THE "KAKOMEA ISSUE" GOES TO THE GREEK PARLIAMENT

The Himara Union and The Northern Epirus Forum in Athens have sent to make debate in the Greek Parliament the Kakomea Issue.

On Monday, 17 November will be discussed in Greek Parliament the timely question of Member of the L.A.O.S. Party Athanasios Plevri about the violation of human rights in Northern Epirus, addressed to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Greek Republic Dora Bakogianis.

In Albania the crashes between the Greek community and Albanian authorities for the lands and properties issues have been debated on State Department and European Parliament. The Albanian laws and Tribunals often are instrument used by Albanian mafia supported as usually politically by authorities.

The discussion will transmit live on television on the channel of the Greek Parliament (via Satellite) at 18:00.

EU Condemns Explosion At Kosovo Envoy's Office

November 14, 2008 BRUSSELS (AFP)

The European Union condemned late Friday a blast at its envoy's office in Kosovo, but said it was determined to press ahead with its controversial police and justice mission there. "The presidency of the European Council firmly condemns the attack on Friday evening in front of the office of the European Union special representative to Kosovo," said a statement from France, which holds the rotating E.U. presidency. The presidency "reaffirms the determination of the European Union to work toward establishing the rule of law in Kosovo for the benefit of its entire population, through the European police and justice mission," it said.

The explosive device was thrown into the courtyard of the International Civilian Office run by E.U. special envoy Pieter Feith of the Netherlands in Pristina at around 5:30 p.m. (1630 GMT), a Kosovo police spokesman said. Kosovo's ethnic Albanian leaders in February unilaterally declared independence from Serbia, which has refused to accept the secession. More than 50 states, including the U.S. and most E.U. members, have recognized Kosovo's independence.
The explosion came as the E.U. hopes to see its 2,000-strong police and justice mission in Kosovo, called EULEX, become fully operational next month.

Kosovar authorities have rejected a deal between Serbia and the E.U. on the deployment of the force in Serb-dominated areas, saying the arrangement goes against Kosovo's sovereignty.
Under the deal, which must be approved by the U.N. Security Council, the EULEX presence in Kosovo wouldn't imply a recognition of its independence. The U.S. and European allies have launched an intense diplomatic effort to convince Kosovo to support the agreement.

Albania urged to respect Serb minority

Photo: Serbian Minister for Diaspora, Srdjan Sreckovic

Serbian Minister for Diaspora, Srdjan Sreckovic, said that the status of ethnic Serbs in Albania is at the impermissibly low level and urged all countries in the region to respect human rights of Serbs living there.

“At the moment, Albania has the biggest problems, because the degree of respect of the rights of the Serb ethnic community is at an impermissibly low level,” Sreckovic said.
Sreckovic said that Serbia is ready to fight for the rights of the Serbian ethnic community in a democratic and civilized way and in keeping with international principles and standards.

Sreckovic spoke at the Second Conference of Serb Associations from neighboring countries. The gathering ended with the adoption of a Declaration on cooperation and promotion of ties between Serbia and members of the Serbian community in the neighboring countries.

Political turmoil in Albania

Eleven lawmakers from small Albanian opposition parties have started a hunger strike to protest a draft electoral law

Photo: Albanian lawmakers during the seconde day of hunger strike inside the parliament

Eleven lawmakers from small Albanian opposition parties have started a hunger strike to protest a draft electoral law. The deputies, some of whom belong to a party in Prime Minister Sali Berisha's governing coalition, claim the draft law is aimed at keeping small parties out of Parliament. Ilir Meta of the opposition Socialist Movement for Integration said Monday the hunger strike was "the only democratic and civil means" of protest the small parties are left with. Berisha's governing Democratic Party and the main opposition Socialist Party backed the constitutional amendments in April regarding small parties.

Third biggest political party threatens with protests Socialist Movement for Integration, the third biggest political party in Albania, threatened with protests after an informal compromise reached by ruling Democratic Party and Socialist Party in opposition, to exclude small political forces from monitoring the electoral process. In the most aggressive language used since many times in Albanian politics, LSI officials threatened with violent protests. “They cannot halt our aim even if they use gunfire”, Petrit Vasili, General Secretary of LSI said.

Dritan Prifti, another LSI official said that its party will run a “democratic revolution”. During last two years, two biggest political parties in Albania had managed the electoral reform process. Small parties think that the reform aim to exclude them from political life. The majority created by government and the opposition, had changed the constitution and adopted a regional proportional system, decreasing sharply hopes for small parties to gain a important share in the next parliament.

The last compromise projected the exclusion of small parties like LSI from being represented in the Electoral Commission, an institution that should manage electoral process and vote counting. Vote counting had been the most criticized part of the election in Albania. Created in 2004 by a group of former socialist party officials, LSI had managed to gain 8.4% of the votes in 2005 general elections and 5 PM’s.

The Greek-Americans Played an Increased Role in Obama's Victory

THE GREEK AMERICAN LOBBY GREAT SUPORT FOR THE PRESIDENCIAL VICTORY FOR OBAMA PRESIDENT

Photo: Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr. and U.S. Sen. Barack Obama (The New President of USA) endorse Alexi s Gannoulias ..
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http://www.alexiforillinois.com/


Chicago.- By Apostolos ZoupaniotisGreek Americans in Chicago played a crucial role in the mobilization of the Community for the victory of the Obama-Biden ticket and the election night had an additional reason to celebrate his victory. Many Greek Americans were privileged with the golden ticket to the Grant Park victory celebrations, while others took part to a joint victory party at the Chicago Hilton, co-organized with Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr.

Endy Zemenides, political director of Illinois State Treasurer and executive director of the Greek Americans for Obama Committee, worked hard, both in Illinois and other states, to mobilize the community and others. We met him during Obamaós victory event at the Grant Park
“We all worked hard; there are a lot of people who worked hard for it, none more than Barack himself. Whatós amazing is, itós really a proud day to be an American.

So many people across the nation came and voting in record numbers and captured states that nobody in their wildest dreams thought that a Democrat and a black one would capture and itós really the first day in a new era or a new epoch in American history”, he told Greek News.

Photo: Kyriakos Tsakopolous and Sen. Barack Obama. Kyriakos Tsakopoulos has the connections to shake the money tree for Obama: he's a member of the Columbia University Board of Trustees, a trustee of California State University System, and sits on the board of the University of California at Davis M.I.N.D. Institute -- as well as being a California elector in the Electoral College in 2004 and 2008. He says his business partner Demetrios A. Boutris has also signed on to the Obama effort.

Peter Poulos, a Real Estate Appraiser and a Board member of the Hellenic American Leadership Council, speaking to the Greek News says Obamaós election has inspired the American people.

“We have elected someone the American people can believe in. He raised our confidence level and he can reach across party lines. He really energized this race and have seen record voting in America.”

more see: http://www.greeknewsonline.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=9403

Search resumes in Albania after building collapse

The Associated Press
Published: November 10, 2008

Argirokaster: Rescue teams have resumed the search for three people missing beneath the rubble of an apartment building that has partially collapsed in southern Albania.

Fifteen people were evacuated, four of whom were slightly injured when part of the building collapsed Sunday. A 35-year-old woman, her 13-year-old daughter and a 65-year-old woman remain in the ruins.
Albanian and Greek rescue teams stopped searching late at night at the site in Gjirokastra, 140 miles (225 kilometers) south of Tirana, fearing the remaining part of the building might collapse. They resumed the search early Monday.

Gjirokastra police spokesman Genti Mullai said the collapse was believed to have been caused by construction work on an adjacent apartment building.