MoFA condemns setting of Macedonia's flag on fire in Tirana

Skopje, 24 November 2012 (MIA) - 

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) strongly condemns yesterday's act of vandalism in Tirana, namely setting of Macedonia's flag on fire in the city center, and calls the authorities to find and bring the perpetrators to justice. 

"We consider that this uncivilized act is not in favor of the Macedonian-Albanian friendly relations, especially considering the fact that this event took place after the official visit of Macedonia's Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski to Albania, during which the two countries reaffirmed the good-neighborly relations, mutual trust and friendship. Hence, it is very important to not allow for the relations, which we wish to be developed in European spirit, to be harmed," MoFA said Saturday in a press release.

Macedonia's Embassy in Tirana asked an official explanation from Albania's Ministry of Interior. The Ministry of Interior also summoned Albania's Ambassador to Macedonia Arben Cejku for talks on the matter. 

MoFA expects for Albania's relevant institutions to take most urgent measures for disclosing and bringing the perpetrators to justice. It also expects for Albania's authorities to strongly condemn this act of vandalism, which provokes intolerance and deeply hurts the feelings of the citizens of the Republic of Macedonia, the press release reads.

Berisha: "The position of the Albanians, can only to be the union in one country"

The Albanian irredentist designs described in detail by the Prime Minister of Albania during a conference in Tirana on 100 years of independence of the country.
 Sali Berisha told to conference referred to the fact that "the idea of ​​a single ethnic Albanian born in Kosovo" while describing the essential framework within which policy will move the country in the future said:
"We must do everything possible to shake off the natural border between Kosovo Albanians. The position of the Albanians can not be anything less than their union in a country. Since the Club of Prizren, the sole purpose of Albanians is the unification of the Albanian nation. "
Indeed it is the first time that the Albanian prime minister speaks to the "Great" or-even worse-on "Natural Albania". The summer conference in the "Neighbors of Albania" organized-and here is the interest of the case-Columbia University, USA, Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington, in collaboration with the Municipality of Tirana and the Foundation "Rockefeller Brothers' (!) Berisha had reported back to the idea of" Natural Albania ":
Speaking at the event, Albanian Prime Minister called on the country's neighbors to rid "of old antialvanikes, xenophobic and racist theories."

 He said that the establishment of a union Albanian state, the Albanians are free, wherever they are. "But we are a divided nation, must work intensity to overcome their separation."
The above combined with the longer daily, reports of anti-Greek Albanian press as allegations of racial and religious discrimination, movements such as the name of the central square of Tirana Tsamouria as, statements of the Albanian foreign minister that monitor activity Greek nationalist parties, but also continuing challenges regarding property restitution compose a backdrop against which the Greek state simply has no idea that occurs naturally and is not concerned.

www.defencenet.gr

 

 

Red & Black Alliance presents a platform for resolving "Cham Isue". Movement leaders of Cahms, where present

Spahiu: "Red and Black Alliance will conduct census to census Cham, housing and property in their ethnic territories. Red and Black Alliance will open consulate in Chameria, Mërgëlliç"
 Red and Black Alliance published Saturday day strategy and action plan, according them, to resolve the Cham issue in an activity in which they were invited the Cham Movement leaders and associations concerned with the study of the problem of this issue.Red and Black Alliance presented the ways of the Cham issue, stressing that follows a different philosophy from all political parties."Red and Black Alliance comes to the Albanian political scene with a golden attitude of building relations with neighbors. Can not build good neighborly relations with Greece, Serbia, Montenegro and Macedonia if they do not respect the fundamental rights and freedoms of ethnic Albanians to their homes. There may be good neighborly relations if Greece stops Albanians border just born Chameria. Red and black government will build a foreign policy only in respect of the principle of reciprocity. For decades Cham origin Albanians were expelled by the Greek government and was isolated as the "ghetto" in Durres and Fier by the Albanian government, "said the chairman of the Red and Black Alliance, Kreshnik Spahiu.Focusing on the level of representation of Chams in Albanian governments, Kreshnik Spahiu issued strong charges involving representatives of the Greek minority in government cabinet of citizens Sali Berisha, while representatives of the Chams never included.
Red and Black Alliance according to Chairman Kreshnik Spahiu has gone further by introducing precisely what the Red and Black Alliance will make the Cham issue. "Red and Black Alliance will conduct census to census Cham, housing and property in their ethnic territories. Red and Black Alliance will open consulate in Chameria, Mërgëlliç as Greeks have in Gjirokastër and Korçë or Italians in the South. Red and Black Alliance will unite all factor Cham Cham and will address the issue not as a commercial and real estate matters, but as a matter of national interest. For the first time the Albanian foreign policy will raise his head every Albanian who lives in soil and will also form a government that works 100% Albanian, is about 100% Albanian ethnic Albanian government and with 100% Albanian ministers, "said Kreshnik Spahiu."The Albanian government in this century have used Kosovo and Chameria for concessions with neighbors to strengthen their position at the expense of national interest. After the independence of Kosovo Albanians were able to protect their interests but Berisha citizen uses Çamëria and Cham issue of de factoring and denigrated. Cham border barricades on the border and derision with butaforitë slogans on the walls was followed by the appointment of a Greek Albanian government minister just in Cham week ", concluded his speech Spahiu.

http://www.gazetatema.net/web/2012/11/24/ak-prezanton-platformen-per-zgjidhjen-e-ceshtjes-came-te-pranishem-drejtues-te-levizjes-came/

Russian warships in position opposite Israel

DEBKAfile Special Report November 23, 2012, 

The Russian Moskva missile cruiser

 

The Black Sea Fleet's naval task force, including the missile cruiser Moskva, the destroyer Smetlivy, the large landing ships Novocherkassk and Saratov, the tugboat MB-304 and the large oil tanker Ivan Bubnov, have received an order to remain in a designated area in the eastern Mediterranean ready to evacuate Russian citizens from the Gaza Strip should the Palestinian-Israeli conflict worsen.
This statement was issued Friday, Nov. 23, by a source in the Russian Navy’s Mai Command.
debkafile’s military sources: The Russian statement is in effect a cover story for the naval task force’s real mission, which is to stand by for coming developments in relation to the Syrian conflict.
Moscow used the pretext first offered by Washington last week for the stationing of three US warships led by the USS Iwo Jima amphibious ready group opposite Israeli shores last week, i.e. as a precautionary measure for the evacuation of US citizens in a war emergency.
The Iwo Jima was meanwhile to be found Friday in waters opposite Syria.

“Constitution, Vojvodina autonomy must be respected”

Source: Beta, Tanjug

NOVI SAD -- Nobody is allowed to jeopardize Vojvodina’s autonomy or violate the Constitution, says President Tomislav Nikolić.

Tomislav Nikolić (Beta, file)

“There is no border between Vojvodina and other parts of Serbia because it is determined by the Constitution and because the Serbian citizens want it that way,” the Serbian president said at a ceremony marking the 94th anniversary of unification of Vojvodina (Banat, Bačka and Baranja) with the Kingdom of Serbia.
He called on all those who “are drawing borders between Serbia and the province to throw their pencils away and stop causing differences among the people”.

The president stressed that he had “doubts” about good intentions of those who caused rifts in Vojvodina “because they want to return us to years before the conflict”.

Nikolić stressed that a Serb who caused trouble among Serbs could not live together with members of other ethnic minorities who “are honest residents and citizens of Vojvodina”.

“Anybody who causes trouble does not mean well to citizens of Vojvodina and does not have Serbia’s best interest at heart, but they should not be carried away because they are not interesting to Serbia,” the president noted.

He said that the fact that the ceremony was jointly organized showed that “we can be united when times are difficult”.

  Picture:

Utrinski Vesnik: Kosovo, Albania PMs greets Macedonian Albanians in Skopje
 

24 November 2012 | 13:57 | FOCUS News Agency

Home / Southeast Europe and Balkans

 

Skopje. Glorification of the 100th anniversary of Albania’s independence and the Albanian Flag, which the Macedonian part of the population considered a provocation and an attempt to radicalise the relations, will have its culmination on Sunday at the Boris Trajkovski Sports Hall, writes Macedonian Utrinski Vesnik daily.
In parts of Skopje, as well as in Gostivar, Tetovo, Struga and Kicevo, there will be Albanian flags waving in the air.
Two young men from Struga – Artan Zuta and Vigan Bilali, placed an Albanian flag in 10-metre depth in the Stuga part of the Ohrid Lake, probably again as part of the plans of the Democratic Union for Integration (DUI) for this glorification to be empty of clichés and ordinariness.
The coordination staff, headed by deputy prime minister Musa Dzaferi, who is organiser of the glorification, and which also involves NGOs and the Institute for spiritual development of the Albanians, expects 15,000 to 20,000 guests at the manifestations in Skopje. The prime ministers of Albania and Kosovo – Seli Berisha and Hashim Thaci, have confirmed their attendance and will make speeches.

  

Fatos Lubonja: Ismail Kemal, declared autonomy of Albania for 4500 sq km

Austro-Hungary, was the state that supported the creation of Indipendence of Albania

During a debate on TV "KLAN" Albanian known publicist, Fatos Lubonja has supported the idea, that "Ismail Kamal, has announced the Autonomy of Albania, for an area of 4500 sq km."

"The only country that has supported this move to declare autonomy of Albania, was Austro-Hungary, which has had interest for the creation of an Albanian state, under Christian tendency" said Lubonja.

The debate has been fierce for the fact that never as now, Albanian nationalism has not been pronounced, where in particular the communist historiography of Albania, have written a glorious history dictated by the circumstances of the dictatorship, distorting facts and historical documents

No comment!
 
Provocation against Greece by the chairman of the Albanian extremists on the left, called the Greek press propaganda made ​​for the arrival of Edi Rama in Athens

http://www.defencenet.gr/defence/item/%CF%87%CF%87%CF%87%CF%87%CF%87-1

www.proinoslogos,gr

Surpassed all limits the Albanians, the Greek side must send directly rigorous approach!

Renamed "Tsamouria" a great square of Tirana!

Continuing as dangerously the Albanians, causing most clearly in Greece, with moves that clearly should not be left unanswered by our country. As it became known, one of the central square of Tirana, renamed "Square Tsamouria" (!), A move that was part of the celebration of 100 years of independence of Albania and to honor the neighbors ... the supposed state of "Chams Community"!
The news has been around the world and is still a challenge to its neighbors against our country. The proposal is to rename the "Cham 'party,« PDIU »and recently tabled in the Municipal Council of Tirana. Of course there 'passed' unanimously!Not impressed ...
Recalled that the Albanians as "Tsamouria 'call defiantly and without a trace of historical truth, Epirus, which integrate the often-dense maps of supposed" Great Albania ".
No of course not to be impressed by the fact that the motion was made under the tacit agreement of the Government, which is now long-past events and to-face ... tolerance due to the challenges of "Chams".Take a stand ...
After all, it is assumed that the Foreign Ministry should take place, as it is possible, even a country that wants to join the EU, to take such action.
Nobody likes the constant provocation of Albanians, this Ministry has vigorously to show that Albanians can not say and do what they want, and kakopoiontas distorting history.Tension ...
Meanwhile, the raging intensity Lyvena village of Northern Epirus, where residents react to the creation of the quarry.
Recalled that the "PL" had highlighted the issue, as residents of the area had received savage beatings from the Albanian police, simply because react to the creation of the quarry, which they considered illegal. As it became known, the Albanian police now blowing against PONV in the village, especially after some motion to send a letter to the "Golden Dawn", in which they explain their problems.Psychological violence ...
Indeed, chief of forensic police officers from other Delvino visited the home of one of the residents, which arbitrarily anointed as the sender, and applied psychological violence against him, telling him that it will be liable to get in warfare both countries! According to reports, psychological violence Albanian policemen and exercise to other residents of the area!

Albania court convicts fugitive ex-spy chief

LLAZAR SEMINI
Associated Press

TIRANA, Albania (AP) -- An Albanian court convicted the country's fugitive former intelligence chief Thursday of murder for the 1995 death of a suspect who was illegally detained for an alleged plot to murder Macedonia's president.
The court, which tried Ilir Kumbaro in absentia, also sentenced him to 15 years in prison. The victim, businessman Remzi Hoxha, an ethnic Albanian from Macedonia, was abducted by the secret police 17 years ago along with two other suspects for allegedly planning to kill then-Macedonian President Kiro Gligorov during a visit to Albania. The court said the three suspects were held illegally and tortured during questioning.
Kumbaro traveled to Britain in 1996 under a false identity, claiming to be a refugee from Kosovo. He has been missing for a year, after skipping an extradition hearing in London. Hoxha was never found and is presumed to have died in custody.
During the trial, the court heard that Hoxha, and fellow suspects Avdyl Loshaj and Ziso Kristopulli, were taken to a secret police facility in the Lezhe district 65 kilometers (40 miles) north of the capital, Tirana. They were never formally charged of the alleged plot against Gligorov in neighboring Macedonia, and Loshaj and Kristopulli were released after being held for a week.
The victim's son, Ardian Hoxha, said he would appeal the verdict, arguing that Albania had not done enough to bring the former spy chief to justice.
"The justice system has killed our father for a second time," he said. "Victims of crimes are not protected here."
Two former state security officers also faced lesser charges which were dropped by the court Thursday.
Kumbaro had headed the police's intelligence division in the capital, Tirana, for three years until 1995, and traveled to Britain the following year.
According to London police, Kumbaro was granted political asylum in Britain under the false name Shaqa Shatri and was granted a British passport, before he was eventually discovered and sought for extradition by Albanian authorities.
He has been missing since failing to appear for the extradition hearing in London on Dec. 1.
Former Macedonian President Gligorov, who died in January aged 94, was seriously injured in a car bombing in the Macedonian capital, Skopje, in 1995. No one has been convicted of the attack, which was apparently not related to the alleged plot in Albania.

November 22, 1941

The liberation of the city of Korca from the Greek army.American newspapers, propaganda this Greek army victory against fascists of Mussolini, as a victory for all the peoples of the world who fight for freedom against fascism.

The opposite happens in Albania. Anniversary of Greek Italian War was provoked by Albanian nationalists, who called the Greek army, invading to Albanian territory.

Obama’s pledge of US troops to Sinai next week won Israel’s nod for ceasefire

DEBKAfile Exclusive Report November 23, 2012, 

Obama on the phone to Netanyahu with key pledge

Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu agreed to a ceasefire for halting the eight-day Israeli Gaza operation Wednesday night, Nov. 21, after President Barack Obama personally pledged to start deploying US troops in Egyptian Sinai next week, debkafile reports. The conversation, which finally tipped the scales for a ceasefire, took place on a secure line Wednesday morning, just hours before it was announced in Cairo. The US and Israeli leaders spoke at around the time that a terrorist was blowing up a Tel Aviv bus, injuring 27 people.
Obama’s pledge addressed Israel’s most pressing demand in every negotiating forum on Gaza: Operation Pillar of Cloud’s main goal was a total stoppage of the flow of Iranian arms and missiles to the Gaza Strip. They were smuggled in from Sudan and Libya through southern Egypt and Sinai. Hostilities would continue, said the prime minister, until this object was achieved.
Earlier, US officials tried unsuccessfully to persuade Israel to accept Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi’s personal guarantee to start launching effective operations against the smugglers before the end of the month. The trio running Israel’s Gaza campaign, Netanyahu, Defense Minister Ehud Barak and Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, were willing to take Morsi at his word, except that Israeli security and intelligence chiefs assured them that Egypt has nothing near the security and intelligence capabilities necessary for conducting such operations.
When Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arrived in Jerusalem from Bangkok Tuesday, she tried assuring Netanyahu that President Obama had decided to accelerate the construction of an elaborate US system of electronic security fences along the Suez Canal and northern Sinai. It would also cork up the Philadelphi route through which arms are smuggled into the Gaza Strip. (The US Sinai fence project was first disclosed exclusively by DEBKA-Net-Weekly 564 on Nov. 9).
US security and civilian units will need to be deployed in Egyptian Sinai to man the fence system and operate it as an active counter-measure for obstructing the smuggling of Iranian weapons supplies.
The prime minister said he welcomed the president’s proposal to expedite the fence project, but it would take months to obtain Egyptian clearance. Meanwhile, the Palestinians would have plenty of time to replenish their weapons stocks after Israel’s Gaza campaign. It was therefore too soon to stop the campaign at this point or hold back a ground incursion.
Clinton was sympathetic to this argument. Soon after, President Obama was on the phone to Netanyahu with an assurance that US troops would be in place in Sinai next week, after he had obtained President Morsi’s consent for them to go into immediate action against Iranian smuggling networks.
Netanyahu responded by agreeing to a ceasefire being announced in Cairo that night by Clinton and the Egyptian foreign minister, and to holding back the thousands of Israeli reservists on standby on the Gaza border.
debkafile’s military sources report that the first air transports carrying US special forces are due to land at Sharm el Sheikh military airfield in southern Sinai in the next 48 hours and go into action against the arms smugglers without delay.
This development is strategically significant for three reasons:
1.  Once the missile and arms consignments depart Iranian ports or Libyan arms bazaars, Tehran has no direct control of their transit from point to point through Egypt until they reach Sinai and their Gaza destination. All the same, a US special forces operation against the Sinai segment of the Iranian smuggling route would count as the first overt American military strike against an Iranian military interest.
Netanyahu, Barak and Lieberman are impressed by the change the Obama administration has undergone since the president’s reelection. Until then, he refused to hear of any military action against Iran and insisted that Tehran could only be confronted on the diplomatic plane.
2.  President Morsi, by opening the Sinai door to an American troop deployment for Israel’s defense, recognizes that the US force also insures Israel against Cairo revoking or failing to honor the peace treaty Egypt signed with Israel in 1979.
3.  In the face of this US-Israel-Egyptian understanding, Hamas cannot credibly claim to have won its latest passage of arms with Israel or that it obtained guarantees to force Israel to end the Gaza blockade.
Indeed, Gaza’s Hamas rulers will be forced to watch as US troops in Sinai, just across its border, break up the smuggling rings filling their arsenals and most likely laying hands on the reserve stocks they maintain under the smugglers’ guard in northern Sinai, out of reach of the Israel army. This means that the blockade on Gaza has been extended and the focus of combat has switched from Gaza to the Sinai Peninsula.

Environmental Law Fully Respected In Ionian Sea Oil Exploration

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

All national and international environmental laws will be respected during oil exploration efforts in the Ionian Sea by the Norwegian firm that has undertaken the project, Environment, Energy and Climate Change Minister Evangelos Livieratos assured reporters earlier this week.

He noted that all necessary measures to protect the environment and sea mammals swimming the waters where the exploration is taking place have been taken.

The Minister also pointed out that the activities of the survey vessel "PGS" were being monitored by the coast guard and the Greek Navy, with the supervision of both the foreign ministry and the environment ministry, making any violation of international environmental rules extremely unlikely.

In addition, the crew on board the ship included two scientists working for the ministry's oil policy and three mammal observers responsible for protecting the environment and dolphins during the search efforts, he added.

Samaras in Brussels, Merkel Says Loan Coming

By Andy Dabilis on November 22, 2012

Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras was in Brussels on Nov. 22 for the start of a two-day meeting of European Union leaders on the region’s budget where he was expected to meet Eurozone chief Jean-Claude Juncker and push for a long-delayed $38.8 billion loan installment to be released.
Eurozone finance ministers earlier in the week delayed until Nov. 26 a decision on the loan because of a dispute with International Monetary Fund Managing Director Christine Lagarde, who is opposed to giving Greece a two-year extension to meet its fiscal targets.
EU leaders want to push back the deadline to 2022 for Greece to reduce its debt-to-Gross Domestic Product (GDP) ratio from nearly 180 percent now to 120 percent, but that could require additional aid, which Lagarde doesn’t want to give.
The IMF, along with the European Union and European Central Bank, make up the EU-IMF-ECB Troika that loaned Greece $152 billion starting in 2010 through a series of rescue monies, but has withheld the first installment in a second bailout of $173 billion.
Samaras, frustrated that he narrowly convinced the Parliament that his coalition government controls to pass a $17.45 billion spending cut and tax hike plan as a condition of getting the money, called on the Eurozone and IMF head to settle their differences. He warned that unless Greece gets the funds that it could be pushed toward default and risk the integrity of the financial bloc itself.
“Greece did what it had to do and what it had pledged to do,” Samaras said. “Our partners, and the I.M.F., must now assume their responsibilities.” He added that, “Whatever the technical difficulties involved in finding a solution, they do not justify any negligence or delay.”
The Troika officials will meet again in Brussels on Nov. 26 to discuss Greece, and were expected to also talk about the country’s economic problems on the sidelines of a two-day meeting in the EU’s capital Nov. 22-23, where Samaras plans to talk to Juncker.
Meanwhile, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, whose country is the biggest contributor to the Greek bailouts despite opposition from Germans, said she believes the loan will be disbursed next week. She has continued to insist, however, on more of the austerity measures that have worsened Greece’s five-year recession. “We want Greece to remain in the Euro,” she said.
Wolfgang Schaeuble, the German Finance Minister, said he was confident that an agreement could be reached once “technical questions” had been clarified. If ministers do reach a deal, Greece is likely to get a larger amount of about 44 billion euros, ($56.6) because two additional installments are due by the end of the year under terms of the second bailout and Greece wants the monies bundled together.
The loans have been on hold since June, when Samaras’ New Democracy Conservatives narrowly won a tense election, and creditors determined that Greece was failing to meet the conditions of the bailout.
Eurozone finance ministers are considering a range of options, including lowering interest rates on Greek debt, lengthening the deadlines for repayments and allowing Greece to buy back its bonds at a steep discount. Once lenders agree on a solution for Greece, the measure will still have to be debated and passed by German lawmakers.

Iron Dome was the only real Israeli winner of the Gaza operation

DEBKAfile

Iron Dome was the winner

The trio which conducted Israel’s eight-day Gaza operation, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Ehud Barak, Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, marked the Gaza ceasefire that went into effect Wednesday night, Nov. 21, by announcing that all the goals set for the Pillar of Cloud operation were achieved.
They did not reveal the concessions they made to enable the US and Egypt to persuade Hamas to promise to halt its long missile blitz against Israel. The most damaging was Israel’s consent for Egypt to act as truce monitor and arbitrator between itself and Hamas and the address for complaints of violations, misunderstandings and broker of future negotiations to follow the ceasefire for regulating future relations.
By deferring to Egypt’s superior authority, Israel let itself be demoted to an equal footing with Hamas, a group listed as a terrorist organization in the US and Europe and dedicated to the destruction of the Jewish state.
In some respects, Israel might have been better served by direct talks with Hamas itself rather than placing its strategic policy on two borders in the hands of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood.
As of 9 pm, Nov. 21, Israel’s security actions on its borders with Egypt and the Gaza Strip must be adjusted to staying on Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi’s good side.
Netanyahu and Barak’s advisers defend this concession by maintaining that it is superseded by Morsi’s dependence on Washington for the sake of American aid grants and guarantees for international credit to rescue Egypt’s economy from collapse. Cairo will be in the hands of the Obama administration and so Israel has nothing to worry about, they say.
However reasonable this argument may sound, debkafile’s analysts say it has nothing to do with Egyptian-Israeli relations which operate on a separate plane. It is a fact that Barack Obama never managed to persuade Egypt to resume its gas supplies to Israel after the Sinai pipelines were repeatedly sabotaged, or raise a finger to halt the arms smuggling traffic running through its territory to the Gaza Strip from Libya and Sudan.
Washington has very little influence on the Muslim Brothers when it comes to Cairo’s attitude towards Israel. They are far from being American puppets. President Morsi may heed US wishes up to a point with regard to the Gaza Strip and the Palestinian terrorists ruling the enclave, but the Brothers will prefer to line up with Turkey, Saudi Arabia and the Gulf emirates and follow the gospel of their radical guru, Sheikh Yousuf Qaradawi, the great champion of suicide terrorism against Israel.
Israel has gained substantially less than Defense Minister Barak claimed from the eight-day air operation launched to rescue southern Israel from the 12-year old Palestinian missile war waged from Gaza .
Hamas undoubtedly took a heavy beating and devastating damage to its command and control, military infrastructure, arms manufacturing and arsenal. But its 15,000-strong militia remains largely intact after losing 50 men and can be reconstituted. In any case, Operation Pillar of Cloud was not meant to be a military contest between the IDF and the Hamas military wing. What it finally boiled down to was a duel between the Iranian weapons wielded by Hamas and Jihad Islami and Israel’s Iron Dome missile interceptor.
Iron Dome came out of the ordeal the unchallenged victor.
With that success in hand, Israel had no need to get into negotiations with Hamas and Jihad Islami over a ceasefire, which neither of the two organizations is expected to honor. A unilateral ceasefire declaration from Jerusalem would have been enough. And in fact two hours after the ceasefire went into effect, Hamas had fired some 12 rockets against Israel. Schools in the south will remain closed Thursday.

Palestinians thankful to Russia - Mahmoud Abbas

Andrei Ontikov

Nov 22, 2012 18:06 Moscow Time

Photo: EPA

The Palestinians highly estimate Russia's efforts aimed at settling the situation in the Gaza Strip and recognizing the Palestinian state on the international arena. This is stated in the message of head of the Palestinian national administration Mahmoud Abbas to the President of Russia. The message was delivered to Moscow by Abbas’s special envoy Saleh Raafat. Here's what he said in an exclusive interview with the Voice of Russiaradio station.

«This message contained a high assessment of the role played by Russia and its leadership for the sake of putting an end to the aggression against the Palestinian population in the Gaza Strip. We also reaffirmed the importance of the efforts that Moscow undertakes in the UN Security Council in order to finally get a resolution that will force Israel to end its military operations in the sector. In addition, we expressed our gratitude for Russia’s support to Palestine’s application on receiving the status of an observer-state in the United Nations Organization».

President: Serbia expect Russia’s support

Source: Beta, Tanjug

BELGRADE -- Serbian President Tomislav Nikolić has accepted credentials from new Russian Ambassador Aleksandr Chepurin and said Serbia expects Russia's support.

(Beta)

“Serbia’s leaders highly appreciate Russia’s support in combat for respect of the international law when it comes to Kosovo and Metohija and protection of territorial integrity and sovereignty,” he noted on Thursday.
The Serbian president said that this was a sensitive moment for Serbia, that it was facing important decisions and that it expected Russia’s support.

He added that traditional friendship and historical and spiritual ties between the Serbian and Russian people should contribute to a more dynamic and stable development of the two countries’ relations.

Nikolić said Serbia was determined to implement all agreements reached by Russia and Serbia and that both Russian and Serbian citizens would benefit from them.

He encouraged the new Russian ambassador to more actively promote Russian investments in Serbia because strengthening of economic cooperation was key in the time of crisis.

Chepurin said that Serbia and Russia had century-long friendship and that great relations existed not only between officials but between the two peoples.

“This is a cornerstone of our progress. The past greatly determines our future and it is our job to make the future as good as possible for citizens of our countries,” the ambassador stressed.

He added that there was a political will in Serbia and Russia to establish a new level of the two countries’ relations and assessed that Nikolić and Russian President Vladimir Putin’s meetings “give a strong impulse”.

Chepurin reiterated Russia’s support to Serbia when it comes to the protection of its territorial integrity and added that the solving of the Kosovo issue in accordance with the international law and UN Security Council Resolution 1244 was the only fair solution.

He said that the world faced a great economic crisis and that the best way to overcome problems was to work together on projects that would enable growth and recovery of the economy.

Albanian Opposition leader Edi Rama in Athens, Sunday - meeting for the celebration for the 100th anniversary of Independence of Albania!
 In Athens will arrive this Sunday Edi Rama, leader of the Socialist Party of Albania. The event will take place at the stadium of Sporting Agios Eleftherios at 11:00 am and is part of the celebrations for the 100th anniversary of independence of Albania.

The poster for the event reads:Eddie Rama in AthensHope all immigrants!Always beside us ...and the grand celebrationthe 100th anniversary of Independence!

According to the northern epiriotes blogs, Edi Rama has recalled that the deterioration of Greek-Albanian relations was personaly the catalyst and "contributor" of. the "Agreement sea borders, between Greece - Albania" in the Costitutional Court of Albania, which canceled opening new politic crise between Greece and Albania..  

Simultaneously exceeded all left-socialist mound and turned the political articulation in ethnocentric, giving efforts to nationalist movements (of which now is in danger and he polling) and turning the anti-Greek political position in the central political arena.

As himariot, from his mother, unfortunately, the Albanian opposition leader Edi Rama, holds the same position with the government Berisha, featuring antihimariots sentiments, especially for critical stance properties in the Himara Region. According to the albanian press, people involved in the Albanian Mafia, with corrupt practices of looting assets of Himara people, are also associated with Edi Rama and Socialist Party as parliament member.

  Picture:

Struggle of flags in Macedonia continues (ROUNDUP)

 

22 November 2012 | 18:54 | FOCUS News Agency

Home / Southeast Europe and Balkans

 

Skopje. The struggle of flags in Macedonia continues. After a six-meter Albanian flag was hoisted on a 30-meter pole in Kicevo, a 20-meter pole will be placed at Deve Bair checkpoint on the Macedonian-Bulgarian border and “a Macedonian flag will proudly flutter” there.
“Ours should be bigger than the Bulgarian one” reads the title of the news on the website of Vest.
According to the media in Skopje the new pole at Deve Bair checkpoint will be the highest in the Balkans.
The 60-meter structure will be put at a small hill and if the Bulgarians want their flag to flutter at a higher place, they will have to erect a 75-meter pole, says Skopje.
The new pole was donated by a firm that is in charge of fitting all poles in the state and works on most Skopje 2014 projects. The government will pay nothing for the 60-meter pole, government sources told Vest.
At Deve Bair checkpoint, where a struggle for the height of the poles is underway, there are two poles now. The Macedonian one is 30 meters high and the Bulgarian one, which has been recently fixed, is 45 meters high, announced Sitel television.
Other media comment that the 60-meter pole and the Macedonian flag on it come after the Democratic Union for Integration started hoisting huge flags in the settlements with Albanian population. An Albanian flag which is about ten meters long and wide covers the façade of the Culture Center in Tetovo, writes Nova Makedonija.
According to Nova Makedonija there is no Macedonian flag on the building of this state institution, which is a violation of the law about flags which was adopted in July 2011. The law states that a flag of an ethnic community can be hoisted on a state institution, but it should be smaller by a third compared with the state flag, in municipalities where more than 50% of the population belongs to this community.
An Albanian flag is fluttering also on the building of the municipality of Cair in Skopje. Next to it there is a flag celebrating the 100th anniversary of Albanian independence.
On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of Albania’s independence the whole of Macedonia should be covered in red and black by 28 November, Democratic Union for Integration (DUI) Spokesperson Bujar Osmani said in a statement, causing sharp reactions in the media in Skopje.
The statement comes two days after a six-meter Albanian flag was hoisted on a 30-meter pole in Kicevo. As planned, the whole of Skopje should be covered with Albanian flags by 25 November.
“As a sign of mutual respect, all citizens in Macedonia should be part of Albanians’ joy and the question whether it is legal for an Albanian flag to flutter should not be raised, because Albanians may consider this to be a provocation,” said Bujar Osmani.
“An Albanian flag under the waters of Lake Ohrid,” reads a title of A1On television.
The article says that two young Albanians from Struga unfolded an Albanian flag underwater in Lake Ohrid. The flag was put at a 10-meter depth to mark the 100th anniversary of Albania’s independence.
“An Albanian flag should flutter in each house.” Hoisting an Albanian flag in Kicevo is legal and does not infringe on the feelings of other ethnic communities, says the Democratic Union for Integration in a statement, cited by Telma television.
The non-governmental organization Wake Up wants to cover the whole of Skopje with the red Albanian flag on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of Albania’s independence. This will happen on 25 November, Kanal 5 television reported.
The website Bez Pardon says the following about the same initiative of the non-governmental organization Wake Up:
“Wake Up wants to wrap Skopje up with an Albanian flag.”
“Wake Up has invited Albanians to cover Skopje in red-and-black paint,” says In Press.
“Wake Up in pre-celebratory euphoria, will paint Skopje in red and black,” reports Kanal 5.
“Skopje wrapped up in Albanian flags on Thursday,” reads Skopje Info.
“DUI – we will cover Skopje with Albanian flags,” reports Sitel television.

Driver tries to intercept president’s motorcade

Source: B92

BELGRADE -- A Škoda Fabia with no license plates has tried to cut in Serbian President Tomislav Nikolić’s motorcade several times.

Tomislav Nikolić (Tanjug, file)

The incident took place on Jurija Gagarina St. in New Belgrade.
The police have said that they are searching for the driver. They told daily Blic that it was unsure whether the incident was a result of careless driving or traffic jams due to construction works in the street.

A police SUV recently run into a motorcade that was accompanying Nikolić on the Belgrade-Niš highway.

Bomb Explodes Outside Greek Deputy Prosecutor΄s Home

By A. Papapostolou on November 22, 2012 

 

A small bomb exploded outside the Athens home of a Greek deputy prosecutor early on Thursday, causing no injuries but damaging houses and cars, police said according to Reuters.
The explosive device was placed in the front yard of the house and three houses and two cars were damaged when it exploded, police said.
The Thursday attack happened outside the house of prosecutor Paraskevi Kalaitzi, best known in Greece for trying the case of an organized crime ring convicted of several offenses, including the murder of a businessman and the kidnapping of a Greek shipowner.
The shipowner, Periklis Panagopoulos, was kidnapped in January 2009 and held for eight days until his family paid a ransom.
Several small makeshift bombs have exploded in Greece in recent years as the country struggles through harsh austerity measures imposed by foreign lenders. Gas canisters are often left at tax offices and politicians΄ offices.

100th Anniversary of the Independence of Albania, is celebrated at NATO Headquarters, Brussels
Rasmussen wishes Albanians

100th Anniversary of the Independence of Albania is also celebrating at NATO headquarters in Brussels. It is known that, the Secretary General of NATO, Anders Rasmussen congratulated Albanians for the holiday of Independence, stating that NATO membership, Albania showed that he has proved that he deserved membership.
"It is a great pleasure for me to wish you and the Albanian people on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Independence of Albania. 3 and a half years before Albania's NATO membership showed the world that the idea of ​​freedom is invincible. NATO membership, Albania has tightened its internal security and NATO and the integrity of the Atlantic Alliance, "said Secretary General of NATO.
He continued MW next by thwnw that, along with other NATO allies, you are committed to protecting the security and our shared values. "This is a solemn commitment that a sovereign state can undertake. Albania has shown that it can carry out this commitment. Your home is a worthy ally. You have made an important contribution to our political and military alliance. You have played an important role for regional stability and your engagement in Afghanistan has been strong evidence of your commitment to protect the security of the Alliance, "said Rasmussen.
Rasmussen stressed that NATO appreciates the fact that Albania is now free and safe.
"We are delighted to have a free Albania, safe and engaged as a member of the Alliance. I wish you and the people of Albania, a happy and safe day of independence, "he concluded his speech, Mr.. Rasmussen.
Ceremony also attended by his remarks the Minister of Defence, Mr.. Arben Imami where he said that the history of Albania is a story of war and great efforts to survive and preserve their national identity.
At the ceremony held on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the independence of Albania in NATO headquarters can not be revealed and cakes with the Albanian national symbol.

www.shekulli.com.al

Epic Fire Sale: Russian Oligarchs Snatch Up Greek Real Estate and Energy Assets

November 21, 2012 | Filed under: Geopolitics

 

At his home in Moscow, the 53-year-old is probably the most influential Russian Greek origin. A businessman from Rostov, who has in the eighties by the workers highly worked in a tobacco factory to the chairman of the Agrokom group. Today, tobacco and meat company of his wife, and Mr. Sawidis focuses on the policy and its foreign business.

For Russians, the Hellenic crisis is a great opportunity. in nearby Cyprus they have been around for nearly 20 years, large investors, they now turn to the neighboring country, where rows of factories and homes for sale. For the investor Sawidis is Greece “a highly emotional affair,” a country that wants to help it to become profitable again. The sun-drenched state in the south, also offer him the perfect “balance between business and salvation.” He has invested not only in football, but also for example in the restoration of some churches.

Engagement with tradition

It is a commitment to tradition. In modern times, the Orthodox Russia saw itself as the protector of the Orthodox Greeks against the all-powerful Ottoman Empire. The first president of independent Greece, Ioannis Kapodistrias, was foreign policy before 1827 in the service of State of the Tsar. In Athens, there was a “Russian party”, which lobbied for a close alignment with Saint Petersburg. Greeks emigrated to Russia and made careers.

Ivan Sawidis, the Greek Russian sat for many years for the United Russia party of Vladimir Putin in the Duma. He knows good and criticized the Russian president that all decisions would be made today about Greece in the EU. And since determine Germany. “That’s what Greece” very hurt, he says. Russia, however, wanted to protect Greece, says Sawidis. And Russia have much to offer.

What? »Snow and frost,” he says, smiling. “These oil and gas and a lot of money.”

In Greece, the state-owned energy industry is for sale. Under pressure from the EU, the government their majority in the Greek gas company Depa, the gas network operator DESFA and participation in the oil company Hellenic Petroleum (Elpe) sell. The Russians are in addition to Japanese, Italians and Azerbaijanis to the main bidders......................

more see: http://www.defencegreece.com/

Albanian nationalists, in the "wake of violence"

Red & Black Alliance, protest against the Minister Spiro Ksera, charges him for treason against Albania

Red and Black Alliance youth went on a protest in front of the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs to seek condemnation of the minister Spiro Ksera to the national treason.

"Red and Black Alliance is here to protest against the anti-national behavior of the Minister of Labour, Spiro Ksera, who met with members of the "Golden Dawn", who has stated that it is working for the partition of Albania and the realization of the so-called" Northern Epirus ".

This is the government of Sali Berisha citizens, consisting of three Greek ministers and 13 filogrekë, who day after day are trying to work against the interests of Albania and Albanians. One sold the sea, the other nationalities and now facts and betrayals talk about the work being done by government ministers for partition of Albania. This is a shame on all national minister in this 100 anniversary of Albania's independence, "said Secretary of Youth Red Black, Adriatic Lapaj.