SManalysis

The European Parliament, raises the issue of Naum Dishio

2012-02-02T08:19:00.000-08:00

"Challenges and illegal practices of the Albanian authorities against the Greek minority in Albania to put his question to the European Commission" declared MEP Giorgos Koumoutsakos.

The story, was denounces by the Greek MEP Georgeos Koumoutsakos, in European Parliament declared that " On Friday, January 27, 2012, a group of men of Albanian police, violating every concept of rule of law, without falling arrest Prosecutors violently invaded and covered persons in the residence of the President of the minority organization" Omonia". for the Region of Korca and Vice Politic Party "National Greek Minority in the Future (MEGA), Mr. Nahum Ntiso. Indeed caused serious damage within the house. " "These facts," adds Mr. Koumoutsakos, "then became a clearly unfounded accusations of alleged" desecration of graves "in Korca Bompostitsa-which is a deliberate distortion of facts, which have nothing to do with the fabricated charges against the Greek origin Albanian citizen, Nahum Ntiso. "
As noted by SW MEP, the case Ntiso is the latest episode in a series actions of the Albanian authorities against the Greek minority, such as those experienced during the recent inventory process Census. Notes indeed, that such practices by the Albanian authorities apply primarily to areas of the Albanian state refuses to recognize the existence of Greek National Minority (for example regions of Korca, Premetis, Leskoviki, Himara etc.).

On this basis, the European Commission asks it is aware of these facts and if it considers that Albania, which seeks to be a candidate for EU accession country, meets the criteria for full respect for human rights and to protect the rights of Minorities.

Balkans on new borders changing

2012-02-01T23:55:00.000-08:00

Berlin, February 1, the area will soon be a new round of changes of borders in the Balkans, praises German Institute for International Affairs and Security (SWP), headquartered in Berlin.

Analysis of the institute announced that Macedonia, Kosovo and Bosnia-Herzegovina are fragile society where again threatened by ethnic and political conflicts, informs news agency INA.

"As such conflicts in the region have so far completed the change of borders, there is no reason to eventual revision of boundaries does not occur without violence", writes in an analysis of the German Institute.

As Black said this forecast developments in the region is inspired and is in line with requirements for the division of Kosovo Serbs.

In the analysis noted that just in 2009, the U.S. ambassador in Tirana had rejected and ceased public commitment of Prime Minister Sali Berisha for Albanian unification, but now, as highlighted, the third force in Kosovo powerful "Selfdetermination" has placed this issue at the top of its applications. On the other hand, the Serbs in northern Kosovo refuse to be a minority in the new state, and thereby created a new crisis.

According to the analysis, the division of Kosovo would cause strengthening of the Macedonian Albanian separatism. "Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski's nationalist and conservative working intensively on the ancient Macedonian state identity, which can cause increased gap between Albanians and Macedonians. With this concept to promote, Albanians will not be allowed to identify with this country", writes in the analysis of the German institute. Analysis of this institute also brought new developments and forecasts.

Albania’s ombudsman shelters homeless Roma in his office to highlight plight amid cold snap

2012-02-01T22:51:00.000-08:00

By Associated Press, Published: February 1

TIRANA, Albania — Albania’s state ombudsman says he has moved dozens of homeless members of the Roma community into his Tirana office to highlight their plight as a cold snap hits the region.
Igli Totozani said Wednesday he has provided shelter to the 51 Roma, 25 of whom are children, to protect them from near-freezing temperatures. He said it was an “emergency solution,” warning that the children would otherwise die of exposure in the open.

The Roma, or Gypsies, were left without shelter after being twice evicted from private land on the fringes of Tirana where they had set up tents. Totozani said he hoped the Labor Ministry would soon resolve the situation. Most of Albania’s Roma live in tents or ramshackle homes in city outskirts, and lack access to adequate housing, education and employment.

2012-02-01T09:15:00.000-08:00

OMONIA: Starting the preparatory process of the Census of the Greeks, in Albania

In order to plan to take preparatory measures for the announced Inventory of Greek in Northern Epirus, met yesterday, Monday, January 30, 2012, the Census Committee, chaired by the President of OMONIAS Vassilis Bolanos. The meeting was attended and the Chairman of CyNet and MP Mr. Evangelos Doyle.

There was a first estimate for the acceptance is the decision of the General Council of OMONIAS to undertake such an initiative, particularly within the Northern Epirus and more generally in the political world, after a visit to Athens was by President Bolanos.

The process begins in June and will end in September 2012

2012-02-01T07:08:00.001-08:00

Karadzic Call Greek President to Give Evidence at War Crimes Tribunal

February 1, 2012 | Filed under: Geopolitics

Former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic asked the UN’s Yugoslav war crimes tribunal on Thursday to order the Greek president to give evidence for his war crimes trial.

“Radovan Karadzic… moves for the issuance of a subpoena to Greek President Carolos Papoulias compelling him to submit to an interview conducted by Mr Karadzic’s legal advisor Peter Robinson,” he said in a document submitted to The Hague-based court.

Karadzic, 66, who faces genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity charges before the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), proposed a one-hour interview at Papoulias’s Athens office on April 2.

As Greek foreign minister between 1993 and 1996, Papoulias “played a prominent role in the Bosnian peace negotiations” and could testify to the various meetings and conversations they had, Karadzic said.

“Because of the religious and historical ties between Greece and the Serbs, President Papoulias was one of the few international interlocutors whom the Bosnian Serbs trusted and with whom they could speak confidentially and candidly,” Karadzic said.

Karadzic, who was arrested in Belgrade in 2008, said evidence by the Greek president would include establishing his innocence for the shelling of Sarajevo’s Markale market on February 5, 1994 in which 67 people died.

He added that he had sent several letters to the Greek government, which declined to his request to have Papoulias interviewed.

Once the most powerful leader among Bosnian Serbs, Karadzic, 66, faces 11 counts for his role in the Bosnia conflict which left some 100,000 people dead and 2.2 million homeless.

He wanted in particular for masterminding the killings at the eastern Bosnian enclave of Srebrenica, the only episode in the 1990s Balkans wars to have been ruled genocide by the ICTY.

His trial opened in October 2009, but has been hit by several delays since.

Karadzic has pleaded not guilty to the charges. If convicted he could face life behind bars.

2012-02-01T07:07:00.001-08:00

Talks in Belgrade focus on Serbia’s EU prospects

February 1, 2012 | Filed under: Geopolitics

Foreign Minister Stavros Dimas held talks with his Serbian counterpart Vuk Jeremic while in Belgrade on Tuesday, with the focus mainly on Serbia’s European accession prospects.

Dimas was in Belgrade to attend an informal ministerial meeting of the South East European Cooperation Process (SEECP).

The talks were mainly concerned with next month’s planned European Union summit, which will examine Serbia’s application to become an EU candidate country.

Dimas reiterated Greece’s support for Serbia’s accession bid; stressing that Europe would be incomplete without Serbia. A major stumbling block for Serbia’s EU integration is the unsolved Kosovo question.

Jeremic briefed the Greek minister on developments in dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, especially the effort underway for a solution concerning Kosovo’s representation in regional organisations.

Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in February 2008, a move not recognised by Belgrade as well as a handful of EU member states including Greece, Cyprus, Spain and Romania.

Under the current Serbian government led by Boris Tadic, Serbia has made progress in a number of areas. In June 2011 Serbian security forces arrested and swiftly extradited Ratko Mladic who was wanted by The Hague for war crimes during the Bosnian war.

At the time of Mladic’s extradition to the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY), it was widely seen as a breakthrough for Serbia’s EU ambitions following the arrest and extradition of suspected war criminal Radovan Karadžić in July 2008. Chief ICTY prosecutor Serge Brammertz commented after Mladic’s arrest that Belgrade ‘had fulfilled one of its main international obligations’ which certainly added weight to Serbia’s EU aspirations. However the unanswered question of Kosovo remains a significant obstacle for Serbia’s EU aspiration.

The Serbian foreign minister underlined that his country will not accept any solution that overlooks UNSCR 1244 and stressed that Belgrade will only agree to Kosovo’s representation in regional organisations within this framework.

Dimas had earlier paid a visit to Serb Patriarch Irineos and briefed him on the effort to overcome the economic crisis in Greece, expressing hope that the country would soon return to growth.

Responding to the Patriarch’s questions about the progress of talks on the name dispute with the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (Fyrom), Dimas noted that the government in Skopje was displaying intransigency, chiefly in order to strengthen its position domestically and stay in power.

The minister stressed that Greece desires a solution to the name dispute arising through mutual consensus on the name issue, in the framework of UN processes, and to restore good neighbour relations.

Dimas also visited Belgrade’s Nebojsa Tower, now a museum that was partly refurbished with the assistance of Greek funds and includes a gallery dedicated to Greek independence struggle hero Rigas Ferraios, who was killed in the tower by Ottoman soldiers.

2012-02-01T06:59:00.001-08:00

K. Albanian authorities "to end supervised independence"

Source: Tanjug

PRIŠTINA -- The assembly in Priština on Tuesday adopted a resolution "on ending the supervised independence of Kosovo", reports said.

Radical ethnic Albanian Self-Determination Movement, which is represented in the assembly, opposed the resolution, referring to it as "an attempt by the Kosovo government to hide painful compromises made on Kosovo and the conditions it would face".
Premier Hashim Thaci told the assembly that by passing this resolution, "united as always when unity was needed, lawmakers would open the door to the ending of supervised independence".

The resolution was also supported by the opposition, with the exception of Albin Kurti's Self-Determination.

While expressing their disagreement with the draft resolution, the Self-Determination representatives proposed their own version, but it was not put to a vote because the draft from the Democratic Party of Kosovo had majority support.

In eight points, the resolution welcomes the recommendations of the International Steering Group for Kosovo - made up of country's that support Priština's UDI - of Jan. 24, on the ending of supervised independence in this year.

Ethnic Albanians in Kosovo four years ago unilaterally declared independence, basing the proclamation on former UN envoy Martti Ahtisaari's plan for "supervised independence".

The plan, however, was never adopted by the UN Security Council, while both it and the unilateral declaration were rejected by Serbia.

NATO “thwarted” organ trade investigation

2012-02-01T06:58:00.000-08:00

BELGRADE -- Former Hague Tribunal Chief Prosecutor Carla Del Ponte has stated that NATO thwarted the investigation into the human organ trafficking in Kosovo.

Carla Del Ponte

She added that the real truth could be revealed only in an UN-led probe.
“The international community had to react after the report by (Council of Europe Special Rapporteur) Dick Marty, but the real truth about these allegations could only be revealed in an UN-led probe,” Del Ponte told Belgrade-based weekly Nedeljnik.

She added that there was a lack of political will to resolve this case because the situation in Kosovo was still very fragile.

When asked whether she felt responsible for the destruction of evidence from Yellow house late in 2005, Del Ponte said that this was a big mistake and that it was done without previous consultations with her.

“I was really shocked when I learned from the media that the evidence was destroyed. However, I do not feel responsible as I was not authorized to lead the investigation,” the former prosecutor was quoted as saying.

Del Ponte said that she knows who ordered the destruction of evidence as she was in constant contact with her successor Serge Brammertz, but that this information should be now searched in the office of the Hague Tribunal chief prosecutor.

When asked about the fact that she had an insight into the UNMIK confidential report on crimes in the Yellow house back in 2004 but the investigation was suspended, Del Ponte said that the prosecution was not able to continue the probe due to numerous obstacles.

“NATO and UNMIK did not allow us to see important files, while Albania did not let us enter its territory and inspect graves,” she noted.

Review: Greek Military Intelligence and the Crescent

2012-01-31T12:53:00.000-08:00

January 30, 2012

Greek Military Intelligence and the Crescent. Estimating the Turkish Threat- Crises, Leadership and Strategic Analysis, 1974-1996

By Panagiotis Dimitrakis

"Indeed, on January 30, Prime Minister Simitis was handed, but “seemed uninterested” in, a personal letter from CIA Director George Tenet. It had been passed on to NIS Director Leonidas Vasikiopoulos from the Athens CIA station chief. The letter stated Tenet’s view that “it would be disastrous for Greece, Turkey and NATO if war broke out due to escalation of the [Imia] incident” (p. 159)."

University of Plymouth Press (2010), 224 pp.

Reviewed by Chris Deliso

This comparative analytical work discusses two memorable showdowns between Greece and Turkey, events that exemplified both countries’ balance of power and political and military strategic capacities and goals in the late 20^th-century. These affairs – the first, a war of words accompanied by military buildups in 1987 and the second, the much more serious Imia crisis of January 1996 – occurred in an environment in which some of the same conditions that applied then apply still now.

Analysts will thus find a wealth of useful insight in Greek Military Intelligence and the Crescent, which will help in assessing the Greek-Turkish relationship today. The book is, of course, also an engrossing read for the armchair historian or intelligence buff. The vivid recounting of the decision-making processes of Greek leaders, civilian and military intelligence, and the armed forces (particularly the Navy) is peppered with new commentary from former high-level officials who were active during the period in question, adding to the book’s appeal.

Introduction

The author, Greek historian Panagiotis Dimitrakis, starts his study with an introduction discussing themes like ‘key concepts in military intelligence,’ ‘leadership and intelligence’ and ‘intelligence and crisis management.’ This is a rather theoretical approach, but unquestionably it elucidates topics that are crucial to the narrative of both the 1987 and 1996 events, and thus informs the rest of the text.

The introduction also gives a broad overview of the following six chapters which constitute the bulk of Greek Military Intelligence and the Crescent. Readers are thus made aware from the beginning of the overarching structure of the narrative, which fleshes out the concepts discussed in the introduction. Thus the book is of value both in the specific context of Greece and Turkey in the late 20^th century, and in the general context of military intelligence and diplomacy at work. Conclusions can thus be applied or at least compared to other similar situations from elsewhere in the world. Indeed, the forward to Greek Military Intelligence and the Crescent is written by Sir Lawrence Freedman, Britain’s Official Historian of the Falklands War.

Historical Context: the Importance of Cyprus, the Continental Shelf and Diplomatic Projections

Dimitrakis illustrates from early on the importance Greek military planners gave to specific formative events and to political/diplomatic issues that posed the risk, in their view, of a violent confrontation. The former was of course the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974, creating a military occupation that still shows no signs of ending today. The latter refers to diplomatically disputed issues in the eastern Aegean, chiefly concerning the validity of territorial waters as compared to the extent of islands and coastline, as well as the continental shelf. Both Greece and Turkey have made claims for what they believe to be their rightful property based on differing interpretations of the international laws, agreements and principles relating to this issue....

more.....http://www.balkanalysis.com/greece/2012/01/30/review-greek-military-intelligence-and-the-crescent/

2012-01-31T12:31:00.000-08:00

Cold, snow and gusty winds thoughout Greece and the region

Extreme weather conditions prevailed on Tuesday in Northern Greece with temperatures plunging below zero. Snowfall and frost was reported in most parts of the country as well as gusty northerly winds reaching a velocity of 8 on the Beaufort scale. Snow chains are necessary in all mountainous areas throughout the country. Due to gale-force winds all vessels remained docked in ports and all itineraries for the Cyclades, Dodecanese and the islands of the northeastern Aegean and Crete have been cancelled. In Athens, the thermometer on Tuesday morning showed 0C while in the northern Athens suburbs, snowfall and temperatures reaching -4C were recorded.

2012-01-31T12:18:00.000-08:00

Edi Rama: We must help Preshevo
31/01/2012

After Athens, Rama comes back again to diaspora

The visit in Presheva, the vote in favor of the immunity removal for the three Socialist MPs, the investigations of January 21st were the matters for which the opposition leader, Edi Rama, spoke in front of the Socialist Parliamentary Group.

After thanking the Presheva citizens for the fraternal welcome, Edi Rama mentioned the lack of a maternity hospital and schools in this area populated by Albanians, by proposing a Parliamentary legal initiative.

“There is no time to lose. We must put the things in motion for initiating an first aid, which is very achievable, with the citizens of the Presheva Valley. All new Albanian mothers are obliged to travel far for bringing their children to life. No school has been built in the last 20 years for the education of their children. Let as formulate as soon as possible a parliamentary legal initiative and give funds to their local administration”, Rama declared.

Rama tasked the Chairman of the Parliamentary Commission of Integration, Ditmir Bushati, for preparing a package of propositions and a joint strategy for the Albanians in the region.

2012-01-31T12:16:00.000-08:00

Ethnic tensions in Macedonia
31/01/2012

The ethnic and religious tensions in Struge risk going out of control. In Llabunishta, Struge, unidentified people have burned an orthodox church, but the fire scorched only its objects.

The quick reaction of the residents put the flames away. Police says that they are working for this event that created tensions in this region of mixed ethnic population.

The former Prime Minister, Vllado Buckovski, declared that these events could cause bigger incidents.

“The burning of churches makes me fear that it is taking religious dimension, not only inter-ethnic ones. This is very dangerous and the government should prevent it, with all institutions, because we could have even bigger problems”, declared the former Prime Minister, Vllado Buckovski.

The analyst Kim Mehmeti estimates that Macedonia is the one to lose most, with these incidents.

“If the clashes continue between the people who seek gas chambers for the Albanians and those who burn the Macedonian flag, the real victim will be the country of Macedonia. If Macedonia will continue this way, they will disintegrate”, Mehmeti declared.

As regards the incidents in Struge, the European Union Office in Skopje asked the Macedonian Authorities to bring the authors of the recent incidents to justice.

The relations between the Albanians and the Macedonians deteriorated after a carnival that was held at the Vevçani commune, near Struge, in which the Macedonians offended the Albanians and Quran.

Thousands of Struge Albanians protested last week against the Vevcan carnival and burned the Macedonian flag.

Islamic Radicals in Struga creating problems

2012-01-31T12:12:00.000-08:00

MINA Agency

Tuesday, 31 January 2012

A cell of wahabis and islamic fundamentalists is at the core of a protest which led to burning of a Macedonian flag which was then replaced by a Saudi(?) flag.

The reason for this protest as the city's mayor said is the Vevcani Carnival which had offended muslims in the area.

The mayor himself, Ramiz Merko is seen by many as a radical muslim with police sources pointing to him as the organizer of this weekend protest.

It all started when an intoxicated ethnic Albanian went to a bookstore and purchased a Macedonian flag and then burned it in front of the county headquarters. Money well spent.

What happened after was certainly not spontaneous. Dozen cars showed up packed with people to protest the arrest of the intoxicated Albanian, but at the same time started protesting the Vevcani Carnival?

Many of the protesters had lengthy beards, shouted slogans "Death to Christians", something you would see in Saudi Arabia. To complete the shocking image, one of the protesters pulled out a green flag and posted it on the county flag pole.

It took police 45 minutes to realize the flag was Saudi, a flag our MINA correspondent says can not be purchased in Macedonia, because stores simply don't carry it.

The mayor, Ramiz Merko defended the islamic radicals who shouted "Death to Christians" by demanding apology from the Vevcani mayor for insulting their feelings.

According to Merko, Christians don't have feelings, it's only muslims who have them.

The wahabi sect in Macedonia is getting increasingly dangerous. The CIA and Interpol have both warned Macedonian police to keep a close eye on the increasing number of wahabis.

The wahabis have spread in huge numbers to Bosnia, Serbia, Bulgaria and Montenegro. Bosnia for instance, although considered a muslim country, has arrested the head of their wahabi sect just a week ago. According to the Bosnian Government, the wahabis were very dangerous for Bosnia!

Europe has also taken notice. Holland, France, Belgium... have all banned muslim burqas despite having large muslim populations.

In Macedonia, it's been confirmed on numerous occasions by police, media, banks... that the Saudis are paying wahabi radicals in the country 300 euros per month to force their women to wear burqas and spread their radical views to locals.

Perhaps it's high time Macedonia takes the CIA and Interpol warnings seriously, arrest mayor Ramiz Merko as he has been at the forefront of encouraging islamic radicals for a decade. //Gorazd Velkovski

Macedonian Orthodox Christian church set alight

2012-01-31T10:40:00.000-08:00

By BORIS GRDANOSKI and KONSTANTIN TESTORIDES - Associated Press

LABUNISTA, Macedonia --

An Orthodox Christian church famed for its valuable icons was set alight in southern Macedonia overnight, authorities said Tuesday, as religious tension between Christians and minority Muslims grew over a carnival in which men dressed as women in burqas and mocked the Quran.

Firefighters extinguished the fire late Monday in the two century-old Sveti Nikola church, in the village of Labunista near the town of Struga. The church's roof was partly destroyed but its icons were not damaged, the fire service said.

Hours before the fire, Muslim leaders had appealed for calm among community members.

« Prev 1 of 2 photos Next »

Slideshow

AP Photo - - The storage shed for fire wood, built beside the Christian Orthodox church St. Nikola is seen burnt, right, in the dominantly Muslim village of Labunista in southwestern Macedonia, on Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2012. An Orthodox Christian church famed for its valuable icons was almost set alight in southern Macedonia Monday overnight, amid religious tension between Christians and Muslims in this part of the country.

The Jan. 13 Vevcani festival prompted angry, sometimes violent demonstrations by Muslims, who are nearly all ethnic Albanian and make up 33 percent of the country's 2.1 million population and accuse the majority of stoking hatred.

Ethnic tension has been simmering in this small Balkan country since the end of an armed rebellion in 2001, when ethnic Albanian rebels fought government forces for about eight months, seeking greater rights for their community. The conflict left 80 people dead, and ended with the intervention of NATO peacekeepers.

The Vevcani carnival, a traditional festival said to have been held for some 1,400 years, attracts thousands of visitors. Local residents traditionally wear elaborate, frequently sarcastic masks, with some of the most common costumes including devils and demons.

The perceived mockery of the Quran and the burqa costumes caused outrage. On Saturday, protesters attacked an inter-city bus heading from Struga to Vevcani, throwing rocks at the vehicle. They also defaced a Macedonian flag outside Struga's municipal building, replacing it with a green flag representing Islam. On the same day, perpetrators attacked a church in the nearby village of Labunista, destroying a 4-meter (13-feet) cross.

Macedonian president Gjorge Ivanov and the leaders of the Orthodox Christian and Muslim communities condemned the incidents and called for the perpetrators to be brought to justice.

The three "expressed confidence that the tradition of living together for centuries in Macedonia remains the value ... for all people of Macedonia," Ivanov's office said in a statement.

The European Union's mission in Macedonia also called for cooperation among the religious communities.

Ethnic Albanians in Macedonia and elsewhere in the Balkans have traditionally been secular. But conservative Islamic schools, especially an ultra-conservative form of the religion known as Wahhabism, have taken a foothold in the years following the brief 2001 uprising.

Read more here: http://www.heraldonline.com/2012/01/31/3705015/macedonian-orthodox-christian.html#storylink=cpy

2012-01-31T09:43:00.000-08:00

Kosovo Albanians: "the new Plan destructs our culture and history"

The Albanian community, protested for the new Development Plan of the Kosovo Government

A group of NGOs, supported by political forces in Prizren staged a protest to oppose the bill on the city's historic center. Opponents say that this is a political law that promotes ethnic and religious divisions as it provides more legal power in the management of many properties of the Orthodox Church in the center of Prizren. Authorities say that this law except while protecting cultural heritage in Kosovo, helping the process of concluding the supervised independence.

2012-01-31T05:59:00.001-08:00

Albanian Statixtic Institute, INSTAT under the PM's Berisha control

The Socialists opposed the project proposed by the majority that establishes the Institution of Statistics under the direct administrative control of the Prime Minister's Office.

“With this amend your are sanctioning ‘de jure’ what happens ‘de facto’, the complete control of INSTAT by the Prime Minister. Our stance for this case is completely opposed to your proposition. INSTAT must be an independent and completely reliable institution, attributes that unfortunately it doesn't have”, declared the Socialist MP, Mimi Kodheli.

Selami Xhepa, Democratic MP, declared that the draft doesn’t damage the independence and reliability of the data published by INSTAT, since they are monitored by other institutions that are not under the Prime Ministry’s control.

“Everyone knows very well that INSTAT has IMF experts who have given the methodological bases of this institution, and that on those bases have been worked so far. The IMF experts are permanently attached to this institution, for guaranteeing the integrity it deservs”, Xhepa declared.

The draft was approved at the Parliamentary Commission of Economy with the votes of the Democratic MPs, but Mimi Kodheli declared that the Socialists will cancel the law when they will come to power, and will set INSTAT under the control of the Parliament, which guarantees the independence of this institution and the data it publishes.

2012-01-31T00:21:00.001-08:00

Berisha: Albania to sign probe deal with EULEX

31. January 2012. | 08:01

Source: Beta

Albania and the EULEX mission in Kosovo are poised to sign an agreement on cooperation in investigating allegations of human organ trafficking, Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha has said.

Albania and the EULEX mission in Kosovo are poised to sign an agreement on cooperation in investigating allegations of human organ trafficking, Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha has said.
The announcement said that Berisha had fully agreed that an agreement or law that would institutionalize cooperation between the Albanian authorities and EULEX was necessary to establish a clear framework which will help the EU mission fulfill its mandate in the probe, the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network reported on Jan. 27.
Berisha made the statement on Jan. 26, after meeting with John Clint Williamson, who is the chief prosecutor in a special investigative team that has been charged with looking into the allegations voiced in a Council of Europe resolution which claims that the Kosovo Liberation Army harvested organs from captive Serbs during the 1999 war which it later sold.

2012-01-30T23:50:00.000-08:00

Porto Palermo (Panormo) to be sold, by Tirana for Albanian Boss

Mysterious Investments, continue to threaten The Himara Region

The Albanian government has decided to sell about 40 items of cultural monuments of Albanian State, for which the Ministry of Culture, has made nearly sales prices.

In objects that are targeted for privatization, is the castle of Porto Palermo (Panormo) for which efforts are to be bought by Boss Albania, in Tirana.

Development Plan the Himara Region, also includes Castle which is emerging in sale, and tunnels of Albanian Navy submarines.

According to sources from Himara main requirements for privatization, there are several companies that are investing mysterious stains just in tourism development plan of the Himara Region, which is expected to be approved next month in Tirana.

Annyway, the Civil Society, the orthodox Church and Community, stand against the Albanian Government and municipal administration of Himara, for the development of this plan.

As are published, all civil society organizations and communities Himara in the Diaspora, have considered this plan, as economic vassalage and attempt to change the ethnic composition of the Himara Region.

A Company from USA, promised $ 2 billion investment in Vlora Gulf to Berisha

2012-01-30T22:54:00.000-08:00

According to the Newspaper "Tema", the american Company has only two employees, because it has falimented 5 years ago

Those Companies have targeted also the Himara Region

A small Company in the U.S., presented on Saturday in Tirana a mega-project construction and tourism, for which the figure goes up to 2 billion dollars. After these astronomical figures hiding in the U.S. shareholders who are companies with two employees and a modest balance in sales. The Company in question is "SIVA Partners" that presented Saturday at the "Sheraton" a gigantic project for a tourist resort, where, in addition to the golf courses of ports for yachts - already heard - says he is ready to build two twin towers , with 75 floors each. The project will be realized at the mouth of Vjosa, on 505 acres in an area protected from Narta lagoon and its value will be varied from 1.5 to 2 billion dollars. At the heart of this project is a super-casino. In other words, investors from the United States claim to build an Atlantic City on the Adriatic coast at the height of the global crisis, a center of tourism, which would provide room for luxury ships of the largest and so many places for casino in the world, how would rival any other resort in the Mediterranean port.
On January 20, 2012, this group of investors was received in the office of Prime Minister Sali Berisha, where the head of government said he was willing to give the green light for such investments, as more Americans seek the other sectors.

President Group "SIVA Partners", Simon Elyakim, presented on January 20 premier project "The Millennium Casino & Resort", which consisted of building a tourist resort with villas and hotels, tennis courts, golf courses and casinos. This project, he said, is the result of attractive business climate in Albania, its geography and climate more attractive for tourists. It aims to create a great tourist center in the Balkans. Also, he presented the group's portfolio of interests for investment in Bangladesh in the fields of infrastructure, in roads, railways, including the Albania-Kosovo railways and other works such as tunnels, ports, in the field of hydrocarbons, including the privatization The Albpetrol, etc., and to realize the tram in Tirana. As usual, before such proposals, Berisha is excited, saying they have done very well to have chosen Albania as his government has done much to create a suitable climate for foreign investment.

After these dizzying figures hide a company - say less - modest in the U.S. market and global real estate and investments, which can boast so far only with a two-floor hotel-cottage San Paolo in Brazil. "Pillars" of this group are two Albanians claimed: Valentin Gurraj (29 years) and George Frangaj, resident in the U.S.. The latter company owns a marble works, with two employees and sales of 304 thousand dollars during a year declared, according to data from tax authorities Amerikës. /

http://www.shqiptarja.com/news.php?IDCategoria=2724&IDNotizia=70105

2012-01-30T10:07:00.000-08:00

No comment!

Politicians of Greece, "without character", than the Albanian colleagues

Meeting in Athens Bakogiani-Rama

Bakogiani said a month ago, that Edi Rama has joined the Albanian extremists, against Greece

Edi Rama said the day before by Preshevo (Southern Serbia) "Greece gave from Albania 300 km sea"

2012-01-30T08:40:00.000-08:00

Another "mandat arrest" order for Naum Disho

Still "Omonia" has not made any declaration to protect Naum Disho by Albanian tribunals

The familiars of Naum Disho, protested yesterday to the Albanian authorities for that about 20 police under the masks in head, have terrorize the children.

Naim Dish is announced a fugitive for the second time, after he was sentenced for the desecration of the Boboshtice village graves.

The judicial confusions with the Boboshtica trial have caused the creation of another arrest-order for Disha. The Korce Prosecution issued the second arrest order for the head of the Omonia, sentenced to one year in prison for desecrating the Boboshtice village graves.

The procedural transfer of this case to the Court of Fact and of that Appeal has enabled Disho escape arrest for the second time, because he wasn’t found at his residence.

The arrest order released by Disho was not executable until the Court would reviewe the defensive request and gives the new decision.

The rejection of the request has caused the removal of the arrest order against Disho, and the issuing of another one.

Anyway, still "Omonia" has not made any declaration to protect Naum Disho by Albanian tribunals

The familiars of Naum Disho, protested yesterday to the Albanian authorities for that about 20 police under the masks in head, have terrorize the children.

2012-01-30T08:35:00.001-08:00

Flux of Albanians in Britain

A record breaking flux of Albanians in Britain is the alarm published this Monday by the “Daily Express” newspaper, known in London for the anti-emigration stances.

The newspaper says that the number of Albanians repatriated by the authorities has increased with 800%. Before the visa liberalization with the Southern European countries, in 2010, the British Authorities used to catch 2 illegal Albanian emigrants a day.

After Brussels opened its doors, according to the newspaper, 229 Albanians have been repatriated from July to September 2011. A study of the European Border Agency, Frontex, indicates the number of Albanians returned from the European borders during the same period was 3550, seven times bigger than one year ago. The details are published one week after EU opened the dialogue for the visa liberalization with Kosovo.

“These figures are only the tip of the iceberg, because they show only the ones that have been caught”, declared Gerard Batten, the British European MP form the Anti-Emigration Party, UKIP. Similar anti-emigration tones have came from the British press before other Southern European countries entered the visa free regime.

The biggest problem of London doesn’t come from the Albanians and their numbers, which are very low when compared with the Lithuanians, Poles, Romanians and Bulgarians, although they are EU member countries and benefit much more from the state finances, through social benefits. The number of Albanians involved in crime is still insignificant compared to the others, and they are still being unjustly mentioned as example, while the official British Police data indicate that they are not a problematic criminal group in UK.

2012-01-30T07:57:00.001-08:00

			ATHENS, AGAINST THE FINANCE SUPERVISOR OF BRUXELLES
	AMNA / Prime Minister Lucas Papademos reiterated on Sunday afternoon that political leaders supporting his interim government "are in absolute convergence with the continuation of (PSI) negotiations and the positions we shall support." Speaking after a two-and-a-half meeting at the Maximos Mansion, he said " unity of political forces and their commitment to support necessary changes constitutes a substantive factor of reliability; they strengthen the effectiveness of economic policy and permit us to negotiate better terms." Papademos also referred to a "tough struggle" to secure the country's position in Europe, the euro and the community of developed countries. www.amna.gr "... despite the progress which has been achieved for the stabilisation of the economy, despite the considerable changes and great sacrifices of the citizens, deviations from the targets and accumulated delays in the implementation of certain policies have, as a result, caused partners to raise additional commitments and terms," he warned. The Greek prime minister and former central banker said a new programme includes arrangements for the restructuring of the state and a distinct boosting of competitiveness. amna Papademos left for Brussels immediately afterwards, where he will attend an EU summit on Monday.

2012-01-30T04:51:00.000-08:00

The Albanian President Bamir Topi in court for family propertties

According to the Albanian prosecutor, 8 thousand people were killed, in 20 years in Albania for property rights

TIRANE-Finding the right property in Albania is an almost impossible mission. President of the Republic Bamir Topi seems that there is no difference of hundreds of other citizens, when it comes to property. Along with his brother,Flamur Topi, a renowned physician and other members of the family, could not yet recover their property even though four years at the top of the country and in charge of the institution of justice, the High Council of Justice .

Three days ago, the Supreme Court has registered a complaint with the subject property. What makes this particular claim is precisely the fact that among the applicants is located, and President of the Republic, Bamir Topi, his brother Flamur Topi.

The Civil Case as party respondent and has another family lineage, but the adjective ball, and returns Agency Property Compensation of Tirana. The suit has as object the repeal of a decision of the Tirana District ZRKKP.

In this case, the Supreme Court should decide the jurisdiction of this claim. So, if the Court of Tirana, where the family wants the right to property, will continue on reviewing the action or is a matter to be resolved administratively.

2012-01-30T00:26:00.000-08:00

SManalysis

Epirotean comedy within the government of Berisha

PDIU, becomes part of a coalition with the Greeks, of the government of Sali Berisha

Another theater, is happening in the coalition government of Sali Berisha. He signed the agreement in which the nationalist party of PDIU (Chamera), which also systematically threaten to northern Greece to take territories, shall cooperate with representatives of the Greek forces in the Albanian government.

There has to happen otherwise, the Greek government representatives, some deputies of the Democratic Party and one Minister, will collaborate with chauvinistic party PDIU, against Greek community.

PDIU will benefit both the director and several deputy ministers nationally,but not known in the ultra-nationalist rhetoric, will continue to bepropagated as before.
If this is seen as a diplomatic move of Sali Berisha, to control nationalistviolence that may erupt in Albania, is the movement of time, but willcertainly exploit this Berisha coalition in the upcoming parliamentaryelections.

2012-01-30T00:02:00.000-08:00

smanalysis

Theater with the visit of Rama in Athens

To meet Pyrros Dhimas is loaded from a few days stay in Athens, the socialist MP Fidel Ylli A photo with Pyrro Dhimas,

Edi Rama means for political bargains at the expense of the Greek Community and Himara

All games are made by Albanian politicians, have no moral, slandered to day and night to praise. This characteristic is typical for all Albanians, where the center of megalomanis, distinguished servility.

This has occurred, the leader of the Albanian opposition, Edi Rama, with half of Himara family origin, but has never had to approach and solveinstitutionally some requirements, such as problems of its property and self financial management of Himara Region.
However, the old leader of the SP (8 years at the head of the Socialist Party) was the closest collaborator of Albanian nationalism, for which the Census Process sabotaged last year, and scrapping of the agreement with Greece for the Sea Marine Sheffield, constitute the core of the dominant philosophy of Albanian position, which tomorrow will be taken power in Albania.
In front of the next leader of the Albanian government, the Greek businesses also working for peoples with influence in PASOK, have stretched their hands up in Tirana, for which the relations in power, trying hard to keep even after the departure of Sali Berisha from power.

To stay together with the World Championship, Pyrros Dhimas, will mean more, beyond the limits of diplomacy, but in the first place, Edi Rama shouldbe expressed to the hellenism of Pyrros Dhimas, to accept it as is, and notto deny existence of the Greek Community, through her chauvinistic rhetoric against hellenism in Albania.

This is a fact for which the perception of Albanians from diaspora, Kosovo, FYROM, and Montenegro, that the Socialist Party of Albania, was established by hellenism syndrome, considering its leader Edi Rama, not only as the Greek family ingenious backgrounds, but also it serves, the Greek plan for the annexation of Northern Epirus to Greece, which "de facto" is not true (!).

But for up in power, everything happens in Albania, up to degeneration ...

2012-01-29T09:56:00.001-08:00

Đoković defends title; water polo squad wins gold

Source: B92

MELBOURNE, EINDHOVEN -- World number one tennis player Novak Đoković has won the Australian Open title for the second time in a row and for the third time in his career.

Novak Đoković (Beta/AP)

He beat Spain’s Rafael Nadal 5:7, 6:4, 6:2, 6:7 (5:7), 7:5 after five hours and 53 minutes on Sunday.
This was the longest match in the tournament history.

Đoković Nadal for the seventh consecutive time in final matches.

The Serb in now only the fourth male since 1969 to claim three consecutive grand slams - others being Pete Sampras, Federer and Nadal.

2012-01-29T09:47:00.000-08:00

Albanian school books for Preshevo Valley

The Albanians at the Lugina e Presheves (Presheva Valley), Southern Serbia, demand more intensive support from Tirana, regarding some education related problems with the Serbian state, and also for culture and free movement.

One of these problems, that of the Albanian ABC books, will be resolved through an agreement between Albania and Serbia, which was also confirmed by the Foreign Minsiter, Edmond Haxhinasto, during a meeting with the only Albanian MP at the Serbian Parliament, Riza Halimi, also Chairman of the Albanian National Council of Presheva, Galip Beqiri.

“We have expressed our readiness for a greater commitment with the Albanian school text books. Together with the homologues of the respective institutions in Serbia, we will reach an agreement for the school texts that we will send”, declared the Foreign Minister, Edmond Haxhinasto.

“We talked about sensitive problems of the Albanians in Presheva, the solution of which demands a bigger help from the Albanian government. I am optimist that we will resolve these problems, although we ask an extraordinary commitment, especially in these days when we have problems with the free movement of our people”, declared Riza Halimi, the Albanian MP at the Serbian Parliament and representative of the Presheva Albanians.

During this meeting, the Albanian Foreign Minister also discussed with the Presheva representatives the activities of the Albanians in this area of Serbia for the 100th anniversary of independence.

2012-01-29T09:35:00.000-08:00

Deutsche Welle: Kosovo EULEX, is in crisis

European mission to rule the law in Kosovo, EULEX, is in crisis. A German television report, Deutsche Welle, shows the enormous costs of this mission and work of political
s to its north. ...

Also, showing the illegal crossing of borders by the Serbs do not recognize Kosovo's border.

A change of customs officers police helicopter costs 4 thousand euros, until now only be calculated for spending about 400 thousand euros, and all the mission so far has cost about 400 million euros, said the television

Despite these enormous costs for that part is still no solution. North, by the action of 25 July when the Government attempted to extend control, remains blocked.

Deutsche Welle notes that the barricades, seems to have been forgotten by the Government of Kosovo, and KFOR attempts to remove them, often complete with funny scenes.

Illegal structures, which are factored after negotiations with KFOR and unreserved support of Belgrade, are determined not to recognize Kosovo's institutions.

2012-01-29T05:54:00.001-08:00

EP president: Serbia can do more

Source: Politika

BRUSSELS -- Most member states will support the start of the accession talks with Serbia but Serbia could do more, European Parliament (EP) President Martin Schultz says.

Martin Schultz

Schultz says that Serbia “has had some important successes during President Boris Tadić's mandate and the EU appreciates it“.
“I am completely convinced that a great majority in the EP will support the beginning of Serbia’s EU accession talks as soon as possible,” he stressed.

The EP president added that Serbia could do more “by convincing the EU member states to offer it the candidate status by playing an even more constructive role in the region”.

“Serbia should move forward in normalization of relations with Priština. The two sides need to discuss concrete issues, such as diplomas, trade, telecommunications, even if they do not agree on the big issues,” he explained.

Schultz added that Serbia deserved to get the EU candidate status thanks to the progress it had made on the EU pathway. He repeated that the EP’s decision needed to be unanimous but that it was still unclear whether all EU leaders would support the EP’s position in March.

“Serbia has started to completely cooperate with the Hague Tribunal by arresting Karadžić, Mladić and Hadžić. You have accepted the Declaration on Srebrenica. There have been some difficult decisions. But it’s better to look toward the future instead of staying in the painful past,” Schultz noted and stressed that Serbia had made progress in the judicial reform, combat against corruption and strengthening the rule of law.

He added that the EP strongly supported the EU enlargement as “one of the most successful EU policies”.

“I would not be honest if I said that there is no enlargement fatigue in some member states. However, Croatia’s accession shows that the EU is committed to the enlargement even if the times are difficult,” the EP president was quoted as saying.

The rise and rise of Yiorgos Karatzaferis

2012-01-29T02:36:00.001-08:00

by Costas Papachlimintzos

WHEN an MP called Yiorgos Karatzaferis was expelled from New Democracy (ND) over his harsh criticism of the party’s spokesman in 2000, nobody could have predicted that one day he would manage to form a party, enter parliament and end up participating in a coalition government.

A journalist with no university degree, Karatzaferis, 64, was a far-right ND deputy known for incendiary statements like calling the coup d’etat of 21 April 1967 “a movement ... I have no problem calling it a revolution”, or defining “New Order” as a state which “means that we are a puppet in the hands of the Jews”. In addition, he would call for the inclusion of monarchists and fascists in ND’s ranks through his daily show on his private TV channel Telecity.

That was the mid- and late 90s. After his expulsion from ND and the founding of his right-wing Popular Orthodox Rally (Laos) in September 2000, Karatzaferis started to move slowly but surely towards the centre of the political spectrum. This enabled him to achieve two goals - of entering parliament and becoming a key player in Greek politics.

At the same time, however, he had to keep the grassroots and extreme rightwing members of his party happy. In its founding declaration Laos states that it is a “democratic, reformist, hellenocentric, people’s party” which “supports the interests of non-privileged citizens”.

That is also why Laos’ political programme in September 2007 - before the national election that granted the party entry into parliament for the first time - included proposals for the autonomy of Northern Epirus (now a part of Albania), the introduction of capital punishment for offences such as bribery of state employees, drug dealing, pederasty and the rape of minors, and measures to “preserve the current, at least, population ratio of citizens of Greek descent in Greece”.

Long before the onset of the Greek debt crisis, there were clear signs that the political parties which had dominated the Greek scene since 1974 were reaching a stress point with their electorate. Karatzaferis tried to present Laos as an alternative rightwing party that maintained close ties with the people.

His political twists and turns and standpoint reversals, part of his effort to promote ideas and policies that seemed more popular, are phenomenal. Karatzaferis recently rebuked George Papandreou for calling for a referendum. In 2007, however, Laos said that “the Greek citizens should decide by a referendum if they wish for our country to remain in the eurozone or if they prefer the reintroduction of the drachma”.

Memorandum views

During the year, Laos has heavily criticised the memorandum’s terms and conditions, although it voted it through in May 2010. Early in September, Karatzaferis noted that he is “at the forefront of the unification of the big centre-right party”. By November 14, he had changed position, saying that “there is no such thing as the unification of the centre-right”.

On November 1 Karatzaferis had further claimed that “even if Papandreou leaves and we form another government from this parliament [session], it is already too late”. A few weeks later, not only did he agree to the formation of a new government, but he also participated in it.

Analysts, intellectuals and politicians have been debating the “rise of the radical right” in Greece for quite a while now. During the same period, Laos has managed to cross the three percent threshold to enter parliament twice, in 2007 and 2009. Now, it officially has the status of a governing party.

2012-01-28T23:41:00.001-08:00

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

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

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

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

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

Greek Conservative Leader Antonis Samaras Meets With Vladimir Putin in Moscow

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.