Everything depends on the Serbs! The great return of America will start from BiH or Kosovo

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 29.12.2020

Brankica Ristic Sputnik

America is preparing a big comeback - "come back" to the Balkans, and whether it will choose Sarajevo or Pristina as a starting point depends on a global plan that is currently not in the interests of Western interests. However, the upcoming year will not be a year of denouement for either BiH or Kosovo, because both issues depend on the Serbian factor, Sputnik's interlocutors are convinced.

Zoran Milivojevic, a former diplomat, notes that America has no priority in the Balkans when it comes to Kosovo or Bosnia and Herzegovina, because they see it as part of a single package with the strategic goal of the West to include this part of the world in its sphere of interest.

Serbs are a major obstacle to America

"The West is facing serious problems. In an effort to preserve its global position, it will export part of its internal problems, that is, by resolving issues at current points in the Balkans, it will try to amortize its internal problems. However, both issues depend on the Serbs ", our interlocutor believes.

According to him, the United States would choose BiH for its great return to this region only if it deems it easier.

"Unification or federalization of BiH implies questioning the position of RS. When it comes to what can be solved faster and more efficiently, that is, on which side we could concentrate more - on Pristina or BiH, then we would choose BiH, but that would only be in the short term, because essentially, it is one package. and it cannot be separated from each other, "Milivojevic said.

It is possible that they will "start" from BiH

Serbs in RS will certainly not allow that, our interlocutor notes, just as Serbia will not recognize Kosovo. But he adds that there may be more pressure on BiH for the simple reason that the power ratio there is 2: 1.

"Greater pressure on the Serbian side and perhaps an assessment that the Serbian factor in BiH can be broken more easily than here in Serbia." "Because Serbia is still a state and it is harder to break it if something doesn't work," Milivojevic says.

Political scientist from Banja Luka, Andjelko Kozomara, is convinced that the outcome has occurred in BiH, but, as he says, he is convinced that it will not happen, and even if it does, it will not be better.

"The interests of the three peoples are diametrically opposed, because the two peoples do not want centralization, while the Bosniaks only want that. That is why they rely on Biden from the time when he was a Bosniak lobbyist who advocated the bombing of Serbs in both BiH and Serbia. "I hope that Biden has changed in the meantime, and from the position of the most powerful military force in the world, he cannot behave like a cowboy like he did in the 1990s," Kozomara points out.

The hope of Bosniaks, he adds, that America will give them everything it wants is illusory now, because America has a material interest in Kosovo, it created Kosovo and I think the focus will be a priority, because BiH cannot regulate the way Bosniaks want.

American interests to the detriment of RS

Professor Dr. Stevica Dedjanski, president of the Center for International Cooperation, does not expect BiH to be the key to American return, but he expects them to be seriously engaged in resolving the issue of BiH at the expense of Serbs.

"The enthusiasm of Zeljko Komsic and Bakir Izetbegovic has increased because they expect big changes due to the arrival of Biden at the head of America." "I expect some changes, but not as big as they hope," he said.

In his opinion, the key thing is that nothing can happen without the consent of Serbs, be it in Kosovo or BiH.

Indications that the Biden administration could target BiH began when the US Senate Armed Services Committee, at a hearing on the security situation in Southeast Europe, concluded that stronger US involvement in the region was necessary because of the unstable and conflicting Balkans. undermines American national security and a diplomatic withdrawal would be a major American defeat.

The second indication was that NATO's influence was weak, and as the most serious factor, they cited Russian influence, which they believe is its focus in the Republika Srpska.

TAPEnergia, il gas dell'Azerbaigian arriva per la prima volta in Italia dal Adriatico

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Mentre in Albania, non si sente nessuna notizzie per qualle l,economia del paese, non depende ancora dal gasdotto, nel paese piu povero del europa, estata creata una propaganda del TAP, come un salvadore della crescita della economia albanese.

Sputnik Italia

Nell'ultimo giorno del 2020 il gas estratto nel giacimento di Shah Deniz II, in Azerbaigian, è iniziato a fluire fisicamente lungo il gasdotto Trans Adriatic Pipeline. L'infrastruttura trasporta il gas azero fino a Melendugno, in Puglia, dove i tubi della Tap si collegano con la rete italiana.

Dopo anni di proteste e controversie giudiziarie oggi per la prima volta il gas estratto nel giacimento di Shah Deniz II, in Azerbaigian, è arrivato al terminale di interconnessione di San Foca di Melendugno, in Puglia, attraverso il gasdotto Trans Adriatic Pipeline.

Lo scorso 15 novembre la multinazionale Tap ha avviato le operazioni commerciali lungo l’infrastruttura che si estende per 878 chilometri, attraversando Grecia, Albania e il mare Adriatico prima di arrivare allo snodo pugliese di Melendugno.

“Le prime molecole di gas hanno raggiunto in giornata sia la Grecia e la Bulgaria, attraverso il punto di interconnessione con la rete DESFA a Nea Mesimvria, sia l’Italia, attraverso il punto di interconnessione tra TAP e Snam Rete Gas (SRG) a Melendugno”, ha annunciato l’azienda con sede in Svizzera.

“TAP è ora parte integrante della rete di distribuzione del gas del continente e contribuisce significativamente alla transizione energetica in atto, offriamo un servizio di trasporto diretto, sicuro e a costi competitivi lungo la nuova rotta del Corridoio Meridionale del Gas, che attraverso i Paesi del sud est europeo raggiunge tutto il continente”, ha detto Luca Schieppati, Managing Director della società, parlando di “giornata storica”.

“L’inizio delle forniture fisiche di gas costituisce una pietra miliare per il mercato energetico europeo”, ha aggiunto Marija Savova, Direttore Commerciale della TAP.

Il gasdotto fa parte del Corridoio Meridionale del Gas, che trasporta in Europa il gas azero. Si collega al TANAP, il Trans Anatolian Pipeline, alla frontiera greco-turca e poi attraversa il nord della Grecia, l’Albania e il Mare Adriatico prima di approdare nel sud Italia. È qui che il gasdotto si connette alla rete di distribuzione italiana.

“Il Corridoio Meridionale del Gas – si legge sul sito della TAP - favorisce la sicurezza energetica dell'Europa, la progressiva integrazione dei mercati e il percorso di decarbonizzazione intrapreso dall’Unione”.

L’azienda già guarda al futuro. La prossima estate, infatti, entrerà nel vivo la seconda fase nel market test “che consentirà la futura espansione di TAP, raddoppiando la capacità di trasporto del gasdotto fino a 20 miliardi di metri cubi annui”.

La costruzione del gasdotto è iniziata in Grecia nel maggio del 2016. La realizzazione del tratto tra la Grecia e l’Italia, secondo i dati riportati dall’Agenzia Agi, è costato quattro miliardi di euro.

Nel 2019 è stata avviata l’installazione di 105 chilometri di tubi offshore nel mar Adriatico, fino a 810 metri sotto il livello del mare. Soltanto un anno fa è stato ultimato il posizionamento del microtunnel lungo 1564 metri sulla spiaggia di Melendugno. L’allaccio con la rete nazionale italiana avviene a Mesagne, nel Brindisino, con un tubo lungo 55 chilometri.

Negli anni sono andate in scena numerose proteste animate dal comitato No-Tap, che ha organizzato diverse iniziative che a volte sono sfociate in vere e proprie rivolte per ostacolare i lavori di costruzione.

Contrario all’opera anche il sindaco di Melendugno, Marco Potì, che ha portato la multinazionale Tap in tribunale. Anche il governatore della Puglia, Michele Emiliano, aveva proposto di spostare il punto di arrivo del gasdotto più a nord.

Nel 2018 è stato il premier Giuseppe Conte a mettere la parola fine alla controversia spiegando come rinunciare all'opera avrebbe avuto “costi insostenibili”.

Edi Rama Criticizes Russian Embassy’s ‘Ridiculous Provocation’ over Vaccines

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Dec 29, 2020.

Albanian Prime Minister has criticized the Russian Embassy in Albania for offering his government to negotiate with Russia the purchase of its “Sputnik-V” vaccine, following Rama’s complaint about the European Union’s vaccine distribution plan.

Yesterday, the Russian Embassy in Tirana reminded the government that the Sputnik vaccine was available if needed.

Rama called the post “inappropriate” and “ridiculous”.

“I thought it was a meme, because for a serious state it is completely inappropriate to make such provocations. When I say provocation I do not mean to deliver a diplomatic demarche to Russia, because this is a ridiculous provocation. And it is not good for a serious country like Russia to become ridiculous with such posts[…] I express my regret for this[…]”

The Albanian Prime Minister said he would welcome an apology by the Russian Embassy, even just for the misunderstanding.

In addition, he said that Albania is now focused to get vaccines from Pfizer/BioNTech, Astrazeneca and Moderna, but that his government does not judge other vaccines, be they from Russia, China or other countries.

29 Δεκεμβρίου 1940: Το υποβρύχιο «Πρωτεύς» στο κανάλι του Οτράντο, βυθίζει το ιταλικό οπλιταγωγό «Σαρδηνία»

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Η ιστορία του Β 'Παγκοσμίου Πολέμου έχει επίσης τους πρωταγωνιστές της, το 1940 όταν η φασιστική Ιταλία επιτέθηκε στην Ελλάδα από το αλβανικό έδαφος. Όπως γνωρίζουμε, ο νόμος του πολέμου με την Αλβανία θεσπίστηκε με προεδρικό διάταγμα, το οποίο ακόμη και σήμερα έχει εξουσία επί της εισβολής της Αλβανίας.

Ωστόσο, από το κανάλι του Οτράντο έως την Αγία Σαράντα, βόρεια του Ιονίου, το ιταλικό ναυτικό έχει χάσει περίπου 15 πλοία διαφόρων τύπων από κρουαζιερόπλοια, μαχητικά αεροσκάφη, πλοία εφοδιασμού και ακόμη και νοσοκομειακά πλοία.

Η πιο χαρακτηριστική περίπτωση, την οποία οι Αλβανοί ιστορικοί δεν αναφέρουν, είναι η βύθιση στο κανάλι του Οτράντο, λίγο έξω από το λιμάνι της Αυλώνας, το πολεμικό πλοίο Σαρδηνία, το οποίο βυθίστηκε από το ελληνικό υποβρύχιο, Πρωτεύας ,,, διαβάστε παρακάτω το άρθρο από το Πενταπόσταγμα.

29 Δεκεμβρίου 1940: Το υποβρύχιο «Πρωτεύς» βυθίζει το ιταλικό οπλιταγωγό «Σαρδηνία»

Το υποβρύχιο επιτέθηκε με τορπίλες εναντίον της νηοπομπής

Το υποβρύχιο «Πρωτεύς» βυθίζει ανατολικά του Μπρίντεζι το ιταλικό οπλιταγωγό «Σαρδηνία». Στη συνέχεια, όμως, εμβολίζεται από ιταλικό τορπιλοβόλο και βυθίζεται αύτανδρο.

 

Photo Wikipedia: Papanikolis Submarine of the Greek Navy 1940

Το “Πρωτεύς” πραγματοποίησε την πρώτη του πολεμική περιπολία στο Ιόνιο, με κυβερνήτη τον πλωτάρχη Μιχαήλ Χατζηκωνσταντή, από την 30ή Οκτωβρίου έως και την 5η Νοεμβρίου 1940. Κατά την περιπολία αυτή κατέπλευσε στην Πάτρα όπου διεξήγετο αεροπορική επίθεση με αποτέλεσμα να αναγκαστεί να παραμείνει εν καταδύσει μέχρι το τέλος του συναγερμού.

Στις 2  Νοέμβρη το πλοίο εξήλθε στο Ιόνιο και κατευθύνθηκε στην περιοχή της περιπολίας του. Στις 6 Νοεμβρίου και ενώ βρισκόταν στην περιοχή των Παξών υπέστη βλάβη .

Λόγω των άσχημων καιρικών συνθηκών ο κυβερνήτης του κατευθύνθηκε σε υπήνεμη περιοχή των Παξών όπου πραγματοποιήθηκε πρόχειρη επισκευή του πηδαλίου. Στην συνέχεια και αφού έλαβε διαταγή του αρχηγού στόλου να επιστρέψει στον ναύσταθμο ξεκίνησε το ταξίδι της επιστροφής φθάνοντας στον ναύσταθμο της Σαλαμίνας την 5η Νοεμβρίου 1940.

Στις 15 Νοεμβρίου ξεκίνησε για την δεύτερη πολεμική του περιπολία στο Ιόνιο, ενώ στις 26 Δεκεμβρίου του πρώτου έτους του πολέμου, το Πρωτεύς ξεκίνησε για την τρίτη και τελευταία πολεμική του περιπολία, η οποία έμελλε να τελειώσει με την βύθισή του στις 29 Δεκεμβρίου 1940.

Στις 26 Δεκεμβρίου 1940 το ΠΡΩΤΕΥΣ ξεκίνησε για την τρίτη και τελευταία πολεμική του περιπολία, υπό τον πλωτάρχη Μ. Χατζηκωνσταντή, η οποία έμελλε να τελειώσει με την βύθισή του στις 29 Δεκεμβρίου 1940.

Έχοντας φθάσει στην περιοχή περιπολίας του εντόπισε στις 29.12.40 στο στίγμα 40° 31´ Β / 19° 02´ Α εχθρική νηοπομπή, αποτελούμενη από τα ιταλικά μεταγωγικά πλοία SARDEGNA (11.452 ΚΟΧ), ITALIA (5.018 ΚΟΧ) και PIEMONTE (15.209 ΚΟΧ), τα οποία συνοδεύονταν από το ιταλικό τορπιλοβόλο ANTARES (κλάση Spica), 630 τόνων, κυβερνήτης υποπλοίαρχος Nicolo Nicolini), ερχόμενη από την Αυλώνα της Αλβανίας με τελικό προορισμό το Μπρίντιζι της Ιταλίας.

Το υποβρύχιο επιτέθηκε με τορπίλες εναντίον της νηοπομπής καταφέρνοντας να βυθίσει το οπλιταγωγό SARDEGNA. Μετά την εξαπόλυση των τορπιλών το ΠΡΩΤΕΥΣ έχασε το καταδυτικό του βάθος με αποτέλεσμα να ανέλθει στην επιφάνεια, να γίνει αντιληπτό και να βυθιστεί αύτανδρο στην συνέχεια με εμβολισμό από το τορπιλοβόλο ANTARES.

Η βύθιση του ΠΡΩΤΕΥΣ έγινε γνωστή στην Ελλάδα την 10η Ιανουαρίου 1941 από ανακοινωθέν του ιταλικού ραδιοφωνικού σταθμού.

Turkey Provokes Greece Demanding Change in Border Treaty

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By Tasos Kokkinidis -Dec 30, 2020

Greek Reporter

Turkey provoked Greece by calling on Monday for a renegotiation of the Lausanne Treaty of 1923, which set out the modern borders between the two countries.

The Turkish demand, which was nixed by Greece on Tuesday, was made in the context of exploratory contacts between Ankara and Athens that could start early next year.

Turkish Energy Minister Fatih Donmez included the issue of changing the Lausanne Treaty, again, as one of the bilateral issues to be addressed.

“With the First World War and the wars that followed, there were some conditions that are not clear and perhaps these laid the foundations of today’s discussions.

“One of them is Lausanne. But 100 years have passed, I believe that we can sit down to discuss them, to negotiate,” he stated on Monday.

Greece responds

Asked to comment on Donmez’s move, Greek government spokesman Stelios Petsas said that “there is a framework, it is clear and it is that of exploratory contacts.”

“We have one difference which is the delimitation of the sea zones. We hope that Turkey will stop the provocative actions and provocative statements and catch the thread from where it was cut in March 2016,” he said.

Petsas added that resolving this sole difference will be “for the benefit of the peoples of the two countries but also of for the peoples of the Eastern Mediterranean.”

“This is what we are prepared to do. Nothing else,” he added.

Treaty of Lausanne

The Treaty of Lausanne was a peace treaty negotiated during the Lausanne Conference of 1922–23 and signed in on 24 July 1923.

It officially settled the conflict that had originally existed between the Ottoman Empire and the Allied French Republic, British Empire, Kingdom of Italy, Empire of Japan, Kingdom of Greece, and the Kingdom of Romania since the onset of World War I.

In the treaty, Turkey gave up all claims to the remainder of the Ottoman Empire and in return the Allies recognized Turkish sovereignty within its new borders.

It provided for the Greek-Turkish population exchange and allowed unrestricted civilian passage through the Turkish Straits.

The treaty was ratified by Turkey on 23 August 1923.

Pressure Mounts on Albanian Government after Greece Extended Territorial Waters

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From: Exit 

Pressure Mounts on Albanian Government after Greece Extended Territorial Waters

The Albanian President, opposition parties, and members of civil society have all asked the government to inform the public regarding its plan for the maritime delimitation with Greece.

Last week, Greece decided to extend its territorial waters from 6 to 12 nautical miles, whilst Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama strongly supported the neighboring country’s right to do so.

The two governments have agreed to have the International Court of Justice decide on the maritime delimitation between the two countries. Before the issue was taken to the court, Greece approved the extension of territorial waters.

Albania has the right to file a complaint with the United Nations about the issue, but Rama has stated that Greece has the full right to extend its waters, the issue is not related to the maritime delimitation, and it does not affect Albania at all.

On Tuesday, President Meta informed the public that he has asked the government for information regarding negotiations with Greece, which resumed in 2018.

“For any development that is directly related or affects the negotiation process for the delimitation of maritime space between the two countries, I have requested exhaustive information and full analysis of the Albanian government, according to the responsibilities that belong to it by law,” Meta stated today.

Rama replied shortly after, accusing the President of attempting to gain political points on behalf of his former party LSI, now in opposition. He insisted that Greece’s extension of territorial water has nothing to do with Albania or the process of maritime delimitation between the two countries.

The largest opposition party PD has also pressured Rama to be transparent. On Sunday, they specifically asked him to inform the public on the result of negotiations for maritime delimitation since 2013.

Furthermore, they asked whether during these negotiations the Greek government ever asked to extend its territorial waters from 6 to 12 miles, what was the government reaction to this, and if the extension affects Albania’s position in negotiations.

The PD also asked whether the Albanian government has analyzed the legal outcomes of the extension of territorial waters before giving their full support.

Lastly, they asked if the Albanian government should present its reservations in international fora regarding the extension, in case it affects Albania negatively.

Two other opposition parties, LSI and PDIU have also criticized Rama for lacking transparency.

A number of members of civil society, including the Albanian branch of Vetevendosje, have stressed the lack of transparency, and Rama’s arrogance regarding the issue.

Responding to critics on Monday, Rama tweeted against “ignorants” who throw “nationalist-folklorist mud” and accuse him of “selling out the country”. He assured the public that making an agreement behind closed doors in the 21th century’s Europe is impossible.

Greece’s 12 nautical miles territorial expansion in the Ionian Sea has come into effect

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by GCT 

A presidential decree that closes off bays in the Ionian Sea and draws straight baselines on the coast and the Ionian islands up to Cape Tainaro in the Peloponnese has come into force the Foreign Ministry announced, AMNA reported.

The ministry said this is part of the process of extending Greece’s territorial waters to 12 nautical miles in the Ionian Sea.

Expanding Greece's western territorial waters

The Foreign Ministry announced:

“Through its publication in the Government Gazette, the Presidential Decree on the closing of bays and drawing of straight baselines in the maritime area of the Ionian Sea and the Ionian islands up to Cape Tainaro in the Peloponnese entered into force today.”

“The Presidential Decree was issued pursuant to the law ratifying the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea,” the announcement said.

The Ministry added: “It is a necessary step in the process for extending the country’s territorial waters in the above-mentioned area, an action which is, on the basis of the Convention, our country’s inalienable right.”

Greece's 12 nautical miles territorial expansion in the Ionian Sea has come into effect 2

“The Presidential Decree highlights that Greece reserves the right – as deriving from the Convention on the Law of the Sea, which reflects international customary law – to exercise its respective rights in other areas of its territory,” the announcement continued.

“Firmly committed to upholding International Law, including the Law of the Sea, Greece always acts in line with international legality,” the announcement concluded.

Έντονο πολιτικό κλίμα στα Τίρανα, ο Έντι Ράμα τιμά δύο σημαντικούς υπουργούς, αλλά κατηγορείται ότι υποστηρίζεται από τους Έλληνες των ΗΠΑ, όχι μόνο από την Αθήνα.

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Ο Πρωθυπουργός Ράμα αντικατέστησε δύο υπουργούς, τον Υπουργό Εξωτερικών και τον Υπουργό Άμυνας, τιμήνοντας την πολιτική ισορροπία στο Σοσιαλιστικό Κόμμα.

Η απάντηση του Ράμα στα 12 ναυτικά μίλια, ως δικαίωμα της Ελλάδας, έχει ερμηνευτεί στα Τίρανα, ως υπηρεσία που κάνει ο Ράμα στην Ελλάδα και όχι στη χώρα του. Ο Ράμα, από την άλλη πλευρά, αντιπροσωπεύει την ασφάλεια στο γεωστρατηγικό κλίμα μας.

Εν τω μεταξύ, φαίνεται ότι ακόμη και στην Αλβανική πολιτική, τέσσερις μήνες πριν από τις πολιτικές εκλογές, ο Έντι Ράμα παίζει σκληρά. Τα τελευταία χρόνια, μετά τις κατηγορίες ότι ο Ράμα ταξίδεψε στην Ουάσινγκτον για να συναντηθεί με το ελληνικό λόμπι, για το οποίο ο Άλεξ Καρλότσος είπε ότι «ο Έντι Ράμα πρέπει να βοηθηθεί σε αυτήν την πανδημία», όχι μόνο η Τουρκία αλλά και η Γερμανία ύποπτοι από αυτήν τη συνάντηση στις ΗΠΑ και ζήτησαν εξηγήσεις.

Φαίνεται όμως ότι τα πράγματα στρέφονται στη σωστή στιγμή και στιγμή Μετά από σχεδόν 8 χρόνια στην κυβέρνηση, ο Έντι Ράμα, ο οποίος έχει υποστηρίξει τον Ερντογάν σε όλες τις πτυχές προς την Αλβανία, υποστήριξε επίσης το καθολικό λόμπι στην Αλβανία, αλλά φαίνεται να έχει ένα δύσκολο ταξίδι στην Άγκυρα, στις αρχές Ιανουαρίου 2021, αφού εμφανίστηκε μια μη αναστρέψιμη στροφή προς τον Ερντογάν. Κατηγορείται ότι υποστηρίζει την Ελλάδα σε αντιφατικές πολιτικές Ελλάδας-Τουρκίας, ενώ η συνάντηση στην Ουάσινγκτον με στοιχεία του ελληνικού λόμπι φαίνεται να αποτελεί σημείο καμπής, εάν πιστεύεται ότι ο Ράμα κερδίζει τις εκλογές του 2021.

EDI RAMA, ΠΡΟΣΚΛΗΣΗ ΑΠΟ ΤΟ ΕΡΝΤΟΓΑΝ, ΠΡΩΤΗ ΕΒΔΟΜΑΔΑ ΤΟΥ ΙΑΝΟΥΑΡΙΟΥ 2021

Δεν υπάρχει τρόπος να συμβεί διαφορετικά. Όποτε επιτευχθεί συμφωνία με την Ελλάδα, ο Ερντογάν καλεί τον Πρωθυπουργό της Αλβανίας, στις 6 Ιανουαρίου, να επισκεφθεί την Τουρκία.

Τι συμβαίνει? Δεν υπάρχει πλέον ευθύνη για τα 12 ναυτικά μίλια με την Ελλάδα, ή για την ακύρωση του διαγωνισμού του Αεροδρομίου Αυλώνα, αλλά και μια παλιά οργή του Ερντογάν για τη συνάντηση του Ράμα με τον Άλεξ Καρλότσου στις ΗΠΑ.

Για να είμαστε δίκαιοι, οι πρόσφατες ενέργειες του Έντι Ράμα σχετικά με τα συμφέροντα Ελλάδας-Τουρκίας προκάλεσαν υποψίες στον φίλο του Ερντογάν, αλλά και συνέπειες της στρατηγικής της Τουρκίας για την Αλβανία.

Pentapostagma: Στήνουν προβοκάτσια οι Αλβανοί μετά την επέκταση στα 12 μίλια στο Ιόνιο

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Edi Rama strongly criticizes EU: You left us waiting

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Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama criticized the European Union for the delay in distributing the coronavirus vaccine to the Western Balkans.

SOURCE: DNEVNI AVAZ FRIDAY, DECEMBER 25, 2020

He sharply criticized the delay in supplying the countries of the Western Balkans with the vaccine.

According to the Albanian media, quoted by Dnevni Avaz, Rama criticized the EU because the Union left the countries of the Western Balkans waiting for vaccine stocks until the member states first provide sufficient doses for their population.

''Σεισμός'' στα Βαλκάνια: Με νομοσχέδιο δημιουργείται κοινή σερβορωσική δύναμη

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Βαλκάνια 25.12.2020 Pentapostagma

Η Μόσχα προετοιμάζεται για δράση στα Βαλκάνια

ΗΜόσχα μόνο τυχαία δεν επανέρχεται στα Βαλκάνια ειδικά αυτήν την συγκεκριμένη περίοδο, κατά την οποία έχουμε ανεξέλεγκτη δράση της τουρκικής ΜΙΤ, η οποία μαζί με την γνωστή τουρκική θρησκευτική υπηρεσία Diyanet, αλωνίζουν την περιοχή.

Για τους λόγους αυτούς, ψηφίστηκε νομοσχέδιο στο Βελιγράδι, το οποίο δίνει την απαραίτητη νομική ισχύ, για την δημιουργία κοινής σερβορωσικής επίλεκτης δυνάμεως, η οποία θα έχει αποκλειστική ευθύνη την εξουδετέρωση των Τζιχαντιστών στα ...Βαλκάνια.      

Σύμφωνα με Σέρβους εμπειρογνώμονες, αυτή η συνεργασία θα αποδειχθεί πολύ παραγωγική, καθώς η Μόσχα διαθέτει ήδη μια οργανωμένη βάση στο Νις, ενώ οι Σέρβοι έχουν και αυτοί ειδικές μονάδες που έχουν εμπειρία λόγω της παρουσίας Αλβανών ισλαμιστών μαχητών στο Κοσσυφοπέδιο.

Χάρη σε αυτούς τους σημαντικούς παράγοντες, θα δημιουργηθεί μια κοινή σερβορωσική υπηρεσία καταπολέμησης ισλαμιστών μαχητών κατά βάση, ενώ πολλοί ειδικοί εκτιμούν ότι αυτή η  στρατιωτική δύναμη θα στοχεύει και τους εθνικιστές Αλβανούς στην Νότια Σερβία.

Το νομοσχέδιο ψηφίστηκε προκειμένου να ενισχυθεί η συνεργασία μεταξύ των δύο κρατών, μιλάμε για κοινή δράση, ανταλλαγή επιχειρησιακών πληροφοριών και εμπειριών στον αγώνα κατά της διεθνούς τρομοκρατίας, δηλαδή κατά του ισλαμικού κράτους.

Ο Σέρβος στρατηγός ε.α. Mitar Kovacs, τόνισε ότι στην Βαλκανική Χερσόνησο έχουν στρατολογηθεί ενεργά ισλαμιστές μαχητές στην τρομοκρατική οργάνωση ISIS, ο οποίος απειλεί ολόκληρη την περιοχή.

Ο ειδικός σημείωσε ότι αυτή η πολυεπίπεδη συνεργασία Μόσχας και Βελιγραδίου θα επηρεάσει άμεσα την αμοιβαία ανταλλαγή πληροφοριών, την εκπαίδευση και τον εξοπλισμό των μελών  των αντιτρομοκρατικών ειδικών δυνάμεων με ειδικό εξοπλισμό και τεχνικές.

Σύμφωνα με τον Kovacs, η Ρωσία έχει ήδη μια αρκετά πλούσια εμπειρία στον αγώνα ενάντια στους τρομοκράτες με εντελώς διαφορετικές μεθόδους και το αξιόπιστο σύστημά της μπορεί να είναι πολύ χρήσιμο.

Υπενθυμίζουμε ότι η υπηρεσία πληροφοριών της συμμαχίας σε ειδική έκθεσή, της ανέφερε ότι η Ρωσία ενεργεί ενάντια στα συμφέροντα της ΕΕ και του ΝΑΤΟ στα Δυτικά Βαλκάνια με εκστρατείες παραπληροφόρησης και αυτή η δραστηριότητα είναι πιο ορατή σε Σερβία, Βοσνία-Ερζεγοβίνη και Μαυροβούνιο, παραβλέποντας επιδεικτικά τους Τούρκους Ιμάμηδες και την ΜΙΤ που κάνουν στην κυριολεξία ότι θέλουν στην βαλκανική χερσόνησο με ορμητήρια τις τουρκικές Πρεσβείες.

Η έκθεση σημειώνει ότι "το περιεχόμενο που δημιουργείται από τη ρωσική προπαγάνδα καταναλώνεται σε μια περιοχή που παραδοσιακά έχει αναπτυχθεί μια θετική εικόνα της Ρωσίας στην κοινή γνώμη, η οποία εξακολουθεί να επηρεάζεται από τις εθνοτικές συγκρούσεις της δεκαετίας του 1990".

Η ιστορία των Βαλκανίων είναι μεγάλη και αιματοβαμμένη, για αυτό οφείλουν πολλοί να την διαβάζουν ενδελεχώς, για να μπορέσουν να κατανοήσουν τις ισορροπίες και τις συμμαχίες που υπάρχουν πραγματικά στην περιοχή.

Οτιδήποτε άλλο είναι εκτός πραγματικότητας, με αυτό να ισχύει ακόμα και χώρες της περιοχής που ανήκουν ήδη στο ΝΑΤΟ, όπως η Βουλγαρία ή το Μαυροβούνιο για παράδειγμα.    

Over 360,000 Albanians Left the Country in 2019

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Dec 22, 2020.

Tirana.

360,699 Albanians or 12.4 per cent of the population have emigrated in 2019, according to the emigration survey compiled by INSTAT.

“The total number of individuals leaving Albania in 2019 is 360,699 inhabitants or about 12.4% of the total population of 2011” the report reads.

According to the report, the predominant age, which emigrated was 25 to 29 years old, followed by 20 to 24 years old.

The preferred countries of emigration for Albanians are Italy, Germany and Greece.

The conclusion of this survey was that the main reasons for leaving the country were financial problems, lack of opportunity, and general living conditions.

Furthermore, it found that almost 1.7 million Albanian citizens live abroad, equivalent to 37% of the population. This number does not include those born abroad to Albanian parents. The country with the largest number of Albanian immigrants in Italy with around 40% although in recent years, Germany has become a preferred destination. 20% of those that live abroad are aged between 20-39 years old.

This does not include those that sought asylum overseas. It’s believed around 50 Albanians a day, seek asylum in Europe.

Exit. Al

Σχέδιο αλώσεως των Βαλκανίων από Ερντογάν. Ο Ερντογάν ετοιμάζει “συγκυβέρνηση” μαζί με Μπορίσοφ στην Βουλγαρία

SManalysis

Ο Ερντογάν κατηγορεί την Αθήνα, "Θέλετε να δηλώσετε Έλληνες εκείνους που μιλούν ελληνικά στην Κωνσταντινούπολη ή την Αλβανία (Himara, Koritsa, Vlora) και ένα άλλο πρότυπο για εκείνους τους πολίτες της Θράκης της Ελλάδας που μιλούν Τουρκικά."?

Ανδρέας Μουντζουρούλιας

Pentapostagma

Ύποπτο τουρκικό σχέδιο βλέπουμε και στη Δυτική Θράκη, για την οποία ο τοπικός μουσουλμανικός τύπος κατηγορεί δήθεν τα ελληνικά ΜΜΕ, ότι έχουν εμμονή με την “τουρκική κοινότητα που ζει στη Δυτική Θράκη, η οποία θέλει να μιλά και να γράφει τη μητρική της γλώσσα, την τουρκική".

Συγκρίνει δε τους Έλληνες στην Κωνσταντινούπολη ή στην Αλβανία που μιλούν τη μητρική τους ελληνική γλώσσα.

Στηλιτεύεται επίσης η ελληνική γλώσσα στις πινακίδες των εισόδων των μειονοτικών χωριών στην Θράκη, διότι προφανώς τους ενοχλεί.

“Δεν αφήνουν την Μουσουλμανική Τουρκική μειονότητα να μιλά Τουρκικά, που είναι οι δικές τους αξίες και η μητρική τους γλώσσα;

Όταν πρόκειται για τη δουλειά σας, γράφετε «Έλληνες Μουσουλμάνοι», όταν όλα είναι καλά, γράφετε «Έξω οι Τούρκοι από την Θράκη» και φωνάζετε”, αναφέρει μεταξύ άλλων η εφημερίδα.

Πρόκειται σαφώς για προσπάθεια πιθανής υποκίνησης οργής στην περιοχή από κάποιους ακραίους, για να παρέμβει πιθανόν στην συνέχεια ο “σωτήρας” Τούρκος πρόεδρος, εγείροντας θέμα για την περιοχή, αφού αυτό αποτελεί το κύριο σχέδιο του.

Η Ελλάδα συμπεριφέρθηκε και συνεχίζει να το πράττει, με το καλύτερο τρόπο διαχρονικά στην μουσουλμανική μειονότητα, παρά τα όποια λάθη του παρελθόντος, και σε σχέση με τον απάνθρωπο και ωμό τρόπο της Τουρκίας στους Έλληνες που ζούσαν στην χώρα αυτή, η διαφορά είναι χαώδης.

Οι συνθήκες και οι επίσημοι νόμοι του ελληνικού κράτους είναι γνωστοί και περιλαμβάνουν όλους τους πολίτες της ελληνικής επικράτειας, χωρίς καμία απολύτως διάκριση.   

Από το Πρωτόκολλο της Φλωρεντίας στο Πρωτόκολλο Κέρκυρας

SManalysis

Το Πρωτόκολλο Φλωρεντίας που υπέγραψαν στις 17 Δεκεμβρίου 1913 οι Μεγάλες Δυνάμεις και πιο συγκεκριμένα η Αγγλία, η Γαλλία, η Αυστρία, η Γερμανία, η Ιταλία και η Ρωσία βασίστηκε αποκλειστικά στο κριτήριο της γλώσσας όσον αφορά στα σύνορα της νεοσύστατης Αλβανίας. Έτσι υπό τις πιέσεις της Ιταλίας και της Αυστρίας, παραχωρήθηκαν στην Αλβανία, το Αργυρόκαστρο, το Δέλβινο, η Κορυτσά, το Λεσκοβίκι και η Πρεμετή.

Είναι βέβαια γνωστό τώρα ότι η συμμαχία της Ιταλίας και της Αυστρίας, ήθελε ένα ανεξάρτητο κράτος στην περιοχή για να αποτελεί μία ζώνη ουδέτερη που να μπορεί να μετατραπεί εύκολα σε προγεφύρωμα σε πολεμική φάση. Οι επιπτώσεις αυτής της επιλογής είναι η δημιουργία ενός θύλακα στην τωρινή Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση εως την ένταξη της Αλβανίας. Τοπολογικά υπάρχει μία τρύπα που δημιουργεί ευάλωτη τοποστρατηγική ζώνη για την Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση. Τώρα δηλαδή αυτή η απόφαση πρέπει να διορθωθεί για να ενισχυθεί η ανθεκτικότητα της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης. Επιπλέον αν εξετασθεί πιο ορθολογικά το θέμα τότε συνειδητοποιούμε ότι πρόσφερε υποστηρικτικό έδαφος για την συνέχεια του Οθωμανικού δόγματος στην περιοχή, κάνοντας έντεχνα μία ανάμειξη των Τούρκων και των Αλβανών μέσω του μουσουλμανικού στοιχείου. Με άλλα λόγια έχουμε μία προσπάθεια ανάλογη με την εξέλιξη του Αζερμπαϊτζάν. Ας εξετάσουμε τώρα το Πρωτόκολλο Κέρκυρας πριν συνεχίσουμε αυτήν την ανάλυση.

Το Πρωτόκολλο Κέρκυρας που υπέγραψαν η Διεθνής Επιτροπή των Μεγάλων Δυνάμεων και ο Πρόεδρος της Αυτόνομης Βόρειας Ηπείρου στις 17 Μαΐου 1914 αποτελεί ουσιαστικά την πρώτη επίσημη και θεσμική απόδειξη της τελευταίας. Πρέπει να επισημάνουμε επίσης ότι οι Πρέσβεις των Μεγάλων Δυνάμεων ανήγγειλαν στην Ελλάδα ότι οι κυβερνήσεις το εγκρίνουν. Η αναγγελία έγινε την πρώτη Ιουλίου 1914. Με αυτή την τροποποίηση δίνει ελευθερία γλωσσική και θρησκευτική στις επαρχίες της Κορυτσάς και Αργυροκάστρου μέσω της ειδικής τους διοικητικής οργάνωση και εξασφαλίζει την οργάνωση της Χωροφυλακής. Επιπλέον στις 14 Οκτωβρίου 1914 οι Μεγάλες Δυνάμεις ζήτησαν από την Ελλάδα να ανακαταλάβει την Βόρεια Ήπειρο. Και στην περίπτωση συμμετοχής της Ελλάδας σε Παγκόσμιο Πόλεμο με το μέρος τους τότε η ενσωμάτωση της Βορείου Ηπείρου στην Ελλάδα θα ήταν πλέον οριστική. Έτσι το Πρωτόκολλο Κέρκυρας άλλαξε τα δεδομένα δίχως όμως να υπερισχύσει οριστικά ακόμα και αν στο Δεύτερο Παγκόσμιο Πόλεμο κατά τον Ελληνοϊταλικό πόλεμο (1940-41), η Ελλάδα απελευθέρωσε τη Βόρεια Ήπειρο. Όμως με τη γερμανική κατοχή κατέρρευσε αυτή η προσπάθεια.

Βλέπουμε όμως ότι η Βόρεια Ήπειρος αποτελεί το σημαντικότερο θετικό επιχείρημα της ένταξης της Αλβανίας στην Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση. Το χριστιανικό στοιχείο σε ένα κράτος επίσημα κοσμικό αγγίζει τα άλλα κράτη μέλη και θα πρέπει να ενισχυθεί ουσιαστικά και πρακτικά για να γίνει αποτελεσματική η διαδικασία ένταξης.

Ν. Λυγερός

Why is Madeleine Albright the best solution for Serbia?

SManalysis

Joe Biden hasn't even stepped into the Oval Office yet and Madeleine Albright already loudly promotes the idea of US expelling Russia and China from the Balkans

SOURCE: SPUTNIK FRIDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2020 | 09:15

Although she is a woman who said "disgusting Serbs", which automatically ranked her among the most hated world figures in Serbia, there is a cynical thesis that Madeleine Albright is currently the best American solution for Serbs and Serbia, Sputnik writes.

If Madeleine Albright were in the place of, for example, the special envoy of President Joseph Biden for the negotiations between Belgrade and Pristina, even the last, theoretical and hypothetical chance for Serbia to agree to Kosovo's independence would disappear, Sputnik points out.

With it, it is further emphasized in the text, there would be no mimicry, tensions, trade, demarcation, middle and compromise solutions.

Albright, who passionately advocated the bombing of the FRY, spent the first years of her life in Belgrade, in a house not far from the Vuk Monument area, and is destined for the Balkans and always returned to the "crime scene" unmistakably marking Serbs as the culprits of all conflicts.

This was also the case in the 1990s, when, as the US representative to the UN, she was directly politically involved in the war in Bosnia and absolutely and biasedly supported exclusively the Muslim side. It is the same today, again, when her candidate enters the White House and when she participates in rallies where the annulment of the Dayton Accords, the wiping off Republika Srpska and the complete unitarization of Bosnia and Herzegovina are announced.

So, as far as this issue is concerned, Madeleine Albright and the Serbs are completely clear on it, and no "reward" or fairy tale about a multiethnic country can be given to them in order to give up the historical agreement that ended the war in Bosnia.

Joe Biden has not even stepped into the Oval Office yet, and the eighty-three-year-old Albright loudly promotes the idea that America should practically expel Russia and China from the Balkans.

It is certain that, if Madeleine Albright were given a new Balkan mandate, she would press Serbia openly to impose sanctions on Moscow and give up Russian gas, China's "Silk Road" and everything that does not have a Western seal and Euro-Atlantic signature. And it is even more certain that Belgrade will not agree to that Washington story. Then why, one will ask, is Madeleine Albright the best solution for Serbia?

We have been offered response to this question in the text of Sputnik, that she lived ideologically back in 1999, when NATO could still bomb cities. She seems to have overslept the fact that America is no longer the only power in the world, and that in a few years, according to all relevant indicators, it will lose its economic primacy on the planet.

She lives in a world from the era when she was powerful and does not see that America is no longer a country of democratic values that "exports" freedom, but is divided to the brink of civil war, with the outlines of totalitarianism, compromised elections and institutional disintegration.

She overlooks Brexit, she does not see that the EU is divided and that many European leaders and statesmen will no longer join peacefully when the United States snap their fingers on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean.

That is why it is completely impossible for Serbia to accept what Albright would be able to offer today.

Η Τουρκία εξοπλίζει την Αλβανία

SManalysis

Αυτό το άρθρο μας υπενθυμίζει το γεγονός ότι η Αλβανία είναι προτεκτοράτο της Τουρκίας και ότι η εξωτερική πολιτική της Ελλάδας εξαρτάται επίσης από την Τουρκία. Επειδή το οικονομικό σχέδιο του Συμίτη,, ύψους 15 δισεκατομμυρίων ευρώ σε οικονομική βοήθεια από την Ελλάδα προς τα Βαλκάνια, απέτυχε και η Ελλάδα τελικά αντικαταστάθηκε από την Τουρκία.

Αλλά ας μην ξεχνάμε, η Τουρκία υψώνει τη φωνή της και ξεκινά το ζήτημα της Θράκας στον ΟΗΕ, η Ελλάδα συνεχίζει με την κατώτερη πολιτική της και ενάντια στις αλλαγές των συνόρων στα Βαλκάνια, και ειδικά με την Αλβανία, παραδόξως, δίνει όλες τις δυνάμεις της στον AOZ και όχι στη Βόρεια Ήπειρο.

Τυφέκια πεζικού, τα οποία πέρασαν με επιτυχία 42 δοκιμές προτύπων του ΝΑΤΟ, χορήγησε στην Αλβανία η Τουρκία, σύμφωνα με ανακοίνωση του τουρκικού υπουργείου Άμυνας.

Παράλληλα, όπως αναφέρει η ανακοίνωση στην Αλβανία παραδόθηκαν στολές για το προσωπικό του Αλβανικού Ναυτικού.

Η ανακοίνωση καταλήγει πως η παράδοση του στρατιωτικού εξοπλισμού έγινε στο πλαίσιο συμφωνίας ανάμεσα στις δυο χώρες.

One of the Greek Muslims spying from Rhodes Turkish Consulate supports Thrace’s independence from Greece

SManalysis

by PAUL ANTONOPOULOS GCT

Yesterday, a so-called spy thriller was unveiled when two Greeks belonging to the Muslim minority were caught spying on their homeland on behalf of Turkey.

On Saturday night, it became known that two Greek Muslims were accused of espionage , with the investigations of the Greek authorities now in full swing,

It is recalled, the accused are a 56-year-old ship cook from Rhodes, and the other, a 35-year-old secretary for the Turkish Consulate in Rhodes but is from the Muslim region of Rhodope in northern Greece.

At the house of the secretary, after a police investigation, a laptop and three cell phones were discovered and confiscated.

The findings by the Greek police have already been sent to the Directorate of Criminological Investigations for analysis so all data can be retrieved.

As it became known earlier, the cook has been under surveillance since last August, photographing military positions and facilities in Kastelorizo ​​while collaborating with the secretary of the Turkish consulate.

Kastellorizo: A tiny place, a huge history

A case was filed against both of them for violation of article 148 of the Penal Code. (espionage) and A.N. 376/1936 (on security measures of fortified positions) by conspiracy.

The 56-year-old confessed everything to the Police and said that he did not do it for the money but “to help his country.”

The spies began their actions in August and Greek agents began to monitor their actions almost immediately.

It has also been revealed that the secretary for the Turkish Consulate in Rhodes maintained a Facebook profile that promoted “independent Western Thrace”, posted nationalist Turkish symbols, and clearly stated his anti-Greek views.

According to his profile, he had studied mathematics at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, was born in the village of Sostis Rodopis and lived permanently in Rhodes.

"When it comes to Serbia and Kosovo, the status quo is unsustainable"

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US State Department senior official of the Bureau for European and Eurasian Affairs, Philip T. Reeker, assessed that the status quo re: Kosovo is unsustainable.

SOURCE: TANJUG SATURDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2020 | 14:24

During his participation in the 2BS Forum, organized by the Atlantic Alliance of Montenegro, Reeker assessed that the agreement signed by Belgrade and Pristina in the White House on September 4 is an example of the leadership that the region needs, Radio Free Europe reports.

Asked how the United States will restore trust in the region, which, according to some estimates, was damaged during the mandate of Donald Trump, Reeker answered that the United States and the EU share a common vision towards the Western Balkans.

Reeker added that this is the vision of the region integrated into the Euro-Atlantic community and that it has not been violated in previous years, which, according to him, is evidenced by the Prespa Agreement, the agreement on electoral reform in Albania, the elections in Mostar and the dialogue in Washington between Belgrade and Pristina.

Reeker pointed out that the Western Balkans have been the subject of attention and investment of the United States for decades, and that it will remain so until the goal of gaining a full transatlantic structure is achieved.

Reeker marked Russia and China as the states which, in his opinion, are trying to obstruct or slow down the Euro-Atlantic integration of the countries of the Western Balkans.

Reeker said that the recent elections in Montenegro brought a significant political change, and pointed out that the United States appreciates Prime Minister Zdravko Krivokapic's commitment to common Euro-Atlantic values and the intention for Montenegro to remain on that course as a NATO member.

Regarding the blocking of EU negotiations with North Macedonia, which was done by Bulgaria due to the name of the language, Reeker assessed that both North Macedonia and Albania have taken important and difficult steps on the path to European integration.

"That is why we believe that the EU should not allow bilateral disagreements to stop the deserved progress in integration. We believe that these issues should be resolved outside the process of accession negotiations, because Skopje genuinely deserved that chance", Reeker concluded.

Βέτο Γερμανίας, Ισπανίας & Ιταλίας για κυρώσεις εναντίον της Τουρκίας

SManalysis

Pentapostagma

Προσχέδιο ΕΕ για κυρώσεις μόνο σε Τούρκους και όχι συνολικά στην Τουρκία  

Μήνυμα στους Ευρωπαίους εταίρους για επιβολή κυρώσεων στην Τουρκία έστειλε ο Μητσοτάκης προσερχόμενος στη Σύνοδο Κορυφής. 

''Pacta sunt servanta'', δηλαδή οι συμφωνίες πρέπει να τηρούνται. Με αυτή τη φράση στα Λατινικά έκλεισε τη δήλωσή του προσερχόμενος στη Σύνοδο Κορυφής ο Έλληνας Πρωθυπουργός Κυριάκος Μητσοτάκης, αναφερόμενος στο θέμα της Τουρκίας.

Ο Έλληνας Πρωθυπουργός έθεσε θέμα αξιοπιστίας της ΕΕ ως το διακύβευμα της συζήτησης, εξηγώντας ότι «στο Ευρωπαϊκό Συμβούλιο του Οκτωβρίου αποφασίσαμε ότι σε περίπτωση που η Τουρκία συνεχίσει τις προκλήσεις θα υπάρξουν συνέπειες. Ορίσαμε από κοινού ότι η ημερομηνία θα ήταν το Ευρωπαϊκό Συμβούλιο του Δεκεμβρίου. Τώρα θα φανεί αν ως Ευρώπη είμαστε αξιόπιστοι. Pacta sunt servanta», είπε ο πρωθυπουργός.   

Τριπλό βέτο Γερμανίας – Ισπανίας – Ιταλίας για κυρώσεις εναντίον της Τουρκίας  

 

Σύμφωνα με το κείμενο του προσχεδίου, οι αλλαγές που υπάρχουν είναι βασικά διακοσμητικές. Ο λόγος γι’ αυτό είναι ότι τα τρία βασικά αιτήματα της Αθήνας, δηλαδή η συμπερίληψη αντιμέτρων για τις παραβιάσεις της Τελωνειακής Ένωσης από την Τουρκία, η εξέταση τομεακών περιοριστικών μέτρων/κυρώσεων και το εμπάργκο όπλων, δεν γίνονται αποδεκτά. 

 

Οι ίδιες πληροφορίες αναφέρουν ότι τις τελευταίες ημέρες τρεις χώρες – πιο συγκεκριμένα η Γερμανία, η Ισπανία και η Ιταλία – έχουν προβάλει βέτο σε κάθε προσπάθεια κάποια από τις τρεις επιλογές να μπει στο κείμενο.

 

Προσχέδιο ΕΕ για κυρώσεις μόνο σε Τούρκους και όχι συνολικά στην Τουρκία  

 

Σχέδιο κυρώσεων κατά Τούρκων πολιτών και όχι συνολικά κατά της Τουρκίας πρoωθείται στη Σύνοδο Kορυφής της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης την Πέμπτη, σύμφωνα με δημοσίευμα του πρακτορείου Reuters, στα πρότυπα των κυρώσεων που επιβλήθηκαν πρόσφατα και στη Λευκορωσία. Τυχόν σοβαρότερες κυρώσεις αναβάλλονται για τον Μάρτιο.

Οι Ευρωπαίοι ηγέτες καλούνται από τις 2 το μεσημέρι, που αρχίζει η Σύνοδος των ηγετών κρατών και κυβερνήσεων της ΕΕ, να επικυρώσουν προσχέδιο συμφωνίας που προβλέπει κυρώσεις μόνο σε βάρος ατόμων και εταιριών τουρκικών συμφερόντων, παγώνοντας λογαριασμούς και άλλα περιουσιακά στοιχεία τους, ως αντίδραση στην τακτική της Τουρκίας στην ανατολική Μεσόγειο.

Σε αντίθεση με την απειλή που είχε απευθύνει προς την Άγκυρα τον Οκτώβριο για οικονομικές κυρώσεις σε βάρος της, το Ευρωπαϊκό Συμβούλιο ετοιμάζεται (με βάση το προσχέδιο) να περιορίσει τη δράση του σε ατομικές κυρώσεις.

Προστίθεται ότι η ΕΕ θα συντονίσει περαιτέρω μέτρα με τον εκλεγμένο πρόεδρο των ΗΠΑ, Τζο Μπάιντεν, που ορκίζεται στις 20 Ιανουαρίου.   

Το παιχνίδι των Γερμανών στις Βρυξέλλες και ο άθλιος ρόλος του Ζ. Μπορέλ για «δώρα» στη Θράκη προς τον Ερντογάν

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Νίκος Μελέτης Liberal

Το παιχνίδι των Γερμανών στις Βρυξέλλες και ο άθλιος ρόλος του Ζ. Μπορέλ για «δώρα» στη Θράκη προς τον Ερντογάν

Ενώ οι διαδικασίες και στο εσωτερικό της Ε.Ε. κορυφώνονταν, προκειμένου η Ένωση να ασχοληθεί πλέον σοβαρά με το «Τουρκικό Πρόβλημα» και να επανακαθορίσει το πλαίσιο των ευρωτουρκικών σχέσεων, δεν είναι μόνο οι ευρωπαϊκές χώρες, όπως η Γερμανία, η Ισπανία και η Ιταλία που υποστηρίζουν την πολιτική κατευνασμού, αλλά κορυφαίοι κοινοτικοί παράγοντες με πρώτο τον Ζ. Μπορέλ παίζουν άθλια παιγνίδια εις βάρος της Ελλάδας.

Σύμφωνα με πληροφορίες, ενώ ο κ. Μπορέλ έχει κάνει ότι είναι δυνατόν από το καλοκαίρι, προκειμένου να «καταπιεί» η Ε.Ε. όχι μόνο τις προκλήσεις και απειλές της Τουρκίας εναντίον της Ελλάδας και της Κύπρου, αλλά και εναντίον της ίδιας της Ε.Ε. προέβη σε μια κίνηση που ξεπερνά κάθε όριο.

Σύμφωνα με πληροφορίες μας, στις επαφές του με την πρόεδρο της Κομισιόν Ούρσουλα φον ντε Λάιεν, ο κ. Μπορέλ είχε την ιδέα να προτείνει την αναζήτηση «ανταλλαγμάτων» και «δώρων» στον Τ. Ερντογάν, προκειμένου να δείξει την ευαρέσκειά του προς την Ε.Ε. και μέσα σε αυτά ο κ. Μπορέλ θεώρησε ότι πρέπει να είναι και κινήσεις της Ελλάδας στη Θράκη. Σύμφωνα με τις ίδιες πληροφορίες μας, ο κ. Μπορέλ μίλησε συγκεκριμένα για την ικανοποίηση των αιτημάτων που υπάρχουν και των θεμάτων που εγείρονται από την Τουρκία για τα «μειονοτικά σχολεία στη Θράκη»…

Ο κοινοτικός αξιωματούχος αντί να ασχοληθεί με την εντολή που έχει για αναζήτηση τρόπων, ώστε να πιεσθεί η Τουρκία και να σταματήσει τις απειλές και τους εκβιασμούς εναντίον κρατών μελών και της ίδιας της Ε.Ε., αντί να ασχοληθεί με την κατάσταση των ανθρώπινων δικαιωμάτων στην Τουρκία και τις συνεχιζόμενες παραβιάσεις των κανόνων της Τελωνειακής Ένωσης, αλλά και την εργαλειοποίηση του προσφυγικού, επιχειρεί να ικανοποιήσει τις παράνομες αξιώσεις του τούρκου ηγέτη εις βάρος κράτους - μέλους αναμειγνυόμενος μάλιστα σε εσωτερικές υποθέσεις του.

Η στάση του κ. Μπορέλ αποτυπώνει όμως και το αρνητικό κλίμα που υπάρχει στη γραφειοκρατία της Κομισιόν, που ενώ για τη Λευκορωσία, τη Βενεζουέλα, τη Β. Κορέα ή το Κογκό είναι έτοιμη να σπεύσει να διαμορφώσει και να επιβάλει κυρώσεις, υπάρχει απόλυτη απροθυμία να αντιμετωπίσει το «Τουρκικό Πρόβλημα» ακολουθώντας έτσι τον ρυθμό που βαρά η κ. Μέρκελ, η Ρώμη και η Μαδρίτη.

Σύμφωνα με πληροφορίες, στη διάρκεια των διαβουλεύσεων ενόψει της Συνόδου Κορυφής, ενώ οι εκπρόσωποι της Κομισιόν δέχθηκαν να συζητήσουν την πρόταση της Κύπρου για προσθήκη μερικών ακόμη ατόμων στη λίστα των κυρώσεων για τις παράνομες δραστηριότητες στην κυπριακή ΑΟΖ, ισχυρίσθηκαν ότι δεν μπορεί να γίνει επέκταση της λίστας αυτής και για άτομα και εταιρίες που εμπλέκονται σε παράνομες δραστηριότητες στην ελληνική υφαλοκρηπίδα, καθώς «πρόκειται για διεκδικούμενη μη οριοθετημένη υφαλοκρηπίδα».

Πολύ απλά η Κομισιόν, λίγο - πολύ αθωώνει την Τουρκία για τα όσα έχουν γίνει τους τελευταίους μήνες με το Oruc Reis.

Γιατί είναι προφανές ότι εάν υιοθετηθεί αυτή η θέση της Κομισιόν, τότε η Ελλάδα δεν θα... έπρεπε σύμφωνα με την αντίληψη αυτή να αντιδρά στις παράνομες έρευνες του Oruc Reis. Που πρωταρχικά συνιστούν παραβίαση του Διεθνούς Δικαίου, καθώς είναι σε μη οριοθετημένη περιοχή που έχουν και άλλες χώρες δικαιώματα και αξιώσεις, αλλά επίσης η Ελλάδα ορθώς αναφέρεται σε ελληνική υφαλοκρηπίδα, επί της οποίας τα δικαιώματα της είναι ipso facto και ab initio και βασίζονται στην πρόβλεψη του Διεθνούς Δικαίου και του Δικαίου της Θάλασσας για την επήρεια των νησιών σε θαλάσσιες ζώνες.

Με αυτό το εντελώς αρνητικό κλίμα για τα ελληνικά συμφέροντα δεν είναι τυχαίο ότι η Γερμανία επιμένει μέχρι την τελευταία στιγμή να μην υπάρξει καμία απόφαση για κυρώσεις, ούτε καν για εντολή προς τον κ. Μπορέλ να ετοιμάσει γραπτή λίστα κυρώσεων και το Βερολίνο, πετώντας την μπάλα στην κερκίδα εισηγείται να υπάρξει ένα progress report μέχρι την… επόμενη Σύνοδο Κορυφής τον Μάρτιο!!! Μέχρι και χθες η Γερμανία αντιδρούσε πλήρως στο να δοθεί εντολή στον κ. Μπορέλ από τη Σύνοδο για την κατάρτιση λίστας μέτρων σε συγκεκριμένους Τομείς της τουρκικής οικονομίας, οι οποίοι μάλιστα θα καταγράφονταν ρητά στα Συμπεράσματα.

Το απαράδεκτο Προσχέδιο Συμπερασμάτων

Το Προσχέδιο Συμπερασμάτων που είδε το φως της δημοσιότητας αποτυπώνει αυτό το κλίμα και είναι εντελώς απαράδεκτο.

Ικανοποιεί το αίτημα της Κύπρου για πρόσθετες καταχωρίσεις (ονομάτων) στη λίστα που έχουν ήδη επιβληθεί περιοριστικά μέτρα (ΚΕΠΠΑ 2019/1894) και καλεί το Συμβούλιο «εάν χρειαστεί, να εργασθεί για την επέκταση του πεδίου εφαρμογής της απόφασης». Οι 27 καλούν επίσης τον κ. Μπορέλ να υποβάλει… «εκθέσεις σχετικά με την πορεία των πολιτικών και οικονομικών σχέσεων ΕΕ - Τουρκίας, καθώς και για τις επιλογές.. που θα εξεταστούν στο Ευρωπαϊκό Συμβούλιο του Μαρτίου 2021» και συγχρόνως στο Προσχέδιο γίνεται η γνωστή αναφορά τη θετική ατζέντα για την Τουρκία, η προετοιμασία Πολυμερούς Διάσκεψης για την Ανατολική Μεσόγειο, όπως απαιτεί ο κ. Ερντογάν και η επιφύλαξη συνεννόησης της Ε.Ε. με τη νέα αμερικανική κυβέρνηση για τις σχέσεις με την Τουρκία.

Πάντως ακόμη και οι υποστηρικτές του κ. Ερντογάν στη Σύνοδο Κορυφής αντιλαμβάνονται ότι δεν μπορεί η Αθήνα και ο Κ. Μητσοτάκης να φύγουν με άδεια χέρια από τις Βρυξέλλες. Και ίσως είναι η ώρα να αντιληφθούν ότι, όπως η Ουγγαρία και η Πολωνία παζάρευαν το βέτο τους για τον προϋπολογισμό του Ταμείου Ανάκαμψης, ή όπως η Βουλγαρία βάζει βέτο στο θέμα της Β. Μακεδονίας, η Ελλάδα νομιμοποιείται πλήρως και περισσότερο από κάθε άλλη χώρα να απαιτήσει χρησιμοποιώντας όλα τα μέσα που διαθέτει τη στοιχειώδη έμπρακτη έκφραση αλληλεγγύης από τους εταίρους. Για ένα θέμα μάλιστα που αφορά την ίδια την αξιοπιστία και την «ταυτότητα» της Ε.Ε.

Καθώς το Προσχέδιο Συμπερασμάτων είναι επιεικώς απαράδεκτο, είναι προφανές ότι υπάρχουν περιθώρια στη Σύνοδο Κορυφής να δοθεί μια πιο ενισχυμένη διατύπωση περί «στοχευμένων μέτρων» και πιθανότατα κάποια έμμεση αναφορά σε γεωγραφική επέκταση των υπαρχόντων μέτρων, ώστε να μπορεί να αποδεχθεί τα Συμπεράσματα η ελληνική πλευρά.

Η διπλωματική μάχη θα είναι και οφείλει να είναι σκληρή, καθώς μετά την 11η Δεκεμβρίου και η Ελλάδα και η Ε.Ε., θα βρίσκονται ξανά απέναντι στον κανονικό Ερντογάν και στην επεκτατική πολιτική του και όχι στο φιλοευρωπαϊκό προσωπείο του που προβάλει σήμερα.

It is clear now - EU enlargement has been slowed down

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EU enlargement is no longer a priority, as some states even regret that the EU has expanded to this extent within the project of Europe's unification.

Greece no longer blocks, Albania, in the future, for some other reason, but for now, Greece is no longer an obstacle to enlargement.

SOURCE: JUTARNJI LIST THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2020 

However, Jutarnji list writes, there are still some states in favor of enlargement within the EU. Greece, Bulgaria and Slovenia are certainly among those. However, the three countries have something else in common, which qualifies them for proving the famous saying that "with such 'friends', we don't need enemies".

Namely, the text in Jutarnji list says, each of the three countries has blocked a neighboring country on its way to the EU at some point in years due to bilateral disputes, although the rest of the Union has repeatedly said that "such bilateral issues have no place in the process of EU enlargement".

Slovenia blocked Croatia's accession, Greece blocked Macedonia's accession... Greece no longer blocks Macedonia, but forced it to change its name to North Macedonia. It may block that country, or Albania, in the future, for some other reason, but for now, Greece is no longer an obstacle to enlargement.

Slovenia does not block or cannot block its neighbors because they are all already in the EU. But it could block Schengen enlargement to prevent Croatia from entering. Now that the path to the opening of accession negotiations has been cleared for North Macedonia, after more than ten years of waiting, Bulgaria has blocked the adoption of an EU negotiating framework without which negotiations cannot be opened. Bulgaria now wants North Macedonia to accept a silent interpretation of history, identity and language.

(Non)friends

We should add to this the so called "friends" of enlargement, who last year assured that "the new methodology will speed up the enlargement process". We can already see how it accelerated, Jutarnji points out and states that now the enlargement process has actually failed.

If Bulgaria soon agreed to a compromise and paved the way for a decision on North Macedonia, it would only give the green light to start negotiations. Others will take care of the further slowdown: France, the Netherlands, Denmark and even Germany.

Namely, due to being preoccupied with more important issues, such as trying to reach an agreement with Great Britain at the last minute, or saving EU financial packages of 1800 billion, also at the last minute, enlargement issues remained in the background, or even set aside.

Germany continues to mention enlargement because it considers it a process related to the stability of the Western Balkans, and not because it really wants European Union to expand.

The real opponents of enlargement are in Western Europe. They do not let Bulgaria into Schengen either, even though it fulfilled all the conditions a long time ago. Maybe Bulgaria, through the blockade of North Macedonia, now wants to impose itself as an important factor in the EU and open up its bargaining potential? "Either way, those sincere opponents of enlargement will be happy as long as they can point the finger at others who are holding back decisions in that process," the article published in Jutarnji list concludes.

Serbia's request was to keep evidence which disappeared; There are witnesses, though.

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Serbia forwards to the Specialized Chamber in The Hague a report on the "yellow house" compiled in 2004 by forensic experts and executors of The Hague and UNMIK

SOURCE: SPUTNIK THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2020 | 09:34

The main thing is to see from the report that there are witnesses, even though the material evidence was destroyed, Serbian Assembly Committee on Kosovo and Metohija Chair, Milovan Drecun, told Sputnik.

The UNMIK report, which Sputnik had access to, pointed out that it was based on the testimony of eight KLA members from Kosovo and Montenegro, four of whom participated in the transport of at least 90 ethnic Serbs to illegal prisons in Albania.

Three witnesses delivered the detainees to a house-clinic south of Burel, and two witnesses claim to have participated in the transport of body parts and organs to Rinas Airport near Tirana. None of them attended "medical" procedures.

Drecun, who is also a member of the Working Group for gathering facts and evidence in shedding light on the crimes committed against the Serbian and non-Albanian people in Kosovo and Metohija, reminds that material evidence about the "yellow house" was destroyed in the Hague Tribunal because there was no place for archiving.

"The documentation of the Hague Tribunal is now available to the Specialized Prosecutor's Office, but there is no physical or material evidence, except for photo documentation and reports made by investigators. Apart from that report, we did not have much more to send them about the 'yellow house'," Drecun said.

According to him, the most important of the documents is the report from the meeting of the then investigators of the Hague Tribunal and UNMIK representatives in charge of human rights, where they talk about witnesses and quote them literally.

"I think that's the key thing, because these witnesses, and there are several of them and they are listed under numbers, confirm the allegations from Dick Marty's report. At one point, that report was available to the public, but magically disappeared. What did the Specialized Prosecution do on this issue, we are not aware, because they will not talk about it. I have to say that I did not come across any special interest in the 'yellow house' case in contacting us, so I don't know if they did anything about it”, Drecun says.

He notes that the indictment filed against Hashim Thaci, who was named in Dick Marty's report as being in charge of organ trafficking, does not mention the "yellow house" at all.

"They are talking about two illegal prisons on the territory of Albania, but in relation to them, they are only talking about torture and inhumane treatment. Whether the 'yellow house' will be brought under that, remains to be seen," Drecun emphasizes.

According to the UNMIK report, a team of their investigators and forensic experts was on the spot in the "yellow house" near Burel in the north of Albania, and that they collected certain evidence that was important for further investigation.

That evidence was deposited in the premises of the Office for Missing Persons in Rahovec / Orahovac - and every trace of it is lost there. But one thing is clear: regardless of the explicit request of the Serbian side that this evidence be kept in a reliable place, the reasons for that have irretrievably disappeared, states "Russian Express", which published these documents in order to shed light on the truth.

Albania: Clashes during protest over fatal police shooting

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By LLAZAR SEMINI - AP

TIRANA, Albania — Clashes broke out in Tirana Wednesday during a protest by hundreds of Albanians over the fatal police shooting of a 25-year-old man who had breached a coronavirus-linked curfew.

Protesters, who defied a government ban on public gatherings of more than 10 people due to the pandemic, threw stones at police, the interior ministry, the Tirana city hall and the main government buildings.

They also tried to force their way into the ministry and the government complex that includes Prime Minister Edi Rama’s office, and police fired tear gas to disperse them.

Police spokesman Gentian Mullai told The Associated Press that nine officers were injured in the clashes. Parked police cars were also damaged. Media reports said a protester and a journalist were also injured.

Klodian Rasha was shot dead during curfew hours early Tuesday after not responding to police calls to stop.

Interior Minister Sander Lleshaj said police were investigating what happened.

Shouting “Rama go!” and “I am Klodian,” protesters — most of whom did not wear masks — set on fire a Christmas tree outside the main government building and then knocked it down.

They also damaged the New Year decorations at the main Skanderbeg Square.

Rasha’s friends asked for the officers to be held accountable.

His sister, Sibora, told a local television station, Report TV, that Rasha had gone at 01.45 a.m. to buy cigarettes and was shot near his house’s entrance by officers who had followed him.

“We want to know why my brother was killed, why his blood remained at the house entrance,” she said.

Prime Minister Rama is in the United States where on Wednesday he met with Pfizer officials, trying to secure vaccine deliveries for Albania.

Albanian authorities have imposed several lockdown measures including prohibiting gatherings, mandatory mask wearing and an overnight curfew to try to prevent a surge of new cases.

In April next year Albania holds parliamentary election.

Russia reacts to signing memorandum promoting “Greater Albania” policy

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by PAUL ANTONOPOULOS

GCT

Russia’s reaction to the signing of a memorandum to establish a conference of all Albanian-populated areas was strong.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova commented on the signing of a memorandum on the establishment of a joint conference between Albanian-populated areas covering the entire territory of Kosovo.

She said in a statement that Tirana, Skopje and Pristina have the ultimate goal of promoting the idea of ​​a Greater Albania.

The signed agreement is supposed to promote the cooperation of local governments, but in reality, it is an attempt to create a pan-Albanian space, ignoring the territorial sovereignty and borders of internationally recognized states, she noted.

Describing the move as cynical against the backdrop of years of efforts by Kosovo to create a union, she stressed that the European Union, which acts as a mediator in the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue, still cannot force Kosovo’s Albanians to abide by agreements made.

In conclusion, Zakharova called on the Union to pursue a balanced policy on the issue and work intensively to abide by what has been agreed.

VOA Director Forced Aside In Drive To Embed Trump Loyalists Before Biden Era

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December 8, 20206:24 PM ET

Heard on Morning Edition

David Folkenflik 2018 square

DAVID FOLKENFLIK

Elez Biberaj was acting director of Voice of America until Tuesday, when he accepted a demotion rather than retire.

Voice of America

Updated at 12:08 a.m. NPR on Wednesday

The Trump appointee who runs the government's overseas broadcasters reassigned the head of the Voice of America on Tuesday as part of a broad effort to install supporters of the president before the Biden administration comes to power.

U.S. Agency for Global Media CEO Michael Pack is intending to name as VOA director Robert Reilly, an outspoken conservative ally who briefly served in the job under President George W. Bush nearly two decades ago.

This story is based on interviews with nine people with knowledge of the events described, including current and former USAGM employees and Congressional aides. They sought anonymity given the number of people that Pack has fired in his relatively short time in office. USAGM officials including Pack did not respond to a detailed request for comment.

Pack informed acting director Elez Biberaj of his ouster at his routinely scheduled noon meeting. Biberaj, rather than resigning or retiring, will return to his prior job as head of the Eurasia desk, one of six large regions covered by the global network.

Biberaj, a 40-year veteran of the network, was named by Pack over the summer to lead Voice of America on an acting basis, meaning he could be removed at any time. He has walked a fine line ever since. While he never publicly condemned Pack, he frequently reasserted the importance of the independence and credibility of the VOA newsroom even as Pack publicly condemned it and initiated a wave of investigations of its journalists for perceived anti-Trump bias.

Late Tuesday, Biberaj sent a note to staff confirming the reports, wishing his successor well, and assailing Pack's actions — though never by name. "The last six months have perhaps been the most challenging period in VOA's recent history," Biberaj wrote, calling USAGM and VOA's relations "regrettably adversarial."

"Some agency officials failed to respect rules, protocols and processes that I considered inviolable, and displayed an indifference to the disruptive impact their actions and decisions had on VOA's operations and mission," he added. "Attempts to trample VOA's journalistic independence threatened to undermine our hard-won credibility at a time of global democratic backsliding and increased international threats to America's values and moral leadership."

Reilly, Biberaj's apparent replacement, has written in strenuous defense of Pack. Reilly is a former State Department official and author. He has written critically of Islam and gay rights, the latter in a 2015 book titled "Making Gay Okay: How Rationalizing Homosexual Behavior Is Changing Everything."

Pack is also said to be weighing the ouster of the acting leaders of VOA's sister networks, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and Radio Free Asia.

Pack was first nominated by Trump in 2018 but was not confirmed by the Senate until June. The two top officials of the VOA at the time immediately resigned. Pack moved swiftly to fire the remaining chiefs of the networks overseen by the agency and to push out many top executives.

Voice of America's 5 Months Under Trump CEO: Lawsuits, Bias Claims, And A Sex Scandal

POLITICS

Voice of America's 5 Months Under Trump CEO: Lawsuits, Bias Claims, And A Sex Scandal

Taken together, VOA and its sister networks reach more than 350 million people overseas, in an effort that both models American notions of free speech and political debate and fills the need for independent journalism in those countries that do not have a free or viable press.

Pack's actions have turned the agency and its networks upside down.

A federal judge recently ruled in a case brought by a top VOA news executive and five suspended executives that Pack had acted unconstitutionally in initiating those investigations. U.S. Judge Beryl Howell wrote that Pack had violated those journalists' free speech protections by violating the "firewall" protecting the newsroom's editorial decisions from the parent agency's interference.

Four contractors lost jobs and an editor was suspended from the Urdu language service. Biberaj did not take action against the other journalists, despite intense pressure to reassign or fire several staffers. Foremost among them: White House bureau chief Steve Herman, who displeased Vice President Mike Pence with reports about his violating COVID-19 protocols at the Mayo Clinic last spring.

Soon after Pack arrived at USAGM, he moved to fire most of the top leadership team, including the chief financial officer, the general counsel, and the chief strategic officer. Due to civil service rules, he did not succeed. He was forced instead to put them on paid administrative leave, alleging they had committed security breaches that could leave the agency open to foreign espionage.

'Substantial Likelihood Of Wrongdoing' By VOA Parent Agency, Government Watchdog Says

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'Substantial Likelihood Of Wrongdoing' By VOA Parent Agency, Government Watchdog Says

In August, Pack signed an agreement with McGuireWoods, a law firm based in Richmond, Va., to "conduct an internal investigation on behalf of USAGM regarding the complaints of potential misconduct by employees, including but not limited to use of organizational resources," according to legal documents reviewed by NPR.

The firm's lead partner on the case is a prominent Virginia attorney with strong Republican ties: John D. Adams, a former law clerk for U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. Pack, a conservative filmmaker, made a documentary focusing on Thomas's life with the usually recalcitrant justice's full cooperation.

A spokesman for McGuireWoods confirmed the contract in a statement.

"The U.S. Agency for Global Media ("USAGM") has retained McGuireWoods to conduct an independent review of aspects of a number of government reports issued since 2015, as well as other issues. This includes, but is not limited to, the Agency's response to a June 2015 Office of Inspector General (OIG) report relating to the Open Technology Fund ("OTF"), and a series of government audits and reports issued over several years relating to the Agency's personnel security program."

A lawyer representing whistleblowers against Pack and the agency railed against the contract. "It's patently absurd to root out abuse of government funds by paying a private law firm hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars," said David Seide, an attorney for the non-profit Government Accountability Project. "It's a gross misuse of government resources. That's what inspector generals are for!"

VOA White House Reporter Investigated For Anti-Trump Bias By Political Appointees

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VOA White House Reporter Investigated For Anti-Trump Bias By Political Appointees

Seide previously worked as an investigative attorney for two federal inspectors general's offices.

McGuireWoods's earlier and inconclusive investigation of whether Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam appeared in a racist yearbook photo cost Eastern Virginia Medical School more than $360,000, according to the Virginian-Pilot.

Most of the executives whom Pack sought to fire are currently contesting their suspension and the ultimate goal of their dismissals, which he sought to instigate once more in recent weeks, according to several people with knowledge.

Pack does not appear to be chastened about the rebuke he received from Judge Howell. Lee Crain, an attorney representing plaintiffs in lawsuits against Pack, filed a complaint early this month with U.S. Justice Department attorneys who represented Pack and the agency. Crain wrote that senior aides to Pack had intervened in the planned promotion of two Voice of America journalists to long-term status despite Howell's banning any such involvement by the agency in VOA's editorial or personnel decisions.

Crain said the federal attorneys told him they were seeking more information from USAGM's lawyers.

Pack is himself likely to be dismissed once Joe Biden becomes president, a power the incoming president has thanks to a U.S. Supreme Court ruling giving Trump the authority to force out the head of other independent agencies.

It may prove trickier for a Biden-appointed USAGM chief executive to name new heads of the networks, however. Pack's moves led Congress to draft legislation intended to impede the CEO's ability to do so without support of an advisory board that would itself first need the approval of the U.S. Senate.

Disclosure: This story was reported by NPR media correspondent David Folkenflik and edited by NPR Media & Tech Editor Emily Kopp. Because of NPR CEO John Lansing's prior role as CEO of the U.S. Agency for Global Media, no senior news executive or corporate executive at NPR reviewed this story before it was published.

Belgrade is aware of what the Serwer-Albright-Engel trio is trying to do

SManalysis

Outgoing Congressman Engel is trying to put the issue of Kosovo and Metohija on the agenda of new Biden administration, former diplomat Zoran Milivojevic said.

SOURCE: TANJUG WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2020 | 12:30

According to him, this is an attempt to reaffirm the policy of previous democratic administrations in the United States on this issue.

Milivojevic told Tanjug on the eve of the session of the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives of the US Congress, chaired by Engel, who said at the session that Kosovo is independent and that Serbia will not enter the EU until it recognizes it, that the session is an attempt to reaffirm the politics of the time of Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, bearing in mind that the newly elected American President Joseph Biden is already advocating for the continuity of that policy.

"They want to do it in a very sensitive moment related to the future of Kosovo and Metohija, when the project has proved unsuccessful for many years, when a court has started working where the KLA and the top of the political elite in Pristina are practically on the agenda, who so far had the support of the American administration, when the EU is not able to conduct this dialogue in a way that would give results...", explains Milivojevic.

He claims that the policy of the future Biden administration should play a key role, and this is now an effort to reiterate that policy, to reaffirm the past positions and to confirm the determination of the American administration for the independence of Kosovo and Metohija.

"The goal is to give a certain dynamics and for the issue of Kosovo and Metohija not to be exactly part of the central priorities of the United States, but to be somewhere right after them in the new administration," Milivojevic estimates. When it comes to the people who spoke at the session, such as Madeleine Albright, Daniel Serwer, he says that it sends a message that it is about representing that energetic policy of the United States and confirming the statehood of Kosovo and Metohija at any cost.

"On the other hand, this choice shows in which directions we can expect the future administration to act. In that sense, the conclusions will certainly have a certain weight, especially since it is about democrats and the structure that returns to power, and it is about individual influence on American politics", Milivojevic explains.

When it comes to the presence of Daniel Serwer and Janusz Bugajski at that session, Milivojevic says that they are well-known, active Albanian lobbyists, who send messages in favor of Kosovo's independence and that Serbia will face such a fact in the coming period and resolve issues in the region in a way that is in line with Western strategic and national interests.

"When I say that, I have in mind the Serbian corps, not only Serbia as a state, but also the Republika Srpska and Bosnia-Herzegovina. So that the two remaining issues are resolved in a way that is in line with Western strategic interests during the Biden administration and that the process of including the region in the western sphere of interest is completed, which includes the enlargement of NATO", claims Milivojević.

Asked whether it is common at this time to convene such a session when a new government has not yet been formed in the United States, Milivojevic answered negatively, but said that the reason lay in the behavior of the outgoing Trump administration, which in some way modified earlier policy and continuity which existed during the time of Clinton, Bush Jr. and Obama, and which also proclaimed the independence of Kosovo.

"The administrations before Trump insisted on that and created a strategic environment for what this region should look like. Trump in some way modified it and made some corrections, not in the essential sense to give up the recognition of Kosovo and Metohija, but at the level of real politics and changes at the global level, and in the region, but also the impossibility to confirm Kosovo's independence at any cost, while ignoring the interest of Serbia", Milivojevic explains.

That is why, he adds, the American Democrats, but above all the Albanian lobby, decided on such an action, using the opportunity to have their people in places that are important for this issue. "To make it known in advance what the position of both the Democrats and the future administration should be, and not to go out of the field of view of the new administration, having in mind the problems in the United States and the needs of the new administration to dedicate itself to that and global relations", Milivojevic thinks.

He reminds that this in a way relies on two documents, which the pre-election team of Biden's campaign announced during the presidential campaign, and related to Kosovo and Metohija and Bosnia-Herzegovina.

"When they wanted to call on their voters and act contrary to the Serbian corps in the United States, which was for Trump, they clearly indicated foreign policy goals and made it known that politics should not change and that the old policy before Trump should be returned and put in the foreground those goals for which the Obama administration and the Democrats once decided in the 1990s", claims Milivojević.

I think, he says, that this is the reason for holding this session of the Committee, that is, to make it known what the position should be, so as not to give the impression that what the Trump administration tried to impose as solution concept will survive after Trump's leaving the position of US President. What Trump offered was to give up that firm position of recognizing Kosovo at any cost and to accept new regional relations, new Serbian borders without Kosovo and Metohija and the entry of the entire region into the Western sphere of interest, including NATO enlargement.

He says that Belgrade is aware and counts on the fact that there will be a return to the old policy, as well as that the Biden administration will have in mind the earlier policy of the Democrats and the attitudes of that policy, and that Serbia is not surprised.

"What is clear is that, first, it is not possible today to impose a solution and implement the policy of the done deal, as the Albanian lobby in the United States wants. The circumstances are different. It is impossible to do that without Serbia. Serbia has no reason to change its principled views on Kosovo and Metohija, based on the principles of international law", Milivojević concluded.