Saturday, March 21, 2020

Magnitude 5.6 Earthquake Strikes North-Western Greece

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By Tasos Kokkinidis -Mar 21, 2020 Gr Reporter


Several old buildings collapsed from a 5.6 magnitude earthquake that hit nothwestern Greece in the early hours of Saturday.

There have been no reports of injuries from the tremor which struck at 02:49.

According to the Geodynamic Institute of Athens it’s epicenter was 14 kms east of the town of Parga, in the region of Thesprotia, at a depth of 10 kms, even in Himara.

The 4.3 magnitude earthquake that occurred 21 minutes before midnight in the area had the same epicenter.


The earthquake was felt throughout northwestern Greece in towns such as Ioannina, Corfu and Preveza.

Some older buildings in the small town of Kanalaki collapsed or were damaged.

The tremor in the area was expected, said Research Director of the Athens Institute of Geodynamics, Gerasimos Chouliaras. However, he reassured that there will be no strong tremors to follow.

In a Facebook post, the geologist wrote: “We are watching the evolution of the strong 5.6 Richter earthquake from the Geodynamic Institute’s seismological network. The earthquake in western Greece was expected, if you remember the pre-earthquake activity in Parga and Karditsa in recent months. I, personally, do not anticipate stronger activity to follow at this time, don’t worry.”

Friday, March 20, 2020

Der Standard: Grenell wants to topple Kurti to quickly implement Thaci-Vucic deal

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March 20, 2020

The Journalist Adelheid Wölfl in an analysis published in the Austrian prestigious "Der Standard", wrote about the recent political situation in the country and the risk that Kosovo will be left without a Government due to the LDK's motion to overthrow Kurti and the situation created as the result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to this analysis, the US envoy for Kosovo-Serbia dialogue Richard Grenell is trying to exploit this situation.

Wolf reporter analysis says US envoy wants to oust Albin Kurti from power in order to quickly implement Thaci-Vucic deal

Speaking about Grenell's intention, the Austrian journalist also mentions the latter's meeting in Washington with LDK official Skender Hyseni.

Grenell obviously wants to overthrow the Kurti government so that he can quickly implement an agreement between Serbian President Aleksander Vucic and Kosovo President Hashim Thaci.

In this analysis, among other things, it is said that Grenell is interested in a success of Donald Trump's foreign policy ahead of the November presidential election.

But this analysis says that reaching a "historic" deal as Grenell wants is impossible with Albin Kurti as prime minister.

"Kurti would never allow an exchange of territories based on ethnic criteria as part of the deal as the lobbyists want about Trump," the analysis said.

Αλβανία- Κορωνοϊός: Ο στρατός βγήκε στους δρόμους για τη συμμόρφωση των πολιτών με τα μέτρα

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Μάρτιος 20, 2020. Eche

Τίρανα.

Οι ένοπλες δυνάμεις της χώρας βγήκαν στους δρόμους κάθε γειτονιάς των Τιράνων για να παρακολουθήσουν σε συνεργασία με την αστυνομία τη συμμόρφωση των πολιτών στα μέτρα που ανακοινώθηκαν για την εξάπλωση του κορωνοϊού – COVID 19.



Όπως αναφέρεται,  κάθε πολίτης στον οποίο διαπιστώνεται ότι δεν συμμορφώνονται με τα χρονοδιάγραμμα κυκλοφορίας και τους κανόνες που έχουν δημοσιοποιηθεί θα αντιμετωπίσουν διοικητικά μέτρα, δηλαδή πρόστιμα.




Οι στρατιωτικές περιπολίες θυμίζουν εικόνες εποχής πολέμου, αλλά στην πραγματικότητα αυτή τη φορά βρισκόμαστε μπροστά σε έναν αόρατο εχθρό, τον κορωνοϊό.


Ράμα, μεταξύ της Μέρκελ και του Ερντογάν

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Image result for rama erdogan merkel

Είναι ελάχιστο να πιστεύουμε ότι ένας αλβανός ηγέτης, που προέρχεται από μια αμφιλεγόμενη ελληνική χριστιανική οικογένεια από τη Χιμάρα, θα πρέπει να διπλασιάσει τη γεωπολιτική, που έχει ήδη δηλωθεί, "είτε με τη Μέρκελ, το Σορος είτε με τους Αμερικανούς Trump.

Και αν αυτές είναι οι επιθυμίες του Ράμα, πρέπει να οργανωθεί και να δηλωθεί ένας υποστηρικτής συνασπισμού της Μέρκελ, του Σόρου και του Ερντογάν, τότε οι Έλληνες της Β. Ηπείρου, χωρίς να σπαταληθεί χρόνος για να τοποθετηθούν οι ίδιοι στην αμερικανική ηγεσία Trump.

Εάν η Ελλάδα δεν έχει καταλάβει ακόμα αυτό το γεωπολιτικό παιχνίδι, λόγω των ισχυρών γερμανικών δεσμών της Merkel με το ελληνικό χρέος, πρέπει και αυτή να τοποθετηθεί στο υπέρτατο ενδιαφέρον της Βόρειας Ηπείρου. Σε καμία περίπτωση οι Έλληνες γεωπολιτικοί αναλυτές δεν πρέπει να αναφλέξουν τους κινητήρες των εθνοτικών υποθέσεων της Ελλάδας και να αναλάβουν δράση το συντομότερο δυνατό για να σώσουν τον ελληνισμό και την επικράτεια της Βόρειας Ηπείρου. SManalysis

Ο πρωθυπουργός Αλβανίας με τον Ερντογάν: Θα εφαρμόσουμε το σχέδιο C, αν ανατραπούν οι ισορροπίες

Echedoros

Μάρτιος 20, 2020. 09:43

Τίρανα.

Ο πρωθυπουργός Έντι Ράμα δήλωσε ότι βρίσκεται σε συνεχή επικοινωνία με τον πρόεδρο της Τουρκίας εδώ και δύο εβδομάδες σχετικά με την κατάσταση που δημιουργείται από τον κορονοϊό.


Μάλιστα, ανέφερε ότι η Αλβανία θα θέσει σε εφαρμογή το Σχέδιο Γ (ή C) όταν θα χρειαστεί βοήθεια και καμία άλλη χώρα δεν θα απαντήσει στο αίτημά της.




«Πριν έρθω εδώ, μίλησα με τον πρόεδρο της Τουρκίας, με τον οποίο είμαι σε συνεχή επαφή εδώ και δύο εβδομάδες, έχουμε βάλει με τους Τούρκους στο τραπέζι την εναλλακτική λύση, έναν κατάλογο απαιτήσεων σε περίπτωση που ο κόσμος ανατραπεί και δεν θα υπάρχει επικοινωνία με οποιονδήποτε.


Πιστεύουμε ότι αυτό που πρέπει να κάνουμε είναι να εφαρμόσουμε το σχέδιο Γ, έχουμε την εγγύηση της Τουρκίας», είπε ο Ράμα δημόσια.

Ο πρωθυπουργός Αλβανίας με τον Ερντογάν: Θα εφαρμόσουμε το σχέδιο C, αν ανατραπούν οι ισορροπίες

SManalysis


Μάρτιος 20, 2020. Ech

Τίρανα.

Ο πρωθυπουργός Έντι Ράμα δήλωσε ότι βρίσκεται σε συνεχή επικοινωνία με τον πρόεδρο της Τουρκίας εδώ και δύο εβδομάδες σχετικά με την κατάσταση που δημιουργείται από τον κορονοϊό.


Μάλιστα, ανέφερε ότι η Αλβανία θα θέσει σε εφαρμογή το Σχέδιο Γ (ή C) όταν θα χρειαστεί βοήθεια και καμία άλλη χώρα δεν θα απαντήσει στο αίτημά της.




«Πριν έρθω εδώ, μίλησα με τον πρόεδρο της Τουρκίας, με τον οποίο είμαι σε συνεχή επαφή εδώ και δύο εβδομάδες, έχουμε βάλει με τους Τούρκους στο τραπέζι την εναλλακτική λύση, έναν κατάλογο απαιτήσεων σε περίπτωση που ο κόσμος ανατραπεί και δεν θα υπάρχει επικοινωνία με οποιονδήποτε.


Πιστεύουμε ότι αυτό που πρέπει να κάνουμε είναι να εφαρμόσουμε το σχέδιο Γ, έχουμε την εγγύηση της Τουρκίας», είπε ο Ράμα δημόσια.

Thursday, March 19, 2020

Kosovo’s Crisis-Hit Govt Threatened with No-Confidence Vote

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Xhorxhina Bami Pristina BIRN March 19, 2020

As Kosovo’s government tries to deal with the coronavirus crisis, one of the ruling coalition partners has threatened a vote of no confidence amid a row over whether a state of emergency should be imposed.

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti. Photo: EPA-EFE/ Valdrin Xhemaj

The leader of the junior partner in Kosovo’s coalition government, the Democratic League of Kosovo, LDK, said on Wednesday evening that he will file a motion for a no-confidence vote after one of the party’s ministers was sacked from the cabinet.

The threat came after Prime Minister Albin Kurti, from the main ruling Vetevendosje party, sacked Interior Minister Agim Veliu, an LDK politician, on Wednesday amid a disagreement over how to tackle the coronavirus crisis.

Kurti said that Veliu was dismissed because he had undermined the government by publicly supporting the idea of declaring a state of emergency, and because he had spread panic about the coronavirus epidemic.

The idea of imposing a state of emergency was proposed by Kurti’s political rival, President Hashim Thaci. If a state of emergency is declared, the government’s power shifts to Kosovo’s Security Council, which is chaired by Thaci.

Announcing that he would initiate a no-confidence vote, the LDK’s leader, Isa Mustafa, said that he cannot allow Kurti to “mock one of my ministers every day and then dismiss” them.

He accused Kurti of breaching the coalition agreement, which he said included assurances that no minister could be dismissed without prior consultation and the approval of LDK’s leadership.

He said however that the LDK will remain in government “until we get through this situation with the coronavirus”.

The no-confidence motion needs 40 signatures from MPs to be sent the Kosovo Assembly for a vote and 61 votes, in a 120-seat parlimant to pass. The LDK only has 28 lawmakers in the legislature.

Two prominent LDK politicians have indicated that they do not support the motion. Parliamentary speaker Vjosa Osmani told BIRN that she did not vote for the initiative at an LDK chairmanship meeting on Wednesday, while the Minister of Infrastructure and the Environment, Lumir Abdixhiku, said that he abstained.

Kurti on Wednesday defended his decision to sack Veliu, saying that it was absurd for the interior minister to call for a state of emergency while Kosovo’s police force, which is under his ministry’s control, is currently handling the situation very well.

He also said that Veliu could not claim that President Thaci was right to call for a state of emergency when there are only “20 people affected [by coronavirus infection], with no deaths”.

The LDK was already in dispute with its coalition partners from Vetevendosje over whether to immediately lift Kosovo’s 100 per cent import tariffs on Serbian goods.

The US has called for the tariffs to be removed immediately. The LDK agrees but Vetevendosje wants a more gradual lifting.

Kosovo’s coalition government has only been in office since early February. The country went for four months without an administration before that, after elections were held last October.

Monday, March 16, 2020

Republicans Overseas: New tension is raising to the Greek Turkish conflict

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Image result for Jonathan Constantine
March 12 at 9:20 PM ·
Republicans Overseas Hellenic Chapter

EASTMED STRATEGIC STUDIES INSTITUTE
12 March 2020

PRESS RELEASE
We are recording and evaluating the escalation in the tension between Turkey and Greece very carefully for the past few months. We predicted the exact date (-+2 days) of the open beginning of the hybrid hostilities already from January 10th 2020, and had indicated the coming events in our EastMed Energy Security Conference on November 1rst 2019. Since then, we have been projecting models of the ensuing escalation. Based on the heavy propaganda in Turkey by the Erdogan administration which is calling for the “solution” of Turkish-Greek affairs, the statements by Turkish politicians and the open acts of aggression by Turkish military forces which are exponentially rising in severity, we predict that within the next few weeks, but before the celebration of Greek Easter, a new round of aggression will ensue, probably in the Southern region of the Aegean, between the islands of Crete and Castellorizo, which is essentially the main strategic Turkish target for the success of its “Blue Country” scheme. The long term strategic Turkish plans include the shelving of the EastMed Project, the cancellation of all forms of military cooperation between the countries of the Eastern Mediterranean, especially between Cyprus, Israel and Greece. We note that our prediction involves a three-way escalation, one as a diversion in the Evros region, and a second diversion in the Central Aegean with the main target in the Southern Aegean.
Greece is under great pressure from Germany, Russia and China to accept a “compromise” with Turkey, as all the aforementioned countries fear that any improvement in the US-Greek and Greek-Israeli relations is detrimental for their interests. Germany acts as point-country for the constant pressuring of Greece to accept the heavy terms of virtual surrender by wielding the weapon of Greece's heavy debt to member states of the EU. The arrival of the Covid-19 in Greece is also being “weaponized” against the Greek Government as EU funding will probably come at the cost of Greece resigning from its claims on the Continental Shelf and Exclusive Maritime Zone, nevertheless it will be a very tough sell to the Greeks, as the vast majority (app.90%) are against any compromise as per the latest polls.
Greek reaction to the last two serious incidents, namely the invasion of Greek airspace over the Evros region by two F-16 planes piloted by Pakistani pilots and the deliberate ramming of a Greek Coast Guard vessel by a Turkish Coast Guard ultra modern patrol boat was more in line to the EU suggestions for the de-escalation of the situation.
Although we predict the immediate escalation of the conflict which already for the 14th day is short of open warfare, we are not certain on the reaction of the Greek Government and the PM in particular to a new escalation. Our best models predict that if the escalation is light, the Greek PM may well match the level of the escalation, but at any point shy of the use of lethal force. If Turkey decides to take it up a notch we predict that the Greek PM will avoid escalation and agree to the terms which will be dictated by the German government which will act as a “mediator”. It is a very difficult situation though for the Greek PM, who is between the hammer and the anvil, the hammer being the pressure by the EU leadership, and the anvil being his party apparatus, who in case of capitulation are expected to resign en masse, possibly causing premature elections in which the ruling party would be devasted, in contrary to its current position which is by far the first in the polls, as it has gained at least 6% in popularity for its tough handling of the Evros hybrid invasion.

Jonathan Constantine
Coordinator EastMed Strategic Studies Institute
Operated by the Republicans Overseas Hellenic Chapter

(contact info: info@republicansoverseas.gr, Jonathan Constantine, +30 210 6123444.)

Roan Paul Institute: Θα επιβληθεί στρατιωτικός νόμος σε ΗΠΑ και διεθνώς λόγω κορωνοιού

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Roan Paul Institute: Θα επιβληθεί στρατιωτικός νόμος σε ΗΠΑ και διεθνώς λόγω κορωνοιού
11/03/2020 - 22:42

Δεν θα χρειαστούν πολλά για την κήρυξη του στρατιωτικού νόμου, την καθιέρωση εθνικού αποκλεισμού με τον αμερικανικό λαό να είναι τρομοκρατημένος άρα και χειραγωγημένος.
Σε μια ομολογουμένως ανατριχιαστική εκτίμηση προβαίνει το αμερικανικό Roan Paul Institute τονίζοντας ότι προσεχώς θα επιβληθεί στρατιωτικός νόμος σε πολλές χώρες λόγω του κορωνοιού.
Όχι δεν θα είναι μια δοκιμασία της δέσμευσής μας για βασική υγιεινή ή ετοιμότητα για καταστροφές ή για την ικανότητά μας ως έθνος να αντιμετωπίσουμε μια περίοδο κρίσης.
Στο όνομα της εθνικής ασφάλειας στις ΗΠΑ αλλά και σε άλλες χώρες και με πρόσχημα τον κορωνοιό θα ενεργοποιηθεί στρατιωτικός νόμος όπου η αστυνομία με μοντέλο δικτατορίας θα επιβάλλει τους νέους κανόνες στις κοινωνίες.
Δεν θα είναι ένα test για να διαπιστώσουμε εάν το Σύνταγμα θα μείνει αναλλοίωτο από μια εθνική κρίση και από μια πραγματική κατάσταση έκτακτης ανάγκης.
Όποια και αν είναι η απειλή για το έθνος - είτε πρόκειται για κοινωνική εξέγερση, πυροβολισμούς στα σχολεία, εικαζόμενες πράξεις τρομοκρατίας ή για απειλή μιας παγκόσμιας πανδημίας στην περίπτωση του COVID-19 - η κυβέρνηση έχει την τάση να επιβάλλεται μέσω του αστυνομικού κράτους.
Αυτή η επιδημία του κορωνοϊού, η οποία προκάλεσε καταστοφή στην Κίνα και χάος στην Ιταλία με την καραντίνα απειλεί να φέρει στο προσκήνιο το αστυνομικό κράτος.
Εάν απαιτηθεί να ληφθούν σκληρά μέτρα π.χ. στις ΗΠΑ θα μπορούσε να επιβληθεί ένας ιδιότυπος στρατιωτικός νόμος με την εποπτεία της αστυνομίας που θα περιπολεί τους δρόμους καθορίζοντας σημεία ελέγχου ασφαλείας.
Επίσης τα μέσα ενημέρωσης θα πάψουν να έχουν πρόσβαση σε όλες τις πληροφορίες.
Θα πρόκειται για ένα σκηνικό ταινίας θρίλερ με την διαφορά ότι θα συμβαίνει στην πραγματικότητα. 
Η αμερικανική κυβέρνηση σε μια πανδημία του κορωνοιού θα δημιουργήσει ειδικά στρατόπεδα FEMA ώστε να χρησιμοποιηθούν ως κέντρα κράτησης σε καραντίνα για τους πολίτες που έχουν νοσήσει.
Οι στρατιωτικές και αστυνομικές δυνάμεις θα μπορούν να συλλαμβάνουν τους ασθενείς στο πλαίσιο των ενεργοποιημένων σχεδίων για την απομόνωση οποιουδήποτε ύποπτου εάν έχει προσβληθεί από το COVID-19.
Ο στρατιωτικός νόμος ιστορικά καταδικάζεται από τις κοινωνίες, ωστόσο στην περίπτωση του Covid 19 η κυβέρνηση θα επικαλεστεί λόγους εθνικής ασφαλείας.
Έτσι θα ξεκινήσει το αστυνομικό κράτος στις ΗΠΑ.
Η επιδημία του κορωνοϊού μπορεί να προκαλεί ανησυχία για την υγεία, αλλά τα μέσα που θα χρησιμοποιήσει η κυβέρνηση για να μετριάσει τον πανικό θα βρίσκονται στα όρια της δημοκρατίας.
Η επιβολή στρατιωτικού νόμου (χρησιμοποιώντας τις ένοπλες δυνάμεις για την επίλυση κοινωνικών προβλημάτων) ως απάντηση στην κρίση, μόνο ανησυχία προκαλεί
Δεν θα χρειαστούν πολλά για την κήρυξη του στρατιωτικού νόμου, την καθιέρωση εθνικού αποκλεισμού με τον αμερικανικό λαό να είναι τρομοκρατημένος άρα και χειραγωγημένος.
Αυτή η συνεχής υπονόμευση των κανόνων που προστατεύουν τις πολιτικές ελευθερίες έχει εκτεταμένες συνέπειες για έναν πληθυσμό που όχι μόνο έχει άγνοια για τα δικαιώματά του αλλά τείνει να θυσιάσει τις ελευθερίες του για φανταστικές υποσχέσεις ασφάλειας.

www.bankingnews.gr

Coronavirus fears force Pentagon to curtail large Defender-Europe 20 exercise

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U.S. Army soldiers from the 3rd Infantry Division line up to meet U.S. and Polish dignitaries during a event at Drawsko Pomorskie Training Area, Poland, in support of Defender-Europe 20, March 11, 2020. The Pentagon ordered a halt to the deployment of forces for the exercise, which will be sharply curtailed because of concerns about the coronavirus, U.S. European Command said Monday.

JOY DULEN/U.S. ARMY

By JOHN VANDIVER | STARS AND STRIPES
Published: March 16, 2020

Read more Stars and Stripes coronavirus coverage.

This story has been updated.

The Pentagon has ordered a halt to the deployment of forces for Defender-Europe 20, which would have been the military’s largest exercise on the Continent in a generation, because of concerns about the coronavirus, U.S. European Command said Monday.

Parts of the exercise have been completely eliminated including Dynamic Front, Joint Warfighting Assessment, Saber Strike and Swift Response, which involved paratroops dropping into the Republic of Georgia and the Baltics, officials said.

“As of March 13, all movement of personnel and equipment from the United States to Europe has ceased. The health, safety and readiness of our military, civilians, and family members is our primary concern,” EUCOM said.

Forces already deployed to Europe for exercises will return to the United States, EUCOM said.

Schedules for future troops rotations in support of Atlantic Resolve – the Pentagon’s effort to deter Russian aggression in Europe – are also likely to be adjusted, officials said.

Defender would have been the culmination of several years of military build-up on the Continent and was intended to showcase the military’s ability to mobilize large numbers of forces quickly.

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In addition to testing combat skills, Defender also was an exercise in large-scale logistics. The $340 million exercise started in January when units loaded up combat equipment and shipped it across the Atlantic Ocean.

Around 20,000 U.S.-based troops were to take part in Defender, joining thousands of other American and allied forces already based in places like Poland, Germany and the Baltic States. The exercise was to run through June.

Now, the military will need to figure out a schedule for returning troops and equipment that had already arrived in Europe,

The exercise was designed to be a 21st-century version of the Cold War-era “REFORGER” drills that were held regularly to demonstrate to the Soviet Union the mobility of American forces.

Since January, the Army has deployed about 6,000 soldiers from the U.S. to Europe, including a division headquarters and an armored brigade combat team.  It also moved 9,000 vehicles and pieces of equipment from Army prepositioned stocks and 3,000 pieces of equipment via sea from the United States to the Continent, EUCOM said.

EUCOM said it hoped an armored brigade combat team already deployed to Europe will still be able to conduct gunnery and other combined training events as part of a smaller exercise, dubbed Allied Spirit.

The announcement that the scope of Defender was being reduced because of the coronavirus follows a string of exercise cancellations for the same reason. Last week, a large cold weather exercise underway in Norway was canceled and, earlier this month, a major EUCOM air defense drill in Israel was called off, both because of the coronavirus.

Defender’s downsizing comes days after the World Health Organization said Europe was the epicenter of the global coronavirus pandemic amid a spike in the number of people testing positive for the virus. Several countries, including Germany and Poland, which would have been the main hubs for the Defender exercises, have shut their borders to try to stem the spread of the virus.

Nine people with connections to the U.S. military in Europe, including three service members, have tested positive for coronavirus so far. In Stuttgart, which is home to an American military community of around 28,000, 100 people are in isolation awaiting test results, military officials said.

Military schools and scores of on-base services across installations in Europe have shut down to try to stop the virus from spreading further.

Twelve people have died in Germany and 4,838 have contracted the virus as of Sunday, the Robert Koch Institute said on its website. In Italy, where the health ministry said 1,809 people have died after contracting the virus, U.S. bases have joined the rest of the country and locked down. Italy has had 24,747 cases of coronavirus disease since the first cases of the infection were reported at the end of January in a pair of Chinese tourists.

Sunday, March 15, 2020

World famous Greek Olympian stranded in Athens

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Pyrros Dimas 2004 Athens Olympics
Pyrros Dimas 2004 Athens Olympics

Olympic weightlifting champion Pyrros Dimas is stranded in Athens and won’t be able to return home to Chicago for at least a month, after Trump announced travel restrictions amid coronavirus threat.

On Tuesday Dimas, the technical director for USA Weightlifting, flew to Europe for meetings of the sport’s international federation.

Under the US  travel restrictions for more than two dozen European countries announced by President Donald Trump on Wednesday, the Greek sports hero’s visa makes him ineligible to return.

Dimas’ visa — granted to individuals possessing “extraordinary ability in the sciences, arts, education, business, or athletics” — was not among the exceptions announced as part of the restrictions meant to slow the spread of COVID-19.

The Olympic weightlifting champion made the announcement on Thursday evening, when he said he would not be able to return back home to his family in Chicago until mid-April. Until then, he will remain in Athens, Greece.

With four Olympic medals – three gold and one bronze – Dimas is tied for Greece’s most decorated Olympian and is regarded as the best weightlifter of all-time. Link

LDK with 'ultimatum' to Albin Kurti: Tax should be abolished TODAY, IMMEDIATELY

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March 15, 2020

LDK Deputy Prime Minister Avdullah Hoti has demanded that the tax on Serbian goods be lifted immediately. According to him, this should happen today.

“The tax should be abolished TODAY, IMMEDIATELY, COMPLETELY.

There is no place for political tactics with our partnership with the US ”, Hoti wrote.

Hoti's statement comes just minutes after Prime Minister Albin Kurti said he regretted not being able to abolish the tax on Serbian goods because of disagreement with the LDK.

“Today, on March 15, 2020, we had to abolish the 100% tariff on raw materials imported from Serbia. This will not happen because my position on February 26, 2020, meanwhile, was not made a decision. I am sorry for this. I still have not managed to convince our ruling coalition partner, LDK, of what I am convinced: gradually replacing the tariff with reciprocity is the best, fairest and most useful way, ”Kurti wrote today.

The following is Kurti's statement today on the tax on Serbian goods:

Two apologies

Dear citizens,

Today, March 15, 2020, the 100% tariff on raw materials imported from Serbia had to be abolished. This will not happen because my position on February 26, 2020, meanwhile, was not made a decision. I am sorry for this. I still have not managed to convince our ruling coalition partner, LDK, of what I am convinced: gradually replacing the tariff with reciprocity is the best, fairest and most useful way.

Yesterday's session of the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo, which started in the afternoon and ended after midnight, did not respect the orders for physical distance above one meter between people at the time of the Corona virus pandemic. With my deputy prime ministers, I was all the time closer, and sometimes during various conversations as we discussed the 2020 budget that we approved last night. I'm sorry about that and apologize.

cordially,
Albin Kurti