NATO Ready to Libya! - - Mobility of the bases of the B2 Spirit in the U.S.

"The North Atlantic Council met this afternoon to discuss the grave situation in Libya, which affects the safety of thousands of citizens, including from NATO countries. We will continue to monitor closely the situation in coordination with other international organizations, and will continue to consult in order to be prepared for any eventuality. " With this terse announcement ended a meeting of NATO's Political Committee, which dealt exclusively with the situation in Libya and it seems that the die is cast if not cease hostilities. The Americans have some air bases in Europe partially lookout, while sources from the U.S. anaferounn that "there is mobility bility B2 bomber bases. Aircraft E-3 AWACS patrolling in the Mediterranean "NATO will intervene if an individual member state requested by the Alliance to take action," he said shortly before the NATO Secretary General, Anders Fogh Rasmussen and already one or two countries are preparing to submit the request for evacuating their nationals from the fiery North African country, but things will be simple: M. Gaddafi ordered and opened stores and distributes weapons to supporters of the government of all kinds of weapons. It is estimated that within 48 hours will be able to equip approximately 50,000 citizens! The Secretary General of NATO in other statements, expressed deep concern at the Alliance for the events as "affected the lives and safety of Libyan society and those of thousands of citizens of member states of NATO, calling it" massive challenge "to release from the company in the country. At the extraordinary meeting of the NAC that engage the Minister of National Defense Evangelos Venizelos, will discuss "practical ways" to provide assistance to those in need, and limiting the consequences of the developments, an indirect reference to the damage suffered by the global economy because of rising...

“Dialogue shouldn’t be about north Kosovo”

26 February 2011 | 15:40 | Source: B92

BELGRADE -- U.S. Ambassador to Kosovo Christopher Dell has stated that Belgrade-Priština dialogue should not be about north Kosovo. In his opinion the status of Kosovo is already solved and there is no room for discredited ideas such as partition or change of borders in the upcoming dialogue. The U.S. ambassador told Radio Free Europe that the Belgrade-Priština negotiations could be a part of a process of restoration of Kosovo’s international reputation. Dell points out that the dialogue would show that Kosovo leadership is responsible, flexible and capable of cooperating with European institutions and of course of working with Serbia in order to improve the citizens’ quality of life and improve good neighborly relations in these parts of the Balkans.

Tirana, protest against the census on the ethnic basis

"The Ethnic Registration , menaces the Albanian national security"

TIRANE. PDIU and "Young Patriots Club" are pressed together in a protest before Parliament, seeking postponement of the census based on ethnic and religious.

By keeping the Albanian flag in hand, dozens of youth from "Young Patriots Club" of the ruling Justice, Integration and unity have issued calls, where placards in their hands have protested against this initiative.

"Himara is Albania" and "ethnic Albania", were among the calls issued by the young. "Albania is not a multiethnic state," calling with ethnic and patriotic slogans", "The Ethnic Registration , menaces the Albanian national security" etc..

Amid patriotic songs, the protesters appealed the political class did not remain indifferent, but strongly oppose this initiative.

In a statement a few days ago, the Party of ethnic Greeks MEGA and Omonia, were expressed that "if the population census will be blocked by the Albanian government, these political entities will be counted separately for the Ethnik Greek Community, in Albania.

Top US Official Backs Role of Albania Prosecutor

US Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg held meetings with top Albanian officials in Tirana on Friday, supporting the role of the general prosecutor as she probes the January 21 unrest that left four people dead.

Besar Likmeta

Tirana

In a press conference after meeting with Albania’s political leaders, Steinberg underlined the need for politicians to respect the constitution and rule of law, as prosecutors lead an investigation into the January 21 events.

"Your constitution provides for an independent investigative process through the Prosecutor General and we think it is very important that the independence of that investigation be protected," Steinberg said.

“I appreciate the commitment that the Prosecutor General made to making sure that the investigation is comprehensive and as independent as possible," he added.

General Prosecutor Ina Rama has been the target of unprecedented verbal attacks by the ruling majority over the last four weeks, despite US and EU calls for an independent investigation.

The US official met with President Bamir Topi, Prime Minister Sali Berisha, opposition leader Edi Rama, Foreign Minister Edmond Haxhinasto and General Prosecutor Ina Rama.

Albania has been facing renewed political crisis since the violent clashes between state security forces and protesters in Tirana.

The protest of January 21 turned into a riot when several hundred anti-government protesters attacked the police barricade set up to protect the prime minister’s office, using sticks, stones and Molotov cocktails.

Police responded with tear gas, water cannons and later with live ammunition fire, leaving four dead and dozens wounded.

Prosecutors are currently investigating the murders, the organisers of the protest and the violent demonstrators that attacked the police.

Prime Minister Sali Berisha claims that his government is the victim of a failed coup attempt, part of the January 21 protests, orchestrated by the Socialists, the president, the secret service, the general prosecutor and four journalists.

Meanwhile, opposition leader Edi Rama accuses Berisha of turning a peaceful protest into a bloodbath and attacking any institution that does not agree with his version of the facts.

The recent tension between Rama’s Socialists and the ruling majority of Prime Minister Berisha has aggravated an already poisoned political climate which has been in a troubled state since the disputed June 2009 parliamentary elections.

NATO to hold emergency meeting on Libya

BRUSSELS, Feb. 25 (Xinhua) -- NATO will convene an emergency meeting on Friday to discuss unfolding situations in Libya.

Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen, who is in Hungary to attend an informal meeting of EU defense ministers, called for an emergency session on Libya.

"The situation in Libya is of great concern. NATO can act as an enabler and coordinator if and when member states will take action," he said in Godollo, a town near Budapest.

But any intervention must be based on a United Nations mandate, he added.

The UN Security Council will also meet Friday in New York to mull possible actions against Libyan leader Moammar Gaddafi's regime.

Many nations continued their efforts on Friday to evacuate their citizens from the North African country, as Gaddafi loyalties engaged in fierce fight with opposition forces.

Greece: Albanian armed robber shot dead during police pursuit

One of five armed robbers that struck a post office and a branch of Agricultural Bank of Greece (ATE) in Molos, Fthiotida was shot dead by police on Friday morning. The man was fatally injured in an exchange of fire at a police roadblock and died before he reached hospital.

Police were lying in wait for the Volvo S40 carrying the five Albanians on an access road alongside the 87th kilometre of the Athens-Thessaloniki national highway, heading toward Athens. When the suspects sighted the police road block they opened fire with Kalashnikov rifles and the police officers returned fire, injuring two of the men in the car.

The five suspects had already managed to get past a police roadblock further up on the national highway near the junction of Akraifnio. Earlier, at 9:40 a.m. on Friday, they had attacked a post office branch at Molos in Fthiotida armed with Kalashnikovs and hoods to conceal their faces, taking just over 2,000 euros. Immediately afterward, they headed for an ATEBank branch in the central square, where they were seen by several witnesses, and intercepted an armoured van as it was making a delivery of some 20,000 euro in cash, which they forced the security guards to hand over at gunpoint. They then climbed into cars that were parked on the square and fled toward the national highway.

Police immediately launched a chase, identifying one of the cars as a Honda stolen three days earlier in Ilion, Attica. Shortly afterward, they were spotted in a Volvo S40 driving toward Athens from Kammena Vourla and police in the Atalanti region began a high-speed pursuit down the national highway. The car's progress was tracked all through Fthiotida and police road blocks set up a various points along its path, at Akraifnio and Kastro.

The suspects managed to get through the Akraifnio road block by shooting at police then left the national highway and entered an access road three kilometres before the second road block near Thiva. Police succeed in blocking all routes ahead of them, however, and a full-scale shootout began that ended with one of the robbers fatally injured and the arrest of the remaining four, one of whom was shot in the leg. Despite efforts to get the seriously injured man to the nearest hospital in Thiva, he died before arriving.

Athens and OSCE proposal for N. Africa

VIENNA (ANA-MPA) -- A Greek proposal for assistance by the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) towards the democratic transition in Egypt and Tunisia was submitted here during the winter plenum of the OSCE's parliamentary sssembly.

The start of the assembly's two-day sessions was declared by the Greek president of the parliamentary assembly, Petros Efthymiou, in the presence of Austria's Federal President, Heinz Fischer.

In his opening address, Efthymiou stressed the contribution of the so-called Corfu Process, during the Greek presidency at the OSCE in 2009 as well as that of the summit in Astana last December, towards strengthening the momentum and the revival of the Organisation's political character.

The economist

Is the mud sticking?

Feb 24th 2011, by T.J. | TIRANA

KOSOVO marked the third anniversary of its independence on February 17th in sombre mood. Only last July the country's leaders were riding high last year in the wake of an advisory opinion by the International Court of Justice that its declaration of independence had not been illegal.

Now their reputations are in tatters. First came allegations of fraud in last December’s elections, which angered its strongest supporter, the United States. Soon afterwards, a report produced by Dick Marty, a Swiss politician and former prosecutor, made lurid claims about the involvement of Kosovo's leadership in organised crime. In the last few days two new documents [PDF: download site] have come to light that appear to bolster the most nightmarish of those allegations.

First, a disclaimer. In Balkan politics, the dictum, “if you are not with us, you are against us” usually applies. Some readers have attacked this blog simply for reporting on the Marty affair. As a fog of confusion, claims and counter-claims swirls over the allegations laid against Kosovo's leaders, we lay out here what is already known about the issue, and what is new.

The allegations Last December, Mr Marty delivered a report to the Council of Europe that alleged that Hashim Thaçi, who has just begun a second term as Kosovo's prime minister, was close to people who, after the 1999 Kosovo war, had kidnapped some 500 Serbs, Albanians and others, all of whom were eventually killed. Some of them, the report claimed, were murdered so that their organs could be harvested and sold. Mr Thaçi has vigorously denied the claims.

Mr Marty's allegations were not new. Their first public outing was in a 2008 book by Carla Del Ponte, the former prosecutor of the UN war crimes tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in The Hague (ICTY), and Chuck Sudetic, a former ICTY analyst...... .......http://www.economist.com/node/21016145

Albanian lawmakers lift ex-minister's immunity

25 February 2011 FOCUS News Agency

Southeast Europe and Balkans

Tirana. Albanian lawmakers voted on Thursday to lift the parliamentary immunity of former economy minister Dritan Prifti, paving the way for him to be investigated over corruption allegations, AFP reported.

With 119 votes for and three against among those present at the session, the deputies in the 140-seat parliament lifted the immunity of Prifti, a former member of the Socialist Movement for Integration, a partner in Albania's ruling coalition.

Prifti has given to the Albanian prosecutors video footage apparently showing the former deputy prime minister Ilir Meta asking him to favour one company over others bidding for a hydro-electricity plant and splitting a sum of some 70,000 euros (94,000 $) last March.

Athens poised to evacuate Greeks from Libya

Greece on Tuesday was on standby to evacuate Greek citizens from strife-torn Libya.

Deputy foreign minister Dimitris Dollis said that the priority right now was to receive permission for overflights and landings in order to pick up the Greeks in Libya wishing to leave for Greece.

Speaking on private television stations on Tuesday morning, Dollis, who holds the Greeks Abroad portfolio, said that the procedures for the flight permission have been set im motion by the defence ministry, while the planning was being made by the foreign ministry under his own supervision and that of ministry secretary general Ambassador Yannis-Alexis Zepos.

Dollis put the number of Greeks in Libya at approximately 300, noting that the operation was made difficult by the fact that most of the Greeks were working in remote construction sites in the desert.

"We are making every effort to contact as many people as possible, as well as the companies," Dollis said.

He added that Greece was also in contact with other countries preparing evacuation operations in order to coordinate forces and provide mutual assistance in the evacuations.

US Sees Local Elections as Key to Albania’s Future

Alexander Arvizu, the US ambassador in Tirana, reiterated on Wednesday the American stance that the May 8 ballot is a key test of Albania’s democratic credentials.

Besar Likmeta

Tirana

“These local elections are very important for Albania’s future and we expect to see competition and a real political campaign,” Arvizu said. “The citizens have to listen to what politicians have to say and cast their ballot,” he added.

As the May 8 local elections approach, Albania’s ruling majority and Socialist opposition remain deeply divided, following the death of four opposition protestors during an anti-government rally on January 21.

The opposition has suggested that it might boycott the polls.

Arvizu’s statement came as he announced a $360,000 grant to train election monitors for the local polls and on the eve of the visit to Tirana of US Deputy Secretary of State James B. Steinberg.

Steinberg will be accompanied during his visit by Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Tom Countryman.

“In Albania, they will reinforce the importance of local elections to resolving Albania’s political impasse and reinforce the Prosecutor General’s role in investigating the events of January 21,” the state department said in a press release.

Albania has been facing renewed political crisis since the violent clashes between state security forces and protesters in Tirana.

The protest of January 21 turned into a riot when several hundred anti-government protesters attacked the police barricade set up to protect the prime minister’s office, using sticks, stones and Molotov cocktails.

Police responded with tear gas, water cannons and later with live ammunition fire, leaving four dead and dozens wounded.

Prosecutors are currently investigating the murders, the organisers of the protest and the violent demonstrators that attacked the police.

Prime Minister Sali Berisha claims that his government is the victim of a failed coup attempt, part of the January 21 protests, orchestrated by the Socialists, the president, the secret service, the general prosecutor and four journalists.

Meanwhile, opposition leader Edi Rama accuses Berisha of turning a peaceful protest into a bloodbath and attacking any institution that does not agree with his version of the facts.

The recent tension between Rama’s Socialists and the ruling majority of Prime Minister Berisha has aggravated an already poisoned political climate which has been in a troubled state since the disputed June 2009 parliamentary elections.

Mega and Omonia: if blocking the census process, we will count our community

TIRANA-The possibille of postponed of census process in Albania, has sparked reaction in Mega Party and leaders of "Omonia" s in Saranda. Greek organizations and the pro confirm their initiative to register themselves Greek Ethnic Community in southern Albania.

Calling the unjustifiable decision to postpone the registration of population leader of the "Mega" Kico Kristaq said it would undertake a serious political action to identify all the Greek Community in Albania and that this result will give the Council parqesë Europe. Meanwhile Llambi Panteqi, president of the organization Omonia for Saranda, explains that claims do not affect the nationality Omonia today, but it lost during the communist system.

The criterion of self-declaration of nationality and census process of the population, has been a demand which have converged as the organization "Omonia" and the parties representing the interests of the Greek minority, HURP and Mega.

Meanwhile, the President of Omonia, Vasilis Bolanos, expected the coming days to appear in a press conference, in connection with the performance of the census process.

Roma minority: census based on ethnicity

"We are more 100 thousand"

After the Greek minority and the Roma community requires a complete record of populltes on ethnic grounds.

The claim that the number of Roma in the country is higher than 100 thousand, Roma leaders have launched a lobbying campaign in all the cities of Albania, urging Roma to declare such on the basis of nationality.

http://www.balkanweb.com/videoAlbum/popup.php?vIDCategoria=47&IDVideo=9175&va_id_video=9175

Albania’s Opposition Toys with Election Boycott

The Central Electoral Commission moved on Monday to fill the vacancies for election officials for the May poll after the opposition parties failed to nominate candidates, yet another sign that they may boycott the upcoming ballot.

Besar Likmeta

Tirana

The Commission has launched a public announcement for candidates to fill the positions, after the opposition missed a deadline to nominate candidates of their choice.

The vacancies in question are the opposition slots for representatives on the Commissions of Electoral Administration Zones, CEAZs, the local bodies which actually count the ballots in Albania’s twelve electoral zones.

According to the Electoral Code, the political parties should have proposed their candidates for commissioners by January 24 and the CEAZs should have been established by February 7.

Although Socialist opposition leader Edi Rama only a few days ago said that his party will not boycott the May 8 ballot, the Socialists say they are seeking additional assurances that the polls will not be marred by electoral fraud.

They continue to push for the resignation of Prime Minister Sali Berisha, arguing that his ‘corrupt’ government, which they say is responsible for the death of four opposition protesters during the January 21 unrest, cannot guarantee free and fair elections.

The Socialist stance against the poll has come under fire from international officials, which see the upcoming ballot as a way to diffuse tensions and stabilise the country before the political crisis gets out of control.

The OSCE on Monday backed the CEC’s move to push the preparations for the elections forward, while panning a possible opposition boycott.

“The public announcement of the vacancies in the CEAZs to be filled soon is an important and decisive step guaranteeing full transparency of the election process vis-à-vis citizens,” said OSCE head in Albania Eugen Wollfarth.

“I welcome this step and note that it only became necessary after some parties' refusal to participate in democratic procedures according to rules they had co-authored and decided themselves,” he added.

Albania has been facing renewed political crisis in recent weeks following the violent clashes between state security forces and protesters on January 21 in Tirana.

The protest of January 21 turned into a riot when several hundred anti-government protesters attacked the police barricade set up to protect the prime minister’s office, using sticks, stones and Molotov cocktails.

Police responded with tear gas, water cannons and later with live ammunition fire, leaving four dead and dozens wounded.

Prosecutors are currently investigating the murders, the organisers of the protest and the violent demonstrators that attacked the police.

Prime Minister Sali Berisha claims that his government is the victim of a failed coup attempt, part of the January 21 protests, orchestrated by the Socialists, the president, the secret service, the general prosecutor and four journalists.

Meanwhile, opposition leader Edi Rama accuses Berisha of turning a peaceful protest into a bloodbath and attacking any institution that does not agree with his version of the facts.

The recent tension between Rama’s Socialists and the ruling majority of Prime Minister Berisha has aggravated an already poisoned political climate which has been in a troubled state since the disputed June 2009 parliamentary elections.

Pacolli Approved as President of Kosovo

After three rounds of voting in Kosovo's parliament, wealthy businessman Behgjet Pacolli has been confirmed as the president of Kosovo.

Petrit Collaku

Pristina

Pacolli, the leader of the New Kosovo Alliance, AKR, was voted in with 62 votes in favour and four against, while one ballot was declared invalid.

In the first two rounds of voting in the parliament, Pacolli was not able to get the required two-thirds majority of votes in the 120-seat parliament. The third round required only a simple majority.

Opposition parties boycotted the session.

Pacolli's AKR has formed a coalition cabinet with the largest party, the Democratic Party of Kosovo, PDK, led by incoming Prime Minister Hashim Thaci, and several smaller parties.

Pacolli took the oath of office immediately following the vote. In his speech, he said that a new challenge has begun for him, one that involves great responsibilities.

“Thank you for trusting me to follow the path of the historic president Ibrahim Rugova and to fulfill the will of our heroes,” Pacolli told MPs.

Pacolli, who studied in Germany in the 1970s and later moved to Switzerland, owns the international construction company Mabetex.

His company ‘renovated the Kremlin’, reportedly thanks to his close business ties with Moscow, and helped build the new capital of Kazakhstan.

Mabetex is also a major player in the Kosovo construction sector, carrying out a €15 million project on a government building and the renovation of one of Pristina’s most famous hotels, the Illyrian.

His party came third in the 2007 elections, running on a heavily technocratic programme, and promising transparency, investment and jobs.

Since then, Pacolli, 59, has acted as a defacto foreign minister, travelling the world in an attempt to secure recognitions for Kosovo.

His successes, including recognitions from the Maldives and other island states, have also led him into conflict with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

He has made no secret of his desire to become president of the country.

Tirana, a dangerous game, against the Ethnic Greek Community

Census, has turned into a nationalist struggle in Albania, which since the fall of communist dictatorship, should begin this process with transparency, required by the Council of Europe

Athens should declare dual citizenship, while Northern Epiriotes, to make their declaration itself, in the event that pushes the process by Tirana

Even 20 years after the collapse of the communist dictatorship, Albania is not revealing a desire, before its candidacy process, to the European Union. The cause has become the Albanian nationalist tensions, against Ethnic Greek Community, trying on the one hand, to intimidate members of the community, and on the other, forcing the Albanian government, to block the registration of the population, provided in April this year.

According to Foreign Minister Edmond Haxhinasto, "administrative elections in Albania, can inhibit the development of the census, as there is growing artificial tensions." In conclusion, the census is likely to fail, despite even 10 million euros provided by the European Union, to help this process. Meanwhile, on the other hand, the involvement of official Tirana, in a suspicious and immoral game with its ally Greece, and will enable the Greek Ethnic Community and Athens, to take the obligated initiatives, to protect western European values for the Greek homogeneity, in Albania.

Specifically, if in the process of registration of the population, will be delayed from Tirana, then representatives of the Greek Community in Albania, should undertake concrete initiatives to develop this process, being declared itself a reliable system even on the European opinion.

Meanwhile, belongs to Athens, to perform another parliamentary initiative, to activate dual citizenship giving out the Greek community living in Albania, approved by the government of Kostantinos Karamanlis, in October 2006, which was then blocked by the opposition PASOK of George Papandreou.

Situated in front of a fact such, the European Union should not tolerate blocking initiatives of official Tirana, which always and more, to protect the interests of the Albanian nationalism aspiration of Gretaer Albania, seeking to suppress, the methods disguised the right to self-declaration of ethnic Greek community in Northern Epirus.

Now, belongs to the Ethnic Greek Community, the initiatives taken to protect the future of its own perspective, in view of the European values and freedoms of human rights, to launch awareness campaign inside own community, which lives by thousands years in their lands.

Albanian government hints of census postponement

21/02/2011

TIRANA, Albania -- The government is signalling it may postpone the population census scheduled for April after a long debate on the quality and effect of the format.

The Shqip daily reported on Sunday (February 20th), quoting government officials, that the census has been delayed with no new date set. Media reports suggest there are three reasons behind the decision: some fear that including ethnic and religious declaration as part of the registration may artificially increase the number of minorities.

Others worry about holding the census while candidates campaign for the May 8th local elections. Still others, the Party for Justice, Integration and Unity, which defends the interests of Albanians expelled from Greece, wants to postpone the census until further preparations are made.

CONSTITUTION

OF THE HIMARRIOTON SOCIETY
OF AMERICA

" H XEIMAPPA" 1965


INTRODUCTION

The Himarriotans of America, who have in the past been organized in their historic Associations, initially in that of THE AGONIZOMENI XEIMARRA (THE STRUGGLING HIMARRA) and later in the AKROKERAVNIA - at a special meeting held in Washington, D. C. _ overwhelmingly decided to establish a new association which will follow in me noblest traditions '0£ the two preceeding organizatons, and which in a new and invigorating spirit will incarnate the National aspirations of the Himarriotans as true descendants of their Greek forefathers and will inspire towards a more dynamicand effective, patriotic, charitable and philanthropic endeavor.

Macedonia Opposition Accepts Call for Early Elections

The leader of the opposition Social Democrats has accepted the prime minister’s call for early elections, though it is not clear they will reach agreement on a date for the polls.

Sinisa Jakov Marusic

Skopje

“Snap polls are the best way to overcome the current political gridlock,” opposition leader Branko Crvenkivski said at a press conference on Monday.

But he insisted that government must first ensure they are free and fair. “Everything else would deepen and radicalize the crisis,” Crvenkovski said.

On late Sunday Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski said he would accept the opposition's calls for early elections and challenged them to compete in polls “as soon as possible”.

The Social Democrats, who began a boycott of parliament in late January, have reiterated their demands for reforms to improve the election law, clean the voter’s list of fictive voters that could be used for fraud and eliminate political interference in the judiciary.

The Social Democrats hope these reforms will be completed by April 20, after which the parliament could be dissolved and early elections called for mid June................................

.http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/macedonia-opposition-greets-early-elections

Dr. Basil Photos, 95, never forgot Albanian homeland

By Sarah Baraba Feb 20, 2011 9:42PM

Dr. Basil Photos, who died Feb. 13 at 95, was the longtime head of the Panepirotic Federation of America.

At a time when Greeks and other ethnic minorities living in southern Albania could not always practice their language, religion and even some customs, 10-year-old Basil Photos was sent away from home to get an education — which eventually included medical school.

“His father selected him as the one in the family to go off to school. In 1926 he set off with a note in his pocket saying, ‘Go see Mr. So-and-So and live with him and go to school,’ ” said Dr. Photos’ daughter Cynthia Abbott.

Dr. Photos’ family members were among the ethnic Greeks living in the area on the border of Albania and Greece known as Northern Epirus — a territory within Albania proper that has seen oppression at various times against the minority population.

“You couldn’t go to church. They closed all the schools; the Greek language was not taught in the elementary or high school level. The only Greek that was taught was in private schools, which ran the risk of being found by the Albanian police,” said Demetrios Tsoumbanos, former leader of the Panepirotic Federation of America, an organization seeking to protect the human rights of Greeks in Albania.

Studying medicine in Athens, Greece, and eventually emigrating to the United States, Dr. Photos was able to escape the troubles of his home region, but much of his family did not.

“He couldn’t speak to or see them for 45 years. Many of his relatives really did suffer quite extensively. His sister’s home was burned down multiple times, his brothers were jailed because they spoke out,” said Abbott. “His struggle from the 1940s all the way into the Iron Curtain was to see his homeland be free.”

Dr. Photos, born in 1916, died Feb. 13 at age 95 following a brief illness. A Glenview resident, he served for years as head of the Panepirotic Federation of America, and was a founder of Chicago’s Greek Independence Day Parade.

After graduating from the medical school at the University of Athens in 1945, Dr. Photos came to the United States for postgraduate studies in medicine at the University of Michigan. Graduating in 1948, he came to Chicago to intern at Grant Hospital and became an emergency room physician at another medical center.

In 1953 Dr. Photos married the former Mary Vaselakos, and opened his own practice in the Loop. He later opened another office on the North Side. A family physician, Dr. Photos delivered nearly 1,500 babies, said his daughter.

Though busy as a physician, Dr. Photos found time to raise awareness about his homeland. Through the Panepirotic Federation, Dr. Photos visited the United Nations several times to discuss human rights violations in Northern Epirus. His efforts were recognized by the Greek government as well as the Greek Orthodox Church.

“Dr. Photos was very instrumental in keeping that idea alive for the last 60 years,” said Tsoumbanos. “Every time we got together it was the first thing he would bring up.”

Dr. Photos never made it back to his home region, though he was reunited with family. Today Albania is considered more welcoming of Greeks in the southern territory, although the area of Northern Epirus has become less populated as it has gained more freedoms.

“What was interesting is that his homeland is in many ways deserted now; people moved to the big cities,” Abbott said. “He would have liked to see the area itself prosper, but most of [the Greeks] left. That was somewhat painful for him.”

Though he struggled with the plight of his homeland, his pride in his Greek heritage was unwavering.

“He had tremendous pride in being Greek and pride in some of the original ideals going back to Socrates and Aristotle — the freedom to express yourself and debate ideas, and chart your own destiny. He was so much a patriot of this country because our ideals are the Ancient Greek ideals he felt strongly about.”

In addition to his daughter, Dr. Photos is survived by his wife, Mary; daughter Thalia Murphy; four grandchildren, and one sibling.

http://www.suntimes.com/lifestyles/3928377-423/dr.-basil-photos-95-never-forgot-albanian-homeland

Question to the Greek Parliament by PM of ND, Panagiotopoulos and Giouleka for recall of Consul Korca


PRESS RELEASE

The Head of the Department of Foreign Affairs Commission of "New Democracy Party"
MP B Athens, Mr. Panos Panayiotopoulos and his deputy Mr.
Constantine Gioulekas with the theme that emerged for "recall" of
Greek Consul in Korce Theodoros Economou - Kamarinos, made
the following statement after the deposition and prompted the House:

"Unfortunately, in this case, the regular Ministry of Foreign Affairs
clearly shows the timidity that distinguishes the current government.

Not only to defend our national interests, but also to accept the terms of the self-evident and areas we should use and the project, if we want to be consistent, both in our history, and as to how to be conduct a powerful country such as Greece, in the
Southeastern Europe."

Albanians, Turks, Quit Macedonian Census Commission

Walk-out by ethnic Albanian and Turkish members of the commission adds to the list of headaches facing the crisis-hit head count, which is supposed to take place in April.

Sinisa Jakov Marusic

Skopje

Representatives of Macedonia's largest ethnic minority, Albanians, and of one of its smaller groups, Turks, have quit the census commission in a row over the number of ethnic minority members joining the 8,500-strong force tasked with collecting the data.

Among those quitting the commission were its own vice-president, Abdulmenaf Bexheti.

The six Albanians and two Turks said they were unhappy with the way the Macedonian majority on the commission was selecting census-takers.

"This concept reflects the distrust felt towards Albanians, Turks and others," the six Albanian members said in a joint statement. They conditioned their return to the commission with changes to the selection process.

“We cannot accept not having a single Turkish [census official] in municipalities containing 46,000 Turks," the two Turkish commission members, Sali Murat and Havza Rexhep, said.

The head of the census commission, Vesna Janevska, declined to comment on the boycott.

Some media suggested that the walk-out from the commission was arranged in coordination with the government's junior coalition party, the ethnic Albanian Democratic Union for Integration, DUI. The party has not yet stated its position on the boycott.

Last December, the two main ethnic Albanian opposition parties, the New Democracy and the Democratic Party of Albanians, announced that they would boycott the census unless it was postponed from April to July.

The parties accused Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski's main ruling party, VMRO DPMNE, of setting the date in April because many ethnic Albanians are out of the country in spring, working temporarily aboard.

They wanted the vote put back to July, when people working abroad usually return home on summer vacation.

The last census in Macedonia was in 2002. Results showed that 64.2 per cent of population were Macedonian and 25.2 per cent were ethnic Albanian. Roma, Turks, Serbs and other minorities made up the rest.

The census took place a year after the signing of the 2001 Ohrid Peace Accord, which ended a short-lived armed conflict in the country between ethnic Albanian insurgents and the security forces. The Ohrid deal guaranteed more rights for ethnic Albanians.