SMANALYSIS
wishes you
and your loved ones
Happy Easter
Kalo Pasxa & Kali Anastasi !!
wishes you
and your loved ones
Happy Easter
Kalo Pasxa & Kali Anastasi !!
Friday, April 22, 2011
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Albania names new interior minister amid campaign incidents
Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha has named Bujar Nishani as the new Interior Minister to replace Lulzim Basha, who is running for mayor of the national capital Tirana, the government said on Wednesday.
Nishani, who served as Justice Minister after Berisha's ruling Democratic Party won a second mandate in the 2009 elections contested by the opposition, comes to the Interior Ministry after having run it during the Democrats' previous four-year term. Nishani's appointment came after the police commander of a special riot police unit did not obey the orders of a deputy interior minister performing the duties of the minister.
Deputy Interior Minister Avenir Peka accused special forces commander Shemsi Prenci of slander after Prenci accused Peka of breaking the law by ordering him to intervene against opposition Socialist supporters in a suburb of Tirana. Both have lodged complaints with prosecutors, who are looking into the case.
By law, state police is independent and only the general police director can order the actions of police. Similar incidents across the Balkan nation ahead of the local government elections on May 8, which the European Union expects to be free and fair, could have obliged Berisha to name Nishani to oversee the work of security forces.
Along with Tourism Minister Ferdinand Xhaferraj, Basha resigned his government job two weeks ago to challenge the opposition Socialist Party leader Edi Rama, the current mayor of Tirana who is running for a fourth term. Xhaferraj is running for mayor of his native port town of Durres, one of Albania's biggest cities which has been run by the opposition Socialist Party over the last decade.
Nishani, who served as Justice Minister after Berisha's ruling Democratic Party won a second mandate in the 2009 elections contested by the opposition, comes to the Interior Ministry after having run it during the Democrats' previous four-year term. Nishani's appointment came after the police commander of a special riot police unit did not obey the orders of a deputy interior minister performing the duties of the minister.
Deputy Interior Minister Avenir Peka accused special forces commander Shemsi Prenci of slander after Prenci accused Peka of breaking the law by ordering him to intervene against opposition Socialist supporters in a suburb of Tirana. Both have lodged complaints with prosecutors, who are looking into the case.
By law, state police is independent and only the general police director can order the actions of police. Similar incidents across the Balkan nation ahead of the local government elections on May 8, which the European Union expects to be free and fair, could have obliged Berisha to name Nishani to oversee the work of security forces.
Along with Tourism Minister Ferdinand Xhaferraj, Basha resigned his government job two weeks ago to challenge the opposition Socialist Party leader Edi Rama, the current mayor of Tirana who is running for a fourth term. Xhaferraj is running for mayor of his native port town of Durres, one of Albania's biggest cities which has been run by the opposition Socialist Party over the last decade.
Monday, April 18, 2011
Campaign Pressure on Albania Police Under Scrutiny
As prosecutors probe a row between the ministry of interior and police over an alleged order to subdue opposition protesters, an expert warns that political pressure on the force during campaigns undermines their work.
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Riot police units during an opposition protest on Jan. 21, 2011 |Photo by : Besar Likmeta |
Tirana prosecutors will question Albania’s Special Forces Commander Shemsi Prenci and Deputy Minister of Interior Avenir Peka, after accusations of political pressure surfaced following a campaign incident.
Prenci filed charges in Tirana prosecutor’s office against Peka last week, accusing him of trying to send his units against opposition protestors, after clashes with a rival political gang on April 10.
The general director of police is the only authority that can order the deployment of special police units.
Premci told reporters that Peka had “threatened and insulted him” after he refused the order that he believed was illegal.
“I won’t obey the illegal orders of deputy minister Peka,” Prenci said.
Peka has declined to comment on the accusations and filed a counter-suit against the police commander, accusing him of slander.
The row is one of the most serious incidents of the campaign for the May 8 local elections, which has been characterised by a tense political climate and several violent clashes between government and opposition supporters.
Although Albania’s police forces were widely used in past electoral campaigns to advance political interests, they have received flying marks for professionalism in the last three polls in the country.
Adriatik Ago, a security expert and former head of police in the region of Shkodra, says that political interference damages police work on many levels, and if Peka’s alleged order proves true, it would certainly be considered a serious incident.
“The time when politicians interfered [in police work] through a phone call disregarding of the chain of command has past,” said Ago.
“This is a sign that politicians are still trying to interfere more than they should in the police forces, undermining their work,” Ago added.
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Muslim Community of Albania, commemorated the Prophet Muhammad
In his speech, Berisha also mentioned the opening of the University Beder. Berisha guaranteed to all religious leaders of Albania, the government will do everything to support their mission to rebuild great spiritual values in the Albanian nation.
Based on the teachings of Prophet Muhammad, Berisha urged everyone to work together with dedication to make an equitable society.
Albanian media, "concerned" about the militarization of Greece in Balkan
Greece, billions to be armed
Top Channel TV
Greece is one of the five largest customers in the world in terms of the purchase of military weapons in the period 2005 -2009. The International Research Institute for Peace in Stockholm, in a report published military budget of all countries in the World Day against Expenditure for the purchase of weapons.
According to the report, the amounts spent on armaments from Athens in the last 30 years make up 1 / 3 of Greek colossal debt, in other words about 100 billion euros, ranking it in fifth place, behind China, India, South Korea and the United Arab Emirates.
Specifically mentioning the fact that Greece continues to spend on armaments a higher percentage of GDP from each EU member country, despite last year has reduced military spending due to economic crisis.
The report notes that the amounts on armaments have been a growing tendency in the past 15 years, when Greece has increased purchases mainly from Germany and France.
http://www.top-channel.tv/artikull.php?id=209120&ref=fp
Lajcak: political dialogue, democratic elections are conditions for Albania
BRUSSELS, Belgium -- The EU is asking Albania to re-establish political dialogue and hold free and democratic local elections on May 8th as a condition for integration.
This position was reiterated on Thursday (April 14th) by Miroslav Lajcak, EU managing director for Europe and Central Asia, during his report to the European Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee. He called on the EP to continue supporting dialogue in Albania. "We have to continue with our pressure and they have to know that we are รข€¦ observing the elections," Lajcak said.
During the session, there was a heated exchange between Romanian EP member Victor Bostinaru and Albanian Parliament Speaker Jozefina Topalli. Bostinaru delivered an open letter to the public, describing the offence he took at a comment Topalli made to the Albanian parliament in February. Media reported that Topalli accused the opposition of having bribed European officials, including Bostinaru, to work against the visa liberalisation process for Albanians.On Thursday Bostinaru denied that and said he considers himself a friend of Albanians who wants to help countries that aspire to join the EU. He slammed Albanian politicians who try to discredit everyone who notes their mistakes.
BALKANS, DEFENSE TECHNOLOGY MISSILE SYSTEM
The first Greek cruise missile is a reality and ready for action!
For 3 years the Greek General Army stuff and a number of Greek Companies and Industries,design and construct the first Greek stand-off cruise missile!In the first tests,the High performance of this stand-off cruise missile impressed everyone!The name of this,HSC-1 Macedon(Hellenic Stand-off Cruise-1)
It will use BSK's turbojet VRJ-1400A which produces 440lbs of thrust. The missile will have a range of 300km's and a speed of 1200km/hr. The guidance is GPS/INS with technology from Miltech.
HSC-1 Macedon(Hellenic Stand-off Cruise-1):
Albanian Commandos in Afghanistan, two months without pay
TIRANE-Albanian Special Forces peacekeeping contingent "Eagle-1", which ended military mission in Afghanistan still have not received salaries even though they have since returned from Kandahar on 8 February.
The news was officially confirmed yesterday for "Gazeta Shqiptare" by chief of General Staff of Armed Forces, Maksim Malaj. "It is true that effective that just came back from the mission in Afghanistan has not been paid yet. But do let me know that payment procedures are ready and everything has remained hostage to the Treasury Branch "- confirmed General Malaj.
Asked by "Gazeta Shqiptare" be completed when these payments, he explained that "it's a matter of weeks", without giving thus a concrete date. Peacekeeping contingent "Eagle-1", consisted of 44 officers, NCOs and professional soldiers, effective Special Battalion of Land Forces, who for the first engaged in ground combat operations alongside U.S. forces.
Each of them, according to DCM benefits specifically a monthly salary of 360 thousand lek. The contingent departed from Albania on 29 July 2010 and returned home on February 8. So, the mission of these effectives was 6-months. With a simple arithmetic government owes each of 44 special forces who have returned from Afghanistan, a total of 2,160,000 million leks.
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