Albanian Military News

134 officers of the Albanian Armed Forces retire in reserve

Wednesday, 01 June 2011 16:06

134 Colonels, Lieutenant Colonels and Majors, who served in the Albanian Armed Forces, have retired in reserve, after meeting the legal and sublegal terms.
Defence Minister, Mr. Arben Imami, with the order no. 930, dated 27.05.2011, “On the retirement in reserve of active officers”, based on article 102, paragraph 4 of the Constitution, article 19, paragraph 2 and 13 of Law no. 8671, dated 26.10.2000, “On the Attributions and Authorities of the Strategic Conduct of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Albania”, amended, on article 11, article 24, paragraph 1, letter “a” and paragraph 2 of Law no. 9171, dated 22.01.2004, “On the ranks and military career in the Armed Forces of the Republic of Albania”, has drawn in reserve 134 active servicemen of the Armed Forces, after having met the criteria of service in the Armed Forces.

"Albanian Lion 2011"

Thursday, June 2, 2011

The exercise ends on the coast of Albania

The exercises of the military Navy presence of English and Dutch forces, assisted by an Albanian commando unit, closed today with success.

Russia Warns U.S., NATO Against Military Aid to Syria Protests After Libya

By Henry Meyer, Brad Cook and Ilya Arkhipov - Jun 2, 2011 8:44 AM PT

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Sergei Lavrov, Russia's foreign minister. Photographer: Brendan Smialowski/Bloomberg

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June 2 (Bloomberg) -- Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov discusses the outlook for the leadership of the International Monetary Fund. Lavrov, speaking yesterday in Moscow with Bloomberg's Henry Meyer, Brad Cook and Ilya Arkhipov, also talks about bilateral relations with the U.S., Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi and the political unrest in Syria. (Source: Bloomberg)

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned the U.S. and European nations not to encourage anti-government protesters in Syria by holding out the prospect of military support like they provided in Libya.

“It is not in the interests of anyone to send messages to the opposition in Syria or elsewhere that if you reject all reasonable offers we will come and help you as we did in Libya,” Lavrov, 61, said yesterday during an interview in Moscow. “It’s a very dangerous position.”

Rallies against President Bashar al-Assad’s rule have swept Syria, inspired by the uprisings that ousted authoritarian rulers in Egypt andTunisia. Syrian security forces have killed more than 1,100 people and detained at least 10,000, according to human-rights groups. The government blames the protests on Islamic militants and foreign provocateurs.

Russia abstained from the March 18 vote by the United Nations Security Council that authorized the use of force to protect civilians from Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi’s forces, saying the resolution might lead to a “large-scale military intervention.” Operations led by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization have stretched far beyond the stated goal of enforcing a no-fly zone, Lavrov said.

Greek Foreign ministry on new Albanian certificates

(ANA-MPA) -- The removal of designations of a holder's ethnic origin from new certificates issued by Albania was a decision that raised questions regarding its motives, Greek foreign ministry spokesman Grigoris Delavekouras stressed on Thursday.

The spokesman pointed out that the decision reversed the practice of decades and he also noted delays in completing a census of Albania's population due to pressures from nationalist circles opposed to the inclusion of questions on ethnic origin, language and religion.

Combined, these two developments gave the impression that Albanian government decisions were slowly falling in with the dictates of extremist nationalist elements that disputed the existence of ethnic minorities in the neighbouring country and systematically undermined bilateral relations between Albania and Greece, Delavekouras said.

Albania, no taxes for investments in mountain tourism, while the sea motorway, are prohibited to hold by Albanian citizens

The Albanian Prime Minister declared the new reforms for the businesses in Albania. After the health reforms decision, another reform that is expected to be taken by the government is removing all taxes for businesses that invest in mountainous regions.

The Prime Minister Berisha declared that this decision will develop not only tourism, but the entire country, in order to achieve the government’s goal for entering Albania in 2017 in the list of developed countries.

Anyway, Albania became the only country in world that prohibits their national citizens to hold motorway or something other over sea, according to law approved by the Albanian parliament six year ago. In addition Tirana, promoves it tourism as the best of Mediterranean destination.

EXCLUSIVE: WHEN Edi Rama talked with GREEK PM Papandreou and praise hem!

EXCLUSIVE VIDEO!

Thursday, June 2, 2011 2011http://borioipirotika.blogspot.com/2011/06/blog-post_02.html

Minister's newest partition idea involves Albania

Source: NIN

BELGRADE -- Kosovo should be divided between Serbia and Albania, says Serbia's Deputy PM and Interior Minister Ivica Dačić.

Ivica Dačić (file)

In an interview for Belgrade's NIN weekly, the leader of the Socialists (SPS) said that the "defense of Kosovo through war was not successful".

For that reason, continued Dačić his series of statements advocating a partition of the province - which he refers to as "separation" - "I speak about separation before it's too late."

Dačić, whose party was in power throughout the 1990s, said that Serbia "made a mistake when it did not discuss Kosovo with Albania, because separation between Serbia and Albania is the only realistic option".

"Serbia should not have recognized any other negotiator from the other side except Albania. Is anyone really that naive to think Kosovo will survive as an independent state," wondered the minister.

He also speculated that Kosovo would join Albania, just as the Serb entity in Bosnia, the Serb Republic (RS), would join Serbia.

"If tomorrow the RS decides to secede in a referendum, what will they become? An independent state, or will they decide to join Serbia?," Dačić was quoted as saying, and adding, "that's normal, because we're the same people".

"And are there different Albanians living in Priština and Tirana? They're talking to us about a multi-ethnic Kosovo? Our people do not need fairy-tales about multi-ethnic life," Dačić continued.

Asked whether it would be easier to partition Kosovo if Serbia and Albania were involved, as opposed to Serbia and the authorities in Priština, Dačić noted that ethnic Albanians in Kosovo are Albania's national minority.

"Someone will say these are 19th century ideas. Perhaps they are, but these are also ideas that were implemented by Slovenians and Croats, as well as Montenegrins," he told the weekly.

Dačić also asserted that he could "neither win political points, nor was seeking them" with making his position on the problem public.

As for the ongoing Belgrade-Priština dialogue, the minister said the essential issue regarding Kosovo would remain unsolved because of the stance of the EU and the U.S., and said the most the talks could achieve was "some kind of special autonomy for Serbs in north".

Thousands gather in Athens for 5th day

In greater numbers than on any night since the protests began earlier this week, the 'Indigants' kept the date made via Facebook and other social networking sites on Sunday, descending upon Syntagma Square for yet another sit-down demonstration against severe austerity cuts. This night they were joined by others in Milan's Piazza del Duomo, Bastille in Paris and another 100 cities of Europe that held a simultaneous peaceful protest.

People started arriving promptly at 6:00 p.m. and an hour later it was clear that Sunday's demonstration would be the largest of five consecutive protests that have taken place each night at Syntagma opposite Parliament since Wednesday.

With their numbers in the tens of thousands, people have filled Syntagma and spilled out onto nearby Voukourestiou, Panepistimiou and Stadiou and Filellinon streets. Metro trains are no longer stopping at Syntagma, reaching only as far as Evangelismos, and access to the city centre is impossible.

So far the demonstration has been entirely peaceful, without violent incidents as chants against parties and politicians alternate with booing, banging of pots, drum music and whistles.

The demonstrations have drawn a kaleidoscope of people of all age groups and walks of life that have gathered to protest against unemployment, tax hikes and more cuts. Those in the square made a mismatched crowd, with school children and youths in rasta braids rubbing shoulders with chic 40-somethings in suits and old-age pensioners. Most of the people arriving had nothing more in common than facebook friends and shared anger at the politicians they hold responsible for the state of the country's economy.

The groups that came every day had started to organise, setting up committees to take charge of hygiene, food, legal support and medical care and there were more tents than in all previous days. Today, for the first time, there was also a stronger police presence than on previous days.

As on other days, the Syntagma demonstration was matched by similar gatherings in other Greek towns, most notably the northern Greek city of Thessaloniki, where heavy rain at around 6:00 p.m. proved unable to deter protestors.

Vllasi: Partition of Kosovo would open the issue of the Presevo Valley

Azem Vllasi

Ex-official of Kosovo in former Yugoslavia, Azem Vllasi, said that in Kosovo nobody will talk about division, but the imposition of the idea for the unification of northern Kosovo with Serbia, will also open the issue of separation of Serbia, respectively the union of the Presevo Valley with Kosovo.

"This idea, is not discussed, because it is not real. We must understand that the geopolitical map of the Balkans, which was created after the dissolution of former Yugoslavia, is final, "said Vllasi for the Radio "Free Europe", broadcasted Beta.

Oliver Ivanovic: Pristina provokes the north

Oliver Ivanoviç

Oliver Ivanovic, the secretary for Kosovo in the Serbian government has stated that the political actions and statements of Pristina for the north have exacerbated the citizens there, and they have caused unrest.

Citizens of northern consider as unacceptable the political statements and actions coming from Pristina for the north. This statements just provoke and subvert the situation. People that live there must not to be provoked, because this may have consequences," so said Ivanovic in an interview for "Zeri".

Referring to recent initiatives of the Government to turn the legality in that part, he said that the actions and words can be dangerous in the north.

The Kosovo officials did not want to comment for the statement of Ivanovic,but they still say that have to put rule of law and order in the north of Kosovo.

Demetrios Koutoulas, elected new President of Panepirotic Federation of America

Pan Epirotic Convention, New York, USA Photo: The New President of PPFA Demetrios Koutoulas, Gus Bilirakis (US, Republican Congressman) , Leonora Malo, Chrysostomos Dimou, president world council epirotes

Greek Consular Service in Albania do not know the nationality certificates

GJIROKASTER-As of May 23 the Interior Ministry has applied the new certificates, which have also arrived at the offices of registrar of Gjirokastra. According to the Albanian media, the new sheets of this document have been received to date 23, and their distribution started on Monday this week.

Compared to the old format of the new certificate is issued by introducing the element of national citizenship only. According to the civil employees of the residents had no complaints about this detail, while kërshëria came from the area of ​​minority citizens, who have asked about the changes.
The daily "Gazeta Shqiptare" informed today that the new format has brought chaos at the Greek consulate, where they openly refused to accept a certificate which is not given "nationality."

Dozens of people who are presented with various documents, to update them sealed and are not allowed and actions are not done turning back these people. Immediate was the response of the organization OMONIA previous day and considered tendentious issue of new format of certificates. According to her, the removal of nationality is an open violation of minority rights. One of the returning residents today told "Gazeta Shqiptare" unjust action of the consulate.

Countryman: Changing of the borders is very dangerous

27.05.2011, ora 21:03

Thomas Countryman, the deputy Secretary of America for Eurasian said that the change of borders in the Balkans is unacceptable and even dangerous.
In an interview for the Serbian service of Voice of America, the senior U.S. official said that people in Kosovo and Serbia expect results from the talks between Belgrade and Pristina.

He rejected the idea expressed recently by Serbian Interior Minister Ivica Dacic for the possibility of partitioning Kosovo. He said that the issue of separation or the status of Kosovo is not part of the ongoing talks in Brussels between Belgrade and Pristina.

Albania's opposition boycotts parliament pending court ruling on contested election

By The Associated Press

TIRANA, Albania — Albanian opposition parties say they are boycotting parliament until the top electoral court issues a final ruling on the contested results of the mayoral race for the capital, Tirana.

The electoral commission declared the governing party's candidate as the capital's new mayor, reversing preliminary results that showed the incumbent mayor and the leader of the opposition, Edi Rama, in the lead following the May 8 vote.

Rama has refused to recognize the result and has appealed the ruling to Albania's highest electoral court.

The results reversal followed the commission's decision to include in the final tally previously uncounted votes that had been cast in the wrong ballot boxes.

Judges started discussing the appeal on Thursday. It was unclear when a decision would be issued.

Ruling party candidate declared winner of close Albanian vote

By the CNN Wire Staff

May 26, 2011

Lulzim Basha is a former Interior Minister of Albania.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• The election for mayor of Albania's capital was closely watched as indicator of stability
• Official results show a ruling-party candidate ousted a three-term opposition chief
• The opposition says it will challenge the results

RELATED TOPICS

• Tirana
• Albania

Tirana, Albania (CNN) -- Albanian authorities Monday declared a winner in a closely watched race for mayor of the Balkan nation's capital, finding a challenger from the ruling party ousted the veteran incumbent by a double-digit margin.

Results from Albania's Central Election Commission gave former Interior Minister Lulzim Basha an 81-vote edge over three-term Tirana Mayor Edi Rama out of nearly 250,000 ballots cast. Rama leads the opposition Socialist Party, while Basha was the candidate of the ruling Democratic Party.

Rama and his allies have raised claims of fraud, and the Socialists are expected to challenge the results through official channels and in the streets, said Fatmir Xhafa, a senior Socialist official.

"We are going into a dictatorship, and the protests against a dictatorship would be only the calmer part," Xhafa said.

Official challenges could drag out until July, said Leonard Olli, an election commission spokesman.

The vote was seen as an indicator of stability in Albania, long an isolated Stalinist enclave in southeastern Europe. The contest sparked protests in Tirana and other towns last week, when the electoral commission found Rama held a 10-vote lead.

Socialist supporters clashed with police outside the commission's headquarters and tried to force their way into the building, only to be pushed back by police.

Albania abandoned Communism in the 1990s, but its path to democracy has been bumpy. Past elections have been criticized as being neither free nor fair, and about 300 international monitors and observers were on hand for this year's vote -- a test of whether Albania was ready to join the European Union.

Rama has accused the ruling Democrats of corruption and demanded the resignation of Prime Minister Sal Berisha, whom the Socialists accuse of rigging the 2009 elections. Four people died in clashes with police outside Berisha's office in January, deaths that each side blamed on the other.

Ruling party candidate declared winner of close Albanian vote

By the CNN Wire Staff

May 26, 2011

Lulzim Basha is a former Interior Minister of Albania.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• The election for mayor of Albania's capital was closely watched as indicator of stability
• Official results show a ruling-party candidate ousted a three-term opposition chief
• The opposition says it will challenge the results

RELATED TOPICS

• Tirana
• Albania

Tirana, Albania (CNN) -- Albanian authorities Monday declared a winner in a closely watched race for mayor of the Balkan nation's capital, finding a challenger from the ruling party ousted the veteran incumbent by a double-digit margin.

Results from Albania's Central Election Commission gave former Interior Minister Lulzim Basha an 81-vote edge over three-term Tirana Mayor Edi Rama out of nearly 250,000 ballots cast. Rama leads the opposition Socialist Party, while Basha was the candidate of the ruling Democratic Party.

Rama and his allies have raised claims of fraud, and the Socialists are expected to challenge the results through official channels and in the streets, said Fatmir Xhafa, a senior Socialist official.

"We are going into a dictatorship, and the protests against a dictatorship would be only the calmer part," Xhafa said.

Official challenges could drag out until July, said Leonard Olli, an election commission spokesman.

The vote was seen as an indicator of stability in Albania, long an isolated Stalinist enclave in southeastern Europe. The contest sparked protests in Tirana and other towns last week, when the electoral commission found Rama held a 10-vote lead.

Socialist supporters clashed with police outside the commission's headquarters and tried to force their way into the building, only to be pushed back by police.

Albania abandoned Communism in the 1990s, but its path to democracy has been bumpy. Past elections have been criticized as being neither free nor fair, and about 300 international monitors and observers were on hand for this year's vote -- a test of whether Albania was ready to join the European Union.

Rama has accused the ruling Democrats of corruption and demanded the resignation of Prime Minister Sal Berisha, whom the Socialists accuse of rigging the 2009 elections. Four people died in clashes with police outside Berisha's office in January, deaths that each side blamed on the other.

Ruling party candidate declared winner of close Albanian vote

By the CNN Wire Staff

May 26, 2011

Lulzim Basha is a former Interior Minister of Albania.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• The election for mayor of Albania's capital was closely watched as indicator of stability
• Official results show a ruling-party candidate ousted a three-term opposition chief
• The opposition says it will challenge the results

RELATED TOPICS

• Tirana
• Albania

Tirana, Albania (CNN) -- Albanian authorities Monday declared a winner in a closely watched race for mayor of the Balkan nation's capital, finding a challenger from the ruling party ousted the veteran incumbent by a double-digit margin.

Results from Albania's Central Election Commission gave former Interior Minister Lulzim Basha an 81-vote edge over three-term Tirana Mayor Edi Rama out of nearly 250,000 ballots cast. Rama leads the opposition Socialist Party, while Basha was the candidate of the ruling Democratic Party.

Rama and his allies have raised claims of fraud, and the Socialists are expected to challenge the results through official channels and in the streets, said Fatmir Xhafa, a senior Socialist official.

"We are going into a dictatorship, and the protests against a dictatorship would be only the calmer part," Xhafa said.

Official challenges could drag out until July, said Leonard Olli, an election commission spokesman.

The vote was seen as an indicator of stability in Albania, long an isolated Stalinist enclave in southeastern Europe. The contest sparked protests in Tirana and other towns last week, when the electoral commission found Rama held a 10-vote lead.

Socialist supporters clashed with police outside the commission's headquarters and tried to force their way into the building, only to be pushed back by police.

Albania abandoned Communism in the 1990s, but its path to democracy has been bumpy. Past elections have been criticized as being neither free nor fair, and about 300 international monitors and observers were on hand for this year's vote -- a test of whether Albania was ready to join the European Union.

Rama has accused the ruling Democrats of corruption and demanded the resignation of Prime Minister Sal Berisha, whom the Socialists accuse of rigging the 2009 elections. Four people died in clashes with police outside Berisha's office in January, deaths that each side blamed on the other.

Ruling party candidate declared winner of close Albanian vote

By the CNN Wire Staff

May 26, 2011

Lulzim Basha is a former Interior Minister of Albania.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• The election for mayor of Albania's capital was closely watched as indicator of stability
• Official results show a ruling-party candidate ousted a three-term opposition chief
• The opposition says it will challenge the results

RELATED TOPICS

• Tirana
• Albania

Tirana, Albania (CNN) -- Albanian authorities Monday declared a winner in a closely watched race for mayor of the Balkan nation's capital, finding a challenger from the ruling party ousted the veteran incumbent by a double-digit margin.

Results from Albania's Central Election Commission gave former Interior Minister Lulzim Basha an 81-vote edge over three-term Tirana Mayor Edi Rama out of nearly 250,000 ballots cast. Rama leads the opposition Socialist Party, while Basha was the candidate of the ruling Democratic Party.

Rama and his allies have raised claims of fraud, and the Socialists are expected to challenge the results through official channels and in the streets, said Fatmir Xhafa, a senior Socialist official.

"We are going into a dictatorship, and the protests against a dictatorship would be only the calmer part," Xhafa said.

Official challenges could drag out until July, said Leonard Olli, an election commission spokesman.

The vote was seen as an indicator of stability in Albania, long an isolated Stalinist enclave in southeastern Europe. The contest sparked protests in Tirana and other towns last week, when the electoral commission found Rama held a 10-vote lead.

Socialist supporters clashed with police outside the commission's headquarters and tried to force their way into the building, only to be pushed back by police.

Albania abandoned Communism in the 1990s, but its path to democracy has been bumpy. Past elections have been criticized as being neither free nor fair, and about 300 international monitors and observers were on hand for this year's vote -- a test of whether Albania was ready to join the European Union.

Rama has accused the ruling Democrats of corruption and demanded the resignation of Prime Minister Sal Berisha, whom the Socialists accuse of rigging the 2009 elections. Four people died in clashes with police outside Berisha's office in January, deaths that each side blamed on the other.

Protests, international concern over Albania’s election crisis

Protests by supporters of socialist leader Edi Rama in Tirana on May 21 2011 were among the latest episodes in the drama around the disputed mayoral election in the Albanian capital. Provisional results of the May 8 mayoral election produced a 10-vote victory for Rama, but the central election commission embarked on a recount that reportedly produced a victory for Lulezim Basha, the candidate backed by Albania’s governing Democratic Party.

Political tensions in Albania have been running high since the disputed 2009 elections. In the run-up to the May 8 2011 elections, there were violent incidents and media reports alleging electoral abuses including manipulation of voters’ rolls. In a joint statement on May 20, the foreign ministers of Bulgaria, Greece and Slovenia expressed concern about developments after the election and said that the polarised situation and the lack of trust between the ruling party and the opposition showed the need to overcome differences in the name of dialogue and understanding.

A stable and democratic Albania was crucial to stability and development of the Western Balkans and upholding democratic standards was crucial to Albania’s EU prospects, the joint statement said. On May 20, the European Commission called on Albania's electoral commission to announce the results of May 8 local elections without delay. Albanian opposition demonstrators clashed with police outside the election commission building on May 19 where the recount was being conducted, the Voice of America reported. The protestors attempted to push past a police cordon outside the building. Protests also erupted in three other towns, including Kavaja, where roads were blocked and people burned tyres, CNN said.

The political tensions prompted European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso to cancel his visit to Albania scheduled for May 20. European Commission spokesperson Natasha Butler denied the cancellation indicated a disengagement from Albania, VOA said. Butler said that the European Commission was closely monitoring the situation. On May 19, US assistant secretary of state in the bureau for European and Eurasian affairs Philip Gordon called on Albanian politicians to "focus on constructive engagement actions befitting a future member of the European Union and not on negative rhetoric or actions, which serve only to denigrate the process".

EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton called on May 19 for a peaceful resolution. "The narrow result in the mayoral elections in Tirana means that both sides need to reach out, overcome differences and find solutions," Ashton said. "Developments today have shown the fragility of the political situation," Ashton said. "I urge all political leaders in Albania and in the city of Tirana to support the finalisation of the election process calmly, constructively and with a focus on the future."

Focus News. CNN.