Roadsigns (Northern Epirus - Southern Albania)
Australian Macedonian Advisory Council

October 17, 2008

The mountains of Cheimarra are so steep, so precipitous, so jagged and haphazard as they arise almost from the edge of the Adriatic sea, that it is by sheer charity of the gods that they are shrouded in the lushest and most verdant veil of vegetation one has ever seen, if only to mask from mankind the knowledge that there are such things as absolutes.

We reach them as dawn clutches at them with its rosy-red fingers, driving down from Tiranë in an rickety jeep that threatens to spew forth nuts, bolts and questionable Bulgarian tractor parts onto a road so pot-holed as to not have looked out of place on the surface of the moon. "Italian roads," my driver explains. "They built them here when they annexed Albania in the thirties and they still haven´t been repaired." "Yes, I know," I reply. "That´s what you tell me every time. You really do need to get some funding down here."

"I suppose their idea of road repairs is to fill up the pot-holes with us," he ripostes and then breaks out into a mournful (and extremely long) epic song about the time when Captain Spiromilios landed in Cheimarra with his band of Cretan volunteers by boat and wrested it from the Ottomans.

more: http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/78076

"PROBOLI" new edition monthly for Greek Minority of Albania



Pan Epiriotean Last Congress, Ioanina July 2008: "Stand united"
Himara: "We never do not sell our lands"
Mitsotakis: "New politically dimension for Northern Epirus"
"The Communist Genocide against Greek Minority and vlahh community resistence"
The last promesses of Karamanlis: Double Citizenship for Northern Epiriotes

ecct...see more: http://www.proboli.blogspot.com/



"The war on the bones"

"The Battle of Heroes" Remembering the Epic of "OXI", October 1940

TV SKY about the WWS and the Greek Resistance against Mussolini.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5EEDKU2KYGI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbVuxbege3o&feature=related

Serbs of Montenegro to the "hunger strike"

Saying "no" to old ally Serbia unsettles Montenegro

By Adam Tanner - Analysis Reuters,

PODGORICA (Reuters) - Like ex-lovers still on good terms, many Montenegrins remain passionate about neighboring Serbia, whose people share a common heritage and religion.
Yet in seeking fast European integration, Montenegro has on occasion angered its ally from Yugoslav times and earlier, most recently by recognizing the ex-Serbian province of Kosovo.

Recognition of Kosovo set off the biggest demonstrations in two years in the capital Podgorica on Monday. Protesters clashed with police and about 40 people were injured and 50 arrested, the interior minister said.

The leader of the Balkan country's largest opposition pro-Serb party, Andrija Mandic, also declared a hunger strike, a rare protest in the region, to try to force the government to withdraw recognition.

more se: http://www.reuters.com/article/reutersEdge/idUSTRE49F2ZC20081016

EU urges Albanian officials to respect laws

15/10/2008

TIRANA, Albania -- Ambassadors from EU countries expressed concern Tuesday (October 14th) over the Albanian government's decision to probe the legality of a prosecutor's investigation of Bosnian businessman Damir Fazlic.

The move represents serious interference with the judiciary's work, they warned. Fazlic allegedly conducted illegal financial activity and improper business relations with government officials, including Prime Minister Sali Berisha.

CIA Tactics Endorsed In Secret Memos

Waterboarding Got White House Nod
By Joby WarrickWashington Post Staff Writer Wednesday, October 15, 2008

The Bush administration issued a pair of secret memos to the CIA in 2003 and 2004 that explicitly endorsed the agency's use of interrogation techniques such as waterboarding against al-Qaeda suspects -- documents prompted by worries among intelligence officials about a possible backlash if details of the program became public.

The classified memos, which have not been previously disclosed, were requested by then-CIA Director George J. Tenet more than a year after the start of the secret interrogations, according to four administration and intelligence officials familiar with the documents. Although Justice Department lawyers, beginning in 2002, had signed off on the agency's interrogation methods, senior CIA officials were troubled that White House policymakers had never endorsed the program in writing.

more see: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/14/AR2008101403331.html

BERLUSCONI HELPS POLITICALLY BERISHA REGIME SENDING "FC MILAN" IN TIRANA

Photo: PM Berisha and "FC Milan" President Galiani

The courtesy match between "FC Milan" and "FC Tirana" in Tirana expressed support of Italian PM Silvio Berlusconi to Tirana Regime of Sali Berisha, said the Albanian annalists. But in fact after the match there are also economic interests of Berluskoni Companies such are Petrolifera and ARMO (Albanian State Oil Product Company privatized from joint venture Italian Albanian consortium of Italian magnate)

"Historically moments" This is one of slogans called in Tirana those days of match event, even Tirana continues to live crashes between opposite and PM Berisha accusing hem for corruption and destabilisation process against Albanian independent institutions.

Since ex Italian PM Romano Prodi, took Tirana months ago before his resign, the Italian consortium's lobbying as ENEL, OIL Italian Petroleum and ENI, continues to influence to Roma for economic support investments in Albania. There are energetic interests of Italy to construct a Nuclear Energetic Park replacing another interest of German Greek consortium to built a modern hydrocarbon energitic thermocentral in Albania, a total system to product by sun energy to transport to Italy, and the most important of tow Energetic Parks in North and South of Albania.

Particularly Vlora Region where the Italian investment "Petrolifera" is building a big pontil inside Vlora Gulf, an Energetic Park and an important Port Sea near Vlora City. Its very interesting that the licenses gave from Albanian Government for Energetic Park and the Sea Port, have been realised very fast without authorisation of Vlora Communal Council. "Petrolifera" and the Energetic Park are together one of important terminal of Oil Pipeline AMBO, an American consortium linked with US Administration and Italian companies.

As a "good premio" to Tirana, Berlusconi thinks to send the "FC Milan" in Tirana helping in a critic moment the PM Sali Berisha. One week ago, during the meeting in Berlin with Canceler Merckel, Berisha promised to be in favore of German investments on energetic industry.

IF THE KOSOVO SPLITS, PRESHEVO VALLEY DAMAGES JOINT WITH KOSOVO

UCPMB (The Albanian Liberation Army in Preshevo Walley) politic leader Jonus Musliu during an interwew to the "Shekulli" newspaper of Tirana, expresed his geopolitic opinion linked with the Kosovo situation and Balkan Region.

Musliu, said for "Shekulli" that the "split of Kosovo referring to the Serb President Boris Tadic declaration to the international community for possibillity a separation process between serbs and albanian in Kosovo, brings a new changes in Balkan Region based to the creation of new borders, and we as ethnic albanian in Preshevo Valley who live in Southern Serbia, will demage obligated to joint Kosovo".

During last Summer a team of Preshevo Walley met in Tirana the Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha discuting for necessary of Albanian students from Preshevo to joint to the Tirana University.

see more in Albanian: http://www.shekulli.com/

Concentration on the property and developments in Himara Region.

Monday, 13 October 2008

The Union of Himara held Sunday, organized October 12 a meeting for the property issue and the latest developments in Himara Region. The debate opened with a review conducted by the mayor of Himara Municipalityand the chairman of "OMONOIAS" Vassilis Bolanos, for matters relating Himara and the Northern Epirus in general.

George Dimogiannis, chairman of the Union of Himara Achaia and islands, documented through short historic laws of Himarras, sent a request for harmony among himariotes and expressed the need for cooperation and action by all actors in order to return the rights and development our region.

For his part Mr Dionysis - Frentis Beleris, chairman of the Himara Union, developed the Union's position regarding an issue which is none other than the return of land to real owners. In his speech, Mr Bolanos told to developments on the property and actions it has advanced the city and other important issues such as infrastructure projects which are underway and others that will begin in the near future.

more see: http://www.himaraunion.com/

News, Albania.

GENERAL PROSECUTOR URGES TO SEQUESTER PROPERTIES OF DAMIR FAZLIC.

Berisha declaration: "International Inquiring for Fazlic Case".
During a press conference today held in Tirana, the albanian prime minister Sali Berisha, seeing the politically pressing of opposite and media for the "Fazlic Case" calls for international inquiring addressed to "Fazlic Case", but not take responsibilities for implication of his family and albanian police authorities in this case.

Albanian Media: Fazlic is “really owner” together with Klan family of Prime Minister Berisha accused and implicated to the lands and properties in Albania, especially that Albanian lands and territories linked as strategic investments including Energetic & industrial Parks, touristic villages and real estate objectives.

According to Newspaper “Shekulli”, the General Prosecutor of Tirana, has ordained to sequester the documents of properties which be part of Damir Fazlic in Albania. About 40% of “Rompetrol Albania” is property of Fazlic writes “Shekulli”, underlining the General Prosecutor to be ordained to sequester all the documents that accused Bosnian citizen.

US EMBASSY IN TIRANA CALLS THE ALBANIAN GOVERNMENT TO "HOLD DISTANCE" FROM INDEPENDENT INSTITUTIONS.

Photo: US Ambassador John Withers and General Attorney Ina Rama

Statement by U.S. Embassy Spokesman Bix Aliu

"We are very troubled by the recent actions of the Minister of Justice and the Minister of Interior to interfere with the independence of the Prosecutor's Office during an on-going investigation. All cases should be fully, completely and independently investigated without any outside interference or threats to prosecutors. Respect of all independent institutions is essential for a healthy democracy". http://tirana.usembassy.gov/

Fazlic detention sparks political debate in Albania

13. October 2008. | 10:01

Source: The Tirana Times

Fazlic was detained last weekend in Sarajevo together with former Hague accused and Bosnian Muslim wartime commander in Srebrenica Naser Oric and they were asked for alleged racketeering together.

The detention of Damir Fazlic, a controversial businessman already under investigation for fraud, sparked an intensive political debate in Albania with the opposition accusing Prime Minister Sali Berisha of doubtful links to the underground world.

Fazlic was detained last weekend in Sarajevo together with former Hague accused and Bosnian Muslim wartime commander in Srebrenica Naser Oric and they were asked for alleged racketeering together.

Fazlic is a businessman whose name has been linked to numerous scandals, not only in Bosnia-Herzegovina, but in Serbia and Croatia too.

The late Zoran Djindjic’s former adviser Vladimir Popovic claimed on a number of occasions to have documentation on Fazlic pertaining to his criminal activities in Serbia and his links to the so-called Tobacco Mafia and its ringleaders, while he was also questioned by Serbian police in connection to Djindjic’s murder.

The scale of the crimes in question is still unclear and the operation has yet to end and more arrests can be expected.

Fazlic was also mentioned for registering a number of companies in Albania dealing with construction and fuel trade that also involved Berisha’s close family persons.

Fazlic was also mentioned as the mediator to bring the U.S. BG&R company to assist the governing Democratic Party’s electoral campaign three years ago.

"ABOUT THE GREEK AMERICAN RELATIONS"

The ten demands of Washington to the Greek Government

According to the "Free Press", the demands of the outgoing Bush administration to the Greek government are as follows:

• Remove all national restrictions in Afghanistan. In other words, to leave the Greek force serving there outside Kabul and participate normally in enterprises under the command of the NATO commander. At the moment the Greek force has the right to open fire only in self-defense case and can move only within Kabul and its environs of nearby.

• Contribution to cover the costs of NATO early warning aircraft (AWACS). •

Participation in the financing of the special fund to cover the needs of the Alliance helicopters (mainly aggressive and transport). Since 2003 there is a request to grant NATO offensive helicopters AH-64 Apache. Prime Minister Karamanlis responded positively to the Franco-German initiative developed in the NATO summit in Bucharest. In December at the NATO summit will be finalized costs for all Member States will not participate financially and operationally, and therefore for Greece.

• Direct activation of the decision of KYSEA (early 2008) for procurement of U.S. 120 mm ammunition for the German tanks Leoparnt and not making contest, as appears to be the final decision of the Pentagon.

• Exploitation of the Greek presidency of the OSCE from 1 January 2009 to promote the NATO-led crisis line in Georgia. The issue is enormously interested in Washington because it touches the core of the confrontation american - russian relations for world domination.

• Upgrading of the Greek anti-Patriot systems from PAC-2 to PAC-3 level for greater coverage, compared with the current potential of 170 km of radar range and the 150 km-range projectile. As Greece is not involved directly in the missile defense program but asked to work together, this proposed upgrade. The government should decide until early 2009.

• recovery from the natural gas Gazprom. The United States encourage the pipeline Turkey-Greece-Italy that would carry Azerbaijani gas and does not contemplate that there can be channeled Russian gas. Also to the greek - russian agreement on the pipeline South Stream.

• Acceptance of «Nimits package» and review the position of Karamanlis for «a name against all», in order to overcome the Greek veto on Macedonia's accession to NATO.

• Recognition of Kosovo. As a first step for the stamping of passports of Kosovo instead of regular sealing attached white paper.

• Stability in place for Turkey's full membership of the European Union and reject the ideas of the French President N. Sarkozy for a special Turkey-EU relationship., Which can not be ruled discussed at the EU Summit in mid-December.

more see: http://www.strategy-geopolitics.blogspot.com/

Kosovo blunder goes to court

Boston Globe, Editorial October 12, 2008

MUCH OF THE resentment President Bush brought upon America can be traced to his contempt for international institutions and the legitimacy they may confer. International institutions have reason to feel the same way about Bush's decisions.

On Wednesday, the United Nations General Assembly agreed to Serbia's request to have the International Court of Justice in the Hague determine whether Kosovo's secession from Serbia is legal. Seventy-seven countries voted in favor of the request. The United States was among only six countries that voted against it.

But then, Bush decided to invade and occupy Iraq without authorization from the United Nations Security Council. He also dismissed the Kyoto Protocol on climate change, withdrew from the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty, and rejected the International Criminal Court.
When the administration asked for and received UN authorization for its prolonged occupation of Iraq, it seemed Bush had belatedly learned his lesson about the benefits of international legitimacy. But then came Bush's rash decision last February to recognize the independence of Kosovo from Serbia despite a failure to obtain UN Security Council authorization. The Kremlin pointed to that dubious precedent when it recognized independence for South Ossetia and Abkhazia after the August war with Georgia.

There is a case to be made for Kosovo's independence. But there is no less of a case for the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia - as well as Tibet, and Taiwan, and Kurdistan, and the Tamil regions of Sri Lanka. The alternative to deciding all these cases by violence is international legitimacy. We hope this is a lesson the next US president will not have to learn all over again.

See:http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/editorials/articles/2008/10/12/kosovo_blunder_goes_to_court/