«Η αλβανική γλώσσα επίσημη στο Μαυροβούνιο»

Echedoros

Η αλβανική γλώσσα έγινε επίσημη γλώσσα σε κύριες πόλεις του Μαυροβουνίου, όπου υπάρχουν Αλβανοί,  τουλάχιστον 5% του πληθυσμού, σημειώνει το αλβανικό δημοσίευμα.

Συγκεκριμένα, τώρα,  έγινε επίσημη γλώσσα στην Ποντγκόριτσα, Ούλτσινι, Μπαρ, Πλέβλια, Ροζάγιε και Τούζι.

Σύμφωνα με το αλβανικό δημοσίευμα, αυτό αποτελεί ένα σημαντικό βήμα για την προώθηση των δικαιωμάτων των Αλβανών στο Μαυροβούνιο.

Στην πραγματικότητα, ο νέος νόμος  για τα δικαιώματα και τις ελευθερίες των μειονοτήτων στο μικρό αυτό κράτος, προβλέπει την επισημοποίηση όλων των μειονοτικών γλωσσών σε όλους τους δήμους, όπου η μειονότητα αριθμεί πάνω από το 5% του πληθυσμού (presheva.com).

SManalysis

Στην ΠΓΔΜ, οι Αλβανοί ζητούν την επίσημη αλβανική γλώσσα, στο Μαυροβούνιο έχουν επίσημη αλβανική γλώσσα, αλλά στη Βόρειο Ήπειρο και τη Χειμάρρα, ποτεν η ελληνική γλώσσα, θα είναι επίσημος, όταν η μουσουλμανική Αλβανοί, ληστεύουν όλα τα ακίνητα και το εδαφο, που ανηκουναε στουσ ελληνεσ?

Italian Ex-Minister Demands an End to Anti-Russian Sanctions

 

© Flickr/ Sarah-Rose EUROPE

By joining the EU-imposed sanctions on Russia Italy sacrificed its economic interests and its very sovereignty to the European Union with US military bases stationed on its territory and Italian soldiers being sent to the Russian borders at Washington’s command, the leader of the Friends of Italy right-wing party, Giorgia Meloni, told Sputnik.

“The European Union is neither a federation nor a confederation of states, it is an artificial, Frankenstein-like bunch of state organizations, which have taken away our sovereignty and are making decisions that don’t work,” Meloni said in an interview with Sputnik Italy.

“We have lost our sovereignty and we don’t even know who has taken it away from us. Italy has neither a tax policy, nor an economic one, we are unable to protect our manufacturers and the goods they make, our Made in Italy brand has suffered,” she complained.

Giorgia Meloni added that her party wants to enact a law that would prevent the government from signing agreements undermining the country’s national interests.

“I believe that Russia is part of Europe. Europe was there long before the EU came along and it will remain there after the EU is gone.  Russia is our strategic partner in the fight against our common enemy – Islamic fundamentalism. I believe that the decision to impose sanctions against Russia was a fatal mistake. Our party was the first to demand that they be lifted, but with [Federica] Mogherini taking over, the sanctions remained in place.”

She said that her party was against the sanctions because they were killing Italian enterprises.

“We are making a big mistake by alienating Russia and forcing it to look for friends in the East. Russia is helping us fight terrorism, it plays an important role in the world and I believe that changing our foreign policy would be the right thing to do for Europe.”

“If Marine Le Pen becomes President in France, it could set in motion a process where all EU countries will enjoy a sovereign status and will decide on foreign policy and security issues together,” she emphasized.

Relations between Moscow and Brussels grew tense in 2014 when the 28-nation bloc imposed sanctions on Russia following the escalation of the crisis in Ukraine and Crimea's reunification with Russia.

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Dilema e zgjedhjeve dhe fantazma e qeverisë teknike

Nga Plator Nesturi

Albanian Free Press

Zgjedhjet e qershorit, janë vënë në dyshim. Kjo jo vetëm prej deklaratave, të deritanishme, të opozitës për të mos hyrë në zgjedhje pa plotësuar kushtin për qeveri teknike, por, prej faktit, se po mbarojnë afatet për regjistrimet në Komisionin Qendror të Zgjedhjeve të subjekteve politike elektorale. Data e fundit është 4 prilli, porse, deri me tani, janë regjistruar vetëm partitë e mazhorancës.

Po kështu, koha në dispozicion të punimeve parlamentare, i bën gati të pamundura ndryshimet në kodin zgjedhor, detyrim i kërkuar nga subjekte si të mazhorancës edhe të opozitës. Komisionit Parlamentar të Reformës Zgjedhore, i mbaroi afati këtë muaj dhe Kuvendi e zgjati afatin edhe 30 ditë, por në kushtet kur opozita është në bojkot parlamentar, i gjithë ky proces është drejt dështimit.

Nga ana e saj, opozita deklaroi, fillimisht, se nuk do të hyjë në zgjedhje, nëse nuk krijohet qeveri teknike që të prishë skemën e vjedhjeve e të garantojë votën e lirë. Kryeministri Rama dhe titullarë socialistë, u shprehën se mund të futen të vetëm në zgjedhje edhe pa opozitën. Ky do të ishte një rast ekstrem. Ndërkohë, aleatët në mazhorancë, LSI-ja dhe kreu i kuvendit, Meta, u shprehën se nuk mund të ketë zgjedhje pa opozitën. Kjo diskordancë në qëndrime, midis dy partive kryesore të mazhorancës, vjen pas një lufte të heshtur, por të ashpër midis tyre, prej mbi një vit, shkak ky që e ka bërë tepër të brishtë si mazhorancë, por dhe në dilemë, nëse do të vijojë apo do të prishet koalicioni aktual përpara zgjedhjeve të qershorit. Tërheqja e LSI-së nga mazhoranca, do të rrëzonte qeverinë Rama, pasi pa të nuk ka numrat e nevojshëm për shumicë.

Ndaj dhe kërkesat e liderit të opozitës Basha, për qeveri teknike kanë qenë edhe një thirrje për Ilir Metën, për tu tërhequr nga qeverisja e për të rrëzuar Ramën nga pushteti. Ndonëse kritikat e përfaqësuesve të LSI-së, janë shtuar duke dhënë dhe shenja për shkëputje, kjo nismë nuk ka shkuar më tej se deklarata kërcënuese. Vetë LSI-ja , pas hezitimeve të para, i votoi ndryshimet e ministrave të rinj në kabinet, në fund të këtij muaji, pavarësisht pakënaqësisë së shprehur ndaj emërimit të ministrit të ri të Brendshëm, Fatmir Xhafaj. Bllokimi e moskalimi në parlament i ministrave te rinj, apo edhe e njërit prej tyre, do ta thellonte më tej krizën.

Rebusi brenda mazhorancës vazhdon. Sidoqoftë, beteja kryesore zhvillohet në bulevard, midis çadrës së opozitës dhe godinës së kreut të qeverisë, përballë saj. Zhvillimet më të reja, vijnë pas një vizite në SHBA të kreut të PD-së, ndërsa opozita vijon protestën në bulevardin kryesor. Lideri i opozitës Basha, pati një korrigjim në qëndrimet e tij sa i takon zgjedhjeve parlamentare, kur deklaroi se nuk do të bojkotojë zgjedhjet, por nuk do të pranojë një rezultat të trukuar nga paratë e drogës. Ai vijon të deklarohet për qeverinë teknike, porse kjo formulë, me tepër sesa Rama ta lëshojë karrigen e tij nga presioni opozitës, mund të ndodhë vetëm nëse Meta dhe LSI-ja do të largohet nga mazhoranca.

Skemat se çfarë mund të ndodhë, janë ende te paparashikueshme, dhe mundësitë shkojnë nga qeveria teknike, e deri në shtyrje të zgjedhjeve në shtator. Në të gjitha rastet, kjo do të hapte precedentë jo të këndshëm, që qeveria të detyrohet të abdikojë me protesta rruge përpara zgjedhjeve, sa herë që opozita ta shtyjë si opsion, ose në të kundërt, shtyrja e zgjedhjeve, pa një shkak të rëndësishëm, do të ishte shkelje e kushtetutës.

Ndërkohë, vetë zgjedhja e presidentit të ri, mbetet e paqartë. Mandati i tij përfundon në 24 korrik, çfarë e vendos afatin në kufijtë e periudhës boshe pas zgjedhjeve e deri në konstituimin e parlamentit të ri që parashikohet të bëhet në shtator. Më parë ishte deklaruar nga mazhoranca se, presidenti i ri do të zgjidhej nga ky parlament, pasi afati i tij kushtetues mbaron kur parlamenti i ri mund të mos jetë mbledhur ende. Por siç duken gjasat, kur procesi mbetet i bllokuar dhe konsensusi mungon, zgjedhja e presidentit të ri do të bëhet nga parlamenti i ri që do të dalë pas zgjedhjeve të qershorit. Ndoshta dhe si pjesë e pazarit për koalicionet e ardhshme...

Oath of the Albanian military, under the fascist Axis of World War II

 

An  Albanian history, presents the inauguration of Albanian soldiers as Nazi German forces in Albania during the period 1943-1944.


The inauguration takes place on the main boulevard of Tirana, in front of the building of the Albanian Fascist Party which today houses the University of Tirana.

Soldiers carry Italian Italian uniforms and weapons which the Germans had taken the ally Italy after the capitulation in September 1943.

Overall the Albanian army created by the Germans numbered 4800 soldiers organized into five battalions with the main purpose to protect the roadway from the attacks of the partisans and the supervision of the coastal line.

Commander of this force was appointed a former army of the king of Zogu Albania, while chief of staff was the Austrian officer Gustav Von Myrdacz former adviser to the king.

Meanwhile, two years ago, the military oath was made in Rome of Italy, where Albanian soldiers swear before Mussolini allegiance to fascism ..

US Senate Advances Vote to Allow Montenegro in NATO Alliance

 

© REUTERS/ Francois Lenoir


WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — The vote on cloture, which limits attempts to filibuster the initiative, passed by a majority.

NATO has been expanding in South-East Europe since the 1900s. While Greece became the first Balkan NATO member in 1952, Bulgaria, Romania, Slovenia, Croatia and Albania joined the military alliance in the 2000s.

Montenegro was invited to join NATO on December 2, 2015, in the alliance's first expansion into South-East Europe in six years.

The country's leaders accepted the invitation the following day, but their move triggered mass protests by the populace, which in large part stands against Montenegro joining the alliance.
In late January, Montenegro’s prime minister said he expected the country would become a full-fledged NATO member before the next summit of the military alliance, anticipated to take place in May, despite calls to hold a referendum on the issue.

More recently, Montenegrin official have argued that a referendum is not necessary because NATO is an international organization rather than a mere alliance of states, according to published reports.

Attempts to 'Push Balkans Into NATO' Destabilize the Region

 

© Sputnik/ Vasily Raksha

Dragging Balkan nations into NATO destabilizes the region, according to Russia's ambassador to Serbia.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Attempts to drag certain countries of the Balkan Peninsula into NATO without asking the nations' opinion results in the destabilization of the region, Russian Ambassador to Serbia Alexander Chepurin told Sputnik in an interview.

"Attempts to push several Balkan countries to NATO, to change their genetic code, without asking the people's opinion — are the issue that destabilizes the situation in the Balkans," Chepurin said, commenting on some western media reports on alleged Russian attempts to destabilize the region.

NATO has been expanding its borders to the southern European peninsula for years. Greece became the first Balkan NATO member in 1952, Bulgaria, Romania, Slovenia, Croatia and Albania joined the military alliance in the 2000s.

Montenegro was invited to join NATO on December 2, 2015, in the alliance's first expansion into Eastern Europe in six years. Podgorica accepted the invitation the following day, which triggered protests in the Balkan nation. In late January, the country’s prime minister said Montenegro expected to become a full-fledged member of NATO before the next summit of the military alliance, reportedly anticipated  in May, despite the opposition's calls to hold a referendum on the issue.

Kosovo allows Serb premier's visit ahead of election

Published March 28, 2017  Associated Press


PRISTINA, Kosovo –  Kosovo's foreign minister says Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic can visit the country this week to meet with the ethnic Serb minority there.

Enver Hoxhaj on Tuesday said that Vucic, a candidate in Serbia's presidential elections this Sunday, is being allowed "as a sign of good will to international friends like Germany and the European Union."

Pristina and Belgrade are holding EU-brokered talks to reconcile their differences. They have agreed to give each other advance notice of planned visits by their respective government representatives.

In January Pristina denied a request from Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic to visit Kosovo.

Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008, but Serbia has not recognized it.

A rrezikohet NATO nga çarja mes SHBA-ve dhe Turqisë?

SHBA-të dhe Turqia vijonë të kenë qëndrime dhe qasje të ndryshme lidhur me statusin e ushtrisë kurde si dhe entiteteve politike në Siri, duke e thelluar edhe më shumë ndarjen mes Ankarasë dhe aleatëve të saj perëndimorë.

Ndërsa amerikanët e cilësojnë micilinë kurde si aleate të vlefshme dhe pjesë themelore në çlirimin e Raqqa-s në Siri, Turqia këmbëngul që ata janë grupe terroriste dhe duhen trajtuar si të tillë.

Më herët në muajin shkurt, zëvendëskryeministri turk u shpreh se Turqia nuk do merrte pjesë në çlirimin e Raqqa-s në rast se forcat kurde do përfshiheshin në operacion.

Edhe presidenti Erdogan i kishte drejtuar një pyetje të dërguarit amerikan në Siri, Brett McGurk, duke i thënë: ‘Kush është aleati juaj, unë apo terroristët në Kobani. Si mund t’u besojmë juve?’

Gjithsesi duket se SHBA-të nuk janë shumë të shqetësuara lidhur me pretendimet e Ankarasë dhe vijon bashkëpunimin me milicinë kurde për çlirimin e disa qyteteve në Siri.

Senatori amerikan, John McCain ka paralajmëruar se në rast se SHBA-të nuk tregohen të kujdesshëm mund të privohen nga përdorimi i bazës ushtarake të Incirlik-ut.

Mbështetja amerikane për kurdët në Turqi, Irak e Siri mund të jetë një sfidë e vështirë për integritetin e NATO-s dhe do e thellonte edhe më shumë çarjen tashmë që ka nisur mes Turqisë dhe aleancës. Link

Συναγερμός Στην Ξάνθη - Βρήκαν Όπλα Και Σφαίρες Μέσα Σε Τζαμί

Ο ιμάμης, που είναι υπεύθυνος για την λειτουργία του τζαμιού, μετέβη στον εισαγγελέα για παροχή εξηγήσεων και στη συνέχεια συνελήφθη

Συναγερμός έχει σημάνει στις αρχές, μετά τον εντοπισμό οπλισμού και πυρομαχικών σε τζαμί στο νομό Ξάνθης.

Συγκεκριμένα, όπως προκύπτει από πληροφορίες που επικαλείται η Καθημερινή, οι υπηρεσίες ασφαλείας, κατόπιν ενδείξεων και πληροφοριών, προέβησαν πριν λίγες ώρες σε έλεγχο σε ένα τζαμί στο χωρίο Ηλιόπετρα του δήμου Τοπείρου, όπου και εντόπισαν κρυμμένα, και μάλιστα μέσα στο μιναρέ του τζαμιού,  δύο πιστόλια, εκ των οποίων ένα με σιγαστήρα, καθώς και μεγάλο αριθμό φυσιγγίων, διαφόρων διαμετρημάτων.

Ο ιμάμης, ο οποίος είναι υπεύθυνος για την λειτουργία του τζαμιού, μετέβη στον εισαγγελέα για παροχή εξηγήσεων πριν από λίγες ώρες. Σύμφωνα με πληροφορίες του protothema.gr ο ιμάμης έχει πλέον συλληφθεί για παράνομη οπλοκατοχή, ενώ τα δύο πιστόλια αποστέλλονται στα Εγκληματολογικά Εργαστήρια της ΕΛΑΣ στην Αθήνα προκειμένου να διαπιστωθεί αν έχουν χρησιμοποιηθεί σε εγκληματική ενέργεια. Στο τζαμί βρέθηκε ακόμη και ένα κυνηγετικό όπλο. Η υπόθεση ερευνάται με ιδιαίτερη προσοχή, με δεδομένο επιπλέον και το χώρο που βρέθηκε ο οπλισμός, αλλά και την ιδιότητα του φερόμενου κατόχου του.



Για την υπόθεση, η οποία έρχεται στο φως σε μια ιδιαίτερα ευαίσθητη περίοδο για τις ελληνοτουρκικές σχέσεις, έχει ενημερωθεί τόσο η ηγεσία του υπουργείου Προστασίας του Πολίτη, όσο και ανώτατα κυβερνητικά στελέχη.

Σημειώνεται, δε, ότι μόλις χθες, ο αυτοεξόριστος πρώην διευθυντής της Τουρκικής εφημερίδας Ζαμάν (της αγγλόφωνης έκδοσης) είχε αναρτήσει στο twitter μήνυμα, σύμφωνα με το οποίο οι πληροφορίες του από τις τουρκικές υπηρεσίες ασφαλείας ανέφεραν ότι έχουν αυξηθεί οι μυστικές επιχειρήσεις στην Ελλάδα.

πηγη xanthinea.gr

Αθήνα πρεπη να εμποδίσει προεκλογική εκστρατεία των αλβανικών κομμάτων στην Ελλαδα

SManalysis Opinion

Αλβανικά πολιτικά κόμματα, με την υπερβολική εθνικισμό τους, κάνουν ανοικτή εκστρατεία ενάντια στα συμφέροντα των Ελλήνων της Βορείου Ηπείρου, Χειμάρρα και του Αρχιεπισκόπου Αναστασίου, ενώ η εκστρατεία αυτή, παίρνει και στην Ελλάδα.

Σενάριο Ερντογάν στην Ευρώπη, απαιτείται συνεχώς κάθε φορά που γιενουναε εκλογές στην Αλβανία, θα πρέπει να τελειώσει. Η Ελλάδα θα πρέπει να λάβει παράδειγμα από την Ολλανδία και  Γερμανία, να μην επιτρέψει την αλβανική πολιτική ηγεσία, να αναπτύξουν εθνικιστικές εκστρατείες, για να λάβουν ψήφους των μεταναστών στην Ελλάδα.

Η τελευταία περίπτωση ήταν το 2013, όταν ο Έντι Ράμα, μίλησε ανοιχτά σε συλλαλητήρια στην Αθήνα, για το αλβανικό εθνικισμό, η οποία αποδεικνύεται στην πράξη σήμερα που είναι πρωθυπουργός της Αλβανίας.

Αυτό που δεν έχη κάνει ποτέ η Αθήνα, για να υποστηρίξει ένα κόμμα για την Βόρειο Ήπειρο, τουλάχιστον να εμποδίσει αλβανική εθνικιστές ηγέτες, οι οπηα αγωνίζονται ενάντια στα συμφέροντα των Ελλήνων της Βορείου Ηπείρηυ.

Στην Ελλάδα, υπάρχουν οικονομικά συμφέροντα της ολιγαρχίας και Έλληνες πολιτικοί, ηγέτες που υποστηρίζουν ορισμένα αλβανική πολιτική και στη πρακτική αυτή θα πρέπει να τερματιστεί, και να υποστήριξι ένθερμα τα πολιτικά συμφέροντα της Βορείου Ηπείρου.

Russian has not approved Turkey loan to buy S-400 missiles

Mar, 27 2017 Author: newsroom


Russian President Vladimir Putin’s aide Vladimir Kozhin, has stated that Turkey’s application for a loan to buy S-400 surface-to-air missile system has not been approved yet.

The CEO of Rostec Corporation, Sergey Chemezov, had announced earlier this month that Ankara had asked a loan from Moscow in order for Turkey to buy the Russian missile system.

If the deal ultimately does go ahead, Turkey will be the first NATO country to buy the S-400 missiles from Russia.

The Turkish president Erdogan was asked if being a NATO member would make it difficult for such a deal to materialize. His response was, “being a member of NATO doesn’t mean we are not an independent country. We can be a NATO member and conduct business with Russia too. We do not agree with statements that express anything contrary to this,” the president said.

Exclusive: Opposition Leader: Albania’s Soros-Affiliated Prime Minister Is Ruining Our Country

GENT SHKULLAKU/AFP/Getty Images

The leader of the free-market opposition in Albania told Breitbart News Friday that democracy in his country is in great danger, as the left-wing prime minister Edi Rama has allowed corruption and crime to flourish there.

“Albania is in a unique and difficult situation, in a political crisis, the results of a full onslaught of organized crime on all state structures, on the rule of law, and democracy,” said Lulzim Basha, the leader of the Democratic Party of Albania.



Basha is the mayor of Tirana, the country’s capital and largest city, and the leader of the Democratic Party of Albania. If the party wins the June 18 parliamentary elections, Basha said he becomes the new prime minister. In previous administrations, Basha held senior cabinet posts, including foreign minister.

“The problem of collusion between politics and crime is not new to the Balkans,” he said. “But, the unique problem for” Albania is the outright promotion and presence of people with terrible criminal records, convicted in European Union states for offenses, such as drug trafficking, prostitution, human trafficking and other organized crime offenses.”

Criminal gangs and groups tied to terrorists operate cannabis farms and drug distribution and warehousing organizations with immunity under the Rama government, he claimed.

In 2016, BBC highlighted the issue in a news report titled “Europe’s outdoor cannabis capital.”

While Basha was in Washington meeting with congressional leaders, members of his party have been carrying on more than 35 days of protests against the government of Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama and calling for his resignation.

Among the leaders Basha met during his visit to Washington were Rep. Pete Sessions (R-TX), chairman of the House Rules Committee; Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX), chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee; and Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA), chairman of the House Foreign Relations Committee. The Dutch-educated lawyer also attended the National Republican Congressional Committee’s annual dinner Monday, where President Donald Trump delivered the keynote address.

Basha also met with California Republican Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, a senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the chairman of its Europe, Eurasia, and Emerging Threats Subcommittee.

A further complication is that Rama has a relationship with financier and international agent provocateur George Soros, the mayor said.

Basha said he believed that Rama is George Soros’ primary investment in Albania and the Balkans.

The mayor claimed that his attacks on Soros personally, and his support for President Donald Trump, have made him the target of Soros organization smears: “I have been viciously attacked by him and his people and also the international media because I am a Trump supporter.”

Rama served at a board member of the Soros Foundation in Albania and Soros funded a two-year project designed to politically transform the country in partnership with Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government.

Utah Republican Sen. Mike Lee was so concerned about State Department programs funding Soros’ influence in Albania and other countries that he sent a March 14 letter to Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, co-signed by Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK), Sen. Tom Tillis (R-NC), Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), Sen. David Perdue (R-GA), and Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA)

“Over the past few months, elected officials and political leaders of foreign nations have been coming to me with disappointing news and reports of US activity in their respective countries,” Lee wrote. “This includes reports of diplomats playing political favorites, USAID funds supporting extreme and sometimes violent political activists, and the US Government working to marginalize the moderates and conservatives in leadership roles.”

The Albanian prime minister might also be the most adamantly anti-Trump leader in Europe. Basha said that at the request of Soros, Rama went on CNN to say that the prospect of Trump as president was frightening.

In April 2016, Rama told the Voice of America:

I believe that those in Albania who choose Trump before me, despite the differences between them and me, they are to be pitied. Between Lulzim Basha and Trump I will always choose Lulzim Basha, although I would never vote Lulzim Basha under any circumstances and for any reason, for nothing. However, it is not my problem if Lulzim Basha, or whoever else chooses Trump over me. It is their problem

Rohrabacher, who met Basha while in Washington, told Breitbart News he admired the patriotism and zeal he found in Basha.

“There is reason for apprehension about what’s going on in the Balkans,” said the former speechwriter for President Ronald W. Reagan. “Stability in that part of Europe is dependent on a stable and functioning Albania. There is serious concern about the corruption, drug trade and terrorism in this important nation.”

The congressman said Albania is on the front lines in the battle against radical Islam: “If we are going to defeat radical Islam and have a stable Europe, we need someone who can get the job done. Luzlim Basha, whom I have known for some time, is just the person to get that job done.”

Basha said his message to the American people is that they have invested tremendously in to support a democratic, free, and open Albania for the last the past 27 years.

“Now, the menace of organized crime and terrorism looms large over a country that has lost of its territory and borders, because of organized crime,” he said.

“I am pleading for help from the United States to help us preserve that investment, so we can live up to our responsibilities as a NATO member,” he said.

Russian president, Serbian PM talk "friendship and support"

Russian President Vladimir Putin had "two additional questions" for Serbian PM Aleksandar Vucic after their meeting in the Kremlin on Monday.

SOURCE: BETA, TANJUG MONDAY, MARCH 27, 2017
 

And these concerned "politics," Vucic revealed.

The prime minister went before reporters after the meeting - but was summoned back to Putin's cabinet for what he said were "a couple more questions."

"Putin had two more questions for me, but I can't talk about what. These two questions were of a political nature," Vucic said.

When reporters asked whether the questions concerned Serbia's upcoming presidential elections - where Vucic is the ruling coalition's candidate - he replied negatively.

"No, President Putin unequivocally said everything regarding the elections in his introductory address, while this concerned the future policy, what and how we should do in the future," said Vucic.

At the start of their meeting, Putin remarked that regardless of the outcome of the election - "no matter how the political situation develops" - Russia was "sure that our bilateral relations will continue to develop just as positively, in the spirit of friendship that has characterized our ties over these last years."

After the meeting, Vucic said it was "only a question of weeks" before the six Russian MiG-29s would arrive in Serbia and that he expects Putin to soon sign a decree to that effect.

According to him, the only issue that remains is technical - whether the planes will be dissembled and transported, or fly over third countries on their way here.

Vucic said he was "pleased to hear from Putin that he personally approved everything in the domain of the military-technical cooperation, that was previously agreed on with Russian officials, and concerning to 30 armored vehicles, 30 T-72 tanks, and six MiG-29s."

Asked whether the overhaul of the warplanes would be done in Russia or in Serbia, Vucic said that "the Serbian center for overhaul and repair of helicopters" was "also mentioned" - and that this topic was launched by the Russian president.

The prime minister then said that "the modernization of some of the MiGs will be probably done in Serbia - for which we must prepare - while the rest will be done in Russia."

This way, "a number of planes" will soon arrive in Serbia, he continued, followed by those that will be overhauled in Russia.

Vucic pushed back on critics to say the MiGs were "not rust buckets" but rather "best in the world in close-quarters combat, top-notch planes" - while their modernization concerned radar systems, and air-to-air and air-to-surface missiles.

"These are the things we need," he said.

Vucic also mentioned the cooperation with Russian firms that Serbia has via the defense industry company SDPR, specifically concerning 155-millimeter howitzers, and noted that he "presented our ideas related to the combat vehicle Milos."

Russia makes a lot of money from manufacturing and exporting arms, Vucic observed, and asserted that this was "the most important branch of the economy in that country."

"Therefore, we too want to make more money, and obviously, the demand for this is growing in the world," the prime minister concluded.

Previously, the Serbian PM's team and the Russian president's cabinet said that the topics on the agenda included the economy, military-technical cooperation, but also the "escalation" of the situation in the region and Serbian politics.

A statement issued by the Kremlin said that Putin and Vucic "considered the development of Russian-Serbian relations, above all increasing trade and investment cooperation between the two countries."

They also spoke about "current international and regional problems, the brief statement said.

According to the remarks published on the kremlin.ru website, Vucic thanked Putin for "the warm reception and hospitality," and added:

"I want to say that we need to thank you personally and the Russian Federation for supporting the Republic of Serbia’s territorial integrity and sovereignty. As you said, I hope and am sure that we will have plenty of opportunities to increase our bilateral trade and economic ties."

"We will discuss the situation in the region. I think that this is important for both countries. It is very important that, as you know, we remain committed to our national independence, freedom and military neutrality. We will discuss together all of this and examine the steps we need to take for the future," Vucic said, addressing Putin in Russian.

"Kosovo is state without army, while Russia's arming Serbia"

Eliot Engel has confirmed that the United States is currently opposed to the establishment of an army in Kosovo.

SOURCE: TANJUG FRIDAY, MARCH 24, 2017

However, the ranking member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the US Congress urged a change of this position as soon as possible.

“It might come as a surprise to you, Mr. Speaker, but nine years on as a free and independent country, Kosovo still has no army. That’s right: a sovereign nation-state without an army. It has a small, lightly-armed Security Force, but nothing resembling the large, Russian-equipped Serbian military just next door," Engel said in remarks published on the Committee's website.

“Kosovo, a country we support and which supports us, wants what every other country in the world has: a basic army, in which its citizens can serve their nation, and probably serve alongside our own military if given the chance. What do we do? We offer rebukes and diplomatic threats. We make it clear that we don’t support Kosovo having an army at this time. That is absolutely absurd and is a position that we ought to change and change quickly," he said, adding:

“Yet Russian weapons and material are pouring into Serbia, courtesy of Vladimir Putin. And as far as I can tell, the United States has stood in silence."

“The United States was among the first to recognize Kosovo and today we are its strongest backer, and rightfully so. First recognized by President Bush, relations only deepened under President Obama. For that, Kosovo proudly has become the strongest supporter of the United States in Europe, sitting at an 85 percent approval rating," Engel said.

"I’ve visited this country again and again and again and again, and every time, I see progress, and I know there’s a bright future. I’ve often said that as an American I can go all around the world, but I’ll never get greeted with more love and friendship than I will in Kosovo. People there truly love Americans and all things American," he said.