CHAM COMMUNITY IN OFFENSIVE AGAINST ATHENS

Shpetim Idrizi responds to Athens
"Top Channel TV"

Shpetim Idrizi, the leader of the Party for Justice, Integration and Unity (PJIU), reacted after the declaration of the Spokesperson for the Greek Foreign ministry, Gregory Delavekuras, who expressed his concern for including in government as Deputy Ministers two members from the Cham community.

“The Greek Foreign Minister has often been not correct, as in the recent case of an ordinary prisoner sentenced for grave desecration. We want to clarify the Minister that the PJIU stances are not against Albania’s integration spirit. It is an internationally known historical fact that Chameria was annexed by Greece in 1913, same as Kosovo from Serbia. Our inclusion in the government coalition will do nothing more than securing a stronger and more supportive voice for the highest minorities’ standards not only in Albania, but throughout the region”, Idrizi declared.

During the press conference, Idrizi spoke about the Athens-Tirana maritime border agreement.

“Greece must show more respect towards the Albanian institutions, such as the Constitutional Court. We are hearing contradictory messages regarding the maritime border agreements. That agreement cannot be redefined only in terms, but it should be followed in full accordance with the principles set by the historical decision of the Constitutional Court. Albania’s EU road doesn’t go through Athens, but through the embrace of European values, in which the interstate blackmail and interferences in the interior works of a country are unacceptable”, Idrizi declared.

Asked by Top Channel if PJIU, now part of the majority, will initiate a Parliament Resolution for the Cham case, after its failure to pass in 2004, he declared that PJIU is looking for the accordance of the Parliamentary parties and that the resolution will be asked within this mandate.

Greece concerned for Chams in Albanian government

The Greek Foreign Ministry expressed its concern for the inclusion of the Cham Party, the Party for Justice, Unity and Integration (PJIU), in the Albanian government. The news was given by the Spokesperson for the Greek Foreign Ministry, Grigoris Delavekuras.

According to Delavekuras, Athens is following closely the political developments in our country and the inclusion in government of the party that has expressed concerning stances against Greece falls against Albania’s European Road.

“The composition of the Albanian Government is an interior matter and as such it is not up to us to comment it. PJIU has expressed stances that are concerning for Greece and that fall against the EU integration spirit of Albania. We have been guaranteed by the Prime Minister and the Foreign Ministry in Tirana that Albania desires good relations with Greece”, he added.

“This is the moment in which Albania must show if this is true and if these relations can continue with the same positive climate. Greece is determined to help Albania in its European road. Athens is an ally of Albania in this process. Certainly, the Greek minority is a very good connecting bridge between the two countries, whose rights are one of the criteria for the integration”, the Greek Foreign Ministry concluded.

Government, measures for tourist season

The Albanian Prime Minister, Sali Berisha, asked in the meeting of the Working Group for Water and Canalizations to give absolute priority to the conclusion of the canalization and processing implant works, especially in tourist areas.

“The biggest achievement is that today, based on the achievements of the Ministry of Public Works and the Albanian Development Fund, more than 95% of the Albanians have tap water in their houses, naturally, not 247. The access in canalizations has increased with 55% in the last years. In case of a new reality that needs improvements for the canalizations and processing of waters, we must take an energetic reaction”, Berisha declared.

“The Environment Ministry should practice harsher measures against those who do not treat the respective problems of septic pits on legal bases. We must create a new mentality, a new practice in their stances. We are building a series of implants and we need to make everything for accelerating the works and that the agreements are implemented with great care. It requires our complete commitment for making them functional in Durres, Vlore, Saranda, Velipoja, Golem and other places”, Berisha declared.

The Socialist leader reacted immediately after on Twitter, saying:
“Each March there are speeches for canalizations, on the verge of the tourist season, and each summer there are illegal constructions and septic pits for tourists.”
 

12 EU conditions for Albania

After Albania’s official request for EU membership on Spring 2009, in Prague, the European Commission replied in November 2010 by setting 12 key priorities.

The progress report of one year later showed that the country had not fulfilled any of the criteria, and the EU candidate status was rejected for the second time. But what is currently happening?

The first four priorities, drawn according Albania’s reality, aim the main problem: politics, making both majority and opposition responsible. Currently, the voting of qualified majority laws, the second priority, is the only one that is near conclusion. After voting the Penal, Civil, Traffic, Railway, Air and Marine Codes, what remains now is the voting for the Administrative Court. The appointment of the Ombudsman fulfilled half of the third priority, while the other half is about the depoliticization of the Supreme and Constitutional Court judges.

Dialogue rather than political rhetoric, just functionality of the Parliament and the Parliamentary Regulation Reform make the first priority, which, together with the electoral reform, the fourth priority, are still in the initial phase. The fifth priority is still suspended, since the local elections fulfilled the international standards only partially, while the next elections are predicted for 2013.

The justice and public administration reforms are also depended by the inter-partial cooperation, since the voting of some laws for the administration requires qualified majority, same as that for the Administrative Court. Besides priorities 6 and 7, where the main responsibility falls on the state institution and war against corruption, organized crime and the conditions of the detainees, official Tirana is asked to prove with facts and results the implementation of the plans and projects, besides approving them.

For better discovering where we stand with the fulfillment of the criteria, there is a document that the government has been correcting constantly with Brussels: the action plan for the fulfillment of the 12 criteria.

 One of the helping features that the European Commission issued for Albania, are the comments and advises for improving the plan, as they have been called. Since the confidential document secured from Brussels is filled with technical details, Top Channel has selected some illustrating quotations.

The chances for receiving a positive recommendation for the candidate status in the 100th year of independence depend from the concrete progress of the political priorities with inter-partial responsibility, such as the electoral and Parliamentary reform. As for the rest, it remains to be seen how convincing will Tirana’s evidence be for Brussels, together with other important priorities, such as the reforms in property titles, human rights and prisoner treatment, which remain unfulfilled. With the Presidential elections in the middle, Albania has still 7 months to fulfill all of them, until October.

President: Berisha, communist since 1968

The Albanian President, Bamir Topi, launched a series of accusations towards Prime Minister Berisha.

The accusations came one day after Berisha attacked Topi from a ceremony that commemorated the communist victims. The Prime Minister declared that the President had refused to sign the Lustration Law that would reveal the communist crimes.

The Albanian Head of the State declared that in the last 22 years, Berisha has been promising compensation to the former owners and the former politically persecuted people, but he has never realized anything. The President also urged the Prime Minister to explain his position as a registered member of the Communist Party since 1968, and the many photos that have showing the him in the company of many communist political bureau members of that time. President Topi added that he has signed a draft with Pandeli Majko for the Lustration, which was deformed and turned into an anti-Constitutional law.

“Naturally, I am aware of the declarations and the organized attacks. Even after having many people accusing me, I have kept an institutional profile and I have never taken them in consideration. But when the Prime Minister is the one launching the accusations, I certainly have an answer. As for the law in question, it is a law that was returned by the Constitutional Court as anti-constitutional. It is a law that was harshly criticized by the Commission of Venice and the international partners. As for the moral of the law, I have signed, together with Mr. Majko, a draft-law that was never approved by the Parliament. That law still deserves to be passed, rather then getting deformed and becoming anti-constitutional. There is also one other thing related with moral. You know that those who launch accusations should first explain the many photos that have surfaced, which show him with the Political Bureau members in the communist period. This character has taken the physiognomy and character of David Copperfield. He has turned into an illusionist. He has been promising for the last 22 years that he will return the properties to the former owners, and he hasn’t achieved it. He has been saying to the politically persecuted people for the last 22 years that he will compensate them, and he hasn’t realized it, while it was the first obligation to be realized. This has been the program of the Democratic Party, for which we were voted in 2005, and for which we fought in a battle based on principles. This cannot be realized only with declarations. He has had all the opportunities. He has been in power for the last seven years, for the second time, and hasn’t made it possible. He accuses people who have no relation with the dictatorship, but that have suffered from the regime, while he was a member of the Communist Party and Party Secretary since 1968. He has been telling communist tales for the last 22 years and has never compensated the persecuted people, although he has all mechanisms in his hands. Now you tell me where the truth lies. Once again, I favor opening the files of the communist period, and rest assured that everyone will be surprised with the things that might come out, even for the people involved in politics”, the President declared.

Albania, EU Mission for 12 priorities

A delegation of European Commission experts is verifying in Tirana the fulfillment of the 12 key criteria set by the EU for Albania’s candidate status.

The consulting meeting with the Albanian government will take two days and has started at the Ministry of Integration. The discussion is related with the verification of the action plan for the implementation of the 12 priorities from which will derive the suggestions of this delegation. The Minister of Integration, Majlinda Bregu, presented the steps taken so far with the civil society and the Parliamentary Integration Commission for having an efficient action plan, as requested by the EU.

“The reforms are a joint contribution. The voting of laws, especially the one that require qualified majority, is a common task for both parties. The majority cannot vote them alone, and the European integration of the country is not only in the governmens or opposition’s agenda, but it is the common interest of all Albanians”, Bregu declared.

Vasili Maragos, chief of the Unit for Albania at the Integration Directory declared that the Action Plan is a good point of reference in fulfilling the 12 recommendations. During his speech he said that he has underlined many times that the plans should be implemented, not only be drawn on paper.

“This process is not only for fulfilling a task list, sending it to Brussels and then forgetting everything. Concrete reforms are needed, concrete changes held by the institutions that often affect the citizens’ life. We are here to help you, but also to be rigorous, because the EU countries expect from us to be rigorous. As you know, the standards are very high”, Maragos declared.

The October meeting of the European Commission will show if Albania will pass or fail with the EU candidate status. The next months to come are decisive for our country and the fulfillment of the 12 priorities, four of which have completely a political character, including the Parliamentary and Electoral reforms, and two other hot topics that require a solution by the majority and opposition.

Romania to debate ratification of SAA with Serbia

Source: Tanjug

BUCHAREST -- Romanian Foreign Affairs Committee President Titus Corlatean will urge support of ratification of the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) with Serbia.

Corlatean said he would also propose to the committee to seek from the Romanian government to take up an active role in the negotiations on different chapters concerning Serbia as a candidate country so that the government in Bucharest could ensure that Serbia met the relevant criteria before becoming a member of the EU.
At the end of the discussion on Serbia's SAP and the situation regarding the Romanian community in that country, Corlatean reiterated Romania's support to Serbia's European path, Romania's news agency Agerpres said.

Romanian Foreign Minister Cristian Diaconescu said that Romania would also establish a monitoring mechanism that would watch closely the situation concerning Romanians who lived outside their native country.

The SAP with Serbia yet remains to be ratified by Romania, Belgium and Lithuania.

Romania to debate ratification of SAA with Serbia

Source: Tanjug

BUCHAREST -- Romanian Foreign Affairs Committee President Titus Corlatean will urge support of ratification of the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) with Serbia.

Corlatean said he would also propose to the committee to seek from the Romanian government to take up an active role in the negotiations on different chapters concerning Serbia as a candidate country so that the government in Bucharest could ensure that Serbia met the relevant criteria before becoming a member of the EU.
At the end of the discussion on Serbia's SAP and the situation regarding the Romanian community in that country, Corlatean reiterated Romania's support to Serbia's European path, Romania's news agency Agerpres said.

Romanian Foreign Minister Cristian Diaconescu said that Romania would also establish a monitoring mechanism that would watch closely the situation concerning Romanians who lived outside their native country.

The SAP with Serbia yet remains to be ratified by Romania, Belgium and Lithuania.

Leskaj: SAA, 20 reports in 2 months

In his third month as Chairman of the Supreme State Audit, Bujar Leskaj declared that 20 officials have been reported during this time at the Prosecution. Leskaj spoke about the former relations between the two institutions, and did not forget to cut the blame in half for the concern raised by the accusation that there was no report during 2011.

“This happened after the weak work of the SAA, an undervaluation and not good relations between the SAA and the Prosecution. Even the 2006 agreement, between the heads of both institutions, has not been effective”, Leskaj declared.

The SAA leader underlined that the institution that he leads must find at the prosecution a partner that values the concerns.

“There are 20 medium and high rank officials that have been reported. Let’s hope that the General Prosecution and its branched in the other cities of the country will answer positively to our efforts”, Leskaj declared.

In fact, in the framework of institutional cooperation, Mr. Leskaj signed a cooperation agreement between the SAA and the High Inspectorate of Declaration and Audit of Assets (HIDAA). The HIDAA director, Adriatik Llalla, appealed all subjects to declare their assets within March 31st.

“This cooperation agreement coincides with an important period of the HIDAA. As it is foreseen by the law, March 31st is the last deadline set by the law. It states that all officials have the obligation to declare their private assets and the changes that have happened in these assets during 2011. With this we remind all officials to correctly respect the deadlines”, Llalla declared.

Orthodox church in Kosovo desecrated

Source: Tanjug

GNJILANE -- Serbian Orthodox Church of St. George in the village of Stanišor was burgled Friday night and money was stolen from the register, Kosovo police have confirmed.

Kosovo police regional spokesman Ismet Hasani told Tanjug that the police had inspected the scene and determined that a burglary took place and that the crime was not ethnically motivated.
“The front door was broken and less than a hundred dinars was taken from the church register, because there was no more money there. The crime is not ethnically motivated, and we were informed about the desecration by the priests early this morning,” said Hasani.

The police spokesman said the church was also targeted by burglars a year ago but that the perpetrator was identified and arrested.

Priest Velja Stojković said the burglars broke the padlock on the door, the glass on an icon, a cross and the front door.

The St. George’s Church was built over 200 years ago and has been the target of vandals and burglars several times since the arrival of international forces.

This is the second case of desecration of Serbian Orthodox churches in Kosovsko Pomoravlje in the last month.

The Church of St. Nicholas in Kosovska Kamenica was desecrated and robbed in February.