Greek foreign minister meets US Secretary of State

October 29, 2011

WASHINGTON – The relation between the US and Greece “is solid”, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said here on Thursday while welcoming visiting Greek foreign minister Stavros Lambrinidis for talks at the State Department.

Speaking at a joint press conference and referring to the current economic crisis, Clinton said that her country hails Greece’s committment for “fiscal and structural reforms” and termed as a positive development an EU summit decision in Brussels on Thursday morning.

Lamprinidis on his part pointed to the “positive role” played by Washington adding that “things went well” for Greece.

Clinton also referred to the “long standing alliance” between the US and Greece, noting that the two countries share “common targets” as regards stability and welfare in Southeastern Europe, North Africa and the Middle East.

“The United States are looking forward to the widening, deepening and reinforcement of this relation of vital importance,” she added.

Lamprinidis, on his part, underlined the “extremely important and useful role” played by the US and Hillary Clinton, especially during “these past difficult” months. (AMNA), P.Panayiotou

Source: athensnews.gr

Albania; Three cases of identity card falsification

Korca Prosecution has taken under investigation the 34-year-old woman that applied twice for the identity card and biometric passport with different identities.

Police says that Xhambazi has applied on behalf of other family members who were in Greece and could not apply. The violation was noted when the employees were processing the data in the system, and there was a conflict of generalities and fingerprints.

According to the data, this is not the only case. Only two days ago, the Korca Prosecution started investigating two other persons who have applied twice for different identities.

According to the data, the 21-year-old Brisian Laloti from Korca and the 28 year old Seran Bace from Biranj village have applied for their family members who were outside Albania. According to the police, these two persons are under investigation for falsification of identity documents.

N. Kosovo Serbs set up new barricade near crossing

Source: Tanjug

RIBARIĆE -- Northern Kosovo Serbs set up a new barricade on the Ribariće-Zubin Potok road leading to the Brnjak administrative crossing on Saturday.

The barricade is made of dirt and tree trunks.

The local Serbs decided to build a new barricade after KFOR removed trucks that were blocking the road on Friday.

German KFOR troops came to the Brnjak administrative crossings in two vehicles and just watched as the citizens erected the new barricade.

Even though KFOR claims that the administrative crossing is open and fully functional, vehicles are using an alternative road around the administrative checkpoint to get to Ribariće. French KFOR troops are controlling the Brnjak crossing.

Serbs are still keeping watch at all barricades in northern Kosovo.

28

OCT

tagged: cancelled, Greece,Karolos Papoulias, military parade, president, protests,Thessaloniki

Unprecedented! Thessaloniki Parade Cancelled Due To Protests

Posted by keeptalkinggreece in Society

Unprecedented! The military parade on the anniversary of OXI-Day in Thessaloniki has been cancelled after protesters insulted the President of the Republic, Karolos Papoulias. Papoulias was ‘weclomed’ with boos by crowds of protesters. They raised banners and chanted the usual slogans “Thieves!” and “Traitors!”. The President of the Greek Republic felt deeply insulted and decided to leave the parade as protesters were hindering the official parade start.

Karolos Papoulias – President of the Greek Republic

“It’s a shame on such an occasion, I’m sorry for the protesters choosing such a historical day that belongs to the people” Papoulias told reporters upon his withdrawal, adding “I fought against the Nazis at the age of 15. Now they shout “Papoulias, Traitor! What traitor?”

Riot police arrived and tension rose and the President was forced to leave the area under strong police escort. At the same time, all politicians, deputies, and even the Defense Minister left the VIP podium as the atmosphere became very tense and it could get out of control due to the crowds of protesters, groups of people to participate at the parade and spectators.

Greek media report that the protesters were members of some left political parties, “Indignant Greeks, workers at social programmes and even Iraklis FC fans but not more than 500-600 people.

According to latest information, some groups of civilians supposedly to parade joined the ‘parade’ of protesters.

Video: Thessaloniki – Protesters … parade

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The riot police withdrew, spectators and protesters started to walk chanting slogans, turning the ‘military parade’ into a protest! Meanwhile some protesters took place at the VIP podium while civilian groups parade…

It is the first time that a parade has been cancelled (if not due to extreme weather conditions), an unprecedented case, we have never seen before

Greeks in Austria Celebrate National Ochi Day

Hellenic Diaspora in Austria commemorated the National Day of Ochi, the anniversary of General Ioannis Metaxas’ flat denial to the Italians’ request for free passage to invade Greece.

In addition, representatives of Cypriot and Greek authorities were in attendance, under the head of Greek Ambassador to Austria Panayotis Zografos.

The celebration events began with thanksgiving in the Cathedral Church of Agia Triada in Vienna, where the representative of the Ecumenical Patriarch and the Metropolitan of Rhodes were present. Afterwards, a commemoration ritual took place in honor of the Greeks lying at the hostorical cemetery ‘Sankt Marxer’ of Vienna.

Alexander Ipsilantis and many other Greeks are lying at ‘Sankt Marxer’ cemetery, next to the grave of the great composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

Albanian Economy Doing Well, Albanian FinMin Says

Albania’s Minister of Finance Ridvan Bode declared on Tuesday that the Albanian economy keeps performing positively and that public debt is kept under control. According to Bode, the Albanian government is taking all necessary measures to prevent the effect of a regional spillover of the economic crisis.

The Albanian Minister of Finance added that Albania’s banking system is healthy and well capitalized. The declaration came after the latest IMF report recommended the Albanian government to be cautious with the public debt and warned that Albania could be affected as a result of a spillover from the economic crisis in the region.

KUQ E ZI " SPECIAL VIDEOKLIP " 2011

The new National Hymn of the "Red and Black Alliance"

Ex-Croat president: No funds from Albanian lobby

Source: Tanjug

ZAGREB -- Former Croatian president Stjepan Mesić has denied during that his presidential campaign was funded by the Albanian lobby.

Stjepan Mesić (FoNet, file)

He made the statement during a court hearing in the Zagreb Municipal Court.

During the trial on defamation charges he filed against political scientist and publicist Darko Petričić, Mesić said on Monday that he "never saw the Albanians Petričić mentioned".

The former Croatian president said there was a report and audit findings which testify of the funds used in his first presidential campaign and that he "did not know anything about certain financiers and amounts".

Mesić added that his electoral board was in charge of such issues, but he that "no significant contributions came from Albanians".

Albanians and Kosovans, one consulate

The Kosovo citizens who live in other countries will soon be able to address to the Albanian consulates for receiving different documents, for which in the past they had to travel to Kosovo, in absence of a consulate in the countries they lived in.

Same goes for Albanian citizens who live in countries that have no consulate from Albania. Kosovo doesn’t have a consulate in Turkey, but Albania does.

According to the agreement, both Kosovo Consul Representatives will be established in the Albanian consulate and will offer their services for the Kosovo citizens.

Same will be for the Albanian citizens in Kosovo Consulate in Frankfurt, Germany.

Receiving documents such as identity cards, passports, birth certificates etc. are some of the services to be offered in the first months of 2012.

Kosovo Deputy Foreign Minister, Ibrahim Gashi, says that Kosovo is trying to achieve such an agreement also with other countries of the region.

Anesti Dhimojani elected for Top of the Vlora District

Former Himara Mayor, Dhimojani, will head the District of Vlora Region

Phenomenon "leakage vote" has become winners again "Alliance for the citizen", this time at the top of the Vlora district. HURP along with Socialist Party members have joined the votes, declaring the winner Anesti Dhimonjani, the Democratic Party as the new district of Vlora
. Dhimonjani has resulted in the election winner with 15 votes difference, where 13 of them turns out to be the coalition of voters from the left, otherwise known as the flow of votes.

According to preliminary data, one finds that about 10 votes from these ballots belong HURP political force, a former president of the Socialist Party for the Vlora Sulçe memory, which a few days ago joined the Socialist Movement Integration, while two others remain hidden. On the other hand, the first meeting after the election of May 8 was developed with tensions and debates between political camp counselors, holding for several hours on the voting block.

The representative of the leftist camp, "alliance for the Future" Brunilda Mersini only managed to get 22 votes, with 15 votes back to the very left margin. Meanwhile, Anesti Dhimojani in 2000 was mayor in Himara, now rezulotn new head of the Vlora district.

Greece ready to provide assistance to Turkey

October 23, 2011

Greece is prepared to provide all possible assistance to the Turkish authorities after a devastating earthquake that hit the Van region of the neighbouring country shortly after noon on Sunday, foreign minister Stavros Lambrinidis told his Turkish counterpart Ahmet Davutoglu in a telephone call later in the day.

Lambrinidis expressed his deepest condolences and the Greek people’s support for the Turkish people, and informed Davutoglu of the Greek citizens protection ministry’s readiness to provide all possible assistance to the Turkish authorities in dealing with the disaster. (AMNA)

Albania: Population registration will continue

The Population Registration will continue until the end of October. The INSTAT director, Ines Nurja, declared that all persons who have not been registered can call the free INSTAT numbers and the operators will go at their homes.

“The Registration Process will continue until the end of the month. All individuals that have not registered can contact through the free numbers. I invite all citizens to be part of the Census”, declared the INSTAT director.

INSTAT clarifies that it is a legal obligation for any Albanian citizen to participate in the registration, in base of which will be planned a strategy and projects for our country.

Intense American interest for developments in Thrace

October 21, 2011

A secret document (No. 1044 / 12 September 2008) of the National Intelligence Service (EYP), revealed by the magazine “Epikaira”, reports the intense involvement in Thrace of the U.S. Consulate in Thessaloniki. According to the document the ultimate goal was the manipulation of the Greek Muslim minority and its subsequent exploitation to serve American interests in the region.

The Greek secret services highlighted the very strong interest shown by U.S. officials on issues related to minority education, going so far as to exert pressure even on a specific teacher working in a minority elementary school in the village Megalos Dereios in Evros. The teacher was the well-known Chara Nikopoulou, who, after having provoked the wrath of the Turkish consulate in Komotini, because she strongly argued that her students being Pomaks are not Turks, she was subsequently targeted by the Greek Ministry of Education, which swiftly transferred her, criticizing her for exercising foreign policy inside the school.

A classified document of the Southeast Europe Directorate of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs dated 19 May 2008, which describes the actions of the U.S. Consulate in Thessaloniki in the area as “highly suspicious and beyond any authority “ (Greek daily “Proto Thema”, 06/15/2008).

Source: strategyreports

Border disorder: Kosovo stand-off continues

Published: 22 October, 2011, 10:44

Kosovo Serb women walk past Austrian NATO Kosovo forces (KFOR) on a road near the village of Rudare in Kosovo (AFP Photo / Stringer)

(27.0Mb)embed video

TAGS: Breakaway regions, Conflict, Crime, NATO,Kosovo, Human rights, Maria Finoshina,Matt Trezza, War

As months of tension between Serbs and ethnic Albanian Kosovans continue, roads in Northern Kosovo remain closed, for some. Serbs are fortifying their barricades and see themselves again as victims of history.

At least a thousand Serbs and NATO soldiers in riot gear remain in a face-off on the Kosovo border. The Serbs have been ordered once again to remove the barricades and roadblocks they have erected at the Rudare crossing.

Local Serbs compare the NATO-led peacekeeping force in Kosovo, KFOR, with the fascist occupiers of the past.

Cartoons which are being passed from hand to hand read “We defeated your granddads, we defeated your fathers – we will win again!”

“Why do they think they can come and take our land?” one local man wonders. “Serbia is our home! We don’t want to live in Albania!”

As one local woman says, local Serbs “have nothing, but a flag and faith in God,” against well-armed forces.

And some 200 meters away, NATO-KFOR soldiers keep watching.

“I would prefer a peaceful solution by talks, by an agreement,” says KFOR Commander General Erchard Drews. “But if that is not to be reached, I will have to be on my own. I will have to fall back on my own means. Some of them are behind me.”

No surprise that the general’s “own” means are military ones.

The status quo in Northern Kosovo remains. The standoff between KFOR soldiers and local Serb civilians is no closer to resolution, but people from both sides of the barricades are glad to avoid any further violence. But away from the media glare, hostility is commonplace.

Dobrivoje Putnik, a 23-year old Serb, was with his father when he was shot dead just three weeks ago, while visiting an Albanian village in Kosovo’s South. Serbs are a minority there, living in tiny enclaves.

“I was waiting for him in a car,” Putnik said. “I saw him coming out of the Albanian cafeteria. Then I heard two gunshots and my dad fall down. I rushed to him, but I was late. He died immediately, I didn’t even say goodbye to him.”

Dobrivoje was shot too, when his father’s killers tried to eliminate the only witness.

“I will never return to that place,” he said. “They will chase me… I’m worrying about my family and myself.”

In a separate incident, just last week, another unarmed Serb, the father of a large family, was killed in a confrontation with a local. Miodrag, together with two his friends, went to see what used to be Serb land, now owned by ethnic Albanians since Serbs fled after NATO’s 1999 bombing of Yugoslavia.

They were stopped by the new occupier.

“We talked for five minutes,” said Dejan Bodicevic, a friend of the killed Serb. “Then [the occupier] said he needed to come back to his car to take his cell phone, but came back instead with a Kalashnikov. ‘Do you want your land back?' he shouted and started firing at us. Miodrag was killed at the scene.”

The men who just lost their friend say there is only one reason he was killed: “That’s just because we are Serbs. Period.”

Eleven years after the end of major conflict, and despite the presence of international peacekeepers, violence seems to be still part of everyday life for some in this troubled breakaway province. And there is little sign that is likely to change.