For the Independence Day, the Red and Black Alliance organized a celebration at the coastal city of Vlore, from where will start the symbolic journey of the National Flag from Vlore to Prishtina.

The Red and Black Alliance leader, Kreshnik Spahiu, declared that Albania has 99 years of independence, but not 99 years of a state.

“This is not what Ismail Qemali wanted. The goal of that political elite was the creation of another Albania”, Spahiu declared.

The Red and Black Alliance representatives said that the activities for the Independence day would culminate this Monday.

The Independence Day for all Albanians will decorate Prishtina and Kosovo with the red and black colors. Although the Kosovo government has declared November 28th as a holiday, the Prishtina Municipality, Self-Determination Movement and the Red and Black Alliance will be the ones to mostly vitalize this celebration in Kosovo.

Saranda Mayor appeals for help

Stefan Cipa blocked all construction permissions given a few days before the elections, which are abusive and against the law. But the builders have found an ally at the Court of Saranda, which has rejected the Municipality’s suspensions with some decisions. The court declared that they will argue the case after reviewing the basis.

The Saranda Mayor fears that even if the court will rule in favor of theMunicipality, these objects will be fully constructed by then and the demolishing would be very difficult. Through a touching appeal, Cipa says that he has notified everyone:

“I appeal the personalities and institutions that have received my reports, as Mayor of Sarande, to put in motion their depending structures for saving Saranda. Saranda is facing urban destruction, thatcould destroy it as a tourist town. Let us save what we acn and what has remained. Mr. President, Mr. Prime Minister, Mr. Minister of Justice, Mrs. Prosecutor General, Mr. Chairman of the High Council of Justice, Mr. Vice Chairman of the High Council of Justice, hear our voice and save Saranda, because this town belongs to everyone, even to you”, Cipa declared.

A beautiful little tourist attraction in the Ionian coastline, Saranda has had a construction boom recently, often without criteria. This situation was reported by Top Channel reports “Other Albania”. Saranda remains one of the preferred tourist destinations. the Albanian President has visited it twice only this year, while the Prime Minister seems to have a weakness for the Xarra area, with the Socialist Head of Commune of which he has good cooperation.

The US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, congratulated all Albanian people for the Independence Day.

"Our two countries share a long history of friendship and cooperation. Today, we are strengthening this partnership as we work side by side in NATO and encourage stability in the region and around the world. We continue to support Albania’s integration into the European Union and we encourage Albania’s political leadership to work together to ensure their country moves forward.

The Albanian people want a transparent government, accountable leadership, and strong democratic institutions that will help build a prosperous and secure future. The United States will continue to stand firmly with the people of Albania as we work together to achieve these goals”, says Cinton’s congratulatory message.

Clinton secures that the United States is a partner and friend. “ I wish all the people of Albania the very best and look forward to deepening our partnership in the years to come,” Clinton concludes.

Radical Islam Passing through Greece

November 25, 2011 | Filed under: Featured News,Geopolitics,Opinion & Analysis

By Ioannis Michaletos

Greece is an E.U., NATO and Eurozone country that has traditionally strong links with the Islamic world due to the geographical proximity with the Middle East and North Africa and the Ottoman rule that lasted four centuries, along with numerous historical encounters with Islam since the Middle Ages.

Currently the country faces a debt crisis that, apart from its obvious disastrous financial consequences both in a domestic and in a global scale, also raises security concerns related to terrorist networks of Islamist origin.

Recent upheavals in Maghreb and the Middle East pertain to Greek and European security as well.

Presently, the country hosts a Muslim minority that is a remnant of the Ottoman Empire, but also an expanding Islamic population from the Arab countries and Pakistan that enter Greece in significant number as illegal immigrants. Corporations in the country, such as banking institutions, tourist companies and real estate firms are in control of Islamic funds, whereas countries such as Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Turkey and Libya can be considered significant trade partners of Greece.

The wider picture...............................

Russian navy nears Cyprus drilling zone

November 25, 2011 | Filed under: Featured News,Geopolitics

THE “Admiral Kuznetsov” class aircraft carrier is currently off the coast of Malta and heading for eastern Mediterranean from their base in the Barents Sea.

Informed sources have said that the Russian navy and Israeli military will hold joint exercises next week close to Cyprus Exclusive Economic Zone.

The exercises are slated to begin on the 28th November and last a week.

Commentators say that Russia is determined to send the message that they have invested interests in the region and will secure them.

It is understood that the aircraft carrier is carrying 24-fixed wing planes and a number of helicopters. It has also been reported in the press that the Russian navy may request to use port facilities at Limassol...........................................

http://www.defencegreece.com/index.php/2011/11/russian-navy-nears-cyprus-drilling-zone/

State Of Affairs In The Balkans

The United States remains committed to helping the western Balkans on their path to Euro-Atlantic integration.

Photo: VOA

U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Philip Gordon (file)

The United States remains committed to helping the western Balkans on their path to Euro-Atlantic integration. It is the best means of ensuring long-term peace, stability, and prosperity in the region. The western Balkans, said U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Philip Gordon, is a critical part of Europe. It is impossible to speak of a Europe that is whole, free, democratic, and at peace without having resolved unfinished business in this region.

While challenges remain, there has been significant progress in many Balkan countries. Slovenia joined the European Union, or EU, in 2004; Albania and Croatia joined NATO in 2009; and Croatia was recently invited to join the EU in 2013. Kosovo is nearing the fourth anniversary of its independence and continues to progress as a multi-ethnic democracy. Montenegro, only five years after it obtained independence, already has EU candidacy status and is a full participant in NATO’s Membership Action Plan...........................................

http://www.voanews.com/policy/editorials/State-Of-Affairs-In-The-Balkans-134496533.html

Greek merchant fleet: Armed guards against pirates November 25 2011		)
Christos Papoutsis: Armed guards against pirates! A first version of a new low for the services of private armed guards on merchant ships to tackle the phenomenon of piracy, released today by Minister of Citizen Protection Christos Papoutsis. For the purposes of this law, which defines the terms and conditions for obtaining authorization from the owner or operator of the ship, the rights of seafarers, use weapons, obligations of the master and any potential penalties for any breach will be required the signature of at least four joint ministerial decisions. With that low, the authorization for the armed services will be for six months with an extension option and will be issued at the request of the owner or management company, which can be installed and operated legally in another state. Also, the provision for defense in case of emergency and will be up to six armed guards individuals who may not be less than 21 years and owned company providing storage that is installed in an EU Member State

Macedonia, Greece Await World Court Ruling

As the International Court of Justice in The Hague prepares to deliver its ruling in the case of Macedonia against Greece on December 5, both sides hope the outcome will favour them.

Sinisa Jakov Marusic

Skopje

Macedonian delegation in the court | Photo by: ICJ

The court is expected to rule on whether Greece breached the 1995 United Nations-brokered Interim Accord that regulated relations between the two states by blocking Macedonia’s accession to NATO in 2008.

Under the agreement Greece agreed not to impede the accession of its neighbour to international organizations as long as it used a provisional UN reference, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, or FYROM for short.

Macedonia decided to sue Greece shortly after the 2008 NATO summit in Bucharest, after Greece used the NATO solidarity principle to prevent Macedonia from joining the alliance.

At the main hearing held in March this year, Greece argued that it did not actually employ a veto at the summit in Bucharest. Greece insists that NATO countries at the summit reached a consensus not to let Macedonia join as long as the bilateral name dispute was not settled.

Greece in addition insisted that Macedonia was the party that broke the accord by taking a hard-line stance over the issue of its name and by effectively stealing Greek history by renaming airports, highways and sport arenas after heroes of Greek antiquity.

Greece has asked the court to pronounce itself incompetent to decide in this case.

The suit in The Hague is a direct consequence of the long-standing “name” dispute between Macedonia and Greece.

Greece insists that use of the name "Macedonia" by its neighbour implies a territorial claim to its own northern province of the same name.

Macedonia on the other hand sees the demand to change its name as insulting and as an attack on the country's identity.

Both countries in the 1990s bound themselves to take part in talks under UN auspices until they reached a compromise solution.

But no substantial talks have taken place in almost one year and the Greek economic crisis has additionally derailed the agenda.

Since 2009, Greece has also blocked the start of Macedonia’s EU accession talks, citing the name dispute.

The World Court has no tools to enforce its decisions on countries. But officials in Skopje believe that a positive ruling for Macedonia would at least shift the terms of the argument in Macedonia's favour.

Prezantimi i Planit te Pergjithshem Vendor per Bashkine e Himares - pyet...

No Comment!

A citizen of Himara, speaking Greek and Albanian to panel: Whyshould done the HimaraMaster Plain, without turning private property?

Continues to concern always arises why the Albanian politicalparties, in the Himara Municipality, insist to develop Master Plain, before the return of all property and lands, residents of Himara.

Balkan risks recession
25/11/2011

The danger for another recession in Balkan is bigger, because the other countries of the region are greatly exposed to the Euro Zone.

The fact that the Greek and Italian banks are present in the region increased this danger even more. This crisis is damaging the EU membership perspective for Western Balkan, declared regional experts in the meeting of EU and Balkan ambassadors in London.

“The Balkan region, or Southeastern Europe, is facing a series of challenges, in which exists the danger of falling into recession again. The number of foreign investors has fallen in the last two years”, declared Peter Sanfey, EBRD high rank official in London.

In the meeting of EU and Balkan ambassadors were given numbers that make a detailed scan of the Balkan economies. Albania is expected to have an economic growth of 4%, while the average in EU is 2%.

But for reaching the average European revenues per capita, with this pace Albania will need 65 years, the meeting declared. The consensual conclusion was that the short-term future for Balkan was seen gloomy, according to Laza kekic, director of the prestigious Economist Intelligence Unit in London. The spaces for fiscal stimulus are very limited in Balkan. As for the crisis danger levels, Albania and Hungary was considered with the highest points, 4 from 5.

In these crisis conditions, lack of political stability and other problems among Balkan states, the specialized verdict in this meeting was that the region was not ready for membership before 2020, which would make it difficult for the general public to preserve the enthusiasm for EU membership.

21 NATO Soldiers Hurt in Kosovo Serb Violence

Serbs in volatile North Kosovo attacked NATO peacekeepers in KFOR, injuring 21, after they moved to dismantle a Serb barricade.

Fatmir Aliu

Mitrovica

It is not clear how many Kosovo Serbs were injured, but local media reported that many had been admitted in the hospital with injuries.

A KFOR spokesperson, Frank Martin, told Balkan Insight that violence erupted shortly after midnight on Wednesday when angry Serbs massed to stop peacekeepers from removing a roadblock on the road from Mitrovica to the Serbian border at Jarinje.

KFOR began the operation shortly after 11pm, seizing the barricade, but at midnight more Serb protesters gathered, supported by trucks.

“The demonstrators used force, including the throwing of stones, and pushed back KFOR troops by attacking them with trucks loaded with gravel.

"KFOR troops were forced to fire warning shots into the air in addition to which KFOR also used teargas and batons for self-protection against the protesters”, Martin told Balkan Insight.

To prevent further escalation of the dispute, KFOR halted the military operation and abandoned the barricade to the protesters.

The KFOR spokesperson said that this decision was taken “not to risk serious casualties on both sides, therefore KFOR took the responsible decision to stop the operation.

"KFOR can confirm that 21 soldiers suffered injuries,” he added.

Serbs have been manning barricades in North Kosovo for months, protesting against the deployment of Kosovo government officials on border crossings with Serbia.

Hellenic Navy - Super Vita & Exocet (ΠΝ: ΤΠΚ κλάσης Ρουσσέν) [HD]

Greek Navy firing a multiple number of guided missiles

November 24, 2011 | Filed under: Featured News,Navy

The Hellenic Navy General Staff announced that on Wednesday, November 23, 2011 at the firing range in Crete executed successfully, the following firing of guided missiles in high risk scenarios, :

a. A guided surface – air missile NSSM by the frigate Elli.
b. Two guided surface – surface EXOCET MM-38 missiles from the fast patrol ships BLESSAS and TROUPAKIS.
c. A guided surface – surface missile PENGUIN from the fast patrol ship XENOS.
The firing of the missiles was attended by the Chief of the Fleet, Vice Admiral Konstantinos Mazarakis Ainian.

Brussels: More Albanian asylum seekers

The head of the EU diplomatic presence in Tirana, Ettore Sequi, expressed his concern for the increased number of Albanian asylum seekers in EU countries.

“The number of asylum seekers has constantly increased, while we are monitoring the situation and the numbers that will be presented at the Council of Europe, in December’s meeting, which will take a final decision”, Sequi declared.

This was Sequi’s declaration during the presentation of the new EU portal for third countries. The goal of this portal was to take the necessary information for the allowed residence in EU countries.

Sequi asked the Albanian citizens to follow the obligations that come from the visa liberalization, and underlined the need to strengthen policies, because the number of Albanian asylum seekers in EU has increased, especially in Belgium, by using blood feuds as the basis for the asylum requests.

The Belgian General Director of Emigration, Freddy Roosemont, visited Tirana during October and declared that Belgium is facing a big flux of Albanian asylum seekers, with the same blood-feud motive.

The Belgian Emigration official declared that there is a network in which are involved citizens with regular residence in Belgium, who release falsified documents from Shkoder and Kukes and defraud people by telling them that they will receive a house, job and payment from the Belgian state.

He categorically excluded that any Albanian could receive asylum in Belgium.

Greek Defense Minister, Avramopoulos holds talks with US ambassador

November 24, 2011 | Filed under: Geopolitics

Defence Minister Dimitris Avramopoulos met on Wednesday with US ambassador to Athens Daniel Bennet Smith and discussed issues regarding cooperation between the two countries that is based on “strong and traditional relations.”

Avramopoulos said in a stratement that Greek-American relations presented certain difficulties for a small intermission and spoke of a new path in these relations which are becoming necessary due to developments in the wider region.

The US ambassador referred to a strategic partner relation between the two countries in a wide spectrum of sectors. He reiterated that the US will remain a steadfast ally in supporting Greece in these difficult times and expressed the hope that the close cooperation in Greek-American relations will continue.

Source: athensnews.gr

“We should go to war over Kosovo if necessary”

Source: Press

BELGRADE -- Kosovo PM Hashim Thaci needs to know that by attacking Serbs in Kosovo he is also attacking Belgrade, Serbian Deputy PM Ivica Dačić told daily Press.

Ivica Dačić (Tanjug, file)

He added that Serbia could not stand by peacefully and watch that.

Dačić on Wednesday stated that nobody in Serbia must say that Kosovo was lost and that they would not go to war over it.

“A red line for Belgrade is Hashim Thaci’s armed assault on Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija,” he was quoted as saying.

“Thaci needs to know that by attacking Serbs in Kosovo he is attacking Belgrade as well. Serbia cannot and will not watch it peacefully,” the deputy PM pointed out.

He stressed that if Turkey could say that an attack on Sarajevo was an attack on Istanbul, then there was no reason “the attack on Kosovska Mitrovica is not an attack on Belgrade”.

Dačić assessed that rejection of a possibility of war would be a wrong message to Thaci because a “balance of fear” was necessary for the sake of security in the region. He explained that the “balance of fear” was the only reason why a war never broke out between the U.S. and the USSR.

Democratic Party (DS) deputy leader Jelena Trivan told Press that our country should not fight for anything with war because the people would lose the battle.

“Serbia cannot afford itself a luxury to lose another generation in wars because there will be no Serbia then. Therefore we should fight all next battles with intelligence and diplomacy,” she said.

Military-political analyst Miroslav Lazanski believes that the use of force is a part of diplomacy and points out that “this is one in a scale of statements in which Dačić is expressing his position on the situation in Kosovo”.

“Dačić’s position is hard, but right in my opinion. Not a single state diplomacy is successful if it is not supported by military force. It takes two to have a war and there is a question what we would do if someone attacked us. If NATO does not want to go over the barricades by force, what would happen if Serbia set a clear line regarding some other issues as well? If the Americans say ‘stick and carrot’, because the carrot itself is not enough, which in translation means that we need to show that we are ready to use the force we have at our disposal,” Lazanski was quoted as saying.

Political analyst Milan Nikolić also thinks that calls for the use of military force are a part of the international politics, but that Dačić’s statement is directed at the Serbian public.

“Every country has the right to defend its territory with force, even the international law allows it. It’s a different issue that it is not smart at the moment as far as our interests are concerned. It is partially a pre-election talk, a message that should show that somebody is a bigger patriot than somebody else in order for a part of the electorate to like them,” he stressed.

Military analyst Aleksandar Radić says that the deputy prime minister and interior minister’s message is “elegantly packed for domestic use but it is not applicable in the situation Serbia is in”.

TAP, Albania start talks on pipeline agreement

* Albania first to start talks with TAP

* Deal in compliance with Azeri gas project

TIRANA Nov 23 (Reuters) - Albania on Wednesday became the first host government to start talks with the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP), aimed at transporting Caspian to Italy through Greece and Albania.

The TAP consortium -- Norway's Statoil, Germany's E.ON Rurhgas and Swiss EGL -- aims to build a 1.5 billion euro pipeline that would carry 10 bcm of Caspian gas a year along a 520-km route.

"The parties endeavour to conclude the negotiations in compliance with the overall time table governed by the Shah Deniz Stage II project in Azerbaijan," Albania and TAP said in a statement.

Albania's Economy, Trade and Energy Minister Nasip Naço said the pipeline would play a key role in meeting the needs of the energy-starved Balkan country.

The TAP project so far lacks intergovernmental approval between the three countries it would pass through, although it was included in an agreement signed in 2009 between Italy and Albania.

This has opened up the project to criticism that its main partners are not serious about the its final development and instead seek to increase price competition for Shah Deniz II's gas exports to Europe.

TAP is expected to make its final investment decision in 2013, in line with the schedule of Azerbaijan's Shah Deniz II gas field. At this point, construction would take approximately three years.

Security of supply is a pressing issue for nations in southeast Europe, which were hit hard by a dispute between Ukraine and Russia in the winter of 2009 that cut off deliveries amid freezing temperatures. (Reporting By Benet Koleka, Editing by Michael Kahn)

Albanian Cigarette Smuggling on the Rise

An increase in excise duties for tobacco in Albania has increased cigarette smuggling in the first nine months of 2011.

Besar Likmeta

Tirana

Contraband cigarrttes

Customs data shows that Albania imported 2,262 tonnes of cigarettes in the first three quarters of 2011, a drop of 26 per cent compared with the same period in 2010.

According to Tobacco Reporter, an industry publication, in 2001, illicit cigarettes occupied about 72 per cent of the total market.

Albania has repeatedly increased excise duties in the last three years in an effort to shore up revenues for the budget, nearly doubling the price of cigarettes sold in the local market.

Historically, the share of illicit cigarettes on the market in Albania was always high, as was the case in other Balkan states such as Bosnia and Herzegovina and Macedonia. But this had declined in the past decade.

The World Health Organization reported that in 2007, that 40-50 percent of cigarettes consumed in Albania were illegal.

A study sponsored by the American Cancer Society published in August 2010, estimated that in 2009 approximately 19 per cent of smokers in urban areas and 27 per cent in rural areas suspected that some of the cigarettes that they had purchased in the last year were illegal.

"Albanian Casino"

Ex Minister Prifti: With Ilir Meta, eye to eye for corruption

Dritan Prifti rejected the accusations of having favored a company that his wife owned with another business partner. With a certification from the Business Registration Center, Dritan Prifti declared that his wife had sold the shares in that company when he became a Minister.

The owner of the company that won the tender when the video was recorded became a shareholder of this company when Dritan Prifti had left his government duty.

The company registration data indicate that the Minister’s wife and the person who won the tender have never been co-owners of this company. Dritan Prifti considered this a slander, and exploded in accusations against Ilir Meta:

“He has ordered some liars to mention my wife. If I start talking about Ilir Meta’s wife, there will be no expert, court, media or party that will be able to save that man. No one should dare to defame my family! I have no fear from Ilir Meta! I know him very well! He hides his head with a towel when he has problems! Ilir Meta is not that brave! Let he deal with me, I am ready to confront him declaration to declaration, video to video, punch to punch, eye to eye, whenever he wants and wherever he likes! Ok? Many people think that I am from Myzeqe, and I don’t have what it takes! My father is from Myzeqe, but my mother is from Vlore! If he wants to face me, he shouldn’t do it as that liar, Bekim Halili, but in a TV studio, so that we can tell the truth to the Albanians”.

According to Dritan Prifti, the truth is that the oil tender was held in full transparency, what was proved in court by the testimony of the vice director of Albpetrol, while the recorded video holds the truth of Ilir Meta’s corruption.

After the Albanian experts rejected the US expertise, Dritan Prifti declared this Wednesday that he will distribute the video to the US and all EU embassies:

“”If they want, they can test the video file in their respecting police forces, so that they can see what happens in Albania”, Prifti declared.

No Comment! Himara escalation?

smanalysis

Attention Himara, a critical moment for the future, but without opposition!!!

Messages of the U.S. Department of State, to Enforce the Civil Society and History Gloriously of 26 Century of the independence of Himara, are not clearly understood by the community, but abused to propagate support for the projects of the Municipality of Himara, that does not exist.

All non-profit associations of the Himara Region, seeking above all to block all initiatives of the Municipality Council of Himara, to take into consideration the above, the issue of Property as an absolute priority for resolving conflicts and for developing the Himara Region.

The Himara Urban Region Plan, should be resolved only when the Albanian government must fulfill complete its obligations pursuant to the Constitution of Albania and the European Union's commitments, to return all the properties, to the population of Himara Region.

Manifesto of Civil Society, for the future of Ionian Coast


During the Ottoman occupation, region Ionian Coast is noted for its specific resistance, which was known as strongly supported by Europe and in particular, the Pope of Rome.
As a result of this resistance, "The othoman empire" of Kostandinopolis, gave the Ionian coast of occupied Epirus (South Albania today), a special tax status, unlike the rest of the country.

But while this privilege was accompanied by another important fact, that of non-registration of the properties of this region. This specific deficiencies in the financial field, brought on mortgages due to the Albanian State, without the necessary documents for land registration.

This was another reason for the interruption, even temporary registration of properties in South Coast within the implementation of the Project for initial registration under the OSCE monitoring............................................ continues...................

more see: http://himarablog.blogspot.com/2011/11/promemorja-e-intelektualeve-per.html

Falls biometric passports continues to distribute in Albania

Identity theft
22/11/2011

On November 15th, the Press Office of the Interior Ministry notified the public for the new procedures of equipping people with biometric passports.

The Interior Ministry has issued an order on November 11th, after being advised by the General State Police. This decision gives to the police the previous role in the distribution of passports.

“According to this procedure, the Albanian citizens who apply for biometric passports must be equipped with an identification form from the police department of their living area”.

The identification form is approved by order of the General Chief of Police. A copy of this form must be presented to the Civil Registrar employee. The truth why this role has returned to the police, is that dozens of people stole others’ identities, especially by Kosovo citizens who have applied for Albanian citizens, to gain free movement in the EU.

A bigger concern is created by Albanian citizens who have been banned to enter EU countries after the visa liberalization, and for this reason they have used fake identification.

Safe sources from Top Channel say that foreign polices agencies have notified our country in two occasions, when these citizens have been arrested and have resulted with biometric passport of other people. Police has started investigation for dozens of cases, since the Albanian penal code doesn’t have identity theft as a crime.

Kosovo talks round ends, no new agreements

Source: Tanjug, B92

BRUSSELS -- The second day of the latest round of Belgrade-Priština dialogue on technical issues ended on Tuesday without any new agreements.

(EU, file)

Although certain convergence between the two sides' stands has been achieved as regards Priština's presentation at regional forums, no tangible agreement has been made yet, head of Belgrade's negotiating team Borislav Stefanović said and expressed hope that the agreement would be reached in the forthcoming round of talks next week.

Stefanović said that this round can still be qualified as positive because of the agreement on university degrees reached on Monday and the fact that both sides had a chance to voice their stands on all important issues.

We were followed by voices from Belgrade saying that the team has no mandate, that it does not know what it actually wants to achieve and that no agreement would be reached, Stefanović said and added that he hopes that those who said this now see that they were wrong.

Head of Priština's negotiating team Edita Tahiri confirmed that certain convergence between the stands regarding Priština's representation has been achieved, but she also noted that Belgrade and Priština are still divided by deep conceptual differences.

She expressed disappointment that apart from the university degrees, no agreement has been reached on other issues, such as crossings, electricity and telephone lines, and accused Belgrade of not performing the agreements reached so far.

She fears that this could end in mere production of papers and no tangible implementation of agreements.

FM tells Albanian PM: Israeli embassy to open in Tirana

By HERB KEINON
11/22/2011 02:40

Move reflects considerable strengthening of ties between 2 countries; diplomatic officials say decision reflects Albania's importance as moderate Muslim country.

Talkbacks (1)

Israel will open up a new embassy in Albania in the coming months, Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman told visiting Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha on Monday, reflecting a considerable strengthening of ties between the two countries.

The opening of the embassy in Tirana will be Israel’s 10th in countries that are members of the Organization of Islamic Conference: The others are in Egypt, Jordan, Cameroon, Nigeria, Senegal, Cote d’Ivoire, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Turkey.

Diplomatic officials said the decision to open an embassy in Tirana is a reflection of the country’s economic potential, its diplomatic friendship, and its importance as a moderate Muslim country (Muslims make up 70 percent of the country’s 3.6 million residents).

Berisha said at the UN in September that while Albania supported Palestinian statehood, he thought unilateral action at this time at the UN would be unhelpful. Albania was also among the 52 countries that abstained earlier this month in the UNESCO vote – which passed – to accept “Palestine” into the organization, making it the only non-African member of the OIC to do so.

Up until now, Israel has been represented in Albania – with whom diplomatic relations were established in 1991 – by non-resident ambassador David Cohen. Albania has an embassy in Tel Aviv.

Greek Company, asks Berisha for moneys

Tirana-Elbasan tunnel

6 months after the construction works started for the new highway that connects Tirana with Elbasan, the tunnel has advanced without delays.

After the construction of the first kilometer, Prime Minister Berisha inspected the works in the 2.5 km long tunnel, the most delicate part of the project and the biggest undergoing infrastructure construction in our country. Berisha declared that the good works progress means that the tunnel will be functional after one year.

“This tunnel, together with the Kalimashi and Qafe Murrizi tunnels, will change Albania definitively. After the construction of these major works, the Albanians will be able to travel with the highest European standards and will reach all Albanian cities faster”, Berisha declared.

During the inspection of the Tirana-Elbasan tunnel, Berisha accused the opposition of having tried to stop the budget that included the construction of this tunnel, same as they did with Albanian EU candidate status.

Berisha added that the construction of 9000 kilometers of roads in five years, the wage and pension increase and the construction of other major public works, are the undeniable evidence of the country’s progress.

“This is the result of your hard work, our reforms and transparent management of your money. The constructions continue each day, regardless the slanders and nihilisms thrown against them. Let us respond to slanders with work and only work”, Berisha underlined.

Αποκρούσεις Καπίνου στο ντέρμπι 19/11/2011

After Sotiris Ninis, another soccer of football of Greek champion ship from Himara origin, is to play with "Panathinaikos" and the Greek national team, Stefanos Kapino, the new 18 year old talent.