SManalysis

Greek Conservative Leader Antonis Samaras Meets With Vladimir Putin in Moscow

2012-01-28T09:19:00.001-08:00

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

2012-01-28T09:18:00.000-08:00

Albanian Socialist leader, Edi Rama, visits Presheva

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

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

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

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

"Scenario horror for Greece: Poverty will bring violence"

2012-01-28T09:04:00.001-08:00

The horror scenario of violence caused by poverty and misery is seriously in Europe, and the other scary scenario, is the bankruptcy of our country, remains open, as transmitting agency Reuters.
Indeed, EU leaders seriously worried whether repeating the tragedy that struck Argentina, this time in Greece, which is plagued by the economic downturn but the people to see better light ... As we know, the bankruptcy of Argentina a decade ago sparked serious rioting and clashes caused loss of life and shocking images of people to rush to stores to loot and break banks.

- At best, if private creditors withdraw from voluntary debt restructuring, a disorderly bankruptcy would result in closure of Greek banks for several days to give Athens time to avoid the withdrawal of funds by assuring depositors that the lenders will not disappear.
- In the worst case, if you backtrack and European partners, Greece will be found in the risk of plunging into a prolonged freeze bank capital shortfalls commodity, violence and what the central banker George Provopoulos has labeled the "hell" of output the euro.

The fate of the Greeks and business estimates to Reuters, if no agreement with private creditors, depends on whether the European Union, the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund will stand next to the country ...

2012-01-28T07:07:00.001-08:00

Greece Protests Over Macedonia’s Triumphal Arch

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

Sinisa Jakov Marusic

Skopje

Photo by: Balkan Insight

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

2012-01-28T07:06:00.001-08:00

“Proponents of referendum must take responsibility”

Source: Beta

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

Goran Bogdanović

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

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

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

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

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

Berisha acuses Bollano for signing Jali destruction

2012-01-27T23:16:00.000-08:00

Albanian newspaper "Shqiptarja.com"

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

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

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

Note:

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

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

2012-01-27T13:02:00.000-08:00

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

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

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

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

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

Current Status of Court Proceedings

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

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

Note.

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

Thousands of policemen to secure EHF semifinal

2012-01-27T11:09:00.001-08:00

Source: Tanjug

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

Gendarmes are seen in front of the Arena (Tanjug)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

2012-01-27T02:56:00.000-08:00

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

Russian Orthodox Church Gathers Aid for Debt-Ridden Greece

2012-01-27T02:35:00.000-08:00

January 26, 2012,

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

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

2012-01-27T02:24:00.000-08:00

Without property registration,the Albanian Mafia continues to be present in Himara Region,just to the moment of the decision of the Development Plan.  2.175.000 €Land for Sale in Qeparo – 14500 m²

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

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

Key Features:

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

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

2012-01-26T10:28:00.001-08:00

Kosovo gives up from the term Republic, Serbia from 1244

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

Kosovo

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

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

2012-01-26T10:14:00.000-08:00

Parliamentary Commission for discharging of Kreshnik Spahiu, established

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

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

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

Spahiu’s presence in Parliament refused

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

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

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

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

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

2012-01-26T09:54:00.000-08:00

Berisha visits Montenegro

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

2012-01-26T07:39:00.001-08:00

RBA criticizes Berisha's visit in Montenegro

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

2012-01-26T07:37:00.001-08:00

Dick Marty's accusation to Albania

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

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

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

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

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

2012-01-26T07:30:00.000-08:00

Albania offers concessions for two hydro plants

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

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

2012-01-26T07:23:00.001-08:00

Police in Albania seize 750 kilos of cannabis

Source: Beta

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

2012-01-26T03:12:00.000-08:00

First reaction, after Goro`s visit in USA

The New Development Plan of Himara Region stoped in Drymades

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

2012-01-25T09:35:00.000-08:00

By Fani Toli on January 24, 2012 in News

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

2012-01-25T09:23:00.001-08:00

Albanian Prosecution's request for Socialist MPs

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

2012-01-25T02:40:00.000-08:00

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

January/20/2012

Presentation of the EUROn stealth aircraft – The Greek participation

2012-01-25T02:37:00.000-08:00

Atehns going to massive armament for the Hellenic Air Forces

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

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

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

2012-01-25T02:25:00.000-08:00

No Comment!

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

2012-01-25T00:21:00.001-08:00

"Albania without state borders"

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

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

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

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

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

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

2012-01-25T00:19:00.001-08:00

Vlore Mayor’s car scorched

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

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

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

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

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

2012-01-24T22:07:00.000-08:00

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

Ksera: Albanian court decisions, are fair to all

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

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

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

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

Kosovo 'supervised independence' could end this year

2012-01-24T12:26:00.001-08:00

Picture: AFP

24 January 2012 | 18:00 | FOCUS News Agency

Home / Southeast Europe and Balkans

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

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

2012-01-24T01:48:00.000-08:00

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

2012-01-23T11:12:00.001-08:00

Referendum in northern Kosovo to go ahead

Source: Tanjug

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

Krstimir Pantić (Tanjug, file)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Kosovo Border Protest Ends Peacefully

2012-01-23T10:28:00.001-08:00

A border protest against Serbian goods that stretched into the wee hours Monday morning was finally called off as temperatures dipped below zero.

Fatmir Aliu

Pristina The protesters, led by the nationalist opposition Self-Determination (Vetevendosje) Movement, said that they had achieved their goal of preventing Serbian made products from entering Kosovo at the Merdare and Dheu i Bardhe borders.

The demonstration, the second of its kind in the past ten days, was called off after midnight due to temperatures that reached minus 4 degrees Celsius.

“Due to logistics restrictions caused by the police, and the low temperatures reigning at the sites of protest, it was impossible to ensure the safety of the demonstrators in Merdare,” says a press release issued by Vetevendosje on Monday.

Hundreds of citizens responded to the call of Vetevendosje to block the free flow of goods at the northeast and southeast border crossings with Serbia.

Their action was aimed at upholding a parliamentary motion advocating a trade ban with Serbia. Activists critised the government for passing the trade ban measure and then failing to implement it.

No incidents were reported in Sunday's protest.

Brahim Sadriu, police spokesperson, told Balkan Insight on Monday that only one demonstrator was arrested, and he was detained after the protest ended.

“Police detained one person who was returning in a bus from Dheu i Bardh to Prizren, due to a incident that happened inside the bus. The suspect was apprehended due to a quarrel with another person, and on suspicion of stabbing that person... Otherwise Vetevendosje’s protest was peaceful and calm,” Kosovo Police said.

Meeting of George Goro, with US Congresman Gus Billirakis and the Himara Community

2012-01-23T04:52:00.000-08:00

HSA PROVIDED A VENUE IN WASHINGTON, DC FOR MAYOR GOROS TO MEET WITHCONGRESSMAN GUS BILLIRAKIS OF FLORIDA

On Wednesday January 18, HSA provided a venue in Washington, DC for Mayor Goros to meet withCongressman Gus Billirakis of Florida, where they discussed human rights and Orthodox Church property issues of Himarra.

GEORGE GOROS, MAYOR OF HIMARRA, WHILE ON A VISIT TO THE UNITED STATES RECENTLY, MET WITH MEMBERS OF THE HIMARRIOTON SOCIETY OF AMERICA (HSA) IN ANNAPOLIS, MD, ON SUNDAY JANUARY 15TH, 2012

His Honor George Goros, Mayor of Himarra, while on a visit to the United States recently, met with
members of the Himarrioton Society of America (HSA) in Annapolis, MD, on Sunday January 15th, 2012.
After attending Divine Liturgy at Sts. Constantine & Helen Greek Orthodox church in Annapolis,
the Mayor was invited by Fr. Kosmas Karavellas to meet with members of the Society and fellow
Himarriotan-Americans in order to share his viewpoints and discuss matters of interest to our
community.After the meeting the Mayor attended a luncheon hosted by the HSA.

2012-01-22T02:11:00.001-08:00

Greece-Arms Deals: Does Merkel Trade “2nd Bailout” for “60 Eurofighter”?

January 21, 2012 | Filed under: Geopolitics

From time to time there are similar leakages in the European media. That Greece’s lenders, preferably the Germans and the French, put Athens under pressure for lucrative arms deals. There has been talk about German submarines, French frigates and American Apache helicopters. The latest story by German Weekly DIE ZEIT speaks of multi-billion-euro arms contracts, once the debt-ridden country receives the next aid tranche, estimated to be € 80 billion in March 2012.

DIE ZEIT quoted an apparent middleman, a frequent visitor at the Greek Defense Ministry, making these allegations.

Fine Weapons for Athens – Frigates, tanks and submarines: Saving Packages By-Pass The Greek Military. And Germany benefits.

The man knows the wish-list of the Greek Defense Ministry by heart: up to 60 fighter aircraft fighter for maybe € 3.9 billion. French frigates for about four billion euro, patrol boats worth 400 million euros. So much is necessary for the modernization of the existing Greek fleet. Then it still lacks of ammunition for the Leopard tanks , but also two American Apache helicopters need to be replaced. Oh, and one would like to buy German U-boats, total price: two billion euros.

What the man,who goes in and out at Greece’s Defence Ministry, says sounds absurd. A State which is on the verge of bankruptcy and is supported by billions of the European Union wants to buy tons of weapons?The man in the Athens café is often seen in pictures next to generals of the Army or Defense officials, he often speaks with these guys on the phone, so he knwos what he’s talking about. He knows how sensitive the issue is, and would therefore not be named in the article. Even he holds these arms purchases as not communicable. But things could soon change, he says: “If Greece get paid the next tranche of aid, with € 80 billion expected, in March, there is a real opportunity to conclude new arms contracts.”

Quoting several Greek and German sources, DIE ZEIT wrote that the Greek government wanted to order 90 Eurofighters from Germany back in 1999 and that even than Foreign Minister Joschka Fisher (Greens) tried to persuade the Greeks. In fact, every once in a while the German government was trying to remind the Greeks of their Eurofighter needs.

Angela Merkel in the years 2005-2007. Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle (FDP) tried to secure the Eurofighters deal even in the spring 2010, just weeks before the Greek bankruptcy. The Greeks did not make any deal and few weeks later Westerwelle told a German newspaper that “Before there is any discussion about aid to Greece , that the country does its full homework on consolidation policy.”

Many German arms companies profited in the last years from the Greek defense needs: 223 Tanks-equipement Typ M109 and one Submarine (Class 214) total worth 403 million EUR, arrived in Greece in 2010! Krauss-Maffei Wegmann delivered 170 Leopard-2 Tanks for 1.7 billion EUR. Thyssen-Krupp delivered submarines, Eurocopter helicopters and Diehl BGT missiles.

Yes, Greeks are proud that their army is equipped with German products! But DIE ZEIT article triggered some negative reactions in Greece and three MPs from left-wing Democratic Left party, submitted a question to Defense Minister Dimitris Avramopoulos, asking whether such allegations are true and whether German Chancellor Angela Merkel has set the Eurofighters deal as precondition for the second bailout (Zougla.gr)

“Ptisi & Diastima”, the older and well respected Greek Defense magazine states:

“Today, there is not even the slightest indication of such deal. To those who check the facts even in a elementary way … the absurdness of this article becomes apparent. Nor the question in the Parliament can serve as any evidence to the truth of these allegations. In our opinion, this question is good proof of the contrary.”

Defencenet.gr, the website of another Greek Defense Magazine, contacted Die Zeit and the author of this article. Defencenet.gr in its article commenting this story says:

“Regarding the essence of the article, the € 4 billion cost for the purchase of 60 Eurofighter mentioned in the German newspaper is completely inaccurate. In the preliminary agreement signed in 2001 for the acquisition of 60 +30 Eurofighter aircraft the cost given for the 60 fighters was € 5.52 billion and this was in 2001!

The unit price of the aircraft in 2001 prices were close to €92 million and this is the cost of the aircraft alone, without his weapons, technical support and spare parts. In any case, the € 4 billion cost as stated in the ‘valid’ reportage of «Die Zeit» is not sufficient for the purchase of 60 Eurofighter aircraft, the unit price for which now reaches € 120 million without weapons and without support. In the agreement that Saudi Arabia recently signed for 72 Eurofighter the cost rouse to €15 billion (over € 200 million per unit!).

The fact is that for the next 10 years the HAF cannot acquire new fighter aircraft as it will raise the budget of the ministry to exceptional levels.

A senior officer of the HAF characterized the reports of the German newspapers «Kronen Zeitung» and «Die Zeit» “As noise without any substance”.

Indeed, typical of the inaccuracy (being polite here) of the «Die Zeit» article is that it states that the budget of the Greek Army rose by 18.2% (?) in 2012! When defencenet.gr shared the facts that the defense budget has declined by 35% from 2008 to 2012 to the journalist of the German newspaper in charge of financial reports her comment was … resounding silence …”

Full Die Zeit Article in google translation in ZeroHedge

The Pan Epirot Federation and the Himara Union, meeting with Mayor of Himara George Goro

2012-01-22T02:01:00.000-08:00

"The National Herald"
NEW YORK

The issues concerning the development of Himara culminated in the meeting of the newly elected mayor George Goro with representatives of Northern Epirus Association "Pyrrhus," the Epirus Club "Renaissance" and Heimarrioton living in metropolitan of New York area.

The meeting was held Thursday evening in the Continental House in Astoria, while the hosts tour of the Mayor in the Continental Museum and other galleries, followed by an interesting panel discussion.
A former president of "Pyrrhus" and Panepirotic Federation of America Menelaos Tzelios, welcome of the Mayor and focused on the struggle of the Diaspora for the Northern Epirus. Furthermore, stated that although the final word have the leaders and those who remain in ancestral homes, though the Epirotes of America still can be useful and help to indicate where the leadership.

The mayor thanked for the reception and focused on the objectives of the visit to America.He noted that the purpose of this trip is to present the Himarriotes and Abroad program of the new leadership of the municipality for the development of streams and invite expatriates to invest and help develop the site.Then said the city plan is expected to be completed by 2013 and aim and main concern is to protect the churches, the castle and other monuments.

Furthermore, talked about the major issue of the flight of Greek Northern Epirus and the efforts made to persuade their countrymen not to sell their land and their homes."Across the province we have only 150 children from first grade up to grade 12" said the speaker mentioned a demographic change.Regarding development, noted that the plans included many tourist facilities and that in ten to twenty years Himara will receive 40,000 tourists."First want our compatriots and brothers our expatriates to invest and contribute to the development of the site and assure them that we in our Local Aftodioiikisi will make every effort to make them easier", said Mr. Gore.Then answer the questions on the recent population census in Albania, with respect for human rights and to perpetuate the memory of Aristotle Goumas.

He stated that the adikoskotomenos was a cousin of that bust has been erected in the schoolyard, and is willing to be given to one of the roads will be opened under the new city plan, the name.Furthermore, answered questions about demographic changes that have occurred the past two decades on the use of kalliergisimis land, olive groves and orange groves.Former president of "Anangenisis" Chris Kosovitsas expressed readiness in collaboration with the School of St. Demetrios Astoria to donate computers to Himara schools, while Victor Goro suggested to do a fundraiser to purchase a fire truck for the Municipality of Himara..

Mr. Fotis Gkalitsis, former president of Panepirotic Federation talked about the recent census and asked about the impact of the decision of Omonia and Human Rights Party to boycott the census.The president of "Pyrrhus" Stavros Ziogkas, thanked the Mayor for their response to the call about this meeting and expressed his readiness to do everything possible to develop the site.

http://www.ekirikas.com/article/94287

2012-01-18T07:51:00.000-08:00

SManalysis in Focus

100-th anniversary of the independence of Albania, the Albanian political nationalist races, without finish

Edi Rama has set, the Albanian national flag on his house balcon

In the ninth floor balcony of an apartment high-rise, the day of Sunday morning, waved a national flag of Albania. From that day, the chairman of the SP, Edi Rama has put the flag on the balcony where he lives .. aparamentit Three days ago, the 100-anniversary of the independence of Albania, Edi Rama invited all citizens to put a flag in their homes as he did Sunday morning.
The declaration of Rama as a patriotic act made in meeting of FRESSH, addressed the youth present at the Palace of Congresses: "In the balcony of my house this morning I put" red and black flag "of Skanderbeg and Ismail Qemali flag of independence As we celebrate this year. I did that when I came here to invite everybody to do the same thing when you get home and then put together to invite all Albanians do this gesture, the desire to November 28 this year, Albania and Kosovo and the Presevo and Tetovo Albanians live in buildings where the world Black and Red in any balcony or window where an Albanian family living" Edi Rama declared.

Albania MPs Target Nationalist Leader

2012-01-18T07:23:00.000-08:00

Albania's Parliament on Wednesday created a new committee that is expected to call for the dismissal of the deputy head of the High Council of Justice, Kreshnik Spahiu.

Besar Likmeta

BIRN

Tirana

Kreshnik Spahiu during a rally of the Red & Black Alliance in the city of Kruja

Ruling Democratic Party MPs maintain that the parliamentary investigative committee will “investigate evidence that Spahiu has discredited his constitutional role. “

Kreshnik Spahiu emerged over the past year as the head of the nationalist Red & Black Alliance, an organisation better known for its opposition to the recently held population census.

The creation of the new parliamentary commission on Wednesday passed through the law commission of the assembly with the votes of the ruling majority, while the opposition boycotted the vote.

In a meeting with his MPs on Monday, Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha accused Spahiu of using his position to create a political party, in breach of the constitution.

Spahiu has previously hinted that the Red & Black Alliance could be transformed into a political party.

In a press conference on Monday, Spahiu called the parliament's request for his dismissal as unconstitutional and said it amounted to executive pressure on the justice system.

The Democrats fear that the nationalist movement could cost them votes on the right in the 2013 parliamentary elections.

Spahiu was nominated to the High Council of Justice four years ago with the backing of the Democratic Party of Prime Minister Berisha.

NATO to confer on Afghanistan and Kosovo

2012-01-18T04:52:00.001-08:00

Source: B92

BRUSSELS -- The NATO's Military Committee (MC) will meet in Brussels on Wednesday to discuss the situation in Kosovo and Afghanistan.

The committee comprises the highest military representatives of the alliance and its Partnership for Peace program.
The meeting will be attended by chiefs of staff of the total of 67 countries, and the debate on Kosovo will be addressed by KFOR Commander Erhard Drews and EULEX Chief Xavier Bout de Marnhac.

The MC will also meet in NATO-Russia Council (NRC) format to discuss how practical cooperation between the Russian Federation and NATO can evolve in 2012.

Albania, unchanged!

2012-01-18T04:38:00.000-08:00

Although the membership of the EU for Albania, the "Key" is Greece

The "playboy" Kreshnik Spahiu is playing the last card of Berisha

Catapult on the neighbor report Europe. Association Council, which finds a host of serious human rights violations, particularly Minority ...

BRUSSELS, "Proinos Logos"

• «The efforts made by the Albanian government to prepare an action plan, the country's accession to the European Union, according to the instructions and recommendations of the committee responsible, not made much progress and require further improvements," mentions the recent Report of the Stabilisation and Association Council EU

According to the report, serious violations of Human Rights, particularly the Human Rights of Minorities."Progress in Human Rights and respect for and protection of minorities is lacking," the report further noted: "The weakness of the rule of law and widespread corruption continue to negatively impact the business environment.""No further progress has been made in combating corruption within the Judiciary," the report and added: "There is progress on the independence of the judiciary. The full immunity enjoyed by judges, prevents these investigations. The widespread corruption is certainly a factor that hinders the accountability of the judiciary. The general implementation of measures to combat corruption is still insufficient. It is absolutely necessary independence of the Supreme Courts. "

The Report of the Stabilisation and Association Council also noted the following:• The Public Administration suffers from significant shortcomings. There is merit in the process of recruitment. It has been the creation of an independent, meritocratic, professional Public Service, without political interference. Generally there is enough power in Albania to take full part.

• Albanian government failed in its attempt to return to the Orthodox Church of Albania property that belonged to them before 1967, when the country was officially atheistic. Not yet returned to the Orthodox Church of Albania icons "for restoration and safekeeping."• The feuds still affect certain segments of the population. Some families even opt for more self-isolation for fear of reprisals.• There is insufficient progress in the matter concerning the treatment of socially vulnerable people or people with disabilities.• Property rights is a serious issue for the Albanian people. The government is unable so far to resolve.• Unresolved remains the question of compensation (and restore) the government of former owners of property confiscated during the communist regime.

Recalled that the Stabilisation and Association Agreement between EU and Albania signed in June 2006 and entered into force in April 2009. Albania applied for EU membership on April 26, 2009.The EU Albania made a total pre-accession financial assistance 165.2 million (83.2 million in 2010 and 82 million in 2011).
***In multi-page report of the Stabilisation and Association Process (p. 114), particularly noted that "cooperation and good neighborly relations (clear reference to Greece) is an essential factor for the transition of Albania to the European Union."

This ignores the provocative "agent" of the Government of Mr. Sali Berisha, Mr Kresnik Sipahiu, Vice President of the Supreme Council of Justice of Albania and newly minted chairman of the Albanian nationalist organization "puce Alliance."The provocative declaration that 'From now on, anyone who lived in Albania must be lived as an Albanian, "are unacceptable and blatantly undemocratic intervention, reminding Chotziki season.
What does the Foreign Ministry?An Officer large party of the Union, speaking on "P.L." expressed appreciation that the intervention of the Greek Foreign Ministry on the disputed issue "is weak and therefore ineffective." He added: "We need to take serious diplomatic measures as serious is the loss of Greek National Minority. Mr. Sali Berisha does not know the European languages. "

He criticizes the decision of the Greek Members Tavou Vangelis and Costas Barka and "Party of the Greeks" (?) To participate in the "unreliable inventory." "Such strange decisions cause reasonable questions," he said with emphasis that official. He is wrong?

"Security of state officials at highest level"

2012-01-17T12:41:00.000-08:00

Source: B92

BELGRADE -- Justice Ministry State Secretary Slobodan Homen says the security of top state and judicial officials is at the highest level despite "frequent threats".

Slobodan Homen (FoNet, file)

Homen told Tanjug on Tuesday in Belgrade that the the security agencies are fully committed to protecting high government officials and their families.
According to Homen, danger always exists, but the safety of state officials is certainly much better than it was at the time of the assassination of Prime Minister Zoran Đinđić, nine years ago.

According to recent media reports, an official of the Ministry of Internal Affairs received Monday a tip that an assassination was being planned against Serbian President Boris Tadić, Serbian Orthodox Church Patriarch Irinej, Interior Minister Ivica Dačić and Director of Police Milorad Veljović.

Veljović told Tanjug that he does not want to comment on threats, and Patriarch Irinej said that his life in the hands of God and that he not afraid at all.

According to media reports, an Interior Ministry official received a text message on Friday saying that the new assassination attempt would be less spectacular than the one that had been planned to occur at the Borik sports arena in Banja Luka, where the police found weapons shortly before the ceremony marking Serb Republic Day.

The ceremony was attended by top officials from Serbia, the Serb entity, and the Serbian Orthodox Church.

DEBT AS A WEAPON OF MASS DESTRUCTION

2012-01-17T12:01:00.000-08:00

The New Year 2012 arrived with more grim news for Greece. Our “rescuers” demand more austerity to be imposed upon an exhausted populace that has already suffered, on the average, a 50 percent cut in real personal income in a country where expanding poverty co-exists with some of the highest consumer prices in Europe. Our “rescue” so far has moved the overwhelming number of pensioners and the low paid into the endangered species category, with millions of people faced with the specter of extinction thanks to a combination of collapsing social and health services and the constant downward pressure on salaries and pensions that they were already nothing to write home about.
(You won’t be surprised of course to hear that the entire “streamlining” required, plus the constant austerity measures supposedly ordained to buttress the process, are decided upon by medium-rank accountants without the slightest clue of what happens to real people on the other end of the numerical keypad).
At this point, with both the ousted Papandreou regime and the successor Papademos “unity government” failing disastrously to protect even the most basic rights of the Greek people against the “rescue” invasion, prospects of relief are non-existent. Indeed, 2012 is already recognized as a “critical” and “especially difficult” year -- a year during which the 9 percent deficit of GDP must reach below 5 percent, a level unachievable under the circumstances save the mass destruction of whole swaths of Greek society (Note: our ‘rescue’ so far has exclusively concentrated on slashing incomes and devaluing private assets, not harnessing wanton waste by the public sector).

Greece possesses the unenviable record of being the first formally insolvent country of the European “union” and one of the first globally. Her “rescue” continues being a grotesque puppet show of bankers and politicians haggling over piling debt on debt as the way to “salvation.” The world surrounding Greece is in no better state, with many sovereign debt snowballs already rolling beyond control. But Greece was “lucky” in having a numerous kleptocratic class in charge that outperformed similar criminally-minded governors, “system paragons” and banks elsewhere. The net result was the complete destruction of the country’s credibility, and what was left of her economy, and her cut-off from the “markets” with no prospect of returning to “healthy” borrowing for a long, long time.

The certainty about this deluge is that Greece’s bankruptcy and the pending insolvency of so many other countries cannot and will not be solved via economic measures. And it will not be solved via the devious conventional wisdom of defending financial institutions at the cost of trillions of taxpayer’s money, so cozy for “investors” who assumed there will be no loss for them, ever. Catch phrases like “too big to fail” should be stricken from the list -- and banks, even very big ones, should be allowed to fail. Little pity should be forthcoming for “investors” suffering the results of their “investing” as it has developed in recent years around junk “instruments.” Paying the price of the incessant re-packaging and re-sale of essentially plain hot air “solutions,” concocted by the various “geniuses” of the remorseless and often plainly criminal investment banking sector, should be included in the main risks of “investing” to be suffered by those in pursuit of disproportionate profit.

Greece’s and the globe’s sovereign debt crisis needs a far-fetching political solution. Without it, debt as a weapon of mass destruction can and will destroy us all in a swift conclusion of the Age of (Financial) Madness we are currently experiencing.

Rick Perry says Turkey should be expelled from NATO

2012-01-17T11:02:00.000-08:00

January 17 2012 at 9:11 AM

Rick Perry says Turkey should be expelled from NATO, calls leaders 'Islamic terrorists' Republican presidential candidateTexas Gov. Rick Perry speaks during the South Carolina Republican presidential candidate debate. AP photo Texas governor and U.S. presidential hopeful Rick Perry suggested it might be time to kick Turkey out of NATO, calling the country's leaders "Islamic terrorists." Perry made the remarks during Fox News' South Carolina debate, website Mediaite.com reported yesterday. Moderator Bret Baier reportedly mentioned Turkey's ruling "Islamist" Justice and Development Party (AKP) and outlined the increasing murder rates of women, declining press freedom in the country and deteriorating relations with Israel and Greek Cyprus since the AKP came to power and asked Perry if he believed Turkey still belonged in NATO. Obviously when you have a country that is being ruled by what many would perceive to be Islamic terrorists, when you start seeing that type of activity against their own citizens, then ... not only is it time for us to have a conversation about whether or not they belong to be in NATO but its time for the United States, when we look at their foreign aid, to go to zero with it, Perry said, adding that Turkey "moved far away from the country it once was in the 1970s," when Perry was stationed in Turkey as a pilot. The report said Perry's response "might surprise many" and mentioned Turkey's longstanding alliance with the U.S. in NATO, citing an article from the Washington Post that defined Turkey as "a critical diplomatic partner engaged in a working relationship that is one of the most important but least discussed developments shaping [2011s] change in the Arab world. http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/rick-perry-says-turkey-should-be-expelled-from-nato-calls-leaders-islamic-terrorists--.aspx?pageID=238&nID=11650&NewsCatID=358

Turkey’s ‘Syrian intervention’ scenario

2012-01-17T10:37:00.000-08:00

Turkey has been keenly watching events unfold in Syria, fearing its near-neighbor’s violence could spill over the border. However, there are fears that Turkish government may not be getting an accurate picture of what is really happening in Syria.

As soon as Syria's president promised to completely revamp the constitution in an attempt to resolve the crisis in the country, Turkey expressed support for a humanitarian intervention, saying it must do all it can to prevent a civil war.

With the bloody status quo in the Syrian crisis having been maintained for months, there is a danger that violence may start spreading beyond the country’s borders.
And its close neighbor Turkey – once a close friend too – is now a harsh critic of Damascus.
“Syria's first priority should be to listen to its people and meet their demands, not to denounce others; instead of massacring its people, it should listen to them,” says Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu.
Faruk Logoglu, the deputy chairman of the Republican People's Party in Turkey, is a harsh critic himself, but he is critical of the Turkish government.

Ankara is on the side of the Free Syrian Army and the Syrian National Council – a military and diplomatic force aimed at overthrowing the regime of Bashar al-Assad. It supports a “buffer zone” and a “humanitarian corridor” - which some fear could bring Turkish troops to Syrian soil.
“What does that mean according to international law? It means aggression against a country, it means war,” Faruk Logoglu says.
But any intervention would be different from the one in Libya – since Russia and China have made it clear: no more no-fly zone resolutions. It means the role of regional players like Turkey increases dramatically.
But Faruk claims Ankara’s behavior is irresponsible and risky.
“It is the larger implications beyond the bilateral context of Turkey and Syria as such. The situation in Syria must be handled with great care by all powers. And unfortunately I do not see that care, especially from the Turkish government,” he says.

Oytun Orhan works for the Middle East Strategic Studies Center, based in Ankara.
It is sponsored by the Turkish Foreign Ministry to help shape policy. And its opinion on Syria is clear.
“The regime of Syria is killing its own people,” says Oytun Orhan, Middle East analyst the Center for Middle Eastern Strategic Studies (ORSAM).
Or not always that clear.
“Nobody has objective information as to what is going on in Syria,” says Oytun Orhan.
The center’s specialists have not been to Syria for over a year.
It means the picture they paint for officials in Ankara is unlikely to be an accurate one.
The sources of some videos are often questionable, so it is easy to be misled or get a false picture of what is really happening.
Although that does not stop researchers from coming to firm conclusions.
“The military option, this is the last option Turkey does not want to see. But this is an option,” says Oytun Orhan.
Turkey may have declared it does not welcome a military solution to the Syrian crisis, but it has not ruled it out either, playing an “if” game: if there is massive migration from its troubled neighbor Turkey says it will have to protect its own people.
And while officially Ankara insists it wants peace and stability in the region, its troops are ready just kilometers from the border with Syria.

2012-01-17T08:23:00.000-08:00

100th anniversary of Albanian independence

The Albanian Parliament opened with a solemn ceremony the 100th year of Albania’s independence. January 17th was chosen as the opening day for the celebration of the 100th anniversary of independence, since it is the day when the Albanian National hero, Gjergj Kastrioti Skenderbeu died, who symbolizes the unification of all Albanians.

Representatives from Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Presheva and Bujanovci were present in the Albanian Parliament, without partial distinctions, together, as six centuries ago and as 100 years ago, when the nation’s fathers gathered from all Albanian speaking lands for declaring the independent and free Albania.

The Parliament Speaker, Jozefina Topalli, paid homage to the personalities who signed the independence declaration, together with the many names that have been deleted from the Declaration of Independence.

“Today we honor all those sons of Albania, who made the sublime sacrifice on that dramatic century, in front of the fatherland and the only religion that we have ever had in our life, that of being Albanians. Men like them have lived on that time, and will live forever in the altar of our nation”, Topalli declared.

The Kosovo Parliament Speaker, Jakup Krasniqi declared that “the social, economic and political orders can change, together with the administration formations and the developments pace, but Albania, the state of the Albanians, the land of the Albanians is eternal, alive and that will live forever”.

While the Albanian Prime Minister, Sali Berisha, declared that we remained together in any circumstance. Deep in the hearts of the Albanians there is the principle “one nation, one stance”. Nothing can divide the spirit of a country. They can divide the body, but the spirit is undividable. The spirit of a nation is his freedom. Thank God we are gathering free in this room, because we stayed together”.

The Albanian PM also paid homage to the US nation, who has supported the Albanians to survive as a nation in their lands and prosper in these 100 years.

“From the start of the past century and until today, the biggest power has always been with us, and this is a day of honor”, Berisha declared.

The100th year of independence has a special significance for the Albanians in Albania, Kosovo, Macedonia and Montenegro, by showing that we belong to the western civilization.
www.top-channel.tv

U.S. state department official in Priština

2012-01-16T11:48:00.001-08:00

Source: Tanjug

PRIŠTINA -- U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Philip Reeker, who arrived in Kosovo on Monday, met with Priština government officials.

Reeker first had a 90-minute meeting with Prime Minister Hash m Thaci, following by a meeting with Edita Tahiri, the head of Priština's delegation in the talks with Belgrade.
No statements for the media were released after either meeting, and reporters were forbidden from photographing Reeker as he was leaving the Kosovo government building.

Reeker will be spending the night in Priština.

Earlier today, Tahiri told Kosovapress that she and Reeker will discuss the continuation of the Belgrade-Priština dialogue in Brussels, among other things.

Reeker is on a two-week tour of Western Balkan countries, during which he will meet with political leaders and representatives of the non-government sector, the U.S. State Department told Tanjug earlier.

During the tour which wraps up January 26, Reeker will visit "Serbia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Turkey and Austria" - Reeker's office told Tanjug.

Daily: Police received assassination tip-off

2012-01-16T11:43:00.000-08:00

Source: Blic, Tanjug

BELGRADE -- A Belgrade-based newspaper writes that "top MUP officials" have received a tip-off about plans to assassinate President Boris Tadić.

Boris Tadić (Beta, file)

Serbian Orthodox Church Patriarch Irinej and Interior Minister Ivica Dačić, as well as police Director Milorad Veljović were also the target, according to the Blic daily.
The article says that a Serbian Interior Ministry (MUP) official "received a text message", which said that "unlike the planned assassinations in the Banja Luka Borik sports venue, new assassinations would be less spectacular".

The newspaper further writes, quoting its unnamed MUP source, that the tone of the message was "warning rather than threatening", and that it was sent "from one of the domestic (mobile telephony operators".

"It was sent by someone with knowledge of the goings-on in the criminal underworld, who learned about preparations for the assassination," said the source, and added that the information was taken "very seriously", with police "increasing precautionary measures".

The information was taken very seriously and, judging by statements from Defence Minister Dragan ŠSutanovac and State Secretary for Justice Slobodan Homen, the security agencies are fully committed to protecting high goverment officials to allow them to work normally.

2012-01-16T10:48:00.000-08:00

Albanian security: Guns for defending property

The Luz i Madh residents have started organizing for protecting the entering road of their village, in order to avoid thefts that increased during December.

The view of the revolted residents with hunting guns on their shoulders has apparently scared the thieves away, but the situation is not calm yet. Police has increased its presence in the area and is investigating, while the residents who made the occurrence public have been interrogated.

The low temperatures have obliged the residents to light up fires and keep guarding their property, mainly livestock, which has been targeted by the thieves recently. At night, the guarding residents have also fired in the air.

This village has been attacked by groups of thieves who target the livestock, from which the entire village makes a living. Sources from the Kavaja Police say that there have been no thefts during January, and the police have evaluated the situation and increased the presence.

The resident’s concern, expressed for Top Channel recently, has put the police in motion for keeping the lives and properties of the villagers safe.

Russian Newspaper Pravda Predicts Greek-Turkish War in 2012

2012-01-16T10:10:00.000-08:00

original by Pravda, english: http://english.pravda.ru/opinion/columnists/13-01-2012/120227-year_2012-3/
Russian newspaper Pravda projects different war scenarios around the world after analyzing geopolitical balances and fragile relations in the gloomy forecast for the year of 2012.

Known for its doomsday predictions and extreme scenarios and opinions covering themes such as conspiracies, UFOs, the hollow earth theory, etc, the newspaper advocating the Kremlin’s interests is now publicizing a new article on the coming wars of 2012 and the new world order.

Signed by Stanislav Mishin, the article is only adding to the catastrophic predictions of the Mayans for this year.

As far as Greece is concerned, Pravda foresees the fall of the coalition government within the first six months of the year through a military coup, which will serve the EU interests in the country.

Moreover, Greece will exit the Euro and return to the drachma. New alliances will be formed and Russian military bases will be installed in the country. However, before that can occur, the Greek-Cypriot-Israeli alliance will inevitably lead to a war with Turkey.

According to Pravda, Turkey will fight at three different fronts but will employ its main forces against Greece. The Turkish attack will stop at the city of Thessaloniki, while the EU and NATO will not take sides in this war. The Greek side will be reinforced by Serbian, Bulgarian and FYROM volunteers but Greece will be defeated at the end in the north.

The article notes that Turkish troops will finally enter Central Greece, but a general Kurdish uprising in East Turkey and the ongoing Israeli attacks will split Turkey into four states at the end, thus changing the borders in the broader region.

US Embassy in Tirana, Demonstration notices, attention for US citizens

2012-01-16T09:56:00.000-08:00

Albanian Socialist Party's Public Rally
The Albanian Socialist Party (SP) has announced plans to hold a public rally on Saturday, January 21, 2012. The Embassy is unaware of a specific time for this event. Current information indicates that the rally will take place along Tirana’s main “Deshmoret e Kombit” boulevard outside the Prime Minister’s office and at other locations throughout the city. The SP has also called for rallies in other cities around Albania to take place throughout the day. The Embassy does not have information on the specific location, staging areas or potential size of the proposed rallies. Demonstrations can affect all major incoming arteries to the city in which they occur.

Albanian Red & Black Alliance’s Public Rally

The Albanian Red & Black Alliance (RBA) has called for a large public rally in the city of Kruja to commemorate the Albanian National Hero “Skanderbeg” on Tuesday, January 17, 2012. We have been informed that gatherings will begin in Tirana, Elbasan, Durres, Shkoder, Lac and Lezhe during the morning of the 17th prior to groups traveling to Kruja. The Embassy does not have information on the specific location, staging areas or potential size of the proposed rally or preliminary gatherings. Demonstrations can affect all major incoming arteries to the city in which they occur.

Although large, peaceful demonstrations in Tirana have occurred frequently in the recent past, a demonstration on January 21, 2011 was violent and resulted in the death of four persons and injuries to many others, including to Albanian State Police. Subsequent rallies in Tirana have been peaceful and have drawn up to 10,000 people, according to reliable estimates. We remind U.S. citizens that even demonstrations intended to be peaceful can turn violent and unpredictable. You should avoid them if at all possible. Demonstrations in one city have the potential to lead to additional public rallies or demonstrations in other locations around the country. Be alert and aware of your surroundings and pay attention to local news media reports regarding all possible public rallies or demonstrations. U.S. citizens are urged to exercise strong caution if within the vicinity of any demonstration.

U.S. citizens traveling abroad should regularly monitor the U.S. Embassy's website and the Department of State's Bureau of Consular Affairs website, where the current Worldwide Caution, Travel Warnings, Travel Alerts, and Country Specific Information can be found. The U.S. Embassy also encourages U.S. citizens to review "A Safe Trip Abroad," which includes valuable security information for those both living and traveling abroad. In addition to information on the Internet, travelers may obtain up-to-date information on security conditions by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the U.S. and Canada, or a regular toll line at 1-202-501-4444 from elsewhere.

We encourage U.S. citizens living or traveling in Albania to enroll with the U.S. Embassy in Tirana through the State Department's Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) website to obtain updated information on travel and security within Albania. By enrolling, U.S. citizens make it easier for the U.S. Embassy to contact them in case of emergency. The U.S. Embassy in Tirana is located at Rr. Elbasanit, No. 103, Tel: +355-(0)4-224-7285; Fax: +355-(0)4-237-4957; E-mail:ACSTirana@state.gov.

ILDC Energy to explore for gas in Albania

2012-01-16T09:09:00.000-08:00

Subsidiary Emanuelle Adriatic Energy has obtained three offshore exploration licenses in the Adriatic.

16 January 12 11:23, Hillel KorenIsrael Land Development Company Energy Ltd. (TASE: IE), controlled by Ofer Nimrodi, is not satisfied with gas exploration in Israel. Its Cypriot registered subsidiary, Emanuelle Adriatic Energy Ltd. (51%), yesterday signed an agreement with the Albanian National Agency of Natural Resources on development, production, and sale rights to hydrocarbon products in three blocks in the Adriatic Sea offshore from Albania totaling 5,070 square kilometers.

Albania's Minister of Economy, Trade and Energy approved in principle the awarding of the concessions to Emanuelle Adriatic Energy. The company and the ministry will formulate an agreement in principle on the commercial terms for the company's operations. This agreement is due to be signed soon
Among other things, the agreement will state that Emanuelle Adriatic Energy's rights to operate in the offshore blocks, and to carry out the work plan that will be agreed for seven years, and will include milestones that the company will have to meet after three and a half years, and after a further two and a half years.

Nimrodi said, "The expansion of ILDC Energy's operations outside of Israel through Emanuelle Adriatic Energy, and the activities taken to obtain exploration licenses in Albania, is part of the policy to develop additional growth engines and spread risk by diversifying the portfolio of exploration licenses."
ILD Energy's share price rose 2.1% in morning trading to NIS 0.86, giving a market cap of NIS 730 million.

2012-01-16T07:42:00.000-08:00

The Supreme Court: Ex V/ Prime Minister Ilir Meta innocent

The Supreme Court found Ilir Meta innocent. The Penal College, gave its decision in the premises of the Court, where Ilir Meta has not been present.

The Supreme Court is expected to give the explanatory arguments within 15 days, while the proofs will be taken by the Prosecution for another penal process.

After 20 sessions, the Prosecution requested the Court to find Ilir Meta guilty for active corruption and sentence him with two years to prison and 1 million ALL fine.

The Prosecutor based his pretence on the testimony of the main witness of this case, the former Minister of Economy, Dritan Prifti, by showing on Prifti’s declarations that he had been pressured by Meta several times for making financial favors in auctions and concessions.

The Prosecution continued by underlining that the video is genuine and unaltered, which proves Prifti’s declarations.

Meta: Prosecution's request, political

“The video has been accepted by the Supreme Court as a legal evidence, although the Penal College did not accept the Prosecution’s request to hear it on the court room and transcribe it”, Prosecutor Sheshi declared.

One day after the Prosecution asked 2 years to prison for Ilir Meta, the former Deputy Prime Minister reacted with a press release. He considered the Prosecution’s request as political and unfounded.

“This request wasn’t based on any proof or any witness. It was a political pretense. However, it is remarkable how the Prosecution lowered their request from the death sentence in January 2011, to 2 years in prison and 1 million ALL, because they can’t stay without placing fines. They say that they have asked 3 million EUR from someone, for avoiding him prosecution, and other things like that”, declared the SMI leader, Ilir Meta.

Scotland's FBI warns 25 foreign mafia gangs are now at large

2012-01-15T11:20:00.000-08:00

David Leask

Investigations Reporter

AT least 25 foreign organised crime gangs are operating in Scotland –with police particularly concerned about the ultra-violent Albanian mafia, the Sunday Herald can reveal.

Custom byline text:

EXCLUSIVE by David Leask Investigations Reporter

The Balkan gangsters have moved into Scotland's lucrative drugs and vice markets over the last year, according to the first official intelligence assessment of international crime gangs operating in Scotland.
The Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency (SCDEA) now ranks ethnic Albanian groups among those "non-indigenous" gangs posing the greatest threat.
According to police intelligence shared with the Sunday Herald, foreign gangs account for 25 of the 267 organised crime groups in Scotland. Other foreign gangs include Chinese Triads responsible for everything from cannabis farms to bootleg DVDs; people traffickers from Bangladesh and the former Czechoslovakia; as well as Yardies from the Caribbean, incorporating criminals from West Africa, peddling crack and prostitutes.
The Albanians, known as the Mafia Shqiptare and brutalised by the Balkan conflicts of the 1990s, have links right at the heart of world trade routes for heroin, guns and women. Police see them as presenting a serious new challenge.
A decade after they conquered the sex trade in London's Soho and cowed the Mafia in its Italian heartlands, Mafia Shqiptare families officially rank among the "most wanted" serious organised crime groups in Scotland.
Detective Chief Superintendent Stephen Whitelock, of SCDEA, said: "We are noting the emergence of a number of crime groups from other countries operating in Scotland. This includes gangs from eastern Europe, southeast Asia – particularly Vietnam and China – as well as African countries.
"We are aware of their presence here in Scotland and we will not be complacent. The Albanians are here now. Some of the individuals concerned are known to be capable of extreme violence. Albanian serious and organised crime groups have been known to be involved in prostitution, arms and drugs. They have been flagged up in our mapping exercise.
"We have a list of the top 20% most serious organised crime groups, each of which is in the ownership of one of the forces or the agency. The Albanians are on that list."
Albanian crime families – often relatively small but fiercely bonded together by a code of honour and blood feuds – arrived in the UK after the Kosovo war of 1999.
Members of Mafia Shqiptare families have spread their tentacles to Scotland before. In 2003, for example, vice king Luan Plakici, an Albanian from Montenegro, was jailed for 10 years for trafficking women from Moldova, Romania and elsewhere in to prostitution in London after promising them good jobs.
He married one of his victims, even pimping her on his wedding night, as he made an estimated £3 million fortune. It is thought he also supplied Glasgow's sex trade, including a St Petersburg teenager who escaped from a city brothel.
However, direct Albanian control of vice businesses – or supply networks for heroin – would pose a major threat not just to law enforcement but to the interests of indigenous Scottish criminals.
The SCDEA mapping exercise of autumn 2011 – the latest in a series –showed the number of crime groups had fallen, from 360 reported in the Sunday Herald last June, to 267. However, the total number of "nominals" or known gangsters remains around 4000, we can reveal.
Labour MSP Graeme Pearson, formerly director-general of the SCDEA, said: "It has always been the case that foreign crime groups have had a foothold in Scotland; the Italians and West Africans up in Aberdeen and the Columbians in Edinburgh. I am not surprised my former colleagues at SCDEA have identified an Albanian group. Their presence in London and up through the Midlands is well-recognised.
"The Albanians are a bit of challenge because they have a military background in their homelands and their criminal elements have a very violent history. They are very difficult groups to penetrate."

2012-01-14T11:17:00.001-08:00

K. Albanian group, police clash near crossing

Source: B92, Kosovapress

MERDARE -- Kosovo police used tear gas and water cannons to disperse Self-Determination Movement members near Podujevo around 14:30 CET.

K. Albanian protesters clash with police near Podujevo (kosovapress.com)

Priština-based news agency KosovaPress has reported that several protesters were arrested, including the group’s leader Albin Kurti.
Additional police forces are arriving to Podujevo where clashes are still underway.

The Self-Determination Movement supporters first asked the police to let them go to the Merdare crossing, claiming they had nothing against them but against Serbia.

“Go and use force in Serbia, not against us,” the protesters yelled at the police.

The first clashes took place around 13:00 CET when protesters tried to force their way through a police cordon at the Podujevo-Merdare road.

The Kosovo police used pepper spray while the protesters threw rocks and snowballs at them.

The police cordon stopped the Self-Determination Movement members on the Podujevo-Merdare road and prevented them from reaching the Merdare administrative crossing.

Kurti explained earlier that they would only block trucks carrying goods from central Serbia to Kosovo and added that that people would be able to cross the administrative line without any problems.

“Our goal is to establish reciprocity in relations with Serbia,” he stressed.

Strong police forces are present on the road leading toward the Merdare and Bela Zemlja crossings and they are controlling all vehicles.

Trucks carrying goods from central Serbia are waiting on the central Serbian side of the Merdare crossing. A truck from Subotica, escorted by the police, was allowed to go through a little before 13:00.

2012-01-13T09:22:00.000-08:00

Another "Pan Albanian Union"

Kosovo - Albania diplomatic services merge

Albania will help Kosovo with diplomatic representation in those countries where the Kosovo diplomacy is not present yet.

The agreement for this cooperation was signed by the two Foreign Ministers of Albania and Kosovo, Edmond Haxhinasto and Enver Hoxhaj. This agreement will include those countries where one of the two Albanian states has no representation.

“This is the 75th agreement that Albania signs with Kosovo after the independence”, Haxhinasto declared.

“We have agreed to gather the common commission of economic cooperation as soon as possible, which will review all the important cases related with the biggest integration of both countries in function of good trading, common usage of the resources and the joint infrastructure; for expanding the market which is also very important for a further integration with the other countries of the region”, Haxhinasto declared.

The homologue from Kosovo, Enver Hoxhaj, declared:

“It is very important for us that this year is starting with Albania and our activities in the region, with the purpose to transmit the message that both our countries have a wonderful political, cultural and economical cooperation. It is very important for us that this cooperation will be even more coordinated for the 100th year of independence. In such an important year, we can see the progress that we have made in these 100 years”.

In this first visit for 2012, the head of the Kosovo diplomacy also met the Albanian Prime Minister, Sali Berisha.

2012-01-13T09:11:00.000-08:00

Albanian Football Federation FSHF, "OK" in principle

for Prishtina FC to Albanian Superliga

Executive Committee of the Albanian Football Federation (FA) has reviewed the request Thursday by Prishtina football club to participate in Superliga of Albania Soccer and has supported in principle the request of Pristina, but has not taken a final decision, pending the expression of a opinion by Federation of Kosovo as well as FIFA and UEFA.

Club Pristina in mid-December had asked FSHF has allowed to take part in the superior category. Letters sent to FSHF was announced just last week, after "The Red and Black Alliance" calls for idea of establishing a joint league Albania - Kosovo. Pristina had formally requested that she only Superiores joining of Albania, but from the directors of this club was told that the request is made for two clubs in Kosovo, one of which must be Pristina.

Census in Albania

2012-01-13T08:59:00.000-08:00

Stavros Tzimas

KATHIMERINI

The question "how many are we?" The next, will be call for Greeks in Albania, organized their own inventory. Our expatriates boycotted the census in the autumn by the Albanian government and the questioning by other minority groups. They felt that the conditions under which the count would not allow the free expression of will by citizens to the national and religious feeling.

The truth is that generally met international standards, but to sensitive questions about religion and national consciousness Berisha government, succumbing to pressure from nationalist circles, set conditions that discourage minority occur safely. Like for example the threat of one thousand euro fine on anyone now declaring Greek and in the last census in 1989 in the communist regime, had recorded an Albanian. At the time, but were only Greeks who lived in the villages of Dropolis, area designated minority area, and excluded other areas with compact Diaspora population as Himara, Korça Mr. al. If the latter procedure one example Cheimarriotis stated Greek, not only will inventories as a minority, but threatened with a fine!
The Albanian government announced partial results of the census. Released, ie, so far the number of citizens of the country and buildings, but not those of members of different minorities and religious dogmas. This is certainly the most difficult aspect of this inventory as well as things have turned the population map of the country will be under question. The company is testing cycles to deliver the abstinence of the Greek minority in projects of Athens, can hardly walk and internationally for the additional reason that apart from the Greek community, a decision of the Roman Catholic Church of Albania abstained and Catholic in religion, calculated to 10% of the population who are also planning their own inventory. And the Vatican, of course, far from destabilizing Albania, continues.

The Greek expatriates, organizing separate inventory risk and high risk. Should the leadership to demonstrate, if it wants to receive favorable acceptance in international organizations, the bold initiative that was carried out with unimpeachable process. Mostly, however, required to take all measures to return to inventory and the largest possible number of expatriates, who overwhelmingly migrated to Greece, but maintain ties with their ancestral land. Otherwise, the option will become a fiasco that will also be the final blow to the Greeks of Albania.

President of Hellenic Republic Supports Democratic Union of Greek Minority in Albania

2012-01-13T01:58:00.001-08:00

By Fani Toli on January 12, 2012 in Albania

The 21st anniversary of “Omonoia” Democratic Union of the Greek Minority was celebrated in Dervitsani, Albania, with participation from both “Omonoia” members and representatives of the Greek State.
Prior to the event, the Divine Liturgy was conducted at the Dormition of the Virgin Mary Church, headed by Metropolitan Demetrios of Argyrokastro, followed by a memorial service for the departed founders and fighters of Omonoia.
Subsequently, the established anniversary gathering took place at Dervitsani cultural center, attended by Omonoia members and president Vassilis Bolanos, KEAD President Evangelos Doules, administrative officials and chairs of all branches, as well as the Consul General of Argyrokastro, Mr. Nikos Kotrokois, PASOK and New Democracy representatives, and Ioannina MP Michalis Pantoulas.
A message of unity and support to the political representative of the Minority from the President of the Hellenic Republic, Mr. Karolos Papoulias, was read by Consul General Mr. Kotrokois, who also conveyed the greeting message of Deputy Foreign Minister Demetris Dollis. A message was also sent by the 1st Deputy Speaker of the Hellenic Parliament, Mr. Gregoris Niotis.
Omonoia President, Mr. Vassilis Bolanos, spoke on the history, work and struggles of the organization, while KEAD President, Mr. Doules, referred to the need for genuine unity, based on specific objectives. Furthermore, Mr. Doules spoke extensively on the census issue, stressing that “the struggle we started will go on, with appeals to the European Court of Human Rights and our own decision for a N. Hellenism 2012 census”.

Israeli Deputy PM Ehud Barak on Greek visit

2012-01-13T01:56:00.000-08:00

January 12, 2012 | Filed under: Featured News,Geopolitics

Defence Minister Dimitris Avramopoulos met on Tuesday with Israeli Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Ehud Barak, and discussed bilateral cooperation in the defence sector.

The talks between the two ministers were held in a “good climate”, and the political framework was set out for further cooperation between Greece and Israel in the defence sector.

In statements to the press afterwards, Avramopoulos described Barak’s visit to Athens as “important”, as it reaffirmed the strengthening of relations between the two eastern Mediterranean relations in the backdrop of a fastly changing region. “Our choice and commitment is a deepening of cooperation,” Avramopoulos said, noting that the consolidation of bilateral relations had been late in coming.

Avramopoulos further stressed that the cooperation between Greece and Israel is “pro-peace and frank, and is not aimed against anyone”.

On the contrary, he added, it could create new sources of wealth for the peoples of the two countries but also the peoples of the region.

Avramopoulos reiterated that Greek foreign policy goals aim to establish good relations with all its regional neighbours in the eastern Mediterranean basin, and stressed that Greece will continue to play a stabilising role in the region.

Barak, in turn, stressed that Israel looks forward to closer relations with Greece. He thanked Greece for its assistance in last year’s devastating wildfires in Israel.

He also said that the two countries have a common interest in the resolution of the differences in the region, to the benefit of peace and of stability in the Middle East and eastern Mediterranean.

Barak will be received by Greek President of the Republic Karolos Papoulias and by Prime Minister Lucas Papademos later on Tuesday, while in the afternoon he will have talks with Greek foreign minister Stavros Dimas. (AMNA/ Athens News)

2012-01-13T01:43:00.000-08:00

New Albanian symbol of 100th anniversary of Independence

Prime Minister Sali Berisha reconfirmed the idea for the construction of a monument for the 100th anniversary of independence during a meeting of the Inter-Ministerial Commission for Independence, in which was chosen the winning logo of the celebrations.

Berisha declared that the Ministry has announced the race for the winning project of the monument, which has been opposed by the Red and Black Alliance and the citizens of Vlore, who underlined that there is no need for a second monument of independence, after the one that has been honored for decades in Vlore.

The Minister of Tourism, Culture, Youth and Sports, Aldo Bumci, announced as the winning logo the presentation of an artist from Kosovo, Zeni Ballazhi.

Berisha suggested changing the term “100 years of Albanian state”, with the argument that the Albanian state has existed even before in the history. He suggested changing it to “100 years of independence”.

“The historical truths should be clearly expressed in the current actuality. It is important to honor the few friends that we have had”, the Prime Minister declared, adding that it is important for the celebrations to have a pan-national character.

“It is important, because the independence was an effort of all Albanians. All districts should prepare celebrations, and the entire Albanian world should join in Kosovo, Macedonia and the Diaspora. The independence started with the Prizren League, in 1878, and ended in 2008, with the independence of Kosovo. Without that, the Albanian flag would be half staffed for the 100th year of independence”, Berisha declared.

K. Albanian movement to partially block roads on Saturday

2012-01-13T01:34:00.001-08:00

Source: Tanjug

PRIŠTINA -- The Self-Determination Movement will not completely block roads at the Merdare and Bela Zemlja crossings on Saturday, January 14.

However, its activists will block one lane at each crossing in order to stop trucks with Serbian goods from entering Kosovo and the police will not prevent them from doing this, the Kosovo police said in a release late Thursday.
According to the release, the Kosovo police and the Self-Determination Movement came to an agreement that the police will not prevent activists from coming to Merdare and Bela Zemlja, while the activists will not block roads, but will shut down only one lane used for trucks with Serbian goods.

The Self-Determination Movement representatives said their activities aimed at the implementation of the Kosovo parliament's decision on economic and trade reciprocity will not stop after one day, but that activists will stay day and night at the Merdare and Bela Zemlja crossings.

The movement's leader, Albin Kurti, said he would be at the Merdare crossing on January 14 as well.

He said activists would block only the road used to bring in Serbian goods but that they would not impede free movement of citizens, and noted they would stay put until they achieved their objective.

Greece still splashes out billions on defence

2012-01-12T12:00:00.000-08:00

Die Zeit article in english

January 12 2012, 3:45 PM

Frigates, tanks and submarines: Greece may be teetering on the brink, but the bite of austerity hasnt come near its military. And Germany is profiting from it. Excerpts.

Claas Tatje
The man who goes in and out of Greece's Defence Ministry has the ministrys wish list in his head: up to 60 fighter aircraft of the Eurofighter class, for perhaps 3.9 billion. French frigates for over 4 billion, patrol boats for 400 million.

Such is the price of the much-needed modernisation of the existing Greek navy. But we still have to include some ammunition for the Leopard tanks, and besides that, two American Apache helicopters need replacing. Oh, and they would like to buy some German U-boats, for 2 billion.

What the man reveals in an Athens café sounds absurd. A state on the edge of bankruptcy, propped up by billions of euros from the European Union, wants to buy up armaments wholesale? The man in the café is frequently seen in photos next to the Minister of Defence or army generals, and hes often on to the phone to them too.

Hes a man who knows his way around. In his own opinion, the arms purchases currently cant be done. But that could soon change, he says. "If Greece gets the next tranche of the bailout in March, expected to be 80 billion, there is a real opportunity to sign some new arms contracts."

Its truly incredible. Whether Greece stays in the eurozone or goes back to the drachma will be decided this spring. On the morning when internal matters are being spoken of so frankly in the café, doctors in Athens hospitals are handling only emergencies, bus drivers are on strike, schools are still short of textbooks and thousands of state employees are demonstrating against their dismissal.

Merkel and Sarkozy ask Greece to sign new arms orders
The new austerity programme that Greece's government has announced leaves hardly a Greek unscathed. Unless, that is, he works for the military or for the armaments industry.

In 2010 Greeces budget for the military was almost seven billion euros. That is about three percent of its economic output, a figure surpassed among NATO countries only by the United States. The Ministry of Defence did, however, cut its arms procurement in 2011 by 500 million. But all this will mean, believes an arms trade expert, is that future needs will be all the higher.

Among Greece's EU partners, only a few are calling publicly for the Greek rearmament programme to stop at once and for a long time into the future. One is Daniel Cohn-Bendit, leader of the Greens in the European Parliament. Europes hesitation, he believes, masks well-entrenched economic interests.

The main beneficiary of the Greek armament programme in Europe turns out to be its savings champion, Germany. According to the just-released Rüstungsexportbericht 2010 (2010 Arms Exports Report) the Greeks are, after the Portuguese another state teetering on the verge of bankruptcy the biggest customers for German armaments.

Spanish and Greek newspapers even spread a rumour that Angela Merkel and French President Nicolas Sarkozy reminded former Prime Minister of Greece George Papandreou during a summit meeting at the end of October to honour existing arms orders, and even sign new ones.

Greek military sector promises security and jobs
How does that square up? Not in the least, says defence expert Hilmar Linnenkamp. "It is totally irresponsible, in the midst of Greece's severe economic crisis, to bring up the the Eurofighter issue [an order of 90 Eurofighters placed in 1999]." But it's not just about the Eurofighter. The latest Arms Export Report reveals that in 2010 Greece imported exactly 223 howitzers and a submarine from Germany. The total value of the arms sales was 403 million, which contributed greatly to the explosion of Greece's public debt.

Dimitris Droutsas is one of the few Greeks who speak openly about these figures. Until June 2011 he was Greeces foreign minister. "We didnt spend so much money on defence for the fun of it," he says. Greeces external borders must be strengthened against the waves of migration from North Africa and Asia, and almost daily there are conflicts with Turkey. "As Foreign Minister I got a message every afternoon from the Defence Department listing Turkish violations of our airspace."

Greece has also been watching with some concern the increasing activity of the Turkish navy in the Aegean Sea. 35 years ago, they watched the Turks invade Cyprus. Since then, Greece has lived in a state of anxiety. Whether we like it or not, Greece is forced to have a strong military.

Greeks like Droutsas need fear no resistance from Greeces own population. The Greek military sector promises the people security and jobs. In a country with no significant industry of its own, that is worth a great deal. German defence companies recognised this early on and have grown tightly intertwined with Greek companies.

Current defence spending up 18.2 percent
The pressure from beyond Greeces borders to wrap up the rearmament programme only materialised recently, which is why the defence budget has hardly been touched by the austerity measures overseen by the troika of experts from the International Monetary Fund, the European Central Bank and the EU Commission.

In 2010 the military spending budget should have been cut by only 0.2 percent of economic output, or by 457 million. That sounds like a lot, but the same document proposed to cut back on social spending by 1.8 billion. In 2011, according to the EU Commission, Greece was to strive for cutbacks in defence spending. The Commission, though, didnt make it explicit.

The Greek Parliament was quick to exploit this freedom. The 2012 budget proposes cuts to the social budget of another nine percent, or about 2 billion. The contributions to NATO, on the other hand, are expected to rise by 50 percent, to 60 million, and current defence spending by up to 200 million, to 1.3 billion an increase of 18.2 percent.

And the German Federal Governments stance? According to a spokesman, responding to an enquiry, the German government supports "the policy of consolidation of the Greek Prime Minister Papademos. The governments guiding assumption is that the Greek government will, on its own responsibility, contemplate meaningful cuts in military spending. At the same time, however, the spokesperson alludes to defaults on arms deals. The federal government has expressed its fundamental expectation that contracts will be fulfilled."

Translated from the German by Anton Baer

Better to burn out than fade away!

Albania, World Economy Index

2012-01-12T11:38:00.000-08:00

Albania still lacks a clear property rights system, particularly for land tenure. Security of land rights remains a problem in coastal areas where there is potential for tourism development.

Albania

Rule of Law

Property Rights35.0
Freedom From Corruption33.0

Limited Government

Government Spending69.5
Fiscal Freedom91.4

Regulatory Efficiency

Business Freedom78.2
Labor Freedom51.0
Monetary Freedom78.6

Open Markets

Trade Freedom79.8
Investment Freedom65.0
Financial Freedom70.0

Quick Facts

Population:
- 3.2 million
GDP (PPP):
- $23.9 billion
- 3.5% growth
- 5.1% 5-year compound annual growth
- $7,453 per capita
Unemployment:
- 13.5%
Inflation (CPI):
- 3.6%
FDI Inflow:
- $1.1 billion

Albania’s economic freedom score is 65.1, making its economy the 57th freest in the 2012 Index. Its level of economic freedom increased by 1.1 points during the past year, due primarily to improvements in freedom from corruption and business freedom. Albania is ranked 26th freest among the 43 countries in the Europe region, and its overall score is above the world average.

Albania’s foundations of economic freedom are undermined by poor protection of property rights and pervasive corruption. The low property rights score is largely a result of political interference in the judiciary. The government has maintained a competitive tax environment with a flat rate of 10 percent. Expansionary government spending has resulted in budget deficits in recent years, but the deficits have been narrowing.
Significant diversification of the economic base has increased economic dynamism, and the country has experienced strong economic growth that has reduced poverty and unemployment rates. The efficiency of the regulatory system has been facilitated by a broad simplification of business procedures. Although foreign direct investment has increased in recent years, levels still remain among the lowest in the region.

le of LawView Methodology

Property Rights 35.0 Create a Graph using this measurement

Freedom From Corruption 33.0 Create a Graph using this measurement

Albania still lacks a clear property rights system, particularly for land tenure. Security of land rights remains a problem in coastal areas where there is potential for tourism development. Although significant reforms of the legal system are underway, the courts are subject to political pressures and corruption. Protection of intellectual property rights is weak. Albania is a major transit country for human trafficking and illegal arms and narcotics.

Worried Albanians in northern Greece prepare to go home

2012-01-12T11:18:00.001-08:00

Albanians in Greece

Heading home again

Jan 14th 2012 | THESSALONIKI AND TIRANA | from the print edition

IT IS lunchtime and children pour out of Sunday-school classes in Thessaloniki. Waiting parents seem agitated as they talk to Valbona Hystuna, a teacher. The adults speak Albanian; the children talk to each other in Greek. Many of the youngsters have no knowledge of Albania. But the crisis in Greece is forcing their families to return home.
The latest census by Albania’s statistical office found only 2.8m inhabitants in the country, several hundred thousand fewer than expected and 7.7% less than a decade ago. As many as 1.4m are believed to have emigrated in the past 20 years, over half of them to Greece. But jobless Albanians have begun to return. Many men worked in construction, which has ground to a halt in Greece.
There is much anecdotal evidence of Albanians going home, but few statistics. Edmond Haxhinasto, Albania’s foreign minister, says only a few have returned. Still, Ms Hystuna says that “a lot of people have left, a lot plan to leave and everyone is talking about it.” In the past many Albanians lived and worked in Greece illegally, but most of them now have residence permits. Yet those who lose their jobs may also lose their permits, forcing them either to return home or to stay illegally.
Albanians have mostly integrated well. Their children often speak better Greek than Albanian; many need language classes before going back to Albania. But, says Ms Hystuna, the Greeks can make life difficult. The anxious parents she spoke to told her that the authorities have, out of the blue, insisted that the Albanian papers their Greek-born children have are unacceptable, since they use the Albanian rather than the Greek name for Thessaloniki.
As with migrant numbers, remittances are hard to measure. But what figures there are point to a sharp decline. In 2007 migrants sent home an estimated €950m ($1.3 billion). In 2010 that figure shrank to €690m; for the first three quarters of 2011 it was €475m. In 2009 remittances were reckoned to make up 9% of Albania’s GDP. Yet the economy, unlike Greece’s, has not gone into recession: it is expected to have grown by 2.5% in 2011.
Many Albanians in Greece are transferring savings to banks at home, fearful of what might happen if Greece leaves the euro. Some Greek companies have also begun to set up firms in Albania run by trusted Albanians who worked for them in Greece. So far, the effects of being a tiny economy largely dependent on recession-hit Greece and Italy have been negative but not disastrous. Yet as more Albanians move back, they will find jobs (and decent wages) scarce at home.

2012-01-12T10:16:00.000-08:00

Reaction of MFA against the calls for blocking the border with Serbia

Thursday, 12 January 2012
Source:www.mfa.gov.al

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Albania condemns the extremist calls to some Albanians in Kosovo and Albania to block the border with Serbia.

Such actions, as imitation of Serbian extremist policies, has nothing in common with the sacrifices and constructive efforts of all Albanians to build a democratic state of Kosovo, a multiethnic society, a state that builds and develops the good relations with neighbors, in-service to peace and stability in Kosovo and the region.

The use of nationalist and pseudo-patriotic rhetoric, in function of the partisan political agenda, does not serve the major objectives of the Albanians for the integration of each of the states where they live in their homes, in the European Union, and not help for new recognitions for Kosovo's new state

We express the confidence that the energies of these political forces should focus in the process of internal reform, leading to the consolidation of the democratic state of Kosovo, the integration of all communities, and open relationship based on mutual respect between the sovereign independent states.

2012-01-12T10:12:00.000-08:00

Albanian police; Wanted the Chairman of Omonia, Naum Dishon

Multiple police forces, are concentrated in Korca, as to require hem as a "criminal", while Omonia called sentence of Dishon, as political trial and irresponsible.,

Korca - 48 hours after the decision of the Appeals for the head of OMINIA sentence with 1 year's imprisonment, the policy forces fail to find its location.

The news is confirmed by the police forces of the southeastern city, which once took possession warrant, went to the residence of citizens Naum Dishon, to implement the decision of the Appeals Court, which sentenced him to 1 year in prison, but not found there.

On the other hand, the border police confirmed that the head of Omonia has not passed the Hellenic state. Police forces have started work on finding Dishos, while learning the investigation was focused within the city of Korca.

Naum Dishon, head of Omonia, is accused of ordering the establishment of the Greek soldier memorial cemetery Boboshtices, causing their dëmtin.

Interestingly, many police forces, are concentrated in Korca, as to require a "criminal", while Omonia, the called sentence of Dishon, as political trial and irresponsible.,

2012-01-12T04:28:00.001-08:00

Tirana, six Property officials arrested

Six state officials were arrested this Wednesday in Tirana, charged for power abuse.

According to the police, the four officials work at the Agency for the Legalization, Urbanization, and Integration of the Informal Zones/Buildings.

The two other arrested persons are directors of the Agency of Property Return And Compensation.

They are accused of favoring some persons for taking lands that they didn’t own. The officials lowered the value of land by the seaside by selling it as agricultural land.

Four from the six arrested persons are Bledar Dervishaj, director of APRC, Merita Gjinali, Dhimiter Papa and Njazi Ademi. Police is looking for the two others.

2012-01-12T04:24:00.001-08:00

Kosovo minister prevented from entering central Serbia

Source: Beta

BUJANOVAC -- Kosovo Diaspora Minister Ibrahim Makolli will not come to the southern Serbian town of Bujanovac today because he was not allowed to enter central Serbia.

Ibrahim Makolli

Bujanovac Mayor Shaip Kamberi has said that Makolli had to turn back and return to Kosovo.
He told Beta news agency that the Serbian police at the Končulj crossing did not allow the Kosovo minister to cross the administrative line and that he was on his way back to Priština.

Makolli was supposed to meet with Kamberi and Preševo Mayor Ragmi Mustapha and Albanian National Council President Galip Beqiri on Thursday.

2012-01-12T04:20:00.000-08:00

Waiting for "aprovation" of the Development Plan of the Himara Municipality, without property registration process and particularly for failed of the return of the ownership properties in Ionian Coast

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2012-01-11T12:16:00.000-08:00

Albania: Ministry of Defense sells Chinese military aircraft

TIRANA - The Ministry of Defence has announced that nine float military aircraft of the Albanian Armed Forces, Chinese manufacturing. For the sale of aircraft will be an auction which is expected to take place on Monday and will start with the initial figure of 24 million leks.

Aircraft used by former aviation school in Vlora and former aviation field in Tirana. According to the report issued in the Public Procurement Agency, Ministry of Defence intends to sell non-military aircraft for use, after finding no further use in the Armed Forces.

It is about two types of aircraft, Jak 18 Chinese manufacturing since 1971 and AN-2 aircraft produced in 1966. Jak 18 aircraft, two seater, used in aviation school for pilots' initial knowledge of the young but also in other demonstration activities, while AN-2 aircraft, with 10 seater capacity, have different functions in the armed forces.

2012-01-11T11:41:00.000-08:00

Waiting for "aprovation" of the Development Plan of the Himara Municipality, without property registration process and particularly for failed of the return of the ownership properties in Ionian Coast

No Comment!

Land for Sale Jale, Vlore

2012-01-11T07:52:00.000-08:00

A proposal for the troubled Balkans

http://www.antibaro.gr/node/3651

Constantine Holevas-Political Scientist
The Serbs now a minority in the erstwhile Serbian Kosovo-Kosovo announced that in mid-February 2012 will hold a referendum seeking autonomy in the region Mitrovitsa from the rest "state" of Kosovo. The few Serbs remaining in the historic cradle of the Serbian Orthodox Church excluded live in this enclave and do not communicate with the Albanian majority, which controls Kosovo. Interesting is the news coming from the State of Skopje. The Albanian party DPA announced that the Government of FYROM to change its constitutional name of the state to reach an agreement with Greece. Albanians constitute 30% of the population of Skopje and have virtually but not formally become autonomous in the western regions (Tetovo, Debar, Struga, etc.). Usually their positions on the issue of the name calling rather than the Greek views of these Gruevski.
In light of these developments and taking into account other volatile situations in the Balkan Peninsula we find it appropriate to point out three forms of regional autonomy, which can solve the current problems and to peacefully defuse the dynamic demands of specific ethnic communities. Clarifies that when I say I mean Wide Local Autonomy, Education, Crime and Economic Administration without changing or risk the existing borders. I believe that the opinion of the Court of International Law in favor of independent Kosovo (2010) is lanathasmeni, so it deserves to look for balancing solutions, such as three self which I propose.
First. Autonomy of Serbs in Kosovo. The Greece, Cyprus, Russia, Spain and many other countries (even as Muslim Azerbaijan) well do not recognize Kosovo as a separate state, because each country has to think about the practical consequences of its own national interests ( occupied Cyprus, Catalonia, Muslims of the Caucasus, etc.). Since, however, that other and even powerful countries like the U.S. recognize Kosovo, should all contribute to finding solutions for the survival of the Serbian Orthodox minority in the region. The bombings of 1999 were aimed supposedly multi-ethnic Kosovo and resulted in a mono-ethnic Albanian protectorate, where most Serbs are gone and the few remaining are restricted to the northern enclave, as I said. The only way to survive and not feel persecuted is to provide a form of autonomy with their own local Parliament, ease of communication with the mother Serbia, religious and educational institutions as part of their national tradition, while not preventing their participation in wider institutions in Kosovo if they want and if that is possible. The Independent this area will be protected by the UN and E. Union while UNESCO should more effectively protect Orthodox churches and Serbian monasteries that remain outside the autonomous region and have already been attacked by Albanians during the last 13 years.
Second. Autonomy of Albanians within the FYROM. Since 2001, when Albanians in Skopje took up arms, even today the famous Ohrid Agreement is an area of dispute and recrimination among the Slavs (psefdomakedonon) and Albanians. The Albanians have become encouraged after U.S. support for the secession of Kosovo and to envision their secession from the FYROM and their association with his fellow countrymen, who control Kosovo. The Greater Albania has been renamed to more diplomatic Physics Albania and weapons of the rebellion of 2001 remain in caches for ... the next step. The only solution at least for the foreseeable future is clear autonomy in areas with Albanian majority within the state of FYROM. So the State would lose the character of mono-ethnic "Macedonia", as viewed today. Therefore it is easier to show that Greece arguments on the issue of the name. A bi-national or rather multi-ethnic state can not take the name that expresses a single ethnicity. "Macedonians" Slavs themselves of FYROM. The Albanians have already proposed the name Dardania serving and Greece.
Third. Autonomy of the Greeks in Northern Epirus Albanian border. All parties who ruled Albania from 1990 until today require Greece to maintain numerous Albanians, but also political genocide "low profile" in the native Greeks. If you do not become a form of autonomy or Northern Epirus, the Greeks there will be extinguished completely. Only the solution of Autonomy will provide education, property and religious rights and fair policing. Furthermore, it will create a zone of investment help from Greece to return many Northern Epirus who are currently working in Greece. Unfortunately the Albanian leaders enhance and trigger anti-Greek propaganda Chams (descendants of war criminals in 1941-44). Let them remember the Independence, which provides the Corfu Protocol of 1914, who signed it and Albania!

2012-01-11T07:41:00.000-08:00

Albin Kurti of Self Determination: we will block border with Serbia, Albania to participate with us

TIRANA, lawmakers and activists 'self-determination' have given a press conference in Tirana, where they announced their action against the entry of Serbian products in Kosovo.

President of 'Vetvendosja', Albin Kurti said that action slogan "Serbia does not exceed", will launch on January 14, 13:00 am and departure will be from Merdare and 'White soil'.
Under Kurti action is not against people but against the policy of Serbia. Kurti said that while domestic goods are not exported to the Serbian state, Serbian or they should not enter Kosovo.

"On 14 January will block all border crossings that connect us with Serbia. It is an action, protest where the police should be on the side of Kosovo qyetarit. This activity is a consequence of non-compliance of the decision of the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo by the Government, to establish full reciprocity in political, economic and trade against Serbia. "

Albin Kurti called on Albanians to participate in this action of 'self-determination'.
"Action is not just about the Kosovars, but the Albanians, wherever they are. The jump in defense of the Republic of Kosovo, the products of our country. Albanians invite to participate. I learned that the cities of Albania has events associated with this action, "said Kurti.

'Vetvendosja' ensures that the activity is legitimate and will be peaceful. Through it, Defends Self-Determination of the Assembly of Kosovo, considering it as mandatory for the government, after coming from the highest decision making body of the Republic

2012-01-11T07:06:00.000-08:00

Gafurr Adili joins Red and Black Alliance

SKOPJE-Albanian National Union Front, led by former ANA spokesman, Gafurr Adili, will join the Red & Black Alliance.

"Despite all our efforts nationally, for a thousand and one reasons, we have reached our goal: the unification of all Albanian patriotic forces in a single formation of Albanian nationwide.

Therefore, I think that the next meeting of Council of Albanian National Union Front Nationwide, that will keep on March 31, 2012 in Kukes, jointly decide to join the disabled FDBK (the Red & Black Alliance.), "said Adil on Agency INA.

"Front was the first flower in the revival of national consciousness for national reunification of the Albanians and Albania History. And this should be front row of the first flower of unification of all Albanian patriotic organizations of the Red & Black Alliance.".

2012-01-11T01:35:00.000-08:00

Greek Consul: "Census, Albanian matter"

Top Channel TV

The newly appointed Greek Consul in Gjirokaster considered the Census held recently as a completely Albanian matter.

After meeting the local administration in Albania, consul Nikos Kotrokois declared that the role of the Greek Consulate in Gjirokaster will serve to the improvement of the relations between the two countries and Albania’s EU integration.

“I am sure that the Greek Consulate will support the joint efforts of both countries for reinforcing the cooperation in culture, education, heritage, tourism and other sectors of transfrontier interest. The Albanian citizens of Greek nationality are a connecting bridge that brings our countries even closer”.

The Consul also answered to the questions about the Greek position for the population registration in Albania.

“The Population Registration is an Albanian matter, and it is up to the Albanian citizens, including the Greek minority, to decide if they will participate in the Census or not. We support every democratic initiative in the country”, the Consul declared.

2012-01-11T01:26:00.001-08:00

Tadić: Solution for Kosovo lies in international arena

Source: Tanjug

BELGRADE -- Serbian President Boris Tadić says the Kosovo problem needs a creative solution that would satisfy interests of Serbs, Albanians and interests of great powers.

Boris Tadić

“We need to find allies in this process. This problem has been internationalized and so we need to find a solution in the international field. The Kosovo issue is essentially decided by the great powers, the members of the Security Council, plus Germany,” Tadić told weekly Nedeljnik.
He said that some of the different solutions that had been proposed in the past, such as substantial autonomy or partition, were either outdated or did not have the support of key players in the international community.

“Now we have to consider other solutions - the models of Northern Ireland, South Tyrol, Aland Islands, or some solutions from the territory of former Yugoslavia,” the president was quoted as saying.

The solution, he said, must contain four essential points: in particular, a solution for the administration of Serb monasteries and monastic complexes, special guarantees for the Serbs in the enclaves, regulations regarding the property of Serb citizens and the state of Serbia, and especially a solution for northern Kosovo.

“Those who decide about Kosovo do not want a frozen conflict, and this would not be good for us anyway. We have to take our solution before those who decide on such matters in the international arena. I talked about it with all key parties in Serbia and we all had a high level of agreement, except with the SRS (Serb Radical Party) and the DSS (Democratic Party of Serbia). However, now is not the time for internal debates, but rather a time to check how viable the solution that we have in mind can be before the key actors of the international community,” stressed Tadić.

“Serbia cannot achieve its interests in Kosovo without alliances at the international level, and these interests have been suspended in the international arena after the 1990's,” he added.

“Because of the errors and crimes in which were our countrymen were among the actors, our country has for years been the pillar of shame and has had to struggle for the legitimization of its national interests,” Tadić pointed out.

“Now, in the new and difficult circumstances, Serbia can no longer wait and has to protect its interests in the international arena,” the president explained.

2012-01-11T01:24:00.001-08:00

Turkey Heavily Penalised in Greek-Cypriot Human Rights Case

January 11, 2012 | Filed under: Geopolitics

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has awarded heavy damages to Constantinos G. Lordos and others in their claim that their human rights were violated because of the loss of use of their property after the Turkish invasion in 1974 and the continuing occupation of north Cyprus.

Under the ECHR ruling Turkey must pay damages of between 100,000 to 8 million euros to each of the 13 Greek Cypriot applicants for moral and material damages, while the same decision forced Turkey to pay 15,000 Euros for legal costs.

The case concerned the allegation by 13 applicants that the Turkish occupation of the northern part of Cyprus had deprived them of their homes and properties. They relied in particular on Article 1 of Protocol No. 1 (protection of property) and Article 8 (right to respect for private and family life).

The court issued a rule in favour of the applicants on November 2nd 2010 saying that Turkey had violated Article 1 for eight of the applicants; and had violated Article 8 for seven of the applicants but failed to award any damages then because “the parties had failed to provide reliable and objective data pertaining to the prices of land and real estate in Cyprus at the date of the Turkish intervention.”

The Court had dismissed by six votes to one Turkey’s preliminary objections that the applicants had not exhausted domestic remedies and that they had “lack of victim status”.

Constantinos Lordos was seeking 34.4 million Euros in damages for 69 properties he owns in north Cyprus. His claims reflected an amount for loss of use plus annual interest.

2012-01-11T01:01:00.000-08:00

Pirro Dimas: I'm Greek, and this all the world knows

With George Goro, feel friends, but I never said that I am Albanian.

After the recent debates about the placement of his name in the list of "notables" Himare and more, to put the quotation in his mouth that "My children have Albanian blood," Pirro Dimas in an exclusive interview for "Gazeta Shqiptare" confesses the truth of this statement and its relationship with the current head of the Municipality Himara, George Goro.

Pirro Dimas, weightlifter 4 time Olympic medalist, said she has never stated that his children are Albanian blood. "I've never told my children have Albanian blood and I've said many times that I am Greek and I am part of the minority. I am Greek and I always so ", - says Dimas.

He further added that Goro George relations are very good and often communicate between them.

2012-01-10T11:08:00.000-08:00

The greek newspaper "Proinos Logos"

Sali Berisha and Edi Rama, togather for "The Greater Albania"

First challenge the unity between in Northern .. The Greek Foreign Ministry deal more with these national issues

Each level tends to overcome the challenges of the Albanians against the Northern Epirus and Greece recently. Only unlike the past, most of these challenges do not come ... in broad terms by "various nationalist circles", but by particular individuals, organizations and even political parties in power! ..The Northern rightly feel uncomfortable by the tense climate that prevails, especially after the population census conducted in October and has since intensified continuously.

Already in the list of names ... the challenges against them (and all minorities in the neighboring country) has entered even the socialist opposition leader Edi Rama, who back the idea of "Greater Albania" and reflection creates the silent held by the Prime Minister of Albania and leader of the Democratic Party Sali Berisha.

The ... want it all!Now, this list was added and the nationalist organization "Red and Black Alliance", which in May will be turned into a political party! Indeed, as defiantly proclaiming executives, Albania extends Epirus, northwestern Greece, Florina and Kastoria (!), Regions where, according to the absurd claims of extreme nationalists in Albania, "bloodthirsty Greeks did ethnic cleansing of the Chams' !

Moreover, brutally twisting historical fact, reach a point to emphasize that these areas are unfairly attached to the Greek state in 1913 by the Council of Ambassadors........continues......

more in gree leanguage: www.proinos Logos"

2012-01-10T10:26:00.003-08:00

Ioannis Michaletos interview to newspaper Pravda in Serbia

"In case of a regional conflict it is certain that Turkey will support the “great Albania” plans. But I have to say, that it is not certain that Turkey will actually gain control of the Bondsteel base"

Interview to the journalist Dragan Basovic for newspaper Pravda in Belgrad

-Is an agreeement between Belgrade and Pristina possible?

An agreement is very difficult under present conditions. I think it will take several years before even an “interim” agreement takes place, let along a final one. It is very difficult for Belgrade to agree in loss of its national terrritory and on the other hand the Albanians do not want really to negotiate anything, for the time being.

- The Serbian government decided to enable freedom of movement on the Northern municipality. Local authorities of the region rejected what the government in Belgrade decided and said that they will have referendum about the authorities of Prisitna. Where their reactions lead into?

This is a crucial development and it seems that for sure in 2012 there will be more trouble in the North of Kosovo. Also one should take into account the expanding role of Germany in the region plus the American plans and the Russian ambitions. I believe there is still potential for conflict in that particular area. Also it is likely that there is going to be a clash between Kosovo-Serbs and the current Serbian goverment.

- The way the international community insists on a quick solution for Kosovo? Is it linked with the Serbian candidacy for the EU and early elections in Kosovo?

The Germans for sure have linked a final solution in Kosovo with EU’s acceptance of Serbia. About the rest of the “international communitiy” is not so certain. Moreover it has to be noted that in 2012 a lot of important developments are expected across Europe due to the ongoing financial crisis, therefore the issue of Kosovo will be used as a pretext so as not to accept Serbia or other Western Balkan countries into the EU, that has a lot of difficulties operating.

-Kosovo’s acting President Jakup Krasniqi has met chiefs of assembly groups in the to discuss how to pull Kosovo out of its institutional crisis.Is political unstability in Pristina good for Serbs regarding the North of the Eparchy?

It is good as long as Belgrade has a strategic plan

- Is Greece in danger if situation on North Kosovo gets out of from control?

Greece monitors situation in Kosovo closely because it always suspects a destabilization in the whole of the Balkans, plus it monitors potential Turkish reaction in the region and Albanian moves towards a potential “Great Albania plans”. Currently the issue is not high in the Greek foreign policy agenda, but it is always assessed by diplomatic and political authorities, as well as military ones, due to the presence of Greek soldiers there.

- German company Mercedes will leave Kosovo beecause of coruption.What does this mean?

This is a very interesting development that I assume it is realted to the “under the scenes” conflict for influence in Kosovo between the Americans and the Germans. This antagonism started years ago and still goes on and it is related also to business interests and companies competition between these two countries

-Military base Bondsteell will be, after the withdrawl of USA soldiers, under Turkish control. What do you think about that?

This means in most respects that Turkey will play a more active political role in the Western Balkans. But dont be sure that eventually Turkish military will have full control. It is more likely that there are going to be changes and finally US Army will remain and retain most of the control.

-What will be the main task of the Turkish soldiers in Bondsteel? Is this related to the Great Albania project?

In case the Turkish Amry seizes control of the base (Something which is not certain), then this will benefit of course the Albanian side, since both countries have develop strong links over the past years. In case of a regional conflict it is certain that Turkey will support the “great Albania” plans. But I have to say, that it is not certain that Turkey will actually gain control of the Bondsteel base.

2012-01-10T10:15:00.000-08:00

Mysterious visit of George Goro, in Washington

The famous actor Spiro Duni, appointed as the new Cultural Director of the Himara Municipality

It is not clear, the agenda of the visit of the Mayor of Himara, George Goro, in Washington, but sources by Washington, sent to SManalysis, the first visit in USA of the Mayor of Himara, is very interesting and very cloused.

The visit comes after several meetings under non-transparent of Himara Mayor, between the Albanian policy leaders, including Prime Minister Sali Berisha and opposition leader Edi Rama, for the future of Himara Region and Master Development Plans for the Ionian Coast of area.

The Himara Community, especially that of the Diaspora, in Unitet State of America, in which, the community, constitutes the strongest part and the weight of vision Himara Region, in the future, has criticized irresponsibility on the issue of property, that the Albanian government and political leaders, have promises to Himara, to resolve the issue of properties in which it has a glorious history of 2600 years, and any violation of its territory, will lead to unexpected developments.

The Himara Municipality, still being discussed even after 6 months of activity, establishing a website, at the same time, by the Municipality Cousil, have taken decisions which is in conflict with the interests of the Diaspora and the right of ownership.

The Himara Community, represents several thousand members, most of them from large families who migrated in several stages, but particularly after the persecution of the dictatorship and flows of migrants after 1990 years.

The famous actor Spiro Duni, appointed in the culture sector in the Himara Municipality

The Director and actor very known in Albania, Spiro Duni, was appointed by George Goro, as the Director of the cultural section of the Himara Municipality.

Selection is worth doing, for the fact that Duni, the father of famous singer Elina Duni, who has migrated for a long time in the USA, finded support all Himara factors and Communityes.

Elina Duni

(born March 1981, Tirane, Albania) is a Swiss-Albanian jazz singer.

Born in Tirana, Albania, in 1981 during the Communist regime, in an artist family,her mother Bessa Myftiu and grandfather Mehmet Myftiu are writers, and her father Spiro Duni is an actor and theatre director, Elina Duni makes her first steps on stage as a singer at the age of five and begins studying the violin. From 1986 to 1991, she participates in several children’s festivals and sings for the National Albanian Radio and Television. In 1992 she settled in Geneva, Switzerland along with her mother.
Between 2004 and 2008 she studied singing and composition at the Hochschule der Künste in Bern, in the jazz department. During this time she develops the Elina Duni Quartet with Colin Vallon on piano, Patrice Moret on double bass and Norbert Pfammatter on drums, which represents a return to her musical sources, a combination of Balkans folk songs and jazz.
In 2008 the CD Baresha, the first album of the Elina Duni Quartet, was released on Meta Records. This first musical departure with her quartet received marvelous acclaims from the German and Swiss press and is followed by European tours and festivals.
In February 2010 the second album of the Quartet Lume, Lume (World, World) was released on Meta Records and receives great acclaim from the Swiss, German, Austrian and French Press. The band tours in Switzerland, Germany, France and the Balkans.