεθούν στα χέρια των κοινοβουλευτικών πλειοψηφιών, κάθε φορά που αλλάζουν", δήλωσε ο Χασάν Σελιμπάσι, ειδικός του Κέντρου για την Ασφάλεια και τη Δέσμευση στα Τίρανα.
"Η εδαφική διαίρεση είναι κάτι που ξεπερνάει τις πολιτικές δυνάμεις και επηρεάζει όχι μόνο τα πολιτικά κόμματα αλλά το σύνολο του πληθυσμού. Οι κυβερνήσεις έρχονται και φεύγουν και οι διοικητικές διαιρέσεις δεν μπορούν να αλλάζουν βάσει ιδιοτροπιών. Πρέπει να λειτουργούν με προσοχή, καθώς δύναται να προκαλέσουν βία, κοινωνικές συγκρούσεις και εθνοτικές αντιπαραθέσεις σε μειονοτικές περιοχές. Σε αυτές τις ζώνες, η κατάσταση είναι εύθραυστη και τυχόν νέοι διοικητικές χάρτες μπορούν να ρίξουν λάδι στη φωτιά", δήλωσε ο Σελιμπάσι στους SETimes.
Τι μπορούν να κάνουν οι μειονότητες για να εξασφαλίσουν ισότιμη εδαφική διαίρεση και μείωση των εθνικών εντάσεων; Μοιραστείτε τις απόψεις σας στα σχόλια.
Το παρόν περιεχόμενο ανατέθηκε για τους SETimes.com.
Greek FinMin Varoufakis: We Can’t Accept the Fiscal Adjustment Signed by the Previous Govt

varoufakisby Aggelos Skordas - Feb 20, 2015


Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis is currently holding the third and most crucial of a series of meetings with his Eurozone counterparts in Brussels in an attempt to strike a deal regarding the future of the Greek program.

The talks set to begin initially at 4:30 pm -but now moved to 5:30 pm- were characterized by participating Maltese Finance Minister Edward Scicluna as “difficult” due to the German-led block’s hardline stance toward the Greek proposal for a six-month extension of the loan agreement submitted yesterday by Varoufakis with the commitment that Athens is ready to accept financial and procedural conditions on the existing deal while asking for negotiations on other elements. “I think they have now reached a point where they will tell Greece ‘if you really want to leave, leave’,” Scicluna said in an interview referring to the possiblity of a Grexit.

Berlin’s initial objections, with the use of strong language, as it characterized the Greek proposal as a “Trojan horse,” were later softened after a telephone conversation between Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and the German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

In an interview with British newspaper Daily Telegraph, the Greek economy’s new “Czar” said the country’s delegation is “perfectly prepared to refrain from any moves that would jeopardize financial stability or Greek competitiveness.” In addition, though, Varoufakis highlighted that what Athens “cannot accept is that the fiscal adjustment, agreed by the last government, be carried through just because the rules say so.”

Furthermore, the Greek Finance Minister said there can be no agreement if creditors continue to insist that Greece sticks to the terms of its Troika bailout and increase its primary budget surplus from 1.5% to 4.5% of GDP by next year. “We have already done more fiscal tightening than has ever been done by any country in peace time, and Greece is still in depression with declining nominal GDP. There is no macroeconomic argument that can be made for further tightening,” he stressed, adding that “the only reason for doing so is out of ideology or on punitive grounds. All we are seeking is a way to end the debt-deflation cycle and restore the Greek economy’s credit circuits.”

Varoufakis’ new proposal, submitted yesterday to Eurogroup President Jeroen Dijsselbloem and the rest of the Eurozone Finance Ministers, is willing to “honor Greece’s financial obligations to all its creditors” and desist from any “unilateral actions” in exchange for bridging finance and a six-month interim arrangement, he explained to the British newspaper. The Greek offer included the crucial proviso that SYRIZA will limit austerity to “appropriate primary fiscal surpluses… that take into account the present economic situation.”

The newly elected SYRIZA-led Greek government is trying to balance between a much-needed agreement with its European loan partners in an attempt to avoid a liquidity crunch at the end of the month (when the current deal is due to expire) and Tsipras’ promises to put an end to the previous government’s austerity policies, imposed by the EC/ECB/IMF Troika.


- See more at: http://greece.greekreporter.com/2015/02/20/greek-finmin-varoufakis-we-cant-accept-the-fiscal-adjustment-signed-by-the-previous-govt/#sthash.SFoLDsrG.dpuf

Tsipras welcomes Chinese fleet in Piraeus

First entry: 19 February 2015
Tsipras welcomes Chinese fleet in Piraeus
Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras on Thursday welcomed China’s 18th fleet which has arrived at Piraeus to participate in an international operation against piracy, state news agency ANA-MPA reported.
Tsipras was welcomed by Admiral Zhang Chuan Shu on the frigate Changbaishan 989, at Miaoulis Pier.  
The Greek premier and China’s ambassador to Greece, Zou Xiaoli, gave short addresses. 
ANA-MPA

Friday, February 20, 2015

Merkel, Hollande dismiss Grexit scenario

First entry: 20 February 2015
Merkel, Hollande dismiss Grexit scenario
French President Hollande and German Chancellor Merkel stressed that they both want Greece to remain in the eurozone.
Speaking at a press conference after their meeting in Paris the two leaders noted that there are no plans for a Grexit.
Hollande said that Paris and Berlin have a responsibility to ensure that the commitments undertaken by Greece will be fulfilled. At the same time he stressed that Greek people's vote in the recent elections should be respected.
Chancellor Merkel reiterated that the Greek request for an extension of its loan agreement needs "considerable improvement".
Greece has made considerable progress and we will make everything possible for this process to continue, she said.

Thaci explains why Albanians are leaving Kosovo

BERLIN -- Hashim Thaci says that thousands of citizens from Kosovo have flocked to the West "because of rumors Germany was generously handing out work permits."
(Beta/AP, file)
(Beta/AP, file)
The Kosovo foreign minister spoke for the German conservative daily Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, and was asked why "Kosovo citizens are leaving their homeland."
Thaci answered that this was due to "strange rumors" that Germany was generously handing out work and residence permits, reported Deutsche Welle.

"It's absurd, but it led to more people illegally traveling to Germany. Even some media in Kosovo in January published stories about people who in Germany apparently received apartments and work permits. Some, otherwise serious commentators argue that the states of Western Europe, due to the negative birth rate, are now inviting Kosovars to immigrate. This is not true, but it was the motive for the people to move," said Thaci.

The daily then asked was the thinking in Pristina about a discussion in Germany to place Kosovo, like Bosnia, Serbia and Macedonia, on a list of "safe countries."

"Kosovo is safe. Pristina has lower crime rate than most German cities. Germany would do well if it declared Kosovo a safe country of origin. However, Kosovars should be able to legally travel to Germany. Young people are frustrated. They are an hour's plane flight away from Germany, but cannot visit Berlin, to attend a concert or as exchange students," explained Thaci.

"The EU has liberalized its visa regime with countries like Colombia and Moldova. It's not fair they did not do so in the case of Kosovo," he said, according to Deutsche Welle.

Meanwhile, Serbian, Austrian and Hungarian officials have said that the recent wave of migration of ethnic Albanians from Kosovo has considerably abated.

Interesting! MP of Socialist Group in Albania, criticizes the position of three euros French parliamentarians of the Party, Marie Le Pen

To:
Dominique Bilde MEP
Steeve Briois MEP
Sophie Montel MEP
Parlement européen
Rue Wiertz
Altiero Spinelli
1047 Bruxelles




Chers Collègues parlementaires,

Je me présente, “Je suis Charlie”. Je suis les quatre chefs religieux albanais qui sont venus manifester pour les libertés françaises et europeennes au lendemain des attentats terroristes qui ont ensanglanté Paris; “Je suis Charles”, le Général dont souvent votre parti se réclame et qui saluait en l’Albanie le pays allié et ami dès les années 1940; “Je suis François”, le chef d’une longue tradition religieuse qui a vos yeux est aux racines de l’Europe et qui ensemença en Albanie, avant de faire la France: “L’Albanie n’est pas un pays musulman, mais un pays européen où il y a des Chrétiens et des Musulmans”, ce sont ses mots.

Ne pouvant taxer l’Albanie d’islamiste, d’intolérante, d’ennemie d’une tradition et d’une civilisation qui est en partie née sur son antique territoire, vous lui défendez l’adhésion à l’Europe sous des prétextes moins flamboyants: corruption, instabilité économique, poids des trafics illicites, maux qui, au demeurant, gangrènent l’Europe entière, de la Corse à la Sicile et de la banlieue parisienne au centre d’Athènes.

En regardant le nombre effréné de vos résolutions, déclarations, prises de positions contre le redressement du projet européen, je me rends compte que le jeu du pouvoir n’est plus un art, mais un vil métier, même pour un parti comme le vôtre dont le luxe et parfois même la gloire c’est de ne jamais l’avoir exercé.

Or, y a des jeux qui sont dangereux. Bien que venant de très loin, avec un passif extrêmement lourd, l’Albanie est un pays en plein renouveau; population européenne très jeune, richesses hidriques, pétrolières et minières, monnaie nationale stable et une croissance économique soutenue.

Ostraciser l’Albanie, pour rajouter un point de plus dans la longue liste des manifestes pour le décès de l’Europe du futur est un bien mesquin calcul qui pourrait entraîner un coût exorbitant. L’Albanie, maillon de l’Histoire, , détient les clés géopolitiques de l’Europe du sud-est et constitue l’élément modérateur dans une région historiquement tourmentée.

Tirer tous azimuts est, généralement, une bien mauvaise stratégie. Le rêve européen de l’Albanie n’a pas besoin d’une balle. Conseil d’ami: saisissez sa main tendue fraternellement, comme une véritable chance pour le renouveau de l’Europe et non comme un vain cauchemar stimulé pour étourdir des électeurs à la croisée des chemins.

Bien confraternellement,

Taulant Balla

SP, Albanian Parliament Member

See more at: http://shqiptarja.com/Politike/2732/balla-3-eurodeputet-ve-t--le-pen-ne-el-si-mes-lindjes-e-per-ndimit-274158.html#sthash.G9ucuZKn.dpuf


related:  http://smarkos.blogspot.com/2015/01/marie-le-pen-national-front-immediate.html

Thursday, February 19, 2015

Dacic "can't defend Serbia's integrity less than Ukraine's"

VIENNA -- Ivica Dacic has asked Albania to "concern itself with issues related to OSCE principles and not worry about Belgrade-Pristina talks."
(Tanjug)
(Tanjug)
The Serbian foreign minister spoke in Vienna on Thursday in his role as OSCE chairperson, during the winter session of the organization's parliamentary assembly.
His reaction was prompted when Albania's delegation asked whether Serbia would "accept Kosovo's membership in the organization."
Monday marked seven years since ethnic Albanians in the Serbian southern province unilaterally declared independence by acclamation during a session of the assembly in Pristina - a proclamation that Serbia rejected as a violation of its Constitution and territorial integrity.

Speaking today, Dacic said that Serbia "respects the principle of preserving territorial integrity," and cannot defend its own any less than it defends that of Ukraine.

"Do not ask that of us, especially not as the presiding (country) of the OSCE. I will remain faithful to the OSCE, and leave this question for where it is decided on, and that's certainly not here," Dacic responded.

He underlined that the issue of normalization of relations between Belgrade and Pristina, "that is, those things that concern the everyday life of the citizens of the province," should be separated from "issues of importance to the status (of Kosovo)."

According to him, Serbia's "objection" when it comes to Kosovo is that it is "a part of our territory that has autonomously decided to separate and did so unilaterally, without the consent of the country from which it wishes to separate."

In connection to this, he remarked that "some other similar examples have not been recognized."

"Discussions held every day," Dacic continued, "show where the example of Kosovo can lead, and what international reactions would be like."

"I would ask Albania to concern itself with the with issues related to OSCE principles and not worry about the Belgrade-Pristina talks, because that takes place in Brussels not here at the OSCE," he said.

Dacic stressed that Serbia "wants to talk about regulating relations, but cannot accept unilateral acts."

"We must return to the legal system. That is why we cannot accept Kosovo as an equal member. It can take part in regional forums and we are not preventing its European path either, but when it comes to international organizations - which is tied to the need for Serbia to consent to its independence - that will not be happening," Dacic said "clearly, in front of some 250 deputies of OSCE member-states," Tanjug reported.
Dačić: Albania must respect OSCE principles instead of worrying about Kosovo


Thu, 02/19/2015 - 15:04 -- MRS

The OSCE chair, Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dačić called on Albania to deal with OSCE principles instead of showing concern over the Belgrade-Priština dialogue, which is conducted in Brussels and not in the OSCE. At the winter sitting of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly in Vienna, asked by the Albanian delegation if Serbia will accept membership of Kosovo in the OSCE, Dačić replied that Serbia respected the principle of the preservation of territorial integrity and could defend Serbia’s territorial integrity no less than it defends the Ukrainian one. He said that the issue of the normalization of relations, i.e. the everyday life of people, should be separated from the issue of the status. Kosovo can take part in regional forums and we will not prevent its European path, but as for international organizations, that is not going to happen as that would entail a recognition of independence of Kosovo by Serbia, stressed Dačić.

- See more at: http://voiceofserbia.org/content/da%C4%8Di%C4%87-albania-must-respect-osce-principles-instead-worrying-about-kosovo#sthash.20AJQYXv.dpuf

Wednesday, February 18, 2015

Juncker 'relieved' by nomination of Pavlopoulos as Greece’s next President

First entry: 18 February 2015 - 14:45 Athens, 12:45 GMT
Last update: 07:20 Athens, 05:20 GMTPolitics
Juncker 'relieved' by nomination of Pavlopoulos as Greece’s next President
The decision by Greek PM to nominate ex-Interior Minister Prokopis Pavlopoulos to be the country's new president, means that plans to change the Greek Commissioner are not on the table, says a report in euractiv.
The abandonment of a previous plan to make current Greek Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos President comes as a relief to Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker.
Pavlopoulos appointment to the largely ceremonial role came as a surprise. The most widely expected candidate had been EU Migration Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos. That would have allowed the left-wing Tsipras government to send one of its own members to Brussels.
This option is no longer on the table, much to the relief of Juncker and of the rest of his team.
Although Commissioners are supposed to be independent, it is difficult to imagine Juncker, a conservative, working hand in hand with a radical left politician.
http://www.euractiv.com/

Rebels enter key eastern Ukraine town of Debaltseve


Rebels enter key eastern Ukraine town of Debaltseve Street-to-street fighting has broke out inside Debaltseve, a key transport hub in eastern Ukraine, threatening the country’s already fragile three-day old ceasefire.
Debaltseve has been largely encircled for weeks by heavily armed rebels who previously had been exchanging continuous artillery fire with up to 8,000 government troops holed up inside.
Pro-Russian rebels said government troops had surrendered and they had taken control of the town, located between the separatist-held cities of Donetsk and Luhansk.
Ukraine’s defence ministry said that only part of the town had been taken.
“Street battles are continuing and the rebels are attacking the town in groups with support from artillery and heavy armour,” the ministry said in a statement. “Part of the town has been captured by the bandits.”
Al Jazeera’s Paul Brennan, reporting from near Debaltseve, said large plumes of smoke could be seen indicating that a large pipeline might have been hit.
Ilya Kiva, a Ukraine deputy regional police chief inside the town who was reached by telephone, said the rebels had entered Debaltseve and were using small arms, mortars and rocket-propelled grenades.
“There are wounded and killed but we cannot confirm the numbers yet as the battles are still continuing,” Kiva said.
Conflicting reports
Rebels quoted by Russian-language news agencies said their forces had entered Debaltseve from the east and the north and killed “many” Ukrainian soldiers in a “mopping up” operation.
The rebels also said they had taken control of the town’s railway station.
The hostilities and rebel checkpoints outside the town prevented journalists from entering to verify the
situation.
The fighting severely undermines an already shaky European-brokered ceasefire that came into effect across eastern Ukraine on Sunday.
A second step of that truce was meant to see the warring sides move their heavy weapons back from the frontline from Tuesday.
But Kiev and the rebels accused each other of repeated violations that prevented that happening.
Brennan said that until the fate of Debaltseve had been determined, the fate of the ceasefire remained uncertain. “Debaltseve is the key,” he said.
EU monitors, from the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), have not been able to enter the town due to the fighting.
OSCE monitors, Ukraine and Russia held hours of talks over the fate of Debaltseve on Tuesday in Soledar, a town 40km from Debaltseve.
Disputed territory
The rebels had earlier said that as they had Debaltseve entirely surrounded it should be considered inside their territory and not be covered by the frontline ceasefire.
However, Kiev argues its army was holding the town and maintained an access corridor, and so all hostilities there should have stopped as well.
In Geneva, UN official Rupert Colville said “we are particularly concerned” about thousands of civilians trapped in Debaltseve “struggling to get food, water and other basic necessities”.
The UN puts the total number of people killed since the start of Ukraine’s conflict in April last year at more
than 5,660.
The World Health Organisation says the war has also taken a toll on health infrastructure, with 78 medical
facilities shelled, six of them in the past two weeks.
On Monday, the EU ratcheted up its sanctions against Russia by blacklisting five Russians, including two deputy defence ministers, along with 14 Ukrainian rebel figures. Russia vowed it would retaliate.

The “bomb” of Zoran Zaev and the political situation in Skopje


Exclusive report from Skopje: The “bomb” of Zoran Zaev and the political situation in Skopje
After the resounding and rapid arrest of former head of the Security and Counterintelligence Directorate Skopje (DBK) Zoran Veruševski and the indictment against the opposition leader and chairman of the Social Democratic Union (SDSM) Zoran Zaev, the political destabilization of the country deteriorated rapidly.


According to the complaints that were the reason for the police operation codenamed “Coup”, there was a plot to overthrow the government of Nikola Gkrouefki.
Zaev accused of “treason, spying for (initially unspecified) foreign country” and “executing coup attempt.”

The political crisis has caused great concern in various international fora such as the European Union, the USA and Russia, which have expressed their concern about the high political instability, and that the government’s approach to these serious accusations can create further doubts about the impartiality of the judiciary.
The police operation followed by the postponement of the publication of “bomb Zaev” – a term used for the alleged evidence that implicates a flagrant governance of the VMRO-DPMNE Nikola Gruevski for a wide range of offenses.

These events took place amid both the serious escalation of the economic situation in the poorest country in Europe and other mass protests of students who oppose the proposed government intervention in terms of university autonomy.
Given the possibility of being arrested Zoran Zaev, the SDSM, at an extraordinary meeting held Friday evening unanimously authorized Zaev to start publishing the data, starting next Monday and also to establish a procedure for their publication if he will not be able to do it personally (if he was captured).

In conventional media in Skopje, particularly television stations and the press, in which the government due to financial grants reserves the absolute monopoly, the “presumption of innocence” was not observed.
Also, “security experts” (some of whom had never appeared before in the media), coming from circles close to Nikola Gruevski argued in recent days that “the Greek secret services attempted to orchestrate violent change of government to bring to power a “qualified person” (allusion to the Zaev) to participate in the negotiation process. “

The weight of  resistance in unquestioned and almost complete autocracy of Gruevski, architect of the nationalist ideology, going round in Zoran Zaev and SDSM and left to see the dynamics of events that will cause the publication of the “bomb.”

Gulen's strong base in the Balkans

February 12, 2015 by Ioannis Michaletos

The extent of Fetulah Gulen's movement network in the Balkans and its likely outcome
Gulen with Pope John Paul II in 1998.
Fethullah Gulen's international Islamic movement is for the past few years in the spotlight in Turkey due to his para-state mechanism he was able to orchestrate, with multiple layers of influence within the Police and state security forces and the education apparatus of the country.
Although for years Erdogan's AKP political base was collaborating with Gulen, on a common global platform and in conjunction with the Muslim Brotherhood's global Islamic ambitions, the rift seems to have surpassed the level of compromise and a bitter fight ensues nowadays in Turkey.
Gulen's adherents and networks have flourished in the Balkans for years and constitute nowadays a formidable nexus of NGO's, religious centers, schools and colleges, as well as, private companies. The following passages outline their reach, with a focus in Albania.
Albania
Since the early 1990's and after the collapse of Communism in Albania, Gulen through the support of the Turkish state made his entrance in the country and has since then, created a multilayered parallel educational structure to the country's state school system.
Religious madrassas have been established in Berat, Tirana, Korca, Elbasan, Pogradec. Higher education colleges in Tirana, Durres, Skondra such as Turgut Ozal, Mehmet Akif, Hashan Risa Pasha respectively. Gulen places special attention into reaching out to the country's emerging elite, thus the highly -pursued private school for the local elite, that of the International School of Tirana, is a Gulen-owned one, whose graduates get access to either local or international universities that belong to the global Gullen system.
NGO such as the Yeni Ufuklar, play a crucial role into cementing interpersonal relations between students and alumni, whilst local Sunni religious structures have been effectively influenced to a great extent by the people associating themselves with Gulen in Albania.
Organization: Sema Foundation (Fondacioni Sema)
  • Mehmet Akif College (Kolegji Mehmet Akif) Tirana (1993)
  • Hasan Riza Pasha College (Shkolla Hasan Riza Pasha) Shkoder (2001) primary and secondary school, and kindergarten
  • Institucioni Parashkollor M. Akif, Tirana (2006)
  • Meridian Course Center, a.k.a. Meridian Foreign Language and Training Courses Center (Qendër Kursesh Meridian) Tirana
Medresas operated by Sema Foundation in partnership with Komuniteti Musliman:
  • Elbasan – Cerrik, Liria
  • Kavajë, Hafiz Ali Korça,
  • Tiranë, H. Mahmud Dashi
  • Buharaja-Berat, Medrese Vexhi
  • Korça
Epoka University, Tirana
Beder University (opened April 2011; Sema Foundation)
Organization: Turgut Ozal Education Company
Turgut Ozal kindergarten, primary and secondary school, high school, Tirana
Turgut Ozal College, kindergarten, primary, secondary and high school, Durres

Memorial International School of Tirana (secondary and high school) 

http://www.phantis.com/content/gulens-strong-base-balkans

Failed Kosovo project: people leaving, but NATO demands met

Published time: February 18, 2015 14:05
A Kosovo man carries his baby as he crosses illegally the Hungarian-Serbian border near the village of Asotthalom February 6, 2015 (Reuters / Laszlo Balogh)
A Kosovo man carries his baby as he crosses illegally the Hungarian-Serbian border near the village of Asotthalom February 6, 2015 (Reuters / Laszlo Balogh)
1740
Although the EU and NATO have delivered nothing to Kosovo in the way of prosperity, being there still meets the criteria of allowing expansion further east, Serbian affairs commentator Marko Gasic told RT.
January 17 marked seven years since Kosovo declared independence from Serbia. However because of high unemployment and poverty thousands of Kosovans look for a better life elsewhere making their way to European countries. Berlin, Vienna and Geneva have plans deport those who recently arrived, and are asking the Kosovo government to cover the expense. Hungary also wants tougher controls to stop the flow of illegal migrant from Kosovo.
RT: Do you think we will see mass deportations in the coming months?
Marko Gasic: Well I expect something of that order, yes. But the key thing here is that the population of Kosovo appears to be voting with their feet and leaving the failed Kosovo project. It is clearly a failure economically and in every sense. And this is what created the crisis. There is of course another school of thought that suggests that the leadership in Kosovo perhaps is helping this crisis to occur in order to give the EU a choice between billions of euro of aid going to Kosovo, or half a million refugees going to the EU. So everything is possible…We had scenarios in the past of crises in Kosovo which have been manufactured. But the main thing is that the ordinary person seems to have no future in a place which is riddled with corruption, crime from drug trafficking, from forced prostitution, organ trading. There is nothing of a viable industry in Kosovo at the moment which is the situation that the people are reacting to.
RT: The number of immigrants from Kosovo skyrocketed by 86 percent last month. The problem of immigration is nothing new, but why the sudden surge?
MG: Well that’s an interesting thing. As I said, there are elements here of almost programming that these people are suddenly leaving, and it does indicate the degree of organization on somebody’s part. So that goes back to the question who might be involved in creating this scenario. But whoever is behind it, the fact is, in practice it can be a very big headache for the EU, because of course we have the pan-European far-right already concerned with legal migrant flows within the EU, and are now faced with the illegal migrant flow from without the EU. So clearly Europe and the EU will not want to take the domestic consequences of what’s going on and will want to pass this headache back outside the EU, further south perhaps towards Serbia which may have been the plan all along.
RT: The US and the EU were both very vocal supporters of Kosovo's independence.Why are they turning their backs when the independent region is in need of them again?
MG: The EU together with NATO has attempted to manage the Kosovo project and has utterly failed to do so. If Kosovo had been under Serbian control, the Serbians would be to blame for these consequences; we would be hearing all sorts of accusations. But the fact is that Kosovo is now under NATO control and aided and abetted by the EU. And in 16 years the EU and NATO have delivered nothing to Kosovo in the way of prosperity. It has been a complete failure on all counts. Even the EU itself is now accused to be part of the corrupt society that they have helped to create in Kosovo. So clearly this is not something that the EU wants to see blowback from the failure of its policies, externally back into the EU. But from NATO’S point of view Kosovo still meets the main reason why the whole crisis began 16 years ago which was the ability of NATO to relocate from Germany in force into the biggest military base since Vietnam, that’s Camp Bondsteel sitting there in the heart of Kosovo which doesn’t require anybody’s permission as it continues its encirclement of strategic targets further east. So Kosovo still fulfills NATO’s demands for its function even if doesn’t fulfill any demands of the population, and any demands for what economic prosperity should involve.
The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of RT.

Vladimir Putin receives a warm welcome from Hungarian PM Viktor Orban

The Hungarian prime minister hails Russia as a successful example of the “illiberal” states which he wants to emulate

Vladimir Putin with Viktor Orban before a joint news conference in Budapest
Vladimir Putin with Viktor Orban before a joint news conference in Budapest  Photo: Laszlo Balogh/Reuters
Vladimir Putin visited Hungary on Tuesday in an attempt to show the world he still has a friend in the EU despite East-West tension over Ukraine.
The Russian leader held talks with Viktor Orban, the Hungarian prime minister, who has been accused of becoming a “little Putin”, harassing civil liberty groups, clamping down on the press and entrenching his grip on power.
As many as 2,000 protesters took part in an anti-Russia march hours before Mr Putin touched down.
“The pestering of civic groups, corruption and the fattening of oligarchs show that we are getting ever closer to the Russian model and farther from the European one,” said Gabor Vago, one of the organisers of Monday night’s protest.

Protesters hold a banner with a text 'Attention Russia!' during a demonstration in Budapest (AFP)
Last year Mr Orban said he wanted to build an “illiberal new state” in Hungary, and cited Russia as a one example of a “successful” illiberal country.
Mr Orban on Tuesday night announced that Hungary had reached a “political agreement” with Moscow on a new gas deal. “Hungary needs Russia”, Mr Orban said, adding that it was important for Russia to be open to Hungarian products, which have been affected by Russia’s ban on EU imports – a countermeasure to EU sanctions against Russia because of the Ukraine crisis.
He added: “We are going to aspire to cooperation and having good contacts. I am personally sure that cooperation and warm relations serve not only the interests of Hungary, but of all Europe.”
Vladimir Putin said: “We value our reputation as a reliable supplier of resources to Europe and Hungary.”
The Russian president said that Hungary and Russia had “unquestionable potential for increasing cooperation in the economic sphere.”
Although Budapest has backed the imposition of sanctions on Russia for its role in the Ukraine crisis, Mr Orban has stressed the limited effect they have had on the situation, and last year he said the EU had “shot itself in the foot” by restricting trade with Russia.
Critics of Mr Putin’s visit fear it will be used by Russia to demonstrate the apparent weakness of Western unity, and that a deal to supply Hungary with Russian gas could also provide Mr Putin a foothold of influence in both the EU and Nato.
Ferenc Gyruscany, leader of the opposition Democratic Coalition, declared Mr Putin’s visit a failure for Hungary as it did nothing more that allow the Russian leader to show the world he still has friends in the EU.
Mr Orban’s apparent closeness to Russia is at odds with much of his past.
As a young man he rose to prominence as a critic of the communist rule imposed on Hungary by Moscow, and in 1989 he made passionate calls for the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Hungarian soil.
He was also a founder member of Fidesz, a party which has its roots in the anti-communist movement.
But since coming into office in Hungary’s 2010 general elections he has faced frequent accusations both at home and abroad of emulating the authoritarian practices he once opposed.
Such criticism failed to stop Fidesz cruising to another easy victory in last April’s parliamentary elections, although since then the party’s popularity has slumped in the opinion polls owing to a backlash against a number of controversial polices such as a proposed internet tax.

Pavlopoulos elected Greek president

First entry: 18 February 2015
Pavlopoulos elected Greek president
The Greek Parliament has elected Prokopis Pavlopoulos as the new President of the Republic.
A total of 233 MPs, from the governing Syriza and Independent Greeks and main oppostion New Democracy voted for Pavlopoulos, while 30, from centrist To Potami and socialist PASOK voted for Nikos Alivizatos. The Communist Party and extreme right Golden Dawn, 32 MPs in total, voted "present."
Pavlopoulos' 5-year term begins on 12 March.
Albania
Albania


Albania: Bankers Petroleum Cuts Investment Program On Falling Oil Prices

By
By Gjergj Erebara
Albania’s main petroleum extraction company has announced further cuts to its investment program, blaming the fall in oil prices worldwide
Bankers Petroleum announced that it has revised its investment program for 2015 down to $153 million US (€127 million) due to the continued weakness of the oil price in the international market.
Last December, the company projected investments of up to $218 million US (€182 million).
“These adjustments have been made to ensure 2015 spending fits within funds generated from operations and cash resources in the latest oil price environment,” the company said.
The revised 2015 capital program utilizes a $50 per barrel average annual Brent oil price forecast in comparison to the budget announced on December 12, 2014, which was predicated on an annual Brent oil price forecast of $70 per barrel.
The international oil price fell from $110 US per barrel last July to less than $45 in January. It has recovered during the last few days to about $55 US per barrel.
Bankers Petroleum extracted some 20,700 barrels of oil per day during 2014 and generated revenue of more than $550 million. It is the largest company in Albania in revenue terms.
Lower prices are expected to cut the revenues of the company while lower investments will also cut production capacities.
Bankers was also hit during last days by the recent floods in south Albania. On February 1, Bankers was forced to shut 81 wells, the equivalent of about 3,500 barrels of oil per day, after rising water levels impeded access to facilities. The floods are over now and work has turned to normal.

Vecer, Macedonia: Albanians leaving Albania, too

18 February 2015 | 12:26 | FOCUS News Agency
Vecer, Macedonia: Albanians leaving Albania, tooSource: Focus Information Agency
Skopje. Over 46,000 Albanian people left last year Albania, immigrating to western European countries, Macedonian Vecer daily reports, citing data from the statistical institute of Albania.
According to data since 2000, nearly 50,000 Albanians leave the country each year. However, there are many Albanians who lived in countries in an economic crisis, such as Greece and Italy, and later returned to Albania.

Tuesday, February 17, 2015

Italy is Europe’s ticking time bomb

February 13
In the long run, we're all dead, but if you're part of the eurozone, what's the difference? You might as well be already. Indeed, it seems almost impossible, but Italy has only grown 4 percent—in total—since the euro was created 16 years ago. That's worse than Greece.
Now, it hasn't all been bad news in Europe. 

Not only did Germany grow at a faster-than-expected 2.8 percent annual pace in the fourth quarter of 2014, but so did Spain. Even Portugal grew at a 2 percent pace. It was enough that the eurozone as a whole grew an at-least-it's-not-a-recession 1.2 percent. But these glimmers of good news are only those—glimmers. Greece's latest austerity showdown with Europe has scared its banks and businesses so much that its nascent recovery turned into a 0.8 percent contraction. And while Italy didn't shrink, it didn't grow either.

It doesn't get any better if you take a longer view. Portugal, as you can see above, has only grown 7.2 percent in 16 years, Greece a little more than 4 percent, and Italy right at 4 percent. What's gone wrong? Well, everything. They all have supply and demand problems. That first part means that it's too hard to start a business, too hard to expand one and too hard to fire people. 

That makes their economies sclerotic even in the good times, and doomed in the bad ones. But those bad times have been worse than they should have been, because the ECB has refused to do its job and keep inflation near 2 percent. In fact, it actually made things worse by raising rates twice in 2011 to fight what was mostly phantom inflation. It didn't help that they were forced to try to slash their deficits all at the same time. The result was a double-dip recession that's almost pushed them back to where they were when the euro began—and made their debt problems worse.

Italy is the real problem here, though. Greece and Portugal both have a lot of debt and both have been bailed out, but at least they're starting to recover and are small enough that Europe can extend-and-pretend what they owe into a tomorrow that never quite comes. But Italy isn't recovering at all, and its debts are too big to be ignored. So, to say the least, it's going to need to start growing more than 0.25 percent a year. The question is whether its people will give up on that happening inside the euro.
Who could blame them if they did?
Matt O'Brien is a reporter for Wonkblog covering economic affairs. He was previously a senior associate editor at The Atlantic.

Despite Ukraine Truce, a Battle That Continues

Photo
A child played cards in a cultural center being used as a bomb shelter on Tuesday in Mironovka village, near Debaltseve, Ukraine. Credit Anastasia Vlasova/European Pressphoto Agency

ARTEMIVSK, Ukraine — A battle for a railroad town in eastern Ukraine escalated sharply on Tuesday, with both the Ukrainian Army and Russian-backed militants saying that their soldiers were engaging in pitched street battles.
By midday, the separatists said they had captured the town, Debaltseve, a separatist news agency reported. The Ukrainian military denied that, saying it was repelling the attacks.
“An intense fight is underway now on the outskirts of Debaltseve,” Ukraine’s military spokesman, Andriy Lysenko, said in Kiev, Ukraine’s capital. “There are engagements near the train station. But our soldiers are holding their positions, and they have full authority to return fire.”
Either way, the fighting in and around Debaltseve threatened to unravel a cease-fire that took effect on Sunday.
As many as 8,000 Ukrainian soldiers are holed up in the city, a rail hub connecting the capitals of the two rebel regions, Donetsk and Luhansk. Rebels have reportedly sent text messages to phones in the town, telling the soldiers that they have been abandoned and should surrender.
Continue reading the main story

Ukraine Crisis in Maps

The Ukrainian government maintains that the town was not surrounded before the cease-fire took effect, and that European monitors of the truce should insist that the separatist forces halt their offensive and open a corridor to evacuate the wounded.
The main rebel group, the Donetsk People’s Republic, has said it will not observe the agreement in Debaltseve, saying that it was encircled before the cease-fire began and that it is therefore now an internal region in its enclave, not a section of the front.
The only resupply road into Debaltseve is mined, in range of rebel artillery and at times held by pro-Russian infantry. On Friday, eight Ukrainian soldiers reportedly escaped on foot through the fields, and on Sunday, a dozen or so made it out in a truck.
On Tuesday, however, Ukrainian rocket-launching trucks and tanks were barreling down the resupply road toward the fighting, though the cease-fire required both sides to withdraw heavy weaponry starting at midnight Monday.
Rebel shelling was hitting points up and down the resupply road on Tuesday. A shell struck a gas pipeline beside the highway, and it burned unabated in a gigantic twirl of orange flame.
An artillery barrage sent black smoke rising from a checkpoint by a critical and already damaged bridge, and tank crews scrambling.
“They are shooting at us,” one soldier at a checkpoint on the route said as the booms of both outgoing and incoming artillery echoed from miles around.
Photo
People at a distribution point for humanitarian aid in a village near Debaltseve, Ukraine. The building, a cultural center, also serves as a shelter during attacks. Credit Brendan Hoffman/Getty Images
“Where’s the help from America?” he asked. “We are poor and cannot fight the Russians alone.”
Another soldier scoffed at the idea that a few American weapons could help. The United States and Europe should force Russia to observe the cease-fire, he said. “We don’t need weapons,” he said, “we need peace.”

Statement of the President of "Omonia" on the anniversary of Independence of Northern Epirus






Like today, 101 years ago, our ancestors proclaimed Autonomy in Northern Epirus, claiming by the powerful of the Earth and the Albanian state the right to self-government of their country.

Our ancestors, who carried on their back 500 years of Turkish yoke, requested the right to dignified survival on their land. The fact that some try to alter or to erase from the pages of history. History can not be deleted and not for the dustbin but is always present to teach and inspire.

The Greek minority in Albania, not only was no problem but there was factor of peace, stability and development. There was however never the analogue response of the Albanian state aims over time to digest it, depriving it of basic rights such as self-determination, the right to education and property. 


These practices under depth nationalism which unfortunately today rampant in all structures of the Albanian society, we remove dangerous than the common vision of European integration achieved with the Albanian people.

 Omonia, with respect to the race of ancestors and true to democratic principles, will not stop fighting for the right of Hellenism as they result from the modern conventions of international law on minorities.

Leonidas Pappas

General President D.E.E.E.M. "Omonia"


http://aftonomi.gr/politiki/item/4478-dilosi-tou-proedrou-tis-omonoias-gia-ta-101-xronia-apo-tin-anakiryksi-tis-aytonomias-tis-boreiou-ipeirou.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=facebook

"Dangers produced by Kosovo precedent become clear"

 Serbian reaction for the anniversary of the self Independence of Kosovo

BELGRADE -- Serbian Government Office for Kosovo Director Marko Djuric says the clear dangers produced by "the Kosovo precedent" are now becoming evident.
Marko Djuric is seen in Kosovska Mitrovica earlier this month (Tanjug, file)
Marko Djuric is seen in Kosovska Mitrovica earlier this month (Tanjug, file)
"As the darkness of war and the redrawing of borders once again loom over Europe, the danger of the 'Kosovo precedent' - as it was referred to by those soothing the conscience of the world, claiming what was happening to Serbia, dismembering of its territory, would never happen again - has become more visible than at any time during the past seven years."
Djuric spoke on the anniversary of the ethnic Albanians' unilateral declaration of independence of Serbia's southern province - a proclamation adopted by acclamation in the assembly in Pristina on February 17, 2008. Serbia rejected the proclamation, saying it violated its Constitution and territorial integrity.

According to Djuric, quoted by the Beta agency, "in light of the turbulent events today on the European and world political scene, it can be concluded that taking international law lightly when it came to Kosovo was a big mistake and a misconception."

"The newly created events on the world stage teach us in an extremely clear way the lesson that unilateralism, disrespect for the positions of others, extreme acts and the ultimate subjectivity in international politics are introducing a defeat of humaneness and a moral and social crisis," he said.

Djuric added that the decision to proclaim Kosovo as independent was unlawful and as far as Serbia is concerned, "does not produce any legal effect today, just as it did not then."

Serbia, as he pointed out, "continues to provide unconditional support to Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija in the protection and fulfillment of their living, civic, religious and property rights."

Djuric said he was "deeply convinced that, as long as Serbs gather in monasteries and churches in Kosovo, as long as there are teachers and students and new generations are born, Serbia will, with its people, survive in Kosovo despite anyone's desires, wishes, interests, the redrawing of international law and attempts to falsify history."

Serbia, as he pointed out, opted for "the difficult Brussels talks" for the sake of the Serb community, "holding a principled belief in dialogue as the only possible way to establish lasting peace and stability, and not only in the territory of Kosovo and Metohija."