"KATHIMERINI":
THE RISE OF ATIHELLENISM IN ALBANIA

by Stavros Tzimas
Photo: PM Berisha and the journalist Stavros Tzimas

About the killing of Pyrros Bollanos and the reaction of albanians claiming anti hellenism rethoric.

«We all have to kill a Greek», writes one of anonimous on albanian blog newspapers. Another, addressed to the offender, says that «if kills the Greek mayor of Himarras would you were the new Georg Kastriot» (NB: the national hero of the Albanians) and a third party stated that «good Greek is the Greek dead»

read more about the "Kathimerini" Comment (in greek):

http://news.kathimerini.gr/4dcgi/_w_articles_columns_1_16/05/2008_270111

Security News Albania.

VLORA`S PERSECUTOR "URGES TO ARREST" THE MAYOR OF HIMARA VASSILIS BOLLANOS

Against the Chairman of the Greek Ethnic Minority also the Mayor of Himara Vassilis Bollanos "are opened some accuses linked politically" particularly the last incident during a violence protest of people of Himara against Police Department and other with his presence as the head of Himara Region.

According to information from Attorney’s Office in Vlora, against Bollanos there are some of accuses which may be to go in arrest next days the Chairman of Omonia “The Greek Ethnic Minority”, motivated as a precedent very spoken by Albanian media.

In fact the tentative to “arrest Vassilis Bollanos is the extreme measure” of Albanian national strategy supported usually by Albanian media accused hem as “Greek Extremist who works against Albanian national interest, parallelizing the Kosovo Independence with Northern Epirus Issue”.

An initiative by attorney’s office against Chairman of Greek Community of Albania is more important to understand the strong pressing which is using by Albanian opinion, when Albania is going to make General Counting Population, which is requested by “Omonia”.

An effort to send in prison the Head of Greek Community and Mayor of Himara Municipality would rise the World Opinion, Hellenic Diaspora and Bruxelles for the Human Rights violated in Albania, remembering the Trial against five member of Omonia in 1994 and the clash between Greek Albanian relations.

The Attorney’s Office and the Tribunal of Vlora, four years ago denied five himara`s citizen with Greek origin under the accuse of violence against the “National Albanian symbols”.

Regarding the possible arrest of Mayor of Himara, Bollano there are some questions to make:

Which would be the reaction of Omonia and the Greek Minority?
Which would be the justification of Tirana regarding Human Rights of Greeks in Albania?
Which would be the reaction of Athens and international institutions including Bruxeles and Washington regarding the methods used by Albanian institutions against the universal human rights?

THE EVOLVING BALKAN SCENERY AND THE “GREEK CONNECTION”

Ioannis Michaletos(RIEAS Analyst)

Copyright: http://www.rieas.gr/

The Balkans Peninsula has claimed the fame numerously in history as the “Tinderbox of Europe”, the “Soft underbelly of Europe” and its inhabitants were accused that they “produce more history than they can consume”. The previous quotes are apt oral depictions of the significance of this Peninsula for the European affairs. The developments over the past period have proved once again that global players tend to filter their tactics in the Balkans and in the process gain or loose significantly.

The summer of 2007 witnessed the dynamic tour de force of President Bush in Albania and Bulgaria, claiming the forthcoming entrance of NATO well into the Western Balkans and the turn of the balance between USA and Russia. In parallel, Moscow prepared itself and retaliated with a series of transnational energy agreements that saw the commission of a 4 billion nuclear power plant by Sofia, the drafting of plans for a new “South Stream” gas pipeline and the imminent sale of the main state energy corporation of Serbia to Gazprom.

more: http://rieas.gr/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=638&Itemid=56

Ioannis Michaletos Editor South East EuropeCoordinator of Southeastern European OfficeWorld Security Network Foundation Ioannis Michaletos has been educated in the UK in the fields of Political Science (BA) and HRM (MSc). He is occupied as an indepedent journalist-analyst for Greek & international media.He is a Balkan security analyst for the RIEAS institute and a correspondent analyst for ISRIA a security assessment agency. He speaks Greek, English, and French and has a passive knowledge of Italian.

"in memorian"

HIMARIOTES FIGHTERS JOINT TO THE INTERNATIONAL ALLIANCE AGAINST AXIS FORCES, ITALY 1944.

Photo: January 1945, Volos Greece. Himariotes fighters jointed to the greek army to liberate Volos by nazifashists.

After escaped from Himara Region embarked on British Warships, the team composed by strong 22 men, all from Himara Region, left Albania to joint to the International Brigade “Rimini” in Italy.

This document is a historically moment when a small group men from the Himara Region known as one of the Greek Minority Group of Balkan who collaborated with international forces against Axis taken part of International Brigade inside Greek Company for the liberation of Italian city “Rimini” by Axis forces.

After Rimini, the Himara`s Team contributed fighting to liberate the Southern Italian city of Taranto and after in Greece participated to liberate the Greek city of Volos.

The photo is an authentic historic document which the Albanian Government since 1944 never has been liked to know the honorific contribut of the hellenic community of Himara, the only represent of Albania to fight togather with wester international forces. This is a historical manifest which tells for the collaboration together with American and British troops during WWS of a group represent of the region most persecuted by Albanian Dictature such as Himara and the Hellenic population.

The photo is published to remember the anniversary of British troops to fights against fascists of Axis in Albania during the summer of 1944 in Himara Region.

Photo: British troops in Kakomea, Himara Region May 1944


Member of "himara fighters" on "Rimini Brigade"

Kimon Bollanos, Terkos Bollanos, Athanasios Bollanos, Damianos Beleris, Georgios Burbos, Spryros Buntinis, Miltiadis Goros, Petros Goros, Eriststeas Gkionis, Xristos Lazaris, Axilleas Milos, Kostas Kokavesis, Dimos Kokavesis, Alekos Karzis, Spiros Tsouras, Basileos Vitos, Pavlos Veizis, Georgos Zotos, Dimitreos Papos, Miltiadis Rondos, Kristos Dimas, Spyros Veizis.
Himariotes who fighted on the greek naval forces:

Nikolas Gionis, Aferinos Bontinis, Ilias Kolilas, Manolis Ramos, Kostas Rondos, Kostas Krekos, Jason Kutulas, Panos Lazaris, Viktor Brigos Kristos Likokas.

Albanian leader survives assassination in Macedonia

SKOPJE, May 12 (Reuters) - Shots were fired at a convoy in Macedonia carrying ethnic Albanian opposition leader Ali Ahmeti during election campaigning on Monday, but he was unhurt, police said.

The attack took place near the western town of Tetovo, as Ahmeti toured villages ahead of a June 1 parliamentary election. It followed a string of violent incidents linked to a fierce battle for the ethnic Albanian vote between Ahmeti's Democratic Union for Integration (DUI) and the Democratic Party of Albanians (DPA).

"This was an assassination attempt," said senior DUI campaign official Izet Mexhiti. He blamed followers of the DPA. Police said they had detained one person suspected of involvement in the shooting. One person was slightly wounded. The DPA is part of the outgoing ruling coalition led by conservative Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski of the VMRO-DPMNE. The government collapsed in April after Greece blocked the country's bid to join NATO in a years-long dispute over the name of the former Yugoslav republic.

Ahmeti led an insurgency against government forces in 2001, before Western powers mediated a peace accord offering the 25 percent Albanian minority greater rights. Having entered politics, Ahmeti was frozen out of government by Gruevski in 2006. The West is watching closely for any sign of renewed tension, having only just steered ethnic Albanians in neighbouring Kosovo to independence from Serbia.

Previous elections in Macedonia have been marred by campaign violence and voting irregularities, something the European Union says Skopje must stamp out in order to progress towards membership of the bloc. (Reporting by Kole Casule; writing by Matt Robinson)

Security News Albania.

EX MEMBER OF “SHIK” (ALBANIAN SECRET SERVICE) NOMINATED HIGH REPRESENT OF TAX ADMINISTRATION.

The Albanian newspaper “Shqip” writes as "head argoment" about the nomination actually in high Taxes Directorate Administration of Albania the ex officials of SHIK (Albanian Secret Service, during period 1992 – 1996). The newspaper accuses Prime Minister Sali Berisha who uses “mysterious methods” to oblige the Albanian “business to pay the taxes” controlling Albanian private economic initiative by ex his espionages administrate headed by Bashkim Gazidede.

The nomination of “Bashkim Gazidede`s Guard” as high represents of SHIK (Albanian Secret Service 1992 - 1996) to control the Albanian public finances has been observed strongly by foreign intelligences including CIA, M16 and EYP which operate in Albania based under antiterrorism operations in the area. Gazidede and his team in SHIK known not only for anti American tendencies but also linked with Islamic radical groups actually have penetrated supported by Prime Minister Berisha inside to important Albanian administration.

Gazidede is nominated as V/General Director of Albanian Priopriety Real Estate Administrate. On March 1997 in albanian parliament he accused Washington and CIA as protagonist which provocked the colaps pyramidal shemes and the "Civil War" between northern (Gheghs) and Southern (Tosks) in Albania. During his activity in head of SHIK he was elected as the President of Islamic Intelectual Community of Albania.

The bussines community and associations in Albania paticularly the Greek Investiments and the Greek Community has been target by administratores headed by "Gazidede Group" since the interference of greek government to Tirana was imediately.

Three days ago the head of Albania’s General Directorate of Taxes, Arben Sefgjini, who previously served as the head of Tirana’s Secret Service Office, SHIK, and three of his former colleagues Budion Mece, Avni Kolladashi and Ilir Kumbaro have been charged with the torture and murder of Macedonian-Albanian, Remzi Hoxha in 1995. The four former SHIK officers are accused of abducting Remzi Hoxha, Zizo Kristopoli and Avdyl Loshaj on October 21, 1995.