Property protest in Orikum

03/07/2013

Protests about properties return in the Orikum Municipality. After receiving promises that the issue will find a solution, the residents are protesting again on the roads of Oricum and Ducat.

Dozens of residents and former workers of the Orikum Agricultural Enterprise gathered in the first hours of this morning in front of the Municipality, to protest for their unsolved property issue. The protesters appealed Mayor Gezim Capo to protect their properties, otherwise their protest will escalate.

They say that the property issue has not been resolved for years, and they hope that the Socialist Party will give an end to this problem.

According to the residents, the Socialist Party leader, Edi Rama, has personally promised them that the property issue will be resolved.

Meta: Maximal attention to ethnic Albanians

04/07/2013 18:20

The Socialist Movement for Integration leader, Ilir Meta,  promised that the next government will pay more attention to the Albanian people outside the borders.

As next Parliament Speaker, Meta met with the leader of the BDI in Macedonia, Ali Ahmeti, with whom he promised to support the Albanian brothers in Macedonia.

“There will be maximal attention to the Albanians in Macedonia and wider”, Meta declared.

After receiving congratulations for the victory by Ahmeti, Meta declared that Tirana will work harder after September to improve the relations with Macedonia.

“The relations between our countries will progress. Albania will support the name issue and Macedonia’s Euro-Atlantic integration”, he added.

Overnight illegal constructions

04/07/2013

The electoral campaign and hopes for legalizing constructions built after 2006 caused a wave of rushed illegal constructions in Ksamil.

These small constructions appeared overnight now that few areas are still free in Ksamil. This phenomenon has also affected the beaches. The Head of Ksamil Commune says that they have identified all buildings and they will be demolished.

Ksamil is a place of exceptional natural beauty, but it has almost entirely destroyed due to illegal constructions. The first wave was demolished by the Construction Inspectorate, giving an image of a war ravaged place, with half of the buildings in ruins.

Tourism in Lin destroyed by pollution

Lin is considered one of the most beautiful tourist villages in Albania, but now has turned very disappointing. Sewage waters have been dumped in the Ochrid lake, almost destroying tourism.

This small village with an admirable view loses its magic right after one gets close to areas where water is polluted with waste materials. Sewage waters have been thrown there for as long that the residents have received promises that the situation would get fixed, but in the meanwhile, tourists have lost their interest for this village.

According to the local administration, the sewage water collector project has remained an electoral promise. Its implementation is urgent, since the sewage waters put in risk the life of the 300 families in this village.

Norwegians Complete Research for Oil & Gas in Greek Waters

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By Hellas Frappe on 4.7.13

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The Ionian Sea and the area south of the island of Crete are promising in terms of hydrocarbon research, Norwegian-based PGS said on Thursday in a preliminary assessment of its seismological exploration in these areas. PGS presented the fast-track results at the Environment Ministry, where company representatives said a report on the in-depth processing of the data collected would be ready between December 2013 and January 2014.

The company said its purpose was to understand the structure of the seabed and locate oil beds ahead of the state's initiating a tendering for research expected in mid-2014, to give oil companies data to decide whether they were interested in conducting further research for oil and gas, and whether it would be in their interest to submit tenders for drilling licences.

PGS has covered 12,500 kms of seismic lines, while another 6,000 km have been covered in previous explorations.

The state did not provide funds for the research, but it will receive betweem 10 and 50 percent of PGS's revenues from the sale of data to oil companies, depending on the volume of data made available. (AMNA)

Serbs set up Assembly of Kosovo and Metohija

Source: Beta, Tanjug

ZVEČAN -- The Provisional Assembly of Kosovo and Metohija has been constituted on Thursday in Zvečan, a Serb municipality in northern Kosovo.

(Tanjug)

Leposavić Mayor Slavko Stevanović has been elected the assembly's president.
"Only a democratic and economically strong Serbia can help the Serb people in Kosovo and Metohija, but we cannot accept that the price of Serbia joining the EU is the loss of territory and forced integration into the institutions of an unrecognized state," said Stevanović.

The assembly was formed by leaders and councilors of the four municipalities in northern Kosovo.

The inaugural session was not attended by representatives of the Serbian government.

The session was attended by 97 deputies who took the oath and adopted the Declaration of the Provisional Assembly of Kosovo and Metohija, which states that the body represents the citizens of the province who respect the Constitution and the laws of Serbia.

According to Stevanović, the fact that the assembly has not been held before June 28 shows that none of the Serbs in Kosovo wish to interfere with their country's efforts to integrate into the EU.

He said that the setting up of the provisional body was an attempt to bring the province back from the wasteland of lawlessness, and to the ground of the valid Constitution and laws.

Slavko Stevanović (Tanjug)

Stevanović added that in this way, a message was being sent to the international community that Serbia was "again lifting its head," and that in this regard, international law, the UN Charter and Resolution 1244 on Kosovo as part of the Serbia must be respected, when it comes to Serbia, as well as other countries.

Assistant to the Zvečan Mayor Ljubomir Radović said at the meeting that the Serbs would not implement the Brussels agreement and will not take part in elections organized according to the decisions and laws from Priština.

"We will not accept a constitution and a legal system of some other, unrecognized, and unlawfully created state," he said, adding that Serbs know their way, "and will not go to Priština."

"Our capital is Belgrade, our republic is Serbia, we do not want another country, another citizenship or legal system," said Radović.

The session was convened on the basis of the Declaration adopted at the Assembly of the Serb People 22 April in Kosovska Mitrovica, and the conclusions adopted by a session held by the four municipalities on June 6.

The assembly was formed after consultations with representatives of a number of municipalities in Kosovo and Metohija held in May and June.

"Assembly weakens Serbia's standing"

The formation of the Assembly of Kosovo and Metohija "will weaken the position of Serbs and Serbia," Chair of the Serbian Parliament Committee for Kosovo and Metohija Milovan Drecun stated earlier on Thursday.

Drecun told reporters in the parliament that the Brussels agreement between Belgrade and Priština "is an integral part of Serbia's state policy on the Kosovo issue, and its backbone is the constitution of the community of Serb municipalities."

He believes that in this context, "there is no room for any other mode of organization."

"Everything that would have been done contrary to the state policy would introduce parallelism in the search for a solution to the Kosovo issue and it would not reinforce Serbia's position," Drecun said.

Berisha: 10% of the Greek population is Albanian

Prime Minister Sali Berisha's comments during the discussion on the draft law granting citizenship CE Albanian media have sparked reaction in the region.

Berisha during his speech at the Council of Ministers, said that "today in Greece, almost 10 percent of the population is Albanian and Greek media has not even a single program to slip."

This comment has prompted the media to qualify Greek Prime Minister Sali Berisha as "delirant" and attempt to attract attention after the election defeat.

"With this decision not yet given early response Albanian diasporas, Arvanites and Arbëreshs. But this is an ongoing process. It can not be denied, but for now the decision provides these. Diasporas, Arvanites in Greece and Italy have ever arberesh in providing a great historic contribution to the friendly countries, and our Diaspora in Turkey that is two times greater than the Albanian population ", said Berisha

The head of government is not to mention the Albanians left Turkey. "During my period at the Council of Europe tried many resolutions that included Turkish radio broadcasts in Albanian, but it did not happen. Even this year, when a player raised his voice, had a very dishonest wave against him, which forced Prime Minister Erdogan to stand on the side of the player. "

Military agreement between Albania and Kosovo worries Serbia

 

 

BELGRADE-military agreement between Albania and Kosovo viewed with concern by the Serbian authorities.

Deputy Prime Minister of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, said yesterday that the military agreement between Kosovo and Albania presents a serious problem. Vucic said that Serbia is working to protect its citizens and that this issue should confer with the European Union and other international partners, but that should not cause problems themselves internationally. "We need to protect our people, but without causing any problem internationally Serbia", quoting 'Telegraph' as saying Vucic.

Agreement on military cooperation between the two countries was signed in Pristina on Monday between Minister for the Kosovo Security Force, Agim Ceku and Minister of Defense of the Republic of Albania, Mr. Arben Imami.

Greece: 2 fugitives shot dead after major manhunt

 

Published: July 2, 2013 

The Associated Press

 

ATHENS, Greece — Police in Greece say two fugitives have been shot dead in western Greece following a major manhunt for a gang of five Albanian armed robbers who broke out of a prison in March.
A statement from the national police says the two were killed in a firefight with police special forces shortly after nightfall Tuesday in a mountainous area near the city of Agrinio, which lies about 300 kilometers (185 miles) west of Athens. Their names were not released.

The fugitives broke out of Trikala prison in central Greece on March 22, after accomplices from the outside attacked guards with grenades and automatic weapons. The five escapees also are suspected in a subsequent bank robbery and the murder of a police officer last month.

It should be noted that for the first time in the history of criminology in the neighboring country took part in the pursuit of criminals escaped from prison, the Greek army special unit.

Albanians in Presevo, call Serbia for Autonomy

 Representatives of the Presevo Valley, the Albanians announced that they have asked the Deputy Prime Minister of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, the Albanians in the area to enjoy the same rights as Serbs of Kosovo.They said that this request had been admitted to the first meeting held in Belgrade with Serbian Deputy Prime Minister, who has assured them that he would visit the Valley to look closely concerns the Albanians living there.They said the area is required to have access to the university and greater participation in government and institutions of Serbia. It was also said that the Serbian government is seeking to provoke the question of the monolith, legalized national symbols, becomes demilitarization of the Valley and similar requirements that will enable the improvement of the situation in that part.At the beginning of last month, Kosovo's parliament passed a resolution in support of the fundamental rights of the Albanians in Presevo, Bujanovac and Medvedja, three Albanian-majority municipalities in southern Serbia.The text of the resolution, requested the addition of state care Kosovo Albanians of the Presevo Valley and enjoy the same rights to Serbs in northern Kosovo Albanians in the area.In resolution also requested the release of political prisoners held in prisons in Serbia, Kosovo to care for displaced from the Presevo Valley, provide education and welfare for them, and opened offices in Pristina and Gnjilane to be cared for this purpose. The resolution also requires facilities in Serbia over Kosovo Albanian border from there.Political leaders in the area say that the situation in the Valley continues to be volatile since 2001 when the conflict ended between government forces and rebel Serb Liberation Army of Presevo, Bujanovac and Medvedja fighting for more rights for Albanians in the area.

NSA Was Spying On Greek Embassy in Washington!

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By Hellas Frappe on 2.7.13

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National Security Agency Seal (Photo credit: DonkeyHotey)

The Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs is not hiding its concern and discontent over the revelations in the international media which claim that Greece is among the countries that were closely being monitored by the US National Security Agency (NSA).

Foreign Ministry spokesman Constantinos Koutras was quoted by reporters as saying earlier this week that Greece cannot understand why the US would take to snooping on its friends. The spokesman was refering to reports claiming that the NSA was eavesdropping on the day to day goings-on at the Greek Embassy in Washington, D.C., as well as Greece’s mission at the United Nations.

     “Greece cannot comprehend the media reports regarding monitoring of Greek and other diplomatic missions by the Services of a country that is a friend and ally.”

The spokesman said that “necessary clarifications will be requested” depending on the investigation’s results by the Greek services.

Answering a reporter’s question about the reports, Koutras stressed out that Greece has absolute respect for International Law’s provisions that govern the operating regime of the Diplomatic and Consular Authorities.

Οι Τσάμηδες μπήκαν στην κυβέρνηση της Αλβανίας

WITH "SOSIALISTES" of Edi Rama

by Constantine Cholevas

The Chams joined the Government of Albania

 
Berisha had dreamed of the "Greater Albania", now we have Eddie Rama, whose government will rely on the votes of five Chams. Switching parties in Tirana never affected positively or negatively the Greek-Albanian relations. Perhaps the TAP pipeline bring us closer. However, the issues of the rights of the Northern Epirs and the two major parties, democratic and socialist, keep almost the same negative line. Opposite to the demands of the Chams both parties are equally supportive. The new development is that we see after the parliamentary elections to increase the seats of both Tsamos parties and the Socialist leader Edi Rama to form government with the support of five vicious Chams, who managed to get elected to the Albanian Parliament.
 By 'Tsamis "we mean a group of Muslims who lived in Thesprotia from the 17th to the mid 20th century. The word is a corruption of the name "Thyamis", ie the Kalama River. The Chams are the descendants of converts to Islam, Orthodox Christians of Epirus. Many of those forcibly converted to Islam after the unfortunate insurrection of Bishop Dionysius the Philosopher (Skylosofou) in the early 17th century. Changing religion led quickly to shift national consciousness. This shows that the Orthodox faith is a powerful element of our national identity.
 Under the Treaties of Lausanne of 1923, the 23,000 Albanian Chams had to leave Greece, but the government of General T. Pangalos kept them here, to show our good disposition towards the new state of Albania. A move that was not appreciated by the Albanian government, which from then until today oppress Northern Epirus. During the Italian invasion of 1940 and the dramatic period of occupation, the Chams were the best partners of Italian fascists and German Nazis. Organizer with the Albanian National Committee XILIA committed massacres, looting and arson in Greek Epirus.
 The Chams were persecuted by the National Resistance groups EDES under Napoleon Zervas and fled to Albania together with their families. In 1945 the Special Court collaborationist Ioannina sentenced in absentia 1,930 Chams war criminals, and the property was confiscated and was distributed to the landless in the area.
 Immediately after the fall of the communist regime tsamiko issue adopted by the two major parties in Tirana. Establishing the organization Tsameria (Tsamouria) followed by the establishment parties with which it seeks the return of the descendants of the Chams in Greece and the return of their property. Behind this request becomes visible territorial claim of Thesprotia and other Greek regions. Occasionally maps printed in Albania, Kosovo and Albanian-speaking areas of Skopje include Greek Epirus as "Tsameria." In the streets of Konitsas and other Greek cities have seen the slogans written requests Chams.
 To some extent, of course, the theme swells from Tirana as a distraction to the demands of Greeks living in Northern Epirus and the rest of Albania. At times the issue of the Chams has been raised by the official website of the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, but temporarily withdrawn because of Greek protests. Into the hands of the Albanian propaganda often throws some Greeks ignorant of history scientists and NGOs, discovering unheard minorities.
 Along with our best wishes to Eddie Rama luck he should be remembered, first, that we reject outright propaganda Chams and secondly, that we will support in any way the physical and cultural survival of Hellenism in Albania.

(Dimokratianews.gr)


 

EC: 4.1% Greeks Think of Migrating

Some 4,1% Greek citizens are thinking of migrating, according to the European Commission’s quarterly report on employment and social conditions in Europe, which was released on June 25.

According to the Commission’s report, the decline in employment and soaring  youth employment in some EU member states over the last four years has  contributed to the increase of mobility within the EU.
Specifically, the percentage of European citizens with “serious intentions to migrate within the following 12 months” was more than doubled from 0,5% in 2010 to 1,2% in 2012. Greeks record the highest rate of Europeans seriously intending to migrate within the following year (4,1%). Then follow Lithuanians (3,9%), Latvians (3,8%), Bulgarians (3,4%) and Romanians (2,8%).

According to the same data, in 2012 one out of four Greeks (24%) wanted to migrate permanently and 63% wanted to migrate within the EU. In the EU, the corresponding percentages are 20% and 44%. The British record the largest percentage of Europeans wanting to migrate permanently, while almost one out of four Belgians, Bulgarians, Greeks, Cypriots, Hungarians, Italians, Latvians, Lithuanians and Portuguese, want to migrate permanently.

It should be noted that the highest percentage of long-term unemployed people is recorded in Greece, with 16,8% in 2012, as well as the highest percentage of unemployed young people, with 60% in February 2013.

Six Deputies of Greek Descent in Albanian Parliament

A total of six deputies of Greek descent are participating in the new Parliament of Albania. They all belong to different political parties, which cooperate as governmental partners in the framework of the new Albanian government.

Edi Rama (PS) has become the Prime Minister of Albania and Ilir Meta (LSI) the President of the Parliament of Albania.

The deputies of Greek descent are: Vangelis Dules, President of the KAED party, who was elected in the Vlorë Region, Vangelis Tavos, former Vice President of the Albanian Parliament and former Health Minister, who was elected in the Gjirokastra region with LSI.

Andreas Martos, President of the Organization of the Greek minority in Albania, Omonia, in Tirana, who despite being   elected with the Socialist Party in the Vlorë Region, left open the possibility of entering KAED.

Anastasis Angelis, former Finance Minister in the Fatos Nano government, who was elected in the Gjirokastra region with the Socialist Party, the distinguished criminologist Vassiliki Yssi, who was elected with the Socialist Party in the Tirana region and the renowned actor Luisa Tzouvanni, who was elected with the Socialist Party in the Vlorë Region.

Albanian Parliament, Edi Rama, Gjirokastra, Greek MPs, Ilir Meta, KAED, LSI., Tirana

Albanian Finances in crisis

The difficult financial crisis has obliged the Minister of Finances to quickly prepare a draft to stop all budget spending.

The draft prepared by experts stops any new public investment procurement and freezes per diem and travel payments in the public administration.

Limiting spending in the middle of the budget year has turned into a tradition for the public finances since 2009, but the situation has got worse this time.

Sources from the Ministry of Finances say for Top Channel that it is necessary for the order to pass as soon as possible in the government, because the state finances are getting worse each day, to the point of not being able to pay emergency obligations.

The government exhausted 80% of the annual limit for the first months of the year, and in June this figure has grown even more.

Due to this situation, the Treasury has been unable to pay funds and this has been publicly accepted. According to these sources, 2 billion ALL of obligations have been created this months.

These bills have been officially created and accepted by the State Treasury, besides the mountain of due debts, which mounted up to 200 million EUR only through the last years.

The government’s financial situation is even more out of control now. After losing the elections, the fallen government doesn’t have the right to intervene in the budget. Chances are that the obligatory budget review will be made in October by the new government.

But with the revenues falling and the legal debt overpassed, the main risk of the new government will not be only the bad debt against business, but the government’s ability to pay pensions and wages on time.

‘Political Hit-Man’ Attacked in Kosovo

Police have launched an investigation into an attack on a man who testified about the killings of Albanians suspected of collaborating with the Serbian authorities during the Kosovo war.

Edona Peci BIRN Pristina

Police said that they were investigating the assault on Saturday on Nazim Bllaca, a self-confessed ‘political hit-man’ who has testified twice in trials arising from the killing of suspected wartime collaborators and is soon expected to be prosecuted for murder himself.

However a police spokesperson said he could not provide any information about the reasons for the attack.

“We’re not able to talk about the motives yet; they will be made public by the court,” spokesperson Baki Kelani told BIRN.

No arrests have yet been made.

Bllaca was the key witness in two trials over wartime revenge killings which have seen seven people sent to prison.

The second verdict in December last year saw five people sentenced to a total of 54 years in jail.

Two of the defendants were convicted of involvement in the 1999 murder of Ibush Kllokoqi, a former member of the Kosovo Democratic League who was suspected of working with the Serb authorities.

Bllaca, who claims to have been part of an unofficial security service that grew out of the Kosovo Liberation Army, has admitted that he was also involved in the killing of Kllokoqi.

He is expected to stand trial for the murder soon.

“Nazim Bllaca killed Ibush Kllokoqi by shooting him six times. This happened in Pristina on August 6, 1999,” the indictment against him said.

"Some results" expected by next Dačić-Thaci meeting

 
Source: Tanjug

BELGRADE -- Marko Đurić expects "some results" in the Belgrade-Priština technical negotiations of working groups in Brussels before the next Dačić-Thaci meeting.

"At this moment, there are talks in Brussels between the working groups for the implementation of the agreement concerning the judiciary and police," this presidential adviser told reporters in Belgrade on Monday, after a meeting between Serbian President Tomislav Nikolić and European Council President Herman Van Rompuy.

"At this moment, there are talks in Brussels between the working groups for the implementation of the agreement concerning the judiciary and police," Đurić told reporters in Belgrade after a meeting between Serbian President Tomislav Nikolić and European Council President Herman Van Rompuy.

The talks on all subjects, including the association of Serb municipalities, will continue this week, he underscored.

"We can expect before the next meeting between Dačić and Taci, probably around July 9, to get some new information and results regarding the technical dialogue," said Đurić, who is one of the leaders of the Belgrade team for the implementation of the Brussels agreement between Belgrade and Priština.