EU envoy urges Albania to solve property title claims

TIRANA: Albania must solve the huge problem of unclear and disputed property titles in order to attract foreign investors and meet European Union criteria for eventual membership, an EU envoy said yesterday.

Helmuth Lohan, the EU’s ambassador to Tirana, said economic progress in Albania had suffered because of fuzzy ownership titles affecting almost all families and eroding citizens’ confidence in democracy and the courts.

“Clear property titles and legal security are essential prerequisites for the prosperous development of the country, the attraction of foreign direct investment, social peace as well as for the country’s European integration process,” Lohan said.

Successive conservative and leftist governments since Albania toppled Communism have tried with little success to return property to rightful owners who were expropriated after World War Two by the late Stalinist dictator Enver Hoxha.
Rural land has been distributed

Scandal, a document of the National Hellenic Policy in the hand of the Albanian journalist!

Photo: The Journalist Mentor Nazarko

The document which contains an internal study of Institute "ELIAMEP" and the Greek Foreign Ministry about the future of Northern Epirus, is known by journalist Mentor Nazarko been declared. The statement was made on "Opinion", of KLAN TV, during a debate concerning the Greek Albanian relations.

It is very surprising that an Albanian journalist known for anti Hellenic positions had the opportunity to have read a top secret material which contains a study of Greek diplomacy and the prestigious institute "ELIAMEP" during the years 2000 - 2001 in Albania.

A group of journalists and experts financed by the Greek Foreign Ministry, under the accompaniment of the former Greek ambassador Alexandros Mallias conducted closely investigation team to study relationship that will be deployed consistently between Albania and Greece regarding the Greek minority in Albania and the future of autonomy Northern Epirus.

Document which is called "Top Secret" seen by the Albanian journalist, is classified for national strategy and Greek diplomacy but no for the public opinion. The journalist Nazarko is very known as author of a book about "Chameria" Issue.

STATE DEPARTMENT REGULAR BRIEFING BRIEFER: GORDON DUGUID, DEPUTY DEPARTMENT

WASHINGTON, D.C. TIME: 11:09 A.M. EST DATE: FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2009

Question: Gordon, could you give us an idea of what the agenda is for the secretary and the Albanian leader? Are they going to talk about that purge of former communist people in their government?

MR. DUGUID: Well, they're going to talk about bilateral issues. Issues of human rights will come up, whether it's the lustration law or not. I don't know if that will be raised in particular. I think the main thrust of the conversation will be about preparations for ascension into NATO membership. As you know, Albania is one of the two countries that's been granted NATO membership. The United States has agreed to that. We have signed our portion of the
agreement. Other allies have as well. They'll be talking NATO issues
for the most part, as well as other bilateral issues.

Question: Can I just ask one more on Albania and the meeting today?

MR. DUGUID: Yes.

Question: Will there be any discussion about potential, Albania potentially accepting more detainees from Guantanamo?

MR. DUGUID: Well, the discussions on Guantanamo detainees are something that we're doing with individual nations and with the EU as a group. I don't have any information for you on that particular topic in this meeting.

THE NEXT VISIT OF BAKOGIANIS IN TIRANA

This coming Monday, 9 February, Ms. Bakoyannis will visit Tirana, continuing her tour of the Western Balkans as the Chairperson of the OSCE. She will meet with Albanian President Mr. Topi, Prime Minister Ms.

Berisha and Foreign Minister Mr. Basha. She will also have the opportunity to meet with the Speaker of the Albanian Parliament, Ms. Topalli, and representatives of political parties.

The main subject of the Minister’s talks will be progress in the programmes the OSCE is implementing in Albania in cooperation with the Albanian government, as well as judicial reform, property registration and protection of property rights, police cooperation, good governance and cross-border cooperation.

Resolution for the recognition of independent Kosovo by the EU

Recognition of the independence of Kosovo from all Member States of the European Union today supported the plenary of the European Parliament.

Specifically in the resolution of the Kosovo Parliament approved an amendment submitted by the Danish Liberal MEP Giochanes Lempech.

Under the amendment, Parliament «Encourages the Member States of the European Union that have not yet done so to recognize the independence of Kosovo» ".

This amendment was adopted by a small majority 281 votes in favor, 229 against and 55 abstentions. All Greek MEPs voted against the amendment.

The Committee of Foreign Affairs and Defense of the Greek parliament voted for Albania and Croatia to NATO

With the votes of PASOK and ND, the Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defense of the Greek Parliament ratifying today the accession of Albania and Croatia to NATO.

Opponents of membership, where LAOS and Communist Party.

C

NATO in Fear of Possible Slovenian Referendum

NATO fears that Slovenia will not manage to ratify the protocols for accession of Croatia and Albania to the alliance by the April NATO summit or US President Barack Obama's first visit to Europe, especially if there is a referendum.

Everybody expects a new, fresh wind from the new US president, but the question looms if the wind will be stopped or slowed by a "no" from a member state to the accession of two new countries, Jelusic said after meeting NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer. De Hoop Scheffer was concerned by the latest developments regarding Slovenia's ratification of Croatia's and Albania's NATO accession protocols, in particular last week's delay of the vote on the ratification in the National Assembly.

It is not sure whether Slovenia, so far a credible member of the international community, would be able to ratify the protocols before the NATO summit following all the steps of the democratic procedure. The organisation would like to mark its 60th anniversary with a fresh round of enlargement, so the secretary-general hopes the ratification will be completed on time, added Appathurai. Croatia and Albania have passed all accession procedures so far and Slovenia consented to all the steps, Jelusic pointed out and warned that Slovenia could lose its international credibility and good name, which could take years to repair.

The minister hopes Slovenia will not need to be pressured by the international community, whose hopes are high. However, the protocols still have to be ratified in eight other NATO members. Slovenia must follow reason and not just emotions, she said and added that a number of political steps can be expected next week to enable a new session of the National Assembly and the speedy ratification of the protocols.

If Slovenia retains its credibility by participating in NATO, EU and UN future operations, the problematic project of the eight-wheeled armoured vehicles might be met with understanding even though it is not in accordance with the country's plans for 2012-2013.

PHOTONEWS

ALBANIANS: WE NEED TO CHANGE THE FOREIGN MINISTER TO BE WOMAN SUCH AS MADAM BAGOYANNIS FOR GREECE

DURING AN EMISSION ON "TOP ALBANIA RADIO" MANY ALBANIANS THINK THAT "THE SUCCESS OF GREECE FOREIGN POLICY IS THE GREAT PRESENCE OF MADAME BAKOYANNIS AS IMPORTANT FACTOR OF THE GREEK DIPLOMACY"

Albanians Push For Kosovo In Islamic

Tirana's Ethem Beu MosqueAlbania's Muslim community has started a petition drive to appeal to all 57 members of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, OIC, to recognize Kosovo’s independence.

Only 9 out off 57 IOC member states have recognized Kosovo as a sovereign state. Kosovo declared independence from Serbia on February 17 last year, and has been recognised by 54 countries, including the United States and most European Union member states.

The organizers of the petition are seeking 100,000 signatures from Albanian citizens in order to draw the OIC's attention after what they call a “failure of diplomatic efforts.”

World Bank Suspends Controversial Albania Project

Demolished house in Jale. The World Bank has announced the suspension of a loan from the International Development Association for a project that while meaning to safeguard Albania’s coast was found to have been used to demolish parts of a village and leave many families homeless.

“On January 9, the World Bank has suspended temporarily the disbursement of the IDA loan for the project for Coastal Zones Integrated Management and Clean-Up, because of a row between the government and the project, in which the later aimed to concentrate in planning and land use, while the government wanted apply its politics to control illegal construction,” the bank said in a statement.

An internal report IDA report, obtained by Balkan Insight, shows that a World Bank project on coastal zones management in southern Albania aided the demolishment of informal settlements in the village of Jale, in disregard to the Bank's policies of forced displacement.

see more: http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/main/news/16383/

Breaking News Albania

World Bank stops the financing project of Integrated Coastal Zone Management and Clean-up Project of Albania, Ionian Coast Albania.

The information bused on the ulterior scandal of the project that demolished a touristic village in Himara Region in collaboration with Albanian Authorities.

In the center of the scandal is the special equip of World Bank in Albania and the son in law of PM Sali Berisha Jamarber Maltezi as chairman of World Bank Group of Albanian government delegated. 17 tourist buildings are destructed after the Albanian authority enter in April, 2007 in Jali

Greek FM: Position on Kosovo unchanged

ATHENS -- Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis says that her country's stance on the unilateral proclamation of Kosovo's independence remains unchanged.

A file photo of Bakoyannis and Vuk Jeremić

Greece is one of five EU countries that have refused to recognize the Kosovo Albanian declaration. Bakoyannis also told Tanjug news agency in an interview that Belgrade's recent call on Greece and other countries to send its view of the problem to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) will be considered "in the spirit of friendship and cooperation". The UN General Assembly last fall approved Serbia's request for the ICJ to rule on the legality of the declaration.

"Our position is unchanged," the minister continued. "Greece formulates its foreign policy based on international law, taking into account its national interests, the region's stability and European values." Bakoyannis, who will arrive here on Monday in the capacity of the OSCE chair, also said that Greece strongly supports Serbia's EU integration and that it will take an active part in European Union's decision on sending a mission that should verify Belgrade's cooperation with the Hague Tribunal.

“Greece strongly supports Serbia's European perspective. Belgrade's request that the EU sends its mission will be considered and it will be decided in the European Union. Greece will take an active part in that discussion, confident that Serbia's EU integration will contribute to the peace and stability in the region and in the European Union as a whole,” she said.

ON THE WAY OF PROPERTIES SCANDAL IN SOUTHERN ALBANIA, ESPECIALLY IN HIMARA REGION

EXCLUSIVE- World Bank Demolished Albania Village

By Besar Likmeta and Gjergj Erebara in Tirana

World Bank project meant to safeguard Albania’s coastal zones was used to selectively demolish parts of a village in southern Albania and leave many families homeless, according to an internal report , which additionally notes allegations of corruption and efforts by World Bank officials to cover up the events .

An internal report of the International Development Association, IDA, obtained by Balkan Insight, shows that a World Bank project on coastal zones management in southern Albania aided the demolishment of informal settlements in the village of Jale, in disregard to the Bank's policies of forced displacement.

The investigation by an inspection panel found that World Bank management failed to comply with its policies with respect to the design, appraisal and implementation of the project, harming the local people affected by it.

The probe also found that WB assisted the demolition by pressuring local construction police to take action and by supplying them with equipment and aerial photos.

see more: http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/main/news/16349/

THE DOUBLE STANDARTS OF ALBANIA TO NATO

www.gazeta-agon.com

Slovenia postpones vote on Croatia, Albania NATO accession

The parliament's vote on the ratification of Albania's and Croatia's NATO accession protocols was postponed on Thursday as a result of an announced obstruction by the opposition Slovenian Democrats (SDS). Prime Minister Borut Pahor said the international credibility of Slovenia was now at stake.

The SDS has 28 members in parliament, and their vote is seen as crucial for the 2/3 majority required. The SLS and SNS parties has said they would vote against the accession of Croatia/Albiania in NATO.

Despite what would be considered as a short lived setback, Slovenian Parliament president Ivo Vajgl says he is expecting the ratification to go forward without problems.

FM Bakogianis to visit Tirana and W. Balkans

Foreign minister Dora Bakoyannis, as Chairperson of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), will embark on Tuesday, February 2, on a series of visits over the next two weeks to the Western Balkan countries, foreign ministry spokesman George Koumoutsakos announced on Wednesday.

On Tuesday, Bakoyannis will visit Belgrade, where she will have meetings with the Yugslav leadership, followed the following day by a visit to Pristina, where the largest of the OSCE's 19 missions is headquartered and where she will hold talks with representatives of international organizations headquartered there.

The following week, on February 9, Bakoyannis is scheduled to visit Tirana, while on February 11 she will go to Tiflis, for talks with governmenet officials in both countries.

In between, on February 4, Bakoyannis will inaugurate an international conference on the theme "Profiles of states in an internationalized environment - Possibilities and prospects for Greece" that is being organised in Athens by the Greek Politics Specialist Group under the aegis of the foreign ministry.

Continues the nationalist protest for the trial in Tepelena district. The protesters burned the greek flag

On the way of "multi ethno culturalism of Albania". How in albania the greeks and albanian live in peace?

A new protest is organized in front of the Distinct Court of Tepelena as the trial against Orgen Hasanbegaj and Luan Halili. The latter were arrested because they organized a civil protest in Toc, Tepelena against Vasil Bollano and Spiro Ksera’s anti-Albanian actions.

Vasil Bollano is the mayor of Himara and Spiro Ksera is the Prefect of Gjirokastra. This trial which has been going on for months in the District Court of Tepelena against two defendants Orgen Hasanbegaj and Luan Halili is absurd by "democratic standards" albanian media said.

According to media this process has been imposed by Prefect Ksera and the leader of "Omonia" Bollano, against whom the protesters have protested. "This is a flagrant violation of the human rights and freedom of thought. Their protest was in accordance with the Constitution of the Republic of Albania” the protesters said.

These two youngsters are now in the quality of the defendant because they organized a protest against anti-Albanian claims of Bollano and Ksera, according to whom, the South of Albania is Vorio-Epir territory. The police declared the protest anti-Albanian and arrested the youngsters with the excuse that protest was illegal.

The protest was suported by the "Mjaft" Moviment (The Soros Fondation) and the PM Spartak Ngjela came especialy from Tirana.

see video: http://www.top-channel.tv/new/artikull.php?id=141587

USA must change the policy in Balkan

Robert Gelbart to the "Voice of America "

I was the past few years, very upset because the administration policy toward the Balkans and other regions that Bush completely ignored, at least the first four years, while the next four attention concentrated almost exclusively on Kosovo. The Balkans is a very important region. The United States should closely cooperate with the European Union, Russia and other countries, in order to maintain profit from the past decade.

Many times I observed that Serbia is a central country in the Balkans and must help it to progress and to consolidate democracy and stability. If it does not, the whole region will suffer negative consequences. I think that now in Serbia we have a very good government headed by President Boris Tadic. Serbia, as the whole world, affected the global economic crisis.

The United States should closely cooperate with the European Union and Russia, to the Balkans remained positive on the course, particularly in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo and relations with Serbia. In regard to Russia, the United States need a new beginning, despite the recent rhetoric, given that both countries have an important role and the need to find a model of constructive cooperation.

New container port to be built in Albania

Albania awarded a 35-year concession to the British-Swiss Zumax AG group Wednesday for a euro1.18 billion ($1.55 billion) container terminal for ships in southwestern Albania. The Transport Ministry said St. Gallen, Switzerland-based Zumax AG will build the terminal at the Vlora port, 85 miles (140 kilometers) southwest of capital, Tirana, with a three-million container annual capacity.

Its construction is expected to start in April or May this year and to be completed in four years, according to Kevin Paja, the group's representative in Tirana. The group also has asked the government to create a free-trade zone where the terminal is to be located and to build an airport in the Vlora area. The group expects more than 4,000 companies to exploit the container terminal in a free-trade zone.